Oops...I did it again

For the past couple of days I've been thinking about what to make for the Wheelchair charity event on Saturday night. I'm bringing decorated cake balls, but really, I'm so done with cake balls. So I thought, okay, how about cake balls and some tarts - I could make little tarts filled with lemon curd (naturally, home-made), so I have 4 little tart pans and 4 medium-small tart pans, which just isn't enough. I needed more so I could bake more shells at one time. After a few appointments this morning it was off to one of my favorite stores, Sur La Table, the Plano location.

I walked in and just stood there for a moment, taking in the sights. It's just beautiful. Everything you could imagine all on shelves, just waiting for you to pick them up and put them in your basket. I actually got all goosebumpy just standing there.

This darling little cake pan just jumped into my arms....I mean, really, how can you resist?

This is going to be perfect! I can bake my scrumptious chocolate cake recipe and then decorate the cakes with a little dollop of chocolate mouse or lemon curd, something yummy and totally unexpected. Plus, the ladies in North Dallas don't want alot of dessert, do they? These darling little cakes will be just tempting enough and yet look beautiful.

Next I picked up 8 of these tart pans. Once home I quickly realized that they are just a smidge smaller than the ones my friend Chef Kay gave me, but no worries, I'll use them anyway. Enough with making 4 tart shells at a time - now I can do an even dozen and get things done much quicker.

Then...I fell into a tailspin. Look at what I picked up:

I couldn't help myself! They practically chased me through the store yelling my name. Aren't they just lovely? What do you think? Cookies in the shape of Easter eggs? Or bunnies? Maybe chicks. This may require another trip to Sur La Table but for now... Heaven...I'm in Heaven....

Don't you just love cooking stores?

Back In The Kitchen

After driving 2,500 miles in the past 9 days, I was so happy to come home to Mr. Man and my gorgeous kitchen. Right now I am working to the yummy smells of white cake cooling on the rack and will be baking a strawberry cake later this morning in preparation of a fund-raiser on Saturday night.

Miss Ginger's Kitchen is providing dessert for a Wine for Wheels event that supports the Wheelchair Foundation http://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/ and we are baking cake balls, brownie bites and I don't know what else for this event on Saturday night. At least I can do these in the evening while watching my favorite show, American Idol.

As I settle back in to both of my jobs after being gone, I must say that it was wonderful to visit clients, see my parents, two of my sisters and my daughter, son-in-law and grandson, but it is really, really good to be home with my wonderful husband.

Chocolate Frosting

Yesterday I baked chocolate cupcakes and had them cooling their heels in a Martha Stewart cupcake holder; now it was time to make frosting and here's a great recipe from the Williams-Sonoma Cake cookbook which can be whipped up in minutes.

Here we go:
Start with 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted (I did it using a double boiler, that way I knew it wouldn't burn).

After it melts, allow the chocolate to come to room temp. Keep an eye on it - you want it to still be melted, just not hot.

Meanwhile, it's time to get the 1 cup of butter to room temp. Julia Child always beat the butter with a rolling pin to soften it and I've followed her advice for years. It's the best way to keep the butter from getting all runny and you can take out your laundry frustrations on the butter instead of on your husband.

Be careful not to beat it so badly that you tear the wrapping around the butter - just long enough to let it know who's boss.

Put the two sticks of butter into the standing mixer and commence with the beating. The recipe says to use the paddle attachment but I'm a rebel.

Measure out the confectioners' sugar (aka powered sugar). 7 oz to be exact.

Add the powered sugar to the well beaten butter and let 'er rip. You want to make sure they are fully incorporated.

Once that is taken care of, slowly add the melted chocolate and continue beating till light, fluffy and fully mixed.

And I actually wonder why I can't get rid of this muffin-top. Come on...I had to try it...

Beautiful.

I've been accused of being skimpy with the frosting

Not this time. I got out my ice cream scooper and put a generous dollop on top of each cupcake. Then it was time to decorate them for the holiday.

This recipe was plenty for the 24 cupcakes I baked.

There....perfect for Valentine's Day.

I'll use this same frosting recipe for a chocolate cake I'm baking Saturday.

Enjoy!

Bless you Martha Stewart

Tonight I started baking for the big Valentine's Day sugar-shock event that will take place all week. I mean really, what other holiday gives us permission to shower our loved ones with chocolate, buttercream, sprinkles and oooey, gooey sweetness like Valentine's Day...you are hard pressed to think of one, aren't you?

I pulled out my very best chocolate cake recipe from an old Food and Wine magazine I was smart enough to save and this is, by far, the best chocolate cake recipe ever. I baked 24 delicious chocolate cupcakes and had those babies cooling on the rack well before Mr. Man came home from the office.



Tomorrow I will decorate them with frosting made from bittersweet chocolate, butter and confectioner's sugar, but in the meantime I needed to store them. Enter Ms. Stewart.

Right after Christmas, Mr. Man and I were at Macy's where I gravitated toward the home goods department and found this incredible cupcake carrying case crafted by the one and only Domestic Goddess, Ms. Stewart. It is amazing.

Look how nicely 24 cupcakes fit into the two layered plastic device, complete with built in handle. I get all goosebumpy thinking of it.



No more sides of cupcakes smashing into one another, no more cupcakes falling over as we round a turn....no, my cupcakes will remain upright during transportation and they will arrive at their destination whole and complete. I am a happy woman!

Isn't that just lovely?

Last week my friend Chef K and I catered a dinner and we took with us 10 chocolate raspberry tarts. I was all nervous at the thought of those little delights shifting back and forth in a box, their delicate pastry shells smashing into one another as we dodged the Dallas traffic in route to our final destination. I was saved by Ms. Stewart's cupcake carrier! My tarts were not going to suffer during the journey...I just opened the case, flipped over the insert and voilia! A smooth side to the case that held the tarts perfectly.

What a relief.

Yes; we may all feel more than a little inept when measuring ourselves against the Goddess Stewart, but deep down we all have a litle Martha in us. She's there, possibly hidden at times, but there, nonetheless.

To you, Martha...thank you for encouraging me to be the best I can be and to take risks and bake fearlessly!

I raise a cupcake in your name!!

Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend...

But of course they are...well, CC is my BFF, but I do love jewelry and especially love jewelry that sparkles and shines and is displayed in pretty glass cases and shown by especially nice people, don't you?

In our little community we are fortunate to have a specialty jewelry store, The Diamond Jewelry Company, that happens to be owned by the nicest people, Royce and Suzanne. http://www.thediamondjewelryco.com

Years ago I treated myself to a gift of gorgeous diamond stud earrings and I purchased them here - that is when I began to fall in love with shiny things and every once in a while I would stop by to get them cleaned and just to look at everything.My friend, Kathy, used to work there so naturally, I would pop on over and try on this, look at that and just enjoy myself. Later on, before Mr. Man popped the big question, I would take my earrings over for a cleaning and just happen to ease on over to the "other" side of the display case where, oooohhhh, look at that...what are those engagement rings doing over here? Now, I just wonder how would that look on my short-stubby-spent-too-much-time-in-dishwater-hands? Ummm...diamonds just make everything better, don't they?

The Consultants, Kathy, Royce and Suzanne, were always so agreeable and let me try on whatever I wanted, never pushing me and just being so nice. I spent a lot of time and a good chunk of my children's inheritance there.

Kathy is now with Homeland Security, protecting our country, but here's a picture of Royce and Suzanne.

And yes, they are as nice as they look in that picture.

So, a couple of weeks ago I ran on over to get my wedding ring cleaned and while that baby was being steamed had a nice chat with Royce and Suzanne and asked if they would consider donating a piece of jewelry for a Silent Auction/Fundraising Dinner that will be held in May, for the God Cares School in Uganda. Naturally, being the super-nice people they are, and probably knowing they would never get rid of me if they didn't comply, they agreed. During the course of the conversation they shared with me that they had purchased the store from the previous owners and their Grand Opening was going to be held on February 4th.

What a great opportunity for me to do something nice for the people who are always so nice to me. So on Wednesday I baked up a bunch of yummy cookies and took a big tray over so they could serve them with wine and champagne at their Grand Opening.

If you find yourself in need of a little pick-me-up, because yes, it does help, stop by The Diamond Jewelry Company and ask to try on a few things. You will fall in love and sometimes a piece of jewelry is just what the doctor ordered.

Congratulations Royce and Suzanne! I wish you many years of success as you serve our community and make many women very happy.

The Diamond Jewelry Company, 820 S. MacArthur Blvd, Suite 155, Coppell, Texas 972.956.9111 You can also find them on the web at: http://www.thediamondjewelryco.com

Do not be afraid...

It's only fiber...

My BFF has been pushing me to add more fiber to my carb-heavy diet, and I know she is right.
However, when a newly minted Vegan starts making suggestions about my menu, naturally, I'm more than a little skeptical.

So, in an effort to get her off my back and to eat the beans that I know are so good for me, I pushed aside all of my baking cookbooks and dusted off this delicious recipe that I first made years ago when my kids were still living at home. They loved it and we ate tortilla chips with it. Yes, chips = carbs. But we were eating beans with the chips so it balances itself out. Doesn't it?

Here it is, Fiesta Bean Salad, isn't it pretty and colorful?

I made this for Mr. Man a few weeks ago and his face just lit up. He likes it because there are jalapenos in it, one of his favorite veggies.

Everything can be found at the grocery store, any time of year, so if you are like me and love to bake but know you have to counteract all of the sweets with something that at least makes you feel as if you are being nice to your body, this is the side dish for you.

Get out the your cutting board and your sharpest knife.

Fiesta Bean Salad

Servings: makes 12

Preparation time: about 10 minutes

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

(about 2 limes)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt

ground pepper

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (yes, make sure you do this or it's ishy)

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced

1 and1/2 cups cooked corn kernels (I just use 1 can)

1 cup chopped red onion

1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1.) In large bowl, whisk together oil and lime juice; add cilantro, cumin and salt and pepper to taste, mixing well. Stir in beans, bell pepper, corn, onion and jalapeno pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2.) To serve, garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Serve at room temperature.

Note: Be sure to wash hands after handling jalapeno peppers. the pepper's volatile oils can burn skin or eyes

per serving: About 145 calories, 6 g. pro, 21 g car, 5 g fat, 29% cal from fat, 0 mg chol, 37 mg sod.

More than likely this will be the one and only time I post any type of calorie information. This should be all about baking, but, I do need that BFF to know that I am trying to be better.

This one's for you, CC.