Chokeberry "Sloe" Gin Fizz

2 oz chokeberry infused gin

1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

Shake with ice

Pour into glasses and add ice

Add about 3 oz of sparkling water

White Velvet Layer Cake with Strawberry-Raspberry Mascarpone Buttercream

 For the Cake

2 1/2 cups (280 grams) sifted White Lily® Self-Rising Flour

2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick/113 grams) butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup (48 grams) shortening

1/4 cup (56 grams) coconut oil, or favorite vegetable oil

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

3/4 cup (180 grams) egg whites (about 6), at room temperature

2 teaspoons (10 ml) almond extract

1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

 

For the Frosting

1 to 1 1/2 recipes Strawberry-Raspberry Mascarpone Buttercream (if making a rosette cake)

 

Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper circles.

 

Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix self-rising flour and sugar on low speed (stir) until well combined and aerated, about 1 minute. Add butter, shortening and oil and mix on slow speed until thoroughly combined. Mixture will be very thick.

 

In a 2-cup glass liquid measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, egg whites and extracts using a fork until well blended. Slowly add half of the liquid mixture to the batter and mix on low speed. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula, about 2 minutes. Add remaining liquid mixture and beat just until smooth and thoroughly combined, again scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary, about 1 minute.

 

Pour batter into prepared pans dividing evenly (a little over 2 cups of batter per cake pan). Smooth tops evenly with rubber spatula and then rap each pan on counter surface 2 to 3 times to expel any air bubbles. This step will create a nice level cake.

 

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.

 

Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Wrap each cake layer tightly in plastic food wrap and keep at room temperature until ready to fill and frost.

 

For the Frosting:

2 cup butter, softened, unsalted

4 oz mascarpone cheese chilled

6 tbsp Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce (below)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional

4 to 4-1/2 cup powdered sugar

Pink food coloring, optional

 

Beat butter on medium speed using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until creamy.

Add mascarpone cheese, Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce and vanilla.  Beat until fully incorporated.  Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy.  Scrap down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.  Gradually add powdered sugar until well combined, beating on low-speed.

Beat on high-speed about 2 min until well combined and smooth.  Tint buttercream with pink food coloring if desired.

 

Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce

8 oz raspberries, red, fresh

8 oz strawberries, hulled, fresh

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Puree the berries using a food processor.

Press berry puree through a fine mesh sieve into medium saucepan.  Discard the seeds.  Stir in lemon juice.

 

Bring fruit pulp and juices to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cook for 5 min while skimming foam from sides of saucepan using a slotted spoon, stirring frequently.

 

Original Recipe Source: WickedGoodKitchen.com

Coffee shop Cranberry Orange Muffins

2 cups (250g) flour (plus 1 T. for the cranberries)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup (67g) sugar
1/2 cup (100ml) light olive oil or sunflower oil
2 eggs
1 cup (225ml) greek yogurt (I used one small carton of Ciobani Orange Cream greek yogurt making up the difference in extra buttermilk)
2 Tbsp buttermilk
2 cups (300g) fresh or frozen cranberries (cut into quarters)
grated rind of one orange
extra sugar

Start by cutting twelve 5 x 5 inch pieces of parchment paper. Find a cup/glass that will fit into the bottom of the depressions in a muffin pan. Turn the cup upside down and place a parchment square over the bottom of the cup. Crimp the parchment in the same direction on all four sides and press into the muffin pan to form a tulip muffin wrapper.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Sift the flour, baking powder and soad together into a large bowl, then stir in sugar.

Place the cranberries (toss with a tiny bit of flour) with the grated orange peel in a small bowl, and set aside.

In a large measuring cup combine the eggs, oil, yogurt and buttermilk and whisk to combine. Stir the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients, just until barely combined (DO NOT mix till the flour is completely combined).

Add the cranberries and orange peel, and continue to fold the mixture until just combined. Do not over stir muffins or they will not be light in texture.

Place the parchment tulips in the muffin pan, and using a large cookie scoop (ice cream scoop), fill the 12 muffins then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

Spiced Coffee

Add a 1-inch piece of orange peel, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and a pinch cayenne into a French press with the coffee grounds. Let steep according to the coffee maker directions, allowing the flavors to infuse the coffee as it brews.

Pulled Pork Rub

¼ c brown sugar
1 T chili powder
1 T kosher salt
2 t cracked black pepper
2 t smoked paprika (hot or mild, whichever you prefer)
2 t garlic powder
2 t onion powder
1 t ground mustard
½ t cayenne pepper
½ t cumin

Yellow mustard

Trim off excess fat from the pork butt.  Liberally coat with yellow mustard on all sides.   Combine the ingredients and season the pork liberally on all sides and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. If this isn’t possible, just let it sit for 20 minutes.
Set the smoker to 250℉ and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.

Place the pork butt fat side up directly on the grill grate and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160℉, about 3 to 5 hours.
Remove the pork butt from the grill.

Stack 2 large pieces of aluminum foil on top of each other, making sure they are wide enough to wrap the pork butt entirely on all sides. Place the pork butt in the center on the foil. Wrap the foil around the pork.

Turn the temperature of the smoker up to 300℉ and place the foil-wrapped pork butt back on the grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches 204℉, in the thickest part of the meat, about 3 to 4 hours longer depending on the size of the pork butt.

Remove from the grill and pour off any excess liquid. Allow the pork to rest for 1 – 2 hours in a cooler.

Place the pork in a large dish and shred the meat. Feel free to add some of the separated liquid back into the meat.

Corn and Zucchini Pancakes

2 cups fresh zucchini, diced in small pieces
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 tablespoon neutral oil
⅓ cup fresh green onions, chopped (lights & dark)
1 ½ teaspoons fresh jalapeno , seeded and minced
2 medium fresh garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons plain sour cream or yogurt
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 C. crumbled feta or cojita
1/3 C. coarsely grated Parmesan
⅓ cup fresh chives, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon neutral oil

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and stir until just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Should still be crisp-tender. Remove from the head, add the corn, scallions, jalapeno and green onions, stir to combine. Cool.

Add the salt, pepper, eggs and sour cream. Mix well with a fork. Add the flour and baking powder. Add the cheeses and chives. Mix well.

Heat a skillet with 1 1/2 T. oil on medium. When hot, drop 2 1/2 T batter into the hot skillet making about 4 or 5 at a time. Cook over medium heat, turning when lightly brown underneath. Cook on this side and remove to a clean platter.
Serve with additional sour cream and salsa.

J.C. Gregg’s Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

I am a fan of J.C. Gregg and this is his famous Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe as posted in InKansasCity.com


Ingredients:
1 cup room temperature butter
1 cup room temperature peanut butter (your favorite brand)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add the first six ingredients and blend on medium low speed until completely combined—with no sign of the eggs present.

Add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend until combined (roughly two minutes). Remove bowl from mixer and hand stir—making sure to scrape that bottom of the bowl to get anything incorporated that may have not been fulling incorporated with the paddle. (Chef note: Yes, you can make these with a hand mixer or even mix by hand. Just follow the ingredients in order—making sure everything is well blended before you scoop and bake.)

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop up and place on a baking pan lined with parchment. A rimmed half sheet pan can fit eight dough balls comfortably. Bake for 17-20 minutes depending on your oven. (Chef note: If you want them chewy, pull them out at the 17-minute mark as long as they have started to brown slightly. If you want the crunchy, leave in until desired level of darkness is achieved.

Let cool on pan for 5 minutes and remove to a wire rack to completely cool. I bake both, chewy and crunchy. I don’t think there is anything much better than dunking a cookie in my coffee for an evening snack.)

Serve. Share. Enjoy. Repeat. (Chef note: I love to see how others create and am always willing to answer questions and help with any baking needs.)