America, The Melting Pot- A Mini-Meme!

If you are an American, your ancestors didn't move here from wherever because things were going so well for them in the country they immigrated from! This led to a tremendously diverse ethnic population, which met, married, went forth, was fruitful, and multiplied.. It created the "melting pot" of people in this country today.. Face it, most Americans who have been here for more than 100 years are mutts! This is our strength, not a weakness! It also has given us a cuisine that is diverse, and probably the most varied in the world today.. Where I am going with this today, is the normal two part Mini-meme- two questions..
1. What is your favorite food that reflects your ancestry?
2. What is your favorite food that has no connection with your ancestry?
Me first!
1. My background is mainly Dutch, and my hands down favorite from that country is Gouda cheese! It comes in mild, medium, and sharp- with medium being my personal favorite. Edam is another cheese I favor, but Gouda (pronounced Gouw-da, not Gooda!)is a big export item from the Netherlands. American made is not as good as the real deal..
2. Pasta- I have no Chinese(where it first came from)or Italian (where they perfected it!)blood in me whatsoever! I love the sauces, the various shapes of pasta, and of course- our most popular food, Pizza! It's a rare week where we don't have pasta or pizza at least once..
Love to hear your answers, it doesn't take long!

Hot Turkey Open Face Sandwich, With Gravy

Then we start on the turkey leftovers, the first thing we usually have is a hot turkey sandwich! This is my wife's idea of a great meal! I prefer cold sandwiches, but a warming meal these winter days is always welcome! I make a jack-leg gravy from the broth of the turkey, and a dry mix of chicken and brown gravy powder...This gravy is good, quick, and in different proportions works on pork as well. My broth was simmered and seasoned for about four hours, with poultry seasoning and a bit of dried savory spices and herbs. The bread was a home made white and rye flour mix, toasted, which held up well to the moistness of the toppings.. I made some crescent rolls- just because they sounded good!
Wife had her work schedule changed again, so she took a turkey and cheese sandwich along with her today for supper.. I'll have a similar bite to eat later today!

Chicken Stroganoff | Real Simple Recipes

Chicken Stroganoff Real Simple Recipes

Easy Key Lime Pie | Real Simple Recipes

Easy Key Lime Pie Real Simple Recipes

Cupcakes from Divine Desserts Etc.

All of these cupcake photos are from Divine Desserts Etc. via their Facebook page. You can also follow them @DivineDesserts on Twitter.

I liked this very festive 2010 cupcake...






mini cupcakes


birthday cupcakes

The ones below are wedding cupcakes, for "Mr. and Mrs. C."





And last but not least...my favorite cupcakes in champagne glasses!



See more cupcake photos in their Facebook photo albums.

Divine Desserts Etc.
Plaza de La Paz at 27261 La Paz Rd, Suite G
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
949-305-3355
llewis at divinedessertsetc.om

Deep-fried cupcakes on a stick by Cakespy

Could these deep-fried cupcakes on a stick be any cuter? They're by Jessie Oleson of one of our favorite sites, Cakespy, and you can get the recipe at Serious Eats.



She writes:

First things first. The title of this recipe has probably brought up a serious question, and I'd like to answer it straightaway.

The answer is yes, I am trying to kill you, Paula Deen style. These deep-fried cupcakes on sticks may in fact not stick to your New Year's resolution plan, but they're delicious.

The thick batter seals moisture into the cake, and the oil infuses it with a light savoriness that makes them absolutely tantalizing. The taste is like the intersection of childhood nostalgia and greasy fair food.

German Chocolate Cake Trifle

German Chocolate Cake Trifle

1 Chocolate cake mix, made according to directions
1 Instant Chocolate Pudding mix, made according to directions
2 cups Coconut toasted
1 cup Pecans, or Walnuts chopped
Buttermilk custard (recipe to follow)

In Trifle dish Layer Chocolate Cake, Drizzle Buttermilk Custard, sprinkle on Coconut, sprinkle Pecans, Spoon in Pudding. Repeat 2 more times. Make the top look pretty!

Buttermilk Custard.

1 1/2 cups Buttermilk (original recipe called for a can of evaporated milk)
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs

In saucepan add 3 ingredients and whisk cold. Place on medium heat and add

1/4 cup butter
1 tsp Vanilla

Stir frequently till boils and becomes thick. Cool before using in Trifle.

*I saw a similar recipe on Sandra Lee Money Saving Meals but I modified it and added pudding. I used one large box of pudding and Ryan said it needed even more. I made it for Sunday dinner and it was a big hit, especially for Jace who loves pudding and coconut.

Miracle Bread (Hannah's)

Photo thanks to Michelle

10 1/2 c. white bread flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. salt

3 rounded tablespoons saf-instant yeast

3 T. liquid lecithin (I didn't have lecithin, so I used 1/3 c. oil)

4 c. hot tap water

Mix dry ingredients. Add lecithin (or oil) and water. Mix for 1 minute and check consistency. If dough is too dry, add a little more water. Dough should be very sticky. Mix for 5 minutes. (Do not add flour to the dough after it has finished mixing.) Spray counter and pans with Pam. Shape loaves, place in pans and cover with a dish towel. Let rise 25 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.Makes 4 loaves.

For whole wheat bread, use the same recipe only with whole wheat flour; replace one cup of the hot water with applesauce, and add 1 additional tablespoon lecithin. Mix for ten minutes.

**Note: if you are making this in a KitchenAid, halve the recipe and make 2 loaves of bread.**



I made bread for the first time! It was so easy I want to make it again and again.

Frog cupcake for The Princess and the Frog party

This frog cupcake was made by Linette at The Kids Birthday Fun Review. She writes:

First up I made these really easy frog cupcakes this morning. I just used a regular cupcake, some green frosting, 2 white chocolate melts, and a little black decorator icing. The frog cupcakes were super simple to make. I iced the cupcake with the green icing, then used the white chocolate candy melts for the eyes and dots of black icing for the center of the eyes and the frogs nose.

Sour Patch Kid mini cupcakes and mini Oreo cupcakes

These Sour Patch Kid (those always take me back to high school - I'm more of a gummy bear type but I had a friend who ate these nonstop) mini cupcakes and the Oreo mini cupcakes below are both by blogger Save the Date for Cupcakes.

Recipe for chocolate coconut almond cupcakes

Alison Ladman at The Associated Press has posted a recipe for chocolate coconut almond cupcakes and writes:

If you sometimes feel like a nut, this may be the cupcake for you. Inspired by the Almond Joy candy bar, these cupcakes feature a rich chocolate cake filled with sticky coconut topped with a luscious milk chocolate ganache and almonds.

Not feeling nutty? Go for a Mounds-inspired version. Leave off the almonds and use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. Decrease the amount to 16 ounces of chips for the same consistency.

Chocolate cupcakes and more from Georgetown Cupcake

The chocolate cupcakes are from Washington, DC bakery Georgetown Cupcake, which also does mail order cupcakes (for other bakeries, and now there are many, doing mail order cupcakes, see that section on our right-hand side - scroll down); photo by tasteofparis on Flickr.



I posted this and now have to add on this photo of their caramel apple and red velvet cupcakes, also by tasteofparis on Flickr:

Cupcake kebabs live on in Rexburg, Idaho

I started a post New Year's Eve about how 2009 was the "Year of the Cupcake Kebab," with photograhic evidence. One of my goals for 2010 is to be a much better cupcake blogger and get all the posts I want to actually posted, so that one is coming later this week.

In the meantime, I discovered Skinny Mini's Cupcakes, a custom cupcake company in Rexburg, Idaho, who'd posted these chocolate, peanut butter and strawberry cupcake kebabs:



Here's how they describe themselves (copied verbatim from their site):

Skinny Mini's Cupcakes are homemade from the freshest local ingredients. They are the perfect addition to any event including Weddings, Baby or Bridal Showers, Birthday parties, Work functions or to just indudge in a sweet treat!

Skinny Mini's specializes in miniture cupcakes, but also does regular size cucpakes and cakes upon request.

I got the name for Skinny Mini's from a nickname my mother-in-law calls me .... and it's my belief that if you eat a couple mini's you'll still stay skinny! Plus they are so petite, cute and delicious!

Skinny Mini's Cupcakes
Rexburg, Idaho (custom cupcakes)
440-655-0245

Happy Valentines Chocolate Cake

Happy Valentines Chocolate Cake - A heart shape chocolate cake for your Valentine, one kg "Happy Valentine" wording on the cake with decoration. Please order one working days in advance.
For Valentine's day delivery, order must be made by 11Feb.



Buy Now - Happy Valentines Chocolate Cake

(Singapore Florists: Online Florists in Singapore: Flower and Gifts). Cake.

9 Roses-Forever Love

9 Roses-Forever Love - The number of stalks of roses represent different meaning, 9 stalks - Love and Together as long as We live. Send her this pretty arrangement featured with 9 stalks of roses and 4 pcs Ferro Rocher chocolate. A handsome container with a teddy bear is something for her to keep once flowers gone. Flowers will fade, love won't.
Colour of roses may vary.



Buy Now - 9 Roses-Forever Love

(Singapore Florists: Online Florists in Singapore: Flower and Gifts). Bouquet.

'Nother cupcake tat

This one is on a friend of mine who never even knew I was co-editor on a cupcake blog! Of course, I never knew she had a cupcake tat either. Meet Li'l Miss Lixx's cupcake tat:







It's on the back of her leg, just above the knee. I am not quite sure why the cupcake is smoking a cigarette (?) or why it kinda looks like a truncated ice cream cone, but I have learned that sometimes it's best not to ask too many questions.


More cupcake tattoos!

More cupcake tats: Ink on, my friends!

I do so love the cupcake as an iconic image. I also love tattoos, mostly on other people, although I am lightly inked myself (no cupcakes, though!).

Here are two reader-submitted tats. The first you'll have to click through to view as its not downloadable. (Thanks to Michelle of House of Sweets Bakery in Delray Beach, Florida for sending that in.)

The second is from Brandy in Urbandale, Iowa, who was inked by Michelle of Skin Kitchen, with Brandy's own design.








Not sure if Blogger shows animated gifs, but Brandy made an adorable one (you can also see it on her blog):






Keep sending in your cupcake tats, I love seeing them!!

Owl coconut cupcakes

These adorable owl coconut cupcakes are by custom company Amy Bakes Cupcakes in San Luis Obispo County, California, via Flickr.

Wedding cupcakes by La Crème Cupcake in the UK

These wedding cupcakes are all by La Crème Cupcake in Littlehampton, UK, via their Flickr account. They're also @LaCremeCupcake on Twitter and are on Facebook.









La Crème Cupcake
Telephone: 07983 458 635
info at lacremecupcake.com

We're #8 in the Shorty Awards for food - have you nominated us yet?

Another plea to vote for us for The Shorty Awards for food...we've got 41 votes and Tyler Florence is currently in the lead with 335 votes, so please please take a minute to Tweet: "I nominate @cupcakeblog for a Shorty Award in #food because..." and fill in the blank!



Thanks from all of us! And, of course, if you don't already, follow @cupcakeblog for our posts, updates, bakery Retweets, Twitpics and more!

Cupcakes this very second via Google search

I was just showing the very nice guy at the Apple Store who was talking to me about external hard drives that we are easy to find, since we still come up #1 in a Google search on cupcakes, and discovered that Google has integrated Google news searches and Twitter searches, so this is what came up for Twitter:



You can always search Twitter yourself to find out who's talking about cupcakes this very second.

113 cupcake recipe online cupcake adventure

Blogger Abbi Z. Meadows over at Z as in Zebra is taking a page from Julie Powell's Julie & Julia blogging project and making all 113 recipes in the cupcake cookbook Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman.

She writes:

There are 113 recipes in the entire book. Even the author admits some of the recipes do not fit the classic definition of a ‘cupcake’ (i.e. the gelatin/fruit cups that use cupcake tins as a mold), but nevertheless my goal is to complete each and every recipe in the book. Rather than give myself a time limit, I am setting my sights on 1 to 2 batches a week. At that rate, it will take me about a year or two to get through everything.

As I work my way through the book, I will be posting my creations here on the blog. I will also be tweeting on my baking days, looking for people to take my creations off my hands (I do NOT want to eat 113 batches of cupcakes and end up weighing 400 pounds!) To help offset expenses and buy ingredients for the next recipe, I will be charging a small fee for the cupcakes and dividing them based on need (you want 4? 8? 10?), rather than on ‘typical bakery’ numbers.

Here's a sampling of what she's made so far (click on cupcake name for the post, all photos from Z as in Zebra):

Banana split cupcakes





Cookies 'n cream cupcakes



After Eight cupcakes

Contenders for cutest wedding cupcakes ever

Aren't they?



These wedding cupcakes are by Look Cupcake in Seattle; photo by Joysha Fajardo, via Flickr.

Another shot of these wedding cupcakes, also by Joysha Fajardo:



See more of their wedding cupcakes in this Flickr set.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Eiffel Tower cupcakes

Custom Eiffel Tower cupcakes by Philadelphia-based custom cupcake company Whipped Bakeshop (via Flickr) for a Paris-themed birthday party at the Please Touch Museum.

Some closeups:





And while these cupcakes below were not part of the Eiffel Tower cupcake order, I couldn't resist including them when I saw them in the Whipped Bakeshop Flickr stream...I'm sure you can tell why!


Chocolate fudge cake iced with pink-hued Italian meringue bttercream, drizzled with bittersweet ganache and sprinkled with non pareils.

Whipped Bakeshop and Whipped Bakeshop Etsy store
215-598-5449
zoe at whippedbakeshop.com

Sunday Supper- Bone In Turkey Breast

Saturday, I decided the weather wasn't getting any warmer to allow BB-Q, so I thawed and brined a bone-in Turkey breast I had for a while..
The brine was simple and basic- 1 cup of Kosher salt, 1/2 cup of white sugar with enough hot water to have them dissolve, cold water(enough to cover bird) and in goes the turkey breast for 16 hours (refrigerated).
I cooked it breast side up, coated with olive oil, and threw a cut up apple in the cavity for moistness. Took 3 hours, counting rest time after cooking. It came out very moist and flavorful! 1 hour before done, I threw some potatoes in the same roasting pan, so they would be done at the same time as the bird..
Dessert was a chocolate cake, home made frosting, sprinkled with cinnamon- pretty good!
I see more than one turkey sandwich in my future this week...
The last photo is an Airedale that really loves turkey!