Chocolate Silk Pie

Please visit my new website, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the recipe for Chocolate Silk Pie!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Guess what? You need these chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes in your life right now. I bet it is dark when you are waking up in the morning and even darker when you are coming home after an exhausting day at work, and there is probably not too much that can get you out of your funk.  These chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes are here to help. Just like the cookie dough truffles, there is no raw egg in the cookie dough filling. The mixture is made up everything that is good in life,  like butter, brown sugar, condensed milk, flour, vanilla, and chocolate chips. 

I got together with a friend a few weekends ago, and we made these cupcakes for the first time. I had seen them before and thought about making them, but I always thought they looked too involved. Hey, they really are a little involved, but they aren't too tricky, and they are well worth the extra time in the kitchen.

So, what are you waiting for? Go make some chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes and put a smile back on that face. Enjoy!

Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes
3 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups of light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. of baking powder
1 tsp. of baking soda
1/4 tsp. of salt
1 cup of 2% or whole milk
2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

For the cookie dough filling
4 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 Tbsp. of light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour
7 ounces of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup of semisweet chocolate chips (regular or miniature)

For the cookie dough frosting
2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cup of powdered (confectioners') sugar
2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. of salt
2 Tbsp. of milk
2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract

Extra chocolate chips, for topping cupcakes

DIRECTIONS
For the cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Put the butter and the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer to mix on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Then add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and stir together. Add one third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat on low speed, then add 1/2 cup of the milk and beat again on low speed. Continue alternating and end with the dry ingredients, mixing each time until just incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract and mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Divide the batter evenly into the paper liners. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

For the cookie dough filling
Once cupcakes are in the oven, make the cookie dough filling. Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix on medium high speed with an electric had mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then mix in the flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and put in fridge until mixture is firm, about one hour.

To stuff the cupcakes
When cupcakes are cooled, add in the cookie dough! Cut a cone-shaped portion (or use a spoon and scoop) out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a ball of the cookie dough mixture. Use all of the filling to stuff the cupcakes - the more you have, the better the cupcake!

For the frosting
Put the butter and brown sugar into a medium mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer set on medium high speed to beat until creamy. Add in the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth. Add in the flour and salt and mix until just incorporated. Pour in the milk and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and well incorporated.

Frost the cupcakes, top with chocolate chips, and celebrate!

*Recipe makes approximately 2 dozen cupcakes.
Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge.

Crispy Honey-Sriracha Tofu Tacos with Cucumber Mango Salsa (Vegetarian)

More tacos! I know you are excited! This summer I have made coconut fish tacos and steak tacos with smoked tomatillo salsa, and today I am bringing you these vegetarian crispy honey sriracha tofu tacos with a cucumber mango salsa. Hip hip hooray! How excited are you?

I recently went out to San Francisco to visit family, and I got to enjoy lunch at a favorite place, La Taqueria, in the Mission District of the city. It was hard to move in the restaurant and we had to circle like hawks to find seats to eat our food, but it was all well worth it. I tried the pork tacos there for the first time, and they were amazing. One thing that stood out about the tacos we ordered was that they were made with a double shell, with one crispy tortilla and one softer tortilla. We were given the best of both worlds, a soft taco and a hard taco all at the very same time! I tried the double shell method with these tofu tacos, but after trying a couple times, I found that the tastiest way to eat these is with one tortilla, baked in the oven to crisp up a bit. I think the best tortillas to use are* La Tortilla Factory white corn tortillas. They taste great, and they don't break! One of these days I am going to master the double shell method, though...

I topped these delicious tacos with cucumber-mango salsa, mashed avocado, and extra Sriracha sauce.  I was a little nervous about tofu in my tacos, and I was truly amazed at how good they turned out. Even if you are not a vegetarian, I am pretty sure you will find these tacos to be quite tasty. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for even MORE taco recipes!

*In the photos, I used a different tortilla than the La Tortilla Factory brand and the tacos were made with the double shell.

Recipe for Crispy Honey-Sriracha Tofu Tacos with Cucumber Mango Salsa (Vegetarian)

INGREDIENTS:
For the Cucumber-Mango Salsa
1 large, ripe mango, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and with the seeds removed, finely chopped
1/2 shallot, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced (with seeds removed)
Juice from 1/2 lime (save the other half for the avocado)
1/2 tsp. honey
Salt and pepper

For the tofu
12 ounces extra firm tofu, drained well, patted with a paper towel, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
2 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce (plus a little more for adding to taco)
2 Tbsp. honey (plus a little more for drizzling)
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. of cornmeal
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper - about 1/8 tsp.
3/4 tsp. Ancho chile powder
1/8 tsp. of sweet smoked paprika
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 - 2 Hass avocados

full-fat Greek yogurt
Good quality soft taco sized corn tortillas (I recommend La Tortilla Factory white corn)

DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the cucumber mango salsa. Toss the cucumber, mango, jalapeno, shallot, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well. Cover and place in fridge until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 315 degrees. Place tortillas on a baking sheet. Rub a very small amount of olive oil all over each side and sprinkle one side with a pinch of fine sea salt. Set aside.

Put the tofu in a large bowl. Mix together the honey and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl. Pour over the tofu, and gently toss to coat well.

In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, Panko breadcrumbs, flour, salt, pepper, chili powder, and sweet smoked paprika. Then pour 1/3 of the cornmeal mixture over the tofu, and toss gently. Add another 1/3 of the mixture, toss again. Finish with the remaining mixture and toss again to coat the tofu well. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Then carefully add in the tofu. Cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes, then gently stir and flip over, a few at a time, until all pieces have been flipped. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes more, then gently stir again. Continue to cook and gently toss until tofu is crisped up on all sides. Add in a drizzle or two of honey, and stir. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the tofu with salt and pepper.

While the tofu is cooking, place the tortillas in the heated oven. Cook for a few minutes, then flip. You want the tortillas to be a little crispy, but not hard. You want a very light crisp so that they still fold well without breaking. That is why it is important to buy good tortillas!

While the tofu and tortillas are finishing up, mash up the avocado. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Assemble the tacos. Top each warm tortilla with desired amount of tofu, cucumber-mango salsa, avocado, and Greek yogurt. Add a squeeze of Sriracha sauce, if desired.

Recipe makes approximately 6  - 8 tacos. 

Tofu taco recipe adapted from: The Woks of Life
Cucumber-Mango salsa adapted from:  Oh My Veggies 

More taco recipes:
Potato, Chorizo & Goat Cheese Tacos with Smoky Aioli 
Simple White Fish Tacos
Paladar's Sweet Potato Tacos 
Coconut Encrusted Fish Tacos with Mango, Avocado Crema, and Sweet Chipotle Sauce
Steak Tacos with Smoked Tomatillo Salsa

Sweet potato tacos

Steak Tacos with Smoked Tomatillo Salsa

What is the difference between a taco and a fajita? Is there really a difference? Greg said the thing that sets a fajita apart from a taco is the addition of peppers and onions, and a Google search said that fajitas are typically made with grilled skirt steak, peppers, and onions. I used peppers and onions, but no grilling was involved. I do not know if this recipe is for tacos or fajitas (I am going to call them tacos, though), but I do know that it was a delicious meal. The tomatillo salsa was so good, and I recommend the (small) extra effort of making it rather than buying jarred salsa. It is smoky and flavorful, and it has just the right amount of kick to it. Check back next week for another taco recipe! Enjoy.

Steak Tacos with Smoked Tomatillo Salsa

INGREDIENTS:
 3 tomatillos, husks removed and cut into halves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and sliced in 1/4" slices
1 7-ounce can chipotle pepper in Adobo sauce, divided
1 small green bell, sliced

1 small yellow bell, sliced
1 small red bell, sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced
3 Tbsp. of Olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
pinch of sugar
3/4 pound flank steak 
Flour tortillas, soft taco size
Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional) 
Sliced avocado (optional)
1/2 lime (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Make the tomatillo salsa first. Put a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Place the tomatillos, skin side down, in the skillet, and add in the garlic and jalapeno pepper. Let it cook for about 7 minutes, or until the tomatillos are softened completely through. Then remove from heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer contents of skillet to the bowl of a food processor. Add in 1 of the chipotle peppers from the can and 1 Tbsp. of water. Pulse until a salsa is formed. Put in a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining contents of the chipotle peppers to the food processor. Pulse until smooth. Put the steak on a large plate and brush all sides of the meat with a thin layer of the chipotle sauce. Let sit until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Arrange the tortillas on a baking sheet and brush each side lightly with olive oil and sprinkle one side with a touch of sea salt. 

In a large, nonstick pan, heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the peppers and onions, a dash of salt and the 1/8 tsp. of sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until peppers and onions are cooked through. Transfer to a bowl or plate and cover with foil. Wipe pan out and place back over medium high heat with the last tablespoon of olive oil.

Place the tortillas in the oven.

Add the meat to the skillet. For medium, cook on one side for 4 - 5 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 4 - 5 minutes. Remove meat and place on a cutting board. Let sit 5 minutes before cutting. If you want a little more kick in the meat, once it is cut, place back in skillet and set over low heat with a little extra sauce for about 1 minute. 

Assemble your tacos. Remove warm tortillas from the oven. Place about 1.5 - 2 ounces of steak, peppers, onions, smoky tomatillo salsa, Greek yogurt, avocado, and a squeeze of lime into each and serve!

Recipe Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Recipe make approximately 3 - 4 servings.