Little Apron Strings

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla French Buttercream

From the Martha Stewart Show Today

Makes 40 cupcakes

• 2 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• Vanilla French Buttercream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 40 standard muffin cups with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chocolate and beat on medium speed until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with 1 cup water and beginning and ending with flour; beat until just combined, 1 to 3 minutes.
5. Fill prepared muffin cups three-quarters full with batter. Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate muffin pans and continue baking until a cake tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely before frosting.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

From the Martha Stewart Show Today

Makes 18

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for tins
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Vanilla Cream
• Chocolate-Ganache Glaze

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat.
2. Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients.
3. Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool.
4. Using a serrated knife, cut each in half horizontally. Spread 1 tablespoon vanilla cream on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each, and serve immediately.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 stick Butter Flavor Shortening
1  1/4 cups Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
2 Tbsps. Milk
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Large Egg
1  3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Salt
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 (6oz.) pkg. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (1cup)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat shortening and brown sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in milk, vanilla and egg. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda. Blend in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfulls 2-inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11-13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to cooling rack.
Makes 3 dozen cookies

Favorite Macaroni and Cheese

- 1c elbow macaroni (dry)

- 1/4 c chopped onion

- 1T. butter

- 1T. flour

- dash of pepper

- 1 1/4c milk

- 1 1/2c cheese (the trick is to use white american cheese from the deli counter, you will need 6 oz.)

Cook noodles according to package directions. Sautee' onions in butter until tender, remove from heat and add flour, pepper and milk. Return to medium heat and stir just until bubble and slightly thick. Turn to low heat and add cheese, stir until melted. Pour noodles in a casserole dish, pour cheese sauce over noodles. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min. or until bubbly and edges are brown.

This has become a family favorite recipe. I know for sure it is Natalie's favorite!