BAKED CHICKEN NUGGETS WITH TANGY BAR-B-QUE SAUCE and VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING and CARAMEL FROSTING

I met my incredible husband fourteen years ago today - and we recently celebrated 12 wonderful years of marriage. Three children, one new business and lots of travel later, I still always look forward to seeing him at the end of the day, and spending time together.
The traditional gift of linen was represented by the napkins at one of our favorite local establishments, which also happens to be the restaurant where we met. We always love Bordinos, not just for the nostalgia, but also for the outstanding food and service and excellent atmosphere, and because it is too fancy a place to take the aforementioned adorable kids.
However, they did get to dine on these delicious, kid friendly chicken nuggets, and we all celebrated together as a family with the yummy vanilla cupcakes.

BAKED CHICKEN NUGGETS WITH TANGY BAR-B-QUE SAUCE

1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, onion and garlic powders, salt and pepper. Toss chicken with flour mixture. Pour milk into a shallow bowl. Dip chicken pieces into milk. Pour breadcrumbs onto a large plate. Roll chicken in crumbs. Arrange chicken on baking sheet, spray with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Serve with bar-b-que sauce.
Enjoy!

TANGY BAR-B-QUE SAUCE

In a saucepan, stir together 1/3 cup barbeque sauce, 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of grated orange rind. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 4 minutes.
Enjoy!

VANILLA CUPCAKES

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, beat 6 tablespoons of softened butter with 2/3 cup sugar on high for 2 minutes. Beat in 3 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat in half the flour mixture on low. Add 1/2 cup milk and beat briefly. Beat in remaining flour just until combined. Spoon batter into paper liners in a 12 cup muffin pan. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish Magazine, March 2013
relish.com/issues/march-2013/

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 to 2 cups of powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and salt, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla.
Enjoy!

CARAMEL FROSTING

Bring 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and 2 tablespoons of milk to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 cup powdered sugar.
Enjoy!

Recipes adapted from Southern Living, October 2010
www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant

MAPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING and COOKIES AND CREAM CUPCAKES and VINEGAR CAKE

This month heralds the end of the "Wilkin birthday season" - we celebrate everyone in our family between October and March, including my husbands business. My daughter was the only one who wanted a birthday party this year, so it was all very low-key and wonderfully simple. She was also the only one who didn't want me to make her cake, so the following were all for the boys in the family.

MAPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
1 cup buttermilk
FROSTING
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon maple flavoring

Heat oven to 325F.
Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) round cake pans.
To prepare cake, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Add maple flavoring. Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake cakes 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Let cool in pans on wire racks 20 minutes. Invert onto racks, let cool completely.
To prepare frosting, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
Add powered sugar and maple flavoring. Beat just until smooth.
Frost the cake and decorate as desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish Magazine, February 2011
relish.com/

COOKIES AND CREAM CUPCAKES

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 chocolate and creme sandwich cookies (such as Oreos), broken up
FROSTING
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350F.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
On low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and sour cream into butter, beginning and ending with flour. Add milk and vanilla, fold in cookie pieces. Divide batter among prepared cups.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly pressed. Remove cupcakes to a rack, let cool.
FROSTING
In a bowl, beat sugar, butter, sour cream and vanilla until good spreading consistency.
Once cupcakes have cooled, spread with frosting, and top with cookie pieces if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Family Circle, May 2008
www.familycircle.com/recipes/

VINEGAR CAKE

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa, plus more for dusting the cake
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Heat oven to 350F.
Mix dry ingredients together. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Mix well. Pour into an 8 or 9 inch square pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool and dust with cocoa.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish, January 2013
relish.com › Baking

RED VELVET BROWNIES and LIMONCELLO ROLL

When I remember my favorite things, it usually always involves people and food - I love any occasion where wonderful friends - familiar or as yet undiscovered - gather, and food is consumed.
A dear friend invited us for dinner and I offered to bring dessert. I wanted something that would please the kids and indulge the adults, and liked the contrast of the chocolate and lemon. Although my Limoncello Roll didn't so much elegantly roll as flop, it still tasted lovely.

RED VELVET BROWNIES

4 ounces of chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup butter
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 (1 ounce) bottle of red food coloring
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350F.
Line bottom and sides of a 9 inch pan with foil, lightly grease the foil.
Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave safe bowl, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth.
Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour, food coloring, baking powder, vanilla extract and salt. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles, gently remove foil. Spread cream cheese frosting on top of brownies and cut into squares.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, December 2010
www.southernliving.com › Food › Recipes

LIMONCELLO ROLL

5 eggs
pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
40 grams of butter, melted
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups cream
1 cup lemon curd
2 tablespoons limoncello

Heat oven to 190C.
Grease and line a 35cm by 26cm baking dish.
Beat eggs until frothy. Add salt, sugar and vanilla and beat until thick and pale. Sift over combined flour and baking powder, add butter and fold in gently. Pour into dish and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed. Turn out on to baking paper sprinkled with sugar. Cool before spreading with half the lemon curd.
Whip cream, add limoncello and remaining curd and mix until firm. Spread over sponge leaving a border on one long side. Tuck over and roll up sponge from the other side. Chill 2 to 3 hours before slicing.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from New Zealand House and Garden
www.nzhouseandgarden.co.nz/entertaining.asp