For Elvis: Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

I come by my celebrity boyfriend fetish naturally.
My mom called dibs on this handsome devil a LONG time ago.

Today is Elvis' birthday. AND...this weekend I was playing around with a cupcake recipe and realized my final creation was perfect for the occasion.

Behold the Banana Cupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting:

Pretty.  It's also really tasty, more of a "muffiny" cake than a "cake" cake, but still pretty nummy.  The recipe follows, a combination of my Super Special Vanilla to End All Vanilla Cupcakes cupcake recipe and a Banana Cupcake recipe I found online.  (Well, technically, the banana was the only thing I really took from that recipe.  The rest I ad-libbed.  I fly by the seat of my pants like that. When I wear pants.)

This is what Elvis would look like eating this cupcake.

Banana Cupcakes
Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup flour 
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 stick butter, room temperature 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 eggs 
• 1 T vanilla 
• 1/3 cup sour cream 
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (approx 3 bananas)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Combine sugars, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Add stick of butter and mix on medium speed.  (I use a hand mixer).  The texture will be "crumbly".
4. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla.
5. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined. Don't overmix!
6.  Add the mashed banana and stir to combine (you could mix again, but be careful not to overmix. You'll just create air pockets!)
7. Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full.
8. Bake in 350 F oven.  Test at 14 minutes with a toothpick (they are done when the toothpick comes out clean).  Don't overbake!  They should not be a golden brown on top. They'll be too dry (unless you like a dry cupcake).  If the toothpick still has wet batter, test again in 2 minutes.
9. Remove cupcakes to a wire rack to cool. 

Peanut  Butter Frosting
Ingredients: 

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1-1/2 sticks butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1-2 cups  powdered (confectioner's) sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and mix on medium until creamy.   Add in the heavy cream and beat on high until light and fluffy.

My mom wishes that mirror was her face. Just sayin.

I used a 1M tip to pipe the frosting in a pretty swirl, and sprinkled a little clear sugar glitter over the tops because I like swag, even on my cupcakes.

Keep these babies in the fridge, the icing is butter and cream-laden.  And also totally lickable.

Just like Elvis.

My mom wishes she was on the receiving end of this smolder.

Happy Birthday to the King!

Thanksgiving Feast: Peanut Butter Pie

So my brother's girlfriend brought this crack to our Christmas dinner last year:

image credit: Allrecipes.com

The expression on my, my sister's, and my mother's faces at the first bite was... priceless (technically thinking of another word, but we're talking about my mother here.)

I knew I could never (never ever ever ever) make this unless it was for a GIANT FAMILY FOOD EXTRAVAGANZA. 

WITH WITNESSES.

But, you know, if you don't believe me, the recipe is linked up there below the photo.  Which I stole from All Recipes.  Then credited.  Fair Use, yo!

The recipe doesn't point out that the real killer is adding chopped Reese's cups to the top.  That's sort of a must-have. 

My problemo right now is... I've been thinking about it since the day after Halloween because PIE DAY is comin!  Mmmm....pieeee....

I've been doing "less (i.e. I can't yet do NO) sugar, fewer carbs" for about a month.  (Loosely doing the "Belly Fat Cure" plan, although I'm not religious about counting anything.  Down 9 lbs!)

I'm pretty sure peanut butter pie is the #1 pie of choice for low-carb recipe modification aficionados.  Or maybe #2 behind cheesecake.   

Substitutions that won't bring about an OMG!SUGAR! coma, mucho appreciated.  We can do this! 

...

Please?

ps for my Fringe crowd. 

PETER.  

You're breaking my heart.

I love you.

church potatoes

I'm sure you've seen and used a version of this recipe about a million times, but this one is my favorite. My mom has always called them "church potatoes" because they're a hit at church luncheon's or suppers, and easy to make/reheat!


Ingredients:
*1 large package frozen hash brown style potatoes (or "country style" potatoes, which are cubed with peppers and onions)
*2 cans cream of celery soup
*1 - 8 oz carton of Garden Vegetable Philadelphia cream cheese
*Optional: Italian bread crumbs & melted butter for topping
*Optional: 1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat the soup & cream cheese in a bowl in the microwave until the cream cheese begins to melt. Stir or whisk to blend. Fold in the frozen potatoes. If you're using the cheddar (like I did!) you can fold in half of the cheese now. Pour into a buttered casserole dish (if I'm making a full batch, I usually use a large round casserole or 9 x 13 rectangular casserole. If I'm making a half batch for home, I just use an 8" round casserole dish). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until bubbly. Toppings: For the last 10-15 minutes of baking time, sprinkle Italian bread crumbs over the top and drizzle melted butter/margarine over the crumbs to create a crunchy, yummy topping. Or, sprinkle the 2nd half cup of cheddar over top (I'm usually lazy and sprinkle the cheese before baking, that way I don't have to pull them out again until eatin' time!)

Yummo!