PB&J Cupcakes Recipe

Hello beautiful!  

Do you have a favorite food that rekindles childhood memories?  Is it the peanut butter and jelly sandwich (aka PB&J)?  Perhaps the mention of such a concoction makes you want to run for the hills.  But for me, I still believe the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is one of the best pairings on Earth!  Not only did I have them in my school lunchbox growing up, but it was also the first meal my parents taught me how to make, and the first meal we taught our children how to prepare.  In my opinion, it is the best comfort food out there, and is perfect anytime, anywhere.  So for all my PB&J lovers out there, I present to you a sweet rendition of this beloved classic...PB&J cupcakes! 

The PB&J is our family's go-to sandwich. Our children will often make it when they get home from school because it is quick, easy, and satisfying.  But PB&J cupcakes? Would that push my kiddos over their culinary boundaries?  I had never thought of making them until recently, but I had to give it a try and surprise my children with this delicious treat.  Instead of preparing these cupcakes identical to their nostalgic counterpart (with grape or strawberry jam), I opted for our Cherry Butter Spread and Blackberry Preserves (any of our butter spreads and preserves would be just as delicious).  I used white cupcakes that I adapted from Glorious Treats and added peanut butter to my sister's buttercream icing recipe.  

Friends, let me tell you something...you will be transported back to your childhood with these heavenly cupcakes! They turned out perfectly, as they were fluffy, fruity, and peanutty, just like a PB&J sandwich! My son liked them so much, he insisted on using this recipe for his upcoming Cupcake Wars school fundraiser.  You need to add this tasty recipe to your arsenal today!

Comment below, as we would love to know how they turn out on your end, and which butter spread or preserve you decided to use!   Or, use #cherchies_gourmet on Instagram or Twitter, or upload a photo of your concoction to our Facebook page. Or email it to me!   Have fun and thank you for visiting!

Ingredients- "Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes"- Recipe adapted from Glorious Treats

Yields- 15-16 cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour*

• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 egg whites

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)

• 1/3 cup milk (whole or low fat, but avoid fat free)

• 1/3 cup sour cream (full fat or light, but avoid fat free)

• Cherchies® Cherry Butter Spread (or Cherchies Apple or Strawberry Butter Spread)

• Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves (or Cherchies Fig or Cranberry Preserves)

• 15-16 cherries (optional for garnish)

*Note- if do not have cake flour, use this simple substitution, for every cup of flour, remove 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of flour and substitute with cornstarch and sift together, several times.

Ingredients for Icing

• 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

• 1/4 teaspoon (tsp.) almond extract

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) vanilla

• 4 Tablespoons half & half (milk is fine too)

• 1 lb. powdered sugar

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325*F.

Prepare the icing.  Cream together shortening, butter, peanut butter, extracts and milk.  Gradually add powdered sugar.  Mix until blended.  Set aside.

Preparation for cupcakes- In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.   Sift the ingredients together and set aside.

In another bowl, mix the egg whites, sugar, vanilla and oil with an electric mixer and mix for about a minute.

Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture.  Add the milk, then the rest of the flour and the sour cream.  Beat until just combined.  Scrape down the side of the bowl and make sure no lumps left at the bottom of the bowl.  Do not over mix.

The batter will be slightly thick.   Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill liners about 2/3 full, so as not to spill over the sides.   Bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes, checking them at 15 minutes.   Insert a toothpick or a cake tester to check for doneness.  If toothpick or cake tester come out clean, cupcake is done.  If not, give it another minute or so until done.  You do not want to overcook the cupcakes.  Slightly under cooking is best, as the cupcakes will continue to cook when removed from the oven.

Allow cupcakes to cool on a wire rack for about five minutes.  With a paring knife, cut a small "cone" in the middle of the cupcake, cutting off the end of the cone, and discarding the end.  Do this with each cupcake.  Fill each cupcake with about one spoonful (about 1 Tablespoon) of Cherchies® Cherry Butter Spread or Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves.   I added Cherry Butter to half of the batch and Blackberry Preserves to the other half.  If I had our other preserves on hand, I would have made more variations.  I guess I will have to make more cupcakes:).

Replace cupcake "lid" over preserves.   Ice cupcakes with the buttercream icing, using a 1M tip, or your favorite tip.  Garnish with a cherry.

Note: The cupcakes and frosting can be made ahead 1 day in advance.  Make sure to cover tightly and store them in the refrigerator.  Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months, but thaw overnight in the refrigerator when ready to use.- Cooking tip from Sally's Baking addiction.

Serve and enjoy!

Cajun Seafood Chowder Recipe

Cajun Seafood Chowder Recipe

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Cook Time:  20 minutes

Difficulty:  Easy

Whether there is any truth in the saying, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb," it sure is apparent that old man winter is not finished with us here in the northeast.   Ahhh, the sun is shining once again here in Pennsylvania, but it is still drearily cold.   Winter Storm Quinn blanketed our region yesterday with almost a foot of snow, and as another nor'easter looms on the horizon, I can't help but think of warmer days to come.   For now, I will just stay inside, think warm thoughts, and make soup- one of my all-time favorite comfort foods.  This savory Cajun Seafood Chowder is the perfect recipe to keep you warm and snuggly on these chilly winter days.

As I watched the snow pile up yesterday, I thought this to be the perfect opportunity to play around with our Cajun Seasoning and come up with a new recipe to share.   I researched a bunch of cookbooks (remember those?) and recipes on the internet and stumbled upon this delicious chowder recipe, which I adapted from Closetcooking.com.  The result was a tasty, hearty chowder, brimming with fresh seafood and vegetables, and smothered in creamy Cajun goodness.  Soup for the soul.  It was a huge hit with our family, and I guarantee yours will enjoy it too!

Thank you for visiting!

Ingredients

• 1/2 Tablespoon (Tbsp) butter

• 1/2 Tablespoon (Tbsp) oil (Having the two, helps prevent burning)

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herbs Seasoning

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning Blend

• 4 cups chicken broth (homemade is always best) or vegetable broth

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (2 lbs.), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes

• 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) fish sauce

• 1 cup fresh corn (could substitute canned corn, drained)

• 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) fresh Tarragon, chopped, or dried Tarragon

• Juice of half a lemon

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1/2 lb. scallops

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) olive oil

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning

• 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional for garnish)

• 1/4 lb. cooked bacon, crumbled for garnish (optional) or 4 oz. diced andouille sausage for garnish (optional)

• 1 green onion, chopped (optional for garnish)

Preparation
In a medium pan or dutch oven, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chopped onion, and cook until onions are translucent about 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic, Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herbs, and Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning to the pan, and cook for an additional minute.  

Add the chicken broth, sweet potatoes, and bring to a boil.  (* For more intense flavor, add the shrimp shells to the soup pan).  Reduce the heat and simmer the potatoes until fork tender, about 20 minutes.  (Remove the shrimp shells at this point, if used).  **I didn't have full shrimp with the shells in this picture, rather shrimp with tails.  I threw them in for only a few minutes).

After about 10 minutes, add the fish sauce, corn (I didn’t have for this picture), lemon juice, and tarragon.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the potatoes have cooked, remove half of them and place them either in a blender or a large bowl.  If using the blender, puree the potatoes, and if using the bowl, use a hand emulsion blender to puree.  Return the pureed mixture to the soup pot.  This will act as a thickener for the chowder.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the shrimp and scallops with 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) olive oil and Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning.  Heat a large skillet to medium-high and cook the shrimp and scallops until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side.  Add the shrimp and scallops to the chowder and simmer for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the shrimp and scallops to the chowder and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. 

Serve the chowder.  As an option for a pretty presentation and even more flavor, garnish the chowder with the chopped parsley, cooked bacon or andouille sausage, and the green onion.

Enjoy and let us know what you think!

Cajun Seafood Chowder Recipe

Cooking Tip: Cooking Substitutions

Cooking Tip!  Cooking Substitutions

There's nothing worse than realizing you don't have an ingredient after you've started a recipe.  I know, "mise en place", which is fancy for everything in place, but there are times when I am simply caught off guard.

I'm usually prepared with everything I need before I begin cooking, but there are occasions when a container or box is left in the refrigerator or the pantry...and it's EMPTY (my crazy teenagers left it empty...I guess they believe it will magically refill itself)!  

Have no fear, below are some emergency ingredient substitutions that may help save the day (and your recipe).  We'd love to hear your favorite substitution!

If a Recipe asks for: 

Flour

• 1 cup of self-rising flour---substitute with 1 cup of flour and 1 1/4 teaspoon (tsp) baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon (tsp) salt.
• 1 cup of biscuit mix---substitute with 1 cup of flour, 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of shortening, and 1 1/2 teaspoons (tsp) baking powder.
• 1 cup of sifted cake flour---for every cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of flour and substitute with cornstarch and sift together.
• 1 cup bread flour---substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour.

Thickening agents

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) flour---substitute 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, or 3 1/2 whole eggs, or 7 egg yolks, or 3/4 oz. bread crumbs.

Leavening agents

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) baking powder---substitute with 1/4 teaspoon (tsp) baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) cream of tartar, or 2 egg whites, or 1/4 teaspoon (tsp) and 1/2 cup yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream.
• 1 package active (2T) dry yeast--- substitute 1 cake compressed yeast, or instant yeast.

Dairy- Milk and Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream---substitute with 1/3 cup of room temperature butter and 3/4 cup of milk.
• 1 cup light cream--7/8 cup milk plus 3 Tablespoons (Tbsp) butter.
• 1 cup buttermilk (or sour milk)---substitute with 1 cup of milk and 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) of either vinegar or lemon juice.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir.  Or,  substitute 1 3/4 teaspoons (tsp) cream of tartar and 1 cup sweet milk.
• 1 cup sour cream---substitute 1/3 cup butter and 2/3 cup sour milk recipe.

Spices

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) fresh herbs---substitute 1 teaspoon (tsp) dried herbs
• 1 Medium onion---substitute 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) onion powder
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) allspice---substitute with 1 teaspoon (tsp) of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves
• 1 clove garlic---substitute 1/4 teaspoon (tsp) garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice---substitute 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg, and 1/8 tsp. ground allspice.
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) nutmeg---substitute 1 tsp. mace
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) dry mustard---substitute with 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) prepared mustard.
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) basil---substitute fresh basil (a couple of leave) or 1 tsp oregano.
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) fennel---substitute 1 (tsp) anise or tarragon.
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) sage---substitute 1 (tsp) thyme.
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) onion powder---substitute 1 small fresh onion.

Sugar and Sweeteners

• 1 cup brown sugar---substitute with 1 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup of molasses.
• 1 cup sugar---substitute 1 cup molasses plus 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) baking soda, or 1/2 cup honey plus 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) baking soda, or 1 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup corn syrup, or 1 cup maple syrup and 1/4 tsp. baking soda.
• 1 cup corn syrup---substitute 1 cup sugar plus additional 1/4 cup of liquid in the recipe, or 1 cup brown rice syrup.
• 1 cup honey---substitute 1 1/4 cup sugar plus additional 1/4 cup of liquid in the recipe, or 1 cup molasses, or 1 cup light agave nectar.
• 1 oz. (1 square) unsweetened chocolate---substitute with 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) butter and 2 Tablespoons cocoa.

Happy Cooking!

Thank you for visiting.

Strawberry Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Strawberry Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Prep Time:  20 minutes

Cook Time:  20 minutes

Dough Rise Time:  1 hour and 35 minutes (In addition to prep time)

I usually post quick and easy recipes, but these decadent treats were too irresistible not to share. The wait is worth the effort. Since today is National Cinnamon Roll Day, these mouth-watering Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls featuring Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread are the perfect reason to celebrate! Happy National Cinnamon Roll Day! (www.daysoftheyear.com).  

Cinnamon Rolls are heavenly, but Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls take your taste buds to a new level. In preparation for today's events, I made these delectable pastries yesterday for our family, and I could not wait to share them with you! After all, it is a holiday! As always, I pushed my family to their culinary limits and tricked out their favorite cinnamon roll recipe (a copycat version of Cinnabon-Jo Cooks) by adding Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread. Then, I waited for their reactions. 

As I expected, these soft, buttery rolls, perfumed with cinnamon and strawberry and oozing with gooey cream cheese icing, were a massive hit with our family! Ooohs and aahs all around! So, if you want a "berry good recipe" to serve your family, these tricked-out cinnamon rolls will not disappoint!  

We wish you a “berry” nice day and "strawberry fields forever" - www.daysoftheyear.com.  

Thanks for stopping by. :) Comment below if you have tried these delicious strawberry cinnamon rolls. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

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Ingredients (Copycat Recipe from Cinnabon- adapted from Jo Cooks)

DOUGH

• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast

• 1 cup lukewarm milk

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) salt

• 2 eggs

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed

• 3 Tablespoons (Tbsp) cinnamon

• 1/3 cup butter, softened

• 1 jar Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread (or Cherchies® Cherry or Apple Butter Spreads)

CREAM CHEESE ICING

• 6 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) butter, softened

• 1 1/2 cups powdered (aka confectioner's sugar)

• 1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) vanilla extract

• 1/ teaspoon (tsp) salt

Preparation  
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk.  Make sure milk is lukewarm to the touch.  Hot milk will kill the yeast.  Let the yeast sit for about 5 minutes.  If the yeast is good, it will start to froth.  If not, discard because the dough will not rise.

Add the sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour to your mixing bowl and mix until well combined.  Pour the yeast/milk mixture over the flour mixture and using the dough hook, mix well at low speed until the dough is well incorporated.  Do not over mix.

The dough will be sticky.  Oil hands before removing, place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

While dough is rising, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

After dough has risen, after about an hour, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray or butter. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle measuring about 16 long x12 inches wide, and the dough should be about 1/4" thick.  Spread the softened butter over the dough, followed by Cherchies®Strawberry Butter, and sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the dough.

Carefully, roll the dough starting with the long side all the way to the end.  Carefully, slice the dough into  1 1/2 inches slices with a sharp knife.   Place the cut rolls into a greased 9x13 baking pan and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.  *I prefer to use plastic wrap, so the dough does not get all over the towel.  Allow the rolls to rise another 30 minutes, or until the rolls have doubled in size.

Place the cut rolls into a greased 9x13 baking pan and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.  *I prefer to use plastic wrap, so the dough does not get all over the towel.  Allow the rolls to rise another 30 minutes, or until the rolls have doubled in size.  Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown, depending on your oven.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the icing by mixing the softened cream cheese, the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Remove the rolls from the oven and allow them to cool for five minutes or so.  
Generously spread the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls and watch all that gooey goodness envelop your cinnamon roll.  Oh, my! 

Strawberry Cinnamon Roll Recipe