A Dessert to Try This Weekend

What are you making for dinner this weekend?  Here is a great Albuquerque themed dessert for you to make for your friends and family.  Keep reading and check out NY Daily News for more recipes and information.

Spicy Chocolate Chile Cupcakes

These doubly chocolate cupcakes, heated up with some spicy red chile, are extraordinarily special. These are perfect for everything from a birthday party to an afternoon tea-a great snack when you feel the urge for chocolate, and an ideal dessert for a chile meal. Frost them with your favorite chocolate butter cream frosting and if in a hurry, you can use the pre-prepared.

Ingredients:
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 14 tablespoon (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla, preferably Mexican vanilla
• Pinch salt
• 2 tablespoon pure, hot ground red chile
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
• ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Place paper liners in 12 muffin cups. Place the semisweet chocolate chips and all the butter in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and microwave on full power for 1 minute. Stir, and repeat until the chocolate and butter are just melted-do not overheat, as it will ruin the chocolate (If you prefer, you can melt the butter and chocolate together in a heavy saucepan. Start over medium heat and then switch to low for the best result, 6 to 8 minutes total). Place the eggs in a small bowl and lightly whisk them. Then add the sugar, vanilla, salt, and chile, and mix until well blended. Add the flour to the egg mixture and stir only until just blended. Add the chocolate-butter mixture, the chocolate chips, and the pecans, and mix only until just blended. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups, and back until just barely done, 30 to 35 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out almost clean, with perhaps a crumb or two. Place the muffin tin on a wire rack, and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes from the tin and let them cool completely. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Recipe courtesy of Jane Butel’s Southwestern Kitchen, www.janebutelcooking.com

Quick Healthy Recipes on the Go

Are you in a rush, but you still would like a healthy meal?  This happens to every busy adult.  Eating out every night can be expensive and time consuming.  However, here are some great easy and cheap recipes to give you a dinner at home.  Delish has some recipes that will be delicious for everyone.

Below you will find a list of 11 different healthy recipes that are easy to make.  There is something here for everyone's different tastes.  Try a recipe below and let us know how it tastes!

EatingWell Power Salad

With Swiss and turkey, this salad has everything you love from a deli sandwich or traditional chef's salad, but far fewer calories and way more veggies. Making it at home takes only minutes, saving you money you might have spent at a corner bistro or café.

Tuna and Bean Salad in Pita Pockets

Tuna salad takes a grown-up turn with this light and easy lunch. Cutting the mayo, we’ve added lemon juice and olive oil for a healthy and sophisticated taste. With great northern beans adding heft, this lunch might taste like a million bucks, but it won’t empty your pockets.

Taco Salad

Instead of snacking mindlessly on corn chips, prepare this easy and healthy taco salad. The chips can be used for dipping, and with reduced-fat sour cream and lean turkey, you can avoid the guilt. Making this dish at home is a lot cheaper than hitting up a Tex-Mex chain, and you’ll rest easy knowing where your calories are coming from.

Smoky Corn and Black Bean Pizza

Fresh vegetables mingle with barbecue sauce on this whole-wheat pizza, a lean alternative compared to take-out pies. This smoky grilled pie has a taste (and price) that neighborhood pizza joints can't match thanks to plum tomatoes, black beans, and corn cut straight from the cob.

Baked Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

By shopping sales and using pantry staples, this classic dinner can be turned into one of our least costly meals. We’ve seen cabbage on sale for well under a dollar a pound, so it’s a great vegetable for those on a budget. With only 265 calories a serving, this hearty dish is diet-friendly andaffordable.

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Talk about getting bang for your buck — this hearty meal will stick with you, filling you up without letting you down, so you can get the most out of your grocery list. It's also an easy source of protein, and the flavorful leftovers are perfect for a workday lunch that'll keep you going through the afternoon.

No-Bake Macaroni and Cheese

No-Bake and perhaps even "No-Shop"? We’d be surprised if you didn’t already have all of the ingredients for this easy weeknight dinner. Thanks to some frozen veggies, this meal is a great way to add some green to the diets of picky eaters.

Hamburger and Sour Cream Casserole

Believe it or not, this indulgent and classic casserole is low-calorie thanks to cottage cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, and lean ground beef. Using affordable ingredients like egg noodles and tomato sauce, you can rest easy knowing that while the taste might be indulgent, the grocery bill is anything but.

Old-Fashioned Spaghetti and Meatballs

This tasty take on the family favorite just got healthier: Baking the meatballs, instead of frying them, is a great way to cut fat, while bulgur and whole-wheat bread crumbs add fiber to the dish without affecting the taste. Besides boosting nutrition, these great grains also help your meat go further.

Mock Risotto

Thanks to pantry staples like instant brown rice, chicken broth, and frozen peas, this faux risotto is easy on your wallet — chances are, you’ve already got everything on hand. Reduced-fat cream cheese makes this speedy meal just as creamy as the real thing but cuts calories down to a respectable amount.

Balsamic-Glazed Roasted Chicken Breasts

Not only will bone-in chicken breasts save you nearly half the money you would have spent on their boneless counterparts, but they make for a more flavorful meal as well. With only 305 calories a serving, you’ll get a sophisticated and healthy dinner option without breaking the bank.

Stain Removal Tips

We have all had the stain in our clothing items that refuse to come out.   There may be a solution that you do not know about though.  Did you spill red wine on your dress at a party, or did someone spill it on your carpet?  Here are some great tips to make that stain disappear.  You can learn more cleaning tricks at Apartment Therapy.

STAIN REMOVAL STAPLES

I find the best way to deal with stains is to be prepared. I keep my cupboard stocked with enzyme detergent (best for removing protein-based stains such as food or sweat), rubbing alcohol, baking soda, Borax, and clean absorbent rags.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

I also follow these general guidelines: 1. Never apply heat (iron or dryer) to a stained piece of clothing until the stain is completely removed; and 2. Read the clothing label for washing instructions before cleaning. If the stain is on upholstery or carpet, the goal is to dissolve the stain with a solvent (often water or club soda) and pull it out with something more absorbent than the upholstery/carpet, like a sponge or rag. If using a harsher cleaning agent, make sure to test for colorfastness before accidentally bleaching the dye out of the fabric.

Some of the most common and most annoying stains are from red wine, ballpoint pen ink, and vegetable oil. Here are some techniques for cleaning them up.

RED WINE ON CLOTHING

1. When discovered, immediately saturate the stain with club soda, cold water, or white wine.
2. Blot with an absorbent cloth.
3. Sprinkle with salt and let stand 1-2 minutes, then rinse in cold water and rub stain out.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until it stops fading.
5. Rub liquid enzyme detergent into the stain and let stand 3-4 minutes, then rinse in cold water. Do not use natural bar soap or stain could set.
6. If stain is still visible, apply a spot stain remover.
7. Launder with liquid enzyme detergent.

WINE ON CARPET

1. Blot up as much wine as possible.
2. Soak the stain in club soda or cold water. Blot, and if necessary, repeat.
3. Make a paste out of water and either Borax or baking soda. Rub it into the stain and let dry.
4. Vacuum, and if necessary, repeat.

PEN INK

1. Place stained fabric on top of an absorbent cloth. Blot with water or rubbing alcohol (whichever removes more ink) until no more ink comes off stain.
2. Launder in hottest water safe for fabric.
3. If stain remains, lay it out in the sun to bleach the rest of the stain.

OIL

1. Apply a laundry presoak or clear (undyed) dish soap.
2. Wash in the hottest water safe for fabric.

If you have any useful stain-fighting tips, please let us know in the comments!

A Park Renamed in Albuquerque

Albuquerque’s a great place to spend time outdoors, whether you’re going to parks, for a hike, or just walking around the neighborhood around your apartment. But our outdoor recreation centers need our help!

A park in southwest Albuquerque is being named after a former state representative. State Representative Benny J. Aragon provided and gained support for the Westside community in Albuquerque.

Funds allocated by Aragon brought help and support to southwest Albuquerque. These funds allowed for parks, community centers, and other necessities that the area needed.

The former Carlos Rey Park near Carlos Rey Elementary in the southwest, is now known as Benny J Aragon Park, named after the former state representative.

The City Council president was at the park Sunday to honor the man.

The district’s senator says Aragon helped bring attention and much-needed funds to southwest Albuquerque.

“One of the things I’ve learned from Mr. Aragon is the Westside is just as important as any other community here in Albuquerque, and he made it so,” said Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque.

Supporters say Aragon managed to help bring money to the area to help provide community centers and parks.

You can learn more at KRQE.