Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

Raspberry Cream Cupcakes
Giada de Laurentis

Ingredients:



1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1 1/3 cups water
3 large eggs whites
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (6-ounce) containers fresh raspberries, cut in half or 1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting

Directions:

Line 18 muffin cups with muffin papers. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, water, egg whites, melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a large bowl for 2 minutes, or until the batter is well blended. Using about 1/3 cup of batter for each cupcake, spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups (fill to about 2/3 full).

Bake the cupcakes until they are very pale golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely on a cooling rack.

Using a fork, coarsely mash 1 1/2 containers of raspberries in a medium bowl. Beat the cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold the mashed raspberries into the whipped cream.

Remove the muffin papers from the cupcakes and cut the tops off of each cupcake. Spoon the raspberry whipped cream atop the cupcake bottoms. Place the cupcake tops on the cupcakes. Dust with more powdered sugar and serve with the remaining berries.

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Ingredients:

3 cups raw almonds (1 Costco bag is 9 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg white
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon


Directions:



Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 

Beat the egg white and the vanilla together until very frothy, but not stiff. Add the nuts, and stir until well coated. Mix in the white sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the nuts. Toss to coat, and spread evenly on the baking sheet with Silpat. 

Bake for approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then store nuts in airtight containers.

Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
Pioneer Woman



Ingredients:

Chicken Fried Steak:


1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that's been extra tenderized)
Kosher salt
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter


Gravy:


1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mashed potatoes, for serving

Directions:


For the steak: Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.

Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it's ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.

After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.

For the gravy: When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color.

Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.

Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!


Notes:


Closely adhere to frying for 2 minutes. I thought the meat looked undercooked at 2 minutes so I cooked for 3 on each side and it was too much. Definitely taste and adjust seasoning with gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes, green beans.  Also, you could put dry ingredients in a ziplock, shake and then put in a dish for dipping.  This would help quickly mix ingredients and allow you to skip that step for faster prep.