Lots of yum

Busy, busy day in my kitchen! I started the day with dessert making. Oreo crumble cupcakes. These were super tasty and vegan to boot (well, they're vegan as long as you don't use the icing I used. I generally don't have soy milk hanging around in my fridge, so I used a basic fluffy white frosting and added in the cookie crumbles). I failed to note the "makes 36 servings", and was confused as to why I had so much batter (most cupcake recipes I've made make 24 cupcakes). Having only two cupcake trays (and not wanting to do dishes right away) I ended up with two dozen cupcakes and a 9-inch round cake.

Oreo Crumble Cupcakes

4 1/2 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/8 cup vanilla extract
3 cups strongly brewed coffee
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. vinegar

•Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
•Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda until well combined.
•Add the vegetable oil and vanilla and mix until just combined. Slowly add the coffee, mixing for a few minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix again until very smooth.
•Add the vinegar and mix for 1 minute.
•Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full.
•Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Oreo Crumble Icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup soy milk
10-15 crumbled Oreos (I used 10 for mine and it was more than Oreo filled. The more crumbles you add the harder it is to ice the cupcakes.)
18 Oreos for garnish

•Using a hand mixer, combine the sugar, margarine, and vanilla. Mix in the soy milk.*
•Stir in the crumbled Oreos.
•Top each cooled cupcake with 1 tablespoon of icing and garnish with half an Oreo.
*Note: You may need more or less than 1/3 cup.
Makes 36 servings



And while those were baking, I put on a slow cooker full of homemade sauerkraut from our local butcher. Apparently not only do they have the best local meat, but also the best fermented cabbage. I let it simmer for 6 hours, and then added in some turkey kielbasa (I don't like the texture of beef kielbasa) and let the whole shebang cook for another two hours. Just before we were ready to eat, I made spaetzel and was surprised at how easy they are to make. And they went great with the rest of the meal.