The Easiest " Bakery Shop " Cupcakes!

I'd always wanted to make fancy cupcakes, so when I was tasked with bringing the cupcakes to Katie's bridal shower I thought what better time than now? I did some research, and some trial. I tried making the actual cupcakes from scratch but they didn't come out as good as the box-they weren't bad, but just not as good ol' Betty Crocker. We'll perfect those at a later date... So, I stuck with the box cupcakes (shh) and made homemade cream cheese frosting. With the help of my sister (over at ThingsToBeStroudOf) and her beautiful kitchen, and cupcake display supplies, I would say we were pretty successful!

Wilton Sprinkles (Michaels) & Wilton Decorating Kit (Target)

For the frosting, I used a half a stick of softened unsalted butter, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1.5 tablespoons of vanilla and 3.5 cups powdered sugar. Mix those in your mixer.

Once you have your cupcakes baked (& cooled--very important!), you need to get your decorating bag prepped--use the largest tip in the kit. When you have it ready, spoon your frosting into the bag. Make sure don't get the frosting on the sides of the bag, especially the top part or else when you squeeze it will come out the top. Once you have a good amount in there, you're ready to decorate!

To start, place the tip in the middle of the cupcake (make sure you're squeezing firmly, and consistently, the entire time you are decorating).

 Then slowly make a circular motion as you move outward on the cupcake, but don't go all the way to the edge.

 Once you have done your final "circle" bring the tip back to the middle and then up--and voila!

The hardest part was figuring out how to get 36 cupcakes to the shower down the street, without them tipping over and/or the frosting melting. But I succeeded, thanks to my sister's "cupcake" holder--lifesaver let me tell ya! I was also able to display them nicely with her cake stands (see them displayed here)

 And, we couldn't have succeeded making these cupcakes without this little helper to keep us entertained :) check out those toofers!

Crock Pot Carnitas

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, we were craving some yummy Mexican food. We normally make simple chicken, or fish, tacos so this time we wanted something different. I decided to make Carnitas in the crock pot and to my surprise the meat was super cheap [on sale for only about $7]. I slightly modified a recipe I found on Food Network [here]...I omitted the jalapeno just because we didn't have one and I used little cuties instead of an orange, again because that's what we had on hand. The crock pot has become my best friend in the kitchen, so nice to come home from work and have the majority of the cooking already done!

We served it with some Mexican rice, and a refreshing salad with lime, avocado, purple onion and a homemade Creamy Cilantro dressing, again from Food Network [here]...yum, yum, yum.

Lobstas & Waffles

Last night Alex and I ventured to to the local "Food Truck Round Up" at the OC fairgrounds.  I may or may not have been following stalking the Lobsta Truck online to see when they were going to be around. A few months ago a couple of coworkers and I tried the truck when it was nearby during lunch that day. I was a little weary, I mean seafood in a food truck? But, being a Bostonian, I had to at least try it...and seriously...best-thing-ever! So, it hasn't been around these parts in a while, and I saw it was going to be close by last night so I convinced Alex to go. I got the crab roll w/ butter, and he got the lobsta roll. For dessert, I had a nutella/strawberry/banana waffle from the Waffle-icious truck (info here) which was also yummy.

I highly recommend trying this one if it's ever in your neighborhood (find them here!), trust me, it's uh-mazing! Only downfall is it's a little pricey for a food truck, but well worth it!

Beignets Oh Yay!

Last night we had some of the family over for dinner and Alex made beignets. He has made them for us once before and they were just as delicious, but as you'll see they're super healthy ...so it's not often we indulge ourselves. His step dad is from New Orleans [or N'Orleans as they say, right?], so he does have some great cajun recipes up his sleeve [and beignet skills!]. If you have all the right tools, I've learned they're super easy to make. The main ingredient is Pillsbury Rolls (he says it's important to get the ones that don't flake). Of course you can make the dough from scratch, but this version is super easy, cheap and d-lish!

Step 1: Flatten the dough rolls and cut into fourths (each fourth will be 1 beignet so you don't need a lot of rolls) and use a butter knife to pierce a small slit in the middle of each

Then you simply put the flattened 1/4 rolls in the deep frier [I told you they were healthy ;) ] until they're browned, let them cool then put powdered sugar in a bag and shake them up!

Everyone enjoyed them, even Easton ;)

Whats's for Dinner: Week 4

So this last week was a bit crazy & I must confess I did NOT cook @ home 4 nights...only 3! Yes, tell me I didn't succeed at my NYR (new year's resolution), but I'll tell you making that resolution has certainly paid off...even if I broke it. Let me tell you why. I have found a new love for cooking and trying new recipes and finding healthier ways to cook our already favorite meals.

Because I have realized how difficult it is to find amazing, unique, cheap and new recipes to cook for all 4 nights (or how ever many I cook at home), I have decided to make this the last week of "what's for dinner" and rather share exciting "one-off" recipes, when I come across them. This week I've already repeated one of our new faves (Lemon curried chicken soup from week 1) so while I will continue to strive to cook 4 times at home, there will probably be many repeats (aka boring)!

But like I said, my NYR has been incredibly helpful because I have acquired more cooking skills/knowledge, and along with that grocery shopping knowledge (who knew that existed), like where do you find Pancetta? I've learned a lot from cooking just in the last 4 weeks and I am going to continue to be on the hunt for exciting recipes. I encourage you all to find exciting recipes that work for you and your household because it does bring lots of satisfaction :)

Monday: The Salmon and Couscous is self explanatory, and delicious. 

Tuesday: For the chicken marinade, I used this one found here (I used 1 TBSP of light mayo instead of miracle whip) . I marinated it while at work and it was pretty yummy. I cooked the brussel sprouts on the stove with some garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper, then added a little chicken broth and put the cover on and let them simmer with the cover on.

Wednesday: No photo because we just cooked heated up some French Onion Soups we got from Trader Joe's, and they were great!

What's for Dinner: Week 3

[Monday]  Chicken Pisole
Review: Easy & pretty good...and something different than we usually make. I did subsitute a few things, such as the chili powder since I didn't have that on hand. And omitted the radishes, and used extra avocado and lime, you can never have too much of those in my opinion!
Recipe: Here
Ranking (out of 5): 3/5


[Tuesday]  Chicken with Mushroom Sauce & Asparagus 
Review: Believe it or not, Tuesday we had a celebrity chef, if you will (evidence above)! I had a really long day with work and asked Alex if he could plan and prep a meal. I knew he was certainly capable, but wasn't sure if I would come home to take out. But I was presently surprised to arrive to an amazingly yummy dinner. I'm normally not a huge fan of mushrooms, but the way he prepared them was delicious. Props to my boy :)
Recipe: Here (who knew he was a fan of Real Simple? One of my faves!)
Ranking (out of 5): 5/5 (c'mon you think i'd give less and chance him never cooking again!)

[Wednesday]  Shrimp Tacos 
Review: One of my staple favorites, I love shrimp, and again I love me some avocado and limes! 
Recipe: Not really a recipe for this one, just our favorite toppings mixed with shrimp and onions. I think tacos are one of those things that everyone has a different preference on, and there are so many yummy recipes. But, we did make up this yummy sauce (using yogurt to be a bit healthier of course: 3 tablespoons plain  greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and salt/pepper to taste)
Ranking (out of 5): 4.5/5


[Thursday]  Chicken with Delish Rub 
Review: This was just an ordinary chicken meal, really, but we did use this awesome rub I got Alex for Christmas from West Elm  (shown above)
Recipe: Again, just chicken with the rub, which we highly recommend and will probably try some other flavors, served with broccoli and biscuits!
Ranking (out of 5): 3/5

What's for Dinner: Week 2

Continuing my resolution, we cooked at home 4 nights last week (with one minor hiccup), wahoo! Although, I would say the first week was more successful from the *taste* standpoint [I think Alex would agree ;)], but hey you win some and you loose some, right?  

(my actual photos, hence them not looking as perfect as some you'll see on the sites linked below!)

[Sunday]  Fontina, Caramelized-Onion, and Pancetta Pizza
Review: I'm normally a huge homemade pizza fan, and this recipe was pretty good, but not my favorite. I think we might have skimped on the amount of Pancetta, which caused the onion to overpower! It was good,  but I think next time I would try prosciutto (my favorite!) or ham.
Recipe: Here
Ranking (out of 5): 3/5


[Monday] Tortelleni Soup 
Review: This is not a new recipe in our home...it's a favorite! We originally had it at my Sister-in-law's a year or so ago, and from that day we have fallen in love. It's super easy and delicious, and make's for great leftovers.
Recipe: You can find tons of different recipes on line, but Marina's is my favorite and I haven't found it online, so if you're curious-

Ingredients: two packages of tortellini (in the aisle with the cheese at the grocery), mushrooms, garlic, yellow or white onion, two stocks of baby bok choy, tortellini and a box of chicken broth (we use 2 boxes because we like a lot of leftovers).

1. Sautee mushrooms and onion, add garlic after a few minutes

2. Put chicken broth in a big pot bring to light boil, add tortellini (cooks in Broth)

3. Once tortellini is almost done add the washed baby bok choy.

4. Optional: Add parmesan cheese & red pepper chili flakes to finished product

Ranking (out of 5): 5/5 (always...thanks Marina!)

[Tuesday] Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Review: I'm a HUGE fan of the crock pot ever since I purchased it a few months ago-especially with working. I was a little nervous leaving it on while I went to work the first time, but all worked out as planned! Anyways, this was a very yummy recipe, but I think next time I would follow the recipe just as stated (I tried to make it a little healthier and omit the cheese and some other things, but I think it would have made it better).
Recipe: Here
Ranking (out of 5): 4.5/5 

[Thursday] Cilantro-Lime Chicken Wings Store Bought Rotisserie Chicken
Review:  Well, well, I had all intentions of grilling Cilantro-Lime Chicken Wings (which we've also cooked many of times and we love), but sadly when I went to prepare the chicken I realized it had gone bad (guess I missed the date when picking that one out at the store), EW! So, I had to throw it out and run to Albertson's and get a Rotisserie chicken and throw some Pillsbury rolls in the oven and Rice Pilaf on the stove. It was a good save, but small disappointment!
Recipe: I'll have to check with the Albertson's chef and get back to ya!
Ranking (out of 5): 1/5 (my score for having the rolls and rice pilaf on hand!)

What's for Dinner: Week 1

As I mentioned, it is my (ambitious) goal to cook healthy meals at home 4 nights a week this year. I'm happy to say that I was successful last week--we cooked at home 3 nights, then at my Sister's one night mostly credited to my Mom's expertise (still at home, despite not being my home)! When searching for yummy recipes, I start at Cooking Light usually, but have found some keepers on other sites, too.

Note: These are professional photos, which can be found on the recipe sites below...but mine looked close :)

[Tuesday] Curried Chicken & Rice Soup
Review: Delicious and perfect for this time of year. It was really easy to make, and made for great leftovers. Only complaint would be that the Curry spice was a bit expensive for my budget, but now we have it and can find other recipes with Curry in it. Definitely a keeper-Alex has already requested it again!
Recipe: Already shared the recipe, but it can be found here.
Ranking (out of 5): 5/5

[Wednesday] Lettuce Wraps
Review: These were a little more involved, and again called for some ingredients that I did not have on hand; partly this is because I'm still building my pantry from moving in and becoming an aspiring cook ;) The finished product was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. I used ground turkey instead of chicken in effort to be more healthy, and also couldn't find butter lettuce so had to use iceberg, which doesn't make for too good of a "wrap". This recipe was decent and pretty healthy, but I think next time I'll try an alternative.
Recipe: Here
Ranking (out of 5): 2/5

[Friday] Grilled Chicken with Rustic Mustard Cream
Review: This recipe surprised me, as I was a little weary and thought it might be too boring. I don't know what I was thinking, though, because it was so yummy. I had planned to do the prep and have Alex get his grill on, but traffic had other plans for him, and we were going to miss our movie, so I put my grillin' cap on and BBQed the chicken myself...a first for me on our grill, so I was proud. Anyways, it came out great! I made it with the roasted tomatoes  (just the red grape tomatoes) and the flavors were delish.
Recipe: Here
Ranking (out of 5): 5/5

[Saturday] Roast Pork with Peach Glaze
Review: Admittedly, my mother was the hands behind this dish, I mostly took part in the eating of it. But, I will say that I was extremely skeptical when she called me and asked me to pick up peaches from the store- I said "oh, so we're having a peach dessert", and she says "no its for the Pork". I was a little weary but I am a sucker for sweet & salty things, so I gave it a shot! And boy, thank goodness I did. It was yummy, and the pork was cooked to perfection (of course my mom has a little more practice than me, so probably a good thing she did this one). Now that I know about this recipe, I'll definitely try it one day soon, but it is a bit more difficult and pricey-probably on a weekend when I have some more time. We served this with corn bread, salad and corn on the cob.
Recipe: Came from my mom's Cooks Illustrated book, but here is a copy cat recipe
Ranking (out of 5): 4/5

A Spoonful o' Resolution

As (one of my) New Years resolutions, I've decided to cook at home at least 4 nights a week. I know it does not sound that difficult, but somehow it has seemed nearly impossible for me ever since I started working--call me crazy! Although I have multiple reasons for wanting to do this, one of the most important ones is to try and eat healthier (I know, cliche, cliche!). Luckily, Santa apparently forecasted this resolution as I opened up these AMAZING cooking and baking supplies on Christmas morning!

Conversion Dish Towel (Crate&Barrel), Milk Bottle Measuring Cups (Anthropologie)
& Serving Set (Anthropologie)

I mean, how can you not want to get in the kitchen and cook/bake with these awesome "tools"! I know it motivates me. Now I just need to find some yummy (and healthy) recipes...it is challenging but I know they're out there. Last night I made Curried Chicken and Rice Soup (found here) and it came out great, it was really tasteful, healthy and even Alex loved it! Perfect for the cold nights we've been having. I think I will be cooking it again soon. 

If anyone has some yummy & healthy fun recipes, bring 'em on!