My favorite Cupcake Frosting Recipe!

I made some super chocolate-y cupcakes last night for a group of gals I am going antiquing with today. I had to use all of my self control to keep from licking every last bit frosting from the mixing bowl after I had finished frosting them! Here is the recipe I used....

Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting recipe:
Makes enough for 24 cupcakes (halve it if you are making a smaller batch)
16 oz cream cheese (at room temp)
1 stick of butter (or 1/2 cup at room temp)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups sifter powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
1 cup Ghirrardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: Mix/beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until creamy and well blended. Mix in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Last, add cocoa powder and whipping cream and mix until well blended. This frosting can be piped on or spread with a knife. It is creamy, but stiff enough to hold shape. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Keep cupcakes refridgerated.

Curried Chicken Salad Recipe

I threw this together last Sunday when I got home from church and was feeling too ravenous for soup to do the job of filling my belly. Hubby and I really liked it, and if you are a fan of yellow curry, you might too!
Ingredients:
2 cans (well drained) Swanson Canned Chunk Chicken
1 cup Mayonnaise (feel free to use light or fat free)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (we used Low Sodium)
1 Tablespoon Yellow Curry Powder
1 Teaspoon Ginger Powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small snackbox (handful) of raisins
3/4 cup peanuts (smashed to crumbs)
dash of pepper
Optional: diced Sweet Red Peppers or Apples

Directions: Whip the Mayonnaise together with all the spices, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Once well mixed throughout, take a fork and separate the chicken chunks until they become more "shredded". Mix the chicken into the mayonnaise mixture. Add peanuts, then raisins (or pepper/apples) and stir well. Serve on warm toasted bread or in pita pockets. Refrigerate any unused portion. Makes about 4-5 sandwiches.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes Recipe

My husband wanted me to try this recipe for our Christmas desserts, and they turned out to be very yummy! I would love to put out a challenge to myself & my readers to tweak this recipe to make some mini cheesecakes in other flavors! You'll need a muffin tin to cook them in...

18 paper baking cups (I prefer the foil ones)
18 gingersnap cookies (the size of vanilla wafers)
12 oz of cream cheese
1 TBS cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon + 1/2 tsp. nutmeg)
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin (not the pie filling)
1/3 cup light corn syrup

Place a gingersnap cookie in the bottom of each baking cup, and place the cups in the muffin pan. Beat softened cream cheese, cornstarch, sugar, and spice until fluffy.
Add eggs; beat well.
Add pumpkin & corn syrup, bead until well blended.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full and bake 30-35 minutes (my oven took 35) at 325 degrees. You can check to see if they are done by inserting a knife near the center to see if it comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving. Leave any uneaten cheesecakes in the fridge. Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip and crushed gingersnaps on top.