Birthday Parties and Buttercream

It was Rosie's birthday party over the weekend.  It was a fun bouncy castle party at the local recreation centre, which are the best since it does not require pre and post cleaning as an at home party needs.  The kids ran around for an hour and then snacked, caked and hit each other with balloon swords for another hour, glorious.

I wanted decided to try a different recipe for the chocolate cup cakes with yellow icing that little miss wanted and I decided to that she wanted cupcakes that I could at least make a lovely pretty, pretty princess dress out of them, a la Pinterest. I didn't really have a pan large enough to lay it and I was totally lazy in now wanting to figure something else out.  So it was little smaller and of course, I didn't get any pictures at the party but this was an earlier picture at home.  I did not get a chance to pin the belt down, although I did use double sided tape and take a piece of parchment to the underside of the ribbon so it didn't absorb the butter.  Little miss liked it, so that is good. 

I have a good chocolate cake recipe that I got from a local restaurant.  It is a sponge recipe since it uses oil but unlike all the other cake recipes I have seen this adds boiling water at the end.  The cupcake recipe also is this type of sponge, it has a lovely moist tender crumb.  It is not brownie like it in its density but is more substantial then other cupcake recipes.  I like me with some body to them :)

It has taken me years to figure out why I don't like buttercream icing  and how to fix it.  Buttercream is too sweet for me.  The only way to make it better is to make it less sweet.  With a such a simple set of ingredients the obvious solution would be to change the ratios.  It is such a simple solution I didn't even think of it until now.  So now we all know that to make buttercream less sweet add more butter.

Chocolate Cupcakes
Original recipe from addapinch.com
makes 12, easily multiplied for a larger batch

1 cup AP Flour
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Espresso Powder
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup Boiling Water

~Preheat oven to 325 and place muffin liners in muffin tray

~In the bowl of a stand mixer (or it can be done by hand or with a hand mixer) add all dry ingredients.  Blend until thoroughly mixed, about 1 minute.

~Add milk, oil, egg and vanilla.  Once oven is up to temperature then add the boiling water and beat on high for another minute.

~Fill muffin liners 3/4 full and bake 12-15 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

~Allow to cool completely before icing.


Best Buttercream Evar
originally from addapinch.com 
makes 4 1/2 cup (I used a double batch to ice 36 cupcakes, with a rosette pattern and very little leftovers)

1 cup Butter, softened
3-4 cups Icing Sugar, sifted
2 tsp Vanilla (I used clear artificial this time, but I usually just use real vanilla)
Pinch salt (if using unsalted butter)
2-3 tbsp Milk, Heavy Cream or Half-and-half)


~Add soft butter to the bowl of a stand mixer (can do this by hand as well) and beat for 4-5 minutes.  This will incorporate air and lighten the colour.  

~Add icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time and beat well with each addition, 10-20 seconds. 

~Add vanilla and salt (if adding) and mix well.

~Add milk as needed.  If the icing needs to be softer then add more milk, 1 tbsp at a time.  If it is to stiff, then add more sifted icing sugar.

Last Day of Winter Break

For some reason I thought it would be good idea to make Waffles for the kids breakfast on the day before they go back to the school.  Today is the last day of the girls Christmas vacation.  I am looking forward to Tuesday morning.  I have been running a bit frazzled lately, being sick and having the kids fight a bunch of the time.

In 2009, I put together a cookbook for Lady Bird's preschool.  I put a lot of effort into it and I am really proud of what I made.  I still use my copy of the cookbook and I will probably try to put one together for the kids in the future.  I did manage to teach myself how to use Microsoft Publisher and get a really neat cookbook out of the deal :)

This recipe was submitted by Jacqueline.  Delicious!

Spiced Pumpkin Waffles
Makes about 8 waffles
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
4 Eggs
2 cups Buttermilk
1 cup Pumpkin puree
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla
Non-stick spray

~Preheat waffle iron
~Whisk flour, bk powder, bk soday, and all the spices.
~In another bowl whisk together all the wet ingredients.
~Add dry to wet and mix until smooth
~Spray preheated iron and pour in some batter.
~Once they are cooked serve with whipped cream and maple syrup.  

~If there are any leftover waffles, cool them and place then in the freezer in a single layer.  Once frozen, place in zip top bag for later.  Then just toast them up and serve.

I Need a Post Vacation, Vacation.

We got back home after a long week in Whistler.  We had a bit of snow, a lot of friends, and a bunch of sickies.  Little man had a fever and was a whiny, whiny boy.  Lady Bird was also a melty kid.  Rosie was the only one who didn't seem too affected by the sick, although she has been super tired and whiny today.  

We left a day early since I was worried about a snow storm that was headed our way and we were in my hubby's car which didn't have winter tires, we didn't have chains, and it is a 2 wheel drive car, and I did not want to chance it.  We arrived late last night; in the process of unpacking the car I had to put the left over food away and discovered a week left alone made the veggie crisper rather disgusting, so I had clean it out at like 10pm at night, yuck!

After spending the day doing laundry and even folding it, again yuck!  Cleaning the kitchen, and again feeling yucky all day.  So after a day like that I didn't want to make anything too taxing especially with Little Man being demanding in his high pitched voice that always seems to be whiny when I have a headache.  He still doesn't get that asking over and over will not get him what he wants.  I am hoping that this stage of language development, developes a bit faster.

Back to tonight's dinner, I made a cabbage soup.  I know that sounds rather boring but it is really tasty.

Cabbage Soup

by me

1 Onion, sliced

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

10-12 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

5 cups Chicken Stock ( I used Better than Bouillion, otherwise use 4 cups stock and 1 cup water)

2 Mild Hungarian Sausages*, quartered lengthwise and then sliced

4 Potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 head of Cabbage

2 splashes Apple Cider Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

~In a large soup pan, heat oil over medium.  Saute onion until translucent, then add garlic and sweat for a minute or so, then add chicken stock, bring to a simmer.

~Add Sausage and potatoes.  Simmer 5 minutes and then add in the cabbage.  Once the potatoes are cooked add a splash or 2 of vinegar and then season as needed.

*Hungarian Sausage is a dry cured sausage, it is quite hard.  If you can't find it, any cured sausage will do and if that fails, you can get a salami from the deli department, you'd need about 2 inches of deli salami.  Pepper, Genoa, or capricollo would all work but fell free to try any of the salami*

Microwave Meringue

I was surfing the net, as one does, and I came across a video from a British Blog (which I will post when I find it again.) They made Meringues in the microwave.  Luckily I had 2 egg whites in the fridge from a recent cookie dough making spree, I knew that there would be some meringues made with the kids.

Rosie did not want to participate, or course she still wanted to eat the final results. Ladybird and I went about experimenting with it.  We started out with 300g of icing sugar in a bowl and 1 egg white.  Ladybird wanted to add a bit of vanilla to hers which left it a bit goopy, so we had to add in some extra and that worked a treat.  Mixed until it is stiff none sticky dough.  Roll it into a ball about an 1 inch in diameter and then microwave.  

Microwaving will probably take a bit of experimenting, my microwave is 1480W, I dropped it to 70% power for 1 minute.  The first ones we put in the microwave at full power for 90 seconds and ended up with these on the right.  Rosie loved it and asked for more burnt ones.  If burnt is what you are looking for, then cook on high for 90 seconds or until you smell caramelizing sugar, 

Microwave Meringue

Makes about 18 good sized meringues

400g Icing Sugar

1 Egg White

1/2 tsp Vanilla or other flavouring such as peppermint

~In a medium sized bowl, put icing sugar, egg white and flavouring.  

~Mix with a fork until it becomes difficult and then start to mix by hand.  If it is still sticky then add more Icing sugar.

~Roll in to a ball about 1 inch in diameter, place on a paper towel on a plate.

~Lower the power level to 70% and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from the microwave and let cool slightly before removing from the paper towel.

 Simple and delicious, I think I will make Pavlova for dessert tonight.  Enjoy!
K.

Christmas Cookies 2014 - Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is something extra nice about browned butter, the added nutty quality makes it takes richer then just plain Jane butter.

This is another cookie that was included in last year cookie gift giving. I am almost sorry to say that I ate a lot of these straight from the freezer.  I know I had to make extra batches last year since I kept eating the ones that I had planned to give away.  Be aware these are super delicious.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

original recipe adapted from Baking the Goods

Makes 4 dozen cookies using a #24 cookie disher (1.33 oz each)

2 cups + 2 tbsp Butter

2 cups Brown Sugar

1 cup Sugar

4 tsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 Egg yolks

4 1/2 cups all purpose Flour

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Soda

3 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips.

Sea Salt (Optional to sprinkle on the cookies before baking)

~Place 2 cups of butter in a medium metal or light coloured pan at medium heat. Stirring frequently the butter will come the boil and foam up, once the butter reaches an amber colour, remove from the heat and place in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup.  Cool the butter until it starts to thicken, either in the fridge or in an ice bath.  Once the butter is cool but not hard, you can add the addition butter to bring it up to 2 cups.

~Cream the browned butter and sugars until fluffy.  The mixture will be quite soft because of the butter.  Add Vanilla and Eggs, one at a time.  

~In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips.

~Gradually add the dry ingredients in to the butter mixture until just combined and then add the chocolate chips.  Stirring to evenly distribute.

~I use a portion disher sized #24 which gave me 49 cookies.  4 dozen +1 cookie (although that would probably give me more if I hadn't done a proper quality check ;)

~Portion out cookies, freeze and then package up in a zip top bag.  OR Chill 30+ minutes and then bake in a 350F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, let cool 5 minutes on tray before transferring to a rack to cool.

Enjoy!

K.

Christmas Cookie 2014 -- Earl Grey Tea Cookies

I am running behind with my Christmas baking this year and I won't be making any chocolate truffles which is a bit sad.  I am still making more variety of cookies.  This is a repeat from last year because it was quite delicious or some I am told :)

This cookie is rolled into a log, wrapped and frozen.  The frozen log can be unwrapped, sliced and baked.  I can't get easier then that.  

I made a double batch which made 4 logs, 308g each. Then wrapped in parchment and twine, much prettier then the plastic zip top bags.

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Cookies,  Thank you Martha.  My 8 year old loves to make cookies from this book.  This is a simple recipe with only 6 ingredients.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Original recipe Martha Stewart

Makes 2, 308g (approx) logs

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

2 tbsp fine ground Earl Grey Tea (I used Tazo earl grey and it took 6-7 tea bags)

1/2 tsp coarse Salt

1 cup (8oz) unsalted butter (if using salted butter, decrease added salt)

1/2 cup Icing Sugar

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest.

~In a bowl combine flour, tea and salt.

~Cream room temp butter, icing sugar and zest for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is pale and fluffy (easiest to use a mixer)

~Slowly add in flour mixture.  Mix until just combined.

~Divide dough in half.  Form into a log and roll up in parchment, turn the ends of the parchment and tie off with ribbon or twine.  Place in freezer until ready to give as a gift.  Alternatively you can freeze for 1 hour then slice about 1/4 inch thick and bake in a preheated 350F oven until the edges golden.  Let cookies cool on the cookie sheets.  Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Christmas Cookies 2014 -- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chocolate Chocolate Chip

I generally only get someone a present if I find something perfect for them, which is usually by accident.  I usually just give them that present if I do find it, I am really bad at keeping something like that under my hat for however long it takes for a present giving opportunity. There is one except to this -- consumables.

I have a theory that people love to eat more sweets this time a year and there are many occasions for people to share them with others.  There are also many occasions that recipients might be overwhelmed with the quantity of sweet they receive that might go stale before they get to savour them.  The solution to this is to make cookie dough and freeze it so that the cookies can be cooked up fresh when needed/wanted or just eaten frozen from the freezer.

The first cookies that I made this year are a Yin/Yang cookie.  Half the cookie is a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie dough and the other half is a Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookie dough.

I found the recipe for this cookie at Sally's Baking Addiction, I did change how I put them together since I was trying to stream line the production to aid in freezing these puppies up.  

Yin Yang Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chocolate Chocolate Chip
Original recipe created by  Sally's Baking Addiction

	Chocolate/Chocolate		Peanut Butter
Ingredients	Single Batch	Double Batch	Single Batch	Double Batch
Butter	1/2 c	1 c	1/2 c	1 c
Sugar	1/2 c	1 c	1/2 c	1 c
Brown Sugar	1/2 c	1 c	1/2 c	1 c
Egg	1	2	1	2
Peanut Butter	-	-	3/4 c	1 1/2 c
Vanilla	1 tsp	2 tsp	1 tsp	2 tsp
Flour	1 c (125g)	2 c (250g)	1 1/4 c (156g)	2 1/2 c (312g)
Cocoa	1/2 c + 2 tbsp	1 1/4 c	-	-
Baking Soda	1 tsp	2 tsp	1/2 tsp	1 tsp
Salt	1/2 tsp	1 tsp	1/4 tsp	1/2 tsp
Milk	2 tbsp	1/4 c	-	-
Chocolate Chips	1 c	2 c	1 c	1 c

I made this chart to help me keep track of the ingredients when I doubled the batch.  Pick the set of columns either single batch or double batch, then make both types of cookie dough.  

Both cookies go together in the same way.

~Cream Butter and then add sugar.  Beat until fluffy.  Add Eggs one at a time and Vanilla.  Add the peanut butter for the peanut butter cookies.

~In another bowl combine all the dry ingredients, except the chocolate chips which you will mix in after mixing the dry ingredients in to the wet.  

~Combine dry ingredients slowly into the wet until just combined.  Then add chocolate chips.

~Form each dough into a log shape, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour but 2 would be better.  If making a double batch shape into 2 logs for ease of handling.   

~Once chilled, remove both doughs from the fridge.  Using a knife or a bench scraper, cut the chocolate/chocolate log lengthwise and then into cut each side of the cut log into 12 pieces.  You want a total of 24 pieces of each single batch of dough, or 48 for a double batch.  Repeat with the Peanut butter dough.  

~Then take a piece of each dough and put them together and roll between your hands to form a dough ball.  The peanut butter dough will be softer, so try to make sure that you have an even amount of each type of dough visible.  That way your friends will be in awe of your wicked skills.

~Now you can either place on a cookie sheet freeze and then bag up these little (enormous) cookies.  These do make a very large cookie :)  -OR- you can bake these bad boys at 350F for 10-12 minutes.  They will look under cooked but leave them on the cookie sheets to cool and they will gain a bit of structural integrity while still being soft.

Not very visually appealing in this form but there is something wonderful about frozen cookie dough right out of the freezer.  

Enjoy!
K.

Curry Pickles

Up at the cottage at the Saturday market thers is a woman we call the preserve lady who has all sorts of wonderful canned goodies, jams, jellies, pickles, and chutneys.  We all really love her curry pickles.  We had an abundance of garden cucumbers which a new thing for me, I decided to try to male our own curry pickles.  The garden cucumbers were not specifically pickling cuccumber but since we don't eat a lot of cucumbers I had to something with the 4 cucumbers that my mother-in-law gave me, plus the 2 I had pulled out of my garden.

Pickles turned out to be pretty easy to make. Salting the onions and sliced cucumbers draws out some of the extra water, just leave it over night and then rinse well to remove the salt and your ready to go.  

These curry pickles are quite sweet but so tasty.  


I cracked open my first jar the next day, so tasty and lovely on hamburgers which I've been wanting all the time this summer.  Or even on the top of hotdogs, sandwiches, or even by themselves.


Curry Pickle
Original recipe from: homemade trade
Recipe makes 4 - 500ml jars

8 cups thickly sliced cucumbers (a bit extra would be good too)
3 small onions
1 tablespoon pickling salt
2¾ cups cider vinegar
1¾ cups sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons pickling spice
1 teaspoon celery seeds 

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

Remove the cucumber ends and then cut into thick slices. Thinly slice your onions and place with the cucumber in a large non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with pickling salt and let stand, covered, for 24 hours.

Prepare 500ml jars, lids and rings. Wash in warm soapy water and then boil 5 minutes in the canning pot.

Drain the cucumbers and rinse them three times with cold water, draining thoroughly.

Combine your remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat in non-reactive pan.

Add the cucumbers and onions and return just to a boil before removing from heat.

Remove hot jars from the canner and fill with vegetables, using a slotted spoon to remove from the pickling liquid. Pack into jars and pour in liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Process 10 minutes for pint jars (500ml) and 15 minutes for quart jars (1 liter).

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
This is a moist delicious bread. More cake like then bread, but still good. I have made a few alterations from the original recipe that I altered even before I made it. Feel free to alter you specifications and post how they turn out.

This can be made dairy free by removing the chocolate chips or using dairy free chocolate.

3 eggs
1 cup olive oil (I cut that to 1/2 cup)
2 cups sugar (I cut that to 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup apple sauce (I add 3 individual pots of apple sauce, motts. It is not exact amount.)
2 tsp Vanilla
2 cups grated Zucchini
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I cut that to 1/2 cup, J does not like too much and I have also tried mini chocolate chips, which are not so obviously chunks of chocolate but still good.)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 and grease to loaf pans or line with parchment (this make for easy removal.)

Combine eggs, olive oil, sugar, apple sauce and Vanilla. After combined add Zucchini and mix.

In a separate bowl combine all your dry ingredients.

Add dry ingredient to wet in three batches until just blended.

Divide batter between the two pans and place in oven for 1 hour. Test after 45 minutes. If toothpick comes out clean (try to avoid the chocolate chips, they will always look moist :)

Once done remove from oven and place on cooling racks for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Cool completely and enjoy. This recipe is really easy and tasty

Dutch Dilled Potato Soup

This recipe is from my lovely sister-in-law Marita com Weissenberg

This is probably my favourite soup in the whole world! Mother sometimmes makes it for me. Or I force people to make it for me. I have only been involved in making it once, and never will again (allergy to potatos), so I thought I'd pass the recipe along to the deserving.

Dutch Dilled Potato Soup

6 medium potatos
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups grated Gouda cheese
2 tablespoons white flour
2 tablespoons white wine (or sherry, as for the amount: go for it!)
3 tablespoons dill
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
vegetable stock

1) Put potatos, onion, garlic, bay leaves and butter in a large pot and cover with vegetable stock. Simmer until potatos are done.

2) Remove 2/3 of the potatos and mash them, then return them to the pot.

3) Add the milk and the cheese slowly, stirring constantly.

4) Mix the flour in cold water and slowly pour it into the soup, still mixing.

5) Add remaining ingredients.

6) cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then let stand for 30 minutes.