Halloween Spooktacular: Pumpkin Cupcakes

Now that I've been in Houston for a month, it was time for a housewarming party. This was no ordinary housewarming; it was a Halloween housewarming. Naturally, instead of worrying about decorating for the party, I decided to focus my efforts on baking. I made my Whoopie Pies (the ultimate cooking sandwich and my favorite post ever) and pumpkin cupcakes inspired by my Thanksgiving dessert Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle.

Pumpkin Cupcakes
Cake part from AllRecipes.com
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Time: 60 minutes

Judging by the smell of the batter, I knew it was gonna be awesome.

4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup corn starch
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
Pumpkin Pudding (see below)
Whipped Cream (see below)
Pumpkin shaped candy corn for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix the flour, corn starch, spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Blend the eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin together over medium low speed using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix over low speed. Be careful not to over mix.
5. Fill cupcake liners ~2/3 full with batter and bake for 20 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test. Make sure to rotate once halfway through.
6. Let cool on wire racks. Once cool, cut out the center of the tops and fill with pumpkin pudding (see below for recipe).
7. Top with whipped cream frosting and a pumpkin candy corn.
8. Look awesome in your halloween costume eating cupcakes.

The cupcakes were already amazing without the extra toppings and fillings. They were a great mix between pumpkin pie and gingerbread. They had an amazing consistency and incredible bounce to them, not to mention the wonderful aroma that filled my apartment.  The true highlight, though was my friend Heather walking in on me making cupcakes and listening to Dr. Dre. Nothing says delightful baked goodness quite like classic 90s rap. I'm just glad she didn't walk in while I was also dancing.

Pumpkin Pudding

From Paula Deen

1 packet instant vanilla pudding

2 cups milk

1/2 can (15 oz) Pumpkin pie filling

Pudding and cupcakes together at last.

1. Make the instant pudding by following the package instructions (basically whisk the milk and pudding together for 2 minutes then let set). 
2. Add the pumpkin pie filling and mix well. If you can't find the pie filling canned you can approximate it with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and sweetened condensed milk.
3. Let sit in the fridge for a while if it's not setting well.

This pudding is super easy to make and delicious. I really just wanted an excuse to have it again. The only thing you have to worry about is the pudding being too runny. You don't want people biting into cupcakes oozing with liquid, so adding condensed milk or even a little sour cream or cream cheese can help thicken it.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Adapted from Alton Brown

Previously Seen in Tres Leches

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup whipping cream

8 oz sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Green food coloring

At last success with food coloring. The trick is to make it slightly darker than mint green.

1. Whisk together the ingredients until peaks start to form.
2. Ramp up the speed until it thickens.

I decided to go with a whipped cream frosting, so the cupcake would be more reminiscent of pumpkin pie. The topping from the tres leches had a nice vanilla flavor and was just the right amount of sweet, so I decided to go with it again (and add some green food coloring so they looked more like pumpkins). I also made sure to put enough whipped cream that my friend dressed up as Mario got it all over his fake mustache.

Without Alexis' awesome frosting gun (may it rest in peace), my decorating skills took a hit.

The cupcakes were a hit. They pumpkin flavor came out nicely without being overwhelming and it reminded everyone fondly of pumpkin pie. The filling was actually a little unnecessary since the cake itself was good and moist enough, but it was a welcome addition since I don't really know how to make just simple cupcakes. I'll definitely be making these a holiday staple.  But more importantly, I totally rocked my Captain Malcolm Reyonolds (Firefly) costume.

The pants were authentically tight, which definitely was not at all related to the baking I've been doing...

Little known fact: the crew of Serenity used their smuggling money to support their love of baking (especially Jayne).

And let's not forget the whoopie pies which were scary good (see what I did there) as always. You can't really see it, but the filling is orange.

Recipe Revisited: Junk Food Cookies

I swear the drizzle looked really pretty up until taking the picture.

Often times when you add things like potato chips and pretzels to cookies, you lament the fact that you didn't put more delicious fattiness per bite. The first time I made these Jimmy Fallon Late Night Snack inspired cookies, they spread out too much and the full salty vs. sweet impact wasn't felt. They also seemed to be missing something that was holding them back. Thanks to my sister's sophisticated palate, it was determined that that something was the oh so indulgent salted caramel.

Junk Food Cookies
Original Post
Servings: 9 cookies
Time: 45 minutes

The proper amount of pulverizing

1 cup and 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter, softened
6 tbsp granulated sugar
6 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Potato chips
Pretzels
Salted Caramel, Recipe Here & Here

The ratio of junk to batter should be highly favorable on the junk spectrum.

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Make the salted caramel as instructed in the links above (I figure it doesn't need to be posted a third time).
3. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
4. Using the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugars and vanilla at low to medium speed. 
5. Add in the egg until fully incorporated.
6. Pour in the dry mixture slowly over about 3 turns. Use low speed and be careful not to overmix.
7. Crush the potato chips and pretzels in a plastic bag. You don't want them to be too small or it'll just taste like tiny bits of salt. Also, they shouldn't be so big that you risk stabbing the roof of your mouth.
8. Stir in the chocolate chips, pretzels and potato chips by hand. The batter should look like it's as much junk as it is batter.
9. Place 1-2 tablespoon sized masses on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure to turn halfway through. Let them cool on the sheet for 2-5 minutes to let the bottoms harden slightly.
10. Once cooled, drizzle on the salted caramel.
11. Immediately brush teeth after eating.

I have issues with leaving enough room for cookies to spread. 

All the proper adjustments were made to truly send these cookies into the upper echelon of desserts. The larger potato chip and pretzels chunks (as well as using more of them in the batter) really help bring out that amazing salty and sweet, and the salted caramel drizzle hammers home the tremendous interaction of the two perfect foils. Another change I made was that I increased the amount of baking soda, so the cookies rose more and didn't spread as much, helping make sure each bite was just as concentrated with sugary/salty goodness. In my opinion, these are the perfect cookie. For just a few extra minutes, you can turn boring old chocolate chip (ok, who am I kidding. Chocolate chip cookies are still fantastic) into this unusual but delightful treat.

Even though the originals (right) were more traditionally circular, the taste winner is clear. 

Recipe Revisited: Jambalaya Risotto

Without a doubt, jambalaya risotto is my favorite dish that I've cooked. Every time I make it, it just seems to get even better. I was recently on a cajun kick when my friend Alex came in town. I had been promising to cook for her for the past few months, so I knew I was going to have to be at the top of my culinary game to avoid a massive letdown from the doubtless absurd amount of hype that has been building for her (next week I make humble pie!).  If I was going to take over her kitchen, it was going to have to be with my favorite dish, but this time I was going to have to use actual meat. Despite still lacking much confidence in my meat cooking abilities, I knew the lessons I've learned about risotto would help carry the dish.

Jambalaya Risotto
Original Post
Servings: 3-4
Time: 60 minutes

3-4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 links andouille sausage
10 jump shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 can diced tomatoes (juices included)
white wine, a lot of white wine
1 bay leaf
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Tabasco Sauce to taste

1. Bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Keep it warm.
2. Slice then cook the sausage in a frying pan until it browns. Reserve the juices and use them to cook the shrimp until they turn orange. Set aside.
3. Sauté the bell pepper, onions, scallions and garlic in the butter and oil until soft and aromatic (about five minutes).
4. Stir in the rice and cook for one minute.
5. Add the diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of white wine and the bay leaf and bring to a simmer stirring frequently. Let the level reduce until it's almost completely absorbed. DO NOT LET IT DRY OUT.
6. Add about 1/2 a cup to a cup of chicken broth and let reduce again while stirring constantly.
7. Alternate adding wine and chicken broth as before until the risotto becomes creamy (probably about 4-5 total cups in).
8. Once the risotto has become creamy, add the meat and spices and cook for another few minutes until heated up.
9. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Now, Alex will no longer assume I'm lying every time I talk about cooking.

This was the best rendition of my jambalaya risotto yet. The shrimp and andouille made it more authentically cajun while adding some nice spice and texture to the creamy dish (but this is not to put down the veggie version which is almost equally incredible and a slightly healthier way to enjoy this great meal). The biggest improvement, though, was the use of wine. Previously, I would only add 1/2 a cup of wine initially and the rest was broth. Kevin taught me back in the Grapefruit Risotto that the key to a quality risotto is using lots of wine, and it really does help add a lot of flavor (plus the rest of the bottle is great to keep you entertained during the long hour of stirring you have ahead of you). Risottos may be a lot of work, but you're always rewarded for your efforts.  Thankfully, the dish was a big hit and Alex has decided to remain my friend. And now we can look back and laugh at those days in college where the extent of my cooking abilities involved crafting peanut butter with jelly (once this blog hits the big time I'll go into more detail on that) or having Whataburger grill my onions on our late night runs.

Lazy Sunday: Pulled Pork, Potato Salad and Dr. Pepper Baked Beans

Since reintegrating myself into the workforce, I've discovered that doing things other than watching The Price is Right and cooking can be quite tiring. As a result, this weekend I decided I wanted to do as little as possible aside from finally purchasing a bed (adulthood!), playing lots of Arkham City (and telling Kevin "I'm Batman" in my best Christian Bale voice) and cooking something that would take forever to cook but require minimal effort to enjoy during the Saints game. Because I'm in Texas, I knew it was time to work on my BBQ skills, so I went with my personal favorite pulled pork (brisket be damned!). My taste buds were thoroughly rewarded for my patience and lack of moving with some of the finest pulled pork ever.

Pulled Pork
Modified from KevinAndAmanda.com
Time: 24 hours (Effort: 1 hour)

3-7 lb Boston Butt Pork

Dry Rub
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cajun seasoning
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground pepepr
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar


Brine Solution
2 gallon ziploc bag
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 qts water
3 tbsp dry rub
2 bay leaves

I'm still a little weirded out by touching raw meat. Sadly, Kevin was still asleep, so I couldn't get him to do it.

The juices let you know it's working.

1. Find an appropriately sized Boston Butt Pork. Make sure it has a nice layer of fat on the bottom and still has the bone.
2. Prepare the dry rub by mixing everything together well.
3. Get the brine solution ready by stirring the salt into cold water until dissolved then mixing in the rest of the ingredients thoroughly.
4. Place the pork into a large ziploc bag and cover with the brine solution. Make sure the entire pork is covered and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. This will ensure that the pork stays juicy and tender.
5. Go to sleep.
6. Wake up and preheat your oven to 225 F.
7. Remove the pork from the brine solution and pat dry with a paper towel. This will help it form a nice crust.
8. Cover the pork in the remaining dry rub mix. Be sure to get in any flaps that may exist. Massage in the rub to make sure it stays.
9. Place the pork fat side facing up in an aluminum roasting pan and cook until the internal temperature reaches 200 F. The pork will be cooked at 170, but letting it reach 200 will help it fall apart (thus the pulled part of the pork). This will take about 1.5 to 2 hours per pound (I had a 5 1/2 lb piece of pork and it took 10 hours).
10. Let the pork cool to 170 F and pull apart to serve.

It practically fell right apart. A good omen of what was to come.

This pulled pork was complete and utter perfection. The seasoning was amazing (I added the cilantro and cajun seasoning to give it a little extra pop) and the meat itself was incredibly juicy and tender. But pulled pork by itself isn't enough. I rounded out the meal with potato salad, Dr. Pepper baked beans, green beans (for some reason my body was telling me I needed veggies) and two different BBQ sauces.

Potato Salad

From Rachel Ray

Time: 30 minutes

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup beef broth

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 tbsp capers, drained

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the potatoes until tender (about 12-15 minutes).
2. Drain the potatoes and mix in the remaining ingredients. Lightly mash to reach the desired consistency. 
3. Serve either hot or cold.

Until recently, I steered clear of potato salad because of my strong hatred of mayo I developed from early childhood. I can now tolerate mayonnaise, but still prefer to try the non-mayo versions of recipes when I can. This potato salad was nice and tangy with some welcome crispiness. As such, it was a great side for the meal. You won't miss the mayo at all, and you won't have to worry about it spoiling (really it's similar ingredients to a mayo based one just without the extra emulsification step).

Dr. Pepper Baked Beans

Time: 20-60 minutes

2 cans Bush's Bourbon and Brown Sugar Baked Beans

8 oz Dr. Pepper

3 slices of Bacon

1/2 red onion, diced

If you're not starving like I was, you'll let it thicken more to bring out that Dr. Pepper.

1. Heat up the baked beans on the stove top over medium-low heat.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Reserve the grease and pat the bacon dry with a paper towel. Cut the bacon and add to the beans.
3. Saute the onion in the bacon grease and add to the beans. 
4. Mix in the Dr. Pepper and let thicken. The longer you cook it, the more the flavor will come out.

These baked beans were an interesting take on your typical side. The Dr. Pepper added an intriguing new element to the mix, but wasn't overly apparent because I got hungry and decided to cook it for only 20 minutes. Next time, I'll definitely go for longer to really bring out the flavor of the world's greatest soda.

Green Beans

Time: 20 minutes

2 cans green beans

4 mushrooms, sliced

1/2 red onion, diced

3 strips of bacon

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Drain the green beans and heat them over medium-low heat.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet and reserve the grease. Cut the bacon and put it with the green beans.
3. Saute the mushrooms and onion in the bacon grease and add to the green beans with salt and pepper.

This is a pretty quick and easy way to incorporate some veggies into the meal without being bogged down by things like having them be healthy that take away from the fun (note to self: remember to go to the gym). Now that the meal was finished, it was time to work on the sauces.

Tangy BBQ Sauce

Adapted From Emeril Lagasse
Time: 5 minutes

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
1/2 tbsp molasses
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper


Columbia Gold BBQ Sauce
From Amazing Ribs

Time: 5 minutes

1 cup yellow mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
Tabasco
3/8 cup sugar
1/2 chicken bouillon cube
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Life is about having choices especially when it comes to food.

1. For both sauces, just mix them together in a bowl. You might want to use a whisk to help.
2. Let the sauces sit in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors develop (especially the mustard based one or else it'll just taste like mustard).

Alton Brown always says the best BBQ doesn't need sauce, and I'd have to say that this pulled pork was fantastic on its own, but it doesn't hurt to have a little something extra. The tangy BBQ sauce was the winner of the two probably because it's more what I'm used to from growing up, but the Columbia Gold sauce was a fabulous introduction to the South Carolina way of doing BBQ and provided a nice change-up (thanks to Courtney for recommending it).

The complete meal was a tangy feast for the ages. I'm currently fighting off my food coma to type this up while salivating over the carnitas tacos I'm going to make with the leftovers.

Thankfully, the Saints won by a whopping 62-7, so I was able to actual enjoy the food instead of worrying all game. The only downside to this is that I didn't nervously pace for three hours, so I still need to work off all those glorious calories.

Recipes Revisited

Hola, my faithful three readers. This week I'll be introducing a new post type where I try to improve my old recipes with delightfully tasty results. Coming soon: Shrimp Etouffee, Jambalaya Risotto (I was on a cajun kick) and Junk food cookies now with more junk!

The caramel makes it fancy!

Think of it like awesome auto-tuning but with food.

Beer Pairing Night: Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Salted Caramel and Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

My friends Jaime and Dennis love brewing beer and eating food. Kevin and I love cooking and drinking beer, so we decided the only adult thing to do would be to find a way to somehow combine the two. This past Saturday, we had four of the five arms from the Five Arms Brewery come over for one of the most profound experiences of all of our lives: a beer pairing.

For our part, we prepared a beer infused meal consisting of Kevin's Guinness Stew Pie and my Chocolate Stout Cupcakes. Meanwhile, Jaime and Dennis provided stouts to pair the courses with and some additional beers from Saint Arnold's, where Dennis serves as the world's most interesting brewer.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes
Adapted From Food Network
Servings: 24 cupcakes

The batter consistency had me a little worried

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (and more for dusting)
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 bottle of stout beer (I used Left Hand Milk Stout)
1 stick butter, melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
Salted Caramel (see later)
Bailey's Buttercream Frosting (see later)

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Whisk the cocoa powder, sugar, flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Mix the beer, butter and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl at low speed using the paddle attachment of a mixer.
4. Add in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
5. Stir in the sour cream until smooth. 
6. Slowly add in the dry mixture (think your typical 3 separate additions). Make sure not to overmix.
7. Bake for 24 minutes or until the toothpick test comes back clean. Rotate once halfway through.
8. Let cool on a wire rack.
9. Once cool, top with salted caramel glaze and buttercream frosting.

The perfect chocolate cupcake. I knew beer made everything better just like with my dancing (my apologies to the Harmon/Lark and Balthrop/Niemann weddings)

I was pretty worried about how these would turn out since the batter was so runny. They actually ended up having amazing texture with just the right amount of bounce and moisture for a cake. The beer is not overpowering and provides a great little note on the backend. The chocolatey nature of the stout makes it an easy choice for cupcake making supremacy (somehow narrowly beating out the smooth flavors of Natty Ice).

Salted Caramel

From Bakingdom.com

Previously Seen in Cupcake Saturday Part Deux

Time: 10 minutes + cooling

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp corn syrup

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 tsp sea salt, crushed

Progression of the caramel. 

1. Stir the sugar, water and corn syrup together in a medium sized sauce pan (make sure there's plenty of extra room because scolding hot sugar is not something you want touching you).
2. Bring to a boil and swirl occasionally (do not stir).
3. When the mixture gets a hint of amber color remove from heat (see picture). It's very easy to burn the caramel. It will rapidly progress once it hits this color (even after you remove it from the stove).
4. Very carefully add the cream in a slow but steady stream and stir with a long wooden spoon. The mixture will steam and grow, so you might want to wear a cooking mitt on your hand that is adding the cream. I also recommend making this a two person job because pouring steadily while stirring is as difficult as trying to rub your belly and pat your head at the same time.
5. Stir in the butter and salt then let cool to room temperature. You should cover it with a paper towel, since anything that lands in it will get stuck.

There's only one possible explanation: the caramel was so tasty, the cupcakes tried to eat it.

For some reason, this batch of caramel wasn't nearly as viscous as the last time I made it. As a result, the cupcakes seemed to absorb some of it, and its flavor wasn't as prominent as it should have been. Still it was a nice little addition to help make these already intriguing cupcakes even more over the top.

Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

Modified From Recipe Girl (I read manly blogs)

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 3/4 lbs powdered sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream

1. Mix the ingredients together using the whisk attachment at medium speed. Add the powdered sugar slowly as you will get a very thick frosting. Use the heavy cream to thin it. (Wow using heavy cream to thin something. I've reached a new level of disgusting.)

The frosting was so thick that it broke Alexis' amazing frosting gun. Sadly I must now buy her a new one (and one for myself, of course).

Since beer cupcakes just weren't alcoholic enough, I decided I had to add Bailey's liqueur to the mix. I basically halved the amount of powdered sugar and added some heavy cream because the frosting was ridiculously thick and about to break the motor on my stand mixer. In the end, it was a nice, sweet frosting with a subtle hint of Bailey's that really helped elevate the chocolate cake and caramel.

Now that the cupcakes were complete, it was time to pair them with the perfect beer. Our resident beer experts recommended the Saint Arnold's Pumpkinator seasonal brew, which is one of the finest pumpkin beers you can get a hold of. It's full of cinnamon and other delicious spices that really blend well with the chocolate cupcake. The combination was amazing, and it really seemed like each component helped enhance the flavor of the other. This was definitely the best pairing and most excellent adventure since Bill and Ted. When you have a beer pairing, everyone is a winner (except for the first man to fall asleep).

Brewer and Beer Pairing Night attendee, Dennis, waxes philosophical on the Pumpkinator

Jaime prepares to render a verdict on the cupcakes. 

Additional Beer Night Funtivities

Kevin's Guinness Beef Stew Pie. The recipe can be found here.

Not to be outdone by my baking, Kevin treated us to an outstanding main course of Guinness Beef Stew Pie. The meat and veggies were delectably tender, while the "pie" crust added a perfect buttery finish that had everyone going back for seconds. We paired it with its namesake to give us a double Guinness experience that tested our ability to leave room for dessert. A special thanks also goes to the lone, brave girl of the night, Alexis, who started things off with stuffed mushroom caps (sadly not pictured) that required me to use all my restraint to make sure they were still around when Dennis and Jaime got here.

Once our bellies were sufficiently stuffed, we sat down and quoted the entirety of Anchorman.

I don't know how to put this but Beer Pairing Night was kind of a big deal. Even Ron Burgandy made an appearance (He looks kind of like he was at a beer pairing too).

Now that our first beer pairing was a success, the next logical step is to host one for 200 of our closest friends at $100 a head. Feel free to reserve your spot in the comments.

Appetizer Madness: Brie and Balsamic Sandwiches

Mouth watering "Blue" velvet cupcakes weren't the only delightful treat to come out of Maconda's bridal shower (I'm noticing a trend of me cooking for Maconda that she surely must be a fan of). Party hostess/caterer extraordinaire Danielle and I  also made these interesting and delicious molecular gastronomy appetizers that quickly flew off the plates.

Brie and Balsamic Sandwiches
Time: 25 minutes

Brie, sliced
Basil
2/3 cup balsamic 
2 g agar agar

1. Combine the balsamic and agar agar in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Pour the mixture onto a plate and let cool in the fridge for 15 minutes until it forms a jelly like substance.
3. Cut out rectangles of the jelly and place on top of slices of brie. Be careful when you cut them because the balsamic will tear easily. I recommend flicking your wrist to get the knife under the final corner of your jelly piece to safely dig it out.
4. Place a piece of basil under a corner of the balsamic.  Note: you should wait until right before serving to do this because the basil will absorb some of the balsamic and start to brown.

Everyone was a huge fan of these tiny appetizers. The brie and balsamic paired well together, while the basil helped give it that necessary pop that made you want to come back for more. Aside from being tasty, the uniqueness of this appetizer is sure to keep people talking.

Mexican Fiesta Part Dos: Roasted Poblano Chicken Enchiladas

While we waited for the tres leches to finish, we decided that we should probably have an actual meal too (one day I will realize my dream of an all cake diet, and then you'll be treated to posts like how to make insulin smoothies). I tested the chopping skills of sous chef extraordinaires Nancy and Maconda to the limit, and the result was some of the finest enchiladas ever (and trust me, I once drove over an hour just to get enchiladas).

One of the best things about living in Texas: poblanos are readily available

Roasted Poblano Chicken Enchiladas
Time: 45 minutes

3 poblano peppers
2 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
Sour cream
Flour tortillas
Mexican cheese, shredded
Cooked shredded chicken
Cilantro, chopped for garnish

The secret inner workings of an enchilada (shocker: it's like a taco).

1. Roast the poblanos then remove the stems and seeds. You can find a tutorial here. This time I roasted them under a broiler instead of over an open flame. I found this went far faster and involved much less effort.
2. Preheat the oven to 375.
3. Puree the peppers, chicken broth, 1/4 cup onion and garlic in a blender. Add sour cream to change the desired thickness and spiciness of the sauce (I recommend about 1 healthy dollop for a good level of heat).
4. Cook your chicken. I used leftover Beer Can Chicken that Kevin made the night before. You can just boil the chicken in water with garlic, onion, cumin, salt and pepper (note: this will also give you chicken broth for the sauce) or grill it, but I highly recommend trying the beer can chicken.
5. Heat the tortillas in a frying pan to make sure they won't fall apart when you try to roll them.
6. Fill a tortilla with chicken and onion then top with a spoonful of sauce and roll tightly.
7. Pack the enchiladas folded side down into a large baking pan then top with the remaining sauce and shredded cheese.
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.
9. Top with cilantro and serve.

Nancy's rolling dexterity was superb.

When making these enchiladas, I decided I wanted to try to make a sauce reminiscent of my poblano bisque. The roasted poblanos have a great bold flavor that blends together perfectly with the chicken and melty cheese, but the cilantro really makes it pop. Oddly enough, the following day, the enchiladas absorbed most of the sauce and somehow became even tastier. To finish things off, I added some Mexican corn and rice, and we washed the deliciousness down with Sacha's world famous margaritas.

Sacha working hard as our official taster.

But his true calling is making margaritas.

After the amazing Mexican fiesta we put on, I'm sure that Nancy, Maconda and I are well on our way to conquering the culinary world. Now we just need a killer group name. Sadly, "Jem and the Holograms" is already taken, so please feel free to give me suggestions.

Mexican Fiesta Part I: Tres Leches

A lot has happened since my last post. I am now a resident of the great state of Texas and a scientician once again. Now that I'm all settled in and finally have my very own shiny kitchen (fear not hopeful cooking friends, I still plan to make a mess of your kitchens as well), it's time to get back to the business of making and eating loads of deliciousness. We start with the incredible Mexican fiesta I put on with the fabulous O'Connor sisters last night featuring roasted poblano chicken enchiladas, mexican corn, guacamole, tres leches and, of course, margaritas. Since dessert is the most important meal of the day, we'll start there.

Purchasing a stand mixer before a bed = having the right priorities in life.

This was truly a monumental meal because it marked the first use of my wonderful new stand mixer/best friend. I call him Sgt. Mixxypants.


Tres Leches
Adapted from Alton Brown's recipe
Servings: One 9x13 cake
Time: 4 hours (inactive for 2)

Mmmm batter pan

Cake
Vegetable oil
6 3/4 oz cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 oz unsalted butter, room temp
8 oz sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Lightly oil and flour a 9x13 metal pan.
3. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.
4. Beat the butter in a mixer on medium speed with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy (about one minute).
5. Slowly add the sugar to the butter at low speed. Make sure to scrape down the sides as necessary.
6. Mix in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
7. Add in the vanilla extract.
8. Mix in the dry ingredients over the course of 3 batches until just combined. Make sure to do this on low speed so you don't overmix the flour. 
9. Pour the batter into your pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown and the toothpick test comes back clean. Be sure to rotate it once halfway through.
10. Poke holes throughout the cake with a fork and let cool in the pan.

Don't be alarmed by how little batter you have. This is not supposed to be a thick cake.

Glaze

1 12 oz an evaporated milk

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup half-and-half

1. Whisk the three milks (hey wait a second I think I just figured out the name) together.
2. Once the cake is cooled, pour the glaze over it and refrigerate for at least an hour (the longer the better). It will absorb the glaze rather quickly if you were good about the fork marks.

Frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup whipping cream

8 oz sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Strawberries

Raspberries

Blackberries

My first successful making of whipped cream. Without a mixer, I'd always get tired and give up. This thing is practically paying for itself!

1. Whisk the creams, sugar and vanilla extract together at medium speed until peaks start to form.
2. Ramp it up to high speed until it thickens.
3. Spread over the top of the cake and add the fruit as a nice edible garnish.

It's important to mix up the colors.

Tres leches is, to me at least, the perfect cake. At first glance, it seems like a boringly simple cake, but hidden inside the unassuming exterior are complex and wonderful flavors. With any cake, you shoot for it to be moist, and the milky goodness glaze ensures this is the case. It's important to balance being very moist with not too soggy, and this cake emerged on the perfect end of that spectrum. My main modification was upping the amount of vanilla in both the cake and the frosting (a tactic I usually make when baking) and adding fruit. That vanilla flavor really came across, and the trio of fruit helped the cake burst with flavor. This auspicious debut of my food mixer was a great way to end the night and send us all into food comas.

The adventure was only beginning for my apron and my world class sous chefs, Maconda and Nancy.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part 2 of the mexican fiesta: Roasted Poblano Chicken Enchiladas!