SNICKERDOODLE CUPCAKES

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I THANK YOU, ALL MY FOLLOWERS AND READERS, YOU ARE MY INSPIRATION!

Yes, i'm ending the year 2010 with a cupcake blog! As for my new year's "promise"...i will learn more cupcake recipes  and hone my cupcake decorating=;)!

And ofcourse share more Filipino dishes.  I know i've been slacking w/ The Daring Kitchen and Kulinarya Cooking Club..i will be back and be active again!!!

Enough said now on to my last blog for 2010. Snickerdoodle Cupcakes, yup it does taste like the snickerdoodle cookies, even better if i may say so!!

Got the recipe from  DUNCAN HINES


Ingredients
1 package Duncan Hines white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
1 stick of butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Frosting:

1 stick butter
3 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
3-4 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake tin. Place cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend for three minutes (stop to scrape once). Pour into pans and bake for 22-25 minutes Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Frosting:

2. Beat butter until fluffy for frosting. Add all other ingredients.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA AND NUTELLA ICE CREAM GOODNESS

***FYI: THE FOLLOWING BLOGS ARE MY BLOGS FROM MYSPACE...I AM MOVING MY MS BLOGS HERE BEFORE I WILL TOTALLY LOSE THEM. YUP, MYSPACE HAS CHANGED, THEY ARE MORE ON THE ENTERTAINMENT NOW. SO DON'T BE ALARMED THAT THE RECIPES ARE "OFF SEASON" DISHES.




BLOGGED DATE:  SEPT. 1, 2008

This dish is my go to meal, a quick, easy and yet elegant dish. Ofcourse it's always delish...it's bacooonnnnn and panceetttaaa!!!! what could go wrong?


For the dessert this brought the patience and impatience in me. I scooped the ice cream and placed on a tray w/c should stay in the freezer for few minutes but i opted not to. I spread a generous amount of nutella on two lady fingers. Made an ice cream sandwich sort of, then put some mint leaves in between. By the time i got done w/ the lady finger and nutella spreading..the ice cream started to melt oh boy!!! well, you'll see what i mean... but over all it was a messy goodness, coz i love nutella and ice cream. Got this dessert recipe from Giada de Laurentiis.



SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 Cup smoked bacon, sliced into thin sliced (I added pancetta to mine)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ Cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 T chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
4 T light cream
Pepper
1 lb/450 g spaghetti noodles

****Recipe didn't call for garlic but i had some garlic on the side while rendering the bacon and pancetta just to get some garlic undertone.Take out the garlic when it starts to brown, use the browned garlic for other dish.

****Pancetta is not in the recipe either but i like it w/ my carbonara, but bacon will suffice, ofcourse.

1. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over a medium high heat.
2. Add the bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes, until browned and crispy.
3. Remove from the heat.
4. Combine the eggs, cheeses, parsley, and cream in a bowl, mixing well. Season with pepper.
5. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and return to the skillet.
6. Quickly add the egg mixture to the pasta, tossing rapidly so that the egg cooks in the heat.
7. Transfer to a warm serving dish.
8. Briefly reheat the bacon over a high heat. Add to the pasta, toss again and serve at once.


Source: Essentials Pasta Sauces

PANCETTA AND BACON RENDERING AWAY!!!

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA/ PASTA CARBONARA

I served parmesan crisp on the side. Put a teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese on a silpat or parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for few minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble and get a bit brown.

Excuse my silpat, it has been used and abused. I love my silpats

 
 

PARMESAN CRISPS

DESSERT INGREDIENTS: NUTELLA, LADY FINGERS, ICE CREAM, MINT LEAVES.

NUTELLA, LADY FINGER ICE CREAM SANDWICH!!!!



ASIAN BURGER SLIDERS

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BLOGGED DATE: AUG.12,2009


This recipe is my interpretation of Wolfgang Puck's ASIAN BURGER. I have a fascination w/ slider burgers so i made my patties small enough for Hawaiian bread mini rolls. I made spicy mayo and tomato, cukes and mango salad on the side.


***Warning*** THESE SLIDERS ARE MESSY BUT GOOD!


Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef

2 t curry powder

1 t sugar

2 1/2 T chopped cilantro

4 t scallions, chopped

1 C chopped garlic

2 Thai bird chilies, minced (substitute it w/ jalapeno)

1 1/2 t cumin powder

S&P

8 shitake mushrooms chopped

1/4 C teriyaki sauce

8 Hawaiian mini rolls.

Lettuce

Sliced small sweet or vidalla onions sliced into rings.



1. Mix all ingredients except for lettuce, sliced onion rings and the bread.

2. Take a teaspoon of the mix and fry to check if burger mixture needs more seasoning.

3. Form patties enough to fit in the mini rolls.

4. Cook patties in a hot pan until cooked through or about 5 minutes each side.


Assembly time:

1. Slather some spicy mayo mix on each side of the bread.

2. Arrange onions, tomatoes and lettuce and the burger.


Serve w/ Tomato, Cukes and Mango Salad.


Miracle whip or mayo + Korean red pepper paste = Spicy Mayo

TIP: Don't throw the heels of your sliced bread. I use them to absorb excess oil of the food i'm frying. Just like this burger patty. I like this better than using paper towels.

I used the brown tomato, it tasted just like a regular roma tomato.

We all liked this burger but I can probably add more curry powder and cumin next time.



Patotoes Au Grutin Muffin Style

I can't take the credit for this, it was my daughter's idea. These are old photos, we actually had this for our last year's Christmas dinner. I totally forgot to blog it, but better late than never right?.

I love this idea,  another way to prepare your potatoes other than the same old same old mash potato, i do love  MP but if i could zhuzz (is this how you spell it?=;) or "umph" my potatoes the better for me. A neat and beautiful way to present your au gratin. It is definitely  a good conversation piece to your party.

Another way to prepare your potatoes check my hasselback potato .

Now for the au gratin recipe, if you have a favorite recipe, by all means make your own, and put them in the muffin cups instead of a caserole dish container.

Here's the recipe for this au gratin:

Quantity would depend on the size of your muffins.
Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced

• ¼ cup diced sweet onions

• ½ cup grated Gruyere or cheddar cheese (i used both)

• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened



Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter muffin pans with softened butter.

Mix heavy cream, diced potatoes, onions, gruyere or cheddar, parmesan, paprika, salt and pepper.

Arrange potato mixture into each muffin cup.

Add more heavy cream if needed.

Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Or until potatoes are tender and top turns golden brown.

Remove foil halfway through the cooking time.

Carefully remove the gratins and serve.

APPLE CUSTARD TEA CAKES

Apples, apples, apples!!!! I've made Apple Chips and Apple Almond Salad , Apple Crumb Muffins and Apple Butter . They were all delicious if i may say so!

This time i made cupcakes which i think look interesting and beautiful. Got the recipe from Cupcake cookbook by Pamela Clark.  I like a lot of her recipes so expect for more cupcakes soon=;)

I made a slight adjustment w/ the milk. I find the batter a bit thick so i added  2 more tablespoons of milk. Other than that..the cupcakes were a success!

APPLE CUSTARD TEA CAKES
Recipe from Cupcakes by Pamela Clark

Ingredients:
Cake batter:6 T butter - i used unsalted
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
3/4 C self-rising flour
1/4 C instant vanilla pudding mix
3 T milk - i added 2 tablespoon
1 large unpeeled apple, cored, sliced finely- i used mandoline to have a uniform slice
2 T butter, extra melted
1 1/2 T sugar, extra
1/2 t ground cinnamon

Custard:
1 1/2 T instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 T sugar
1/2 C milk
1/4 t vanilla extract

1. Make custard. Recipe below.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 6 hole oversize (Texas) or 12 hole standard muffin pan with paper baking cups.
3. Beat butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs flour, pudding mix and milk in small bowl with electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are just combined. Increase speed to medium, beat until mixture is changed to a paler color.
4. Divide half the mixture among baking cups. Top with custard, then remaining cake mixture; spread mixture to cover custard. Top with apple slices, pressing slightly into cake.
5. Bake large cakes about 40 minutes, small cakes about 30 minutes.
6. Brush hot cakes with extra butter, then sprinkle with combined extra sugar and cinnamon. Turn cakes onto wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

CUSTARD:
Blend pudding mix and sugar with milk and vanilla in small pot; stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat, cover surface with plastic wrap, cool.

CHOCOLATE DULCE DE LECHE CUPCAKES

My oh my...me and my cupcakes! lol! Okay this time i used chocolate cake mix. This is the season to take advantage with cake mix, they are on sale.

What you will need:

1 can dulce de leche

1 box chocolate cake mix - For the ingredients and how to make the cupcake batter, follow the box instructions.

Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 t dulce de leche

Directions

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Fold in 2 T of dulce de leche into the frosting.

Bake the chocolate cupcake according to cake mix instructions.

Using a melon baller, scoop out a little portion  in the middle of the cupcake. Save the small piece.

A can of Dulce de Leche

Put a teaspoon or less depending on how much dulce de leche you like on the scooped out portion.

Place back the small piece of the cake to cover .

With the buttercream frosting cover and decorate your cupcakes.

TIRAMISU CUPCAKES

I love cupcakes! This is another favorite of mine. It's easy, so good and kid friendly...yup!! no alcohol on this recipe!. I've tried baking both from scratch and the scratch the box=;). Obviously making your cake from scratch is better but when you are in a hurry "scratch the cake mix box" is also good. Seriously, i like them both.

I will post both, now you decide which one you'd like to make first. Again i like both the cake mix box and making your own cake.

TIRAMISU CUPCAKES FROM SCRATCH


Makes 24 cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup milk

• 11/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

• 1 large egg

• 1 cup sugar

• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

• Espresso or coffee syrup (recipe to follow)

• Mascarpone Frosting (recipe to follow)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with cupcake liners.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy .

4. Add the egg and vanilla, mix until combined into the batter.

5. Finally, alternately add the dry ingredients and milk.

6. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarter full.

7. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until centers are completely set and edges are light golden brown, about 20 minutes.

8. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

9. To finish, brush tops of cupcakes evenly with coffee syrup; repeat until all syrup has been used.

10. Allow cupcakes to absorb liquid 30 minutes. Dollop frosting onto cupcakes; refrigerate up to overnight in airtight containers. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving.

Espresso/Coffee Syrup

1 C freshly brewed espresso or concentrated coffee

11/2 T sugar
Stir until sugar has dissolved.



*****Mascarpone Frosting:

Makes about 2 cups

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

1. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks form (be careful not to overbeat, or cream will be grainy). In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated. Use immediately.

****If you can't find mascarpone you can use cream cheese as the substitute

****The chocolate chips are optional. You can garnish them w/ chocolate shavings if you want.

TIRAMISU CUPCAKES USING A YELLOW CAKE MIX.

Check the cake mix box for ingredients and instructions to make the cupcakes.
I used the same recipe for both the Espresso Syrup and the Mascarpone Frosting.

SWEET AND SOUR PORK

There are a slew of sweet and sour recipes, some are what i call "fusion" otherwise coined as "Americanized Version" or not so authentic anymore which i don't mind.

Every asian country has their own version, my recipe is my take on this dish, lets say my Filipino version. But there is one common procedure or method that Asians do the same in making this dish, pour the sauce right before or few minutes before serving.

I'm not a food court hater but i find their sweet and sour dish disgusting! The battered chicken/pork are soaked in the sauce w/c defeats the purpose of frying them. The battered fried meat turns mushy and gooey, not appetizing at all!

Anyways, give this method a try and you'll see the big difference. Also, i went fancy schmancy w/ my vegetables, you really don't have to! I used some cutters to make it look pretty. This is how my mother prepared her sweet and sour  may it be pork, chicken, seafoods or fish escabeche, green onion florets, butterfly or flower shaped carrots, sweet onions and peppers.

PORK AND VEGETABLE INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs.  pork loin or porkbelly sans the skin ( a little of fat marbling is best for this dish)
1/2 C soy sauce
2 medium carrots
2 sweet bell peppers ( i recommend different colors)
3 stalks of green onions or leeks
2 cloves garlic minced
3 stalks of celery
1 big sweet onions
1 cup pineapple tidbits (optional)

Cut your washed pork loin into cubes (bite size), then marinate w/ soy sauce. Set it aside.

Cut your vegetables into thin slices and use a decorative cutter. There is actually no specific cut to the vegetables, be creative or julienne them.


BATTER INGREDIENTS:

1/2  C cornstarch
1/2 C flour
1 C water (add more if needed)
Pinch of salt and pepper
Canola oil for frying

Mix all ingredients, go easy w/ water then add more if necessary. Batter should have a pancake consistency. I want them crispy that's why i don't put eggs on my batter.
Place the marinated pork pieces into the batter and mix, making sure all pork are well coated. In a deep skillet, add in the cooking oil enough for deep-frying. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the pork pieces in batches until they turn golden brown and cooked.

Drain to eliminate grease and set aside.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1 Bottle Jufran ketchup (This is a Filipino catsup but you can use regular ketchup)
4 c H20
1 1/2 c sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c chili sauce
1/2 c cornstarch
1/4 c water to be mixed with the cornstarch to make a slurry.

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a pot, then bring it to a boil , add cornstarch slurry slowly to thicken. Refrigerate left over sauce, it has a long shelf life.  You can use it again or  as egg roll sauce.

ASSEMBLY TIME:

Arrange your cooked crispy pork on a plate. Mix veggies and some of the sauce, then pour on top of the pork. Add sauce if you want. Best served w/ steamed white rice.

GIRL AND THE GOAT - CHICAGO FOODVENTURE

I highly recommend when you are in Chicago, Girl and The Goat - Executive Chef, Stephanie Izard "Top Chef" season 4 winner.

It’s ABC – Amazing, Bold and Complex!!! That’s how I would describe Girl and the Goat. It was well worth it.

We had an early reservation but arrived 30 minutes early just to peruse the restaurant. I already liked the restaurant from the façade, the open kitchen and the lengthy bar and the warm welcome we received from the staff. Oh and we enjoyed reading the “goat messages” on the back of the staff’s uniform. Patrick our wait staff was friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. The menu were divided into three sections, vegetables, fish and meat. We decided to order one from each section. One from each would suffice since each serving is meant to be shared.

We started with bread fresh from the oven. Nutty Apple Smack, it was crusty on the outside and moist in the inside, w/ apple butter sauce and lemon mayo cream. It was delicious!!!

Our first course, Patrick’s recommendation, the sautéed green beans with fish sauce vinaigrette and cashews. I’m not a fan of green beans but this was amazing. The green beans and the vinaigrette were a perfect combination. Thank you Patrick…we enjoyed this dish.

Next course was my daughter’s choice, grilled baby octopus with guanciale, lemon-pistachio vinaigrette cooked with fava beans and colored waxed beans. This was another winner!!

And the piece de resistance……. Wood oven roasted pig face! (WARNING: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART). This was served roulade /disc style with cilantro tamarind sauce, potato sticks and topped with a sunny side up egg. I love this dish, it reminds me of a Filipino dish- sisig. Although, I would like to have some pickled vegetables on the side to balance the texture and rich flavor of the pig and the egg.

By this time you would think we were already stuffed, wrong, we made sure we still had room for the whimsical desserts! My daughter and I ordered two kinds of dessert. First, the corn nougat served on a mason jar. It was fun digging through the jar trying to decipher what was in it. The corn nougat had layers of sweet corn ice cream, apricot plum jam and sprinkled with bacon goodness.

The second dessert, we had the goat cheese bavaroise, served in a crock. The amalgamation of the blueberries, the cake and the brown sugar were ridiculously delicious.

Now that’s a dessert!!!

Now it was time for the bill, not bad, it was reasonable considering how many items we had ordered. Price ranged from $6 to $18.


Kudos to Chef Stephanie, her kitchen staff and the wait staff. It was worth the hype. We will definitely be back and hopefully will get to meet Chef Stephanie next time.

So, now you know why it’s ABC. The food were amazing, they were bold and complex which we loved.