Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake

This would be a great cake to bring when you need a dessert to share.  It really doesn't need ice cream because of the peanut butter whipped cream on top.  The drizzle that gets poured into the holes poked in the cake is so tasty.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake

Makes 1-9x13 pan

Ingredients:

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cup (350 g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (88.5 g) cocoa powder

2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda

3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder

1 teaspoon (6 g) salt

3 eggs, room temperature

1 cup (240 g ) buttermilk, room temperature

1/2 cup (109 g) canola oil

1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract

1 cup (237 g) boiling (or very hot) water

For the peanut butter glaze:

1 cup (250 g) smooth peanut butter

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup (120 g) 2-percent or whole milk

For the peanut butter whipped cream:

1/2 cup (140 g) smooth peanut butter

1 1/2 cups (360 g) heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:

Chocolate chips or chocolate bar, chopped

Roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a metal 9x13 pan with parchment paper.  Spray lightly with nonstick spray.  

2. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.

3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.  

4. Add wet ingredients to dry.  Whisk until combined.  Add boiling water.  Whisk until well combined.  Pour into prepared pan. 

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool completely. 

For the glaze:

6. In a small mixing bowl, beat 1 cup peanut butter to soften it.  Add the sweetened condensed milk and milk.  Beat until smooth.  

For the whipped cream topping:

7. In a small bowl, beat 1/2 cup peanut butter to soften it.  

8. In a large bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.  Fold in the peanut butter.

To assemble:

9. Poke holes in cooled cake with the end of a wooden spoon.  (Do lots of holes!)  Pour glaze over cake, spreading it well to make sure it fills all the holes.  Spread peanut butter topping on top.  Garnish with chopped chocolate and peanuts, as desired.

This cake keeps well, covered in the refrigerator overnight.  

Source: adapted from www.cakebycourtney.com

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

This school year I've been trying to always have muffins in the freezer to warm up for a quick breakfast for the kids or pack in lunches.  Many weeks I end up making 4 dozen of these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.  They taste great, and I'm glad they have some whole wheat in them.  

I don't actually measure the Greek yogurt.  I just eye-ball it and scoop some out of my big container.  The muffins have always turned out.  Also, the directions say to mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, but I often just stir the sugars into the flour mixture, then add each of the wet ingredients on top of the dry and stir together the top layer of wet ingredients, then dig down to the bottom of the bowl to combine the two layers.  Is this being lazy or efficient?  All I know is it speeds up my muffin-making chore a bit.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 24 muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

6 ounces plain Greek yogurt 

3 eggs

15 oz canned pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin tins with nonstick spray.  

2. To a large mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir to combine.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, add brown sugar (breaking up any clumps), granulated sugar, yogurt, eggs, pumpkin and canola oil.  Stir or whisk to combine.  

4. Add wet ingredients to try and stir until just combined.  Add chocolate chips and stir.

5. Divide into 24 muffin cups and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in a muffins comes out clean.

Source: adapted from www.ourbestbites.com 

Classic Chili

This is nothing fancy, just my go-to classic chili recipe I've been making for years.  Use the two cans of black beans if you like your chili thicker (less soupy).  I love having this chili with my favorite corn muffins.

Classic Chili

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 pound ground turkey

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

Optional toppings:

Grated cheddar cheese

Diced avocado

Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Put olive oil in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat.  Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add ground turkey and salt/pepper.  Break turkey apart while cooking and stirring until no longer pink.  

3. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and tomato paste.  Stir until well combined.  Add beef broth, kidney beans, black beans and tomato sauce.  Stir.  Bring to a simmer and turn heat to low.  Simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add toppings as desired.

Source: adapted from www.thewholesomedish.com