Monday, November 16, 2009

Cheer Routine!

Here it is, DQ's halftime cheer routine (also the one they used at competition).

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Amaretto Apple Streusel Cupcakes

I saw these in the October 2009 issue of my Cooking Light magazine and just had to make them. DQ helped. We had a great time. Unfortunately, with that much amaretto in them, I had to limit the amount of batter she got to eat. :-) With the glaze below, I messed up though and did 4 tablespoons instead of teaspoons of milk, so my glaze is W-A-Y too runny! I'll do better next time!

Ingredients:
Cooking spray and 12 cupcake/muffin tin liners
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons amaretto
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream (I used fat free)
1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk (I used skim)
3/4 cup finely chopped Gala apple
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Streusel:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
2 tablespoons sliced almonds (I omitted)

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk (I used skim)
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Place muffin cup liners in 12 muffin cups; coat with cooking spray.
  3. Spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
  4. Combine granulated sugar, cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add amaretto, vanilla and egg to sugar mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.
  5. Combine sour cream and 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until well blended.
  6. Combine apple and 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl; toss well.
  7. Add flour mixture and sour cream mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Beat just until blended.
  8. Fold in apple mixture with spoon.
  9. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
  10. To prepare the streusel, combine 2 tablespoons flour, brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or fork, until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in almonds (I omitted).
  11. Sprinkle streusel evenly over cupcakes.
  12. Bake at 350 for 27 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  13. Cool in pan for 15 minutes on wire rack and remove the cupcakes from the pan.
  14. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and 4 teaspoons milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
  15. Drizzle glaze over cupcakes.
Right out of the oven, next time I would do more streusel:

With the glaze below, I messed up though and did 4 tablespoons instead of teaspoons of milk, so my glaze is W-A-Y too runny! I'll do better next time!