Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Marshmallow Fluff Frosting

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes:
Adapted from Martha Stewart, via Brown Eyed Baker
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour *see below for note on subbing all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk, soy milk or rich’s (non dairy) whip
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Decide if you want to make mini or full size cupcakes and line the correct size pan with paper liners. (I made some of each!)
Sift together the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter or margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Turn the mixer to low, and add the flour 1/3 at a time, alternating with the milk, 1/2 at a time. Mix until just combined. Don’t over mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pans, filling them 3/4 full.
Bake in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes for mini cupcakes or 20 minutes for full size cupcakes.
Set aside to cool, then frost cupcakes with marshmallow fluff frosting when they are completely cooled.

*Note: to replace the cake flour with all-purpose flour, use 1 1/2 cups minus 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour. You can use it as is, or you can replace those three tablespoons of flour with corn starch.

Marshmallow Fluff Frosting
adapted from How Sweet It Is
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
3 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk or soy milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, vanilla, marshmallow fluff, powdered sugar and milk until smooth, creamy and stiff enough to pipe. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle over frosted cupcakes.

Enjoy!

Cooking Tips : 

Simple Cooking Ideas You Can Use Today

Not all people are born with the natural capability to be master chefs. Everyone has the capability to learn how to cook if they want to though.There a few things you must know before beginning your journey in order to cook well. The following article provides you with hints and tips to get yourself going on the path towards becoming a successful cook.

Cut meat thinly across the grain when you are stirfrying. This can take a lot of time and be tricky.

There are ways to fix your work and make it so you are able to instantly use it instantly. Mix 1 tablespoon of starch and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir this solution into your simmering thin sauce and it will get thicker. Make sure to introduce the mix once your sauce looks better.

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To make your French fries crisper, let the raw potatoes soak for about half an hour in cold water prior to frying.

Beans and tofu contain a lot of protein if you need to add some to your diet. You can buy these ingredients easily and incorporate them to many different recipes. Try pan-frying tofu with some interesting seasonings and adding seasoning to replace meat. Beans can always be cooked with some spices and herbs for a delicious protein source.

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Storing herbs and spices in warm location will cause them to lose their flavor.

You need to stay organized when you are cooking, which could be costly.An organized cooking station is a much more productive kitchen. If you are unorganized, you will start to forget what you buy and that will make you spend too much money that could have been spent on something you would have eaten.

Save approximately 1/4 cup of water and put it aside. When the time comes to add the sauce to the pasta, add the water as well. The pasta water's starch adds a "creaminess" to the sauce and make it creamier.

Impress your friends with great sandwiches by spreading the mayo evenly on the entire surface of the bread slices. An even spread helps keep the taste consistent from bite tastes as it should.

It is important to take proper care for your wood cutting boards. A cutting board made from wood can crack and warp if it is exposed to excessive moisture, heat or dryness. Do not submerge the board to clean it, but instead, clean it using a sponge and warm water. You can find oil designed for this purpose.Be sure to let your cutting board dry it off completely before you use it again.

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Fresh herbs and different types of natural seasonings can add a kick to the simplest dish. Dried herbs aren't quite as conspicuous in complex dishes. Fresh herbs have a better flavor.

There are a vast array of potato varieties, and they are not always adequate substitutes for each other when cooking.

Don't try out a new recipes when you are cooking for someone you want to impress. Whether it is for friend, that special someone or your in-laws, you want to present your best effort. Impress these people with a meal you already know you are good at making.

Red potatoes have very thin skin and are not ideal for a dense filling.

A stir-fry is a great way to use random vegetables in your refrigerator is to make some fried rice. Fry the meats and veggies in a bit of oil, then add the rice and season with soy sauce, soy sauce, garlic in with it.

Dark, leafy greens are super healthy, but they can be tedious to prepare. It can be tedious work to eliminate the tough stems of leafy greens. Make it easier by folding the leaf and then break out the stem. You could also cut the stems of the folded leaves with a knife.

Use cooking oil to measure sticky foods! Before you measure, lightly coat the spoon with a cooking oil which has little flavor, such as canola, then the sticky substance you are measuring will glide off much easier, preventing waste and making clean up much easier. This works for things like peanut butter too.

Shake things up if your family is tired of the same frozen corn on the table every night. Add some coconut flakes to the dish a very exotic flavor.

Put the juiciest ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom, juicier ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom and lighter ingredients like lettuce and croutons on top.

Not everyone was born to be an executive chef. However, if you can read a recipe, you can become a culinary connoisseur in your own kitchen before you know it. It's not as difficult as you might believe. You will be on your way to better kitchen skills and unlikely to put a foot wrong when you make use of this article's advice.

Get Better In The Kitchen With This Set Of Rules

Cooking is something you can always get better. Even an experienced cook can learn new tips that will make their time in the kitchen more enjoyable. New cooks should know the little tips that make cooking easy. This advice will help you more about how to cook.

Keep all dried spices in a location that stays room temperature. If light, humidity or heat, they will lose much of their flavor. Ground herbs and spices retain their flavor for around a year. Spices that come in the potential to last upwards of five years. Storing spices in glass containers with a

If you are just beginning to cook more of your meals, go straight to the nearest bookstore or library to find a cookbook that has simple, basic recipes that you will enjoy preparing. Try different recipes and be patient as you come up with something that works for you.

Quickly cooking vegetables makes them to retain much of their nutritional value. Vegetables which are cooked slowly lose their taste and valuable nutrients. These speed-cooking techniques make the vegetables that are more nutritious overall. Cooking better vegetables is all about cooking them for the least amount of time is essential.

When burgers and other foods become stuck to the grill grates, they sometimes lose their shape when they stick to your grill and become hard to remove. Try brushing vegetable oil on the grill or pan to keep food from sticking.

Plan to make a big pot of stock so that the excess can freeze and store it. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, casseroles, casseroles and more.

Sauteing vegetables in a small amount of chicken broth is a healthy and delicious way to cook them. This is a great and delicious way to prepare veggies.

This will allow your fruits to stay fresh for much longer. This is also advantageous for those seasonal fruits that are out of season.

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If serving salad, and you are including a salad with the meal, allow your guests to put the dressing on themselves. Some people enjoy lots of dressing than others; let guests pour their own dressing. Make sure you have a wide selection of dressings to choose from.

Leave the bone in a roast if you are cooking and pressed for time.The bone carries the cooking process by distributing the heat right to the interior of the roasting pan.

You can make your own dried tomatoes yourself. Cut Romas tomatoes in lengthwise halves, depending on their size.You can also pack dried tomatoes in a jar with herbs and olive oil. The jar can be kept in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Make the most of any leftovers after your Thanksgiving dinner. Cut the leftover meat and freeze it in an airtight containers. The turkey meat will keep its freshness and can stay fresh for weeks this way.

Always clean your utensils that are spotlessly clean. Any leftover food matter missed during washing can ruin whatever you plan on cooking next. This can allow bacteria to easily spread.

Use salt liberally in the water when you are cooking pasta. This will help season the salt to be absorbed by the pasta. Salting cooked pasta will not have the same effect of absorption.

Do prep work first to save cooking time. Many recipes include ingredients that can be prepared a few days before you actually cook the meal for which they're needed. There are certain instances in which using this method can help you create a more flavorful touch to your meal.

There are a wide variety of potatoes, and they should not be substituted.

Brine is a method that is great cooking method. Soak any poultry in the brine water for at least an hour before cooking it.

Stacking cooling racks can be a baker's best friend. Stackable cooling racks are very efficient ways to use of your space. Stacking in vertical layers opens up instead of out makes sure you need to work in.

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Fruit tastes great when cooked on the grill. Slice peaches, melons and peaches and then thread them onto a skewer. Place the fruit directly on a grill that has been cleaned until grill marks. Serve on top of ice cream or a pound cake.

Dark, leafy greens have tons of healthy nutrients, but preparing them can be a pain. Removing the stems can be difficult. Make it easier by folding the leaf lengthwise in half and breaking the stem. You can also cut the stem from the folded leaf using a knife.

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Buy fish or meat on the bone.

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Mocha Crunch Cupcakes

Mocha Cupcakes

1 cup flour

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter. melted

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons instant coffee

1/2 cup hot coffee

Chocolate Sauce

2/3 cup dark chocolate

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

4 Tablespoons powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons water

Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt.

Combine eggs, butter and vanilla.

Add to dry ingredients and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.

Stir instant coffee into hot coffee. 

Pour into batter and stir until combined.

Scoop (or pour) batter into muffin cups.

Bake 18 minutes at 350.

Cool completely on wire racks.

Frost with chocolate buttercream.  Put in freezer for 10 minutes.

To make chocolate sauce:  Heat chocolate and whipping cream in the top of a double boiler, without stirring.

Stir melted chocolate.  Stir in powdered sugar.

Stir in enough water to make pouring consistency.

Chop whoppers, reserving 1 for the top of each cupcake.

Spoon chocolate sauce over frozen buttercream.  Sprinkle with chopped whoppers.

 Finish with another dollop of buttercream and a whopper.

Cooking Tips : 

Tips To Help You Start Cooking Like A Pro

Cooking is a necessity, but it can be a fun hobby too. Anyone can cook well if they have the right information and quality advice to help them learn. The article will provide some of that learning material to get you need to inspire the cook in you!

If you're trying to start making more food yourself, take a trip to a local library or bookstore where you can find many cookbooks with recipes you can enjoy making at home. Try different recipes and be patient as you come up with something that works for you.

Preparation is one of the most important things that you will have to do before you cook a meal for family or family. Gather all of your ingredients beforehand. This will allay some of your fears and anxiety levels.

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You can also use it on other foods besides meat. Try using it to season roasted pumpkin seeds sprinkled with the seasoning for a tasty snack or mix it in your scrambled eggs. People will wonder on what the secret ingredient.

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Make enough so that you can freeze the excess and use it later. Good chicken stock that you make at home makes a great starter for soups, casseroles, casseroles and more.

This keeps them from burning up while the food is cooking process. Use two parallel skewers as opposed to a single skewer to avoid food intact.

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You can dry out your own dried tomatoes. You can use Roma tomatoes cut lengthwise, or by cutting Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. Dried tomatoes may also be put in a jar with fresh herbs and olive oil. The jars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Storing herbs and spices in a warm locations will lead them to lose their flavor.

Place unripe fruits in a plastic bag that is perforated right after you buy them. If you put them in a perforated plastic bag, and the gas will stay in, keeping the fruit fresh and tasty.

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Save approximately 1/4 cup of this water. When you mix your pasta and sauce, add some of the saved water. The addition of the sauce via amalgamation.

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Spices will rapidly lose flavor if exposed to heat, light and humidity. This will only exposes the spices to elements that will make them lose their flavors.

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Put the juiciest ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom, juicier ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom and lighter ingredients like lettuce and croutons on top.

Make sure you are using the correct potatoes in your recipes. Potatoes can be waxy, mealy or waxy. Russet potatoes are common kind of mealy potatoes. Waxy potatoes are good for steaming or boiling because they keep their shape well when heated. The most popular waxy potato varieties are red or regular white potatoes.

Certain fruits, including avocados, bananas, apples, quickly turn brown as their cut sides oxidize. Lemon or salt water can do an adequate job of staving off the browning process, but the best flavor to use to stop the browning is by dipping the fruit in pineapple juice. A small dip works well, so don't worry about leaving it to soak.

Learn to appreciate sturdy greens that appear in the colder months. Once the first first has occurred, certain winter greens, including kale, collards and kale, taste a lot sweeter. Wash greens thoroughly as they tend to accumulate lots of dirt. Submerge the greens in a bowl of cool water, shake them off, and then rinse until their water is clear.

Cooking isn't just about getting food to the table. It is not only fun to do, but it tastes good as well. You may have the occasional flop but with the help of the advice in this article, those flops are sure to occur less often. Use these tips in your kitchen to help you accomplish culinary success.

Super Advice For Becoming A Great Cook

Even casual cooks can learn new every now and then. Use these tips and make some great food in the kitchen.

Preparation is one of the most important prior to cooking a meal for your friends or family. Make sure you have all of the ingredients available. This will allay some of your fears and anxiety levels.

You do not want to deal with the stress by sticking to familiar recipes and food you have ever done before. This can lessen the stress you may feel.

Quickly cooking vegetables allows them crispier and more nutrient-filled.Vegetables which are cooked slowly can lose a lot of their taste and nutrition. These cooking techniques make the vegetables in general. Cooking better vegetables is all about cooking them for only a short amount of time is essential.

Use fresh ingredients whenever possible, as they bring out the flavor in a dish, and they may cost less over the long run.

They will act somewhat like sponges and absorb the water. Wipe the mushrooms off with a damp cloth that is damp.

This will stop the skewer from burning when they are cooking. Use two parallel skewers as opposed to a single skewer to keep food falling off.

You must read the food labels when you're purchasing ingredients for a recipe. Many common cooking supplies contain hidden ingredients. You want to ensure that anything you buy is not high in sugar or sodium.

Prepare some of your food the night before if you cannot handle doing everything in one night. Cut up vegetables and make the sauce the night before so you can save time. You will feel less stressed and a bit more eager to cook the next day.

Storing these items in warm locations will lead them to lose their flavor.

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Save around 1/4 cup of water after cooking your pasta. When you mix your pasta and sauce, add this little amount of water to the mix. The pasta water's starch adds a "creaminess" to the sauce and make it creamier.

This way, you prevent yourself from using too much gas or heat when cooking, or save yourself danger when cooking.

If you're going to be barbecuing, the grill should be readied prior to the event so it is good to go when you are. The grill should be prepared 30 minutes before your coals are hot enough to start grilling.The coals should be at medium heat and covered in ash. This is the optimal temperature to begin grilling your food.

Purchase quality cutting utensils for your kitchen. You are less likely to harm yourself with old and dull one.

It is important to maintain a wooden cutting boards. A cutting board made from wood can crack and warp if it is exposed to excessive moisture, heat or dryness. Do not immerse the cutting board in water, instead, soapy water. You can find oil designed for this purpose.Make sure that the cutting board has completely dried before you use it.

There are different ways to correctly heat tortillas. One suggestion is to place tortillas on the oven rack after preheating it to 350 degrees and reach desired cripness. You can also heat the tortillas by placing them on a gas stove. These methods will give you a much tastier tortilla than microwaving.

Trussing refers to the method of tying a turkey with string. Trussing helps to keep the legs and wings to the bird closely. If you don't truss your bird, the tips of them could easily burn while the remainder of the bird does not cook.

Spices quickly lose their flavor when they are exposed to excessive light, humidity, or warm. This exposure will only exposes the spices to the elements which make them to lose flavor.

Add spices to your dishes once they've been cooked. Pepper, garlic powder, cayenne seasoning, and garlic are yummy additional seasonings you can add. Many people like different tastes when it comes to spice.Each person can then have their own special version of your meal that they will love.

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Fruit is especially delicious cooked on the grill. Try taking slices of melon, nectarines, or melon and threading them on a skewer. Cook them on a cleaned grill until you see grill marks. Serve these grilled slices of fruit with some ice cream or a pound cake.

Shake things up if your family is tired of seeing the same old frozen sweet corn on the table at dinner each night. Add coconut flakes to the corn to provide a Thai-inspired taste.

If you have a desire to improve your cooking, you should pay attention to advice and suggestions that come your way. These tips will give you the knowledge and confidence necessary to make every meal a great one.