Cupcakes: Easy white or confetti cupcakes

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

What you will need:

            1/2 cup butter, softened

            1 cup white sugar

            2 eggs (or egg substitute if your vego)

            1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract (organic is important-taste is better)

            1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

            2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

            1/4 teaspoon salt

            2/3 cup milk substitute (vanilla almond breeze)

            24 flat bottomed ice cream cones

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

Cream butter and sugar together well in mixing bowl. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla. Measure flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl. Stir. Add milk to butter mixture in 2 parts alternately with flour mixture in 3 parts, beginning and ending with flour

Fill cones about 3/4 full leaving the batter 1/2 inch from top. Place filled cones on a baking tray.

Bake in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Wait for the cupcakes to cool completely. You can use regular or cream cheese icing, if you pipe it on, add sprinkles or confetti before the icing hardens, and then let air dry for over 2 hrs for firm peaks.  

Appetizers, Crackers: Zesty Cheese crackers

 ZESTY CHEESE CRACKERS

What you will need:

1 cup butter

8 oz. pkg. Imperial Cheese (sharp cold pack cheddar cheese)

Dash of salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

¼ tsp. worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 ½ cups flour

4 cups Rice Krispies

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350

In a large mixing bowl Cream butter and cheese together. Add seasonings.  Beat in flour (Or mix/crush by hand). Stir in Rice Krispies cereal.  Mix well. 

Shape mixture into pin pong ball sized balls. 

Press down with a fork or your finger, which has been dipped in cold water.  Bake at 350^o F (180^oC) for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.  Makes about 2 dozen.

  

Bread: Flatbread Naan

What you will need:


Prep time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 20 Minutes
Ready in: 2 Hrs 25 minutes (this accounts for rising time)
Skill Level: Intermediate (baking take a little more skill than cooking- don't be scared)

2/3 cup warm water 

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup  melted unsalted butter or ghee

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

2 teaspoons kalonji (onion seed)

Directions:

Whisk the warm water with the yeast and sugar until the yeast is dissolved. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Sift flour and salt three times into a large bowl add the yeast mixture, half of the butter and all the yogurt. Mix into a soft dough then knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough is doubled in size .

Punch down dough then knead for 5 minutes. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece out into 8 inch round naans.

Cover an oven tray with foil and grease the foil. Brush the naan with a little of the remaining ghee and sprinkle with some of the kalonji. Cook naan one at a time under a very hot grill for about 2 minutes on each side or until puffed and just browned.