Witch's Cauldron Cupcakes

Have you heard of black cocoa powder?   Black cocoa powder is "ultra alkalized" also known as "super Dutched" cocoa powder.  This process turns it jet black, with a mild flavor but appearance similar to an Oreo.  The black appearance makes it ideal for Halloween baking and all things spooky.  I found these mixed Halloween sprinkles in fun colors with little candy eyeballs and it reminded me of the things in a Witch's Cauldron.  You know, "eye of newt and toe of frog" like Macbeth, only orange, black, purple and made of sugar.  I had this vision of a neon green "radioactive" looking frosting with these sprinkles like a bubbling cauldron.  So I grabbed my handy dandy black cocoa powder to create the base for these cupcakes.  The perfect black "cauldron" to hold that scoop of frosting and sprinkles.  Complete with a pretzel stick to stir the cauldron with.  I am so happy with how these turned out.  Halloween is my favorite holiday and my absolute favorite time of year to bake and create yummy Halloween treats.  Even though my tiniest devils like in Colorado and I don't get to bake for them much, thank goodness Mr. Devilish Dish understands my love for all things Halloween and doesn't mind eating a dozen neon green and black cupcakes.  In fact he said, "The base of this is a really good cupcake and everyone loves a homemade buttercream frosting." These cupcakes aren't just for looks.  They are a really tasty little treat that just happens to be spooky sweet.

Happy Halloween!
These might be my favorite spooky
creation ever.

Combine the dry ingredients.

You can see just how dark the 
black cocoa is.  It makes the 
flour look grey.

Melt the butter and semi-sweet
chocolate together.
Set aside and cool.

Cream together the eggs and sugar
until thick and pale.

You can see just how dark 
this batter is.

These cupcakes don't really have much
of a leavening agent so they don't 
rise very tall.  Which is nice, because you 
get a rich, dense cake that is the 
perfect cauldron base.

Make the buttercream frosting.

You want a thick frosting so that you can
scoop it onto the cupcakes rather than

a spreadable frosting.

Garnish with Halloween sprinkles,
eyeballs and a pretzel stick for 
"stirring the cauldron."

Have a Happy Halloween and
enjoy this wonderfully 
witchy dessert.

WITCH'S CAULDRON CUPCAKES

For the cupcakes:

2 sticks + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
9 ounces semi sweet chocolate
3/4 cup black cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 1/2 tablespoons cake flour (*SEE NOTE)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.  Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir in semisweet chocolate until melted.  Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.  Whisk together black cocoa powder, all purpose flour, cake flour and salt.  Set aside.  

In a stan mixer beat the eggs and granulated sugar until pale and thick, approximately 5 minutes on medium speed.  Add vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture in 3 separate additions, alternating the flour mixture with the chocolate-butter mixture.  Begin and end with flour mixture, and mix until combined in between each addition.  Place 1/3 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup.  Bake until cakes rise and spring back when touched, approximately 20-25 minutes.  Let cupcakes cool in muffin pans 15 minutes before removing to a cooling rack and allowing to cool completely before frosting.  

*NOTE: you can make your own cake flour by combining 1 cup all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of corn starch.  Simply measure out the amount needed for recipe and store the remaining mix for another use.  

For the frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons milk
yellow & green food coloring

In a stand beat the butter until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time to create a frosting.  Add vanilla and milk until the frosting is a thick texture.  (You will be scooping this frosting instead of spreading it.)  Add yellow and green food coloring until the desired color is achieved.  If you are using liquid food coloring you may need to add a touch more powdered sugar to keep the mixture stiff and scoopable.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop the frosting on top of each cupcake to create the look of a "cauldron bubbling and boiling over."  

For the garnish:

Halloween sprinkles and candy eyeballs
pretzel sticks

Garnish the green frosting with Halloween sprinkles.  I used tiny tweezers to place them on, rather than just shaking.  Insert a pretzel stick as the spoon for the cauldron.

Chicken Pot Pie Gnocchi

It's been hotter than Hades in Oklahoma this summer.  It's almost October and it is still 91 degrees as I'm typing this.  We are in a severe drought.  Yards are brown.  Gardens are meh.  As of mid September we've had 40 days that were 100 degrees or over.  It's the time of year that I'm getting tired of grilling and I'm ready for the comfort food of fall.  Except it doesn't feel like fall outside.  We had one day recently that wasn't 100 degrees.  It wasn't cool by any means, but I didn't care, I was making some indoor comfort food and willing the weather to cool down.  Even though Mr. Devilish Dish loves to grill or use his smoker almost daily, more than grilling, he loves a good pot pie.  I knew this recipe would lure him away from the back patio and inside for some comfort food.  This Chicken Pot Pie Gnocchi has all of the creamy, savory flavor of a good chicken pot pie filling, without the effort of making a crust or assembling a pie.  A package of gnocchi is the perfect substitution for the flavor and texture of a pie crust.  It reminds me of dumplings in chicken and dumplings.  In fact this recipe is like a mash up of a pot pie and chicken and dumplings.  Making it the perfect comfort food.  Especially if you are lucky enough to get some cooler weather.  

This is the most delicious comfort food
dinner.  It's like a cross between
chicken pot pie and chicken and 
dumplings but so easy to prepare
in one pot!

Sauté the carrots, celery and shallots.

Add the seasonings and garlic.

Coat with flour.

Cook for an additional minute.
The flour is your thickener.
Cooking it for a minute or two
will cook out the raw flour flavor.

Add the chicken stock and milk.
Kick the heat up so it starts to 
thicken.  Add your gnocchi and 
cook until it is cooked.
(I followed the package directions
for the correct internal temperature.)

Once the gnocchi is cooked,
add your shredded chicken and peas
and cook until heated through.

Season with salt and pepper and 
enjoy this delicious comfort food meal.

CHICKEN POT PIE GNOCCHI

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
2 small or 1 large shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1 package refrigerated gnocchi
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup frozen peas

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the carrots, celery and shallot and sauté approximately 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to lightly brown and slightly soften.  Add in the garlic, poultry seasoning and thyme.  Sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, coating well.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock and milk.  Turn the heat up to medium-high.  As soon as the mixture starts to boil and thicken , reduce to a simmer and add the gnocchi.  Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the gnocchi are cooked.  Stir in the shredded chicken and peas.  Heat through approximately 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Smoked Pigs in a Blanket

I'm a sucker for a nostalgic appetizer.  Pigs in a blanket were a party staple when I was a kid.  Crescent roll dough wrapped around a little smokie sausage and baked until golden brown and puffed.  Not only were these a hit at parties, but they made a great breakfast treat or after school snack.  NOW imagine that childhood favorite with an makeover that includes your backyard smoker?  When I say these are so much better made in the smoker I am neither lying nor exaggerating.  Something about the convection air of the smoker really gets the pastry dough golden and crisp.  With just a hint of smoke flavor and an extra boost from your favorite seasoning brushed on top.  These are truly ELEVATED pigs in a blanket.  We've made these several times.  Sometimes we brush them with everything bagel seasoning, and sometimes we use an all-purpose barbecue seasoning.  Mr. Devilish Dish likes to dip them in hot honey.  I don't they need dipping, their flavor and texture is perfect as is.  Definitely try these the next time your fire up the smoker, you won't be disappointed!

The best way to enjoy a pig in a blanket.
IN THE SMOKER!

Separate the crescent dough and cut each
triangle in half.  Roll up a cocktail 
sausage in each triangle.

Place 2 inches apart on a wire rack.

Brush each pig in a blanket with
melted butter.

Sprinkle with your favorite
barbecue seasoning or everything
bagel seasoning is good too.

Smoke for 10 minutes at 225 degrees F.
Turn up to 350 degrees F and smoke an 
additional 15 minutes, or until golden, crisp
and puffed up.

Enjoy.  These are amazing.

SMOKED PIGS IN A BLANKET

1 package little smokies (cocktail wieners)
1 can crescent roll dough
2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning (Or your favorite BBQ rub)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F.  Unroll the crescent dough and cut each triangle in half.  Place a little smokie at the large base of the triangle and roll to the tip of the triangle.  Press lightly to make sure it stays rolled up.  (The ends of the sausage will not be encased in dough.)  Place each rolled up pig in a blanket on a wire rack about 2 inches apart.  Set the rack over a baking tray.  Brush each pig in a blanket with melted butter and sprinkle with seasoning.  Place the wire rack into the preheated smoker and smoke at 225 degrees F for 10 minutes.  Turn the heat up to 350 degrees F and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, until the dough it puffy and golden brown.