Key Lime Cupcakes with White Chocolate Coconut Frosting

I've been holding on to this recipe for a few weeks now, hoping for an opportunity to use it as the perfect ending to a tropical-themed meal. Well, that opportunity just didn't really come around and, being my impatient self, I got tired of waiting. So I just made them. And they were good. Very good actually. The original recipe didn't call for coconut, but I decided to "put the lime in the coconut." Get it?


Key Lime Cupcakes with White Chocolate Coconut Frosting
adapted from Paula Deen's Special Collection, Chocolate Celebrations

***Note: The original recipe was for a three-layer cake. I've included directions for both the original layer cake and the cupcakes I made.***

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 TBSP key lime zest
3 large eggs
1/4 c. fresh key lime juice
3 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
white chocolate frosting (recipe follows)
approx. 1 1/2 c. shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For cupcakes, place 24 paper liners in a standard-size cupcake pan. If making the layer cake, grease and flour three nine-inch round cake pans.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and lime zest at medium speed until creamy.

3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, being sure each one is incorporated before adding the next.

4. Beat in lime juice until combined.

5. In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour and baking soda. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

6. Pour evenly into prepared pans and bake for 18 to 20 minutes (same time for either cupcakes or layer cake) or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Let cool in pans for ten minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

8. For cupcakes, frost each cupcake and top with coconut, if desired. Garnish with key lime wedges.

9. For layer cake, spread frosting in between each layer, then on top and sides of cakes. Adhere coconut to frosting, if desired. Garnish with key lime wedges.

White Chocolate Frosting

***Note: If making cupcakes, you could probably halve this frosting recipe.***

Ingredients:

6 (1 oz.) squares white chocolate or 6 oz. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
3/4 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 c. confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Put white chocolate and heavy cream in the bowl of a double boiler. Melt until smooth and completely combined. Let cool completely.

2. In a large bowl, combine white chocolate mixture, butter, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

3. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy.

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Muffins

Nesties to the rescue! I posted on the "What's Cooking?" board, asking my girls to help me find a new recipe for zucchini bread. As usual, my girls did not disappoint. Amy, all-around-fabulous girl and host of Sing for Your Supper, answered my call with this amazing recipe. I modified it a bit to make it into muffins that were a little healthier. Definitely among the best veggies I've ever eaten!


Zucchini and Sweet Potato Muffins
seen on Joy the Baker (by Amy)
originally seen in Bon Appetit, November 1992

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour (I used 1 c. AP and 1 c. whole wheat)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar (I used 1 c. granulated and 1 c. brown)
3/4 c. vegetable oil (I used 1/4 c. oil, 1/4 c. applesauce, and 1/4 c. apple juice)
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. grated zucchini
1 1/2 c. peeled and grated sweet potato
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 c. dried cranberries (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees for muffins or 350 degrees for a loaf of bread.

2. Spray standard-sized muffin time with baking spray or prepare with paper liners. For a loaf of bread, butter and flour a loaf pan and set aside.

3. Sift the first 7 ingredients into a medium sized bowl.

4. In a seperate, large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract.

5. Mix in the zucchini and sweet potato.

6. Add the dry ingredients and stir just to combine.

7. Fold in the nuts and cranberries, if using, and stir well.

8. Transfer batter to prepared tin or pan.

9. For muffins, bake until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. For a loaf of bread, bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

10. Cool muffins or bread in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Loosen the edges of the bread with a butter knife and turn out on a rack to cool completely. Can be prepared 1 day in advance. Wrap in foil and keep at room temperature.

Ciabatta Pizza with Walnut Pesto

Looking for a way to use up a bunch of walnuts and herbs I had around, I stumbled upon this recipe on epicurious.com. It definitely used many of my favorite ingredients, and I had been wanting to make a walnut pesto for quite some time. Plus, I was making it for Mom and I, so I was happy to make it on a night when I would be getting a second opinion. I absolutely loved it and my mom loved it, too. The best thing, though, is that this very easy weeknight winner could also easily be served to company. Using the long slices of ciabatta makes a wonderful presentation and you could keep it simple by making the pesto ahead of time and just assembling the pizza at dinner time.


Ciabatta Pizza with Gorgonzola, Walnut Pesto, and Pears
found on epicurious.com
originally in Bon Appetit, September 2005

Ingredients:

2 c. walnuts
1 c. olive oil
1/4 c. honey
2 TBSP chopped fresh thyme

1 loaf ciabatta bread (about 1 1/3 lbs.), halved horizontally
10 oz. thinly sliced Havarti cheese
6 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into strips
2 pears, halved, cored, thinly sliced
2/3 c. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 c. arugula

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Toast nuts on baking sheet until brown, about 6 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

3. Transfer hot nuts to processor. Add oil, honey, and thyme; blend until nuts are finely chopped. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Place bread halves, cut side up, on baking sheet.

5. Spread pesto over bread, about 1 cup per side. Top with Havarti.

6. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 12 minutes.

7. Top with prosciutto, then pears and Gorgonzola. Tuck in arugula. Sprinkle with pepper.

Mini Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tarts

A very easy and very yummy beginning to my Mother's Day menu. I was a little skeptical of the pre-made, refrigerated pie dough, but Bon Appetit recommended it. It worked out nicely, though I think I will make the dough from scratch next time. I would've loved to put a slice of grape tomato in the center of these, but not everyone in my family likes tomatoes.

I would highly recommend these as an appetizer to any gathering, casual or formal.


Mini Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tarts
Bon Appetit, June 2008

In gredients:

1 refrigerated pie crust (half of a 15-oz. package)
1 1/2 lbs. 1-inch diameter zucchini, cut into 1/16-inch rounds
1 tsp. salt
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
2 tsp. chopped fresh lemon or regular thyme
3 oz. soft, fresh goat cheese at room temperature
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place pie crust on a floured work surface. Using 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out approximately 24 rounds.

3. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Cover and place in freezer for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, until dough is firm.

4. Toss zucchini with 1 tsp. salt in medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

5. Place zucchini in another medium bowl and toss with 2 TBSP olive oil and thyme. Sprinkle with pepper.

6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

7. Spread goat cheese generously over each frozen round.

8. Fold three to four zucchini rounds in half and place in concentric circle atop dough round, creating a flower-like pattern.

9. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

10. Bake until crusts are light golden, about 20 minutes.

11. Transfer to serving platter. Drizzle with additional olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mother's Day Salad

So not exactly the most descriptive title, but listing each and every ingredient was boring. This salad started as the wild arugula salad in the June 2008 issue of "Bon Appetit" and quickly became an entirely different animal. And I'm glad! I happen to think, based on comparing my picture and "Bon Appetit's", that my salad looks better. Of course, it is completely and totally different.

And it looks better when the picture is facing the correct way. I don't know what the deal is. Seriously...tilt your head to the right to see what the salad really looked like.


Mother's Day Salad
serves 8

Ingredients:

10 cups mixed baby spring greens
approx. 1 1/4 c. red wine viniagrette
1/2 c. crumbled goat cheese
3 oz. shaved Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 lbs. herb-marinated chicken, cut into strips
1 1/2 c. grilled herbed peaches (optional)
2 c. homemade garlic croutons

Place greens in a large salad bowl and toss with red wine viniagrette. Sprinkle cheeses over top. Add chicken then croutons.

Herb-Marinated Chicken

This chicken was kind of a "throw together" deal. I knew I wanted to put chicken on the Mother's Day Salad, so I just used the same herbs as I put in the basmati rice with sweet onions and summer herbs. It turned out great!

Herb-Marinated Chicken

Ingredients:

2 TBSP finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh thyme
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh dill
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
zest and juice of 2 lemons
2/3 c. olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, except oil, in a 13x9 glass baking dish.

2. Whisk in olive oil.

3. Lay chicken in baking dish, making sure to caot both sides. Let sit at least one hour, up to overnight.

4. Prepare to preference. (I like grilled or pan cooked.)

Grilled Herbed Peaches

These peaches are great on the Mother's Day Salad or alone. They'd even be great with some vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of honey!

I'm a huge fan of grilled fruit, especially as a summer dessert. I love the way the natural sugar and flavors concentrate and develop with the heat. If you have never grilled fruit before, don't wait another minute. I'm sure you'll be an instant convert.


Grilled Herbed Peaches
my own little concoction!

Ingredients:

6 ripe peaches
3 TBSP honey
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh tarragon

Directions:

1. Quarter peaches and place in a large bowl.

2. Add honey, oil, and tarragon. Mix by hand to make sure each slice is coated. Let sit 15--30 minutes.

3. Lay each slice, on one side, over the grill or grill pan. If using a grill pan, you may wish to spray with non-stick spray or brush with extra oil. Let sit, untouched, for five minutes.

4. Flip peaches to other side and let grill another five minutes.

5. Let cool five minutes, then serve.