100 GRAND CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARMEL FROSTING

Ingredients
Cupcakes
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
8 100 Grand snack size candy bars, cut into thirds and frozen

Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pound confectioners sugar
1/2 cup caramel topping, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat on medium speed with a mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water.  The batter will be thin.  Line muffin cups with paper liners.  Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Add in one piece of frozen 100 Grand bar. Top with an additional tablespoon or so of batter to cover the candy bar. Bake 22 to 25 minutes.

To make the frosting, cream the butter in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the vanilla, salt and caramel syrup and mix to combine well.  Add the sugar, a cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.  Frost cooled cupcakes.  If desired, garnish with additional carmel topping and chopped 100 Grand bars.  Makes 24 cupcakes.

Let's Dish
I love 100 Grand candy bars (though I rarely enjoy since they don't seem to be readily available, except at Halloween time) so I knew I would love these cupcakes from The Novice Chef.  First of all, the salted carmel frosting is out of this world!  I plan on using it to frost all kinds of things.  The chocolate cupcakes were fantastic too, but because the batter is thin, I had trouble keeping my candy bar pieces afloat.  Freezing definitely helps, but mine still sunk to the bottom of the cupcake.  But these were so delicious, no one cared! I recommend cutting the candy bars into thirds and then freezing them.  It's kind of hard, and messy, to try and cut them when they're frozen. If you can help eating the extra 100 Grand bars, chop a few up and sprinkle them over the frosted cupcakes.  Now I'm dreaming about all the other candy bars I can bake into cupcakes.

Who Dished It Up First
Jessica at The Novice Chef

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MEXICAN LASAGNA

Ingredients
4 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz.) can Rotelle tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 pound ground beef
1 (1.25 oz.) packet taco seasoning mix
2 packages (10-inch) flour tortillas, torn into pieces
4 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa verde
1 (10 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
Sour cream and salsa for garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a deep, 9x13-inch lasagna pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions, and garlic, and cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in chili powder, paprika, cumin, diced tomatoes, Rotelle, and beans.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Stir tomato/bean mixture into cooked rice, along with chopped cilantro.  Set rice mixture aside.  In the same skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink.  Add taco seasoning according to package directions. 

Spread about 1 cup of the salsa verde in the bottom of the prepared pan.  Layer with one third of the tortilla pieces.  Cover tortillas with half of the rice mixture, followed by 2 cups of cheese.  Top with another third of the tortillas; cover with the remaining salsa verde.  Next, layer all of the hamburger mixture, followed by the corn, then the remaining rice mixture. Top with the remaining tortillas.  Cover with the enchilada sauce and top with the remaining cheese.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Let's Dish
I've tried a lot of Mexican lasagna recipes, and this one is hands-down the best.  I saw this recipe over at the Pioneer Woman and could tell by the picture that it was going to be good.  I made several adaptations to suit my families tastes and needs (believe it or not, I made the recipe smaller--I think the original would have fed an army) and it's a real winner!  It's still a huge recipe, and you'll definitely need a deep dish.  If you don't have one, don't worry.  Just omit the top layer of rice and you should be fine with a regular 9x13-inch pan.  Don't worry about following the recipe exactly either.  Use canned corn in place of frozen, or pinto beans in place of black.  Use all diced tomatoes or all Rotelle, if that's what you have on hand.  Feel free to experiment and make it your own.

Who Dished It Up First
Pastor Ryan over at The Pioneer Woman.

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RASPBERRY SWIRL BLONDIES

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 9x13 inch baking pan. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat; remove from heat. Alternately, butter can be melted in a microwaveable bowl. Stir sugar into melted butter until it is dissolved. Quickly whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spoon the raspberry jam over the batter. Swirl the jam through the batter with a knife to create a marbled effect. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let's Dish
Dare I say that I love blondies almost as much as brownies? I have a favorite blondie recipe, and wanted to experiment with making a fruit filled version.  My family proclaimed it a success!  I  think these were gone within 24 hours.  I imagine most types of jam would work equally well in this recipe, especially berry preserves like blackberry or strawberry.  Next on my list of blondie experiments? Nutella swirl blondies!
 
Who Dished It Up First
This is an original recipe
 
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CREAMY HABANERO CHICKEN AND CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 habanero pepper
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups half and half
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Slice habenero open lengthwise and remove seeds.  Add half of the habanero, along with the garlic and onions to the pot and saute for about 3 minutes, or until onions are translucent and tender.  Stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute or two.  Whisk in the half and half and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  When mixure is thick and bubbly, stir in the chicken broth.  Stir in cumin and chili powder, along with salt and pepper, to taste.  Add the chicken, corn, cheese, green onion and cilantro and mix well.  Simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove habanero before serving.

Let's Dish
This soup was inspired by the creamy habanero sauce that's made by a local Mexican restaurant.  The sauce itself is good enough to eat right from the spoon, so I decided to use it as a soup base.  The results were fabulous!  It's spicy enough for my family with just half a habanero, but if you like it really spicy, throw both halves into the pot.  I also recommend tasting the soup frequently during cooking.  You may decide to remove the habanero before the soup is finished, otherwise it may become too spicy.  This is great topped with some sour cream, chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese, with some warm tortillas on the side.

Who Dished It Up First
This is an original recipe.

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CREAMY HABANERO SAUCE

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 clove garlic, minced
1 habanero pepper
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
Salt, to taste

Directions
Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat.  Slice habanero in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Add half of the habanero and the minced garlic to the pan.  Saute for 1-2 minutes to release the flavors of the habanero.  Stir in the flour and continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in the heavy cream.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until the cream is thick and bubbly.  Reduce heat and stir in the chicken broth.  Season with salt, to taste.  Remove habanero from sauce before serving.

Let's Dish
There's a local Mexican restaurant that's famous for it's creamy habanero sauce.  And their not giving out the recipe.  So I decided to try and replicate it at home.  I noticed that the sauce didn't actually have any habanero peppers in it, just the habanero flavor.  I thought it might work to cook the entire habanero in the sauce, and it did! Cutting the pepper open allows that spicy flavor to work it's way more easily into the creamy sauce.  I only use half the pepper to keep the sauce on the milder side, but if you want a spicier version, throw in both halves!  Just don't forget to remove the habanero when your finished, and be very careful to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the pepper. You may want to taste the sauce as it's cooking, and remove the habanero as soon as things are spicy enough for you.  This is kind of like alfredo sauce with a kick, and it's sooooo good.  You can use it in all kinds of Mexican dishes, like enchiladas and burritos.  My favorite thing to do is to stir in a big handful of cheese and some pico de gallo for an out of this world queso!  Of course, there's also the Creamy Habanero Chicken and Corn Chowder.

Who Dished It Up First
Inspired by Cafe Mexicali

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ROTEL CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

Ingredients
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or rotisserie chicken)
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 (8 oz.) brick Velveeta cheese, cubed
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat.  Add cubed chicken, garlic & onion powder. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in soup, cubed Velveeta and diced tomatoes with green chilis. Reduce heat to low, and cook until the cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in cooked spaghetti. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into a lightly greased 2 quart casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Let's Dish
This stuff is seriously yummy comfort food.  Kind of like macaroni and cheese with a kick! I try to refrain from second helpings most of the time.  Otherwise having a food blog would serioulsy affect what the bathroom scale tells me every morning, but I just couldn't resist a second helping of this.  The whole family loved it, and so did the extra boys that were eating dinner with us when I made it. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of processed cheese, but trust me, this is no time to be a food snob.  It makes for great leftovers too. I may or may not have had two helpings the next day for lunch.

Who Dished It Up First
I found this recipe over at Plain Chicken.  Thanks Steph!

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EASY SESAME NOODLES

Ingredients
12 ounces thin spaghetti
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
½ teaspoon hot chili oil
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
3-4 green onions, sliced

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Meanwhile, whisk remaining ingredients (except green onions) together in a large bowl. Pour drained noodles into bowl with soy sauce mixture and toss until noodles are evenly coated.  Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Let's Dish
It's hard to believe something so easy can be so good.  This takes less than 15 minutes to make, and everyone in my family loved it.  Even the picky eaters.  The ones who usually turn their noses up at anything other than butter on Parmesan cheese on their pasta.  You can use Japanese noodles if your supermarket carries them, angel hair, or any other type of long, thin pasta.  I often use red pepper flakes in place of the hot chili oil.  Serve these with a salad and you've got a complete meal in practically no time.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

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PIZZA PUFFS

Ingredients
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Pinch of salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup diced pepperoni
1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni.  Let mixture stand for 10 minutes.  Stir the batter then divide it among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through and serve with the puffs for dipping.

Let's Dish
These are a big hit at our house.  I usually double the batch and I never have leftovers.  Although they are meant to be an appetizer, I often make them for dinner because they're such a kid friendly meal.  I haven't tried it yet, but I think these would be great with sausage too.

Who Dished It Up First
This is a Rachael Ray recipe, but I found it over at Lick the Bowl Good.

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S'MORES BARS

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6 sheets of graham crackers)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1.5-ounce) Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. In a small bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and beat until combined. Press half of the dough evenly in the pan.  Spread marshmallow cream over the dough. Lay the chocolate bars on top of the marshmallow creme, breaking apart as needed to create an even layer of chocolate. Spread remaining dough over the chocolate bars. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Let's Dish
These are one of my favorite bar cookies.  I might even like these more than regular s'mores.  I've tried making them with regular marshmallows, and they just disappear into the dough, so be sure to use marshmallow cream.  It does tend to ooze out of the bars once they're cut, but s'mores are supposed to be messy!  And with this recipe, you can have them year round.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Paula Dean

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