Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Ganache

So the other day we were having a bake sale at work. Normally, I'll make some cornbread muffins and call it a day, but this time I thought I'd do something a little more fancy. 

A while back, I tried this recipe out for the very first time, and they turned out pretty well. So I decided to give it another go, now that I'm so much older and wiser. 

So here you have it. Peanut Butter cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and a Chocolate Ganache. 

Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe

1 cup Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp salt

pinch of cinnamon 

3/4 stick of butter at room temp

1 cup Peanut Butter

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 Egg

1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350, and either grease or line a cupcake tray. 

Sift the flour. These cupcakes are kind of heavy and can be bready. So make sure to sift the flour before cooking. 

Then mix flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a different bowl, mix butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar with beaters until they're blended. Add vanilla and egg. 

Pour milk and flour mixture into the bowl alternately, until completely mixed. 

Pour into liners put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 

Let cupcakes cool before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

6 tbs milk

Cream peanut butter and vanilla together until blended. Add 3 tablespoons of milk and half the confectioner's sugar. Beat until combined. Add the rest; beat until combined. If your frosting doesn't seem to be smooth enough, add more milk one table spoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. 

Make sure the cupcakes are cool. If they're not, the frosting will melt. 

Frost anyway you like. I frosted using a frosting bag, but no tip, but you can do it whatever way works best. 

Chocolate Ganache

3/4 cups of semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup of heavy cream

This part calls for a double boiler. I don't have one, I refuse to buy one, because you can put water in a pot and put either a metal bowl or another pot on top and use that as a double boiler. 

Anyway, do that and put the chocolate chips and heavy cream in there, stirring as it melts. 

You'll want it be smooth, but not completely liquid. I wish I had a picture to show you. 

The best way to explain it is that when you pour it off the spoon you want it to be thick that it pours in streams. 

I wish there were a better way to describe it other than the "Correct consistency of chocolate." 

Decorate the cupcakes as you choose. 

Eat. 

Enjoy. 

Award-Winning, Hearty Turkey Chilli

No, seriously, I won an award for my Chili. 

Albeit, third, but I placed none the less. 

A little history of how this came to be about. The place I where I work was having a chili cook off to raise money. I decided to enter, but me, being the forward thinking person I am, decided I needed an angle. Something to set me apart from everyone else. 

I figured, why not make a turkey chili. That would be something that no one else would do. And in every competition, you always need an edge. That extra little thing that makes you stand out from the crowd. 

So after scouring the interwebs, mainly Pinterest, I happened upon this recipe.  Silvia from Garden to Kitchen details this tasty recipe. I of course, tweaked it a little bit, as you do.
So on to the Recipe 

Award-Winning, Hearty Turkey Chili

Crock pot portion

• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 large can Tomato Sauce
• 1 - 2 bags Black Beans
• 1 - 2 bags Kidney Beans
• 1 bag Pinto Beans

Instructions



Clean beans, and either follow the quick cook instructions or soak them over night.  If you don't want to do this step, just buy cans of beans and rinse them. 

Add the first 5 ingredients to the crock pot/ slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and turn on high.

Skillet Portion

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Med White onion
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced and crushed
• 1 lb Lean Turkey
• 1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• ½ tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Oregano
• Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder, and Paprika enough to cover the meat. 
• 1 Yellow Pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 tbsp Flour

Instructions

In a large skillet heat the olive oil. Chop onions, red pepper, and garlic. (Be sure to crush the garlic to release flavor). 

Add to the skillet. Cook until soft and fragrant (3-5 mins). 

Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink. Be sure to stir and break the turkey into little chunks (about 10 minutes). 

Add the salt and spices and mix to combine (2 mins). 

Add the tomato paste, chicken broth and flour,  to create a thick and flavorful sauce. When it comes to adding the broth, if it doesn't look like there's enough, add more. If you don't the chili will dry up. 

Add the skillet content into the crock pot/ slow cooker, mix. 

4. Cover tightly and cook on high for 2h to 2½ hours.
Serve!

Details

Prep time: 4 hour Cook time: 2 hour 31 mins Total time: 6 hour 30 mins Yield: 6-8 servings


There you have it. An award winning chili. I made it a second time and gave some to friends, since nearly my entire family bailed on me when I made it the second time. No complaints there!

Enjoy!