The First Year Blog: Bubbling Witch's Cauldron Brownies

I'm not sure why, but I really enjoy Halloween.  Maybe because it's the one day a year where even adults get to dress up and act silly, and there's no judgement.  Plus, you get to eat weird food that walks that line between delicious and just a little bit creepy.  Like these little brownie cauldrons full of a green witch's concoction and eyeballs.  Definitely fun for the kids, too.

Bubbling Witch's Cauldron Brownies
From The First Year Blog

1 box brownie mix, plus the required ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 to 2 cups powdered sugar
Green food gel (such as Wilton leaf green gel food coloring)
Large green nonpareil sprinkles
Small green nonpareil sprinkles

Eyeball sprinkles

Pretzel sticks

Preheat the oven and prepare the brownie mix as directed on the box.

Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fill each muffin well ⅔ full with brownie batter. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and use a ½ tablespoon to create indentations in each brownie. Allow the brownies to cool completely then remove from the pan.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth, 30 seconds. Gradually add in the powered sugar, beating until incorporated. Add in a small amount of green food coloring, beat until mixed.

Use a spoon to put a dollop of buttercream in each brownie cauldron. Use the spoon to create wisps in the buttercream.

Add large green nonpareils, small green nonpareils, and eyeballs to the buttercream. If you want to create the look that the cauldron is bubbling over, have the buttercream go down the side of the brownie and add nonpareils. Add a broken pretzel stick to each cauldron as a stir spoon.

Serve or store on the counter until ready to serve if serving the same day, otherwise store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Makes 24 brownies

Taco Bell Enchirito and Meximelt with Top Secret Recipes: Taco Bell Seasoned Ground Beef

Having worked at Taco Bell for a year or so when I was 16, I never thought I would see the day that I'd be actively trying to replicate dishes that I regularly had to slop together during my shift.  No, really.  But there's something kind of nostalgic about these food items that I used to eat when I was a kid, but that are no longer on the menu.  The trick to both of these items is the infamous steamer.  This is a unit that uses steam to melt the cheese on menu items, but it also makes the tortillas more pliable.  You almost can't replicate this at home.  Almost.  I was able to get a similar finish using a cheap handheld fabric steamer.  Or having failed that, the microwave.

Taco Bell Seasoned Ground Beef
From Top Secret Recipes

1 pound ground beef
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried minced onion
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Dash garlic powder
½ cup water

In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef with the flour and spices. Use your hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients into the ground beef.

Add the seasoned beef mixture to the water in a skillet over medium heat. Mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula, and break up the meat as it cooks. Heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned. The finished product should be very smooth with no large chunks of beef remaining.

Enchirito

Small fajita-size flour tortillas
1 can vegetarian refried beans

Taco Bell Seasoned Ground Beef (above)
Diced white onion
1 can La Victoria red enchilada sauce
Finely shredded Cheddar cheese
Sliced black olives

Warm the tortillas. Heat up the refried beans in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of refried beans down the center of each tortilla. Spoon 3 tablespoons of beef on top of the beans followed by a couple teaspoons of minced onion. Roll the fillings up in the tortilla, then flip the tortilla over so that the seam is on the bottom. Spoon the enchilada sauce over the top, then sprinkle with cheese and place three olive slices down the length of the enchirito. Using a handheld fabric steamer, point the steam at the cheese until it melts or microwave, covered, until the cheese melts.

Meximelt

Taco Bell Seasoned Ground Beef (above)

Small fajita-size flour tortillas

Pico de gallo

Three cheese blend (equal parts shredded mozzarella, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack)

Warm the tortillas.  Take one flour tortilla, spoon about ¼ cup seasoned ground beef down the center, then a couple of tablespoons of pico de gallo, then sprinkle with three cheese blend.  Using a handheld fabric steamer, point the steam at the cheese until it melts or microwave, covered, until the cheese melts.  Fold in half like a taco or roll up into a burrito to eat.