Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

I made these for my dad's friends so that they could celebrate his 80th birthday with him.  They are his coffee buddies.  This is so easy, and they look and taste great!

Ingredients

Use your favorite Chocolate Cake mix

Raspberry preserves

1 cup of heavy cream

8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, broken in pieces

Fresh raspberries

Bake chocolate cupcakes by following manufacturer's directions on the box.  You can use cupcake liners or grease and flour the muffin tins to make your cupcakes.  I personally don't use the cupcake liners in this recipe because I think the cupcake looks more elegant. 

After cupcakes have cooled, carefully remove them from the muffin tins.  You may have to go around the edge with a sharp knife. 

Spread the raspberry preserves in a thin layer directly on top of each cupcake. 

For Ganache...

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until small bubbles form.  around the edge of the pan.  Add chocolate, turn off heat and let sit for 5 min. 
Whisk well.

Quickly dip cupcake into ganache by hand.

I have to say, it was delicious!   

Peaches!

It's that time of year again!  A tradition in our family.  Put up freezer peaches. I think I started in 1993 or 1994.  My friend Millie taught me about canning and we have passed that on to our children, who are all adults now. It's so fun for Millie and I to go to the Farmer's Market together and pick our peaches! We buy them by the box!

When you get home, place your peaches on newspaper in the coolest part in your house.  I use the cement floor in the basement.  I lay newspaper down first and then carefully place each peach on the paper to ripen.  This may take 1-3 days depending on your peaches.



The night before you prepare the peaches, make a few batches of simple syrup.  Let cool and then chill until the next day.

Simple syrup 

4 c. water
3 c. sugar
Fruit fresh
Combine sugar and water and let come to a simmer, or until the sugar has dissolved.  This makes about 5 1/2 cups of simple syrup.  Then add 1 teaspoon of fruit fresh for each cup of syrup.  I usually make about 4 batches of simple syrup.   

                         

Clean and sterilize your canning jars.  I just put mine in the dishwasher.  I also prep by precutting sheets of waxed paper to place on top of the peaches.
Let's get started!  We need to remove the skins.
Heat a big pot of water to boiling and carefully add your peaches one by one just a few at a time.
Let the peaches sit in the hot water for about 30 seconds.  
 Remove the peaches and place on a tray to cool.  Peel each peach.

      
Cut each peach in half and remove the pit.  Slice each peach half into medium slices and place into jars.  I usually do a few at a time so that the peaches don't turn brown.  Pour in simple syrup to completely submerge the peaches.

Then, top with a piece of cut waxed paper.  Seal with the lid and wipe the outside of the jars to remove any syrup from the sides of the jar.  

Place the jars in the freezer to enjoy all winter long!

The peaches are especially delicious when they are semi-frozen. They make you so happy that you took the time to freeze them!

Wine Label Place Cards

I saved my favorite wine labels by steaming them off the wine bottles!  It took me a long time to get the ones I wanted.  Then for a party, I glued them to cardstock cut the same height, but different widths depending on the size of the wine label. Then, I wrote the names of my guests with a metallic-colored sharpie.

I couldn't figure out how to make them stand up until I remembered that I had so many corks from my favorite wines.  I simply glued them to the back of the cardstock with a glue gun! 

It was a fun party!

Papá's Salsa

Hello! I'm back! This is one of those beautiful sunsets from San Angelo. We just returned from a Texas vacation and I promised my friends that I would post this salsa recipe. It is actually an adapted version of my father-in-law's recipe. It is a family classic!

 Papás Salsa

1-2 jalapeños
5-7 Roma tomatoes
1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt

In a cast iron skillet, roast 1-2 whole jalapeños. While jalapeños are roasting, rinse and cut Roma tomatoes in half to fill your skillet. Cook until both the jalapeños and tomatoes are blackened. 

Remove jalapeños from skillet and cut up.  Discard the stems. If you want less heat, then don't use the seeds. Place cut jalapeños at the bottom of a blender and then add blackened tomatoes. 

In the blender, add 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, that has been roughly chopped, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Slowly pulse salsa in blender until all ingredients have been blended. 

Spanish Rice

My daughter is having a girlfriend over and she wants to make rice like her mama makes.  So, here is the way a Tex-Mex mama makes her Spanish Rice!Add small amount of canola or veg. oil.

Add 1 cup of long-grain rice, and lightly brown.

Add 1/4 cup diced onion and 1 minced garlic clove.

Brown rice, onion, and garlic together.

Add 1 small can Hunts tomato sauce, and 2 1/2 cans water.

Season with salt.

...And cumin

It should look like this.  Stir well.

Cover with foil and a lid.  Bring to a boil.

I put my gas stove dial inbetween Med-lo and Med.  Let simmer for 15 min.  All the water should have evaporated.  Let sit covered for at least 5 min.  Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Pie

Did someone say Coconut Cream Pie? That sounds delicious!  

THAT... it is! This is the easy version.  I don't even like coconut, but somehow I like it in this pie!  

This is best made the day before, but at least make it ahead of time to give it a few hours to set.  

Use your food processor to make the crust.  It is a fast way to make a crust.

Press the moist crumbs into a pie pan using a measuring cup!

 Soak the coconut in warm milk.

Mix the filling together.

Add  mixture to strained milk.  

Add vanilla, cover and chill.  

Brown coconut in oven.

Pipe whipped cream or Cool Whip on chilled pie filling and top with toasted coconut!

Coconut Cream Pie

For the crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

1 stick butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut (4 oz.), divided

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of salt

3 large egg yolks

Cool Whip Lite OR...

Whipped cream- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream whipped in mixer with 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Make crust:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, pulse flour, butter, sugar, & salt until moist crumbs form, transfer to a tart pan or pie plate.  Press lightly with a measuring cup into bottom and up sides of pan.  Freeze until firm, 15 minutes.

Prick crust all over with a fork. Bake, until golden, 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Make filling: Spread 3/4 cup coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, 5-7 minutes. Set toasted coconut aside.

In medium saucepan, heat 2 cups milk and remaining 3/4 cup coconut until milk begins to simmer. Remove from heat, cover; let stand 10 minutes. Strain through sieve, and return milk to saucepan; discard coconut.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, & remaining 1/2 cup milk until blended. Gradually whisk into saucepan. Bring to simmer over med-low heat, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken, about 3 min.  Cook, whisking, 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, add vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate until cool, 45 minutes. 

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat cream on medium until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. (Note: I use Cool Whip Lite)

To assemble the tart, sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted coconut on crust. Spoon on cooled filling, mounding slightly in center. Top with whipped cream, and garnish with remaining coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.