Dinner & Dessert!

Four day weekends are glorious.

For as terrible as I felt yesterday, I am at the other end of the spectrum today. Maybe it was the 5.5 mi run this morning. Maybe it was an entire day of lounging around yesterday. Maybe it was two solid nights of 10 or more hours of sleep. Maybe it's a combination of all of those things.

Whatever it is? Be thankful. Don't question. Because I have taken that energy and after cleaning up the garage, doing mountains of laundry, organizing the linen closet, grocery shopping, bill paying and pruning the hell out of my fruit trees, I still have enough zip to put together a dinner that promises to be just delicious.

If you know me at all, you know that most of my meals are meatless, or only involve chicken. And lately, there's been a whole lotta tofu in my kitchen. BUT, I took a leap of faith today. I've been doing a lot of reading about how your diet effects your workouts, energy and stamina. I'm trying to mix things up a bit and make my kitchen adventures a little more exciting. So, pork is making a fairly rare appearance on my menu. Along with some other, more familiar, ingredients.

Read, salivate, enjoy.

I'll set an extra place at my dinner table for you tonight.

Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash

 photo by Jessica Y.

Apples + squash = yum!

• 1 medium acorn squash
• 1 cup chopped, tart apple
• 4 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash cut side up in a loaf pan. Pierce the inside of the squash several times with a fork. Rub brown sugar on the inside of the squash.
3. Dice apples, toss with cinnamon and nutmeg. Fill centers of the squash with apple. Cover and bake  for 30 minutes.
4. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the honey and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 15-20 seconds or until butter is melted. Drizzle over squash. Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon and brown sugar. Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes longer or until tender. 

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

adapted from All Recipes.com

 photo by Jessica Y.

I don't know about you, but it's not all that often that these guys find their way into my dinners.

• 4 pork chops
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tart apples - thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Arrange chops in a baking dish with a lid.
3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. 
4. Add butter to a  skillet and melt. Stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.
5. Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. 
6. Return chops, apples and sauce to the oven. Bake, covered for 25 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with pecans and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

Super Creamy, Dreamy, Rich and Delicious

Reese's Massacre Ice Cream

Adapted from the Ultimate Ice Cream Book

 photo by Jessica Y.

Peanut butter, Chocolate, Ice Cream... Heaven. 

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 10 mini Reese's, chopped
• 1 handful chocolate chips, chopped
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1. Beat the sugar, salt and egg yolks together in a medium bowl. Beat until thick and pale yellow. Set aside.
2. Bring the half and half to a simmer in a medium pot.
3. Slowly pour the half and half into the egg yolk mixture. Stir to combine.
4. Pour the egg/half and half mixture back into the pot. Return the pot to the heat.
5. Cook until the egg custard thickens, stirring constantly.
6. Pour the custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl.
7. Allow the custard to cool slightly and then stir in the cream and vanilla.
8. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or until cold.
9. Poor the custard into ready ice cream maker and follow the device's directions.
10. In the last 5-7 minutes of the mixing cycle, add chopped candies and peanut butter.
11. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and let freeze for about 2 hours.

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Chocolate.

Peanut butter.

What more could you want?

I think that combination is a deadly vice for many people, myself included. Luckily, these cupcakes are rich and creamy enough that just one satisfies that craving... and pairs perfectly with a glass of chocolate milk.

I came across this recipe in our Sunday paper. After a few tweaks and adjustments, I think I've got a winner. I brought these to school and they were gone in a matter of minutes, if that's any indication.

photo by Jessica Y.

A magical marriage of chocolate and peanut butter.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes


For the filling:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the cake:

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 large eggs

For the frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• 3¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. To make the filling, combine the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.  Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (at least 24) and set aside on a baking sheet.
3. To make the cake batter, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk together and set aside.  In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, milk and vanilla extract.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated.
4. Spoon a tablespoon or two of batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  Place a ball of the peanut butter filling in each cupcake well and top with the remaining batter so that all the cups are filled.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
5. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth and well blended.  Mix in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy.