Mini Pie Cupcakes

While I was home in L.A. for Spring Break, I was expecting to spend the majority of my time outside. This did not happen. For the whole week, the rain poured and poured. I received numerous texts from my friends who live up in the North West, bragging about the lovely sunshine and how they were even getting a tan. This was all so wrong.

So what did I decide to do? What always makes me happier? Obviously being in the kitchen. I busted out my Hello Cupcake! recipe book and began baking vanilla cupcakes with Nutella buttercream frosting and transformed them into miniature pies. I highly recommend both editions of this book. Blueberry, cherry, lemon, apple, and peach pie galore! My fingers were covered in frosting by the end of it and the Nutella jar was licked and scraped clean. My sister Claire, who don't ask why, insisted during our European travels that Nutella was gross. Well I can proudly say by the end of this project, I had completely changed her mind. Even she was dipping the crunchy little M&M morsels into the Nutella to add that nutty, buttery hazelnut taste.

Look at all the butter. BUTTER, BUTTER, BUTTER, and more BUTTER. Yep, this is what goes into buttercream frosting. Powdered sugar and vanilla extract. I decided to add the Nutella for two reasons. One is that I ate so much of it in Rome, it was a good excuse to buy some more. Another, because it is the perfect way to die the frosting a slight beige, brown color, mimicking that of an actual pie crust.

And there you have it. The beautiful peaks of homemade Nutella buttercream frosting. I wish you could see a picture of what my fingers looked like at this point. I tried to document it but when I reached for my camera, I realized it probably wasn't a good idea to get it all sticky.

Separate each color of M&M into their own baggy. The Hello Cupcake! book only uses red and blue, but I thought all the colors made for a more festive presentation. Plus, they all taste the same, so why not use everything you've got?! This is also a great gift to give, or if you're ever invited to a picnic, I highly recommend these little pie cupcakes.

I'm not gonna lie. Piping is difficult to say the least. Once you get the hang of it though, it's a very fun and creative way to make designs on any dessert of pastry. Here I smeared a light layer of the frosting onto the already cooled cupcake. Then I placed the desired color of M&M's on the top, pressing it into the frosting so they could stick. Make sure to leave a little room around the edges so that you can pipe the edges of the crust before attempting the lattice.

And here is the finished product. Cute little cherry pies with a slightly different flavor and texture. If you're looking for a snack that's a sugar overload then don't hesitate to make these! I also promise that if you aren't a huge fan of Nutella, the flavor is incredibly light. When combined with the crunchy, chocolate bite of the M&M's, it is far from overwhelming.

Ingredients for the Vanilla Cupcakes

18.25 ounce box of cake mix (Vanilla or French Vanilla)

1 cup of buttermilk in place of the water that is called for on the box

Vegetable oil (amount on the box)

4 large eggs (don't use the number specified on the box)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Using substitutions above, follow the box instructions to mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at low to medium speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat until thick, 2 minutes longer.

Spoon half of the batter into a zip-top bag. Snip a ¼-inch corner from the bag and fill the paper liners 2/3 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from baking pans, place on a wire rack . Cool completely.

Nutella Buttercream Frosting

 3 sticks of unsalted butter

1 cup of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

16 oz. jar of Marshmallow Fluff

1 cup of Nutella (or however much you need to create the desired color for the crust)

Directions:

Combine the first four ingredients until the mixture is perfectly smooth. When ready, add the Nutella and mix in.

 Don't forget to buy both editions! I promise you won't be disappointed.

http://www.hellocupcakebook.com/ 

Citrus Salmon Spaghetti

FINALLY. In just a few days I am going to be reunited with my camera charger. If you only knew what I went through these past two weeks trying to borrow other friends cameras and attempting to take pictures with my crappy phone.

In just a few days I will be flying home to lovely L.A. Hello good weather and yummy food! Does this mean I get to finally bust out my sunglasses that have been sitting in their cases for over a few months? Just the thought of it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Sun. Food. Beach. Food. Family. Oh and more food. Nothing sounds better.

Last weekend I decided to drive down to the University of Oregon to have a little girls night with my friends, Lina, Gerri and Harper. In the past couple weeks, I’ve been so overwhelmed with midterms that I totally failed in setting aside time for cooking. Driving down to Oregon was one of the first times I was able to get back into the kitchen and do what I love. With a little help from my sous-chef Lina Bardovi, my friends and I were able to relax and indulge in a delicious meal that will definitely go down in the books.

One bonus of living up in the northwest is the fish. Oh my god the salmon is so delicious. I decided to create a little lemon spaghetti dish with salmon pieces and parmesan, accompanied by toasted olive bread and brussel sprouts. If you’re one of those people who hates brussel sprouts, well all I have to say to you is just try this recipe and tell me I haven’t changed your mind.

If you can’t tell, I am huge fan of cheese. Any stinky cheese is the butter on my bread, the key to my heart and the most important ingredient anyone could use. For years, I would come home from high school and grab some brie cheese to melt all over a baguette. SO why not add it to the pasta AND the brussel sprouts? If it makes the dish more tasty, why not go wild?! Fun Fact: I went on a parmesan cheese tour in Parma, Italy. Hopefully one day I will be able to share those photos with you because it was absolutely fascinating!

The necessary ingredients...don't forget the wine!

Slicing the olive bread in preparation for toasting...

Squeeze those lemons! Chop that basil! Pour your wine!

 Citrus Salmon Spaghetti

Ingredients:

1 pound of spaghetti

2-3 fillets of salmon

2/3 cup of olive oil

2/3 cup of Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

1/3 cup of freshly chopped basil leaves

Directions:

For the salmon, season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the seasoned salmon in a shallow dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the inside of the salmon is cooked. Once done, piece apart into decent sized pieces that will later be added into the cheesy pasta. 

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large bowl of water with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt for around 8 minutes, or until desired texture. 

Whisk the olive oil, parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice in a separate bowl until combined.

Once the pasta is cooked to perfection, drain while saving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the cheesy lemon sauce. Afterwards, add the remaining pasta liquid to soften up strands. Once this is done, add the chopped basil, along with the cooked salmon fillets from the oven. Season with salt and pepper.

*Olive Bread: As for the crunchy olive bread, Trader Joe's an awesome loaf. Slice the load and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven until the outside becomes crusty and golden brown. 

*Brussel Sprouts: If you want to use the same side I did, place the brussel sprouts in a pot of boiling water, and immediately turn down to a simmer. Once cooked for 5 minutes, remove and place in a baking dish. Add as much bread crumbs as you like, with some parmesan cheese or feta, depending on your preference. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees until the top turns a golden color. Season with garlic salt at the end.

Cream of Wheat for the Sick

So it seems flu season has hit our campus with a bang. Our health center just sent out an email informing everyone that 25 people were diagnosed yesterday with influenza. Well, my poor roommate, Bethany, seems to be feeling ill, so I sent her to bed and told her she couldn't go to class today. Instead of running far away from her germ infested body, I immediately started thinking about what to make her for dinner? I turned into Mother Lolo...something that is becoming all too familiar now. What do people want when they are sick? Maybe some tomato soup and grilled cheese, or rice with butter and salt. But then there's Cream of Wheat...

Oh Cream of Wheat, how you sooth my soul. I love you so much I could drink you in a mug, or spoon you out of a bowl, preferably with a huge chunk of butter on top. Bethany, whether you like it or not, you WILL be consuming the Cream of Wheat I make for you tonight.

The recipe I have grown so fond of is from a close, close friend back at home in Malibu, Sasha Crescentini. What's nice about it is that it's simple and very convenient to make because all the ingredients consist of stuff that usually is lying around. So much flavor is added to that plain old stuff  in the box, why not switch over to this and sweeten up your life? Whenever I would go over to Sasha's house after school, we would make this together and eat it by the buckets. Trust me it's well worth it and it might just become one of those recipes that reminds YOU of home.

Oh and also, please disregard the Instant Cream of Wheat in the picture. I would never use this stuff but Bethany bought it on accident. Always go with the regular kind. What does an extra 5 minutes do to ya?

The Recipe:

1) Vanilla Extract
2) Cream of Wheat
3) Maple Syrup
4) Brown Sugar
5) Cinnamon
6) Milk (or Half & Half)
7) Butter

Instructions:

Boil 1 1/2 cups of water with a couple drops of vanilla extract. Then add 3/4 cup of Cream of Wheat and whisk into the water. Add a little molasses if you have any but I usually stick to the maple syrup, then drizzle the maple syrup, brown sugar and however much cinnamon you want! I know I'm not supplying measurements but that's because this is supposed to be a bowl of perfection, so make it with however much you want! The great thing about this, is if your not a fan of any ingredient, leave it out or add more stuff in. Keep tasting it until you've mastered the perfect concoction.

As it thickens add the milk till it becomes the consistency you like. (If too watery, let it cook down on medium to low heat). Keep whisking and then serve with a dollop of butter right on top. MMMMmmmmmmMMMmmmm.

Homemade Yogurt

       Food 52 is a blog run by a handful of very talented cooks. Just a few days ago I was reading up on their new posts and this one caught my eye. Seeing as how I am utterly obsessed with plain greek yogurt and basically eat it every morning with honey and granola, I thought I had struck a goldmine. I had no idea one had the ability to make their own yogurt at home! What a revelation! The woman who wrote this article has completely sold me. Although i'm too nervous to look up how much they cost...I guess i'll just wait for some really nice person to purchase it for me.

http://www7.food52.com/blog/1742_homemade_yogurt

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Morsels

I’m going to first apologize for the crummy quality of the photos. I just received the most amazing anniversary present from my boyfriend, a Nikon D3100, and left the charger back in L.A. Once I return in 2 weeks, I will finally be able to take proper food photos!

It’s Saturday morning and I’m supposed to be writing an 8 page paper on how I learned the racial “Other”. Um, no thank you! Instead, I woke up and ran to the market so I could fit some cooking therapy in.

When I was younger, I grew up on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Who didn’t?! Well now, I am falling back in love with peanut butters creamy, crunchy texture. After eating so many of those sandwiches, I couldn’t consume the salty, hard to swallow concoction, but now, I’m am completely addicted. Especially the all natural kinds because damn, those are straight up mashed peanuts in a jar. Leave the Jiffy behind!

Here is a lovely recipe that sits well in everyone’s stomach. Without the flour, the whole cookie is basically just a round ball of peanut butter mixed with two kinds of sugar. Yes, two kinds of sugar. YUM. Also, I couldn’t help myself so I chopped some chocolate morsels and sprinkled them on the cookies during the last 5 minutes in the oven.

Now if you’d excuse me, I’m going to go devour my fifth one with some hot cocoa. Oh and if you’re one of those people who just likes to cook for the sinfully sweet smells that fill the house, then this is perfect for you!

Ingredients:

1 cup all-natural chunky or smooth peanut butter

1 cup sugar (1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar)

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a baking sheet with butter and set aside.  In a mixer combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes.  Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes.  Roll into small sized balls and create a cris-cross pattern with a fork.  If you’d like, add a few chocolate pieces to the top of the cookies.  Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool on a baking sheet for two minutes, then transfer to your mouth. Don’t forget the milk or hot cocoa!

Based on a recipe from Joy the Baker.

The Sprouted Kitchen

Okay yes, I am very guilty of spending every bit of my time on the internet reading other peoples food blogs just to satisfy my hungry eyes. One woman, in particular, who is behind the incredible website Sprouted Kitchen has become one of my favorite bloggers, which is why I am sharing her with you. I hope you enjoy her just as much as I do, and start to follow her along with me! Hopefully one day, I will have my own professional photographer and website juuuusst like hers.

Oh and also, how amazing do those preserved lemons look? My profound love for citrus and sour tastes will probably cause me to make them in the next week. I will let you know how it goes!

www.sproutedkitchen.com

Dinner with Lovely Laurel

What an amazing night with my lovely friend Laurel Curran! We decided to make turkey stuffed bell peppers with feta cheese, accompanied by edamame. Below is the recipe if you’re interested:

Recipe: Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers with Feta Cheese

Cut tops off of peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Save pepper tops.

Bring a large pot of covered water with a dash of salt to boil, add peppers, re-cover, and boil for 5 minutes. Drain upside down on paper towels.

In small pot, cook 1/2 cup of brown rice in 1 1/4 cup water, set aside once rice has soaked up all water.

Finely chop the garlic and the onion. Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet. On medium/low heat, add garlic to skillet first, then onion. Cook while stirring for about 3 minutes. Lower heat if the garlic starts to brown. Add the spinach afterwards.

Meanwhile, cook ground turkey in a separate, smaller skillet.

Stir in cooked rice and turkey to vegetable mixture. Stir in a few tablespoons of feta cheese. Add black pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into peppers (fill them up!)

Stand peppers upright in deep baking dish and sprinkle feta cheese on top. Cover dish and place in preheated 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

Serve immediately! For an added garnish, put the pepper tops back on top to serve. One stuffed pepper is about one serving. Enjoy! Oh an also, top with cholula at the end if you like a little kick!

Oktoberfest 2010

While abroad, my friends and I were fortunate enough to experience Oktoberfest and all the delicious food that comes with it! Here are some photos of their "Bretzels" (I am completely in love) and the typical meat selection accompanied by a famous cheese dip that we definitely did NOT order. It had one of the most strange textures but in the end, I'm so glad I was able to try a bite!

Sadly, I don't have a picture of one of my most memorable meals. It was the most delicious, hot, salty roasted chicken served in a white paper bag that almost everyone carried around as they sipped their beers and sang merry songs. This specific rotisserie chicken, along with one I had in Lisbon, was unlike anything we have here in the states.

If you have a chance, GO TO OKTOBERFEST! Yes you will come back heavier than you were before after all the buttery chicken, salty bread and beer, but I have never seen so many happy people together enjoying the yumminess of food!

21st Birthday Cake

This past January was my 21st birthday! For those of you who don’t know her, Sylvia Weinstock is a renowned cake artist, and although this was not one of her original recipes, it was very much inspired by her. Yes, my mother and I made everything from scratch and I must say it was exquisite!

Rome Cooking

Parmesan chicken that lay over a cream based marinara sauce with vegetables and couscous. Not your typical Italian dinner, but why not add a fusion of ingredients?!

Pasteis de Belem

From Lisbon, Portugal, these warm pastries are one of the most delicious morsels of food I have ever eaten. It is very common for Portuguese people to eat these for breakfast in the morning. They are served hot with some hot cocoa.