St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 4-serving size package instant pistachio pudding mix

3/4 cup miniature chocolate pieces (I used milk chocolate chips, but chopped them up a bit)

2/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 beaten eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 tsp vanilla (or 1/4 tsp almond) extract

1/2 can cream cheese frosting (1 cup)

green colored sugar

1/2 cup candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (M&Ms) or other green decorations you desire

Grease muffin cups or line with paper cups. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, pudding mix, chocolate chips, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl combine beaten eggs, milk, oil and vanilla (or almond) extract. Stir into flour mixture just until combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full (I used the 1/4 measuring cup as a spoon and it divided the batter perfectly.)

Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Frost with cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with green sugar and M&Ms. Makes 18

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

2 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup margarine or butter
1 egg slightly beaten
1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (10 oz.) package toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In large bowl, stir together flour and sugar. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg; mix well. Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of 13 x 9 inch greased baking pan. Bake 10 minutes. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crust; top with 1 1/2 cups toffee bits. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture and remaining 1/2 cup chips over top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup toffee bits. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Chocolate Lovers' Mint Chocolate Brownies

Brownies:
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter - softened
4 eggs
4 1-oz. squares unsweetened chocolate - melted & slightly cooled
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
Cream sugar & butter until fluffy, beat in eggs till well blended. Add melted chocolate. Sift flour, measure, sift with dry ingredients & add to creamed mixture along with vanilla & nuts. Spread in greased & floured 9x13 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until no imprint is left when touched with finger. Do not over bake.

Mint Frosting:
4 TBS butter, softened
2 TBS evaporated milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Few drops of red or green food coloring

Mix all ingredients until creamy - spread on brownies. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Glaze Topping:
6 TBS butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla

Combine butter and chocolate chips in top of double boiler until melted. Add vanilla, blend thoroughly. Pour gently over pink or green frosting & spread by tipping pan. Refrigerate.

Taco Soup

Sorry, Dan - this one isn't for you. :)

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

16 oz can Mexican-style tomatoes, undrained

16 oz can ranch-style beans, undrained

16 oz can whole-kernel corn, undrained

16 oz can kidney beans, undrained

16 oz can black beans, undrained

16 oz jar picante sauce (salsa)

Brown meat and onions in skillet. Drain. Combine with rest of ingredients in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low 4-6 hours. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips as toppings.

*When I'm feeling lazy, or have already applied my make-up - I cheat and just sprinkle some (2-ish TBS) dehydrated onion flakes in with the ground beef. It works just fine.*

Fish 'n' Chips

1 1/2 pounds boiling or yellow fleshed potatoes, cut into wedges

1/4 cup plus 3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

6 cloves garlic, smashed (minced) and peeled

2 TBS finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (we used dried)

salt and pepper

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

juice and grated peel of 1 lemon (optional: 1 lemon cut in wedges for serving)

four 6-8 oz red snapper fillets (we used Tilapia)

4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

4 scallions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with 3 TBS olive oil, the garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast until the potatoes are tender and golden at the edges, 20-25 minutes.

While the potatoes are working, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, over medium-high heat. Combine the cornmeal, flour, cheese and lemon peel on a plate. Season the fish with salt and pepper, then coat evenly with cornmeal mixture. Fry in the skillet, turning once, until golden brown, about 7 minutes total.

In a medium bowl, toss together the tomatoes, scallions, lemon juice and olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

Top the fish with the sauce and serve with the potatoes.

From Every Day with Rachael Ray June/July 2007

***The recipe called for red snapper, but we couldn't find any. I thought the Tilapia worked well. I also think this recipe would work with halibut or cod. Fresh herbs can be expensive, so we just used dried rosemary - but I forgot to chop it! I will definitely remember that next time. I also forgot to drizzle the tomato sauce with olive oil and it was delicious without. I'm not sure if I'll try it with next time or not. We had some tartar sauce on hand - I couldn't imagine fish 'n' chips without tartar sauce! I really liked combining a bit of tartar sauce with the tomato sauce on the fish. There is lemon juice in the tomato sauce, which I found worked well, but Mom really liked having a few extra lemon wedges for her fish.***

Garlicky Pork Cutlets with Prosciutto, Lemon and Sage

8 boneless pork chops (3-4 onces each), about 1/4 inch thick

8 slices prosciutto

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 TBS vegetable oil

6 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1 cup chicken broth

1 TBS lemon juice

1 tsp minced fresh sage

2 TBS butter

salt and pepper

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Lay 1 slice prosciutto on each chop. Cover chops with plastic wrap and, using meat pounder, pound each until 1/8 inch thick. Dredge cutlets in flour, shaking to remove excess flour.

Heat 2 TBS oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of cutlets proscuitto side down, and cook until light golden brown on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip cutlets and cook until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and repeat with remaining oil and cutlets.

Add garlic to empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth and simmer, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add accumulated pork juices back to pan and whisk in lemon juice, sage and butter. Season with salt and pepper and pour sauce over cutlets.

From Cooks Country October/November 2006

Tony Roma's Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
2 potatoes (I usually use at least 3 potatoes. Gotta have enough potatoes!)
3 Tbs margarine/butter
1 medium onion (approx 1 cup)
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock (we use no-chicken broth because LSOC is allergic to chicken)
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups instant mashed potato flakes
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper (This is quite a bit of pepper. We usually use 1/4 to 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 oz bacon - cooked and crumbled
2 green onions, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.) Bake potatoes for 1 hour, or until done. Set aside to cool.
2. Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until tender and golden brown. Stir in flour, and cook 5 minutes to make a roux. Pour in chicken stock and water. Add cornstarch and mashed potato flakes. Season with salt, pepper, basil and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the skin from the cooled potatoes, and discard. Dice the potatoes into 1/2" cubes, and stir into soup, along with the half and half. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick. Spoon into bowls, and garnish with shredded cheese, bacon and chopped green onion.

Yields: 6 servings
Time: Close to 2 hours (including baking potatoes).