Picture Perfect Cooking

I have some leftover frozen strawberries that I need to use before I buy more this summer, so I have been looking for a good strawberry cupcake recipe.  Found it!  This recipe makes 24 cupcakes.  The frosting recipe has been doubled for that many cupcakes.  It can be cut in half for 12.  They are yummy and the pink frosting is really pretty!

Strawberry Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk (I used powdered buttermilk.  The conversion chart is on the package.)

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup finely chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen & thawed)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pan with liners.  Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt onto a paper plate.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.  Add eggs and mix until smooth and creamy.

 

Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla.  Mix until combined.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture slowly.  Stir in strawberries.

  

Scoop batter into each cupcake liner until it is about half full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool.

 

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp strawberry puree

With an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy.  On medium speed, beat in sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Mix in vanilla.  Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Stir in strawberry puree completely.  The frosting will be a pretty pink.  Frost your cupcakes.

   

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Here is my recipe for thick homemade chili.  This is a conglomeration of different chili recipes that I have tried.  My husband nor I like to eat beans.  I love the flavor and nutrients they give to chili, but I have never liked the texture, so I came up with a solution.  I puree my chili beans before adding them to the chili.  You still get all the good parts with none of the bad.  Here we go…

 

48 oz can low sodium tomato juice

2 15oz cans tomato sauce

1 can chili beans (hot or mild)

1 pkg low sodium chili seasoning mix (hot or mild)

1 lb ground beef cooked and drained

1 tsp brown sugar

 

In a slow cooker, pour in half of the tomato juice.  I freeze the leftover juice for the next batch.  Add the tomato sauce, seasoning mix, beef & brown sugar.  Stir to combine.

Pour the can of beans into the bowl of a food processor.  Process until smooth and then pour into slow cooker.  Combine all ingredients.  Cook on high for approximately one hour then turn the heat to low for 4 hours.

 

When the time is up, pour into a soup bowl and enjoy.  I serve mine with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich and saltine crackers.  One of my favorite leftover applications is “frito pie”.  Pour  reheated chili in a soup bowl and top with shredded cheese.  Serve with Fritos Scoops.

 

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by West Bend

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