Recipe: Panko Crusted Shrimp with a Jalapeno Honey sauce

For the Jalapeno Honey Sauce:
1/4 Jalapeno, finely diced
1 tbs honey
1 tsp olive oil
2 or 3 shots of rum
1 clove of garlic, crushed

For the Shrimp:
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
24 shrimp (around 6 per person)
1 egg, beaten

Coat the bottom of a sauce pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Over a low flame, brown a clove of garlic. Remove and then add the Jalapeno. Sautee for about 1 minute and then add the honey and rum. Reduce down stirring constantly.

Beat the spices into the egg. Make sure your shrimp are clean. Dip each into the egg mixture and then dredge in flour. For an extra crispy version dip, dredge in both a second time.
Lightly fry in oil until the shrimp turn a beautiful red color.
When you take the shrimp out of the oil, lay on a paper towel to absord the excess oil.
Drizzle with the Jalapeno Honey Sauce and serve with a salad.

For a lighter version, bake the shrimp in at oven preheated to 300° for about 10 minutes or until the shrimp turn red underneath the batter.

Panko Crusted Baked Shrimp served with a side salad and brown rice risotto with asparagus

-Raspberry Truffle

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Red Velvet cupcakes

I absolutely love Paula Deen and I love her recipe for Red Velvet Cake. It comes out wonderfully moist and delicious. Here's my version as cupcakes with chocolate chips and a cream cheese frosting!

Homemade Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Cupcakes before frosting

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-2 tablespoons of semi-sweet cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups olive oil (or another lighter oil such as canola or sunflower oil)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring (but you only need a few drops)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 a package of semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

For the cream cheese frosting:
1/2 cup margarine
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 to 1/2 a box confectioners' sugar (depending on your taste), sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla


For the Red Velvet Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cupcake tins.

Cream the sugar and eggs together in a large bowl.

Sift the flour, baking soda and cocoa into the sugar and egg mixture. As far as I'm concerned, the more cocoa you add, the better the cupcakes will taste and the darker your red velvet will look (I've occassionally been so overzealous that my red velvet has wound up simply looking like chocolate cake).

In a separate bowl mix the oil, vinegar, food coloring (add until you get the desired redness, remembering that the coco will later make it appear richer), and vanilla together. Add slowly to the other bowl along with the buttermilk, beating continuously until well blended. Blend in the chocolate chips. The more the better!

Once smooth with no lumps, pour the batter into the cupcake tins about 3/4 of the way full. Tap to even out the batter and release air bubbles. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Cream the margarine and cream cheese well when at room temperature. Add sugar and beat until mixed but not to the point that it loses its shape. Mix in the vanilla and put in the fridge until ready for use. I like to put the frosting into a ziplock bag, cut of the tip and decorate the cupcakes with a large swirl pattern. Sprinkle the finished cupcakes with a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

3 cups flour

½ tsp salt
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar (+ 1/2 cup to taste)
½ cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
5 - 6 very ripe bananas
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Sift or whisk flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and then cream with the sugar and butter. Mix in the eggs one at a time and then add the cream slowly.

Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture until incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full.

Bake muffins for about 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

-Raspberry Truffle