Key Lime Cupcakes with Pinnacle Whipped Frosting

The Summer sun has me thinking of crazy baking concoctions... 

Cream cheese frosting would be the traditional complement to Key Lime cupcakes, but who wants traditional ALL the time?  A stabilized whipped frosting will be lighter in taste and calories, which keeps in theme with the event at hand... the lovely Kelly Hirschbeck's Bachelorette Party! 

Cupcakes (adapted from Bon Appetit 2008)

*1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
*1 tsp baking powder
*1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
*1+1/2 cups sugar
*2 eggs, room temp
*3 TBS key lime juice
*1 TBS Lime zest
*3/4 cup buttermilk ( or 3/4 cup milk + 1tsp lemon juice, set for 10 minutes)

Preheat oven to 350F, whisk dry ingredients together, cream butter then add sugar and beat in eggs 1 at a time.  Beat in lime+zest (batter may look curdled but don't worry), add buttermilk and dry mix alternately in 3 additions each then spoon a SCANT 1/3 cup into lined cupcake wells.

Bake 18-25 minutes.  My oven cooks things fast.  Overdone cupcakes= heavy and BLA

Whipped Frosting

*1/4 cup whipped vodka
*2 tsp unflavored gelatin
*1 cup heavy whipping cream
*1 tsp lime juice
*1/4 cup powdered sugar

Chill mixing bowl and beater for 15 minutes (while cupcakes are baking/cooling)

In small saucepan on LOW, warm lime juice and half the vodka and sprinkled with gelatin until gelatin is disolved (apx 5 minutes).  If vapor starts to come off the mix remove it from the heat because that is your alcohol being vaporized! 

 Once gelatin is completely dissolved, add the other half of the vodka, whisking constantly.

Whip cream and sugar until beater marks begin to appear in the cream.  Steadily pour the vodka Jello into the cream, beating consistently and continue to beat until soft peaks start to form.  

Icing pipes well if used immediately. Enjoy! 

Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Sour Thai Lemongrass soup)

Authentic Thai food is edible art- unique ingredients and techniques combined to create amazing flavors that are healthy and delicious. Tom YUMMMM is a beginner recipe.  The secret of Thai food is the spices and fresh ingredients, some of which can be hard to find. Everything below can be found at a specialty or asian market fairly easily. 

2-3 Servings

·         2 chili peppers

·         5 sprigs cilantro

·         2 tablespoon fish sauce

·         ½ clove garlic

·         3 kaffir lime leaves

·         1 lemongrass (3 slices~ 2-3 inches)

·         1  lime juiced

·         1 cup sliced mushrooms, cabbage and carrot

·         1 tablespoon Nam Prig Pow/Pad 

·         1 cup shrimp

·         4 cups water

Boil water
 Slice/smash the lemongrass to release flavor and boil for 5 mins

Peel and de-vein the shrimp 

Combine fish sauce and lime juice and divide into serving bowls
Crush chili pepper and set aside

Add de-stemed kaffir lime leaves, garlic, vegetables, and several sprigs cilantro and boil 5 minutes

Add the shrimp and simmer till just orange

Scoop shrimp and liquid into the serving bowls to serve immediately

Add the nam prig pow/pad, cilantro, chili pepper, fish sauce, and lime to taste

**do NOT use stock for this recipe if you want it to taste authentic. The herbs and shrimp make the "stock" 

Baked Mango Oatmeal

..... because Sunday Brunch is the best meal of the week!

**still to be tried**

2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup Turbinado Sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1 TBS chia
1 cup sliced mangos
1 cup coconut milk (I use Trader Joe's unsweetened and reduced fat)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
butter for greasing


Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 11x7" baking dish with butter 

Mix oats, sugar, baking powder, spices, salt, chia and coconut

whisk egg, add sugar, stir in vanilla and then fold in mango and oatmeal mixture

If you see fit, top oatmeal with sliced mango, bananas, walnuts, brown sugar, etc 

Bake 30-40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and set

Berry Oatmeal Yogurt Muffins

I woke up craving blueberry muffins BUT the best/closest thing I had on hand for baking was blueberry greek yogurt and raspberry preserves.  Fear not! I can make this work...

*1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

*1 cup quick-cooking oats

*1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar (or packed brown sugar)

*2 tsps baking powder

*1/2 tsp salt

*1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

*1/2 tsp baking soda

*pinch nutmeg

*pinch or two of cardamom (if you have it)

*1 egg

*1 container (6 oz) blueberry yogurt

*2 TBS coconut oil + extra to prepare in the muffin tin

Combine all the dry ingredients 

Combine wet (egg, yogurt and oil) gently

Fold dry and wet together just until combined (over-mixing=heavy muffins)

Coat muffin pan with coconut oil or cooking spray or butter or paper liners and fill each cup halfway with batter.  Add a dollop of raspberry jam to each and then add more muffin batter.  Overall, each muffin well should be 3/4+ way full 

Bake at 400F for 17-20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the middle and comes out clean

**Possible additions: chia seeds, walnuts, real berries**

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Quinoa

Breakfast for dinner with a twist!

Breakfast for dinner has become a hump day staple in our house. My farmer's market purchases of thick-cut bacon, asparagus and duck eggs plus this AMAZING food porn photo from The Chive inspired me to kick up our Wednesday breakfast this week...

1 lb asparagus spears, trimmed 
EVOO
sea salt and black pepper
4-8 slices bacon
Chives
Fresh parsley
1 cup quinoa prepared in chicken stock
4-8 duck or chicken eggs
white vinegar (see AB's egg poaching rules below)

Get your quinoa simmering in chicken stock with some garlic or what have you...

Lightly coat asparagus with olive oil, season with black pepper and divide into 4 bunches.  Wrap each bunch with one or two slices of bacon and secure with toothpicks.

You could roast these in the oven at 400F till the bacon is crispy, but it's Summer so toss those suckers on the grill (by toss I mean place gently) for 10-12 mins/till bacon is crispy

For poached eggs, I follow Mr. Alton Brown's how-to...

1) Add 1-inch of water to a non-stick skillet
2) Acidulate water with 1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice per each cup of water
3) Boil
4) Deliver eggs to the pan with a custard cup or large spoon 
5) Remove pan from heat and cover
6) For hardly runny yolks cook 4 eggs for 7-8 mins (more eggs will take longer)
7) Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel to absorb extra water

To assemble... plate quinoa, add an asparagus bunch, top with 1 or 2 eggs, sprinkle with chopped chives, parsley and salt/pepper to taste.  

Viola...

Not quite as foodie porn as the inspiring picture but tasted darn good.