Strawberry Cupcakes

Recently, strawberries were on sale so I got a whole bunch of them and wanted to use them all up before they went bad. I made jam and strawberry bread and several strawberry salads. I also made these yummy strawberry cupcakes. Since I was out of powdered sugar, this was the perfect opportunity to try a boiled frosting. They turned out amazing!!

Strawberry Cupcakes

2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries (thawed), plus another 4 or 5 strawberries chopped up and set aside
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 to 10 drops of pink or red food coloring (I use the all natural kind but this step is entirely optional)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary; set aside. (I always push the strawberry purée through a mesh sieve to get all the seeds out, but that is optional.)

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, food coloring (if using) and strawberry puree; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle reserved chopped up strawberries over each.

Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.



Strawberry Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
4 egg whites
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
Directions

In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, water and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and cook to 240 degrees F (116 degrees C) or until a the mixture makes a wispy thread when dripped from a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin. Set aside for just a second while you start the egg whites. If it starts to look weird, give it a quick stir. The gelatin mixture may look grainy, but it will smooth out once it gets mixed in.
Whip egg whites in a clean dry bowl to soft peaks. If you have a stand mixer, use it, otherwise you may need a helper to whip while you pour. Slowly pour, or spoon the sugar mixture into the egg whites while continuing to whip to stiff glossy peaks. Use to frost a cake or cupcakes. You should use it right away since it sets very quickly and if you wait too long it will be too hard to spread or pipe.

This frosting does not need to be refrigerated, in fact, sometimes it can get runny if you refrigerate it.

You can also make this with unflavored gelatin and add a few drops of vanilla. It tastes just like marshmallows :)



For those of you who prefer a buttercream frosting, this is the recipe I typically use:

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. Push purée through a mesh sieve to remove seeds. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Flourless Orange Cake

Limiting gluten intake is proving to be difficult for me. My love of all baked goods makes it hard to stay away from this havoc-wreaking protein substance. Alas, my tummy protests against the delicious flour laden treats I try to sneak into it, so it has sent me on a quest to find equally delicious substitutes. Since I love all things citrus, I decided that my first attempt at gluten free baking would be a Flourless Orange Cake. I found a recipe online (I tried to find it again to give the author credit, but I couldn't. If it looks familiar to you, please drop me a line so I can make note of it.)

Anyway, the resulting cake was super moist, intensely orange flavored and really just simply divine. It took a long time to make due to the boiling of the oranges (I think next time I will boil more oranges and make extra puree to keep in the fridge for next time) but t was well worth the effort. Next on my list: Flourless Chocolate Cake. If it turns out even half as scrumptious as this one did I'll be thrilled.



Ingredients:

2 medium oranges, seedless if you can get them
6 eggs
1 C caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp (gluten-free) baking powder
1 1/2 C ground almonds / almond meal

(The oranges can be replaced by 4-5 clementines, 3 lemons or any other citrus fruit)


Method:

Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F and lightly grease a 23 to 25cm cake tin (9.5 to 10 inch tin). I like to line mine with parchment paper greased with a little butter or extra light tasting olive oil.

Wash and scrub the outside of the oranges and place them whole (skin and all) in a pot and fill with cold water to cover. Place over a medium high heat and bring to a boil.

Simmer uncovered, for 20 minutes, then drain the oranges, place back in the pot and refill with more cold water.

Repeat the process by bringing to the boil, simmer for 20 minutes then drain and refresh with more cold water.

Bring it a boil and simmer for about an hour then drain the oranges and set them aside to cool. All up the process should take about 2 hours and you're draining and refreshing the oranges three times.

When the oranges have cooled, roughly chop them to pieces and remove any seeds and white pith (these will make your cake bitter). Place in a blender or food processor (skin and all). Blend/process until it’s a fine puree.

The original recipe called for you to measure out 1 1/4 cups of the puree and then keep the rest in the fridge for next time. I got about 1 1/2 cups from my oranges and I used all of it.

Beat the eggs, sugar and baking powder with an electric mixer until thickened and pale in color.

Add in the ground almonds and mix in well.

On a low speed, add in the orange puree in two or three batches, beating for at least 20 seconds after each addition.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for about 50 minutes to an hour. Cake is ready when a toothpick or knife inserted in center comes out clean.

If it looks like it's browning too much after 30 minutes then you can place a sheet of aluminum foil over the cake tin.

When done, remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the tin and cooling on a cake rack.

Serve with a dollop of cool whip, whipped cream, ice cream, fresh fruits, orange syrup or plain.

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was craving something sweet this past Saturday, so I dug up one of my favorite cookie recipes. I don’t remember where I got the original recipe, but I modified it a bit every time I made it until I ended up with this recipe, which I think makes some of the yummiest cookies ever. They are buttery, thin, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, golden disks of deliciousness! I hope you guys try them and love them as much as I do. :)

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 sticks butter softened (or 1 stick butter + 1/2 c shortening)
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 pkg toffee chips (8 oz, I use Heath toffee chips)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350º

In an electric mixer, cream sugars and butter (and shortening if using) until light and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla and almond extracts.

In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture and mix until well combined.

Stir in chocolate and toffee chips just until combined.

Drop by about 2 tablespoonfuls onto and un-greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.

Traditional Mexican Steak Tacos (Tacos de Carne Asada)

This isn't your average taco bell style ground beef taco!! I learned my recipe for authentic carne asada from my ex-boyfriend's Mexican mom. She is an amazing cook and was always nice enough to share her recipes with me. Most, if not all, of my Mexican recipes came from her and they are among the very few recipes that I haven't had to tweak. They are absolutely perfect as they are. I made these for lunch today and they were delicious as always. It may seem like a lot of work, but much of this (except guacamole and the grilling of the steak) was prepared beforehand and stored in the fridge. You can use store bought guacamole, taco sauce and soft corn tortillas if you want to significantly cut the prep time, but none of these compare to the taste of the fresh, homemade versions. I make my corn tortillas a little thicker than the traditional kind, if you make yours thinner or purchase them, you should use two since they tend to split and make a big mess if you don't. Some stores have the thicker corn tortillas that you can pick up. That is what I used this time, since I lent my Tortilla Chef Press to a friend. In the future, when I make my own tortillas, I will post them and the recipe here. Meanwhile, if anyone needs the recipe just let me know and I will type it up. Enjoy your Mexican fiesta and check back in to let me know how yummy everything was! :)





Tacos

- Soft Corn Tortillas
- Taco Sauce (or Salsa Roja if you prefer)
- Guacamole
- Shredded Monterey Jack or Cotija Cheese
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Diced Red Onion
- Finely Chopped Cilantro
- Sour Cream
- Carne Assada, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Arrange meat and condiments however you prefer on tortillas, fold up and enjoy!


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Carne Asada

- 3 lbs skirt steak
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1/3 cup low acid orange juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika

Place all ingredients (except steak of course) in blender and blend until well combined. Place steak into a shallow dish (I always use a rectangular glass casserole dish) and pour marinade over it, turning once to coat. Cover and marinade in fridge over night (at least 8 hours). You can also place the meat and marinade in a large ziploc bag to marinade, squeeze most of the air out before fully zipping it up. The next day, grill or pan sear the meat.

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Guacamole

- 3 Ripe Avocados (Haas are the best)
- 1 Vine Ripe Tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 Small Red Onion, diced
- 1 TBSP Fresh Cilantro, chopped
- 1 1/2 TBSP Fresh Lime Juice
- 1 clove Garlic, mashed
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

Mash avocados, then stir in all the other ingredients. Serve immediately.

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Taco Sauce

- 1 8oz can Tomato Sauce (plain)
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1/4 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp Dehydrated, Instant Minced Onion
- 1 TBSP White Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (add more or less to taste)

Place in a saucepan and stir well. Simmer at a very low temperature for 15 - 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool.

May be stored in refrigerator for several days.

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Salsa Roja

- 10 Large Tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 Small Onion, coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 3-4 Serrano Chiles
- 1/2 bunch Cilantro leaves
Water for thinning salsa

Place tomatoes, onion, garlic, chilies, cilantro and salt in blender and puree until smooth.

Pour a small amount of olive oil into a pan. Heat over medium-high heat until almost smoking.

Pour salsa in. Bring to a lively simmer.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until salsa thickens and takes on a deep, rich red color, approximately 10 - 12 minutes.

Thin with water to taste and adjust salt as needed.

Enjoy your Mexican fiesta!!

Egg Rolls

Hey guys,

Sorry, my good camera is acting funny so it's on a time-out until I can make it to the repair shop. Therefore, I'm reduced to either the camera on my iPhone, or my 6mp point and shoot. Anyway, I apologize if the photos aren't all that great in the meantime.

I made these egg rolls yesterday and they were great. They are even better than Chinese take out and best of all, you can modify the recipe to suit your tastes. Serve them with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!


1 lb Ground pork or chicken (or pork sirloin or chicken chopped into tiny pieces)
2 TBS Ah-So Sauce (get this in the Asian food aisle, it's the sticky red rib sauce)
1 tsp Minced ginger
3 cups Finely shredded cabbage
1 cup Bean sprouts (I always use soy bean sprouts)
1 cup Finely Shredded Carrots
4 Green Onions, finely chopped
3 TBS Oyster Sauce
2 TBS Soy Sauce
20 Egg Roll Wrappers

Stir fry pork with the 2 TBS of Ah-So sauce and ginger in a wide skillet over high heat until cooked through. Add cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots and green onions. Cook 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce. Remove from heat and let mixture cool. You will end up with some liquid at the bottom. It's up to you if you want to drain the mixture or not. I usually drain most of the liquid and just leave a few tablespoons of it in the mixture. Just remember, if your mixture is too wet, it can cause the wrappers to tear.


Use about 3 TBS of filling per egg roll fold in the follow manner:

1) Place filling diagonally on wrapper.

2) Fold corner over filling; roll snugly half-way to cover filling.

3) Fold up both sides snugly against filling; moisten edges of last flap.

4) Roll over flap to seal; lay flap-side down until ready to fry.


See the diagram I drew above.



Egg rolls freeze really well. You can freeze them before or after you deep fry them. I usually freeze them before they're fried. I wrap each one in saran wrap, put them on a cookie sheet and stick it in the freezer for about 2 hours (this way they don't get squished when you bag them all together), then I take them off the tray, put them all into a big ziploc freezer bag or two and stick it back in the freezer. When I want to cook them, I let them defrost in the refrigerator, then I deep fry them just like the fresh ones. You can also deep fry them first, let them cool completely, wrap them and freeze them the same way as above. Then, to reheat, let them come to room temperature, then put into an oven at 375 for about 10 minutes. Egg rolls will keep 4 - 6 months in your freezer.

Also, to cut prep time, you could get a few bags of coleslaw mix (which is just shredded cabbage and carrots) and adjust the recipe accordingly.

Welcome novice cooks, master chefs, foodies and the like!

Hey all!

Since I love to cook and bake, I figured I would start a blog, where I can share all my favorite recipes (and maybe some not so favorite ones :) and chat about all things yummy. I will only post recipes that I have tried myself and provide pictures whenever I can. Since I love to be adventurous and try new things, some of the recipes may not turn out the way I hope, or perhaps just won't end up being my particular cup of tea. But, I will share both my culinary triumphs and blunders, allowing you to give the recipe a go yourself and let me know what you think.

Please leave your comments if you have tried a recipe, have any questions about it, or just want to chit chat or say "hey!", as I will check back often. I'll try to post as many healthy dishes as possible, but lets face it, some of the recipes will be both delicious and sinful, so indulge at your own risk! Credit will be given for any recipes that are not my own and I welcome and encourage all of you to submit your favorite recipes to me. I will definitely try them, post them and toot your horn.

So, I hope you'll stay a while, browsing, drooling and copying down recipes onto notebook pages, which I hope will fade and yellow with time, splattered with a little of this and a little of that, because they have become some of your tried and true favorites.

Be blessed, be well and be satiated.