I have stopped eating sugar, for two months. And it is not nearly as difficult as I previously anticipated.
I've done this before. But only for one month. I woke up one day, realized I was eating dessert twice a day, every day, and me and three friends stopped with sugar. We looked at the processed sugar in our diets and said, "enough, Sugar, enough. For far too long you have controlled our digestive systems, our general energy, our metabolisms and our mood swings. We leave you to the business of destroying the lives of others!'
Well, we didn't quite say that. I'm in a dramatic mood this morning. But something similar definitely went down.
Anyway, this time, it was sort of the same story. I've been eating cupcakes. A lot of cupcakes. I love them! That's my justification. They're cute. They have the perfect frosting to cake ratio. They remind me of Valentine's Day, because unlike so many couples in the world today, they are a perfect match. Made in heaven, some might say. Think about the versatility of the cupcake... Alright, I'm done.
So this time, when I stopped sugar (exactly eight days ago), I expected the same process as last time. Before, I craved sugar so badly I could hardly go on. And let's be honest here, I ate a plethora of fruit, which is still sugar. And the cravings were terrible. By the time I got to the end of the four weeks, 12 pounds lighter, much more energetic, and all around healthier, I tried to slowly reintroduce sugar to my diet. In two weeks, I was back to exactly the same place I had been before. Apparently, what I'm doing now should help me quit sugar for good. You know, I was thinking about how I want to be a baker. Specifically wedding cakes, but I'd really like to sell people other delicious baked goods as well. Which is kind of the same thing as saying I want to make people sick. I'm still trying to reconcile that.
In the mean time, I've just been baking and eating a lot of biscuits. The good news is, I've finally got down a recipe I like. It turns out magnificent every time. I have taken to baking them for friends instead of various cakes and cookies. They are always light and flaky, buttery, and they bake up with a golden, crisp top that glistens with butter. With bread flour, they're a little more substantial, better to sink your teeth in to. With all-purpose flour, they're lighter, fluffier. Both yield an unbelievably flaky biscuit, provided you don't over-work them. There is no bad news about biscuits.
Here is the recipe, just for you.
Bacon, Leek, Parmesan Biscuits
Makes 10-12
Preheat oven to 450º
2 cups AP or bread flour (depending on what texture you want. I like bread flour better.)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 pieces bacon, chopped, cooked until lightly crisp
1 leek, thinly sliced, light green and white parts only
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup buttermilk
Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk lightly. Cut the cold, cold butter into small cubes, toss in to the flour to coat. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are roughly the size of small peas and the mixture is thoroughly combined. At this point, add the bacon, leeks, cheese and pepper. Mix, with your hands, until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until a wet dough forms. On a counter lightly sprinkled with flour, turn out the dough. Sprinkle it with flour, lightly knead it a few times. This should take no longer than 30 seconds and 4 turns. Pat the dough out to a little less than half an inch. Using a cup or biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits. Listen carefully: if you want your biscuits to rise, never, EVER, twist the cup on the way down. You'll seal the edges, all around, like a seam. Your biscuits will not turn out light and flaky if you do this. So don't. Now, carry on. Place the biscuits on a lightly floured sheet pan, close together, and bake for about 12 minutes. When the biscuits are flaky and buttery, with a light golden top, they're done. Eat them at room temperature. They require no additional topping, but are good dipped in a little honey.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
Absurd Questions
Have you ever toasted a pretzel? Well, have you?
I know what you're probably thinking. "Toasted a PRETZEL? What an absurd question. Who in their right mind puts a pretzel in a toaster?!"
Luckily, a toaster is not always required for toasting. Sometimes, a 350º oven will suffice. And in this case, it does suffice. It does.
Toasted pretzels are simply one of my favorite things. They are warm, but not in a sense of heat. The flavor, itself, is warm. And delicious. Somehow malty, sweet. And, they're simple to make. The simpler, the better, in my honest opinion. Now, I do not speak of making your own pretzels, meticulously folding the little beasts into those shapes (who has time for THAT?! Not me...). I speak of this:
Toasted Pretzels
Makes approximately 4 servings
4 cups small pretzels
1/2 cup salted butter
4 teaspoons cajun seasoning
2 teaspoon garlic powder
In a bowl, melt the butter. Toss the pretzels with the melted butter until coated. Sprinkle over the cajun seasoning and garlic powder. Spread into a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake at 350º Farenheit for approximately 7 minutes, until the pretzels are slightly darker than they were before, and the aroma is starting to leech out of them and into the air which you now realize you wish always smelled this way.
Serve the beauties warm, or at room temperature. These are my favorite quick snack. I have to resist burning my mouth and fingers to smithereens by inhaling them while they're still blistering hot. They really are much better when real, old-fashioned anticipation has set in, and you can stand to keep them in your mouth long enough to, you know, chew.
In other news, I have been thinking about this blog (I hate that word, I hate that word, I hate that word) and the improvements that it needs. I was recently reading a book about food reading, and basically discovered that if I ever want to go anywhere with food writing, I should name my blog something that people can actually remember and then go on to type correctly. I also should actually edit my writing (something I don't do), and take pictures of food. Finally, I should begin a sequential project of sorts to keep from the cliche of "what I had for dinner last night", which, let's be honest, is the majority of what I've written about in the past. Anyway, that's all the excitement I have for today.
Make these pretzels, and be happy.
I know what you're probably thinking. "Toasted a PRETZEL? What an absurd question. Who in their right mind puts a pretzel in a toaster?!"
Luckily, a toaster is not always required for toasting. Sometimes, a 350º oven will suffice. And in this case, it does suffice. It does.
Toasted pretzels are simply one of my favorite things. They are warm, but not in a sense of heat. The flavor, itself, is warm. And delicious. Somehow malty, sweet. And, they're simple to make. The simpler, the better, in my honest opinion. Now, I do not speak of making your own pretzels, meticulously folding the little beasts into those shapes (who has time for THAT?! Not me...). I speak of this:
Toasted Pretzels
Makes approximately 4 servings
4 cups small pretzels
1/2 cup salted butter
4 teaspoons cajun seasoning
2 teaspoon garlic powder
In a bowl, melt the butter. Toss the pretzels with the melted butter until coated. Sprinkle over the cajun seasoning and garlic powder. Spread into a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake at 350º Farenheit for approximately 7 minutes, until the pretzels are slightly darker than they were before, and the aroma is starting to leech out of them and into the air which you now realize you wish always smelled this way.
Serve the beauties warm, or at room temperature. These are my favorite quick snack. I have to resist burning my mouth and fingers to smithereens by inhaling them while they're still blistering hot. They really are much better when real, old-fashioned anticipation has set in, and you can stand to keep them in your mouth long enough to, you know, chew.
In other news, I have been thinking about this blog (I hate that word, I hate that word, I hate that word) and the improvements that it needs. I was recently reading a book about food reading, and basically discovered that if I ever want to go anywhere with food writing, I should name my blog something that people can actually remember and then go on to type correctly. I also should actually edit my writing (something I don't do), and take pictures of food. Finally, I should begin a sequential project of sorts to keep from the cliche of "what I had for dinner last night", which, let's be honest, is the majority of what I've written about in the past. Anyway, that's all the excitement I have for today.
Make these pretzels, and be happy.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Strikingly alone
The feeling of loneliness is probably the feeling that I have felt most in my life, it is deeply ingrained into me. I feel that it was given to me as a child, like a blanket, placed on top of me, where it seeped into my pores and down, settling in my bones and joints where sometimes, when the weather is cold or the sky is cloudy, it causes them to ache before the rain. It's a striking feeling.
It does flair up, every so often, and I'm suddenly filled with this strange desire to be enveloped in a constant hug. I just want to go up to anyone, anytime, and just hug them, for a long time. Hugs are lovely, aren't they? It's been a little difficult for me lately, I have a whisper in my heart for love, and no one to hug. I know that I am in this time for a season of the soul. Drifting away from God has been slow, but I've noticed it, almost as if I've been watching from the outside, or above, or in a dim movie theatre with old chairs. I think of this verse (though I can't remember the location of it), "Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." It makes me feel silly, to harden my heart, then, knowing that it is a willful choice and not the uncontrollable, ignorant process I'd like to think.
I've been asking myself lately, several times a day if I'm going to willingly continue the process, or if I will actually turn right around and find the love to fill my lonely heart. It seems odd to have to decide, like I should just choose the right answer immediately and not look back. It never happens that way, though.
Anyway, last night, I prayed, and I made dinner, and I thought. I had the house to myself, which is all the better for thinking in times of spiritual turmoil, besides. I like to cook only for myself, because then I can be really daring, since only I have to eat the result, and I'm not very picky. And it's good to be daring if you're lonely, it counteracts it a little. But the dinner I cooked last night, I would serve to friends. Maybe I would actually have more friends if I cooked for people and made dishes like this more often.
Here's the recipe, if you want it. Cook it when you feel alone, or when you're happy, or when you're with friends. If you have a heartbeat and are feeling any type of emotion whatsoever, eat this.
Shrimp with Brussels Sprouts
To serve one
8 large shrimp
1/4 of a large white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
9 brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 hard boiled egg
A few Feta cheese crumbles
Peel the shrimp and set them aside. Slice the onion very thinly while the butter melts and heats in a skillet over medium heat. When the onions are translucent, add the garlic. Cook for a minute or so, until the garlic is good and fragrant. Add the shrimp and toss them around a little. Add the cajun seasoning and salt and stir occasionally, cooking for about 4 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and a little curled up.
While the shrimp are cooking, cut the brussels sprouts in half and slice the halves very thinly. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside. Cook the brussels sprouts in the oil, balsamic, and sriracha, for about 2 minutes, only until they are bright green and starting to smell a little sweet. Serve the shrimp on top of the brussels sprouts. Top with the boiled egg, very thinly sliced, and the feta cheese crumbles. If you want to, a drizzle of honey over the top would be a nice touch.
It does flair up, every so often, and I'm suddenly filled with this strange desire to be enveloped in a constant hug. I just want to go up to anyone, anytime, and just hug them, for a long time. Hugs are lovely, aren't they? It's been a little difficult for me lately, I have a whisper in my heart for love, and no one to hug. I know that I am in this time for a season of the soul. Drifting away from God has been slow, but I've noticed it, almost as if I've been watching from the outside, or above, or in a dim movie theatre with old chairs. I think of this verse (though I can't remember the location of it), "Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." It makes me feel silly, to harden my heart, then, knowing that it is a willful choice and not the uncontrollable, ignorant process I'd like to think.
I've been asking myself lately, several times a day if I'm going to willingly continue the process, or if I will actually turn right around and find the love to fill my lonely heart. It seems odd to have to decide, like I should just choose the right answer immediately and not look back. It never happens that way, though.
Anyway, last night, I prayed, and I made dinner, and I thought. I had the house to myself, which is all the better for thinking in times of spiritual turmoil, besides. I like to cook only for myself, because then I can be really daring, since only I have to eat the result, and I'm not very picky. And it's good to be daring if you're lonely, it counteracts it a little. But the dinner I cooked last night, I would serve to friends. Maybe I would actually have more friends if I cooked for people and made dishes like this more often.
Here's the recipe, if you want it. Cook it when you feel alone, or when you're happy, or when you're with friends. If you have a heartbeat and are feeling any type of emotion whatsoever, eat this.
Shrimp with Brussels Sprouts
To serve one
8 large shrimp
1/4 of a large white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
9 brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 hard boiled egg
A few Feta cheese crumbles
Peel the shrimp and set them aside. Slice the onion very thinly while the butter melts and heats in a skillet over medium heat. When the onions are translucent, add the garlic. Cook for a minute or so, until the garlic is good and fragrant. Add the shrimp and toss them around a little. Add the cajun seasoning and salt and stir occasionally, cooking for about 4 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and a little curled up.
While the shrimp are cooking, cut the brussels sprouts in half and slice the halves very thinly. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside. Cook the brussels sprouts in the oil, balsamic, and sriracha, for about 2 minutes, only until they are bright green and starting to smell a little sweet. Serve the shrimp on top of the brussels sprouts. Top with the boiled egg, very thinly sliced, and the feta cheese crumbles. If you want to, a drizzle of honey over the top would be a nice touch.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
I need more sunshine in my life, I need more love.
When I was younger, I used to think that I was a really good writer. That I myself was an open book, a book with a good vocabulary and a quirky sense of humor. In highschool, I dreamed of being a writer, and wrote heartfelt book reviews for my Intro To Fiction class. I once wrote an essay so stiking about Catcher In The Rye that my teacher gave me an A+++ and had me stand up in front of the class and read it aloud. She asked if she could get it published in the school magazine for me.
But now, sometimes when I write, my words come out in a jumble, or else they stick to my soul. I'm usually disappointed with the finished product. I think there's a clog somewhere in my heart, a stop up. I've decided this is because I need more sunshine in my life, I need more love.
I feel loved, don't get me wrong, but I think the problem, the flaw that presents itself, is that I don't love other people enough, or wholeheartedly enough. A simple indication of this is that I woke up this morning with an urge to go and bake up a storm of baked goods, give them to some homeless people, and then hug them all (the people, not the baked goods). On the wisdom scale of 1-10 (1 being the lowest) I think this rates no higher than a 3. I awoke this morning thinking about that.
I also woke up this morning listening to my heart beat, fluid and thick against my chest, and feeling my wisdom tooth, sore in my mouth, and thinking about that cake I ate last night. It was delicious. I thought about how my roommate and I ate it while watching The Office, and let out contented sighs, and licked our plates clean. Then I thought about the shrimp we ate beforehand, and how I need to remember the recipe, because I almost licked my plate after those, too.
Ginger Sriracha Shrimp
2 servings
12 large shrimp, deveined and peeled
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white onion, diced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried ginger (or fresh and minced)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons sriracha
In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the garlic and onion. Add the brown sugar and ginger, toss to coat. Pour in the soy sauce, the olive oil and the sriracha. Toss once more. Let this mixture sit for about a half an hour, in the fridge.
In a small saute pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, or just enough to coat the pan. When it's hot, cook the shrimp over medium heat, stirring frequently, about 3-4 minutes. Serve hot with rice, udon noodles, yakisoba, spinach salad, or any other thing. All you need to know is that these are delicious.
But now, sometimes when I write, my words come out in a jumble, or else they stick to my soul. I'm usually disappointed with the finished product. I think there's a clog somewhere in my heart, a stop up. I've decided this is because I need more sunshine in my life, I need more love.
I feel loved, don't get me wrong, but I think the problem, the flaw that presents itself, is that I don't love other people enough, or wholeheartedly enough. A simple indication of this is that I woke up this morning with an urge to go and bake up a storm of baked goods, give them to some homeless people, and then hug them all (the people, not the baked goods). On the wisdom scale of 1-10 (1 being the lowest) I think this rates no higher than a 3. I awoke this morning thinking about that.
I also woke up this morning listening to my heart beat, fluid and thick against my chest, and feeling my wisdom tooth, sore in my mouth, and thinking about that cake I ate last night. It was delicious. I thought about how my roommate and I ate it while watching The Office, and let out contented sighs, and licked our plates clean. Then I thought about the shrimp we ate beforehand, and how I need to remember the recipe, because I almost licked my plate after those, too.
Ginger Sriracha Shrimp
2 servings
12 large shrimp, deveined and peeled
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white onion, diced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried ginger (or fresh and minced)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons sriracha
In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the garlic and onion. Add the brown sugar and ginger, toss to coat. Pour in the soy sauce, the olive oil and the sriracha. Toss once more. Let this mixture sit for about a half an hour, in the fridge.
In a small saute pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, or just enough to coat the pan. When it's hot, cook the shrimp over medium heat, stirring frequently, about 3-4 minutes. Serve hot with rice, udon noodles, yakisoba, spinach salad, or any other thing. All you need to know is that these are delicious.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Enjoyable Tears
Recently, I have been reading Molly Wizenbergs book, A Homemade Life. She is a wonderful writer of stories and recipes. I could gush, for quite some time about her, but instead, I will go and make a chocolate cake, after only gushing about her for a little while.
Today, I read a chapter of her book called Winning Hearts and Minds, and it's about cake...sort of. I cried, read it again, and repeated the process about 10 times. By the time I showed up to work, my eyes were red rimmed, for sure. After work, I read it again. At the bus stop, I read it again. My eyes have been dry lately, which is more sad to me than having them be teary. When I cry, I don't cry hard, and so I am always refreshed by it. Today especially. These tears were the enjoyable sort.
Anyway, here's my favorite part of the chapter:
"The day after Brandon's first visit to Seattle, which now seems like pleasantly ancient history, I sent Kate an e-mail.
"He was amazing," I gushed. "So sweet. So funny. I drove him to the airport this morning and cried all the way home. I think this might be the best thing that's ever happened to me. And the hardest."
"I'm so excited for you," she gushed in reply. "You've been taking this on with your whole heart and that oversized mind of yours. Don't stop now. This is the bread and butter! This is what it's all about.""
(This is the part where I start tearing up, by the way.)
"I burst into tears when I read that. I've never forgotten it. When I was making our wedding cakes, all those hours at the oven, all that stirring and baking, I kept saying it. This is the bread and butter. This is what it's all about.
It's going to sound silly, I know, but I think that what it all comes down to is winning hearts and minds, underneath everything else, all the plans and goals and hopes, that's why we get up in the morning, why we believe, why we try, why we bake chocolate cakes. That's the best we can ever hope to do: to win hearts and minds, to love and be loved."
Beautiful, isn't it? Beautiful enough for sappy me to read 15 or so times. I'm making this cake tonight, to eat after a dinner of Udon noodle soup and shrimp with ginger sauce, and here is the recipe for it. I should make it before I share the recipe, but I know it's going to be amazing. Molly Wizenberg's recipes are always fail proof. I'll eat this cake, and listen to John Foreman, and possibly cry for no good reason, and be happy as I fall asleep, I know it.
The Winning Hearts and Minds Cake
OR
Fondant Au Chocolat (melting chocolate cake)
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 sticks (7 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes.
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375ºF, and butter an 8" round cake pan. Line the botom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, and butter the paper, too.
Put the chocolate and butter in the microwave, and melt in 30 second intervals. Add the sugar, stirring to incorporate. Let the batter cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition. Add the flour and stir to mix well. The batter should be dark and silky.
Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly crackled, the edges are puffed, and the center of the cake looks set.
Remove from the oven, to a cooling rack, let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Turn it out of the pan and then flip it onto a serving plate by placing a sheet of foil over the pan, and placing a plate over that. Flip the cake onto the plate. Place the serving plate on top of the cake, gently. Wedge your index fingers between the plates to keep from squishing the cake, and flip the plates so the cake is now right side up. Remove the foil. Cool completely before serving.
Today, I read a chapter of her book called Winning Hearts and Minds, and it's about cake...sort of. I cried, read it again, and repeated the process about 10 times. By the time I showed up to work, my eyes were red rimmed, for sure. After work, I read it again. At the bus stop, I read it again. My eyes have been dry lately, which is more sad to me than having them be teary. When I cry, I don't cry hard, and so I am always refreshed by it. Today especially. These tears were the enjoyable sort.
Anyway, here's my favorite part of the chapter:
"The day after Brandon's first visit to Seattle, which now seems like pleasantly ancient history, I sent Kate an e-mail.
"He was amazing," I gushed. "So sweet. So funny. I drove him to the airport this morning and cried all the way home. I think this might be the best thing that's ever happened to me. And the hardest."
"I'm so excited for you," she gushed in reply. "You've been taking this on with your whole heart and that oversized mind of yours. Don't stop now. This is the bread and butter! This is what it's all about.""
(This is the part where I start tearing up, by the way.)
"I burst into tears when I read that. I've never forgotten it. When I was making our wedding cakes, all those hours at the oven, all that stirring and baking, I kept saying it. This is the bread and butter. This is what it's all about.
It's going to sound silly, I know, but I think that what it all comes down to is winning hearts and minds, underneath everything else, all the plans and goals and hopes, that's why we get up in the morning, why we believe, why we try, why we bake chocolate cakes. That's the best we can ever hope to do: to win hearts and minds, to love and be loved."
Beautiful, isn't it? Beautiful enough for sappy me to read 15 or so times. I'm making this cake tonight, to eat after a dinner of Udon noodle soup and shrimp with ginger sauce, and here is the recipe for it. I should make it before I share the recipe, but I know it's going to be amazing. Molly Wizenberg's recipes are always fail proof. I'll eat this cake, and listen to John Foreman, and possibly cry for no good reason, and be happy as I fall asleep, I know it.
The Winning Hearts and Minds Cake
OR
Fondant Au Chocolat (melting chocolate cake)
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 sticks (7 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes.
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375ºF, and butter an 8" round cake pan. Line the botom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, and butter the paper, too.
Put the chocolate and butter in the microwave, and melt in 30 second intervals. Add the sugar, stirring to incorporate. Let the batter cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition. Add the flour and stir to mix well. The batter should be dark and silky.
Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly crackled, the edges are puffed, and the center of the cake looks set.
Remove from the oven, to a cooling rack, let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Turn it out of the pan and then flip it onto a serving plate by placing a sheet of foil over the pan, and placing a plate over that. Flip the cake onto the plate. Place the serving plate on top of the cake, gently. Wedge your index fingers between the plates to keep from squishing the cake, and flip the plates so the cake is now right side up. Remove the foil. Cool completely before serving.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Cupcakes on the brain
The other day, I made some cupcakes.
Banana cupcakes with caramel buttercream, to be exact. And, they were heavenly. Heavenly. Anyway, it got me thinking (which is very dangerous), because I'd been reading the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad and though it is horribly written and very cheesy (two things I hate) it did remind me that since I can remember, I've wanted to start my own business.
So in this case, cupcakes+reading=dreams to start my own cupcake food cart.
Mhmm, girl, you heard right! The more I think about it (and I've been thinking about it a lot) the better and better it seems! (And see, I used two exclamation points in the span of two sentences, which I NEVER do...exclamation points are my least favorite punctuation mark...so you know I MEAN IT.)
Cupcakes have been on my brain. I can't stop it...I cannot stop it. First, banana cupcakes with caramel butter cream. Then, ginger bamboo cupcakes with cream cheese sriracha frosting. Next, you've got a lovely chocolate cupcake with blueberry frosting and strawberry cupcake with cinnamon sourcream frosting. Once I get started on something, it's hard for me to stop. Oh, I also had an idea (not yet fully formed) for some type of cupcake (maybe a yellow butter cupcake) with cream cheese frosting, and cheez-its somehow incorporated into that mix. I love cheez-its with vanilla ice cream. I know it's odd, but they're so salty and cheesy and delicious with that sweet, plain vanilla.
Anyway, I was at a Bible study not too long ago, and a lovely girl there prophesied over me, and with tears in her eyes, told me that, "You have so many dreams, and I think that God wants you to know it's ok to follow them! He placed them in your heart for a reason, and whichever direction you choose to go, you'll flourish." So, I feel like I just might pursue this path of cupcake-scented foodcart madness. If you could pray for me about that, that I would feel God's hand and be granted his wisdom (I am NOT a business woman by any stretch of the imagination) that would be so greatly appreciated. And now, after much ado about very little, here is a recipe (or two) for you to try on your own, and reach frosted pastry bliss.
Banana Cupcakes
Makes about 15
1 1/2 C sifted ap flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 stick salted butter
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 egg and 2 egg yolks
2 very ripe, large bananas
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 c chopped pecans (optional. I did not add them when I made these, and still they were gorgeous)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Cream the butter and sugar together for about two minutes using an electric hand mixer on medium speed. Add the eggs, cream the mixture for 3 minutes more. Add the bananas and the buttermilk, and the vanilla. Beat until the bananas are mashed up. Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, and beat until just incorporated. if you'd like, add the pecans.
Fill prepared cupcake pans 3/4 full, and bake for about 15 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when pressed.
Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Makes enough for 15 cupcakes
1/2 c sugar
2 T water
2 T heavy cream
1 stick salted butter, softened
2 egg whites, room temp
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Bring 1/4 cup of sugar and the water to a boil in a small pan. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals. Cook, undisturbed, until caramel is a dark amber. Remove from heat, slowly add cream, stirring until smooth. Let cool.
Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, usually 3 minutes (unless you have weird butter).
Place egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar in a heatproff bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and it registers 160º. Remove from heat, whisk for 5 minutes on medium speed. Increase speed to high, whisk for 6 minutes, until stiff, glossy peaks form. Reduce to medium, add the butter, whisk thouroughly, add vanilla. On low speed, add the caramel and beat until smooth, 3-5 minutes.
This frosting is to die for, and easier to make than it sounds. You'll end up wanting to frost everything with this. From cupcakes to cookies to toast. I ate about half of it out of the bowl (I am a little ashamed to admit that). Anyway, have a good day, and MAKE THESE CUPCAKES.
Banana cupcakes with caramel buttercream, to be exact. And, they were heavenly. Heavenly. Anyway, it got me thinking (which is very dangerous), because I'd been reading the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad and though it is horribly written and very cheesy (two things I hate) it did remind me that since I can remember, I've wanted to start my own business.
So in this case, cupcakes+reading=dreams to start my own cupcake food cart.
Mhmm, girl, you heard right! The more I think about it (and I've been thinking about it a lot) the better and better it seems! (And see, I used two exclamation points in the span of two sentences, which I NEVER do...exclamation points are my least favorite punctuation mark...so you know I MEAN IT.)
Cupcakes have been on my brain. I can't stop it...I cannot stop it. First, banana cupcakes with caramel butter cream. Then, ginger bamboo cupcakes with cream cheese sriracha frosting. Next, you've got a lovely chocolate cupcake with blueberry frosting and strawberry cupcake with cinnamon sourcream frosting. Once I get started on something, it's hard for me to stop. Oh, I also had an idea (not yet fully formed) for some type of cupcake (maybe a yellow butter cupcake) with cream cheese frosting, and cheez-its somehow incorporated into that mix. I love cheez-its with vanilla ice cream. I know it's odd, but they're so salty and cheesy and delicious with that sweet, plain vanilla.
Anyway, I was at a Bible study not too long ago, and a lovely girl there prophesied over me, and with tears in her eyes, told me that, "You have so many dreams, and I think that God wants you to know it's ok to follow them! He placed them in your heart for a reason, and whichever direction you choose to go, you'll flourish." So, I feel like I just might pursue this path of cupcake-scented foodcart madness. If you could pray for me about that, that I would feel God's hand and be granted his wisdom (I am NOT a business woman by any stretch of the imagination) that would be so greatly appreciated. And now, after much ado about very little, here is a recipe (or two) for you to try on your own, and reach frosted pastry bliss.
Banana Cupcakes
Makes about 15
1 1/2 C sifted ap flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 stick salted butter
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 egg and 2 egg yolks
2 very ripe, large bananas
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 c chopped pecans (optional. I did not add them when I made these, and still they were gorgeous)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Cream the butter and sugar together for about two minutes using an electric hand mixer on medium speed. Add the eggs, cream the mixture for 3 minutes more. Add the bananas and the buttermilk, and the vanilla. Beat until the bananas are mashed up. Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, and beat until just incorporated. if you'd like, add the pecans.
Fill prepared cupcake pans 3/4 full, and bake for about 15 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when pressed.
Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Makes enough for 15 cupcakes
1/2 c sugar
2 T water
2 T heavy cream
1 stick salted butter, softened
2 egg whites, room temp
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Bring 1/4 cup of sugar and the water to a boil in a small pan. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals. Cook, undisturbed, until caramel is a dark amber. Remove from heat, slowly add cream, stirring until smooth. Let cool.
Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, usually 3 minutes (unless you have weird butter).
Place egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar in a heatproff bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and it registers 160º. Remove from heat, whisk for 5 minutes on medium speed. Increase speed to high, whisk for 6 minutes, until stiff, glossy peaks form. Reduce to medium, add the butter, whisk thouroughly, add vanilla. On low speed, add the caramel and beat until smooth, 3-5 minutes.
This frosting is to die for, and easier to make than it sounds. You'll end up wanting to frost everything with this. From cupcakes to cookies to toast. I ate about half of it out of the bowl (I am a little ashamed to admit that). Anyway, have a good day, and MAKE THESE CUPCAKES.
Friday, May 4, 2012
a lovely turn of events
Today, I did something that was quite out of character for myself. I really did. I took a boxed banana bread mix, and I baked banana bread with it. It's really very rare that I can be found making processed food of any kind. Typically, everything is made from scratch. EVERY THING. This is in part because it's so much more enjoyable that way, so much more of an accomplishment. But also because it tastes better that way, and also because that way, I get all of the credit. I'm selfish like that. But today, my roommate wanted banana bread, and though we had everything else, there was no flour to be had.
Aside from that, this day has been quite enjoyable. Quite. Mmm. The sky is overcast, and I couldn't be happier about the way the light's coming off the clouds. I had leftover, cold chinese food for breakfast, which is a culinary delight that should get much more glory than it does. I spent quite a bit of time reading A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenburg, and trying to keep from crying, which is usually what happens when I read beautifully written prose, no matter how sad or happy they might be. Well written is sad or happy enough to cause tears from me.
This afternoon, I am excited to say, will be the first time I get to clean my chiropractor's house for her, and though initially I was really nervous about this prospect, seeing her house calmed all fears. She has a GIANT iguana named Junior, and her living room is decorated by a huge, ratty advertisement of the movie, "E.T." in french. The poster looks really old, and it makes the house. It really does. It's the perfect touch. She's a doll of a woman, really feisty, brutally honest, with a quirky son. She likes to tell me that my head's not screwed on straight, and she once told me that she's really glad she had a son, because all little girls are.....well, a rude word. Anyway, she's a doll. And then, after I come home, I'll eat battered halibut and mashed potatoes with caramelized onions and watch Lars and The Real Girl, twice, until 1 a.m. and then I'll sleep peacefully and probably wake up with a sinus headache.
I wish everyone else such a pleasant day, as well.
Aside from that, this day has been quite enjoyable. Quite. Mmm. The sky is overcast, and I couldn't be happier about the way the light's coming off the clouds. I had leftover, cold chinese food for breakfast, which is a culinary delight that should get much more glory than it does. I spent quite a bit of time reading A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenburg, and trying to keep from crying, which is usually what happens when I read beautifully written prose, no matter how sad or happy they might be. Well written is sad or happy enough to cause tears from me.
This afternoon, I am excited to say, will be the first time I get to clean my chiropractor's house for her, and though initially I was really nervous about this prospect, seeing her house calmed all fears. She has a GIANT iguana named Junior, and her living room is decorated by a huge, ratty advertisement of the movie, "E.T." in french. The poster looks really old, and it makes the house. It really does. It's the perfect touch. She's a doll of a woman, really feisty, brutally honest, with a quirky son. She likes to tell me that my head's not screwed on straight, and she once told me that she's really glad she had a son, because all little girls are.....well, a rude word. Anyway, she's a doll. And then, after I come home, I'll eat battered halibut and mashed potatoes with caramelized onions and watch Lars and The Real Girl, twice, until 1 a.m. and then I'll sleep peacefully and probably wake up with a sinus headache.
I wish everyone else such a pleasant day, as well.
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