cupcakes in honor of national nutella day

who doesn't love nutella, well I do!!  if you've never tried it, you should, it is just chocolate and hazelnut butter that is terrific on anything from toast to strawberries.  today is national nutella day and in honor of that I made these nutella and vanilla cupcakes.  here is a link to the recipe: nutella and vanilla cupcakes I could not find any chocolate wafers at the grocery store, so I made these, which michael thought was great made into cookie sandwiches with nutella in between.

peanut butter banana blondies

this is my variation of a recipe from the fat witch brownies cookbook. if you love to bake brownies, this cookbook is a must have, it is so wonderful. it's also a great gift, all the brownies cook in a 9X9 inch square pan and the book is sized so that it fits perfectly in the pan. for this recipe be sure to use very ripe bananas, you can always stash the bananas in the freezer once they get ripe and save them for whenever you want to make this recipe. also, I find that these are great for breakfast. makes 12 to 16 brownies.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3-4 bananas)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or banana chips (optional)

1. grease a 9X9 inch baking pan with butter. dust with flour and tap out the excess. preheat the oven to 350.
2. in a bowl, mix the butter, vanilla, and sugar into the mashed banana with a fork. add the beaten eggs and continue mixing until everything is well combined.
3. measure the flour and salt and sift together directly into the banana batter and mix until will combined. stir in the peanut butter chips and the walnuts or banana chips, if desired.
4. pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 1 hour. cut just before serving.

spaetzle

so, to go with my chicken parikash last night, I made spaetzle.  now, my friend lara has a spaetzle maker, but since I don't I had to use the spoon method.  it is definitely worth the work!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a large holed colander or slotted spoon over the simmering water and push the dough through the holes with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Dump the spaetzle into a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water.
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the spaetzle; tossing to coat. Cook the spaetzle for 1 to 2 minutes to give the noodles some color.

chicken paprikash

so, tonight for dinner I made one of mike's favorite dishes from his childhood, chicken paprikash.  the recipe may not have been very authentic, but it was lighter and in my opinion, very good!

1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 cup lard (or vegetable oil)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbs. sweet paprika
1 3-lb. chicken, cut into four pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sour cream, plus more to serve with

1. put the bouillon cube in 1/2 cup water and begin to dissolve.
2. heat the lard in a deep skillet or sauté pan large enough to hold the chicken pieces snugly. add the onion; cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 min. it should be well colored but not burned. reduce the heat slightly, add the paprika, and stir for a few minutes to develop the flavor.
3. season the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, skin side down. brown them well over medium high, about 7 min. on each side. add the bouillon cube and water to the pan and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer about 15 min. add the green pepper and tomato. replace the lid and simmer until the chicken is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 min. longer, turning the pieces once during cooking.
4. transfer the chicken pieces to a dish and keep them warm while you finish the sauce. using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth. bring the sauce to a boil and boil for a few minutes to concentrate the flavors even more. stir the flour into the sour cream with a fork or whisk and then whisk this into the sauce. simmer for about 4 min. to cook away any floury taste and to bring the flavors together; taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. return the chicken pieces to the pan to reheat and coat them with the sauce.
5. serve over spaetzle and with additional sour cream, if desired.

what's the most difficult recipe you've mastered?

I usually answer my plinky prompts on my other blog, but since this one was cooking related, I decided to answer it here. the most difficult recipe that I have mastered is challah (or really any yeast bread).  yeast bread used to intimidate me, but not anymore!!  what about you, what is the most difficult recipe that you have mastered?