Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Weird comfort foods
This post is going to be really random, but I'm curious and I hope I'm not the only weirdo here. Are there certain foods that seem totally gross to everyone else, but you think are awesome? Last night I made my mom's not-so-famous "fancy hors d'oeuvres" She and I have been eating this concoction since I was little. It stemmed from having bare cupboards and making up a snack when she was a kid. When she was 8 she entered it into a cookbook, and...it made it in! Ready? This is going to sounds really nasty, but I love it...saltines with mayonaise and a pickle slice. Horrible, right? Please tell me there is something you love that no one else can relate to. Stories, please!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
If you like pina coladas...
and gettin caught in the rain (excuse me while I burst into song...we'll get to the cupcakes in a minute...)
ahem. now I'm ready...these tasty buggers were a big hit at the birthday party I brought them to. I can't think of anyone who stopped at just one... When you make these (because I know you will - who can resist?) give them a day to rest - they were much better the day after I made them. I was a bit disappointed when I first tested them out, but after they sat overnight...yummo. Also, don't judge on cake alone. The texture is more muffin-y than cake-y, but you need it to be firm to stand up to the big old glob of pudding you're going to put in the middle (and you all know my feelings about things with pudding, right? If not, refer back to my eggnog pie recipe :-) )
makes 24 cupcakes
Pineapple-Coconut Cake
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1-1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 cup crushed pineapple in juice, well drained (save the juice)
1/3 cup of the pineapple juice you just drained off
1/3 cup coconut milk
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cupcake pan with liners.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
In a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the whole eggs in and then add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Decrease to low speed and add the crushed pineapple. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the pineapple juice/coconut milk, beginning and ending with dry.
Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes.
While you are baking the cupcakes, you can now start on the really good stuff. To make the coconut pudding for the centers, make instant vanilla pudding according to the pudding pie instructions on the box and then stir in a few teaspoons of coconut extract to taste. I needed more than I thought I would, probably about 3-1/2 teaspoons before it was sufficiently coconutty. I also made a batch with the jello instant coconut cream pudding mix. Don't go down this road. Use the vanilla and coconut extract. It was just vanilla pudding with coconut bits in it. It did not have the flavor of coconut, it was just vanilla pudding with a weird texture. blah.
After you get done stirring up the coconut deliciousness, move on to making the crack. Wait...I mean the pineapple-rum whipped cream. Go ahead and try to restrain yourself from this fluffy bowl of heaven. Won't. Happen. In a stand mixer, whisk together 3 cups of heavy whipping cream and 4 Tablespoons of sugar. Start on low and bump it up to as fast as it will go without splattering. Continue until you have stiff peaks, but don't let it go so far that you turn it into butter. Fold in pineapple rum, I think I put in about 4 Tablespoons.
Now that all your beautiful golden cupcakes are cool, cut a cone out of the center and cut off the point (and then remove some of the middle too - we're filling this sucker with pudding, don't be cheap) Add a nice big spoonful or two of the coconut creme filling. Put the top of the cupcake cone back over the filling. Pipe the pineapple rum whipped cream on top and then garnish with toasted coconut, a cherry, and if you're feeling really fiesty, a drink umbrella .
Take a big bite and signal to the pool boy that you need lotioned. (or other beach fantasy of choice) :-)
ahem. now I'm ready...these tasty buggers were a big hit at the birthday party I brought them to. I can't think of anyone who stopped at just one... When you make these (because I know you will - who can resist?) give them a day to rest - they were much better the day after I made them. I was a bit disappointed when I first tested them out, but after they sat overnight...yummo. Also, don't judge on cake alone. The texture is more muffin-y than cake-y, but you need it to be firm to stand up to the big old glob of pudding you're going to put in the middle (and you all know my feelings about things with pudding, right? If not, refer back to my eggnog pie recipe :-) )
makes 24 cupcakes
Pineapple-Coconut Cake
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1-1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 cup crushed pineapple in juice, well drained (save the juice)
1/3 cup of the pineapple juice you just drained off
1/3 cup coconut milk
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cupcake pan with liners.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
In a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the whole eggs in and then add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Decrease to low speed and add the crushed pineapple. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the pineapple juice/coconut milk, beginning and ending with dry.
Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes.
While you are baking the cupcakes, you can now start on the really good stuff. To make the coconut pudding for the centers, make instant vanilla pudding according to the pudding pie instructions on the box and then stir in a few teaspoons of coconut extract to taste. I needed more than I thought I would, probably about 3-1/2 teaspoons before it was sufficiently coconutty. I also made a batch with the jello instant coconut cream pudding mix. Don't go down this road. Use the vanilla and coconut extract. It was just vanilla pudding with coconut bits in it. It did not have the flavor of coconut, it was just vanilla pudding with a weird texture. blah.
After you get done stirring up the coconut deliciousness, move on to making the crack. Wait...I mean the pineapple-rum whipped cream. Go ahead and try to restrain yourself from this fluffy bowl of heaven. Won't. Happen. In a stand mixer, whisk together 3 cups of heavy whipping cream and 4 Tablespoons of sugar. Start on low and bump it up to as fast as it will go without splattering. Continue until you have stiff peaks, but don't let it go so far that you turn it into butter. Fold in pineapple rum, I think I put in about 4 Tablespoons.
Now that all your beautiful golden cupcakes are cool, cut a cone out of the center and cut off the point (and then remove some of the middle too - we're filling this sucker with pudding, don't be cheap) Add a nice big spoonful or two of the coconut creme filling. Put the top of the cupcake cone back over the filling. Pipe the pineapple rum whipped cream on top and then garnish with toasted coconut, a cherry, and if you're feeling really fiesty, a drink umbrella .
Take a big bite and signal to the pool boy that you need lotioned. (or other beach fantasy of choice) :-)
We're baaaack
Whew! It's definitely been a while. Sorry for taking such a long break. Jenny and I have been up to lots of other projects that unfortunately left little time for our poor, neglected bloggy...
I have found that I may need an ebay intervention - once the moolah starts rollin in, it's addictive! I've been an ebay nut lately, putting up new auctions every few days and going to the post office almost daily. Jenny has been a busy bee starting up a much more exciting business venture, and I highly suggest you check it out at www.cardinalphotographync.com This girl is a genius behind the camera! If you live in the Charlotte, NC area, trust me - you don't want to miss out hiring her for your next event. (yes, a shameless plug, but she's my BFF and she is AWESOME.)
I'll try to post more regularly now that I have a handle on the other stuff going on, and I'll start off with some kick butt cupcakes I made the other day. It's a mix of several different recipes I found and then tweaked. Stay tuned :-)
I have found that I may need an ebay intervention - once the moolah starts rollin in, it's addictive! I've been an ebay nut lately, putting up new auctions every few days and going to the post office almost daily. Jenny has been a busy bee starting up a much more exciting business venture, and I highly suggest you check it out at www.cardinalphotographync.com This girl is a genius behind the camera! If you live in the Charlotte, NC area, trust me - you don't want to miss out hiring her for your next event. (yes, a shameless plug, but she's my BFF and she is AWESOME.)
I'll try to post more regularly now that I have a handle on the other stuff going on, and I'll start off with some kick butt cupcakes I made the other day. It's a mix of several different recipes I found and then tweaked. Stay tuned :-)
Friday, January 21, 2011
Locker Room Rant
While this isn’t the typical material we include in this blog, I’m going to go out on a limb here because I feel the need to discuss an aspect of my typical morning at the gym I go to.
Why is it that people feel the need to treat public locker rooms like their private bathroom at home? Honestly, I know there’s not a whole lot of privacy to be found, but come on! I refuse to change in public and immediately head for one of the changing stalls. I suppose it’s a good thing that some people feel comfortable with themselves and aren’t self conscious, but whoa nelly, there’s a line between openly changing and traipsing around in all your glory. Once I see your business, I can’t unsee it, no matter how hard I try to etch-a-sketch erase my brain of that visual.
There are two people that make me particularly uncomfortable. First, the lady who is very nice, but wants to strike up a conversation when she’s in the buff. Cover your lady bits before you try to make eye contact and speak with me! Please! Just because you have no boundaries with strangers doesn’t mean I don’t.
And the piece de resistance, the woman who has no concept of where she is. This is not your house. You don’t own the place. While I don’t want to see anybody flaunting themselves around, this woman is a special brand of pleasefortheloveofjeebusputsomeclotheson. She stands at the very entrance of the locker room, making it impossible to pass without maneuvering around her scantily clad bum. Am I wrong to think it’s rude to bend over and dry your hair and then stand there for 15 minutes applying makeup sans pants? She’s maybe 55 or so, and wears nude colored undergarments. Even though this happens everyday, it still plays games with your mind when for that split second you think you’re going to get an eyeful of ahhhh! In addition to the camouflage, the elastic has clearly seen better days. If your girls are competing for space with your belly button, you may need to look into more support. Also, if your bra is completely worn thin and you feel the need to bounce around as you collect your things, well, just don’t. Do not.
I don’t think I’m over reacting here. There is a line that can be crossed, no? What’s your opinion…am I a complete prude or is there a complete lack of common courtesy going on here?
Why is it that people feel the need to treat public locker rooms like their private bathroom at home? Honestly, I know there’s not a whole lot of privacy to be found, but come on! I refuse to change in public and immediately head for one of the changing stalls. I suppose it’s a good thing that some people feel comfortable with themselves and aren’t self conscious, but whoa nelly, there’s a line between openly changing and traipsing around in all your glory. Once I see your business, I can’t unsee it, no matter how hard I try to etch-a-sketch erase my brain of that visual.
There are two people that make me particularly uncomfortable. First, the lady who is very nice, but wants to strike up a conversation when she’s in the buff. Cover your lady bits before you try to make eye contact and speak with me! Please! Just because you have no boundaries with strangers doesn’t mean I don’t.
And the piece de resistance, the woman who has no concept of where she is. This is not your house. You don’t own the place. While I don’t want to see anybody flaunting themselves around, this woman is a special brand of pleasefortheloveofjeebusputsomeclotheson. She stands at the very entrance of the locker room, making it impossible to pass without maneuvering around her scantily clad bum. Am I wrong to think it’s rude to bend over and dry your hair and then stand there for 15 minutes applying makeup sans pants? She’s maybe 55 or so, and wears nude colored undergarments. Even though this happens everyday, it still plays games with your mind when for that split second you think you’re going to get an eyeful of ahhhh! In addition to the camouflage, the elastic has clearly seen better days. If your girls are competing for space with your belly button, you may need to look into more support. Also, if your bra is completely worn thin and you feel the need to bounce around as you collect your things, well, just don’t. Do not.
I don’t think I’m over reacting here. There is a line that can be crossed, no? What’s your opinion…am I a complete prude or is there a complete lack of common courtesy going on here?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Hold the phone. Cutest. Accessory. Ever.
I guarantee you’re going to want one (or more) of these! I got this as a little gift from my cousin, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy one for everyone I know. It’s a pretty little red rose with a green stem. The rose flips inside out and becomes a tote bag (a decent size one, too!) and the green stem is the draw string. How adorable! You can go green in style :-) Sorry for the bad pic, but it’s from my cell. It’ll give you an idea, though. If you want to see more, check them out at DCIgifts.com. In addition to the rose, they have adorable bumblebees, lady bugs, and farm animals, as well as some holiday ones, assorted fruit, and planet earth. I wish I would have known about these before Christmas, because I would have got a bunch for stocking stuffers…oh well, there’s always birthdays!
[caption id="attachment_649" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="rose bag"]
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[caption id="attachment_649" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="rose bag"]
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Chinese Chicken
Okay, all you specialists of Asian cooking/cuisine - clearly this is not an authentic recipe. This recipe is not actually from China, and it is probably not served in a Chinese restaurant of any kind. I'm Italian. I admit it. I don't know the first thing about using a wok. What I DO know, however, is that my Gram used to make this for me when our family had our annual Chinese New Year dinner. Also, I had (real) Chinese food last night, so I now I have a real hankerin' for this. It's an easy, delicious, do-it-yourself version of sweet and sour chicken. It's delicious on its own, or with the sweet and sour sauce. Here's how to make it:
CHICKEN:
boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
soft fresh breadcrumbs (go ahead and make your own!)
garlic salt
milk
Cut the chicken in chunks/cubes, place in a dish and sprinkle it with garlic salt. Cover the chicken with milk, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour. Once the chicken has marinaded, roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs and fry them in a skillet until brown, then place in a baking dish and bake covered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
SWEET AND SOUR PINEAPPLE SAUCE:
Get a large can of pineapple chunks and drain, saving 1 cup of pineapple juice from the can. In a saucepan, heat the juice along with 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Cook until the sauce thickens, then add the pineapple chunks back into the sauce.
CHICKEN:
boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
soft fresh breadcrumbs (go ahead and make your own!)
garlic salt
milk
Cut the chicken in chunks/cubes, place in a dish and sprinkle it with garlic salt. Cover the chicken with milk, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour. Once the chicken has marinaded, roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs and fry them in a skillet until brown, then place in a baking dish and bake covered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
SWEET AND SOUR PINEAPPLE SAUCE:
Get a large can of pineapple chunks and drain, saving 1 cup of pineapple juice from the can. In a saucepan, heat the juice along with 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Cook until the sauce thickens, then add the pineapple chunks back into the sauce.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Southern Snowpocalypse
I really should have taken pictures while it was snowing, but I couldn't bring myself to leave the toasty confines of this apartment to go out onto the ice rink/parking lot to take them. Also, it was cold. Hey, have I mentioned that it was too cold?
So anyway, these pictures were taken on Tuesday, just before I started to try to unbury my car, and a day after all of the snow fell. Some of the snow had started to melt, but this is a pretty decent amount. And it is topped with a generous smattering of ice. Gross.
Top: My little car, buried. Bottom: Kelli, attempting to start her car. Notice her awesome hat.
So anyway, these pictures were taken on Tuesday, just before I started to try to unbury my car, and a day after all of the snow fell. Some of the snow had started to melt, but this is a pretty decent amount. And it is topped with a generous smattering of ice. Gross.
Top: My little car, buried. Bottom: Kelli, attempting to start her car. Notice her awesome hat.
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