Well it’s that time of year again. It’s time to turn in the shorts and tank tops for jeans and sweaters. The time of year where that slight chill in the air makes for the perfect sleeping weather. When days get shorter and nights get longer. Yes, it’s safe to say that fall has officially arrived!
This weekend my family and I traveled up to Massachusetts to visit my brother and sister-in-law. As we traveled through the various areas of New England, you can’t help but notice that fall is in full bloom. Out the window, the road is lined with golden yellow, burnt orange and chardonnay red leaves that create this beautifully picturesque fall landscape. The local fruit stands that were selling blueberries and corn are now selling apples. And the quaint, Cap Cod homes of Massachusetts are now decorated with mums and pumpkins, replacing the tulips and roses that once lined the landscape.
But one of the best ways to officially mark fall’s arrival is not with the changing of the leaves, but with the changing of the flavors. The cool fall brings with it the warmth of delicious desserts like apple pie and gingerbread and the comfort of meals like pot roast and butternut squash soup. Pumpkin spice and cinnamon invigorate your senses and sweet cranberries bring a burst of freshness to the crisp air. Hot cocoa and warm apple cider soothe the soul and childhood favorites like s’mores and candy apples make you want to jump into a big pile of leaves. These are the flavors of fall that draw us all in from the cold, to the warm dinner table or the cozy fire.
So no matter where you are at this time of year, make sure you take a moment to enjoy all the wonderful flavors of fall, and of course, make sure you share them with the people you love.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Who doesn’t love a cupcake?
Now I don’t know about you, but I LOVE cupcakes. In fact the other day I was making a batch of pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and as I was frosting them, all I could think was how happy I would be if, for the rest of my life, all I did was make cupcakes.
There is something so special and magical about these little cakes. It’s hard for me to even put into words how wonderful cupcakes really are, but I know you all know what I mean when I talk about the goodness they bring to any and all occasions. There’s that tinge of excitement that overcomes you as your eyes first hone in on the frosting of these individually-sized cakes. Cupcake sized mounds of vanilla, chocolate, or cream cheese frosting (to name a few), decorated to compliment the occasion. Fun and festive or intricate and elegant, with or without sprinkles, perfectly piped on or casually smeared on, piled high or simply covering…the frosting, at first, is the obvious star. But then you pull off the wrapper, and unveil that light and fluffy cake that lies below the frosted surface, and that initial tinge of excitement turns into a full body burst of exhilaration. Then you take a bite, and then another, and then another. And for those few moments, it’s as if all your troubles go away, and life becomes as light and sweet and fun as a cupcake.
So in having a full appreciation for the joy that we all get from eating cupcakes, it makes baking them even more special. With that, I would like to share with you a red velvet cupcake recipe that has become a favorite among my family and friends. But please note there is one ingredient missing that makes these, and any cupcake complete…LOVE.
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients for the cupcakes:
15 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
13 ounces granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons red food coloring
1 1/4 teaspoons vinegar (white or apple cider can both work)
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 cup water
For the cream cheese frosting :
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese , room temperature
1 pound butter, room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.
In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.
Line a 16-cup cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
For the cream cheese frosting:
Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.
Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.
There is something so special and magical about these little cakes. It’s hard for me to even put into words how wonderful cupcakes really are, but I know you all know what I mean when I talk about the goodness they bring to any and all occasions. There’s that tinge of excitement that overcomes you as your eyes first hone in on the frosting of these individually-sized cakes. Cupcake sized mounds of vanilla, chocolate, or cream cheese frosting (to name a few), decorated to compliment the occasion. Fun and festive or intricate and elegant, with or without sprinkles, perfectly piped on or casually smeared on, piled high or simply covering…the frosting, at first, is the obvious star. But then you pull off the wrapper, and unveil that light and fluffy cake that lies below the frosted surface, and that initial tinge of excitement turns into a full body burst of exhilaration. Then you take a bite, and then another, and then another. And for those few moments, it’s as if all your troubles go away, and life becomes as light and sweet and fun as a cupcake.
So in having a full appreciation for the joy that we all get from eating cupcakes, it makes baking them even more special. With that, I would like to share with you a red velvet cupcake recipe that has become a favorite among my family and friends. But please note there is one ingredient missing that makes these, and any cupcake complete…LOVE.
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients for the cupcakes:
15 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
13 ounces granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons red food coloring
1 1/4 teaspoons vinegar (white or apple cider can both work)
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 cup water
For the cream cheese frosting :
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese , room temperature
1 pound butter, room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.
In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.
Line a 16-cup cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
For the cream cheese frosting:
Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.
Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Love those Perfect Pairings
It seems that in life, we are constantly searching to find the perfect pair. For most of us, this search mainly consists of trying to find the person with whom you can spend the rest of your life with. It’s a search that varies from person to person. Some find it right away; some have to search a little bit longer. There is no secret formula, no map or path laid out before you, it’s just something that falls into your lap, and when it does, the magic that can occur is unlike any other. Two beings, brought together, who once they find each other, can only be seen as one.
On a personal note, I happen to be one of those people whose search is taking a little longer. Now you may be thinking, how is it that I can even talk about this when I am still searching for that person, my perfect pairing if you will? Well even though I am still on the lookout, it doesn’t mean that I can’t appreciate when others’ discover their other half. Over the past few years, many of my dear friends and family have had this wonderful experience, and along the way I have had a front row seat to all of it. Not to mention the privilege I have had in getting to admire the relationships of my parents and grandparents who have all been shining example of how two become one.
So in honor of these perfect unions, I thought I would take a moment to pay homage to foods’ perfect pairings. There are certain foods that come together like a beautiful symphony, creating that perfect combination of flavors, bringing nothing but joy to our taste buds. In fact they are so good together, that they can only be seen as food soul mates.
Here are a few of the classics (both sweet and savory) for your viewing pleasure:
Strawberries and Cream
Salt and Pepper
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Peppers and Onions
Macaroni and Cheese
Potato Chips and Dip
Chocolate and Peanut Butter
Prosciutto and Melon
Apples and Cinnamon
Milk and Cookies
Bacon and Eggs
Lamb and Mint
Cookies and Cream
Blueberries and Pancakes
Rice and Beans
Lemon and Lime
Bread and Butter
Hummus and Pitas
Fish and Chips
Oil and Vinegar
Cheese and Crackers
Peas and Carrots
Corn beef and Cabbage
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Tomato and Basil
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Please take this moment with me, to appreciate the power of two!
On a personal note, I happen to be one of those people whose search is taking a little longer. Now you may be thinking, how is it that I can even talk about this when I am still searching for that person, my perfect pairing if you will? Well even though I am still on the lookout, it doesn’t mean that I can’t appreciate when others’ discover their other half. Over the past few years, many of my dear friends and family have had this wonderful experience, and along the way I have had a front row seat to all of it. Not to mention the privilege I have had in getting to admire the relationships of my parents and grandparents who have all been shining example of how two become one.
So in honor of these perfect unions, I thought I would take a moment to pay homage to foods’ perfect pairings. There are certain foods that come together like a beautiful symphony, creating that perfect combination of flavors, bringing nothing but joy to our taste buds. In fact they are so good together, that they can only be seen as food soul mates.
Here are a few of the classics (both sweet and savory) for your viewing pleasure:
Strawberries and Cream
Salt and Pepper
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Peppers and Onions
Macaroni and Cheese
Potato Chips and Dip
Chocolate and Peanut Butter
Prosciutto and Melon
Apples and Cinnamon
Milk and Cookies
Bacon and Eggs
Lamb and Mint
Cookies and Cream
Blueberries and Pancakes
Rice and Beans
Lemon and Lime
Bread and Butter
Hummus and Pitas
Fish and Chips
Oil and Vinegar
Cheese and Crackers
Peas and Carrots
Corn beef and Cabbage
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Tomato and Basil
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Please take this moment with me, to appreciate the power of two!
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