Tuesday Tip: How to Frost or Decorate Cupcakes

I will confess--I am no master baker!  I can get by though.  For my brother's wedding, I bit the bullet and took my time to decorate and frost cupcakes.  A first for me (since culinary school at least!).  I watched YouTube videos and everything!

This is another first for me--I videotaped me decorating these cupcakes!  I know!  I'm moving up in this blogging world by leaps and bounds!  I didn't narrate, but I'll type out directions.

Frosting Cupcakes

I wanted a simple, flat frosting job for the base.  You start in the center and work your way out in a spiral.  To finish, dip your tip back into the frosting and pull off to the side.  Easy!

Decorating Cupcakes

These were chocolate overload so what was a little more chocolate drizzle?  No much.  Below you can see my drizzling technique.  Note--the best part is the chocolate paper!  Yes, I shamelessly ate the chocolate off the paper.  Don't judge.

Sorry for being MIA, but I started a new job yesterday! Plus, I'm having to figure out a new posting schedule because Blogger, Facebook, and Pinterest are blocked at work! LOL It's a very small trade-off so I'll be figuring out how to post over the next few days so please be patient with me!

PS--I'm really, really loving my new job!  They are in the midst of change and revamping so my organizational side is in overdrive!  YAY!!! 

PPS--Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway!

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Tuesday Tip: Curry Powder

Some of the best recipes come in dire need.  For instance, this curry powder recipe is a perfect example.  I was making Indian Chicken Stew and realized that I short a very large amount of curry the recipe called for.  Not one to panic, I googled how to make curry powder and adapted it to what I had.  I used the curry powder several other times before declaring it delicious and my only curry powder from now on.  Sometimes out of dire circumstances comes beauty and new recipes!

{Homemade curry powder}

Curry Powder

Makes 2 oz

4 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Mix together until well combined.
2. Store in an airtight container.

If you want more spice mixes, check out my taco, fajita, and Cajun recipes!

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Tuesday Tip: Zucchini Noodles

I try to eat gluten-free, but sometimes, a girl just wants to eat pasta.  I saw the idea of making zucchini noodles on Pinterest, and it intrigued me so I had to try it!

 {Zucchini Noodles}

 {This is a type of zester which can be found at kitchen gadget stores.  If you have a mandolin, that would work too!}

Step 1: Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.

{Raw zucchini noodles}

Step 2:  Drag the zester down the length of the zucchini making long strings of "spaghetti".  If using a mandolin, set the blades to a 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch and run the zucchini along the mandolin.

 {Boiling zucchini noodles}

Step 3:  Boil the zucchini noodles in hot water for 3-5 minutes.  This is just to get the noodles warm.

 {Cooked zucchini noodles}

Step 4:  Drain the zucchini noodles and then plate.

 {I topped mine with homemade spaghetti sauce}

Step 5:  Use like you would regular pasta by adding it to a dish and making sauce or topping it with a sauce that was already made, like spaghetti sauce.

Step 6:  Enjoy!

If you are gluten-free, how else do you satisfy a craving for pasta?  I've tried quinoa pasta, and just plain gluten-free pasta.  I love the idea that this gives you another veggie!  I'd love to hear how you do gluten-free!

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Tuesday Tip: Cleaning a Crock-Pot

After grabbing a cleaned crock-pot (the hubby so graciously washed), I was hit by this smell.  The crock-pot was clean, but it smelled like there was still food inside!  Not good!

{Better Homes and Gardens Skinny Slow Cooker is on stands now!}

I bought a Better Homes and Garden Slow Cooker cookbook (so many helpful hints and tips PLUS I want to make about 75% of the recipes--so go get one!).  As fate would have it, that afternoon, I read about how to clean your crock-pot from smells and hard stains.   So I've tried it a couple of times, and it actually works!  It's easy and simple, and the cleaning supplies are in your kitchen right now!

Smells

Mix 2 cups baking soda with 1 cup water (should be a thick paste that can easily be spread).  Spread along all inside surfaces of your crock-pot and allow to sit for 20 minutes.  Rinse, wash, and use!

 {Mixing the paste on the left and applying it on the right}

Stains/Discoloration

In a clean crock-pot, fill it halfway full of warm water.  Add 1/2 cup white vinegar to the water.  Turn the crock-pot on low.  Leave the vinegar water in the crock-pot for 8-10 hours (or overnight).  Cool. Wash before next use.

 {Use vinegar to get rid of stains and discolorations from minerals in your food and/or water}

What did all of this result in?  A good-smelling, almost-brand-new-looking crock-pot!!!  I do have to say that I have been cooking in it about 4 days a week for the last year, so she needed some TLC!

{Clean crock-pot}

Now I bet you are itching to go home and make your crock-pot look as awesome as mine came out!  How often have I cleaned it like this?  Only when it was needed.  Otherwise, soap and warm water does the trick!

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Tuesday Tip: Bake with Yogurt

Yes you read that right--bake with yogurt.  I saw it on Pinterest a while ago, and I just had never gotten around to actually doing it.  Why?  Because I was worried that it wouldn't work!  LOL  Good news is that it did!  Not only that, I tried it twice with muffins and cupcakes, and it worked both times!  It's really easy--just follow the recipes below!

 {Healthy Cupcakes}

 {Just three ingredients!  The batter will not be as runny as you are used to, but it does work out!}

Healthy Cupcakes

Makes 18 cupcakes

1 box cake mix (whatever you like!)
6 oz vanilla Greek yogurt (your favorite)
1 cup water

1. Preheat oven to temperature specified on the cake mix package.
2. Line a muffin tin with liners.
3. Mix cake mix, water and yogurt together until well combined.
4. Spoon into liner until 2/3 full.
5. Bake according to cake mix directions.
6. Cool.
7. Enjoy!

I didn't ice the cupcakes because I didn't have any, and I am not a frosting fan.  Besides, if you leave it without frosting, it would technically count as a muffin!  Right? Speaking of muffins...

 {Healthy Muffins}

 {Just three ingredients!  Only fill liners up 2/3 because they will rise!}

Healthy Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

2 packages muffin mix (whatever you like!)
6 oz vanilla Greek yogurt (your favorite)
2 oz milk

1. Preheat oven to temperature specified on the muffin mix package.
2. Line a muffin tin with liners.
3. Mix muffin mix, milk  and yogurt together until well combined.
4. Spoon into liner until 2/3 full.
5. Bake according to muffin mix directions.
6. Cool.
7. Enjoy!

How much "healthier" are these baked goods?  Well, first of all, they are baked goods so not the healthiest, but adding 6 oz of Greek which only has 120 calories compared to 3 eggs and 1/2 cup oil (one egg alone has about 100 calories!) is definitely better.

Everyone loved how moist the baked goods were!  The hubby claimed all of the blueberry muffins as his own so I had to smuggle some out for co-workers to try!  They loved them too, and the muffins got the same reviews as the cupcakes.  I'm definitely making them this way from now on.

So tell me--will you try baking with yogurt?

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Tuesday Tip: Fajita Seasoning

Seeing as how I made taco seasoning, it only made sense to continue on with fajita seasoning.  Then I had to make fajitas.....  That's the natural progression of things around my house.

 {Fajita Seasoning}

 {Fajita seasoning's individual spices}

Fajita Seasoning

Makes 4 tablespoons spice mix or 2 fajita meals

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1. Mix ingredients together until well combined.
2. Store in an air tight container until ready to use.

So go home and make the seasoning tonight so you can make fajitas tomorrow for dinner!  They are quick and easy--promise!

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Tuesday Tip: Season Wooden Spoons

Huh?  Season wooden spoons?  Why would anyone do that?

Those are the same questions I asked when my grandpa asked if I seasoned my wooden spoons.  He took that as a "no", and he taught me about why and how to season wooden spoons.  In a nutshell, wooden is an organic material that breaks down overtime.  Just like a cast iron skillet needs to be seasoned, so do wooden spoons!

Wooden spoons also have some rules:

1. Do not soak wooden spoons in any liquid at any time.
2. Do not use soap on wooden spoons.
3. Any time a wooden spoon touches raw meat or eggs, re-season it before using it again.

How do you season wooden spoons?  It's really easy and only took about 5 minutes!

{Step 1:  Lay out your unseasoned (and sad) wooden spoons}

 {Step 2:  Look over your spoons for dents, fuzziness, splinters, etc.  The spoon on the left is fuzzy while the one on the right is splintering}

 {Step 3:  Take fine grit sandpaper and sand the wooden spoons until smooth.  You can sand out burn marks, fuzziness, and even small splinters!}

 {Step 4:  Take olive oil (one used for frying or sauteing) and rub down the wooden spoons.  Make sure to give each groove a good massage!}

{Step 5:  Place the wooden spoons in the oven and turn it on to 350.}

{Step 6:  As soon as the oven reaches 350, turn the oven off and leave the wooden spoons in the oven to cool.}

{Step 7:  Take your cooled wooden spoons out of the oven and admire their shininess and softness!}

Then follow the rules mentioned above, and your wooden spoons will keep for YEARS!  The wooden spoon on the far left has been in my family for YEARS.  It needs to be seasoned really well a few more times.  The others were much newer and looked brand new after only seasoning them once.  The rubber spatula did fine in a 350 oven because it's heat proof to 450.  If you're not sure, I wouldn't risk it!

Since this is so easy, I'll definitely be doing this once a week to keep my spoons healthy!

Have you ever heard or done this?

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Tuesday Tip: Cajun Seasoning

Since I'm just loving the idea of making your own spice mixes, I decided to make my own Cajun Seasoning mainly because my local health food store stopped carrying it in bulk, and anything from the store has who-knows-what in it.  It took me a few tries, but here it is!

{Cajun Seasoning}

 {Mix the spices in a bowl or jar}

This is a bit spicy for me, but the hubby loves it!  He is OBSESSED with Cajun Garlic Bread, and this spice mix is the star of that recipe.

Cajun Seasoning

Makes 2 oz

2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika (1 teaspoon if you don't like it too spicy)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1/2 teaspoon if you don't like it too spicy)
1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Store in an airtight container.

Do you make your own spice mixes?  I'd love to hear about them!

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Tuesday Tip: How to Brown Butter

Sorry for being MIA yesterday.  Mondays always seem to be super busy for me.  Today, we are talking about how to brown butter.  What do you brown butter for?  Not much in American cuisine.  India uses it more often, but consider browning butter to add flavor and depth.  Even if you only slightly brown it!

 

{Step 1:  Slowly melt the butter in a pan}

 

{Step 2:  Don't walk away!  This process only takes 3 minutes (approximately) and you don't want burned butter!}

 

{Step 3:  Butter fat should start to brown.  You should also start to smell something slightly nutty.  Don't walk away!}

 

{Step 4:  Pull butter off the heat as more butter fats get brown.  The butter will smell nice and nutty now!}

{Step 5:  Use as directed by the recipe} 

Some great recipes to try browned butter are Roasted Cauliflower with Brown Butter Bread Crumbs or Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats!  I haven't tried it yet, but my favorite food blogger, smitten kitchen, suggests using it in mashed potatoes instead of regular butter.  It's on my list to try!

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Tuesday Tip: Christmas Cookie Recap

I know that we all have our specific traditions every year.  My family makes the following cookie recipes every year, and I look forward to it!  So maybe this isn't a tip exactly, but some people don't have a cookie-making tradition!  So I am sharing our cookie recipes! 

Hazelnut Cookies

Lebkuchen (German Gingerbread)

The hazelnut cookies are so easy to make which is perfect for the non-bakers.  The gingerbread are a bit more involved since they are made from scratch, but nothing a only-every-once-in-a-while baker can't handle.

Unfortunately, we haven't been able to get together to make cookies.  Our schedules just didn't lend to it this year.  My waistline is happy, but it doesn't feel like Christmas to me until you make Christmas cookies!  Right?  Maybe I can convince my family to make cookies on Christmas.... 

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Tuesday Tip: How to Roll A Burrito or Enchilada

So let's get some brief background on me....

I used to work at Taco Bell in high school.  I had never eaten nor stepped foot in a Taco Bell (or any Mexican place to my knowledge) before then; my family had Mexican food at home.  I was trained in the ways of Taco Bell, and NO I do not eat there on a regular basis.  In fact, I can probably count on one hand the times I've gone since I quit over 6 years ago.

One of the skills I learned was how to roll a burrito properly, and let me tell you--that's one skill that I use to this day!  It's a simple and easy 4 step process so let's begin!

 

{These are actually enchiladas (recipe tomorrow!), but the principle still applies}

 

{Step 1: Fold over the left and right sides about 1 inch towards the center}

 

{Step 2: Fold the side closest to you over the filling}

 

{Step 3: Tuck the tortilla underneath the filling, tightening the filling as you go.  You should have a solid burrito--no air pockets!}

 

{Step 4: Roll the burrito closed and lay seam side down to serve}

Pretty cool, right?  This will work with any size soft tortilla and in multiple ways.  Breakfast burrito anyone?

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Tuesday Tip: Olive Oil

Ever go to the olive oil section just to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices?  No pressure, but making the wrong choice could leave you hating olive oil--for life!  Let's take a look at a few different olive oils!

{The left one I use frequently while the one on the right I use in the summer}

What's the difference?  They both come from olives!  Well, one is used for salads, bread dips and other cold dishes.  The other is used for hot cooking.  Can you guess which is which?

Olive oil labelled 100% extra virgin or "first cold press" olive oil is the oil you want to use when making salads or dipping bread.  Why?  This oil has a good, strong flavor and is typically green in color.  Adding heat to this olive oil will break the oil down, changing the flavor.  This oil also has a low acidity and is typically the most expensive.

Olive oil that has been not been cold pressed (it can be a first press) is higher in acidity and a good all-purpose oil, except for deep frying.  You can use this oil in anything: from salad dressings to sauting.  This oil will not break down when heat is added so it is ideal when making Mediterranean dishes or for healthy cooking.

There is one more olive oil: pure olive oil.  This oil has been refined and blended to remove impurities.  This is also an all-purpose oil, but it has a lighter flavor than extra virgin olive oil.  The price tag, though not as high as extra virgin, is still pretty steep.

Typically in the summer, I buy a bottle of extra virgin olive oil because I make more cold salads in the summer than I do in the winter.  Normally, I just use a first press because it's cheap and all-purpose.  Can't go wrong with that!

By the way, if you didn't know, olive oil is good for your hair, especially if it is dry (like mine!).  Only put a little in 1/4 teaspoon at a time concentrating on the ends.  Hair should look shiny after the oil has been put in--not greasy!!!  I do this 1-2 times a week and then twist my hair into a bun leaving it in overnight.  You can also warm the oil up and apply to your hair for about 1 hour for a speedier hair treatment.

So that concludes our tutorial on olive oil!  Please let me know if you have any other questions!

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Tuesday Tip: Key to Baking Success

The key to baking success is to make sure all the ingredients you will use are at room temperature (unless otherwise specified).  Why?  The dough's temperature affects the texture and moisture of the finished product.  Think about it:  if the dough is cold when it goes in the oven, it will have to bake longer.  Plus, if the dough is not an even temperature throughout, then one part will bake faster/slower than the other parts which leaves you with a lop-sided product.  This applies to anything you bake: whether it's from scratch or a box.

Doesn't it make more sense to put a room temperature dough in the oven rather than one that is cold? 

The easiest way to bring ingredients to room temperature is to take them out of the fridge/freezer and place them on the counter (or in the microwave when you have starving cats) for at least 8 hours.  Typically, I set everything out before I go to work or the night before, and the ingredients are perfect when I am ready to bake.

But Jennifer.....  I completely forgot to set everything out this morning!

Don't worry....  I did that just the other day.....  So I made a little tutorial!

 

{I was making Blueberry Cornmeal Cake for dinner with my in-laws}

 

{Step 1:  Cut butter into 1/2 tablespoons or roughly 16 even pieces}

 

{Step 2:  Layer them in a bowl so that they are not stacked on each other and air can get through}

 

{See how my butter is stacked?}

 

{Step 3:  Wait for 1 hour and everything should be soft and ready to go! (that's my fingerprints as I was checking)}

 

{Warming eggs is really easy, just place in a bowl under cool, running water for about 15 minutes (yes, those were 'dirty'--don't judge)}

For liquids, gently warm it on the stove or in the microwave; it doesn't need to boil, just be warm to the touch. 

So there you have it!  One of the best tips that I ever learned from culinary school!

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