Almond Joy Cupcakes - Cuz I feel like a nut!

My daughter's favorite candy bar is the ALMOND JOY! So for her 10th birthday, I felt like a nut and made Almond Joy cupcakes. Some I made with coconut on the top, some had a coconut filling inside, and others were only chocolate with a ganache frosting. They were gobbled up! Here's how I made them.

To start, reserve 1/2 cup of coconut for the frosting mix. Then toast the remaining coconut in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Prepare the cupcakes while the coconut is being toasted.

CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS

1 box of Devil's Food Cake Mix

1 box of chocolate instant pudding mix

-Prepare cupcakes per package directions but add the instant pudding mix as well. While baking, make the following frostings.

COCONUT FROSTING OR COCONUT FILLING

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

FOR CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING or FILLING
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Garnish with an almond for the cupcakes filled with the coconut filled.

To make cream cheese frosting—
Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream. Beat in the salt, coconut flavoring, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and spreadable. Add additional confectioners’ sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting, or more cream to thin. Fold in the shredded coconut.

To make chocolate ganache—
In saucepan bring whipping cream to boil over high heat. Pour hot whipping cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate melted. You can add more cream if your ganache is too thick to spread.

NOTE: reserve some chocolate only as some people do not like coconut.

This has inspired me to make other cupcakes out of my friends favorite candy bars. I'm thinking Reese's Cupcakes. What would you make?

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Enchiladas Casserole - Trader Joes Style

Here is a favorite dish of our family. Enchiladas Casserole. I make it a casserole because I have never had much luck or desire to roll the tortilla around the ingredients. It is too messy and they never stay together. So I layer my ingredients, similar to making lasagna.

Trader Joe's enchilada sauce has the perfect blend of spices that kids and adults love.

INGREDIENTS

5 - 6 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 package corn tortillas

1 can of refried beans
3 bottles TJ's Enchilada Sauce (shown)

1 bunch Green Onions

1 jalapeño (optional)
2 cans of diced chilies (optional)

1 package mexican blend cheese

Diced Olives, Cilantro, green onions - Optional for garnish

TO PREPARE

Boil Chicken. Dice or shred and mix with 2 cups green onions, jalapeño, chilies, beans, and 2 jars of TJ enchilada sauce. Thinly coat bottom of a large casserole dish with sauce (from 3rd bottle) then cover with 1 layer of corn tortillas. Layer chicken mixture then tortillas, then chicken, then tortillas.  Cover the top layer of tortillas with the rest of the sauce. Top with cheese and bake (covered with foil) at 375˚ for 45 minutes.

Garnish with Olives, Cilantro or Chives.
Serve with avocados and tortilla chips.

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