September 11th

Please don't forget that today is September 11 and take a few minutes to think about and pray for our troops overseas.

I haven't talked about my job much on here. I will say that I have spent a great deal of time with members of all of our armed forces (Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy*edit* AND guard! Thanks Sarah Ann!!) in the months, weeks and days leading up to their deployment. Sometimes I'm one of the last faces they see before they get on the plane.

I have so much respect for them. And their families.

About a month ago, right after Michael Jackson died, I was sitting in a hospital lobby with 40 troops who were getting on their plane the following day for war. The lobby had about 32234 tvs that were all playing coverage of MJ's death. One of the soldiers looked at me and said "I can't watch this. I know so many people who deserve this kind of attention in the media because they died, they died for our country and they were good people."

Anyway, on a lighter (ha!) topic...

A lot of you requested the recipe for the Best Cupcakes In The Entire World. It's true and since I never exaggerate I know you'll believe me. I consider myself a cupcake connoisseur and these really are #1 in my book.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Whipped Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 24 cupcakes

For the filling and cupcakes:
~2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
~1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
~10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
~1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
~1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
~3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
~1 teaspoon baking soda
~1/2 teaspoon salt
~1 cup sour cream
~2 tablespoons milk
~1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
~2 large eggs

For the frosting:
~8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
~4 tablespoons butter, softened
~1/2 cup peanut butter
~3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
~1 cup cool whip

1. Prepare Filling: In bowl, with mixer on medium speed, mix confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Shape mixture into 24 balls using heaping measuring teaspoons. (Balls will be sticky and don't need to be perfectly shaped.) Place balls on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 standard muffin-pan cups with fluted paper liners.

3. Prepare Cupcakes: On waxed paper, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In 2-cup liquid measuring cup, mix sour cream, milk, and remaining vanilla; set aside. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat granulated sugar and remaining 8 tablespoons butter just until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 1 to 2 minutes more or until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until ingredients are combined, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

4. Spoon 1 heaping measuring tablespoon batter into each muffin-pan cup. Drop 1 peanut butter ball in center of each cup and top with another heaping tablespoon batter. Bake cupcakes 25 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean. (I baked mine for about 20 minutes and they were done!) Immediately remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

5. When cupcakes are cool, prepare frosting: In large bowl, with mixer on medium-low speed, beat butter, cream cheese, and peanut butter until smooth and blended. Add powdered sugar slowly, incorporating fully after each addition. Add cool whip and beat until smooth and creamy. Frost cupcakes.

(from Good Housekeeping)

Have a great Friday!