Look under your chairs for a gluten-free chocolate cupcake!

And you get a cupcake . . . and you get a cupcake. . . everybody gets a gluten-free chocolate cupcake!

So you're probably disappointed now that you likely don't have a surprise chocolate cupcake waiting for you. My apologies. Just putting on my "Director's" hat with a new show idea.

Recently, a friend of mine explained a personal dilemma she encountered when planning her son's Birthday party. Having been out of work for awhile, her budget for the Birthday party was lean. After having made a Birthday cake for the young guests, she learned that one child was gluten intolerant and would be unable to have any of the regular cake. Now, had I been in the situation, you can bet that little "Johnny" we'll call him, would probably have had to skip dessert, or I would have given him a handful of cocktail peanuts. But having the bigger heart that she does, my friend sets out to locate a recipe for gluten-free cake and then is taken aback by the price of gluten-free flour alternatives. She scours the kitchen for ingredients that she might concoct into a more cost-effective substitute, and armed with the wonderful powers of google, the garbanzo bean-based chocolate cupcakes are born.

And they are amazingly delicious. So I've decided my friend needs to host a cooking show entitled, "The Financial Crisis Gourmet" or something similar because for the past few months she has churned out dish after delicious dish on a dime. Pumpkin Risotto, Puerto Rican Beans and Rice—the seasonings and squash in the beans and rice are what make it extraordinary. So, without permission, I am posting the gluten-free cupcake recipe here. Because even if you're a fan of gluten, these cupcakes don't disappoint.

Until the show idea gets picked up, the humble Condiment Kitchen will stage a presentation of recipes.


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.

Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the sugar and the baking powder, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

"Working Late"

At it again with favorite friend and former co-worker, Renee, reviving our habits of staying up all night working—which previously included the feverish frenzy of completing court reports that over-worked 3rd shift CPS worker's are known for. Thankfully, we've left that chaos behind. But here we are, drinking cafe au laits, giggling, re-living our days in the trenches of child and family service warfare in between youtube sharing of favorites, Kyle Kinane, Margaret Cho, Angelah Johnson, and excerpts from Confessions of a Cineplex Heckler and author Ted Kooser, various publications.

It is that time of year that warrants reflection, but I don't indulge in too much dwelling; Someone once told me that you cannot live with regret because in a way that means you regret who you are. I cannot decide if that person is a moron or a genius; perhaps both.