Yesterday, my boyfriend and I went over to my brother's and his girlfriend's new place for dinner. She is German and they made potato salad and tender pork schnitzel for dinner. It was a great time; the food was tasty and the wine was flowing. I made delicious Devil's Food Cupcakes I found from the Martha Stewart website. There's 1 1/4 tsp. of coarse sea salt in the mix. With every big, moist, rich chocolate bite, you get a bit of sea salt that deliciously reminds you to appreciate the sweetness of that Devil Food. I had three of those cupcakes yesterday.
They were delicious but they took a little extra time to prepare (or I was just slow in the kitchen) and didn't get to frosting them until the last minute. I was just about to enjoy spending the next 10 minutes beating the melt-y egg white/sugary mixture until it was cool and had stiff peaks, when I learned that I had burned out the motor of my hand mixer after making the cupcake batter. I continued to whisk it by hand. I made my boyfriend take turns whisking with me for a long time, while I made panicked phone calls to my dad and brother begging for a hand mixer. I would take my butter, my melted morsels, and the egg white/sugar mix to their house and finish it there. My dad would be bringing his electric hand-mixer.
I was getting very upset at what was happening to my cupcake experience. I would like to add that I was already in a pretty irritable state, having cycled through about 6 moods earlier that afternoon, and was running late to my brother's first dinner party without the pretty piped frosting and sugar pearls! We packaged everything up and ran out the door. I was trying to be so careful because the melt-y egg white syrup was only plastic wrapped, and NOT in a Tupperware, where I knew it should have been but was too lazy and worried about being late to do anything about. You should always take the extra time to fix something you know needs fixing or it will cost more time and money and emotions later!
Anyway, at some point between leaving my apartment and getting half-way to my brothers, that egg syrup leaked in the cloth bag I was carrying it it. I was holding this bag on my lap for extra special support and so tons of it leaked out of the cloth bag and onto my jeans and my coat, which must now be dry-cleaned. It got all over my car and my hands. When examining my hands, I notice the enormous blister on the inside of my middle finger. My whisking finger. I want to cry in the car. I'm a hot, sticky mess.
Well, I don't cry in the car. I don't want to be that crazy emotional woman who ruins the whole party crying over cupcakes. So I try to leave it at the door and make light of it and have a good time, and I do. Even after spending my first half hour there cleaning syrup off of everything from their chairs to the bottom of the unfrosted cupcakes.
I put the goo in the fridge and left the chocolate and butter at room temp. After dinner, I whip the goo for over ten minutes and nothing happens. It never catches air. It never thickens. All hope of frosting these things is lost, along with 10 eggs and 2 1/2 cups of sugar, and possibly 8 sticks of butter and 24 oz. of semi-sweet morsels. I dump the goo. I feel like goo getting dumped. I want to liquefy and wash down the drain, too. When I look up, the hostess is presenting a can of chocolate frosting! Hooray! Most of them got piped with frosting and sprinkled with sugar pearls and they looked pretty good and tasted great.
There is so much to be learned from this nightmare experience. Hopefully we know where I could have given up earlier and saved a lot of time and mess. We know to always travel with liquid in a sealed Tupperware which is also in at least one plastic bag. We know to always keep a can of frosting in the pantry for emergencies. We should know now that there is a tiny window to whip your egg whites in. We also know that I need a table mixer and everyone should have a backup hand mixer (thank you for the electric mixer daddy!).
But there is still a lot more to find out, like: can you use cupcake batter that has sat in the fridge overnight? When making butter-cream frosting, can you use butter that got to room temperature, then re-refrigerated, then brought to room temperature again? And the melted morsels. Those have been in the fridge all night too. Can I warm it up again and use it?
Monday, February 21, 2011
Cupcake Crazy!
I have been getting very interested in making cupcakes lately. I helped Mom and Dad make 5 or 6 different batches of gourmet cupcakes for Baby V's 1st birthday. They were amazing and fun to make, but I knew I could improve them if I practiced.
I made Vanilla cupcakes for my next batch. I tried to follow the recipe exactly. The cupcakes were yummy (the butter-cream frosting was not as smooth as it looks in the Cupcake Book) but they were like eating big sweet cornbread cupcakes. The texture wasn't dreamy. I did not feel like I was eating dessert made by angels. They were pretty, though. Here are a few pictures.
I was disappointed when the texture of these were so bread-y because my gut wanted to make them with cake flour so they'd be light and airy and moist. Like cake. So I made another batch. I used the White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake recipe, leaving the white chocolate morsels out of the batch and putting vanilla extract in. (Use 2 tsp. of vanilla extract. Not 1 tsp). These were much better than the above batch, but still not moist enough. Next time, I would use a mix with cake flour and another egg, or a bit of oil or applesauce to give it moisture.
I made Vanilla cupcakes for my next batch. I tried to follow the recipe exactly. The cupcakes were yummy (the butter-cream frosting was not as smooth as it looks in the Cupcake Book) but they were like eating big sweet cornbread cupcakes. The texture wasn't dreamy. I did not feel like I was eating dessert made by angels. They were pretty, though. Here are a few pictures.
I was disappointed when the texture of these were so bread-y because my gut wanted to make them with cake flour so they'd be light and airy and moist. Like cake. So I made another batch. I used the White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake recipe, leaving the white chocolate morsels out of the batch and putting vanilla extract in. (Use 2 tsp. of vanilla extract. Not 1 tsp). These were much better than the above batch, but still not moist enough. Next time, I would use a mix with cake flour and another egg, or a bit of oil or applesauce to give it moisture.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Book Worms
Big Brother C is dying to go to Great America. Getting the boys to read after school can be a daunting task. Unless of course there is something precious at stake. C was only an hour and a half away from accruing enough minutes to get that free ticket (I hope he gets two and needs a special chaperon!).
Despite the new Direct TV service in the house, that 6 year old boy read 40 minutes nonstop as soon as he walked into the door from school yesterday, and planned on doing the rest that evening. There have been many times he's read and didn't record his time, so I'm sure he got that ticket. Way to go!!!
Baby V and I have been reading too. It's just as hard trying to get a one year old or less to read as it is a 6 or 9 year old. But the little guy and I made a breakthrough yesterday, spending at least 5 minutes looking at one book. That was Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton. I sang and read as much as I could but we mostly pointed at the pictures and tried to memorize the Mamma Puppy, Baby Puppy, Ball, "O O O," etc. He's doing a good job.
Today we started studying Eric Carle's The Very Lonely Firefly. He can get so interested. He's engaged. He's pointing to the firefly's nose, then his own nose. We point to the firefly's belly, then his own belly. We are on a roll. And as soon as I'm thinking "This kid is a genius!" he slaps the book as hard as he can 6 or 7 times, shuts it, gnaws the corner and whips it over the arm of the chair squealing with delight. I remember, he's only been 1 for a few weeks.
Despite the new Direct TV service in the house, that 6 year old boy read 40 minutes nonstop as soon as he walked into the door from school yesterday, and planned on doing the rest that evening. There have been many times he's read and didn't record his time, so I'm sure he got that ticket. Way to go!!!
Baby V and I have been reading too. It's just as hard trying to get a one year old or less to read as it is a 6 or 9 year old. But the little guy and I made a breakthrough yesterday, spending at least 5 minutes looking at one book. That was Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton. I sang and read as much as I could but we mostly pointed at the pictures and tried to memorize the Mamma Puppy, Baby Puppy, Ball, "O O O," etc. He's doing a good job.
Today we started studying Eric Carle's The Very Lonely Firefly. He can get so interested. He's engaged. He's pointing to the firefly's nose, then his own nose. We point to the firefly's belly, then his own belly. We are on a roll. And as soon as I'm thinking "This kid is a genius!" he slaps the book as hard as he can 6 or 7 times, shuts it, gnaws the corner and whips it over the arm of the chair squealing with delight. I remember, he's only been 1 for a few weeks.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Sweetest!
These boys are the sweetest. Monday morning I was bombarded with Valentine's cards the boys made me. What tender little hearts they have. Especially Big Brother B. He wished me to have a great time with Dylan and hoped it would be romantic! His card was accompanied by a drawing of me and Dylan on the couch watching Netflix. It's sooo us. We spend nearly half our week curled up on the couch with our Roku.
Big brother's A and C also gave me very thoughtful cards. I even got a special drawing and signature by Baby V.
In other exciting news . . . . . Big Brother A is officially a boyscout!!!! He has a new uniform, a huge wood-burned plaque, and was adorned with snakes at his Blue and Gold Ceremony dinner. Way to go A!!!!
Big brother's A and C also gave me very thoughtful cards. I even got a special drawing and signature by Baby V.
In other exciting news . . . . . Big Brother A is officially a boyscout!!!! He has a new uniform, a huge wood-burned plaque, and was adorned with snakes at his Blue and Gold Ceremony dinner. Way to go A!!!!
Valentine's Day
A couple of weeks ago, my friend Nicole Taylor did a segment on real Southern red velvet cake on her foodie radio show, Hot Grease. Nicole is a Southern girl, born and raised in Georgia, and she has some pretty strong opinions about authentic red velvet cake. She searched for the real thing in New York City and came to the stunning conclusion that red velvet here is just wrong, wrong, wrong!
Well, if the culinary capital of the nation can't get it right, does anyone north of the Mason-Dixon get it right? And what's getting lost in translation? What exactly goes into the quintessential red velvet cake?
Although red velvet cake has a mild chocolate flavor, it is not, by definition, a chocolate cake. Rather, it’s a devil's food cake that's made with cocoa, white vinegar, baking soda, and buttermilk. The deep red color comes from red food dye, and the cake is traditionally iced in rich cream cheese frosting. Legend has it that the cake was actually born in the North, at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. But there's no question that regardless of its origins, it has become a Southern specialty.
Some bakers out there seem to think all they need is red batter and white frosting to make red velvet cake. Not so, says Nicole, who has eight rules for the truly authentic red velvet cake:
1. The cake must have some cocoa, but not too much because it is not a chocolate cake.
2. The cake must have red food coloring; beet juice does not add the right kind of red.
3. The cake must have cream cheese frosting.
4. There should be pecans. (This was news to me.)
5. You must use high-quality ingredients, including White Lily flour, a Southern specialty flour.
6. Precise measurements and meticulous attention to detail are key for this cake; therefore, it must be made in small, easy-to handle, family-sized batches. (Mass-produced batter just doesn't cut it. Sorry, large-scale bakeries.)
7. You must use a hand-held electric mixer, not a stand mixer: Larger machines can over-mix the batter, which sometimes prevents the cake from rising properly. 8. Red velvet cake batter needs vegetable oil, not butter or shortening. Oil yields a very moist cake.
I've looked around for a recipe and was thrilled to discover this one, which incorporates all eight essentials for the perfect red velvet cake.
Paula Deen’s Red Velvet Cupcakes from Food Network
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 pound cream cheese, softened
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
- Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish
Garnish with chopped pecans, fresh raspberry or strawberry, or sprinkles.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Garlic Chili and Shel Silverstein
You may be thinking "How are Garlic Chili and Shel Silverstein related?" They're not, really. I just wanted to let you know a little about Big Brothers B and C.
Triple B is 9 years old and in 3rd grade. He is the food connoisseur of the family. He is the pickiest, but the hungriest food lover in the family. I try to cook them delicious food as often as possible. The parents don't make me, but I LOVE to cook and their kitchen is HOOKED UP! Right now, I've got Garlic Chile simmering on the stove. This one was submitted by B last year for his school's cook book, and a family favorite. The recipe is as follows:
2-3 lb. ground beef
1 can chicken broth
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can of spicy chili beans
2-3 heaping tsp. of chopped garlic
1/4 c. chili powder
(chili or habanero peppers optional)
I hope it tastes like their mamma's!
Big Brother C is in first grade (6 years old) and a top reader. He can read the same stuff as B, but a little slower. Lately he's been addicted to Shel Silverstein and we've been reading his poems every day after school. This is so fun for me, I really love his poems and accompanying drawings. We've been reading Falling Up, but I remember enjoying Where the Sidewalk Ends much more.
I remember having to perform some of his poems for visiting seniors when I was in third grade. I'm not sure which poem I performed solo, but I did help on another poem with a few other kids. And I volunteered to make the giant Anteater. I think I did that because I kind of liked one of the boys in the group. Most likely no one else wanted to make it and I am a pushover. I think that book is in a closet upstairs . . . I want to find it before the boys get home from school.
Side note** Baby V can't stop saying "mama" and "dada" today. But mostly "mama." I think he misses someone <3
Triple B is 9 years old and in 3rd grade. He is the food connoisseur of the family. He is the pickiest, but the hungriest food lover in the family. I try to cook them delicious food as often as possible. The parents don't make me, but I LOVE to cook and their kitchen is HOOKED UP! Right now, I've got Garlic Chile simmering on the stove. This one was submitted by B last year for his school's cook book, and a family favorite. The recipe is as follows:
2-3 lb. ground beef
1 can chicken broth
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can of spicy chili beans
2-3 heaping tsp. of chopped garlic
1/4 c. chili powder
(chili or habanero peppers optional)
I hope it tastes like their mamma's!
Big Brother C is in first grade (6 years old) and a top reader. He can read the same stuff as B, but a little slower. Lately he's been addicted to Shel Silverstein and we've been reading his poems every day after school. This is so fun for me, I really love his poems and accompanying drawings. We've been reading Falling Up, but I remember enjoying Where the Sidewalk Ends much more.
I remember having to perform some of his poems for visiting seniors when I was in third grade. I'm not sure which poem I performed solo, but I did help on another poem with a few other kids. And I volunteered to make the giant Anteater. I think I did that because I kind of liked one of the boys in the group. Most likely no one else wanted to make it and I am a pushover. I think that book is in a closet upstairs . . . I want to find it before the boys get home from school.
Side note** Baby V can't stop saying "mama" and "dada" today. But mostly "mama." I think he misses someone <3
Babies are Cute Sponges
To start, I want to thank my followers. Thank you for your support and interest. I hope to become more interesting and never let you down.
Now, have any of you ever see Dana Carvey's 1995 standup "Critic's Choice?" I know my dad has; my brothers and I used to force him to watch the funny parts. It is still in my top 5 of funniest stand-up performances ever. Well, my top three. I can only think of three right now: Eddie Izzard's "Dress to Kill," Eddie Izzard's "Live From Wembly," and the above mentioned "Critic's Choice."
There's a bit in Dana's standup when he talks about fatherhood. Some of the highlights include "It's Nakey Time!" and the trip to the toy store with your kids. The best is when Dana talks about how kids can be soooo cute that you think you could die. In his example, his little boy, Dex asks him, "Daddy . . . does God have feet?" And Dana holds his chest, goes weak in the knees, and reaches for something to steady him as he proclaims "Can't move . . . child . . . too cute!" Netflix it.
Baby V gave me a few moments like that yesterday. First, I kissed the top of his head and he gave me his head two more times so that I may kiss it. A little bit later, as we were organizing his toys into two piles (things that could potentially be alive and inanimate objects) he kissed every stuffed animal thing as I gave it to him to add to the pile. I caught him doing the absolute sweetest thing much later in the afternoon. I was in the kitchen folding laundry while he did his own thing in the living room. I noticed how quite things were and became suspicious. You know when you don't hear anything, they must be up to no good, right? When I peeped into the living room, I found this baby with a dry wipe in his hand and happily cleaning the big chest by the window that holds the blankets. He was cleaning and cleaning and wiping in circular motions. I got my phone and made a quick video to share with his parents because it was just too precious!
He saw me recording him and he just continued to clean; wiping down the arms of the comfy chairs, the window sill, etc. He would wipe and check for dirt under his cloth, turn it around, and keep wiping. When he got to the edge he would kind of sweep his cleaning hand across and off of it as if he were throwing crumbs to the ground to be swept up/vacuumed later. Wow. I clean surfaces a lot. And babies absorb more than we realize.
Now, have any of you ever see Dana Carvey's 1995 standup "Critic's Choice?" I know my dad has; my brothers and I used to force him to watch the funny parts. It is still in my top 5 of funniest stand-up performances ever. Well, my top three. I can only think of three right now: Eddie Izzard's "Dress to Kill," Eddie Izzard's "Live From Wembly," and the above mentioned "Critic's Choice."
There's a bit in Dana's standup when he talks about fatherhood. Some of the highlights include "It's Nakey Time!" and the trip to the toy store with your kids. The best is when Dana talks about how kids can be soooo cute that you think you could die. In his example, his little boy, Dex asks him, "Daddy . . . does God have feet?" And Dana holds his chest, goes weak in the knees, and reaches for something to steady him as he proclaims "Can't move . . . child . . . too cute!" Netflix it.
Baby V gave me a few moments like that yesterday. First, I kissed the top of his head and he gave me his head two more times so that I may kiss it. A little bit later, as we were organizing his toys into two piles (things that could potentially be alive and inanimate objects) he kissed every stuffed animal thing as I gave it to him to add to the pile. I caught him doing the absolute sweetest thing much later in the afternoon. I was in the kitchen folding laundry while he did his own thing in the living room. I noticed how quite things were and became suspicious. You know when you don't hear anything, they must be up to no good, right? When I peeped into the living room, I found this baby with a dry wipe in his hand and happily cleaning the big chest by the window that holds the blankets. He was cleaning and cleaning and wiping in circular motions. I got my phone and made a quick video to share with his parents because it was just too precious!
He saw me recording him and he just continued to clean; wiping down the arms of the comfy chairs, the window sill, etc. He would wipe and check for dirt under his cloth, turn it around, and keep wiping. When he got to the edge he would kind of sweep his cleaning hand across and off of it as if he were throwing crumbs to the ground to be swept up/vacuumed later. Wow. I clean surfaces a lot. And babies absorb more than we realize.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
V says "Vvvvv" . . . and V says "Vvvvv"
Well, I rinsed off the garbanzo bean before I gave it to the baby. It was spicier than I remember, and spicey spices for a baby makes for an achy belly for baby and terrible clean-up time for you and me. It's probably needless to say that he didn't like the garbanzo bean. And we didn't make cabbage. I'm sure he was disappointed.
On a funnier note, check out this News in Photos from the Onion: http://www.theonion.com/articles/4yearolds-idea-of-barbie-ken-marriage-involves-lot,9912/
If only we could have those ideas about love and marriage for a little longer. Big Brother A just had a field trip to the Robert Crown Center a few weeks ago. If you didn't take a mandatory field trip there in 5th grade, consider yourself blessed. This is a necessary, but horrifying experience for the young kids. They go to learn about sex education, STD's, the dangers of smoking and drugs, etc. I don't remember my experience very clearly, but I do remember it was a lot of the same info we learned in class, but delivered with IMAX-like visuals. It was like a twisted ride at Disney World; sitting in pods and staring at huge screens. The seats lock you in and force you to watch. I'm sure Brother A felt like Alex in A Clockwork Orange.
Brother A had been dreading this field trip since I started working with them in October. The more he dreaded it the more excited I became for him to go. I'm not sure why it amused me so much. I imagine its probably akin to the joy grandparents feel when their grandchildren stress out the parents. When Big A got home that day, he walked into the door, dropped his huge backpack on the floor and without looking at me, informed me that he wasn't hungry for a snack. His dad tried to ask how long the bus ride was, and the poor kid was so disgusted from his experience he interrupted his dad with "I don't want to talk about it!" We left it at that.
On a funnier note, check out this News in Photos from the Onion: http://www.theonion.com/articles/4yearolds-idea-of-barbie-ken-marriage-involves-lot,9912/
If only we could have those ideas about love and marriage for a little longer. Big Brother A just had a field trip to the Robert Crown Center a few weeks ago. If you didn't take a mandatory field trip there in 5th grade, consider yourself blessed. This is a necessary, but horrifying experience for the young kids. They go to learn about sex education, STD's, the dangers of smoking and drugs, etc. I don't remember my experience very clearly, but I do remember it was a lot of the same info we learned in class, but delivered with IMAX-like visuals. It was like a twisted ride at Disney World; sitting in pods and staring at huge screens. The seats lock you in and force you to watch. I'm sure Brother A felt like Alex in A Clockwork Orange.
Brother A had been dreading this field trip since I started working with them in October. The more he dreaded it the more excited I became for him to go. I'm not sure why it amused me so much. I imagine its probably akin to the joy grandparents feel when their grandchildren stress out the parents. When Big A got home that day, he walked into the door, dropped his huge backpack on the floor and without looking at me, informed me that he wasn't hungry for a snack. His dad tried to ask how long the bus ride was, and the poor kid was so disgusted from his experience he interrupted his dad with "I don't want to talk about it!" We left it at that.
Monday, February 7, 2011
OMG!
Baby V just took 14 steps toward me and his toys! I know he's walked for his folks and his brothers, and I've seen him stand--but he just walked for real! . . . . That was so exciting . . . .
Get the baby!
Baby V's first birthday party was this past Saturday. It was a blast! He was sooooo good.
This is a happy baby. He never cries and never minds when people put things on his head. He just lets it be there. He played on the floor for five minutes one time with a wash rag on his head. I wasn't trying to be cruel; I was just trying to distract him for a bit while I switched out the laundry.When his daddy and I were making gourmet cupcakes for his upcoming party, I put a fancy paper cupcake cup on his head like a little fez hat and he cooperated long enough to let his daddy get a picture. Anyway, he was such a sport wearing his balloon jester birthday hat long enough to take 100 photos.
This is the Monday after the party. I'll arrive at 8: 30, see the Brothers off to school, play and nap. V will nap, I will not. When he gets up round lunch time, I'll see if he likes prepackaged Chana Masala (curried garbanzo beans) and cabbage!
This is a happy baby. He never cries and never minds when people put things on his head. He just lets it be there. He played on the floor for five minutes one time with a wash rag on his head. I wasn't trying to be cruel; I was just trying to distract him for a bit while I switched out the laundry.When his daddy and I were making gourmet cupcakes for his upcoming party, I put a fancy paper cupcake cup on his head like a little fez hat and he cooperated long enough to let his daddy get a picture. Anyway, he was such a sport wearing his balloon jester birthday hat long enough to take 100 photos.
This is the Monday after the party. I'll arrive at 8: 30, see the Brothers off to school, play and nap. V will nap, I will not. When he gets up round lunch time, I'll see if he likes prepackaged Chana Masala (curried garbanzo beans) and cabbage!
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