Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

All week, the weather forecast was calling for a big snow storm.  The first projections were calling for at least a foot, but as it got closer, they decreased to 4-8".  That still didn't bode well for a party I was supposed to go to on Saturday, and we decided to reschedule it.  Meanwhile, our neighbors were due back from a Florida vacation, just before the snow storm was to start.  What better way for them to come home then to have another Snow Storm Potluck Party in the neighborhood?

I ended up making Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese as an entrée to bring.  I wanted to also bring a dessert, but I wanted it to be something that didn't call for chocolate, since Rich is allergic, and I always seem to bring something that he can't have.  My mission took me to my Pinterest boards and I found a recipe I had pinned for Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes.  They seem like they would be complicated to make, but they were quite easy... and so well worth it!  What a scrumptious dessert!  The only downside, is that they only made 12!  I highly recommend doubling the recipe for a party!

Oh, by the way, I'm not even sure if we got 2" of snow.

Batter:

• 6 Tbsp. butter
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla

Topping:

• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 12 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 6 maraschino cherries
• 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple rings

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350º.
2. Place the butter and milk for the batter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts, then transfer the mixture to a small bowl to cool.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the pine-apple topping:  Into each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan, add 1/2 tablespoon of unmelted butter, then evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown sugar over the bottom. Place the pan in the oven until the butter melts, about 3 minutes.
4. Halve each maraschino cherry, placing each cherry half, sliced side up, in the center of each cup.
5. Next, cut the pineapple rings into quarters (or even eighths).  Lay four pieces of pineapple, surrounding the cherry.
6. Press the fruit gently down into the butter-sugar mixture, and set the prepared pan aside.
7. Finish making the batter:  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
8. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mixing until fully incorporated.
9. Add the milk-butter mixture and stir well to combine the ingredients into a smooth batter.
10. Using a large scoop, pour the batter into the muffin pan, dividing it evenly among all the cups.
    (I actually had a little leftover batter, and probably could have made another 2 or 3 cupcakes)
11. Bake the cupcakes until they’re lightly browned, dry around the edges, and pulling away from the pan a little, about 20-25 minutes.
12. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes.
13. Use a butter knife to carefully loosen each cupcake from the edges.
14. Place a cookie sheet over the top of the muffin pan and invert the pan, turning the cupcakes out onto the cookie sheet.
15. Transfer the cupcakes back to the rack to cool completely.
16. Serve the cupcakes at room temperature.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Adapted from Chef in Training blog

Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf

Blizzard Nemo 2013 -- the day after.  After spending all of yesterday plowing out, Jimmy spent today raking all of the snow off the roof to avoid our annual ice dam issues.  We need comfort food -- diets be damned.  A couple of weeks ago, Catherine had sent me a FB PM and all it said was STOVE TOP MEATLOAF.  Ever since then, it was picking at the back of my brain.  While she was at dance today, I went to BJ's and saw "meatloaf meat" -- a mix of ground beef, pork and veal.  I had always wanted to try it, and knew today was the day.  I went on Pinterest and found the recipe Catherine had found.  Talk about super easy!  I made a few modifications, adding eggs (since I've never heard of a meatloaf that didn't have it as a binder) and substituting ketchup and worcestershire sauce for the steak sauce; but other than that, DOOOOOOOOOOOOOLISH!

• 2.5 lbs. meatloaf meat
• 8 oz. stove top
• 2/3 cup hot water
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1/8 cup worcestershire sauce
• 2 eggs
• BBQ sauce -- enough to brush over top of meatloaf
  (I used Wegman's Brown Sugar BBQ)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix together all ingredients, EXCEPT the BBQ sauce
3. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan.
   (I used 4 mini loaf pans)
4. Brush top of each loaf with BBQ sauce and bake, uncovered, for 45 min to an hour
   (Internal temperature of the meatloaf should be 170 degrees)

Adapted from The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife blog

Homemade Pretzels

There's no denying that I love food, and I really find fun and comfort in cooking.  One of my biggest food weaknesses is pretzels.  I love hard pretzels for snacking on, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE soft pretzels.  Auntie Anne's is one of my favorite places in any mall.  I have long wanted to try to make soft pretzels but have always been inhibited -- they wouldn't taste anywhere close to a decent soft pretzel; and me and yeast have had a dicey history.  For whatever reason -- maybe it's because it's Super Bowl Sunday (49ers vs. Ravens), maybe it's because I was bored, but I decided today was the day to give it a try.  I am thrilled to say that I successfully made something using yeast, but also made something that I thought was worthwhile, but also the platter of pretzel sticks that I brought to our neighbor's house for the game was devoured quite quickly with raves!

• 1 ½ cups warm water (120-130 degrees)
• 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp.)
• 3 oz. unsalted butter, melted (¾ stick)
• 2 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil
• 3 quarts water
• ¾ cup baking soda
• 1-2 whole egg, beaten with 1-2 Tbsp. cold water
• Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined.  Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes.  If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 Tbsp. at a time. 
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
4. Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil.
5. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
7. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat and add the baking soda.
8. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. 
9. Using a pizza cutter, divide the circle of dough into 8 equal pieces, like a pizza. 
10. Roll each piece into a long rope, cutting each piece as needed, and shape into the lengths or shapes that you want (sticks are easy and tasty).
11. Boil the pretzels in the water solution in batches.  Boil for about 30 seconds.  Remove with a large slotted spoon. 
12. Place pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper -- make sure they are not touching. 
13. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with kosher salt. 
14. Place into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
    
    Add additional toppings immediately after they come out of the oven.
    Serve with Beer Cheese Sauce, or other dipping sauces.

Adapted from Lee Cooks blog