Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes...

Suzy Bee’s Kitchen

Chocolate Cupcakes with Bourbon Bacon Frosting

Preheat oven @ 325 degrees

Prepare a Muffin Tin or Bundt pan and set aside.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Self Rising Flour, Sifted

1 Cup Dark Cocoa Powder, Sifted

1 1/2 Cups Butter, Softened

2 Cups Sugar

5 Lg. Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 1/4 Cups Buttermilk

Frosting:

8 Slices Apple wood Bacon Cooked and Crumbled

1/2 Cup Butter, Softened

8 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened

3 1/2 Cups Powder Sugar, Sifted

2 TBSP. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 Cup Toasted Pecans, Chopped (Optional)

 Place flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and whisk together, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream butter until fluffy,  add sugar, vanilla and eggs one at a time mix well,  alternate buttermilk and flour mixture until well incorporated.

Scoop or pour mixture into prepared muffin tin or Bundt pan. Place pan into preheated oven bake at 325 degrees for 30~35 minutes for cupcakes or 65~75 minutes for Bundt cake or until pick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking you can prepare the frosting. Start by cooking the bacon on your stove top until crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add butter and cream cheese whip until fluffy, next add vanilla and bourbon mix well, and add sifted powder sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you get the right consistency for the frosting.

After the cupcakes have cooled for ten minutes remove from the tin and place on cooling rack, I like to frost my cupcakes or cake when slightly warm that way the frosting  has this drizzle effect. Otherwise wait until cooled completely and frost to your desire. Top with Crumbled Bacon. Optional to add Toasted chopped Pecans.

On a personal note make sure you always use good quality bourbon or any other alcohol when cooking. I only use what I would personally drink. It makes the recipe more palatable. Since I started cooking I have always use what I drink to my recipes. Using a less quality ingredient lessens the outcome of the produce. If you don’t like alcohol in your recipes than by all means omit and replace it with something you enjoy. The whole thing behind cooking is to experiment and make the recipe your own!

Enjoy!

** This is where I tell you that I cook by feel like my Grandmother and Mom did.

I’m passionate about my cooking and food.

                                         ~ Bon Appétit ~

©SuzyBeeWolf 2015

Chocolate Filled Cookie

Suzy Bee’s Kitchen

Chocolate Filled Cookie

Preheat oven @ 350 degrees

Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Softened Butter

1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar

2 Lg. Eggs

1 tsp. Chocolate Extract

3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder

2 Cups Self Rising Flour

Filling:

8oz. Tub Extra Creamy Cool Whip

8oz. Softened Cream Cheese

3oz. Box Instant Cream Cheese Pudding

1 tsp. Vanilla

Cookie Batter:

In a large mixing bowl cream sugar, butter and extract until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.

In a medium bowl sift together cocoa powder and flour. Slowly add flour to butter mixture. Mix well.

Place dough in fridge for 1 hour.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out dough onto prepared baking sheet or roll out dough to 1/2” thickness and use a fluted cookie cutter place on baking sheet

Bake @350 for 8~10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Store cookies in airtight container

Filling:

In a large mixing bowl whisk cool whip and cream cheese until well incorporated, gently fold in instant pudding, mixture will start to become thick. Scoop mixture into a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes until set. 

Snip corner of bag and pipe a small amount of mixture onto flat side of cookie, top with right side up. Store sandwich cookies in airtight container in the fridge

I like to make these cookies early Saturday morning. The smell fills my kitchen with awesome goodness. I like my cookie crunchy that is why I roll the dough out. Either way is perfection! If you love chocolate you can eat this cookie filled or just by itself. If I’m feeling adventurous I make mini Ice Cream Sandwiches! Nice summer treat…

Enjoy!

** This is where I tell you that I cook by feel like my Grandmother and Mom did.

I’m passionate about my cooking and food.

                                         ~ Bon Appétit ~

©SuzyBeeWolf 2015

Strawberry Peppered Butter & Whipped Lemon Curd

Suzy Bee’s Kitchen

Strawberry Peppered Butter

Ingredients:

1 /2 Cup Butter Softened

6~8 Strawberries, Chopped

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

Pinch of Sea Salt

1 TBSP. Honey

In a medium mixing bowl gently fold together butter and berries, add seasonings and honey. Scoop out mixture and out into a glass storage container.

Whipped Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

1 Cup Cold Heavy Cream

1/4 Cup Lemon Curd

In a chilled mixing bowl add heavy cream mix until stiff peaks, gently fold in Lemon Curd. Scoop out mixture into a glass container.

Serve with your favorite muffins, waffles, pancakes or toast

Enjoy!

 ** This is where I tell you that I cook by feel like my Grandmother and Mom did.

I’m passionate about my cooking and food.

                                         ~ Bon Appétit ~

©SuzyBeeWolf 2015

Strawberry Muffins

Suzy Bee’s Kitchen

Strawberry Muffins

Preheat oven @ 425 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin set aside.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Self Rising Flour

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Buttermilk

1/2 Cup Butter, Melted and Cooled

2 Eggs

1 Capful Vanilla

2 1/4 Cups Strawberries, Chopped

In a large bowl sift self rising flour and brown sugar, set aside. In another mixing bowl whisk eggs, cooled butter, vanilla and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients to butter, egg mixture. The batter will be on the thick side. Scoop out batter with ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure into prepared muffin tin.

Bake @ 425 degrees for 15~18 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Let rest for 7-10 minutes, transfer to cooling rack and serve with Strawberry Pepper Butter or Whipped Lemon Curd.

Serve with your favorite Breakfast Teas

Enjoy!

** This is where I tell you that I cook by feel like my Grandmother and Mom did.

I’m passionate about my cooking and food.

                                         ~ Bon Appétit ~

©SuzyBeeWolf 2015

French Peasant Soup

Suzy Bee’s Kitchen 

French Peasant Soup

Ingredients:

4 oz. Bacon, Cooked and Chopped (optional)

1/2 LB. Ham, Chopped (optional)

1 Can White Beans, Drained

1 1/2 Cups Carrots, Sliced

1 1/2 Cups Zucchini, Sliced

1/2 Cup Sweet Onion, Sliced Thinly

2 Cups Cabbage, Shredded

2 Cups Baby Spinach

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1/4 tsp. Turmeric

Black Pepper to Taste

Herbs

Bay Leaf

Put all ingredients into Dutch oven except cabbage and spinach bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour until desired thickness. Add cabbage and spinach in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Serve with a nice artisan Sourdough Rosemary Bread and Red Wine. This is my end of the week supper. With leftover veggies and meat as the option this makes a wonderful soup for a lazy Sunday…

Enjoy!

** This is where I tell you that I cook by feel like my Grandmother and Mom did.

I’m passionate about my cooking and food.

                                         ~ Bon Appétit ~

©SuzyBeeWolf 2015

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Suzy Bee’s Kitchen

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Preheat oven @350 degrees. Mini Muffin Tin

Ingredients:

1~2 Packages of Sugar Cookie Dough

2 Capfuls Vanilla

1/2 Dark Cocoa Powder

1 Package Dried Cherries

1~2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips, Melted

In a large mixing bowl add soften cookie dough, cocoa powder and vanilla, with the paddle blade mix until well corporate.   Scoop out enough dough to cover dried cherries make 1” balls, set aside.

Place balls into mini muffin tin and bake @350 for 6~9 minutes

Cool for 5 minutes remove from tin, place on cooling rack and drizzle with melted chocolate.

This is an easy cookie to prepare for a little dessert. It’s festive for this time of year and makes a wonderful addition to any backyard BBQ, Picnic or family gathering.

Enjoy!

** This is where I tell you that I cook by feel like my Grandmother and Mom did.

I’m passionate about my cooking and food.

                                         ~ Bon Appetit ~

©SuzyBeeWolf 2015