Looking for Volunteer Dish-Washer

Anyone?  Anyone?  No?  I didn't think so. ;)  If only! As much as I LOVE cooking and baking, I equally despise the clean up afterwards. BLECH.

This afternoon/evening proved to be a little difficult.  Why I attempted to bake and cook dinner back to back with a 1 yr old, a 3 yr old and a 6 month old blood hound, I don't know!  Remind me not to do that again soon.  LOL  3 hour menu? Raspberry filled dark chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting, and lemon roasted Mahi Mahi with creamy risotto.  I didn't even make it to the salad.  :(

Dark Chocolate Cup Cakes w/Raspberry filling

3 oz. dark chocolate chips
1 cup scalding water (or brewed coffee if you like it)
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour (sifted)
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder (sifted)
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

*preheat oven to 300 degrees.  pour chocolate chips into scalding water and gently stir until melted.  Set aside.  Sift together all dry ingredients.  In separate bowl mix together wet ingredients with mixer.  Slowly beat dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Fill lined cupcake tins 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes. 
*I also made some LARGE cupcakes, which I had to bake for 27 minutes
*Once cooled, I injected cupcakes with a premade raspberry filling

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8 oz. packages of room temp. cream cheese
1 stick of room temp. butter
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder (sifted)
6 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

*blend cream cheese and butter well, until creamy.  Slowly mix in powdered sugar with electric mixer.  Once well incorporated, slowly add in cocoa powder.
*Ice as desired! :)


These came out great!  I actually have a picture!

As for my Risotto and Mahi Mahi....risotto was simple and scrumptious, Mahi Mahi was simple as well.  It may have been too simple?  It was my first time with Mahi Mahi and was unsure about flavors.  Risotto recipe as follows...

Creamy Risotto with Garlic and Onion

2 Tbl. butter

2 Tbl. olive oil

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 small yellow onion (diced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

4 cups chicken stock (or broth if that's all you have)

1/2 cup half & half

1/3 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese (or more if you'd like)

*melt butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium- high heat.  Saute onion for several minutes before adding in garlic.  Saute for another minute or so.  Add in rice and saute for 3 minutes.  Pour in 1 cup of chicken stock, and cook down.  Repeat this step for the remaining 3 cups.  Lower heat to low-medium.  Add in half & half.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.  take off heat and stir in cheese.  ENJOY!

Lemon Roasted Mahi Mahi

1 lb. fillet of fresh Mahi Mahi

1 lemon (juiced)  ( keep lemon to slice on top)

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. pink pepper corns

1/4 tsp. parsley

foil

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Wash fillet and place on sheet of foil.  Juice one lemon on top.  Sprinkle salt, pepper and parsley on top.  Slice lemon and place on fillet.  Wrap foil around like an envelope.  Bake for 15 minutes.

And now, I'm off...very tired after my kitchen marathon today.  Haven't even thought about tomorrow's dinner.  It will be a surprise!

xoxo