Thursday, September 24, 2009

Spiced Brown Sugar Crunch Cupcake

Hi everyone! Here's my FAVORITE cupcake recipe. You are not going to believe how easy it is to make these cupcakes. The sweet crunchy topping is balanced out by the moist spice cake. Everyone will think you have gone above and beyond with this one, when in reality it was (pun alert) a piece of cake!

1 Box Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
1 Can Duncan Hines Vanilla Frosting
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
Cupcake liners for pan
  1. Prepare the cupcakes according to directions on box;
    bake and cool completely
  2. Place the brown sugar in a shallow bowl or on a small plate
  3. Frost each cupcake with the vanilla frosting
  4. Lightly dip the top of each frosted cupcake into the brown sugar - coat lightly
  5. These are best served the following day as the sugar partially melts into the frosting and creates a delicate crust that melts in your mouth -- ENJOY!!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Grilled Mahi & Polenta with Tomato & Bean "Gravy"

4 Mahi Fillets rubbed w/ Olive Oil, Garlic Powder, & Salt to taste
1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese shredded
1 15.5 oz can Glory Great Northern Beans, Southern Style
1 14.5. oz can Diced Tomatoes
1 4.5 oz can Old ElPaso Chopped Green Chile's
1 30 oz container of Chicken Stock
  1. Put last four ingredients in a 2 quart pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour and up to 2 hours -- checking occasionally. You want to cook the mixture down until it's a nice hearty stew (runny but not too runny).
  2. Prepare polenta according to package directions. Usually 3 cups boiling water to 1 cup polenta -- cook on low for 30 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of butter at the end. Stir in the 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese at the end and incorporate well.
  3. Grill Mahi fillets until done -- about 5 min on each side.
  4. Spoon 1/4th of the prepared polenta into a bowl or pasta dish; place a grilled Mahi fillet on top and the ladle the "Gravy" over the top. ENJOY!!