Cup Cake Madness

My ultimate dream is to own my own bakery, preferably a cup cake shop. I love to bake, and most of all I love the look on people's face when they bite into one of my cup cake creations. This past weekend I got in one of my baking modes, so I looked around online for some tasty ideas. I came across this great website that offered easy gourmet cup cake recipes; Ming Makes Cup Cakes. These featured cup cakes inspired me. I combined a cup cake recipe from one cup cake with the frosting of another and added my own twist. The result was a scrumptious S'more cup cake. But the fun did not stop there, I decided to make another, more traditional cup cake. This one was to satisfy my caramel craving. I made a chocolate caramel cup cake with cream cheese frosting. I wish I could describe how good these were, but words simply can't express the joy.

My challenge for you is to make your own cup cake creation. Take your favorite candy or dessert and compact it into little handful of bliss.

Multipurpose Noodles

These peanut soba noodles are great! And the best part is that they are super easy. Also, they can be served with a variety of dishes or they can be a meal in itself. The fist time I made these I had them hot with some left over teriyaki chicken. Then I put the left overs in the fridge and brought them (cold) to school for lunch the next day.

This recipe leaves room for creativity and your own personal touch. Before choosing this meal, I read the reviews and a lot of people added to the recipe. For instance, one person added almonds and scallions for a little more crunch. I was also thinking some sesame seeds and sauteed broccoli would be a delicious addition. All in all, the variations are endless and they are simply delicious, so put your own twist on it and Enjoy!

Chilled Peanut Soba Noodle

Ingredients

•  Salt
• 8 ounces soba (buckwheat) noodles
• 1/4 cup natural crunchy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 to 3 teaspoons chili sauce (recommended: Sriracha)

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; overt high heat. Add a generous amount of salt and stir in the noodles. Cook according to package instructions; drain and rinse well under cold running water.

Meanwhile, whisk the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce in a large bowl until smooth. Add the drained noodles, and with tongs, toss until coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Note: If chilling noodles, toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons water to loosen them before serving

Sharing is Caring

We would all love to eat home cooked meals everyday, but lets be realistic. Unless you are avid chef or dedicated cook, thats not going to happen. However, this doesn't mean you should be eating a home cooked meal at least once a week. 

I live with three other girls, and in an effort to get the girls together for some good wholesome food we have decided to declare Sundays dinner night. We all agreed to reserve our Sunday nights for a nice, quiet night at home, along with a meal. Last Sunday I made the lemon chicken pasta, which was a big hit with my roommates. This next Sunday my roommate is going to make her favorite meat loaf.

Not only is this a great way to get together with your friends or family (or both), a dinner night is a great way to share your favorite recipes and discover new ones your friends or family may suggest. So put your skills to use! Food is meant to be enjoyed with others, so do it! 

Revamping Childhood Comfort Food

I still love to make a classic box of mac and cheese or have an occasional simple grilled cheese sandwich. It's those childhood foods that take us back to the good old days when life was simple. Now you can't beat the classics, but as we grow up our pallets crave more. So in honor of the "oldies but goodies", I revamped the grilled cheese sandwich. It's amazingly delicious, and its my new favorite comfort food. You are going to love this one.


Bacon and Apple Grilled Cheese


Ingredients

• 3 slices of baking made to your liking
• About 1/4 of an apple thinly sliced
• Cheddar cheese
• Two slices of bread (buttered)

Directions

Start making the bacon to your desire. As the bacon is cooking start making your grilled cheese on a skillet until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Once the grilled cheese sandwich is ready, peal it open and layer on the bacon and slices of bacon.

Green Beans with Garlic Chips

These green beans make a great side to any meal. They are very delicious and they only take about 20 minutes to make. Once again, since I made this dish for one, I cut the recipe in half. I had them along side a seasoned chicken breast, which made an easy healthy meal. 

If you're planning on making dinner for Valentines Day, this would make a great side dish!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds haricots verts, trimmed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Prepare an ice bath of water and ice in a large bowl. Drop the greenbeans into the boiling water to blanch for 60 seconds. Immediately remove the beans and shock in the ice bath.

In a large saute pan, over low heat, add the olive oil and the garlic.Fry the garlic chips until golden in color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove garlic chips to paper towels to drain.

Remove the green beans from ice bath and add them to the hot garlic infused olive oil in the saute pan. Raise the heat to high and cook, tossing frequently, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the cider vinegar and reduce the liquid to a glaze while tossing beans, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mint and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Transfer the beans to a serving dish, garnish with fried garlic chips and enjoy!

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Love is in the Air

Well Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so I thought I would give you all a great tasty love snack. Now I haven't tried these yet, but judging from the reviews they are not going to fail. How can you go wrong with chocolate? I’m intrigued to taste the chili in the chocolate. I'm going to make them for my single roommates and I (just because we are single doesn't mean we deserve to be treated!). I'll keep you posted on how they turn out.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pure chili powder, such as ancho
• 10 large strawberries with long stems

Directions

In a heat-proof mixing bowl, add the chocolate, cream, and butter. Place over a smaller pot of simmering water. Be sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in the chili powder and mix until fully incorporated.

Hold each strawberry by the long stem and dip into the chocolate allowing the excess to drizzle back into the pan. Place chocolate covered strawberries on a parchment or waxed paper lined sheet tray. Once chocolate is cool, chill until fully set, about 30 minutes.

Game Day Snack

Looking for something yummy to bring to the big game on sunday? Here is a great snack that everyone will love. I am going to make them tomorrow and bring them to my friends Super Bowl party. They are super easy and only take about 35 minutes to make.

Jalapeno Snacks (retrieved from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry ranch salad dressing mix
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 20 large jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 pound sliced bacon, cut in half

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees
2. Stir together the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, and garlic powder in a mixing bowl until evenly blended. Spoon some of the cheese mixture into each jalapeno half, wrap with half a bacon strip, and secure with a toothpick. Arrange the wrapped jalapeno halves onto a broiler pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is no longer pink and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.