Archives for June 2015

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Brownie Batter Frosting/Brownie Garnish

June 29, 2015 · by Janelle · 5 Comments

I’m going to say it until I’m blue in the face…it’s not the recipe, it’s the memories that go along with the recipe. This particular recipe brings a smile to my face because it was shared celebrating with friends who I don’t get to see very often. These women strengthen me, make me laugh, keep me grounded, and they like to eat cupcakes. I like women to say yes to dessert, you know what I’m talking about- I know you do.

So we had a bloggy conference a couple weeks ago and it happened to be our dear friend Mandy Young’s birthday. I asked her what her favorite kind of cake was and she said she actually preferred brownies (thata girl) so, as a fan of “Cupcake Wars” I thought I would try to mix the two. But, low and behold there was a recipe out there that did just that- a huge shout out to Your Cup of Cake ! My friends said these were the best cupcakes they have EVER had! Wohoooo!!!

I love to “doctor” up cake mixes – the best way to do it is to add sour cream. I knew this recipe was going to be a winner when I saw this method being used. This is 1 box Devil’s Food Cake, 1/2 cup melted butter, 3 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 cup mini chocolate chips.

And a professional stirrer and licker of the bowl.

As you can see these ingredients instead of using the boxed ingredients make for a denser batter, thus denser cupcake. This is called yum.

More chocolate= more yum.

To get your cupcakes portioned evenly, use a cookie scoop. This also helps eliminate any mess spilling onto the cupcake pan.

Bake in a cupcake pan for approximately 15 mins or until set. Remember, they will continue cooking a couple mins longer. Let cool a couple mins, then place in the refrigerator.

This homemade brownie batter butter cream is amazing. You make your brownie garnish by making brownies with 1/2 the brownie mix and halving the ingredients of course. Then you take the other half of the mix and mix it right into the frosting.

It’s butter, brownie mix, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla, milk and powdered sugar that makes this frosting amazing.

I bought the most beautiful pink color flame candles- I didn’t realize how pretty they would be! And I used cute Wilton flower cupcake cups. Mandy loves her pink! hehe.

Happy Birthday Dear Friend!!!

My Buddies from left to right: Katina, Mandy, Summer, Clare, Courtney, Darlene, Ruth and Karen. Love you girls!!! So, here you have it- HERE is the experience….all cuddled up with brownie cupcakes in our bellies and a song in our heart.

It’s such a blessing- that “meal ministry”.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Brownie Batter Frosting/Brownie Garnish

Author: Your Cup of Cake

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 24

Ingredients

1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1/2 C. melted butter (or oil)
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 C. milk
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. mini chocolate chips
Brownie Batter Frosting:
1 C. butter, room temperature
1/2 C. brownie mix, dry (from the box)
1/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. milk, more if needed
2-3 C. powdered sugar
Brownie garnish (Make 1/2 brownie mix according to package instructions) You can either crumble the brownies and place on top, or cut a small brownie and place on top. Your choice.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pan with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl add cake mix, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and sour cream. Mix well.
Stir in mini chocolate chips.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with a cookie dough scoop. Bake for about 15 mins.
Let cool and place in refrigerator
Brownie Batter Frosting: Beat butter. Add brownie mix, cocoa powder, vanilla and milk and beat again. Slowly add in powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. You can add more milk if it becomes too thick, but remember the butter in the frosting will soften even more, so a little thick isn’t a bad thing.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with brownie pieces and sprinkles.

Filed Under: Cooking For A Crowd, Dessert · Tagged: birthday, cupcakes, dessert

Amazing… what a little time with friends can do.

June 26, 2015 · by Janelle · 2 Comments

Part of a new series under “Finding Comfort” @ Comfy in the Kitchen.

One of my very dear friends paid me a visit just the other day. She’s the kind of friend who always fills my soul with joy. Each time we’re together I leave her feeling better having just been around her. Jesus talk. Bantering, belly laughing, and making light. That’s what we do.

So, the other day were outside just rocking on the front porch, talking. Of course, bird watching was also involved- it’s a favorite past time of mine and she bears with me. She turned to me and said,

“Nelle, I’ve been a little distant lately and I want to apologize. I’ve been pouring myself out so much to everyone that I just don’t have a lot left these days. I feel like I have nothing else to give.”

At that moment, I could tell by the look on her face how unnecessarily insecure she felt as a friend. But, the thought never came to my mind that she was being distant. So, I told her the truth.

“You don’t have to do anything for me, solve any of my problems, or help me in any way. Just sitting here on the porch with me and laughing about nothing at all is more than enough.”

She makes me feel “comfy in my skin”. Whatever’s going on- It’s all good. I’m still me.

So often we want to fix things for others, don’t we? When we have a friend who’s in a crisis we tend to gravitate our conversations to the very problem that they might want to detach themselves from. Even if it’s just for a little while- an escape.

Sometimes people who are struggling feel like an elephant in the room and sometimes the very best thing a friend can do for them is just… normalize.

Just be.

So, anyways- after this dear friend left, she called me and told me she left something on the rocking chair outside. I opened the door and there was a white box and a card. The card read…

“Everyone in life should have 2 things: 1. True Friends 2. An emergency chocolate stash.”

That “Do-Gooder” ! She totally ruined my story on just being.

Eh hem…as I was saying.

Ladies, today I just want to encourage you to simply sit beside someone. It truly is amazing what a little time with friends can do.

“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” ~ 2 Corinthians 1:4

Filed Under: Devotionals, Finding Comfort, Uncategorized · Tagged: friendship

Ice Cream Ministry

June 25, 2015 · by Janelle · 4 Comments

Every time we would go over to “Grandma Puppies” house, she would make sure to make the kids an ice cream cone…that was the first thing they would say as they’d run through her doors. “Grandma! Can we have an ice cream cone?!” She’d smile real big, laugh and say, ” Ohhh alright let’s go upstairs and you know the drill.” And they did. They would climb up the counter to get the sprinkles on the top shelf, then reach up into the freezer and get all three flavors out {she always bought them their individual favorites}, then they would open up the refrigerator to get out the whipped cream, syrup, and the cherries. The only things grandma would get were the cones and the “surprise” that went at the bottom. That surprise was a big deal….would it be a gum ball? M & M’s? Hmmmm…..you’d have to eat the whole ice cream cone to find out.

In this photo, my dear mother-in-law would pass away in just 4 months from stage 4 breast cancer -a battle she fought for 6 years. It was extremely painful for her to walk and she needed assistance to get up the stairs – but it didn’t matter to her. She would have ran a marathon if it meant putting a smile on her grandchildren’s faces.

She was pretty good at putting smiles on their faces….

So, I write this with tears streaming down my face…
Fast forward 4 months and we all staying at a beautiful and loving hospice facility. She was in one room, we were in a suite down the hall. What rolls up? These amazing volunteers with an ice cream buffet. Our kids RAN into grandma’s room to tell them the great news. It was so special….words can’t even describe how special. Once again, ice cream placed a smile on our little girl’s face even amidst tragedy.

These sweet people thought of everything and were so full of joy to give. They told me they did this every Tuesday for the guests and their families.

What a ministry….ice cream.

Filed Under: Kiddos, Uncategorized ·

Mini Meatloaf (Even more marvelous)

June 19, 2015 · by Janelle · 1 Comment

One of my children’s favorite meals is meatloaf– and let me tell you, it just got better. My dear mom bought me this mini-loaf pan and now the kiddos have their very own mini meatloaves.

This pan can also make personal banana breads, corn breads, you name it breads. It lessens the baking time and increases the cuteness factor. What more can a Mama ask for?

Because we were having friends over for dinner this particular evening, we needed to make additional meatloaves. I simply used the pan as a way to portion out the mini loaves and put them in a glass baking dish to bake.

We had some happy campers!

This meal features Easy Italian Green Beans , Homemade Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream, and of course…..Marvelous Meatloaf!

Filed Under: Entrees, Kiddos, Uncategorized ·

He Feeds the Birds of the Air!

June 5, 2015 · by Janelle · 2 Comments

“Mama, I feel bad for that Mommy bird having to sit on her eggs without anything to eat, I bet she’s hungry.” My 6-year-old said with a worried look on her face. Every year a robin builds the most beautiful next under our deck and every year we wonder if there will be 3 or 4 eggs. This year that Mommy bird was busy with 4! I bet she was hungry after all of that building and egg making.

For those of you wondering if Mommy doesn’t come back because we touch the nest- she does. I am a huge bird lover. She yells at me, but she always comes back, hehe.

I took this opportunity to tell sweet Julia about how God provides. Matthew 6:26 says, “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” Amazing to think about how God makes sure the birds of the air are fed and to think we are even more valuable to him…

“But, Mama…God provides through his people! I really think we should give that Mommy bird some food.” She replied. Those sweet innocent little words spoke to me and made me realize how true her statement was. So often we pray- but we don’t ask God how we can be used. Manna isn’t going to drop this very second- it could, but most likely that Mommy bird was going to have to work for or find her food somewhere. Miss Julia wanted to give her a night off. All Mama’s need a night off, don’t they?