Jalapeno Popper Pastry Pinwheels

Just in case you have some last minute party plans pop up unexpectedly, you'll want to keep this recipe handy. I came up with this at the very last minute possible, when I needed to bring an appetizer to a BBQ. These disappeared FAST. This is a very quick & easy recipe, and the finished product is sure to please. Plus, you get to be the one that shows up at the party with "Jalapeno Popper Pastry Pinwheels". That sounds way more exciting than "I brought the green bean casserole", in my humble opinion.

Jalapeno Popper Pastry Pinwheels...with tequila!

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Plus, it has tequila - and I find that always to be a selling point. The tequila adds just enough moisture so that the cream cheese yields and everything mixes together well, but due to the alcohol content, this extra moisture will evaporate pretty quickly in the oven. It will leave behind some tequila flavor, but it won't make your filling so runny that it melts and dribbles out of your beautiful little pastry rolls, and all over your oven. The salt provides all the seasoning you need (simple is good, in this case). If you're concerned about these being too spicey, you could use green chiles instead of jalapenos, or half-and-half.

Aztec Hot Chocolate Whoopie Pies {Giveaway #2}

First, please let me start off with an admission: I don't drink Tequila.  Haven't in years...Tequila and I just don't get along.  Not the "sick" kind of not get along...Just the "can't sleep" kind of not get along.  I do have some fancy Tequila in the house for my friends who like it.  It's rarely, if ever, out of the cabinet. 

For today's treat, I just couldn't resist using Tequila in the filling, which is based on the Double Gold shooter: equal parts Tequila and Goldschlager.   And, to be honest, I wasn't so sure about this combination...Even after a few sips of the shooter!  But, given the occasional spirit of adventure (pardon the pun) on our blog, I just forged ahead! 

I've had my eye on a Mexican hot chocolate version of the whoopie pie ever since I started this blog...I like a more cakey whoopie pie and this version is my own, incorporating parts of many recipes into one that gives a great chocolate flavor and warmth from the cinnamon and chili powders.  And, yes, the booze doesn't hurt, either!  ;-)

One taste of the finished whoopie pie and I was swooning...Seriously, swooning.  The combination of the liquors and chocolate in concert with the spices made this whoopie pie truly in a class all its own.  Very close to a spiked version of an Aztec hot chocolate drink, replete with the subtle hit of heat and smoke at the end from the cayenne and ancho chili powders. 

I'm very sure you'll love these...And, we're so sure we're giving away Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell from which this recipe is adapted.  This truly is a wonderful whoopie pie book, full of great variations (traditional and not) on the classic whoopie pie with beautiful pictures!  I also found this blog which featured Whoopie Pie Wednesdays where you can peruse tasting notes on most of the recipes found in this book.  

To enter the Whoopie Pies giveaway, please leave a comment to this post telling us which whoopie pie you would make.  Please also include your contact information...Giveaway is open until January 5, 2013 at 9pm PST.  We'll draw names randomly and it's open to anyone on the planet!  Psst...Tell your friends!  

The giveaway is closed...Thanks to everyone who entered! 

Congratulations to our winner, Suburban Prep!

I'm sharing this recipe over at Cake of the Week's Baking with Spirit Challenge: Light Colored Spirit.  Head on over there for more creative recipes using spirits!  


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Strawberry margarita cupcakes

Pin It I found these strawberry margarita cupcakes in 200 Cupcakes by Joanna Farrow. True to form, I made a couple modifications. I'll post my version of Ms. Farrow's recipe here:

Tequila-Lime Pound Cake with Vanilla (Lime) Glaze

I found this recipe while looking for a tre leches cake recipe.  I tried the tre leches cake recipes...Mushy mess.  Threw it out after the initial taste.  Someday I'll try that one again and hopefully I'll find the right cake to liquid ratio.  I wanted a cake with tequila and thought with the addition of lime (and lots of it!) that I'd get a great combo.  I can't drink tequila anymore, so it just sits in the house.  I used a cheaper version and didn't use the Patron, which I save for my SIL.  And, yes, I still drink margaritas, I just use rum!

Here's the finished product (who on earth would have EVER thought I'd "stage" food!):