Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Valentine Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes

We’ve been a little under the weather here this week and few things warm and lift the spirits like chocolate. OK, and a steak – which is now the ‘so-happy-I’m-almost-done-with-this-sickness’ meal at Chez Beal ! “Steak ‘n Cake!!” It just happens to be Valentines Day this week too. (Like I need a reason to work up a chocolate froth!) So we had our NY Strips on the grill, some yummy veggies and now the last patient is back in bed with the remote in hand – time for some Cake.

However, this is the Healthy Eating Blog so I can’t go all out on the cakeness. I found a cupcake recipe from WholeFoods and thought I’d give it a whirl. Sometimes when people make something vegan and dairy-free, and sugar-free, etc. the results can be well, less than appealing to those of us who enjoy knowing something isn’t contributing to our delinquency, but still puts a smile on our face. I did take the opportunity to change some of the Vegan aspects to suit my carnivorous lifestyle. I don’t even know what ‘powdered egg-replacer’ is much less have it on hand. (good Lord, what kind of chemical could THAT be?!) So, if you don’t have it, don’t sweat it… let’s get bakin’.

Valentines Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes:

Step 1

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle
Step 1

Gather the staff, and light the fire to 375 deg please.

3/4 Cup AP Flour (unbleached is always best)

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 Egg

1/3 Cup Butter, melted (or canola oil)

2/3 Cup Agave (or maple syrup)

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 Cup FF Milk (or soy milk)

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 cup Raspberry Jam (or other fruit – cherry? Yum)

Step 2:

Adventures in the Kitchen with
Step 2

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside. Did you heat that oven? …and get the little muffin tins ready. Line them and give each a spritz of baking spray. OK, where was I – oh yeah, toss the wet ingredients, except the vinegar and milk, into the mixer bowl and beat for a minute. Slowly add 1/2 the dry. Careful with that cocoa powder, or you’ll look like you got a bad bronzer job! Then the milk, then the rest of the dry – now you can add the vinegar.

Step 3:

Adventures in the Kitchen with
Step 3

Yes, it’s a shaky photo – it ain’t easy spooning that out and hitting the clicker! Yes, that’s an ice cream scoop. But here it’s called portion control! Fill the tins about 1/3 full.

Step 4:

Adventures in the Kitchen with
Step 4

Now top each with a dab of jam filling. Not too much – keep it in the center.

Step 5:

Adventures in the Kitchen with
Step 5

Now cover the jam with the remaining batter. Just a spoon each should do. Make sure to cover the sides or the jam will melt and run out in baking. No surprise there – it’s all over the place – and burnt. Not yummy.

Step 6:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle
Step 6

Get ’em baking for 20 – 25 min. There they are. Beautiful!!! Cool on a wire rack.

Step 7:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle

Now, you could stop there and be all healthy, but it’s Valentines Day and my sweetie’s not feeling well. More C H O C O L A T E !!!

Make up some icing with: 1/2 stick butter, melted, 1/3 cup Cocoa, 1 tsp Vanilla, 1-1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar, 3 Tbl Milk. Whip it up and once the cupcakes are cool, spread with the back of a big spoon. Now, you can do this with Whey-Low Powdered sugar, and bring down the butter too to save on calories – but not tonight.

Step 8:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle
Step 8

Break one open – Surprise! Jam filling. Although, if there are seeds you’ll want to warn people. Nobody really wants mystery crunchy bits in a baked good.

Finale:

Adventures in the Kitchen with MichelleAdventures in the Kitchen with Michelle

Aren’t they pretty – good enough to eat! And don’t forget they’re not bad for you – without the icing, of course. There’s no processed sugar sweeteners in these cakes. The recipe analyzer says : 152 cal, 5.8g fat (now, add the non-diet icing and it’s 252 cal, 10 g fat)

Adventures in the Kitchen with MichelleTaste Tester is smiling. Another thing I like about this one is that this recipe only makes 12, so they’ll be gone before they’re stale – or sunrise.

Happy Valentines Day

Michelle

Farmers’ Markets

Local Places, Local Faces

On Fridays, the Citrus Chronicle lists “Farmers’ Markets”.   Since I consider a farmers’ market to have produce and I love fresh vegetables and fruit, I was eager to check out the six places listed.  Terry and I haven’t made it to all of them yet but here’s a little report about the ones we have hit.

First we went to the Beverly Hills Arts, Crafts and Farmers Market which is on the tirst and third Friday of each month at Lake Beverly Park.  To be fair, it was cold, but there were about five vendors there, and none of them sold produce.

Farmers' Market

Farmers' Market

The next day we cruised up to Dunnellon’s First Saturday Village Market.  This was a lot better.  But it was mostly just booths set up with vendors selling stuff–like a community garage sale. Once again, no produce.  But I was very excited to discover Grumbles and spent most of the day just admiring all the healthy plants, beautiful pots, and pavers. Dunnellon also has several thrift and antique stores which we browsed through and we had yummy Cuban sandwiches at Penn Station.

Farmers' Market

Farmers' Market

Farmers' Market

Farmers' Market

This past weekend we went to Market Day with Art and Treasures on the grounds of Heritage Village in Crystal River held the second Saturday of every month.  We finally found a booth that was selling produce.  We bought strawberries, corn, red and orange peppers, green beans and tomatoes. There were several other booths selling miscellaneous items like art, jewelry, and plants and one sold cookies.  Heritage Village also has several cool little shops which we browsed through.

Farmers' Market

Farmers' Market

Farmers' Market
Oh look, there’s Sharon, Myrna and Shirley!

We still have the Inverness Farmer’s Market which is every Saturday at the Inverness Government Center parking lot. The Floral City Market Day on the second Saturday monthly and Herry’s Market Day which is the last Saturday of the month at Hospice Thrift Shoppe.  Our search continues for the perfect Farmers’ Market!

DIY Burlap Corkboard

This week is Renninger’s Antique and Collector’s Extravaganza in Mount Dora!  So excited.  Michelle and I usually go to one of the three events held each year.  This is the last one until November so we gotta go.  We’re taking along new-bee Kathryn and we’re expecting great things from her.  She loves to thrift and is a DIYer wanna be.  Especially since she just bought a townhouse and is moving from a wee apartment.  She’ll be furnishing the new place on a tight budget.

Last week I received the latest Ballard Design Catalog.  I love this shop and have purchased several pieces of furniture from them, but that was before I started following DIY blogs, hitting thrift stores and finding the fun in creating it myself.

For example:

This chalkboard at Ballard’s is on sale for $199 plus shipping.  The size is 28 1/2″ x 40″.

DIY Burlap Corkboard

This is my post where I made a similar chalkboard https://ktgreendesign.com//magnetic-chalkboard/ .  I used a thrift store frame plus purchased galvanized metal from the plumbing department and chalkboard paint at Home Depot.  Don’t remember the exact prices for everything but it was much less that $20 and no shipping!

Here’s what it looks like today:

DIY Burlap Corkboard
Got the chalkboard art idea from Pinterest, the original blogger was Little Lucy Lu .  Of course, the lyrics are from the Beatles!

And this media corkboard at Ballard’s for $149 plus $15 for oversized shipping is 44″ x 32″.

DIY Burlap Corkboard

This one is covered with burlap.  20″ x 33″ and $89.

DIY Burlap Corkboard

And this is the one I made that I use for an inspiration board:

DIY Burlap Corkboard

It’s 30″ x 40″.  I bought the frame from a little shop in Crystal River in Heritage Village that no longer exisits.  Bummer.  It was $20 but I thought that was a good price.  I cut two foam core boards to fit and taped them together with packaging tape.  Bought a roll of cork at Lowe’s, glued that onto the foam core.  Went to Jo-anne’s for the burlap.  They actually let me look through the yardage to find a piece that wasn’t blemished!  I wrapped the burlap over the cork and stapled the edges on the back.  Fit it into the frame and Terry secured with little nails.  Love it!

I also made these cute little pins:

DIY Burlap Corkboard
1. This is one of a pair of buttons that I bought on clearance at Jo-ann’s.
2. Originally a Christmas garland that I bought on clearance at Pottery Barn. but it was too heavy for what I intended I so cut it into small segments with my wire cutters.
3. I picked up these puppy pins at Target. Adorable!
4. Little hot glue on a regular thumbtack and total uniqueness!

And the lesson here is, get inspiration at Ballard Designs, Pottery Barn, or any other decor store but buy at thrift stores and out of clearance bins.  More fun and easy on the budget!