Globe Cake

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 T lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 large eggs plus three large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 small can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 18 oz jar raspberry preserves or jam
Fluffy Boiled Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper or foil cups (makes 24).
Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl and blend until fluffy. Add lemon zest, juice, and eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients slowly, blending well. Slowly pour in buttermilk until completely combined. Spoon into muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 of the way.
Place in oven and bake 20-25 minutes until light golden. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

When cool, shake can of thawed frozen lemonade mix and pour half into small bowl. Using a pastry bruch, glaze each cupcake with the mixture, going over twice to absorb. Let sit about an hour.

Using a wooden spoon with a thick, round handle, poke holes into the center of each cupcake. Stir raspberry preserves to loosen and scoop into pastry bag fitted with coupler only. Place tip of bag into each hole and squeeze slightly until cupcake very slightly expands. Wipe off any excess filling.


Fluffy Boiled Icing

This recipe is also on the Wilton website. It is a perfect touch for cakes that just need that extra sweet something to really set them off without tampering with the flavor too much. Also, it has no shortening or butters, keeping the fat content a little lower than with traditional icings.

3 Tablespoons meringue powder
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water

Combine meringue powder and cold water in a mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form, about four minutes. In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water under medium high heat. Cook and stir until it comes to a boil and set aside to cool for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour into meringue mixture while beating. Continue to whip until glossy and stiff, about four minutes. Tint using mixer if desired.
Easiest to place in pastry bag with no tip and pipe onto cupcakes. Very light and fluffy!

Make This Cake Before You Die

Of all the cakes I make, this is by far the lost labor intensive and DELICIOUS. I found this recipe on line but changed a few things to suit my flavor preferences...who likes following directions anyway!

Tiramisu Cake

For the cake layers:
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

For the espresso extract:
2 tablespoons instant coffee
2 tablespoons boiling water

For the espresso syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 T Kahlua

For the filling and frosting:
1 8-ounce container mascarpone
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1 T Kahlua
1 cup cold heavy cream


Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for decoration (optional)
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Getting ready:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 inch pans.



To make the cake:
Beat together butter and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Slowly add in buttermilk and mix until blended. Pour evenly into the two baking pans.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.


To make the extract:
Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.

To make the syrup:
Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.

To make the filling and frosting:
Put the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.
Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.

To assemble the cake:
If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer – user about 1 1/4 cups – and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling. Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.
For the frosting, whisk 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining mascarpone filling. Taste the frosting as you go to decide how much extract you want to add. If the frosting looks as if it might be a little too soft to spread over the cake, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate it for 15 minutes or so. Refrigerate the cake too.
With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top. If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans, press them into the filling, making concentric circles of beans or just putting some beans in the center of the cake.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving – the elements need time to meld.
Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa. I cut a star shape out of waxed paper and placed it lightly over the cake, and shaved a layer of chocolate over it with a microplane, before carefully removing the star to leave a stenciled shape.

Spicy Shrimp Creole

Spicy Shrimp Creole

1 1/2 lb fresh shrimp, peeled
2 T vegetable oil
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 med onion, chopped
1 med green bell pepper, chopped
2 large celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T cajun seasoning blend
1 t chili powder
Salt and pepper
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 T hot sauce (Louisiana is best), Optional
Cooked rice and garlic bread

Peel and rinse shrimp. Set aside. Chop all veggies and get rice cooking.
Heat vegetable oil in large skillet or wide sauce pan. Add onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook about 7 minutes until softened. Add tomatoes and spices. Stir well and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add shrimp and cook just until they turn pink.
Serve over rice and with garlic bread. Enjoy!

Busy Easter!

I had an excellent Easter weekend so far business-wise. I made several pastries and even cookies with the kids in the park. I just added these pics to my cake gallery as well. The only bad thing about all these sweets is I didn't make enough to have a drop of leftovers! Maybe a blessing in disguise.

Carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Vanilla cake with buttercream icing. Max and Ruby cake.

Easter cupcakes. Vanilla cake with buttercream icing.

Big-Ass Pot of Chicken Fried Rice

This was one of the best last minute throw-togethers I have ever done. We ate it for three meals, and even Hunter liked it! When I cook it again, I am going to spice it up a little more.

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken:
3-4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
2 T soy sauce
2 T corn starch
Ground black pepper
2 T vegetable oil

Sauce:
1/4 c soy sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar
1 t brown sugar

Rice and Veggies:
6 cups cooked rice (or two bags of boil-in-bag rice, cooked)
3 large eggs
1/2 lb bag shelled edamame
1 large carrot, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 inch of minced ginger
2 T vegetable oil

Start cooking the rice. Prepare chicken by chopping into small pieces and tossing with soy, starch and pepper. Heat oil in very large skillet. Cook chicken until cooked through and remove to separate bowl.

In same skillet, add 2 T more oil and crack eggs into skillet. beat as they cook to blend yolks and whites. Add onions, garlic and ginger and cook for 3 minutes with eggs. Add vegetables and continue cooking for 7 minutes. Add rice and sauce and cook for five minutes. Add chicken back to pot, turn off heat and cover for five minutes.
Serve with Sriracha!

Choclate Chip Birthday Cake

(Well, you can't actually see the cake, but it tasted awesome!)

Chocolate Chip Cake

1 pkg Dunkin Hines yellow cake mix

1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup milk

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Add milk, oil and eggs and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into two 9" cake pans that have been greased and coated in flour. Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. (Picture above is just a one-layer cake.)


Chocolate Ganache Filling

Two Hershey's Chocolate bars
2 T unsalted butter
2 T heavy cream

In small saucepan on low heat, melt chocolate and butter with cream. Remove from heat as soon as it is melted and blended. Use as filling between the two layers.

I'm not giving up my secret icing recipe, but I use vanilla icing with mini chocolate chips sprinkled on top when I'm not decorating it otherwise!

Aweomely Healthy Asparagus and Brown Rice Salad

(So I didn't "prep" for a pic, okay?)

Asparagus and Brown Rice Salad

1 lb asparagus, prepared (directions below)
4 c cooked brown rice
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 t sea salt
2 t ground black pepper (more or less to taste on spices)

Steam asparagus in microwave-safe dish, covered for five minutes, rotating once. Cook rice or use frozen prepared rice like I do from Whole Foods.
Combine all ingredients in bowl while still warm, allowing the goat cheese to soften and mix into the rice. Serve warm or cold!

Holy Guacamole!

Holy Guacamole!

2 ripe avocados
1 ripe medium-sized tomato
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 chopped fresh cilantro
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 T mayonnaise

Smash avocados in a glass bowl until slightly chunky. Dice tomato and add with lime juice and all other ingredients.
Toss gently until just blended. Serve immediately or will refrigerate for about 24 hours.

No Wonder I'm Broke!

With Hunter's approaching birthday coupled with the warm hints of spring, I have had ample opportunity to shop for the perfect gifts only to realize that Hunter's life has become one continuous birthday. I am such a sucker for that smile, that giggle, that look of amazement and wonder that pops up every time I get to present something new and exciting to that little booger. While I cherish everyday of his young life, I can't wait for each new development opening a door to new understanding...and something new I can teach him.

Those who know me know I am not into "licensed character" toys, or pretty much any toy that can be bought at Wal-Mart. I prefer learning toys, eco-friendly toys, and natural, wooden toys. It doesn't help having a toy store that caters to exactly that type of mom right down the street, either.
Amuse Toys has been a life-saver this winter. Their selection of toys has provided me and Hunter with hours of fantastic play while giving me an opportunity to teach him great skills. And I think the stars aligned when I walked in there to get Hunter's birthday presents this last week. After weeks of waiting, Claudia's shipments of her much sought-after toys are finally making it back into the store. When I walk in there, I can't control myself. If I only get him this, it will mean he will have to wait at least TWO WEEKS before I can get him that! Poor thing!!!! He's going to miss out on so much, and he doesn't even realize it! Italian-made building sets, and recycled plastic excavators! Oh my! Craft sets galore, my particular weakness in that Hunter and I both enjoy that! And of course the endless array of learning toys, puzzles, and games. Keep in mind that these are all items just in Hunter's age range. This store caters from birth to adult. I'm thinking I should just buy stock about now.
Anyway, I bought both items, and I left requests for two more for when they arrive. Then I also have another running list of items to look for and buy regularly. This doesn't even come close to getting him taken care of, though. Amazon.com is another monster.
I have already made another order from home for a box full of Crayola craft and art goodness that should be at my door today. Oh yeah, we need a potty seat, too! What's that? A sippy cup I might also like? Of course! Throw that in, too! New shoes? I MUST get the new Converse shark low-tops...and I did. Now I am planning a 3-D cake and full-blown party for this weekend not to mention preparing for the LONG AWAITED arrival of my mother to Baltimore for the first time.
Maybe I will have enough money left by the time she gets here to actually go out. With my birthday around the corner as well, maybe she will be able to force me to buy something for myself. It's been awhile!
Also, I know the picture is precious, but it makes such a great point that I seem to miss all the time. That look of pure delight is coming from inside an empty cardboard box brought out from the closet. Cost...nothing = Smile...priceless!

Kung Pao Chicken

I finally broke down and made one of my favorite Asian dishes! The Kung Pao Chicken at Big Bowl in Reston, VA is an all-time favorite of mine, but it is now over an hour away. While I usually like it best with wide rice noodles, there were none to be found at the market. So it was Thai Jasmine rice instead.
To develop the perfect recipe, I took the ingredients and measurements I liked best from some of my favorite chefs, re-creating it into my own. It turned out great, and I hope to make it much more often!


Kung Pao Chicken

2 large chicken breasts, chopped
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. corn starch

Sauce:
1/4 c. soy sauce
3 T rice wine vinegar (1/2 white and 1/2 apple cider vinegar will do)
1 T peanut oil (canola oil will do)
2 T sugar
1 T corn starch
3 T chicken broth (or water)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger root, minced (or 1/2 t dried ginger)
4 dried chili peppers, halved

1/4 cup roasted peanuts

4 cups cooked rice or wide rice noodles

Prepare the sauce in a small bowl by mixing sauce ingredients together well and set aside. Start rice or noodles in a separate pot. Mix chicken with soy sauce and corn starch in a bowl until all pieces are coated with a thick paste. In large skillet or wok, heat 2 T cooking oil and add chicken. Heat until cooked through, turning to cook all sides. Add peanuts and saute with chicken for about 1 minute. Add sauce and stir until sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Add a little water if it becomes too thick. Serve immediately over rice.

Southwestern Chili and Loaded Cornbread

 

Southwestern Chili (shown served over a baked potato with cheese and sour cream!)

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

3 ribs celery chopped

2 lbs ground beef

2 cans rotel tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 can light red kidney beans

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 can chili beans in sauce

2 cups water

1 T. chili powder

2 t. ground cumin

1 t. cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

Place chopped onions, pepper and celery in heated 5qt pot with 2T cooking oil. Saute for about five minutes on med high heat and add ground beef. Brown ground beef and drain any excess grease. Add all cans and their juices as well as the water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add spices, salt and pepper. Continue to cook on low heat for about an hour. Take about 1 cup of the beans out and mash with a fork, then return to pot and stir to thicken chili.

Serve with cheese, sour cream and cornbread muffins.

Loaded Cornbread Muffins

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 small can creamed corn

1 T. chopped jalapenos (jarred)

1 T. chopped onion

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg

1/2 -1 cup buttermilk (to desired thickness)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into muffin tins. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Makes about one dozen.

The Importance of Brownies

 

I was at the end of my rope. It has been a long, hard winter, today being no different with gusty winds and flurries to once again trap us indoors. The craft bin was exhausted, and the toys were all becoming old. I just wanted chocolate. Aha! Chocolate! One box of mix left in my cabinet, and it was my go-to brownie mix! Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix is semi-prepared dessert of the gods.

Having already decided that Hunter would be a future chef, I made this another great opportunity to introduce him to the nuances of baking.

I greased the pan, pre-measured the oil and water, pre-heated the oven, and picked two eggs from the fridge. All were placed at the table with a nice, easy-to-grip wooden spoon. I poured the mix while Hunter poured the liquids. We cracked the eggs together, Hunter assisting by holding my hand. Then the stirring began. I got the ingredients initially blended, then I let Hunter at it. My walls suffered slightly, but the first days giggles were worth it. Hunter helped pour, and the baking began. I didn't turn my back long to place the pan in the oven, but it was just long enough for Hunter to figure out the real treat was still in the bowl. I came back to find him engrossed in the sweet chocolate nectar that all kids, and many adults crave...the batter left in the bowl. He was so proud of himself that I let him have at it, hoping that the eggs I chose were raised with more care than the recent tomatoes making the news.

Clean up was easy, and the images priceless. This was a great outcome to another experiment in parenting. Go Brownies!!!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 or 3 large chicken breasts, bone and skin on
1 large onion, shopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large jalapeno, diced
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can Ranch Style Beans or Chili Beans in sauce
6 cups chicken broth (canned or from boiling chicken)
8 oz frozen white corn
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro, plus more for garnishing
Juice of one lime
4 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
Crushed corn chips

In one pot, boil the chicken in salted water. In another 5 qt pot, saute onion, garlic and jalapeno in cooking oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, beans and broth and bring to a boil. Add corn, tortillas and cooked shredded chicken and simmer for 30 minutes. Add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste and fresh cilantro. Remove from heat and serve topped with crushed tortilla chips and more chopped cilantro.

Red Beans and Rice Soup

Basically I just took our traditional red beans and rice recipe and modified it to a soupier version. It is still very creamy and hearty. Great to warm you up on a cold day!

Red Beans and Rice Soup

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3-4 celery ribs, chopped
4-5 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb of andouille or polska kielbasa sausage chopped (I only use about 2/3 of it.)
2 bay leaves
1 t chopped dried rosemary
1/2 t dried thyme
1 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t oregano
1/4 t basil
salt and pepper
1 carton of chicken broth
4 cans dark red kidney beans
1 T Crystal Hot Sauce (or your favorite)
2 Cups cooked white rice

Pour about 2 T of cooking oil into a 5qt pot. Heat and add onions and celery. Cook for about 3-4 min on med-high heat. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add sausage and spices and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes. Pour in carton of broth and red beans(juice included).
Bring to a boil and allow to simmer uncovered for about an hour stirring occasionally. After one hour, scoop about 2 cups of the soup into a blender and blend the beans. Try to avoid much sausage getting in the blender. Add back to pot and stir in hot sauce and rice. Best served with garlic bread.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Can I Get That Recipe?

I am the world's worst at using recipes or writing down measurements. Those of you who already know me understand that I couldn't follow instructions if my life depended on it. Seems like I always have to make things my own. That said, I am going to finally attempt to accumulate a collection of all my past greats as well as document more of my recent concoctions while sharing lots of unrelated dialog. Most recipes will include pics, and any recipes I have actually followed will contain links to the site where I found them as well as any cooking notes.
My love for food started in my grandmother's kitchen. I can remember standing next to her on that old yellow vinyl-covered metal step-stool she kept close by. I watched her prepare three square meals a day for my grandfather, and being in Mississippi, that meant plenty of gardening as well. She spent most of her day in the kitchen during the summer months. We spent most of our time canning vegetable and jarring jellies. Every morning, we would go into the garden and weed and water the plants. Every late afternoon, we would look for veggies perfect for picking.
Her patience must have been outstanding. We rolled dough for fried pies, iced cakes, stirred batters and shelled peas...LOTS OF PEAS.
It just kept growing from there. As I got older, I would get up early on Saturday mornings, and instead of running to turn on the cartoons, I headed to the kitchen to make pancakes for the family. And since my mother was a party genius, I was always assisting her with decorating and prepping for her next shower or dinner. Home Economics was a breeze for me in junior high, and I think I owned more cook books than text books by college.
I remember watching my first episode of Emeril Live while visiting friends in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the small college town Brett Favre made famous. It was their ritual every Friday night to bust open a case of Milwaukee's Best (The Beast in college terminology) and turn the TV to the craziest chef ever seen. Keep in mind that we were a close neighbor to New Orleans, so all that crazy Cajun food was every-day fare for us! Anyway, I LOVED the show and quickly became addicted to Food Network.
While my career has been focused on marketing, advertising and publishing, I still managed to take several classes in culinary education. I even owned a successful coffee shop for several years that is now celebrating its 15th anniversary in business. While owning the shop, I made thousands of pastries and broadened my experience in catering for larger numbers.
Things just kept going from there. I had phases I would go through. There was the cookie dough phase, yeast breads, sweet breads. Then I would cross over to fish, shrimp and crab. Then back to king cakes. I burned through mixer after mixer until my family finally pitched in and bought me a KitchenAid Pro one year for Christmas. It should be about 12 years old now and still going strong.
My phases followed food fads, so I am pretty comfortable cooking anything popular in the last 10 years! I remember especially my risotto and pizza phases. I must have gained 20 lbs. More recent phases include eggs on everything, mac and cheese, marinara, stir-fry and chocolate chip cookies. The cookies have officially been perfected now. I will share the recipe as soon as I make them again to take pics!
In the meantime, I got married, had a kid and quit the day job. Now I am doing what I love, cooking. While I have a cake business, it is only a small window into my true love of all foods. Hopefully you will find as much amusement and love out of these dishes and treats as I have. Have a request? Chances are I can find it and make it!

Happy marinating!

Shelly