Cupcake Madness!!

So I've been playing with my baking a lot more lately and found this AMAZING recipe for a "juicy" Lemon Cake with a Raspberry Buttercream.  I changed it up a little bit as the original recipe called for a lot of artificial ingredients (lemon extract, raspberry flavoring, and food coloring) that I then substituted natural whole ingredients for.

I have since modified the Raspberry Lemonade Cupcake and made a Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake and can see this really working for any citrus fruit... I have dreams of a Cherry Limeade or an Orange Dark Chocolate.... mmmmmm.....

I've included some alternates in the original recipe that you can try:

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Makes 24 standard cupcakes, 48 mini cupcakes

1 cup butter at room temperature 

6 ounces cream cheese  (alternates: sour cream, yogurt)

Zest of 3 Lemons

Juice of 3 Lemons

1 1/3 cup sugar

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt   

1 cup butter at room temperature

2-4  tablespoons fresh raspberry puree (Alternate: Strawberry puree) (also I strained the seeds out, you can leave them in)

4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 

48 Raspberries for the filling (12 strawberries)

1/2 cup cornstarch

1. Preheat over to 325. 

2.  Beat together the butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and sugar, then beat in eggs and extract until smooth.

3. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. 

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the cheese mixture and beat with your mixer on low speed until just combined.

5. Divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake cups that have been lined with paper cupcake liners.

6. Toss berries gently in the cornstarch to coat them lightly

7. Press berries (2 Raspberries or 1/2 Strawberry) into the center of each cupcake until they are covered.

8. Bake for 25 minutes until firm to the touch.

9. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan- then transfer to a wire rack.

10. Frost when cooled.

For Frosting:

Beat butter with an electric mixer until it is fluffy and pale. Gradually add in powdered sugar and mix in low speed until it is thick and paste-like. One tablespoon at a time, add in the raspberry puree until the frosting as reached a good piping consistency. (If it is still too thick, you can add it 1 tsp of lemon juice, but mine was fine!)... I also did this by hand with a whisk, but a mixer would be soooooo much better!

Note: These are garnished with sparkly pink sugar and a colorful drinking straw. I also made mini's so they only had 1 raspberry pressed inside (1/4 slice of strawberry). I also could sooooo see these baked inside fun paper (dixie) cups.

Mama Jesus Potato Salad

aka My Mom's Potato Salad

aka My Mom's Grandmother's Potato Salad

sorry for the blur!

There is absolutely no recipe for this.  I hate those people who outright refuse to share recipes and please hit me if I ever say "no" if you ask me for one of mine.

This salad though is so dependent on so many factors.  You are more than welcome to come watch me make it, or get the ingredients (which I'll include here) and I will make it for you.  Right now I'm just gonna relish (ha! that's a pun you'll get later) in yumminess!

Ingredients:

8 (large egg sized) Red Potatoes (cut into cubes, boiled in salted water, and chilled)
4-5 Green Onions (1-2 spring onions if you can get them)
1 Bell Pepper
1 Dill Pickle
1 Celery Stalk
4 Hard Boiled Eggs (chilled and peeled)
Yellow Mustard (about 1/8 cup)
Miracle Whip (about 1 1/2 - 2 cups) ***see note
Granulated Garlic Powder (about 1 teaspoon)
Onion Powder (about 1 teaspoon)
Paprika (1/2 teaspoon, sprinkled on top for some color)
Salt (2 teaspoons, but taste it after you put in 1 teaspoon)
Pepper (about 1 teaspoon)

That's it.  All the veggies and eggs are chopped kinda chunky except for the onions and celery which are bias cut.  Really the only variable is the amount of MW, Mustard and spices go in.  Potatoes are so strange, and absorb the ingredients depending on the type of potato, how long you cook them, how long you've chilled them, how much salt was in the water..... etc.  So... That's it!


*** NOTE***
NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! NO MAYO! 

Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa Couscous Salad

I had a wonderfully inspiring coffee date with my best friends younger sister today.  I have decided to make a more focused effort on not only being a better Vegetarian, but really becoming Vegan.  Titles aside, its a health thing; I've seen enough documentaries that focus on the humanity of the animals and the animal products we eat.  I can find animal products that are sourced to the ethics that I believe in.

What I learned from not only watching Forks over Knives, but reading through some of the books they referenced today is that eating a whole food plant based diet can reverse and deter many diseases including: cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.  I have a history of all that in my family, plus I am a large person which carries its own issues.

Rant aside, I had prepped my kitchen for the change and have stopped re-buying dairy products when they are gone and instead am getting more whole grains, nut based milks and veggies galore!  Tonight's meal was planned and based on a recipe I bookmarked about a year ago.

 

2 delicata squash (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise and seeded 

8 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground pepper 

1/2 cup yellow quinoa

1/2 cup red quinoa 

1 cup couscous 

4 tablespoon(s) rice wine vinegar 

4 teaspoon(s) honey 

2 Granny Smith apples- finely diced 

1 stalk celery, sliced on the bias

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 red onion 

1 clove garlic, minced 

4 tablespoon(s) chopped parsley 

2 ounce(s) mixed baby green salad/ arugula

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Drizzle olive oil on the cut sides of the squash and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, until tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 3 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir couscous and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the quinoa/couscous to a large bowl and let cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and honey with the remaining 8 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the quinoa along with the apple, celery, pecans, onion, garlic,and parsley and toss well. Add the greens and toss gently.

4. Set the squash halves on plates. Fill with the salad and serve.

Butternut Squash Pear Gnocchi

Topped w/ Brown Butter, toasted Pine Nuts, wilted Baby Spinach and Gorgonzola Cheese

So I've totally been slacking with the posts after a very hectic summer.... Now I've gotten some wonderful inspiration to cook with all of the fall produce (and someone to cook for *eeeeee!*).  The last few things have been genuinely amazing (though no pictures to share).... I do have recipes if anyone is interested....

• Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/ "Creamcheese" frosting
• Caramelized Onion, Red Pear, Gorgonzola Cheese and Pine Nut Pizza (battle wounds from this one)
• Roasted Rainbow Veggie Sandwiches with Goat Cheese spread on Potato rolls
• Pumpkin Waffles w/ Maple Pecan Carmel Sauce 

Then there's tonight's featured dish which was basically using up the ingredients I have at the house already...

So totally making up the recipe here:

Gnocchi:
1 small Butternut Squash
1 Medium Onion
1 Large Red Pear
4 Tablespoons Butter
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil

Cut the squash in half and seed it and place in a baking dish (glass cake pan worked great.) Slice the onion up and put on top of the squash, slice the pear and put on top of the onion. drizzle all of it with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Slice the butter into pieces and place on top.  Roast in the (400 degree) oven about an hour until the squash is cooked through.  Let sit to cool..... The next step is to scoop the squash flesh out of the rind, and combine it with the liquid in the pan and the other ingredients to make a puree... you can use a food processor... or old school little house on the prairie style with a ricer.  I chose the latter.

Then combine your puree with about 4 C (ish) Flour, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon dried/rubbed sage, and salt and pepper to taste... keep working in flour until you get an almost dry dough.... this could take a whole lot more flour depending on how thin your puree was....

Once the dough is at a good texture, roll out into small logs and cut off pillow shaped pieces or roll between your hands to get football shapes... You can also go traditional, but that's a whole lotta work....

Throw into a boiling pot of salted water for about 2-3 minutes or until they start to float... drain...

(I made 1/2 the recipe up for dinner and froze the other half of the dough)

Sauce
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 C pine nuts
4 C baby spinach

Melt the butter over medium heat until it gets bubbly and starts to smell like caramel, toss in the nuts till they get golden, add spinach and mix to just barely wilt, add a little salt and pepper to taste.... toss in your gnocchi that has been drained and mix to cover all the pasta....

Top with about 4 oz Gorgonzola cheese while still in the pan till its all melty and bubbly.

That's roughly what I did and gosh it tastes amazing.... Like I said recipes are available for everything else upon request... all have been tested by an independent source (my SOS) and has been raved about.

Cheers!
-M

Curried Ratatouille over Basmati Rice

So the last time I made this I totally gobbled it up before I could take pictures or write about it... But this made a come back tonight since I think I crave curry now if I don't have it at least once a week.

This was totally made up from stuff I had in my fridge and ended up being what it was out of accident. A friend dubbed it Curried Ratatouille.

2 small zucchini
2 small yellow squash
3 Indian Eggplant (these are the ones the size of plums), or 1 med standard eggplant cubed
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 cups fresh spinach (remove stems)
1 large can whole fire roasted tomatoes, in sauce
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
1 handful thai basil, chiffonade
1/2 teaspoon yellow/brown mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seed (not the pods)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoons Garam Masala (see below)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Sugar/Honey
Olive Oil
Soy Sauce
Salt
Pepper

1. Chop all veggies except spinach and tomatoes into bite size pieces, slice onions, chop garlic fine

2. Toast the mustard seed, cardamom, and fennel seed in a dry pan until you hear the mustard seeds start to pop.

3. Swirl a few swirls of olive oil in the hot pan with the spices and add garlic, onions and (optional) mushrooms- Sautee until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms start to turn golden. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the squashes and eggplant, cook over medium heat until veggies are cooked through and have a little color

5. Break tomatoes up with hands over the pan into pieces (reserve liquid), top with spinach, basil, Garam Masala, Sugar and about a cap-full of soy sauce.

6. Cook until the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated, and start adding a little bit at a time the sauce from the can the tomatoes were packed in

7. I keep cooking over medium until all the liquid from the can has been added and taste it, it should make a thick sauce

8. Add siracha, salt, pepper or soy sauce to taste.

9. Serve over Basmati Rice

Note: Garam Masala recipe- https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/142967/easy-garam-masala/

Updated 3/2020

Summer BBQ

While I ran to the craft store for the 2nd time today, I also stopped by the grocery store to grab some whipping cream and butter that I had forgotten yesterday.  I was walking through the meat section and this lovely organic grain fed pork rib roast sitting in the discount section caught my attention... Not only was it 70% off, the sell by date was on Wednesday, and it fits the requirements of it being meat that I eat.

There's a long conversation that I can have with you if you're interested, but I know from growing up on a farm how animals can be treated, and how most grocery store meat is treated.  The farm that this came from is within 50 miles of the city, and is one that I know treats it animals humanely and with care.

 

So tonight we have a green salad dressed with balsamic and olive oil, the pork-roasted in the oven with caramelized bbq sauce, upstate style salt potatoes, cole slaw, and homemade quick pickles.

To drink I found some lovely Hibiscus, Lemongrass and Spearment tea at one of the co-op supermarkets, I brewed that then iced it down with a little honey.

Happy Independence Day all-

Cheers!
-M

Sauteed Portobello Tacos with Salsa Verde

Pre- and Post- Assembly

After the most epic of epic grocery shopping adventure, my cupboards and fridge are packed with wonderful things.  I over spent by about $50, but its been a while since I've had the chance to have really great things that I want.  I blame soy-free meat substitutes.

So the predicament came when I was hungry and had all of these wonderful things planned and didn't know what I wanted.  Light, but filling and flavorful was the goal.  I had found a recipe on Vegetarian Times website for Grilled Portobello Tacos with Salsa Verde.  Considering I have no grill, I just sauteed the mushrooms on the stove in a non-stick pan with a little olive oil and the marinade.  Recipe below c/o Vegetarian Times.

Serves 6

Marinade

• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Tacos

• 6 large portobello mushroom caps
• 6 6-inch soft corn tortillas
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 3 cups shredded cabbage
• Sour cream, optional

Salsa Verde

• 4 tomatillos, chopped (or 1 cup canned)
• 1 large green bell pepper or poblano chile, roughly chopped
• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tsp. organic sugar or agave nectar
• 1 1/4 tsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Preheat grill or grill pan to high heat. To make Marinade: combine all ingredients in small bowl.

To make Tacos:
2. Brush mushroom caps with marinade. Grill mushrooms 3 to 5 minutes per side. Cool until easy to handle, then slice into strips.

To make Salsa Verde:
3. Purée all ingredients in food processor 1 minute, or until smooth. Pour salsa over mushroom strips, and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Lightly warm tortillas 15 seconds per side in skillet or on griddle. Fill tortillas with sliced mushrooms, avocado slices, tomatoes, and cabbage. Top each taco with sour cream, if using.

** My mods- I first cut the recipe in 1/3, I used lime juice instead of the balsamic for the marinade, and I used a red pepper instead of green in the salsa and green onions instead of standard.**

Cheers!
    M