Bitten by a Vampire Cupcakes

Check these out!  Eat them if you dare.

Bake up some vanilla cupcakes. Homemade or box mix.  Whatever floats your boat :-).

Hollow out the center by cutting into the cupcake at an angle in a circle.

Cut the cone part off leaving a flat piece of cupcake to put back on.

Throw some cherry pie filling into the food processor and blend until smooth.

Fill all the cupcakes with some blood (cherry pie filling) and then put the cupcake top back on to seal.

Frost with white frosting.  Marshmallow, cream cheese, or your favorite.  Homemade or purchased.  I used marshmallow. 

Make bite marks.  Drizzle a little blood for extra effect.

Wrap em' up and take them to a Halloween party!

Vanilla Cupcakes
Recipe Makes 12 cupcakes


1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, seperated at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar


Preheat oven to 350.  If using liners place them in a muffin pan.  Otherwise grease the muffin pan.


Beat butter until soft.  Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  2 to 3 minutes.  Add the yolks 1 at a time.  Add the vanilla and beat until combined.


In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.


Add milk and four mixture alternately until combined.


In a small bowl beat the egg white until foamy.  Add cream of tarter and beat until stiff peaks form.  Fold white into cupcake batter.  Do not over mix.


Fill cupcake liners and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool before frosting.


Marshmallow Frosting
Will frost 24 cupcakes


2 Tablespoons milk
6 Tablespoons sugar
1 package mini marshmallows
2 Tablespoons boiling water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


In a small saucepan combine the milk and sugar.  Warm over low heat for about 6 minutes.  Do not stir.


In a double boiler heat the marshmallows.  If you don't have a double boiler use a sauce pan with water and a glass or metal bowl.  Do not let the water touch the bowl.  When soft add boiling water and stir until smooth.


Remove from heat and add vanilla.


Add in sugar mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed.  Keep beating until semi cool.


Spread over cupcakes.


Warning about Marshmallow Frosting.  IT IS EXTREMELY STICKY AND HONESTLY KIND OF A PAIN TO WORK WITH.  But it tastes so good!

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Quote of the Day

People are as happy as they make up their minds to be.

~Abraham Lincoln

Submited by Amber @ Peg's Recipe Box and Aunt Peg's Jewelry

Submit your favorite quote here

Cheers,
Shannon


Bitten by a Vampire Cupcakes are a contributing post at:

30 Minute Chicken and Stuffing

Because my brain knows that Thanksgiving is right around the corner I am craving some Thanksgiving food.   I'm a simple person like that.  So when I saw this quick Chicken and Stuffing recipe in this months Cooks Country magazine I had to try it.   I was a little leery of it because "G" is pretty particular about stuffing.  This has cranberries in it.  He's not really a cranberry eater.  Anyways, I decided to sneak them past him (hee hee haa haa in my evil Halloween laugh).  

Lo and behold he liked it!  Me too!  

PRINTABLE RECIPE
Here's what you'll need:
1 - 16 oz can WHOLE cranberry sauce (not jellied!)
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup half and half
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 bag cornbread stuffing mix (5 cups)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Preheat the oven to 450 and move an oven rack to the upper third of the oven.  Whisk together cranberry sauce, chicken broth, half and half, egg, salt, and pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a non-stick oven safe skillet over medium heat.  Cook onion and celery until softened.

Stir onion and celery into the cranberry mixture.

Fold in the cornbread stuffing and set aside.

PAT THE CHICKEN DRY WITH PAPER TOWELS.  This will allow them to brown up better!  Salt and pepper the chicken.  Melt remaining butter (1 Tablespoon) in skillet.  Cook chicken until golden brown on each side.

Cover the chicken with the stuffing mixture and bake in upper 1/3 of oven until the stuffing is lightly browned and chicken is cooked through.  About 10 to 12 minutes.

Hot out of the oven --- um, um, good!  A little taste of Thanksgiving early.

Quote of the Day

Seventy percent of success in life is showing up. ~Woody Allen

Submit your favorite quote here.

Cheers,

Shannon

30 minute Chicken and Stuffing is a contributing post at:

Potluck Sunday - Mommy's Kitchen

Tasty Tuesday - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Pretzel Rolo Thingies

November 7, 2010 - Thanks Jerri for featuring this recipe on your blog!

Several months back at my neighborhood bingo get together these goodies magically appeared in my life.  Jessica, the host of the month, made them.  As I was drooling over them she said the magic words "oh these are sooo easy".  Love that!  It's just a pretzel with a rolo candy and pecan on top.  That's it!  I couldn't believe it.  In my delirium of the salty/sweet taste explosion I would have never guessed the chocolate caramel goodness was a rolo!  Genius!!!!  A super easy turtle!


In honor of Halloween I made up a batch using pecans and candy corn.  They were both equally as yummy!


PRINTABLE RECIPE
Here's what you'll need:
Small pretzel squares
Rolo Candies
Pecans
Candy Corn


Preheat oven to 350


Place pretzel squares on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Unroll the Rolo candies and place one on top of each pretzel.

Bake in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes.  Just until the chocolate starts to become glossy.  


Take out and place pecans and candy corns on top.  Push down the pecans/candy corn to smoosh the Rolo.

Eat while warm and gooey or let sit until the chocolate firms back up.  After eating a few warm (pure heaven :-) ) I popped mine in the refrigerator for a few minutes to speed the cooling process along.  If you like Turtle candies I promise you will love these!

Quote of the Day

Be curious always! For knowledge will not acquire you; you must acquire it. ~Susie Back

Submit your favorite quote here.

Cheers,

Shannon

Contributing post at:
Foodie Friday

Why Dogs Hate Halloween

A friend of mine sent me the most adorable email last week titled Why Dogs Hate Halloween.  Maybe she felt sorry for Mac in his spider costume or she wanted him to know he wasn't alone having a crazy mom, LOL!    

Unfortunately we did not make it to the costume contest at PetsMart last Saturday, boo hiss.  Sometimes life just gets in the way!  Since I didn't get to take any pictures at the contest I just couldn't pass up sharing these with you.  I have no idea where they came from or who took them to give credit where credit is due.  

I think my favorite is a tie between the bananas and the little lobster (3rd picture down)!  What's your favorite?

Quote of the Day

When witches go riding, 

and black cats are seen, 

the moon laughs and whispers, 

tis near Halloween.

~Author Unknown

Submit your favorite quote here.

Cheers,

Shannon