Chocolate peanut butter banana cupcakes

These were so good and only lasted a day or two in my house 

We are making more this afternoon.

Gluten and dairy free version 

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour

For non gluten free omit xanthan gum and do 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 large ripe. The ripper the better mashed

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

For egg free use egg replacer or apple sauce conversions 

2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

6 tbs of soft butter

1/2 cup if yogurt or sour creme 

For dairy free we used almond yogurt

350 for about 20 mins

Begin with mixing vanilla, sugar,butter, and yogurt then add eggs and dry ingredients 

Frosting 

Peanut butter frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 

1/2 cup soft butter

2-4 tbs of milk, we used almond milk for a dairy free option. 

Chocolate glaze

We buy milk fee chocolate chips at wegmans in the organic section

2 ounces chocolate chips 

2 tbs heavy creme now we but and organic dairy free version at our regular grocery store 

Coming this week

Peanut butter, banana and chocolate cupcakes . These are gluten an dairy free but I will also sure the regular may to make these beautifully delicious cupcakes 

Homemade banana jam

Recently at a farmers market my oldest daughter tried banana jam and loved it. I didn't live the price and I knew I could make this at home .

If you have a bread maker with a jam setting this is a good time to use it. Only problem it does make a mess in there. Or you can do it on the stove top

Ingredients 

3 ripe bananas the ripper the better

2 cups sugar

2 tbs cornstarch 

Over medium heat place chopped up bananas stir for 4 minuets add your other ingredients and continue to stir and cook for 25 minuets 

We then placed ours in a mason jar and allowed it to heat seal and cool before placing in fridge 

It is surprisingly delicious 

Strawberry shortcake cupcakes

Strawberry picking and creating new recipes is my new all time favorite past time. We live strawberry shortcake and the kids live cupcakes so why not combine the two. My first batch was gluten free for my one daughters pleasure but I forgot she hates strawberries. But still a winning recipe either way

Lets start with the filling 

2 cups of diced strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbs cornstarch

 Over medium heat place strawberries in the pan stir for 4 minutes the add your other ingredients cooking until it thickens. 

Cupcakes ingredients 

1 2/3 cup gluten free flour (same ratio for all purpose flour)

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup butter again we use almond butter

2 egg whites

1/4 cup yogurt again we used almond yogurt 

3/4 cup of milk we used almond milk 

2 tsp vanilla

Start with dry and add your wet . You will want to use cupcake liners in your cupcake pans for these 

Bake at 350 for about 15 mins

Allow the cupcake to cool. You want to remove a hole in the center of the cupcake. We used a frosting tip turned upside down to make the perfect hole in the cupcake. Fill your hole with your filling in the sauce pan.

Frosting 

We have a few for you to chose from

Whip creme frosting 

1 1/2 cups of whipped creme

3 tbs sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup of filling

Or our butter creme

1/2 cup butter or almond butter

1/2 cup crisco

5 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla 

1/4 cup of filling

Water Mellon cupcakes

Ever have left over  watermelon from a summer picnic or fruit salad and just don't know what to do with it?

We recently had that same problem. The kids wanted cupcakes and I wanted to make a new kind instead of the same old ones they already love . So I began thinking watermelon cupcakes.

First we need to make a watermelon purée . I did 2 cups of cut up watermelon and a tsp of fresh lemon juice. I puréed it in the blender

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups of gluten free flour ( all pour purpose  same ratio for non gluten free)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 cup butter we used almond butter for dairy free

1 cup sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

2/3 cup of your water Mellon purée 

Creme your butter and sugar and slowly add your dryly ingredients, purée and lemon zest

Bake at 350 for around 20 mins

We used a typical butter creme frosting 

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup crisco

5 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup of water Mellon purée 

Homemade ketchup

We eat all natural and organic. And yes you can buy organic ketchup in the store but you can simply make your own

1 28 oz can of hole tomatoes ( we use fresh from the garden )

1 medium onion chopped 

2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs tomato paste 

2/3 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 cup coder vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Take your olive oil and place in medium sauce pan and sauté your onion till tender about 8 minuets

Then add all your other ingredients in medium sauce pan and stir. Keep over heat for an hour. We then placed our ketchup in mason jars and allowed them to hear seal and cool before storing 

Strawberry lemon aid

We went strawberry picking and ended up with 17 pounds of strawberries so I had to get creative on using them

Here's our homemade strawberry lemon aid and it is so good 

Ingredients 

1 cup of water

1 cup of sugar

Place these in a sauce pan and make a simple syrup. Keep on the heat till all of the sugar dissolves

1 pint fresh strawberries

1 cup fresh lemon juice about 8 lemons 

4 to 6 cups of cold water depending on taste 

Once your simple syrup has cooled slice up your pint of strawberries into a blender and 1/2 cup of water and purée 

In a large pitcher combine 

Your simple syrup, puréed strawberries and 4 to 6 cups of cold water

Mix and serve

We placed ours in mason jar cups for drinking and added a slice of lemon and ice. Perfect for a hit summers day