Is this thing on??

Tap, tap, testing, one, two, three...is this thing on?

No one ever comments anymore, just wondering if anyone is actually out there. :)

Tortellini Pasta Salad

My brother is blessing his baby tomorrow morning and my assignment is pasta salad. Now, I love the traditional pasta salad with the corkscrew pasta and lots of veggies dressed with Zesty Italian but I wanted to try something different.

This recipe has a warm lemon vinaigrette instead of the bottled dressing and it's yum. Not just a little yum but a lot YUM. Definitely a do again. This would be good with summer cucumbers and peppers too I think...

Tortellini Pasta Salad
Servings: 10

1 lb refrigerated tortellini
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
5 carrots sliced
1 can olives, halved
8 oz mozzarella chunked
1 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
2 lemons, zested
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 T. white wine vinegar
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 bottle McCormick Salad Supreme
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1. Cook the pasta per directions on package.
2. Toss pasta, tomatoes, olives, mozzarella and carrots in large bowl. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan and add thyme, garlic, and lemon zest. Cook over low heat for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk together.
4. Pour vinaigrette over the pasta and toss.
5. Stir in grated Parmesan just before serving.

Calories: 422
Fat: 29.8
Carbohydrates: 24.9
Fiber: 2.6
Protein: 14.8

Bri's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know those cookbooks that are the backbone of your menu rotation? The ones written by ladies in your church or work or neighborhood? That's where this recipe came from; a stake cookbook that I just happened to buy about 2 weeks after we moved in. Lucky break on my part as I've used it a ton but this particular recipe is Bri's favorite cookie recipe. She made them all by herself and they were awesome!

Bri's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
6 doz cookies

2 c. butter flavor Crisco (we used a combo of Crisco and butter)
2 c. sugar
2 c. packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 c. ground oatmeal (grind in blender)
4 c. flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 bag chocolate chips

Cream Crisco, sugar, and brown sugar together. Add eggs one at a time. Add all other ingredients in the order listed. Mix well. Add chips or whatever else you would like to include (nuts, craisins, etc) and stir together. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes

Cupcakes seem to be all the rage right now and I have to confess that I don't really get it. Maybe that's because I'm not a cake person or maybe it's because I tend to forget to set the timer and end up with baked goods that are too done, I'm not really sure. I do think they are super cute and have succumbed to the cute factor and bought a cupcake cookbook. Martha Stewart's Cupcakes.

I tend to shy away from Martha's recipes as a rule because she is so fussy and the ingredient list is always as long as my arm but this one has sucked me in. I've been looking at it for 2 weeks now and today's the day. Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes here we come. Of course I added more spices because it just felt like I should and I'm not sure that the browned butter was really worth all the time it took to hover over the pan until it finally turned brown but the result was a pretty darned good pumpkin cake that smelled divine. Add to that the Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting (it's yum on graham crackers too) and we have a winner. I guess Martha knows what she's talking about after all!

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 1/2  sticks unsalted butter, room temp (I didn't have unsalted butter so I just reduced the salt)
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 4 tsp cloves
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325. Line muffin tin with paper liners (I've never had real success with the foil ones). In a saucepan melt the butter over med-low heat and continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter begins to turn golden brown. Skim the foam (this is the butter fat separating from the rest) from the top, and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl to stop cooking (you can go from golden brown to black before you realize it even happened if you aren't paying attention...but I don't know anything about that). Let cool.

In another bowl blend together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. In your mixer blend the eggs, sugar, and pumpkin until smooth. Pour in the butter and mix well. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.

Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, fill each about 3/4 full. The batter isn't runny like a typical cake batter, it's kind of fluffy and stiff so don't get in a hurry, just be patient as you are divvying it out. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick come out clean. Set your timer, do as I say not as I do! :)

Cool on wire racks completely.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick butter, softened
1 8 oz cube cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer until fluffy. Reduce speed to low (this is critical or you are going to have a giant mess). Add sugar slowly, 1 cup at a time until fluffy and mixed well. Add cinnamon and vanilla. Frost away!