I've been away too long, I know... I can't believe that the last recipe I shared with you was in March! However, I have a few saved so I'm going to start posting again beginning in September. My new goal is to share at least one recipe per week (regular day TBD), and perhaps share a few other things here and there as well. Until then, hop on over to Pinterest and follow my boards related to food and baking (and any others you're in the mood for)!
See you soon...
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Spotted Dog
Two posts in one week? I know... it's madness!
Anyway, in addition to the green beer cupcakes I shared on Tuesday, I wanted to share another St. Patrick's Day recipe with you. I made this one for my office's annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast, and it was a bit hit.
(It was on Thursday, but we wore green anyway. I momentarily forgot it wasn't actually St. Patrick's Day on the way to work, and was very confused as to why I was the only person on the street observing the holiday.)
Today's recipe? It's called Spotted Dog. It's sort of a cousin to traditional Irish soda bread. It's a bit sweeter, and contains currants. It's also super easy to make!
So, if you're looking for a recipe to make tomorrow, you might want to give this one a try.
Spotted Dog
adapted from Serious Eats and Forgotten Skills of Cooking
3-1/2 c. all-purpose flour (I used unbleached)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. currants
1 egg
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1-2/3 cup milk (approx.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In measuring cup, pour 1 tbsp. vinegar. Pour in milk until total mixture is slightly less than 1-2/3 of a cup. Let sit.
Sift flour and baking soda together in mixing bowl. Add salt, sugar, and currants. Mix well, using hands. Make well in center of bowl.
Break egg and add to vinegar/milk mixture. Mix well.
Pour most of milk mixture into the well you made in the flour. Using one hand, with your fingers stiff and open, mix in a circle. You'll be pulling the flour from the edges of the bowl. Add more milk if needed. The dough should be soft, but not too wet or sticky.
Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Roll the dough lightly a few times, then pat it into a 2-inch thick round. Transfer to a baking sheet or pan dusted lightly with flour. (I used a 9" round cake pan.) Use a sharp knife to cut a deep X into the top of the bread, then poke each of the four triangles with the knife one time.
Put into oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees. Bake for 35-40 minutes. To tell if bread is done, tap the bottom - it should sound hollow.
Serve warm with butter, jam, cheese, or anything else your heart desires.
*I made a few modifications - for example, I never have buttermilk on hand, so I usually just make my own. If you have buttermilk handy, you can substitute it for the vinegar/milk mixture. You could also substitute raisins for the currants, but I think the currants are tastier.
Anyway, in addition to the green beer cupcakes I shared on Tuesday, I wanted to share another St. Patrick's Day recipe with you. I made this one for my office's annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast, and it was a bit hit.
(It was on Thursday, but we wore green anyway. I momentarily forgot it wasn't actually St. Patrick's Day on the way to work, and was very confused as to why I was the only person on the street observing the holiday.)
Today's recipe? It's called Spotted Dog. It's sort of a cousin to traditional Irish soda bread. It's a bit sweeter, and contains currants. It's also super easy to make!
So, if you're looking for a recipe to make tomorrow, you might want to give this one a try.
Spotted Dogadapted from Serious Eats and Forgotten Skills of Cooking
3-1/2 c. all-purpose flour (I used unbleached)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. currants
1 egg
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1-2/3 cup milk (approx.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In measuring cup, pour 1 tbsp. vinegar. Pour in milk until total mixture is slightly less than 1-2/3 of a cup. Let sit.
Sift flour and baking soda together in mixing bowl. Add salt, sugar, and currants. Mix well, using hands. Make well in center of bowl.
Break egg and add to vinegar/milk mixture. Mix well.
Pour most of milk mixture into the well you made in the flour. Using one hand, with your fingers stiff and open, mix in a circle. You'll be pulling the flour from the edges of the bowl. Add more milk if needed. The dough should be soft, but not too wet or sticky.
Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Roll the dough lightly a few times, then pat it into a 2-inch thick round. Transfer to a baking sheet or pan dusted lightly with flour. (I used a 9" round cake pan.) Use a sharp knife to cut a deep X into the top of the bread, then poke each of the four triangles with the knife one time.
Put into oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees. Bake for 35-40 minutes. To tell if bread is done, tap the bottom - it should sound hollow.
Serve warm with butter, jam, cheese, or anything else your heart desires.
*I made a few modifications - for example, I never have buttermilk on hand, so I usually just make my own. If you have buttermilk handy, you can substitute it for the vinegar/milk mixture. You could also substitute raisins for the currants, but I think the currants are tastier.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Green Beer Cupcakes
Green Beer Cupcakes
adapted from Serious Eats &
The Butch Bakery Cookbook
For the cupcakes (makes 12):
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. dark stout (I used Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout)
1 large egg
1/4 c. light sour cream
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350 and place liners in muffin pan.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat. Stir in cocoa powder until smooth, then add the stout. Set aside to cool for approximately 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sour cream. Add cocoa mixture. Once combined, slowly stir in the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Fill each prepared muffin cup about 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 23 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then allow to completely on a wire rack before frosting.
For the frosting:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
1-1/2 tbsp. dark stout
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Green food coloring
Chocolate covered pretzels, crushed
Beat butter until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar, stout, vanilla and salt. Continue to beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add 24 drops of green food coloring and beat on medium until incorporated.
Spread frosting on cupcakes, top with crushed pretzels... and then enjoy!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Team spirit cupcakes
The great thing about this recipe is that you can use any colors to salute your team of choice. Although football season is over, March Madness is just around the corner. These would be the perfect dessert to enjoy while watching the tournament.
It's super easy to achieve this effect. You just layer the batter in the pans before baking, like so...
(My layering was a bit messy, but I think that just added to the charm. Or so I told myself, anyway.) Then they turn out like this...
Once they're frosted, your friends will be in for a surprise when they bite into this vanilla cupcake.
Team Spirit Cupcakes
adapted from YumSugar
For the cupcakes:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
Food coloring
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake pans with paper liners.
- Chop the butter into small cubes.
- Whisk eggs in small bowl.
- Combine milk and vanilla in small bowl or measuring cup.
- Mix flours and sugar on low speed for 2 minutes.
- With mixer on low speed, add butter in small amounts until fully incorporated.
- Add half of the milk/vanilla mixture. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
- Add eggs and remaining milk/vanilla mixture. Continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until batter is smooth.
- Divide batter into two bowls.
- Color each half of the batter. (I used 24 drops each of red and blue.)
- Drop one spoonful of the first color into each cupcake liner, then drop one spoonful of the alternate color batter on top of that. Alternate until cupcake liners are approximately 2/3 full
- Bake for 23 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups confectioner's sugar
2-3 tbsp. milk
Cream butter in mixer. Add vanilla, then add sugar one cup at a time. Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Beat on medium speed for 2-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
I sprinkled edible glitter on top of the cupcakes as well. Makes 24 cupcakes.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Christmas candy cane cupcakes
I love the holidays. After all, more parties means more reasons to bake. For example, this past weekend I baked some candy cane cupcakes to take to a party. They were pretty darn tasty, if I do say so myself. Want to make your own? Well, luckily for you, that's the whole point of this blogging thing. Read on for details...
For the cupcake itself, I kept it simple. I used my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe (it may be familiar to you). However, in keeping with the candy cane theme, I decided to take my inspiration from Bake It In a Cake and stuck a Candy Cane Kiss inside before baking.
All you need to do is fill the cupcake liner with batter, plop a Kiss in there, and then cover the Kiss with batter.
You want the liner to be about two-thirds to three-quarters full when you're done. Much more than that, and they'll be a little too big. I'd also recommend that you put most of the batter in the cup before you add the Kiss - it has a tendency to sink towards the bottom.
While those were baking and cooling, I whipped up the icing. I decided to make two types to add some variety.
First, I made a peppermint buttercream, topped off with crushed candy canes. (I attempted to do two colors and swirl it... as you can see, the results were... not that great.)
Then, I made a cheater's chocolate candy cane frosting. Instead of making buttercream from scratch, I doctored a can of prepared dark chocolate frosting. (I ran out of powdered sugar, so I had to improvise. Forgive me!)
I decorated these in three different ways - with crushed candy canes, with a Candy Cane Kiss, and with red and green M&Ms. I think it made for a pretty fun assortment.
Here's a shot of the finished product...
Finally, the recipes - each makes enough to frost approximately 12 cupcakes:
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 lb. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
24 drops red food coloring (optional)
Combine butter, powdered sugar, milk and extracts in mixer. Once combined, increase speed and whip on medium speed until creamy. For two colors of frosting, divide in half. Set aside one half, and stir food coloring into remaining half
Cheater's Chocolate Candy Cane Frosting
1 container prepared dark chocolate frosting
1 tsp. peppermint extract
Crushed candy canes
Beat frosting in mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add peppermint extract and candy canes. Mix at low speed until full incorporated.
Enjoy!
For the cupcake itself, I kept it simple. I used my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe (it may be familiar to you). However, in keeping with the candy cane theme, I decided to take my inspiration from Bake It In a Cake and stuck a Candy Cane Kiss inside before baking.
All you need to do is fill the cupcake liner with batter, plop a Kiss in there, and then cover the Kiss with batter.
You want the liner to be about two-thirds to three-quarters full when you're done. Much more than that, and they'll be a little too big. I'd also recommend that you put most of the batter in the cup before you add the Kiss - it has a tendency to sink towards the bottom.
First, I made a peppermint buttercream, topped off with crushed candy canes. (I attempted to do two colors and swirl it... as you can see, the results were... not that great.)
I decorated these in three different ways - with crushed candy canes, with a Candy Cane Kiss, and with red and green M&Ms. I think it made for a pretty fun assortment.
Here's a shot of the finished product...
Finally, the recipes - each makes enough to frost approximately 12 cupcakes:
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 lb. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
24 drops red food coloring (optional)
Combine butter, powdered sugar, milk and extracts in mixer. Once combined, increase speed and whip on medium speed until creamy. For two colors of frosting, divide in half. Set aside one half, and stir food coloring into remaining half
Cheater's Chocolate Candy Cane Frosting
1 container prepared dark chocolate frosting
1 tsp. peppermint extract
Crushed candy canes
Beat frosting in mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add peppermint extract and candy canes. Mix at low speed until full incorporated.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Kick the Can Cranberry Sauce
Brace yourself... today's recipe is not a dessert. (I know!) However, it may change your life - I kid you not.
What am I sharing with you today? The answer is simple - cranberry sauce. You might be wondering what's so special about cranberry sauce. After all, isn't that just the can-shaped item that gets plopped onto a plate every Thanksgiving? Au contraire... homemade cranberry sauce puts that stuff to shame.
Consider me a cranberry evangelist (ecrangelist?) - I'm here to spread the word. Kick the can this year - you won't regret it. This recipe is so simple, yet so delicious. You only need three ingredients - cranberries, orange juice, and sugar.
These three simmer for a while, and magic happens. (Sometimes an overflowing stockpot happens too... it's okay. Embrace it.) Here's the recipe:
Kick the Can Cranberry Sauce
4 cups cranberries
1 cup orange juice
2 cups sugar
Bring cranberries and orange juice to a boil in a large stockpot. Add sugar and return to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the cranberries have popped. (I recommend lowering the heat - simmer on low if possible. You'll need to check the sauce periodically - it will occasionally overflow if you don't. I wouldn't recommend leaving it completely unattended, although you can easily do other things in the kitchen while it's simmering away.)
Remove pan from heat. Allow sauce to cool slightly. While it's still warm, pour sauce into containers. (When it cools to room temperature, it will look kind of like cranberry jam... and it will be delicious.) Refrigerate until ready to use. (You can freeze it too, if you want to save some for the future.)
Makes approximately 3 cups.
I told you it was easy. It's also a snap to adjust quantities - to make more or less, just remember a 4:1:2 ratio of cranberries to OJ to sugar. (I just made a slightly larger batch using 6 cups cranberries, 1 1/2 cups orange juice and 3 cups sugar.)
So, have I convinced you to kick the can and embrace the cran? (I can't even believe how cheesy I just sounded.)
Happy Thanksgiving! Perhaps you'll see this cranberry sauce again in a future dessert post...
Consider me a cranberry evangelist (ecrangelist?) - I'm here to spread the word. Kick the can this year - you won't regret it. This recipe is so simple, yet so delicious. You only need three ingredients - cranberries, orange juice, and sugar.
These three simmer for a while, and magic happens. (Sometimes an overflowing stockpot happens too... it's okay. Embrace it.) Here's the recipe:
Kick the Can Cranberry Sauce
4 cups cranberries
1 cup orange juice
2 cups sugar
Bring cranberries and orange juice to a boil in a large stockpot. Add sugar and return to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the cranberries have popped. (I recommend lowering the heat - simmer on low if possible. You'll need to check the sauce periodically - it will occasionally overflow if you don't. I wouldn't recommend leaving it completely unattended, although you can easily do other things in the kitchen while it's simmering away.)
Remove pan from heat. Allow sauce to cool slightly. While it's still warm, pour sauce into containers. (When it cools to room temperature, it will look kind of like cranberry jam... and it will be delicious.) Refrigerate until ready to use. (You can freeze it too, if you want to save some for the future.)
Makes approximately 3 cups.
I told you it was easy. It's also a snap to adjust quantities - to make more or less, just remember a 4:1:2 ratio of cranberries to OJ to sugar. (I just made a slightly larger batch using 6 cups cranberries, 1 1/2 cups orange juice and 3 cups sugar.)
So, have I convinced you to kick the can and embrace the cran? (I can't even believe how cheesy I just sounded.)
Happy Thanksgiving! Perhaps you'll see this cranberry sauce again in a future dessert post...
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese
For this month's Improv Cooking Challenge (hosted by Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker), the secret ingredients were pumpkin and cream cheese (another winning combo). While trying to decide what to make, I stumbled upon this cute idea from Duncan Hines. Cupcakes that looked like pumpkins seemed like the way to go.Inspired, I set out to create a pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese icing that would look something like a pumpkin. My version is a little more rustic, but I like it.
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