5/05/2011

Baked Snapper with Chilies, Ginger and Basil recipe.

Ingredients
1 (1 1/2 pound) whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 red chile peppers, sliced diagonally
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tomatoes, seeded and sliced
5 leaves basil

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
Stuff the cavity of the snapper with 1/2 cup basil leaves and set aside. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Place the snapper in the skillet, and quickly brown on both sides, about 1 minute total. Place the fish into the roasting pan, and sprinkle with fish sauce. Reserve the peanut oil in the skillet.
Bake fish in preheated oven until the flesh flakes easily with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining peanut oil over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chile peppers, and yellow pepper and cook until the peppers have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, rice vinegar, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until thickened to desired consistency. Pour the sauce over the snapper, and garnish with the remaining basil leaves to serve.

Almond Banana Chocolate Muffins recipe.

Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) box banana quick bread and muffin mix, such as the Pillsbury� brand
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cinnamon-flavored applesauce
1 medium banana, diced
1 cup sliced California Almonds, divided
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate


Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a muffin tin with paper liners.
Prepare muffins according to package instructions using water, eggs and oil, but use only 1/4 cup oil instead of 1/2 cup, and add 1/4 cup applesauce. Stir in banana, 3/4 cup almonds and chocolate. Divide evenly among muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup almonds.
Bake 15-20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Cool muffin tin on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove muffins and continue cooling on rack. Store air tight at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Banana Nut Bread I recipe.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and soda. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour batter into two greased 9x5 inch pans.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

BREAKSTONE'S Triple Chocolate Bliss Cake recipe.

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat Sour Cream
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
1 (8 ounce) package BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 1/2 cups raspberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan. Beat all ingredients except whipped topping, chocolate and raspberries in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen cake from side of pan with knife or metal spatula and gently remove cake. Cool cake completely on wire rack. Place on serving plate.
Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the whipped topping. Microwave remaining whipped topping and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each min. Drizzle over cake. Immediately drop reserved whipped topping, by scant teaspoonfuls, around top of cake; create star shape by drawing wooden toothpick through middle several times. Spoon raspberries into center of cake. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

5/04/2011

Brownie Batter + Cupcake = The SECOND BEST Cupcake. Ever recipe.

Ingredients
1 (19.5 ounce) package brownie mix
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/3 cups water
3 egg whites

Directions
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 48 muffin cups with paper liners.
Whisk together the brownie mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 1/4 cup water in a bowl. Stir just until fully incorporated, about 50 strokes; set aside.
Mix the cake mix, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 1/3 cup water, and 3 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Spoon the brownie batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup 1/3 full. Spoon the cake batter over the brownie batter, until muffin cups are each 2/3 full.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes.

Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped salted cashews

Directions
Place the broccoli into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. Drain, and arrange broccoli on a serving platter.
While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Mix in the cashews, and pour the sauce over the broccoli. Serve immediately.

Blondie Caramel Heaven recipe.

Ingredients
10 ounces individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup butter, melted
Chocolate layer
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small saucepan combine caramels and 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth; set aside. Grease an 8x10 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the dry cake mix, melted butter and remaining 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, reserving the rest.
Bake for 6 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the surface. Pour the caramel mixture over the chocolate chips, then top with the remaining cake mixture. The top should be swirled with caramel and cake mixture.
Return pan to the oven for an additional 18 to 20 minutes, until firm. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting into bars.