The MOST delicious cupcakes in the universe!

Yeah, really they are! Are you ready for this? I don't know if you are honestly...these are SO good but sort of a lot of effort. It's worth it though. My advice would be to double the batch though because they only make about 10, 11 cupcakes if you're lucky!

Alright here it is:

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baing soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

Directions:

Preheat ovent to 350 degrees. Mix butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add sugar and mix for two minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and add one egg. Mix until incorporated, scraping sides of bowl. Add egg yolk and mix until incorporated.

Add vanilla and mix just until blended. Scrape bowl and add buttermilk. Mix just until incorporated. Add cooled chocolate and stir with spatula just until blended. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients, mixing until incorporated. Scrape bowl and add remaining dry mixture, mixing for an additional minute.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Dark Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound plus 8 ounces powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

Melt and cool chocolate, until just slightly warm. Beat butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, gradually add powdered sugar. Add sal, vanilla and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add chocolate and mix until just incorporated.

**Don't overwhip and add too much air to the frosting. Frosting should be rich and dense like ice cream**

ENJOY!

Honey-Jalepeno Chicken with Udon Noodles

Holy deliciousness, Batman.

I sort of went out on a limb with this recipe

because this is not something I would usually care

to try and make on my own but it was under the "Quick and Easy"

section on foodnetwork.com and the reviews were ALL positive

so I thought, "what the hey!"

So glad I did! I made a few changes because my

local grocery store didn't carry soba noodles like the recipe

calls for. I substitued Udo Noodles and I honestly can't imagine

doing it any differently.

I will be making this again, and next time I will most likely double the sauce

because I like it SAUCEY!

Honey Jalepeno Chicken with Soba Noodles

courtesy Robin Miller

Ingredients

12 ounces soba noodles
1 jalapeno, seeds removed
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 rotisserie chicken, shredded or sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped scallions, green part only
2 tablespoons pickled ginger, minced

Directions

Cook soba noodles according to package directions.

Drain and set aside (or refrigerate until later in the week).
In a blender or food processor, combine jalapenos, honey, cilantro,

and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper and puree until smooth.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to the mixture until desired consistency

is achieved. Pour the 2 teaspoons of olive oil into a preheated skillet.

Add the shredded chicken and the blended sauce and cook until

heated through. In a medium bowl, combine cooked soba noodles,

soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, and pickled ginger.

Toss and then transfer to serving bowl.

Pour heated chicken and sauce over noodles.

Enjoy!