Dark Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Peppermint Frosting AKA Ajay's Delight

 

So one of my British BFFs has come to visit me in America over the holidays.  The boy loves him some mint chocolate.  Hence, Ajay's Delight.  A dark chocolate cupcake with peppermint frosting, garnished with a holiday sprinkling of candy cane dust.  Yummers.

Edit: Just adding desserts to the Christmas tag when I noticed this should be updated.  Ajay is not my bff, he is now my husband!  And he still loves these cupcakes, for the record.  

You will need: 
1 recipe dark chocolate cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared and baked.

Mint Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter (two sticks) - room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract (or to taste)


1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter.

2. Add milk and peppermint extract.

3. Add powdered sugar and beat, one cup at a time, until smooth.

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Mocha Cupcakes w/ Whipped Cream

I have yet another cupcake creation for you... I love coffee and chocolate together.  So much.  So it was really just a matter of time before I combined the two in a cupcake format!  These are also incredibly simple to make if you use the shortcut of a cake mix.  So doooo it.

You will need:
1 recipe dark chocolate cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared2 Tbsp instant coffee
1 Tbsp dark cocoa powder


1. Prepare cake mix according to package, dissolving instant coffee into the required water before adding.

2. Stir in cocoa powder.

3. Fill cupcake holders and bake!

Whipped Topping
-16 oz Fat-free whipped topping (Cook Whip!)
    (or, create your own whipped cream by whipping heavy cream and adding sugar)
-1 Tbsp of instant coffee, ground to a powder

1. Frost with a generous amount of whipped cream.

2. Crush instant coffee granules to a powder and sprinkle on top for a bitter kick.

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Slow-Cooker Honey-Hoisin Chicken

This tastes sooooo much better than it looks.

This Asian-influenced dish is so simple to make, provided you have a crock pot.  Essentially, you throw all the ingredients in a slow-cooker, and leave it be for several hours.  Then throw it onto some rice or rice noodles!  It is perfectly tangy and spicy.

You will need:
6 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated with a zester
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes



1. In a slow cooker, add soy sauce, white wine, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, ginger and pepper.  Stir.

2. Add chicken breasts, trimming as much fat off as possible before doing so.  Pierce chicken several times  on each side to allow liquid inside.

3. Cook for 4 hours on 'low' setting of slow-cooker.  Flip chicken after 2 hours.

4. Skim off any fat that has risen to the surface.

5. Serve with rice or rice noodles.

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