My favorite Dark Chocolate Mint Cupcake Recipe

Several years ago, I hosted a Chocolate Mint Party in honor of National Chocolate Mint Day, and this is the recipe that I used. I wanted to share it with you because it's my favorite recipe to use when I'm using fresh chopped mint from my garden.

National Chocolate Mint Day is celebrated annually on February 19th, but chocolate mint desserts are enjoyed all throughout the year! What better way to enjoy the flavor of mint than by baking up some sweet chocolate mint cupcakes.

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Dark Chocolate Mint  Cupcakes

• 2 cups walnuts, toasted, cooled
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

White Chocolate Mint Frosting

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

8 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon green crème de menthe

Preparation

For cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 12-cup mini-muffin pans. Using on/off turns, blend first 4 ingredients in processor until walnuts are finely chopped. Whisk flour and baking powder in small bowl. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl until very thick, about 4 minutes. Gradually beat in cooled chocolate mixture. Stir in walnut mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons batter into each prepared muffin cup.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Cut around cupcakes to loosen; turn out onto work surface. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

White Chocolate Mint Frosting:

Bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; stir until melted. Mix in crème de menthe. Transfer frosting to bowl; let frosting cool at room temperature until firm enough to pipe, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.

Spoon frosting into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe frosting decoratively atop cupcakes.

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My Closing Thoughts~

• I make these cupcakes in Spring Summer and Fall, when my mint is growing so perfuse all over the place.
• I also like to make these cupcakes at Halloween. The colors just go great on a Halloween decorated table. Once I created a Frankenstein table where all the food and drinks were either black or green. This cupcake was a hit on the table that night.
• I also made this cupcake for a small garden party I went to. All the guests brought something that was made with something from their herb garden.
• Happy Chocolate Mint Day. ~ "Live everyday like a Holiday" Pam

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses some material from wikipedia /article chocolatemint©/and other related pages.  Photo:flickr.com/26396724@N05/  / gone-ta-pott / epicurious.com

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White Christmas Candy Recipe

What is White Christmas Candy?

White Christmas is an Australian no-bake sweet, made from a combination of Copha or white chocolate, icing sugar, sultanas, glacé cherries, desiccated coconut, milk powder and rice bubbles.

It is cooked in a rectangular slice tin, and cut into small slices or cube pieces because of it's richness. It is very well known in Australia, being a sweet that children can easily be taught to make. This sweet treat is also popular given as gifts in clear cellophane bags or jars tied with ribbon.

White Christmas Recipe 1

• 250 g copha
• 3 cups rice bubbles
• 1 cup coconut
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 1 cup full cream powdered milk
• 30 g glace cherries (red and green)
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 30 g glace apricots
• 30 g glace pineapple

Line 28cm x 18cm lamington tin with baking powder-

Melt copha- Add to all other ingredients combined in a

large bowl and mix thoroughly-

Press mixture into tin and refrigerate until firm-

Cut into serving size pieces-

White Christmas Recipe 2

• 250g Copha
• 140g (1 cup) pure icing sugar
• 180g (1 cup) sultanas
• 100g (slightly rounded 1/2 cup) chopped glace cherries
• 100g (2/3 cup) finely chopped dried apricots
• 85g (1 cup) desiccated coconut
• 106g (1 cup) full cream milk powder
• 40g (1 1/4 cups) rice bubbles

Line an 18cm by 28cm slice pan with baking paper.

Melt Copha in a small saucepan over low heat.

Sift icing sugar into a large bowl. Add sultanas, cherries, apricots,

coconut, milk powder and rice bubbles and stir until well combined.

Add melted Copha to bowl and stir until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.

Firmly press the mixture into the pan using the back of a spoon.

Tightly cover pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and then refrigerate until slice is cold and set. Cut White Christmas into small squares to serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. / Wikipedia / Photo: Whitechristmas.jpg

Party Food / Fried Dill Pickles and dipping sauce recipes

A fried pickle is a snack item found commonly in the American South. It is made by deep-frying a sliced battered dill pickle. Great Party Food!

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Example of Fried Dill Pickle Recipe

• 1 qt. sliced dill pickles - sliced long or slice round
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c. milk
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 6 drops hot sauce
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 1/2 c. flour
• Dried dill for seasoning
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring well. Set aside. Combine 3 1/2 cups flour, salt and pepper, stirring well. Dip pickles in milk mixture and dredge in flour mixture, repeat process. Deep fry in hot oil, 350 degrees until pickles float to surface and are golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with Dried dill to your liking.

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Do you want Breading?

• 2 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup lemon pepper
• 1/2 cup dill weed
• 4 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste

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What-ah-ya Dip!

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons minced parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons catchup
• 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
• Mayonnaise to thicken (at least 1/4 cup)

In a large mixing bowl, stir all ingredients together, Add mayonnaise, as needed, to thicken. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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RANCH DIP FOR VEGGIES OR CHIPS

• 1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 c. cottage cheese

Mix well and use for vegetable dip or with chips.

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📅 November 14 is National Pickle Day

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 Peanut Butter Pumpkin Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups pumpkin pie filling

2 cups pureed sweet potatoes

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups chicken or turkey broth

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

chopped chives for garnish

sour cream for garnish

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Stir in

pie filling, sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Add

broth, pepper and salt; stir well until smooth. Reduce

heat and simmer for 20 minutes. To serve, garnish soup

with chives and sour cream. Serves 8.

Poem: I'm not a witch but no one can tell

Poem: I'm not a witch but no one can tell

I'm not a witch but no one can tell

because I still have all my herb books and ale.

I fashion my potions to help those feel better 

but many consider me evil and scattered.

Soups, brews, lotions and salves~

I make all of these just by using all plants.

My knowledge of picking, crushing and drying

then caldron-ing it up until its ready for bottling. 

I'm not a witch but no one can tell

My garden grows greener than any oh well.

My herbs are all flourishing and producing my tools

my mortar and pestles are working to brew.

Clipping, cutting and wrapping in red ribbon

I give you a gift of the magic I'm willing.

Tinctures and poring; directions for use.

Stepping and steaming are all of good use.

I'm not a witch but no one can tell

plants are a bounty and healings prevail.

written by: Pamela Price Svoboda

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