A wise man told me…
Butter and love mean the same thing. Try something for me. Gaze deeply into your lover’s eyes and just say, “butter.” They’ll know what you mean.
This recipe was easier and yummier than I expected it to be. The bagels were almost like soft pretzel rolls. They barely lasted a day before they got gobbled up.
before
after
Homemade guacamole & fish tacos. Fresh blood orange margaritas.
Delicioso.
I tried a new recipe today. I was feeling brave and attempted an internet recipe with no reviews. I almost always stick to recipes that have been reviewed (positively) by a few people.
The experiment wasn’t a total bust, but it really didn’t turn out as I had hoped.
My cupcakes were dry and dense. Bummer, eh?
Well, it’s a good thing Matty is so industrious. And eco. He finds ways to reduce, reuse, or recycle almost anything. Just before the cupcakes met their fate in the trash can, he intervened. This was his idea…
Genius! By slicing the cupcakes & layering them with blackberries, pudding & whipped cream, an impromptu trifle came to be. The dry, dense cake held up perfectly to the other layers & the tart berries were just the right compliment to the vanilla bean frosting. Thanks, Matty, for seeing the potential in what would otherwise become waste. It was a delicious reincarnation.
Psst…comment for Happy Find’s giveaway here.
The beKind Club decorated these cupcakes to pass out on campus this week. It was a sweet treat to hold us over the last few days before SPRING BREAK.
Happy Spring everyone!!!
When we moved into our house, we were super excited about all the fabulous fruit trees & vines growing in our yard. Only in San Diego is it no surprise to have a citrus tree sprouting clear out of your patio.
We harvested the oranges and we’ve been making marmalade and drying them in a food dehydrator. Yum. And yum.
This is a great tutorial, if you’re interested in trying out homemade marmalade.
OR, you can just ask me for a jar. We have more than we’ll eat in our lifetime.
I love citrus season!
If you read blogs on a regular basis, then of course you’re familiar with The Pioneer Woman. I mean, she’s taken the world wide web by storm with her butter-packed, you-can-do-it-too cooking tutorials. Any day now I expect to see her on Oprah, explaining exactly how she wrangles cattle before the sun rises, feeds and educates her punks, and then somehow has time to teach us all how to cook via the Internet. I’ve tried many of her recipes and let me tell you, she never disappoints. On Superbowl Sunday, I knew just who to go to for the perfect appetizer. Of course, even dog biscuits would probably taste like a delicacy if you wrapped ‘em up in bacon. But these stuffed & wrapped peppers are a real winner. They turn out just like she says they will and they make the man-folk smile. Matty thanks The Pioneer Woman for all her wisdom. I thank her too. And sometimes I curse her, as I do an extra 30 minutes on the elliptical and my arteries scream, “No more butter, please!” Sigh…if only I had the genetics to try all of her recipes without having to worry about the consequences. I’d have Matty do the shopping, I’d plop the laptop down next to the oven, and I’d never leave my kitchen.
If you’re planning on dieting in January, hurry up and make something with ganache this week. You won’t regret it. Pour it over cake, roll it into balls for truffle centers, or dip your cupcakes & muffins in it for a special kick. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make, but you won’t be surprised by the yummy results. Follow these instructions for fool-proof, luscious chocolate ganache. End 2009 with a naughty treat.
All you need is 1 cup of heavy cream and one cup of good quality chocolate (I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips & prefer a heaping cup of chocolate.)
If you’re icing a cake, wait 10 minutes or so & then stir the mixture until it’s consistent & pour right over your cake. I place my cake on a metal cooking rack so the extra ganache runs onto a pan.
If you’re icing cupcakes or muffins, let the mixture cool about 15 minutes before mixing & dipping your cupcake tops right into the thick liquid. Let your cake or cupcakes set up in a cool place. You can put ‘em in the fridge if you want, I try not to because that sometimes makes cake taste dry & hard. (A cake made with oil, however, will still taste moist after refrigeration.)
If you’re making truffle centers, let the ganache harden in the fridge for a couple of hours before forming it into balls & rolling in cocoa or coating with a layer of melted chocolate.
There is some debate regarding the required refrigeration of ganache. Ganache has cream in it, and therefore the potential to go sour, I suppose. I iced the cake pictured above and then kept it sealed outside (in the cool night air) until we ate it a few hours later. I kept the leftovers in the fridge and let the slices set out for about 20 minutes before serving. Tasted just fabulous on both occasions.
Ganache makes for a decadent, special treat. Bon Appetit!
If you’re looking for the giveaway, it’s here.
If you’re looking for an easy, delicious pumpkin butter recipe, you’re in the right place.
Never had pumpkin butter before?
It’s like a creamy pumpkin pie spread and will perk up even the dullest snacks & desserts. It’s also super duper easy to prepare and makes a great homemade gift.
This recipe can be stored in airtight containers in your fridge for 6 weeks or in your freezer for 3 months. Honestly, though, it’ll probably only last a couple of days before you find yourself licking the bottom of the bowl & heading to the market for more pumpkin. This delectable spread can quickly becomes a cold weather staple.
Ingredients:
Throw ALL the ingredients in a medium sized slow cooker & give it a good stir. Sugar lumps will melt. Cover and cook on high 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and cook on high until you’re happy with the consistency (at least 30 minutes, up to a couple of hours). Let it cool in the crock & transfer to containers of your choice. I like these chubby li’l 8-oz’ers by Mason.
You can give your pumpkin butter away for a unique (and simple) homemade Holiday gift. Include a cute spreader and some fresh bread & you’ve got yourself a fine hostess gift. OR keep it for yourself and put it over toast, ice cream, shortbread, biscuits, granola, waffles, yogurt, pancakes…
For a casual dessert, make a cream cheese ball and smother it in pumpkin butter. Spread it on crunchy butter cookies. Yum.
Bon appetit.
Recipe adapted from Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook. Hands down the best slow cooker cookbook I’ve seen. LOVE it!
The Domestic Nest Blog
