Super Moist Cupcakes, From the FarmChick

I made these today and was very worried about them being as watery as soup, but it worked out well.  They are a lot like Devils foods cake. Delicious and not overly sweet.  Perfect for frosting and serving at  kids party.

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.  Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.  (I recommend a batter bowl to easily pour the batter into the cupcake liners).  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat with a mixer for about two minutes, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Add the boiling water, and beat, just until blended.  (Don't be alarmed - the batter appears watery).  Evenly ladle  the batter into the liners. No more than half full, or they rise with to big of a point, to frost.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the center of the cupcakes springs back when lightly touched.  Cool and frost.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Perfectly sweet, but not overly so, and light and creamy just like you'd want on a cupcake.

1/3 cup butter, just slightly cooler than room temperature

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla
food coloring, if desired

Beat butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl until creamy.  Gradually beat in 3 cups of the powdered sugar.  Beat in milk and vanilla.  Blend in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar.  If desired, tint with food coloring.  (For the perfect pastel colored frosting, only 1 drop of food coloring is necessary).

Buttermilk Fried Chicken.

1 quart of Buttermilk. If you don't have any you can make buttermilk out of Vinegar and milk: 3/4 cup of milk and 2 tsps of vinegar or lemon Juice.  Add the vinegar or juice to the milk, let stand for a few minutes to sour.

2-3 pounds of frying chicken
2-4 cups of all purpose flour ( divided 1 cup and 3)
4 eggs and 1/3 cup of milk...well whisked  together in a large bowl.
Seasonings: ( total of no more than 2 Tablespoons) Garlic Powder, ginger, salt, pepper, poultry seasonings. OR Mrs Dash. Any of these will work, Either as a combination or alone. You can play with the seasonings and add different ones for different flavors. We used Italian Seasonings one time, and it was tasty and different. Another time we used Cumin and Ginger. Use your imagination and tastes! Add your to remaining 3 cups of the flour in a large bowl.
Oil for Frying, about 3 cups.

Place chicken in a large bag( like a gallon ziplock, but I have been in a bind a time or two and have used a new clean small garbage bag, a clean produce bag, even a bread bag) Pour in the buttermilk. Let marinate at least 4 hours, over night is preferred.


Set up a work station. You will need 3 large bowls, One with about 1 cup of flour in it, the next bowl will have your egg and milk mixture, the third bowl you will have your seasoned flour.

Be sure the pan u r frying in, has deep sides. Like a good deep cast iron fry pan.

Remove your chicken from the bag and lightly rinse, then pat dry.

Heat your oil to hot....... but never smoking. Keep heat around medium high.

Dredge your chicken in the first bowl( unseasoned flour) then into the second bowl( egg mix) coat well, then the last bowl with the seasoned flour...coat well. Press the seasoned flour onto the chicken with your fingers, place in the hot oil. Careful oil will bubble up and can over flow. Repeat until your pan is full. I like to start with thighs and breasts because they take the longest. Turn often, even making the chicken balance on its side, for even cooking and browning. After all sides are very brown, reduce heat and cook covered for about 20 minutes, Remove the cover and turn chicken and continue cooking for ten minutes more. Drain on paper towels. For Extra Crispy chicken do not cover and cook for 35 minutes, turning often to prevent burning.
:)

Beef Stew

Here ya go Sarah Wilson.  This is my standby recipe. Ive made it this way for over 30 years.  You can substitute Moose or Pork.  Just have to adjust the cooking times for the meat. I prefer to add a touch of brown vinegar when its moose, to help make it tender.


2 Tbs flour
1 pound Beef ( typically chuck or round)
salt and pepper
2-4 Tbs oil( can use any type. I usually use olive)
31/2 cups of V-8 or any vegetable juice cocktail
1/2 cup chopped onion( can use baby or cocktail sized onions for flare)
2 tsp of instant beef bullion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil and dried thyme. Crushed.
2 to 2 and half cups of chunk cut potatoes( can peel or not)
2 cups chunk cut carrots
1 cut of chunk cut celery
3/4 cup frozen corn.
3/4 cup of frozen peas.

Cut meat into bite sized pieces.  Put flour in a mixing bowl. add salt and pepper( jsut a dash of each) dump in the meat and coat well with the flour mixture. In a large pot or a dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the meat and brown on both sides. Remove meat set on a paper towel , drain off any excess oil that is in your pot. Return your meat to the pot and add the V-8. Add the onion, bullion, garlic, basil and thyme. Bring to a low boil.  cover and simmer on low for about an hour to an hour and 30 minutes. Or until meat is ALMOST tender. Add potatoes, carrots and celery. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes more, just until the vegetables are tender. Add the frozen vegetables, cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Best served with a crunchy french bread!

Blender Crepes. ( adapted from taste of life)

I stumbled across this recipe the other day. I haven't made crepes since High School, so I thought id give this recipe a try.  The fillings can be as varied as your tastes.  For these we are making strawberry and cream, chocolate cream, and spinach and cheese.

5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup water
2 cups flour
6 tablespoons melted butter
extra butter for frying

 Powder sugar for dusting.

Fillings:

Strawberry and Cream:

1 cup of heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup powdered sugar.

Combine cream and vanilla, pour into blender, put lid on, open the littel lid.............slowly add sugar as its blending. Blend until firm. 30 seconds to a minute.

Chocolate filling:

1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup Hershey chocolate syrup.

Pour cream into a blender, add syrup slowly thru the little lid. blend until firm. about 25 second to a minute. 

Spinach and cheese filling:

2 cups fresh spinach

shredded cheese

Crepes Method:

In a blender combine eggs, milk, water. Slowly add the melted butter. 

Then slowly add the flour.

Blend until well incorporated, scraping the sides of the blender as necessary. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least an hour but no longer than 36 hours.

When you’re ready to make the crepes, head a medium to large frying pan with rounded sides over medium-high heat. Add in a small tab of butter and immediately once the butter is melted pour in 3/4 cup   of batter, swirling the pan above the burner to coat the bottom evenly. Return the pan to the burner and allow the crepe to cook until it pulls away from the sides.  ONLY about 30-45 seconds.

Using a heatproof spatula, lift the edges of the crêpe to unstick them from the sides of the pan. Carefully slide the spatula down the center of the crêpe, lift up and flip to the other side. Allow to cook another 10 seconds or so. Slide the crêpe to a flat surface.  Add filling :

 Ten fold the sides over and dust with pepper or powdered sugar. 

Other fillings: Ham and cheese. Cream Cheese and honey. any Berry and whipped cream! Its endless....

Note:These are amazingly versatile. As the spinach ones were as good as the sweet variety!! Kids devoured the chocolate and strawberry ones.  I had the spinach. They were deliciously perfect~!

Peach Sorbet

In this record breaking heat of the summer of 2011, ice cold treats are a must.  One of our favorites are sorbets.  Here is a peach recipe, that I made today.

6-7 large, fresh, ripe, peaches
pot of boiling water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
6-8 Tablespoons of lemon juice

Bring a very large pot of water to a boil.  Score each peach with an X from top to bottom.  Drop peaces in boiling water for 10-20 seconds, remove, let cool.  Using a small knife, grasp the skin and peel back. Will slide right off.  Cut peaches into large chunks, discard the pits. 

In a blender or processor, put the sugar, lemon juice and corn syrup in. Blend for a few seconds to mix well. Add about 3/4 of the peaches and blend well.  Cut the rest of the peaches up into small bite sized pieces.  Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl, add your bite sized pieces. Mix gently.  Pour into your ice cream maker and follow the manufactures directions.