cherry-tartlette:

Red Velvet Cupcakes In A Jar

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 24 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes

1 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ¾ cups), sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract*

Directions:

For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners or spray pan with spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine oil and sugar until well-blended. Add egg and mix until combined.

4. Turn your mixer down to the lowest speed and add vanilla, then slowly add in the food coloring. Note: If you are using liquid food coloring, it will take about 2 tablespoons of coloring to get a dark red shade. I used about 1 tablespoon of gel dye to achieve the shade in the photographs. Add the dye slowly and color according to your preference.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches; scrape down the side of the bowl. Continue mixing until just combined, taking care not to over mix.

6. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with the machine running. Beat for about 10 seconds.

7. Using a medium scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide batter between the 12 wells, filling each well about 2/3 full of batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese and butter until well combined.

2. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine.

To Assemble in Jars

1. Slice cupcakes horizontally to create layers. Each cupcake will yield 2-3 layers depending on how thick you want your layers to be.

2. Place one cupcake layer into the bottom of your jar, pipe a layer of cream cheese frosting directly onto the cake layer. Repeat the layering process until you reach the top of your jar. If desired, garnish with festive sprinkles or red velvet cake crumbs.

Red Velvet Checkered Cake 

For David’s birthday, Wendy made this delicious red velvet cake. She “checkered” the cake by having some of the cake with red velvet coloring and some without.

The cake is great and the frosting is wow! It is the creamy and light even though it has both marscapone and cream cheese. She uses a frosting recipe from the Waldorf Astoria cookbook. 

Cheddar Biscuits Recipe awesome-everyday:

we have a winner!

tayarijones:

asparagus by polarpear on Flickr.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

1 lb asparagus cut into 2 inch lengths (That’s one bunch)
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp of butter
2 Tbsp. of flour
4 cups chicken broth (I use canned)
1/4 c half and half
salt and pepper to taste


Saute onion and butter 3 minutes. Stir in flour. Add chicken broth slowly. Add asparagus. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Puree mixture until smooth. Add cream, salt and pepper to pureed soup and reheat.

Now what I do is put the nice tips off to the side and add them in after I pureed the other. Enjoy!

Via Flickr:
spring is asparagus time!

thecakebar:

Edgar Allan Poe Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet!

Yield: one 2 layer 8-9-inch cake            

This is amazing! Allan Poe fans stand up!!!! I wonder what other characters this bakery can make! ENJOY! (which one of you is going to try and make this? teehee…)                                                                   

Cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 oz. liquid red food coloring
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Design Instructions and Recipe Here!

Sweet potato and leek pita sandwich 

Everyone pairs potatoes up with leek, but who is crazy enough to pair a sweet potatoes with leeks. I am cray-cray!

This is the cheapest, healthiest lunch I ever made. One leek from the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket, $1. One sweet potato, less than a dollar. (There were $2/lb.) The wheat pitas were $3.50 for five so $0.70 for one. Total cost: $2.70 (approximately)

Kinda-sorta recipe:

Put water on to boil. Add olive oil and salt. Slice one sweet potato. Add slices to boiling water. Cook for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, rinse off leek. Cut into slices lengthwise. Place in pan or casserole dish with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay out the leeks and then add the sweet potatoes on top. Cook in the oven for about twenty minutes. Leeks should be translucent and potatoes should be soft. Then stuff in a pita. Add chipotle sauce if you like it spicy.

thehealthyfoodie:

Coconut Shrimp Curryless Curry

A beautiful mixture of shrimp, corn, bell peppers and mushrooms, in a sweet and creamy coconut sauce.

365daysofhalloween:

Pirate Brownies

Ingredients

1 box (22.5 oz.) brownie mix
1½ cups chopped SNICKERS® Bars
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate fudge frosting
1 cup vanilla frosting
⅔ cup M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies
Resealable plastic bag
1 9 x 13-inch pan(s)
Aluminum foil
Waxed paper

1. Prepare brownies according to the package instructions (for cake brownies).

2. Fold SNICKERS® Bars into batter before transferring it to a foil-lined 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

3. Bake according to the package directions. To check if ready, insert a toothpick 2 inches from the edge of the pan. If it comes out clean, the brownies are ready.

4. Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

5. Remove the brownie from the pan by loosening it from the sides, and then lift it out of the pan and place on a flat surface.

6. Spread the top of the brownie with the chocolate fudge frosting. Cut into 2-inch squares (4 lines x 6 lines).

7. Put vanilla frosting into a resealable plastic bag and snip a hole in the corner. Using the picture as a guide, make a skull shape on top of each brownie, by squeezing a large circle of frosting above a smaller circle of frosting, and then piping two crossed bones in front of each skull. Use M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies for the eyes and mouth. Transfer the brownies from the foil to a platter or waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

Homemade Nut-Free Nutella -  via In Jennie’s Kitchen)

Made with sunflower seeds. Click through for recipe!