Samosas (Faux-mosas)

Well these tasted like samosas and were very pretty but true Indian samosas are deep fried (not to mentioned served in a piece of newspaper from a street food stall). These little beauties were baked and were made with puff pastry. That had 2 major advantages: They were quick and easy :)

I didn't measure anything for the filling so the following is just a basic guide. The squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end is important. You could also add a tablespoon of freshly chopped mint in addition to the cilantro. I served these with some mango-jalapeno chutney. Yum Yum!

- 4 small potatoes diced

- 2 cups frozen peas

- 1 large garlic clove

- half medium onion, finely diced

- 11/2 tsp grated ginger

- 1 1/2Tbsp ground cumin

- 1 1/2 Tbsp ground coriander

- 1 Tbsp madras curry powder

- 1 tsp chilli powder

- t Tbsp chopped cilantro

- juice from half a small lemon

- 1 lb puff pastry

- 1 egg

Method:

- Preheat oven to 400F

- Fry onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, add ginger and spices and cook until fragrant

- Add potatoes and a splash of water and cook until just soft

- Add peas and turn off heat (heat will cook peas)

- Stir in cilantro and lime juice and adjust seasoning

- Roll out puff pastry into large rectangle and cut into 12 squares

- Place a small mound of filling into the center brush egg wash on two sides of the square and seal the filling in the shape of a triangle (or close enough because some of mine looked a bit like an amoeba).

- Brush them with egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes until brown and crisp.

- Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spice Cupcakes with Bourbon-Cinnamon Frosting

If you like bourbon then this is the recipe for you (or if you are like me and can't stand bourbon but loves a man that loves the brown juice). The Pumpkin spice cupcakes are technically muffins (they are mixed like a quick bread) but they are so soft and moist that I thought they would go well with a big dollop of frosting. The frosting recipe is a mix of a bunch of recipes that I looked at when trying to find the perfect bourbon frosting. The bourbon compliments the cinnamon perfectly and isn't overpowering at all. All these years I thought I didn't like Bourbon and it was only because I hadn't mixed it with butter and sugar first :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
2 1/2 Tbsp Bourbon
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Method:

Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture (flour & Baking powder) until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full). Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 minutes.

Cool in pan for five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to room temperature before frosting.

To make frosting combine cream cheese, butter and bourbon and beat until fluffy. Add 2 cups of confectioners sugar and cream until there are no lumps.

Apply large amounts of frosting for maximum happiness and general fat-assiness :)

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cupcakes

Specifically: perfectly moist chocolate cupcakes with a ridiculously decadent peanut butter frosting. What's not to love? They ended up tasting like giant peanut butter cups.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup cocoa powder

- 1 cup boiling water

- 1 1/3rd cups AP flour

- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter

- 1 cup sugar

- 2 eggs

- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup butter

- 1 cup smooth peanut butter

- 2 cups confectioners sugar

- 3 Tbsp milk

Method:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners
- Mix cocoa with boiling water and stir until it forms a smooth lumpless paste
- Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl
- Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add flour and beat until just combined then stir in cocoa and mix completely
- Fill muffin cups until 2/3rds full and bake for 16-20 minutes.

Make Frosting:

- Beat butter and peanut butter until combined
- Add confectioners sugar and milk and beat until thoroughly combined and fluffy

- Try not to eat all the frosting with a spoon...just sayin'

Then distribute to people who you want to love you and/or need massive favors from :)