Green Bean Salad with Bacon and Shallots: Easy, impressive, and a dash of really good!

Bacon makes a lot of things taste great! Of course green beans on their own are delicious, but somehow the added salty, chewy bit of yummy bacon elevates green beans into stardom. It's like having a great entourage who backs you up and makes you a bigger star. (I need to get me some of that!)

This is a great recipe for a bbq, any gathering where you need something to be made ahead, or just for a friendly weeknight meal. Just have the green beans steamed/boiled ready to go, the bacon fried, drained and diced. and the shallots all chopped. The vinaigrette just needs to be poured on top right before serving.

Green Bean Salad with Bacon and Shallots
serves 4

1 lb of green beans, picked over (I love buying the huge bag of french green beans at Costco that have already been trimmed.)
3 shallots finely chopped
4 slices of good, thick sliced bacon (I like the Niman Ranch bacon which can also be found at Costco many days)

Bring a large pot of water up to a rolling boil. Salt the water and then throw in the green beans and cook, until crisp tender about 4-6 minutes. drain and set aside to cool. (some people may say for you to put it into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process, but I usually just give it a good rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Fry four slices of bacon in a fry pan. The TRICK to having flat bacon is to cook it starting from a COLD PAN. Place four slices of bacon in a fry pan, then place the fry pan on medium high heat. Fry until they are crisp and delicious. Drain on a paper towel. When they have cooled, cut into 1/4 inch slivers.

Lay green beans on a serving platter. Sprinkle shallots on top. Sprinkle bacon bits on top. Just before serving, pour the dressing on top.

Dressing
3 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste (bear in mind that the bacon does add a salty bite)

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside until right before serving and then pour on top of green beans.

Printable recipe

A Donut Muffin: Doffin? Domuffin? Monutz?

For LCH who asked me to make them (and maybe a little bit for RH who was hanging out)

Recently through Tastespotting (a visual potluck website) I've become aware of a unusual breakfast item - and that is the combination donut muffin. It seems that quite a few people are trying a "baked donut" in order to eliminate the deep fried in oil portion of the donut, and thereby use the muffin tin as the medium to make these muffin donuts. I saw a recipe on Baking Bites where she makes these muffins and the idea intrigued me.

I shared with my friend who came over for dinner tonight, about this strange combination and she was so keen on the idea she wanted to taste them. I agreed to whip them together right then and there (only 25 minutes start to finish) and we ate them. The texture...it's not like a muffin at all - it's not like a donut either - it's a very fluffy something or other. The doffin, (my new word for this concoction) after being brushed with melted butter is rolled in a cinnamon sugar combination. The flavor is all sugar donut. They are somewhat reminiscent of donut holes we used to get in the old days.

It's a totally easy breakfast creation, and you can add different spices to change up the flavor if you so desire. Take the doffin out for a spin and you may never go back to regular muffins. These are especially killer with a cup of coffee.

As an additional note, I made these last night, and just had them this morning - I actually prefer the flavor and texture more than the just out of the oven feeling.

* Preparation hint - measure out all dry ingredients the night before. Then you just have to mix the wet.

Sugar Donut Muffins (or Doffins)  (from Baking Bites)

Makes 12

3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (I actually did not have any, so I used 1/4 teaspoon of both ground ginger and cinnamon)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (do not be tempted to change this to butter - it will change the texture of the doffin)
3/4 cup milk (low fat is fine)
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup of sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a muffin tin with cooking spray or vegetable oil. (Do not be tempted to use liners - the point of doing these directly in the muffin tin is to have them pop out and be able to get sugar to stick to the sides without the addition of butter...you could, if you so desired, add butter on the sides as well before rolling in sugar.)

In a large bowl, beat together sugar and egg until light in color. Pour in vegetable oil, milk and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Pour into egg mixture and stir to combine.

Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

While muffins are baking, melt butter and pour remaining sugar into a small bowl.

When muffins are done, lightly brush the top of each with some melted butter, remove from the pan and roll in sugar and cinnamon. Cool on a wire rack.

Printable recipe

Double Chocolate Pudding: Personal Luxury

For all the moms who need a little "me" time...

I rarely cook for ME. Generally, I think about other people - what they want, what they might enjoy, what they need to eat so they don't make a fuss, but I don't really ever cook for me. I don't even bake for me. I just make things to learn or to give, but never purely for my own indulgence.

Tonight, I made something just for me. I made something I truly wanted to consume on my own and enjoy. I've actually been planning this little culinary treat for a while, after I saw the recipe on Martha Stewart, and finally did something about it. I bought myself a few bars of Valrhona chocolate from Trader Joes (good deal at $2.99 for 3.5 oz) and made myself some chocolate pudding - a really luxurious one, with tons of flavor, body and richness. This is not your standard jello pudding. This is something on a totally different level. My, oh my, was it a lovely treat. My, oh my, did I enjoy myself. My, oh my, I scraped my cup clean. It was a personal time of reflection, losing myself in richness and sin, and tasting the happiness that sometimes, only chocolate can give.

It is also, insanely easy. It requires a bit of prep, but with a few great ingredients you can have your own delicious pudding for your own rejuvenation. Do it soon, because for sure, we all need a little "me" time.

Double Chocolate Pudding from Martha Stewart.com (Everyday Food)
Serves 4. (or just yourself 4 times)

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa (spooned and leveled) (used Ghiradelli)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus shavings (used Valrhona Dark bittersweet and some Valrhona Semisweet)

Directions

1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
2. Whisking constantly, heat over medium until the first large bubble sputters, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate; stir until smooth.
3. Place plastic wrap on surface of pudding (to prevent a skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours (or up to 3 days). To serve, whisk until smooth; divide among serving cups, and garnish with shavings.
   

Printable recipe

The preparation looks like this:

Fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl.

Dry ingredients in a medium saucepan.

Egg yolks in a bowl.

Chocolate chopped.

Blueberry Corn Muffins: Another Easy Breakfast

For my girls who love all muffins and for my son who can't eat any...

Now that blueberries are in season, I'd thought I'd offer up a slight twist on your standard muffin - and that was making it a corn muffin. Cornmeal adds a lovely texture to the muffin and a different sort of sweetness. These are also made tangy with the addition of buttermilk. These are super fast and easy to whip up on a morning, and bake up quickly and taste great.

*Preparation hint - the night before sift all the dry ingredients together, and have it ready to go.

Blueberry Corn Muffins (from the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook)

Makes 12
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 2/3 cup blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Sift the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the buttermilk, butter, and egg into the well. Stir just until combined.
3. Fold in the blueberries just until combined.
4. Fill each lined cup two-thirds full with batter. Bake until firm and golden, 20-25 minutes.

Simple Sides: Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

It's been interesting watching my poll results - and the MOST surprising thing for me was the recipe that seemingly got the most votes by people - and it wasn't a main dish, it was a side - Garlic Broccoli. I was caught off guard because I didn't know that it was so popular. Given that the combination of garlic and broccoli seemed so popular, I decided that I should post another, EXTREMELY easy side dish for people to use. This is, in some respects EASIER than the other garlic broccoli dish and it has a different flavor and texture. It is delicious and very adaptable as it could go with a number of different main courses - meatloaf, ribs, burgers, chicken, spaghetti...

You can also dress it up, as Ina Garten lays out in her barefoot contessa back to basics book, with pine nuts, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. I'll offer both options and hopefully you'll make this easy, easy side dish.

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic
Serves 4

1 lb broccoli crowns (to make it even easier, use the bagged broccoli crowns available at your grocery store)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (these especially get yummy, toasted and sweet in the oven)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. In a bowl, toss together broccoli, olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until crisp tender and the broccoli has slightly turned brown at the ends. Serve!

Barefoot Contessa additions: (makes it fancier)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon toasted pinenuts
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon julienned fresh basil leaves (about 6 leaves)

After broccoli is done roasting, toss with the additions.

Printable recipe

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins: Cleaning out the pantry and freezer

I know, it's totally out of season. Who cooks with cranberries in April, practically May? I sheepishly raise my hand. I do. (said in a whisper.) BUT, I do have a reason why - I'm on the quest to clear out and use all things from my freezer, and in this quest, I discovered, WAY in the back, frozen cranberries leftover from Thanksgiving. I debated for a moment about using them, but I figured out that they had to still be good - it's only been 5 months...

The next question was what to DO with them - I did think for a moment that I would make some homemade cranberry sauce and make delicious turkey sandwiches since daughter #1 loves them -but I changed my mind, when during the PANTRY clean out - I discovered a few cans of pumpkin. I had bought them back at Thanksgiving time as well, for pumpkin pies, muffins and all sorts of treats.

I made the decision that two totally out of season items could make something yummy together. I found a pumpkin cranberry bread recipe on epicurious, but I fiddled with the recipe and turned them into muffins. Daughters ate them two days in a row (hey - I've got a lot of cranberries to use up) and totally enjoyed them over our regular breakfast item of banana muffins. They are tart with the cranberries but rich and spicy with the pumpkin and an amazing combination. I ask you to clean out your freezers and pantries and find a way to make these for yourself. Happy Holiday (sort of) Baking.

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 16 standard muffins

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cup picked-over fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350° F. and line with paper or oil muffin tins

In a large bowl mix together pumpkin, sugar, water, eggs, vanilla, and oil. Sift in flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices and stir just until batter is smooth. Stir in cranberries and spoon batter into loaf pan, spreading evenly.

Bake muffins in the middle of oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Cool. (these actually taste better the day after) May be kept in the fridge for 4 days.

Printable recipe

Clean out the pantry and treat yourself to breakfast.

Passing the 5000 Hit Mark: THANK YOU

For all my friends who tell me that this blog is something they use...

My friend SPK started it all in July of 2007 - so not quite a year later, I have had more than 5000 hits on this blog...again, not unique hits, but all the same, 5000 hits feels like a significant mile stone to me. It's been challenging me to cook different things all the time and at the same time, find ways to simplify the cooking process for busy moms who just have to do more than they should. My passion is that people should eat GOOD food, not from a box and to have them be able to do it without turning their kitchen into a warzone and exhausting themselves.

I get lots of sporadic feedback from friends on facebook, on email, and telephone calls about what they are making, how they are making it and whatever struggles they are having. I DO NOT get that many posts on the blog itself - so it's difficult for me to keep track of what is actually being made. Therefore, I thought I'd take a poll (on the right hand column of the blog) as to what people are cooking. I'll have a savory one and a sweet one, as I do know some of my readers only do savory and others only sweet. I'm truly curious as to which recipes have been the most popular and successful and which ones have not been that big of a hit. (warning - this is not an exhaustive list of my blog recipes.)

If you have the time, I'm also running a little contest to see WHICH person has actually cooked the MOST from my blog...I have a feeling that a few of my friends, HKL, JY, BL, BKS are running a pretty tight race for having cooked the most from my blog...but I'd be curious to see how many things you've actually cooked! You can simply just tally up what you've made from the polls and give a rough number in the comments section of this post.

Most of all, thanks to all of you who try my recipes, tell me that they are working and just encourage me to keep posting...you've made me grow as a blog writer, home cook, and recipe creator/reviser. Hope to see you cooking soon!

Aspargus, Ham, Harvarti, Egg Potato Bake: Variations on a Theme

I posted a few days back on a Ham and Potato Bake and I figured that the recipe was flexible enough that I could play around with it some more. I kept most of the things the same but changed up the vegetable (beautiful asparagus!) and the cheese as I had a few slices of Havarti cheese leftover that I wanted to use.

What I learned is that this recipe is wonderfully flexible and you can mix and match some components to make something really delicious. My friend actually PREFERRED this one to the first one I made, and I may have to agree... The original recipe is on Martha Stewart's website, but more and more my dish is not resembling what she had.

* Preparation tip - if you want to serve this for breakfast (it does take 1.5 hours to bake) prepare it the night before, and put it in the fridge. Set your alarm a bit earlier, sneak down, toss it into the oven and climb back into bed for another 1.5 hours.

Ham, Potato, Aspargus, Havarti Cheese Bake (adapted from Martha Stewart)
serves 10

Ingredients
Butter, for pan
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons tarragon, chopped
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 baking potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled (I actually used the red potatoes this time)
10 ounces sugar-baked ham, diced
10 spears of asparagus, tough end cut off and then spears cut in half
5 slices of Havarti cheese, julienne

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2.5 quart casserole dish (I used one that is flatter and wider vs. tall and narrow) Line bottom of pan with a parchment-paper round.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and cream and tarragon; season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice potatoes (less than 1/4 inch thick-I used a Japanese Mandolin); drop into egg mixture.
3. Lifting potatoes out of egg mixture, arrange half the potatoes in pan. Layer with ham, half the aspargus, half the cheese. Do another layer with remaining potatoes, ham, asparagus and cheese. Pour egg mixture over top. Press down firmly so that potatoes are fully submerged in egg mixture. (Make ahead option - put into the refrigerator until you need it)
   
4. Cover with foil; bake until potatoes are tender, about 1 hour. Uncover; continue baking until golden and set, 30 to 45 minutes more.
5. Cool 15 to 20 minutes in pan. Run a knife around edge, and carefully invert onto a plate. Peel off parchment. Reinvert, top side up. Slice with a serrated knife.

Printable recipe

Asian Salmon: Simple and Delicious

This is another one of those recipes that appealed to me because it had a very short list of ingredients and an easy cooking method. I had to modify the cooking method (grilling) as our grill is out of gas, and am not even sure I have the right basket or whatever to cook it on the grill. It came out very moist and delicious from the oven and I was very pleased with it. The original recipe is from Ina Garten's Book Barefoot Contessa Parties, but I've changed the cooking method as not everyone can grill as easily as we'd like. I do think it would go great on the grill so I will offer that cooking version also.

It goes EXCELLENTLY with the Spinach Salad and tastes great hot or even at room temperature.

Asian Salmon
Serves 6

1 side fresh salmon, boned no skin (bought mine at Costco - if you are going to grill it, skin on will help the fish stay together better, but they don't sell skin on at Costco)

Marinade
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons good soy sauce
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Oven Cooking Option

Preheat oven to broil. Move rack to be about 4 inches from heating element.

Lay the salmon on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Place into a roasting pan. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Place roasting pan into the oven, and allow it to cook for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon.

Transfer the fish to a flat plate, skin side down, and spoon the reserved marinade on top. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Grilling Cooking Options

Oil grill to prevent it from sticking. Place the salmon skin side down on the hot grill; discard the marinade the fish was sitting in. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. The salmon will be slightly raw in the center, but don't worry; it will keep cooking as it sits.

Printable recipe

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing: Do NOT be Intimidated

I think people think that Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing is "restaurant" food and reserved for eating out. I beg to differ. It's not that much harder than any other salad, but the results are more spectacular and pleasing. Every time I make this salad for family and friends, I get rave reviews. Brother calls this "The Best Thing Ever" and will eat it any time I am willing to make it for him.

It has a few components to deal with (frying bacon, boiling eggs, making dressing) but if you do the components ahead of time then you will find it much easier. Today I had the eggs boiled in the morning, the bacon fried and drained at lunch time, and the dressing in a saucepan, all ready to be heated up before serving. The original recipe is from Alton Brown who has a video where you can watch him make it. I've slightly modified it to make it less salty (no additional salt) and I love shallots in the place of red onions for most recipes.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing (adapted from Alton Brown)
Serves 4

8 ounces young spinach

2 large eggs
8 pieces thick-sliced bacon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
2 shallots, chopped

Remove the stems from the spinach and wash, drain and pat dry thoroughly. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the eggs into a pan with enough water to cover. Set over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, turn off the stove. Leave the eggs in the water for 15 minutes. Remove and peel off the shell. Slice each egg into 8 pieces and set aside.

While the eggs are cooking, fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Transfer the fat to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of black pepper. (the original recipe calls for salt but I've never used it as I think the bacon makes it salty enough)

Add the mushrooms and the shallots to the spinach and toss. Add the dressing and bacon and toss to combine. Top with sliced egg. Serve immediately.

Printable recipe

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail: Even Husband Can Do It

When I first met husband, he cooked for himself - not well, but well enough that he could survive and feed himself. His FAVORITE method of cooking had to do with tossing a piece of chicken in a spice mixture (usually cayenne, oregano and basil and whatever else he had in his pantry) and putting it in the oven at 375 and letting it cook. Now, since marriage, I haven't seen husband cook much, but THIS DISH, husband can do. It is EXACTLY the way husband likes to cook - toss some stuff together, and stick it in the oven and out comes something delicious. The list of ingredients is so short and even making the cocktail sauce is not that hard. (measure and mix)

I did do a test of commercial cocktail sauce vs. this recipe of homemade -and I did like the flavor of the homemade. Family also preferred the homemade one (did a blind taste test) but I don't know if it is ABSOLUTELY necessary to have homemade cocktail sauce if one is short on time. My friend JEL has an amazing cocktail sauce recipe and I'm going to ask her for it (it has horseradish, lime juice and cilantro and is yummy) and which is now on here as an option.

This is from Ina Garten's Book Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, and it is so wonderfully simple, anyone can have it at any time. Roasting the shrimp vs. the traditional boiling the shrimp intensifies the shrimp flavor. My only warning is to really watch it at the end of cooking - once it turns pink - remove it from the oven - there is nothing worse than TOUGH shrimp cocktail which is what can quickly happen with this recipe.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail (Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)
Serves 6-8

2 pounds (12 to 15-count) shrimp (Costco has already deveined shrimp available, usually during the weekends $8.99/lb)
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

Cocktail Sauce

1/2 cup chili sauce (recommended: Heinz)
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Serve with the shrimp.

Lime Cilantro Cocktail Sauce (from friend JEL)

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon tabasco (more if you like it with some kick)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 3 hours to let the flavors meld.

Printable recipe

Stewed Black Beans (콩장): Side dish that lasts for a while

For JCM whose husband counts plates at his meals and needs at least 5!

I have a cyber-friend, a friend whom I've never met but have spent much time online getting to know, whose husband needs five dishes at his meals. I'm not sure if rice counts as one of his dishes, but to get five different plates onto the table at any given meal is not easy, especially if you are a full time working mom with a cool side business. (She makes and sells awesome bibs and bib collars in cute prints, with a SNAP not velcro so kids can't rip them off. Visit her website.) I personally don't know how she does it without reaching over and occasionally strangling something (herself or other party) but clearly she has more patience than I.

However, there are some strategies in Korean cooking that make this possible - and that is the art of long lasting banchan. In the old days of Korea, (grandma times) refrigeration wasn't that great and food was made to last. You preserved it in soy sauce or feremented it to keep it long-lasting. One such side dish or banchan is kong jang (콩장), stewed black beans. They aren't really stewed but sort of braised in a mixture of soy sauce and water and then tossed with some corn syrup and sesame oil. The beans are done "al dente" so when you bite into it, you are not biting into some mush, but rather a chewy bit of bean. It is a salty sweet concoction and a great staple for the table. It is awesome on hot, fresh rice, and truthfully, on more than one occasion, I've just mixed the kong ja bahn with some rice and fed it to my kids as a meal. (please don't judge me.) They are easy to make and mostly require some patience to make sure they don't burn. They will last at least two weeks in the refrigerator, as long as you use a fresh, dry spoon to scoop it out onto a service dish each time you do. If you just put the entire container on the table and allow various chopsticks and spoons to scoop it out, it will definitely not last as long.

Please note, I do not make these as salty as the "old fashioned" way, simply because we now have good refrigeration and don't need the salt as the preservative as we used to.

This is what the package of beans I buy looks like.

This is what the beans look like.

Kong Jang (콩장)
1 cup dried black beans (I have bought black beans from the Chinese supermarket as well)
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2-3 tablespoons corn syrup (물엿) (try and avoid the American kind and instead get the Korean one)
1 tablespoon crushed/ground sesame seeds

Directions

In a medium sized pot, put beans, water and soy sauce and mix together.

Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until almost all the liquid has evaporated about 30-45 minutes. The last 5 minutes of cooking, when you are evaporating the last of the liquid is the most crucial - it is VERY easy to burn at this point. When you are the last of the liquid, continually stir to make sure you're not burning. Remove pan from heat. (Note in the picture how there is almost no liquid left.)
Add sesame oil, corn syrup, and ground sesame seeds and toss together. You're done!

The finished product...

Ham and Potato Bake - Easy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner

Since it is spring break, I have my girls at home with me, which means, in general, I am a lot more crazed than I would like to be.
Consequently, I have to throw together dishes quickly that don't require too much thought, but still are tasty. Last weekend, I suddenly had some moms coming over for a lunch, and I didn't really know what to make, so I threw together this egg dish, and it was yummy. The ONLY thing about this dish is that it requires good time in your oven. But it IS something you could prepare the night before and just throw it in and cook on a Saturday or Sunday morning, or you could prep it in the morning and throw it in the oven for a nice light lunch or dinner.

I found the original recipe on Martha Stewart's website, but made some adjustments based on what I had at home, and they were really yummy.

Ham and Potato Bake
serves 10

Ingredients
Butter, for pan
6 large eggs
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 baking potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled
10 ounces sugar-baked ham, diced
2 cups broccoli crowns, cut into small chunks (or use the bag available at Trader Joe's)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2.5 quart casserole dish (I used one that is flatter and wider vs. tall and narrow) Line bottom of pan with a parchment-paper round.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and cream; season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice potatoes (less than 1/4 inch thick-I used a Japanese Mandolin); drop into egg mixture.
3. Lifting potatoes out of egg mixture, arrange half the potatoes in pan. Layer with ham, broccoli, cheese, and remaining potatoes. Pour egg mixture over top. Press down firmly so that potatoes are fully submerged in egg mixture. (Make ahead option - put into the refrigerator until you need it)
   
4. Cover with foil; bake until potatoes are tender, about 1 hour. Uncover; continue baking until golden and set, 30 to 45 minutes more.
5. Cool 15 to 20 minutes in pan. Run a knife around edge, and carefully invert onto a plate. Peel off parchment. Reinvert, top side up. Slice with a serrated knife.

The Perfect Chocolate Cupcake: Your choice of frosting

To the "Cupcake 15" (those friends who have put on 15 lbs during my recent cupcake craze) - JJ, SYJ, TR, BO, JEL, HJL

I am, to put it quite frankly, obsessed with cupcakes these days. Quite a few of my friends have had the audacity to complain that they have put on some pounds since I've started this cupcake nonsense...I have to admit that my own waistline has NOT been unaffected by my recent cupcake experimentation, but I find cupcakes really fascinating. The texture of cake and the type of frosting and how to match them up, and what is actually better - tons of questions that I have about cupcakes that need to be answered, and are only answered by trying some of the bountiful recipes out there.

I posted on another chocolate cupcake recipe a while back and that recipe is SIMPLE to execute and in virtually no time at all you could have chocolate cupcakes. However, I was not entirely satisfied with that recipe as it did not elicit the high level of "oohs" and "aaahs" I wanted from my tasters. I decided that I would continue my search for a great chocolate cupcake recipe and have actually tried out three other recipes...to decide on this following recipe, from Ina Garten's book, barefoot contessa at home. It is a super moist, rich, chocolate cake that uses BOTH sour cream and buttermilk in the batter. This will get you some ooohs and aaahhhhs. I thought I'd do a head to head comparison between a cream cheese vanilla bean frosting and a chocolate fudge like frosting and see which one got the bigger reaction.

My friend JEL, who is by far the most critical of my cupcake testers, gave the following critique - she said that the cake itself is very very special and although she does not love chocolate, she LOVES a good chocolate cake, which is what this is. In addition, although she found the vanilla bean cream cheese frosting truly delicious, she didn't know if it went as well with the cupcake as she would have liked. She preferred the chocolate ganache with the cupcake as did my husband, but I loved the cream cheese tang against the chocolate. So, again, I'm forced to post both recipes as it is such a personal choice in deciding on your frosting preference.

Some tips that I've gathered from making cupcakes and reading far too many books about them.
In recipes where you are "creaming butter and sugar together" room temperature ingredients are always the best. By using room temperature ingredients you are allowing for the greater absorption and blending of the ingredients as well as maximizing the leavening power of the ingredients. Cold ingredients constrict the process while room temperature allows things to really bloom.

It is ALMOST (but you can) impossible to over mix the butter, sugar, and eggs. When you cream the butter and the sugar, really do a good job of it. Also really work the eggs into the mixture and scrape the sides with a spatula to make sure you are incorporating everything. You can really make a difference in the flavor and texture of your cupcake by focusing on this step.

You CAN overmix flour, so when you start adding the flour, make sure you use a light hand with your mixer. Don't over mix. In fact, I mix as well as I can with the mixer, and at the end I use a spatula and some elbow grease and mix the end maually.

Chocolate Cupcakes (From Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)
(her recipe says 14-15 cupcakes, but I got 25 out of this recipe, using standard muffin/cupcake tins)

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee (I used decaf, only because kids were going to be partaking)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder (I find the flavor of Ghiradelli's to be very good)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting (enough for 30 cupcakes)
1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
1 8oz pack of cream cheese, softened
1 whole vanilla bean, split open with a knife and vanilla beans scraped out (Amazon.com has 16 beans for $15)
3-4 cups confectioner sugar (I try and use as little as I can, but making sure it's pipeable)

Cream butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until texture is uniform. Add 2 cups of confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until sugar is all incorporated. Add 2 more cups and again mix on low speed until sugar is all incorporated. Add scraped vanilla beans (get every last bit) and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides. The key to really creamy frosting is to NOT beat too much air into the frosting but rather, on a medium speed, beat it until it is creamy.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting (enough for 24 cupcakes)
adapted from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons boiling water
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, room temperature
1-2 cups powdered sugar
1. Chop the chocolate and place in a heat proof bowl. Melt over a pan of gently simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 - 20 minutes.
2. Dissolve the cocoa powder in the boiling water in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Scrape the bowl.
4. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat to combine.
5. Add cooled, melted chocolate and beat to combine.
6. Add cocoa paste and beat to combine.
7. Check consistency of frosting, if needed add more powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.

Printable recipe

 











This is where I buy my vanilla beans.

Pasta with Sausage, Broccoli, Basil, Tomatoes, and Parmesean Cheese: The Art Of Improvisation

For all my teaching buddies

I used to read piano music and play. In fact, in my life as a teenager, I was serious enough about music to consider a career as a music teacher. I changed my mind and wanted to be a doctor, only to realize that made me miserable and then made the life changing decision to become a teacher, a decision that has probably shaped about 65% of my character and beliefs and made me the person I am today. (that is a plug for the greatness that exists in teachers!)

But I digress. I really want to discuss music and that is, I no longer read music. I CAN read it, and if I really focus on it, I can decipher the notes and play a piece as it is written strictly, but I rarely do it and more often than not, when I do my brain synapses misfire. (meaning - I misplay the notes and the rhythms.) I have become, in the strictest sense, a improviser when it comes to music. I no longer require the written notes to make music but instead can have the basic structure of chords and melodies and I make up what I want to play, with the caveat that I am trying to keep things harmonious and beautiful and interesting.

This pasta dish is that very same idea - I want to provide a basic structure - pasta, chicken stock, garlic and olive oil and allow individuals to make up what goes into it - as long as it's harmonious and tastes good. I want to encourage people to look into their refrigerators, find a few things and bring it all together with garlic, olive oil and chicken stock.

Here are some ideas of how to choose things to mix and match and below is the actual recipe. But EXPERIMENT. Have fun and try new combinations! Use up different vegetables (not nasty wilted ones though) that are sitting in your fridge. Use that piece of chicken that is sitting in your fridge and try it with some zucchini. It's all about improvisation and you can really make something beautiful and harmonious.

Proteins (Choose 1)
Sausage
Ground turkey
Ground beef
Leftover steak
Chicken

Green Vegetable (Choose 1) (the green is good to ensure that you are getting a well balanced one pot meal.)
broccoli
baby spinach
spinach
broccoli rabe
zucchini

Extras
capers
tomatoes (although I really would encourage everyone to put tomatoes in their one bowl pasta dishes - only because the vitamin C in tomatoes helps for the absorption of iron in the pasta - a perfect nutrition combination)
olives (black, green, whatever you have)
lemon juice and/or lemon zest

Herbs
basil
oregano
thyme
cilantro (for a Mexican style pasta...sounds yummy)

Use the cooking method described in the recipe and off you go!

Sausage, Broccoli, Tomato, Basil Pasta
(serves 6-8 depending on your family appetite)

1 lb of shaped pasta - wagon wheels, little bow ties, penne (I personally like those mini shapes available)
4-6 sausages, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves of garlic, minced or through a press
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 lb broccoli crowns (I like the bag from Trader Joes)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons of basil

1. Boil water for pasta. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, over medium heat, add olive oil and sausages. After sausages are browned, add garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chicken stock and broccoli. Cover and cook until broccoli is slightly tender and bright green about 5 minutes.
3. Dump in cooked pasta and tomatoes. Toss and add Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle basil on top.
4. Serve!

Printable recipe

Egg Salad: Plain on its own or in a sandwich

In preparation for the pending Easter weekend, I thought it appropriate to have an egg salad recipe posted, only because in the old days, we had lots of eggs to use up after egg dying. It seems to be less the case now, only because we now have those huge plastic eggs which get filled up with a variety of things and have moved away from the hard boiled egg. But there are some "dye" hards out there who still want to dye eggs every year, and then are left with dozens of eggs to use up, eat up, or give away.

I'd like to offer a very delicious and simple solution - egg salad. Egg salad is great because it is generally a pretty flexible dish in that you can add or take things in and out of it and still end up with a great salad that works well on a cracker or slapped between two slices of bread served with soup for an easy lunch or dinner. I am offering the most SIMPLE of egg salad recipes - with the most basic ingredients for filling, but will offer some options for additional add-ins for those who want to punch things up or take the salad in a different direction.

The MOST important thing for me in egg salad is TEXTURE. How does it feel in your mouth? I lean towards very small pieces of crunchiness in the middle of lots of fluffy bits of egg. How do you achieve this fluffy texture of egg? The answer is this - a FORK. It's not hard to do, but the BEST texture for egg salad occurs when you fork chop the egg. That means in a big bowl, you take the tines of the fork and you press it up against the egg and you keep using the tines of the fork to break up the eggs into fine and finer bits, until you have a very small pieces of egg, the whites and the yolks, all mixed up together. This cannot be achieved with a knife or a food processor; it must be done with the tines of the fork. It is amazingly easy to achieve and once you start you'll find lots of ways to entertain yourself while pressing the soft egg with the back of a fork. (I generally imagine myself squeezing different people who have upset me in my past.)

I thought I'd offer a quick tutorial on how to perfectly bowl an egg, because, after all, it's all about the texture, and there is truly something wrong with an egg salad that feels rubbery from over cooked eggs.

Egg boiling tutorial

In a pot large enough to fit your eggs, place eggs and add enough water to fully cover the eggs.


Place pot onto stove, covered. Turn heat on high and bring to a boil. AS SOON AS THE WATER IS BOILING, turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit in the water, covered for 11 minutes. (12 if you are perhaps doing a LOT of eggs)

After the eggs have sat in the water, drain all the hot water, and quickly add cold water.
After eggs have cooled in the cold water for 5 minutes, peel.

Basic Egg Salad
Makes 3 sandwiches

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup of mayo
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel hard boiled eggs and place in a bowl. With the back of a fork, press on and squish the egg pressing the pieces of egg through the tines of a fork.

Continue pressing on the eggs until all the pieces are uniform in shape and very fine.
Add mayonnaise, shallots, celery, parsley, salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve on bread or eat as it is.

*Different add in options
1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, omit parsley from this version
1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped (reduce salt if you do this)
2 tablespoons finely chopped smoked salmon with 2 tablespoon chives
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoons finely chopped green olives

Printable recipe

Basic egg salad on whole wheat bread, with crispy bacon and crunchy romaine lettuce.

Simple egg salad appetizer - on top of crackers with a small bit of bacon on top.

Vanilla Bean Coconut Cupcakes: COCONUT LOVERS' DREAM!

For SB who did it to me again...FRENZY causer.

Close friend, who lives on the opposite side of the US, decided to get me all worked up by another cupcake recipe by "casually" asking me if I would make a particular recipe and sending me a link. I looked at the recipe and then decided to ignore it, but an hour later, had the vision running through my mind and knew I would not be able to rest unless I made the cupcake. Late in the afternoon, I made the decision to run to the supermarket and spend $13 (YIKES) on vanilla bean and $4 on coconut milk. Already, I was into this cupcake for $17. I worried that the financial investment would not be worth it.

I was wrong. The cake is tender, moist, delicious and a strange combination of fluffy and dense! Speckled with vanilla bean, it just looks special. Mind you, I AM a cupcake lover and I am one who adores coconut. Truly this is not a recipe for those who do not like coconut, because it is not a simple sprinkling of coconut on top that makes this a coconut cupcake - there is the delicious addition of REDUCED coconut milk in the frosting AND the cake itself that makes this cupcake truly special. Please note that reducing the coconut milk is a rather dangerous process. It splatters everywhere so make sure your pot is really deep and you reduce it slowly. It should NOT change in color (meaning is should still be white, BB) so make sure you keep it over low heat. I also recommend reducing the coconut milk on the day before you actually make the cupcake, if only to break the recipe down into smaller chunks.

Vanilla Bean Coconut Cupcakes Bon Appetit April 2009

Reduced coconut milk:
2 13-to 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk (look for these at a Chinese or ethnic supermarket vs. your local neighborhood market - you can save over 100%.)

Cupcakes:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean (Amazon.com has 16 vanilla beans for $15, which is a lot cheaper than what I paid at the supermarket.)

1 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (for garnish)

For reduced coconut milk:

Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium low; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes.(I found it took closer to 45 minutes for me.) Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

For cupcakes:

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line eighteen 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg. Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups.Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack;cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.

For frosting:

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, seeds from vanilla bean, and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase to medium high and beat until light and fluffy.

Using pastry bag fitted with large star tip, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. (Alternatively, top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons frosting. Using small offset spatula, swirl frosting over top of cupcakes,l eaving 1/2-inch plain border.) Sprinkle with coconut. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight containers; chill.Bring to room temperature before serving.

This is where I get my vanilla beans.

Sausage, Spinach, Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella Pasta: Delicious dinner from what I had in the fridge

I consciously tried, early on this week, not to go grocery shopping and to instead use up everything in the fridge and the pantry. Well, maybe not EVERYTHING, but I really wanted try and utilize what I had at my disposal. I often get caught up in making something "new" instead of trying to use what I have ready and on hand. Since I was busy dealing with taxes and a number of other issues, I decided that not going to the grocery store was to my advantage.

On this particular evening, I had very low energy and not much inspiration but daughters and self to feed, so I forced myself over to the fridge and peered in to see what ingredients I had. I found three chicken apple sausages, half a pound of organic grape tomatoes, half a bag of baby spinach, half a container of fresh mozzarella balls (the bite size ones). In the pantry I found a half a box of wagon wheel pasta and said, "Okay! One pot pasta it is!"

The night previous, daughters had complained while eating their Monte Cubano Sandwiches and Roasted Carrot Soup. The sentences, "This is all there is mom?" and "This is a boring dinner, right?" to one another made me want to pull my hair out in clumps. I was worried I would hear something similar with a one-bowl pasta dish, but was floored when things like "Mommy, this is soooo yummy!" and "Can I have another bowl please" and "Mom this is a great meal" came from across the table. I looked at daughters and then looked around the room saying, "Will the real daughters please show up?" while daughters across the table protested that they were, in fact, really mine. Ahh, the power of leftovers cooked in garlic and olive oil.

Sausage, Spinach, Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella Pasta
(serves 6-8 depending on your family appetite)

1 lb of shaped pasta - wagon wheels, little bow ties, penne (I personally like those mini shapes available)
4-6 sausages, sliced
3 tablepoons olive oil
8 cloves of garlic, minced or through a press
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 bag of baby spinach
1.5 cups of cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or some sort of small tomatoes
1 lb fresh mozarella balls
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

1. Boil water for pasta. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, over medium heat, add olive oil and sausages. After sausages are browned, add garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Dump in cooked pasta, chicken stock, tomatoes, spinach and mozzarella. Gently toss ingredients together until the spinach is wilted, mozzarella is slightly melted and all pasta is coated with chicken stock and olive oil, about 2 minutes.
3. Serve! Sprinkle with red chili paper flakes (for adults) and parmesean cheese.

Printable Recipe

Let's Go Fishing - Party Ideas

For JEL and JTL - Awesome mommy and great son...thanks for letting me help!

One of my best friends was debating the big question - whether or not to have her son's 3rd birthday party at home. I LOVE having birthday parties at home, so I said "Do it at home. Let me help you." She looked skeptical at first, but when I asked her son, "What sort of birthday party do you want - NASCAR or fishing" he replied NASCAR and soon visions of a NASCAR racing party ran through my head. He changed his mind a week later and decided on a fishing theme and I got even more excited.

Mind you - I am not a creative person in that arts and crafts way - but I do like having fun with food and enjoying the idea of carrying a theme out - like with daughter's Yellow Birthday Party. The fishing theme, as I discussed with my friend was a fun idea and eventually we came up with some fun food ideas.

My friend decided to have a more theme focused kids menu and a sandwich/finger food table for the adults.

Here is what we did and some photos - many of these ideas have great carry over - so if it's a fish here, you can make it something else for your own child's party.

Kids's Menu
Fish shaped grilled cheese sandwiches
Fish Fruit Mosaic
Fish Sticks (from Trader Joes as they are the tastiest according to her.)
Blue and white swirled lemon mascarpone cupcakes (fluffy)

Adult Menu
Orzo Salad with Feta, Tomatoes, and Onions
Egg Salad
Curried Chicken Salad
Assorted breads, sliced avocado and lettuce
Ginger Soy Chicken (but she made these into skewers, by cutting thigh meat into strips and skewering them on to bamboo skewers and bbq'd on the grill - ended up REALLY yummy and all eaten.)
Spinach dip with assorted vegetables

Below are some pictures with explanations of how to execute. (if you want to see any picture larger for detailed viewing, you need only to click the photograph.)

These are the grilled cheese sandwiches before baking - she simply cut bread and cheese with cookie cutters - and then brushed both sides of the bread with melted butter. (the scraps of bread can be turned into bread crumbs and scraps of cheese can be made into mac and cheese or some thing else easily.) She broiled the bread in the oven for about 1 minute per side and had gorgeous fish sandwiches. Remember to watch carefully because these little babies can burn easily. If you have any theme, this is a possibility (butterfly shaped sandwiches, star shaped sandwiches, car shaped sandwiches.)


Thanks to SJ (the super craftiest person I know) for this great idea...you can virtually make anything in fruit - and it's so easy but so fun and makes a statement. The trick is to cut the fruit on the smaller end and have really bold contrasting colors - spring and summer time I would think is slightly easier for making the contrast, but even winter you could do apples, oranges, grapes. You can make these as elaborate as you want or as simple as you'd like. Another friend, after seeing this idea, has decided to do King Arthur's flag - which is three crowns (in mango and pineapple) surrounded by crimson (strawberries, grapes and raspberries.) (JEL has promised to make me a very fancy butterfly for my daughter's 5th birthday Princess Butterfly Ball)



These are lemon mascarpone cupcakes - and the only thing I did was have some fun with the frosting. I used a basic frosting bag that I got from Target, and simply made two different colors of frosting and put them both in my frosting bag - and made my swirls and stuck a swedish fish on top.

Whatever you do, just have fun!