Oh Cupcake Hero Challenge, you almost got me on this one. I joined during peppermint, caught my stride during coffee, said cheers during liquor but this one was not an easy challenge for me. I struggled with what approach I wanted to take and I wanted a challenge. But how much can you do with a marshmallow?

I started making a list of all the desserts and dishes that have marshmallows (s’mores, Peeps, rocky road, sweet potato pie). I was actually committed to one of those desserts when I had a dream (some may even call it a premonition) about what cupcake I should make for Cupcake Hero: Marshmallow.

I had a dream about cupcakes. It’s the first time for me. Any who…

You see, I had been thinking about my grandmother (Moo Moo). I didn’t go home this year for Easter and she always puts together the best Sunday lunches. One of her signature dishes is Old Fashion Fruit Salad. It’s a simple cut fruit salad with homemade whipped cream and marshmallows! Ah-freakin-ha! There was my challenge. How could I turn her salad into a cupcake?

I started with the Strawberry Cupcake recipe from Sprinkles that I found on the website All Things Cupcake. This is the second Sprinkles recipe I’ve made. They’re good. It seems that most of them follow more of the chiffon cake method rather than traditional Betty Crocker recipes.

For the fruit in the salad I went with apples, pears and bananas. I also added in pecans and a small squares of vanilla marshmallows. I thought that adding juicier peaches would make the frosting too runny. And as you’ll read on later that was a good move.

See that ooey gooey frosting? Um, my original intention was for the frosting to actually stay on the cupcake, not run all the way down it. I had made a cream cheese frosting that had whipping cream in it also, which made the mixture too thin once I started mixing in the fruit. It could have been better to go with a firmer frosting and put the fruit on the top.

But that didn’t really stop me from enjoying every bite of it. The cake recipe called for fresh or frozen strawberries. I only had fresh ones and the flavor was good, but I think that using frozen strawberries would have made the taste more pronounced. I also added red food coloring to add more color and pop.

And we’re finished!

Fruit Salad Cupcakes

For the cupcake I followed the Sprinkles’ Strawberry Cupcake recipe posted on All Things Cupcake.

What I suggest you do for the frosting (not what I did)

Make a firm frosting like cream cheese or a buttercream frosting. Chop fruit and mix with the juice from 1/2 lime. This will help prevent it from browning. Add homemade marshmallows and pecans.

I love that I’m 30 years old and my parents still take the time to send me an Easter basket. Today my whole family is in Texas, cooking a big Easter lunch, hiding eggs for the two who are still young enough to hunt them and going to the Lake to try to get some hint of a tan.

There’s something that has always been deceptive about sunshine, Easter and tanning for us. It’s this time of year that it’s sunny enough that the lure of brighter days tease that it might be warm enough to actually get some sunshine and start working out the gray that’s set in over the past 3 months. And it never fails that after Easter lunch, someone will say, “Hey. Let’s head out to the lake and lay out for a bit.” And it never fails that we get swim bags put together, drive out to the lake and get settled out on the pier, only for 20 minutes to pass before the first person says, “Hey. I’m going to head inside.” It’s not long after that one by one we all start to head back into the house.

Since I’m too old to hunt Easter eggs and I’m not going to be around any kiddos today, I didn’t dye any this year. But I have been craving egg salad and today seemed as good as any to make some for lunch this week. Egg salad is simple, so paying attention to the quality of the components is important.

Boiling eggs as you can imagine is pretty fundamental when making egg salad. When prepping to boil the eggs, set them out for 10-15 minutes to help take the chill off of them. This will help ensure that they boil evenly through out. Put enough water in pot so that all the eggs are submerged in water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and add the eggs. For a hard boiled egg, it only needs to boil for 10-12 minutes depending on the size egg. (Soft boil eggs require 4 minutes for runny, 5 for medium and 6 for a partially firm yolk). When they’re finished cooking run cool water over them and I allow mine to sit for a few minutes in the cold water. Crack and peel. And don’t be fooled you can over boil and egg.

Easter Egg Salad
Makes 2 big sandwiches

5 hard boiled eggs (coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (homemade if you have it)
1/2 juice of a lemon
1 t yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all ingredients and serve on a sandwich or crackers.

And in case you were wondering, it’s 65 degrees in Central Texas today.

I can remember when I was little making sure that the night before St. Patrick’s Day that I had green on my pajamas because I knew that if I didn’t that my dad would be in my room bright and early looking to get in a pinch. I love that St. Patty’s Day is a day where people who are Irish pull out all the stops and people who aren’t Irish pull out the “Kiss Me, anyways!” t-shirts.

Now, I have always been more of a green beer than Guinness girl. I know, there’s some cussing Irishman rolling his eyes as I type these words, but the beer is just too, um, stout? So, when cupcake bloggers started posting their Guinness cupcake creations, I knew I had to join in.

A few baking notes on the recipe from Fabulous Foods.  The batter was very runny. So much so that I was nervous and wanted to do a test batch. They turned out perfect and you can fill the cups 3/4 full and not worry about them baking over the edges of the tin.

Guinness Cupcakes
Makes 30-ish cupcakes

1 bottle (12 ounces) Guinness stout
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for garnish
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the Frosting
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the sour cream.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet Guinness mixture.

Butter 24 muffin tins and divide the batter among the muffin tins.

Bake 25 minutes until risen and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out of the tins.

Make the frosting:
Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the heavy cream. Slowly mix in the confectioner’s sugar.

This is the first Holiday in a LONG time that I haven’t gone crazy being away from the office. I’ve taken extended time off, almost a whole two weeks. Yes, I have checked in a few times, but not obsesevely.

What’s been keeping me busy? Family, friends and a new venture I’ll reveal more about later.

In my house, I’m the oldest grandchild at 30 and as a group we’re all getting older and there are some traditions that have been in my family since my mom and aunts were little girls. The most important: Reading the Night Before Christmas as a family.

This tradition was fun and created anticipation as a child. As an adult, mixing in a little egg nog can make it fun, but in a more grown up kinda way.

Here’s a recipe my Aunt Betsy used this year to feed an army on Christmas morning, but it’s so easy and prepares so easily, that I plan on using it the next time I have guest staying over for the weekend.

Sausage Potato Bundt

2 T. dry breadcrumbs

2 lb. breakfast sausage

½ c. chopped onion

½ c. chopped roasted bell peppers, drained

4 c. shredded hash browns, thawed

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

14 eggs

½ c. milk

1 t. salt

¼ t. pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Generously butter a 10 or 12-cup bundt pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. 
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage and onion until sausage is no longer pink.  Drain very well.  Add peppers, cheese and hash browns.  Mix well. 

In a large bowl, stir together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.  Mix well.  Spoon sausage mixture into egg mixture.  Pour into prepared pan; press firmly.  Bake at 400 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes.  Cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes or so, if needed to prevent over-browning the top.  Casserole is done when knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Loosen edges, then invert onto plate.  10-12 servings.  May cut recipe in half and use a 6-cup bundt pan or an 8” x 8” pan.  

Happy New Year Y’all! I’m big on tradition and for New Year’s I must have black eyed peas. I found this recipe to help make up for the fact that most black eyed pea soups call for a ham bone and I don’t have one handy.

This salsa is so refreshing and light and flavorful and it was a perfect snack after hiking Camelback Mountain’s Echo Trail yesterday. And not to brag, but temperatures were in the mid 70s, sky was crystal blue and this is the type of weather that makes you happy that you live in Arizona.

I think Carey and Corey were a little sun-struck too! We did a bit more sight seeing, had a margarita in Old Town Scottsdale and then headed home to grill dinner. Look at the love birds. Holding hands and hiking.

Texas Caviar
Active Prep Time 10 minutes/ Inactive 3 hours

1 can black beans, drained
2 cans black eyed peas, drained
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 pint plum tomatoes, quartered
4 stalks scallions, diced
cilantro to taste
8 oz zesty Italian dressing
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours.

Variations: Add jalapeños, green chilies, garlic.

Other recipies:

Old San Antonio Texas Caviar 

Texas Caviar 

Grandma’s Texas Caviar 

Cowgirl Hall of Fame Texas Caviar 

Merry Christmas! My head is spinning with ideas and inspiration and I have a super special secret Christmas prezzie from my Dad to thank for it. So, not to be sneaky, but I want everything to be perfect before I unveil it.

There are some things for me that stayed just as consistent as ever (and trust me after a messed up 2007 I needed consistency this Holiday). For my family, it’s Christmas PJs. Every year on Christmas Eve, we get to open ONE present. This year was all about the polka-dot! Check us out, it’s my Mom and sister Lizzy:

Notice the PINK theme? Liz’s room is painted PINK this year and I think she picked PJs to match. She’s 16 and I’m 30, I think I’m hanging in there even with a 14 year age difference.

For those of you who don’t live in Central Texas, I’ve got a little treat for you also. There’s a jewlery company in Central Texas called James Avery. If you grew up going to church in Texas you know about this company. First Communion, Confirmation and high school graduation presents all come from this one company.

This year, I received one very special present, the first instalment to a charm bracelet to replace one that was stolen when my house got broken into in 2005. What do you think?

I’ve got so much to share and I hope you had a fun, special and relaxing Christmas. Merry Christmas Y’all!

I didn’t grow up baking. I grew up making candy. I know of the scale of time, talent and patience; Candy takes the cake? But that’s how it was. My mom making pralines, my grandmother making divinity and fudge and my job was making the peanut brittle.I was 12 or 13, and that was 16 or 17 years ago, when a revelation was made in our candy making world, Microwavable Peanut Brittle.

There was a lot of excitement in the kitchen that year. Here was a candy recipe that didn’t require constant attention; it didn’t require a thermometer, just a wooden spoon and Pyrex. My mom’s original recipe card says it’s from B. Hill. I don’t know who that is, but she was Betty Crocker for us that year.

The trick to this recipe is that you don’t do a lot to it while it’s being nuked. Just leave the wooden spoon the dish while it’s cooking. Make sure you choose a spoon that will fit in your microwave and because the candy is pretty harsh on the spoon, you might as well just dedicate it to this recipe and use it each time you make it.The brittle has such a great buttery flavor (see the glean on the picture) and it’s just the right combination of firm on the outside and gets slightly softer in the middle. 

Microwave Peanut Brittle

1 cup sugar
1 cup raw spanish peanuts
Dash of salt
1/2 cup white Karo Syrup
1 T. margarine
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda

Mix syrup, salt, peanuts and sugar with wooden spoon in a 1 3/4 quart size Pyrex
Put in microwave for 8 minutes, turning four times.
LEAVE SPOON IN THE PYREX. DONT STIR IT EITHER.
Take out of the microwave and add the margarine and vanilla.
Put back in the microwave for 2 additional minutes.
DO NOT STIR.
Take out and mix in the  baking soda.
Quickly pour mixture out onto a greased cookie sheet.
Cool 30 minutes.

“You’re Daddy and I have been sick all week and I haven’t had a chance to much of anything.” That’s part of a conversation my Mom and I had this week while I was planning my trip back home for Christmas. I really didn’t understand the ramifications until I got home. Everything looked normal.

Christmas decorations were all set, a fire was burning and the stockings were all hung with care. What did she mean, “We haven’t done much of anything.”

Then I noticed it. I started investigating the cookie jars and they were almost all empty. Most notably, there were no pralines. Now, I know this might not be show stopping for most of you, but in my house pralines are an integral part of the Holiday.

My super sweet Mom, looked at me and said, “I’m making a batch today.” Yay!

This morning, my Mom and I had coffee and pralines for breakfast. It was awesome.

Pralines

Makes 3 dozen

1 t baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
2 T light corn syrup
1 stick margarine
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans

Combine all ingredients except vanilla, pecans and baking soda and buttermilk in a Dutch oven.
Disolve soda in the buttermilk and add to mixture on stove top.
Heat mixture to 240 degrees stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add pecans and vanilla.
Beat until creamy. Drop from a spoon onto wax paper.

Grand plans. I had grand green plans for this Christmas. I was going to make eco-friendly presents for my friends and family. I was able to find a few very cool prezzies, but I can’t disclose them yet. BUT what I can do is send out a little reminder that one easy quick win to make your Christmas a little bit more green is to use newspaper to wrap your gifts.

Since I’m always, ALWAYS talking about where I grew up to my colleagues. I thought it would be funny to wrap their presents in my hometown newspaper. See that guy on the right of the box? That’s my dad!

Fa-la-la-la! Do you think there is such a thing as Christmas Song Attention Deficit Disorder? Baking away today I’d find myself singing one song and before I knew it I was on a totally different song.

But it’s not a bad thing to have happy songs running through your head. For two days in a row we (in Phoenix) had temperatures that were in the 60s. It’s Holiday-time Folks! Yippee!

Peppermint was the flavor of the day.

Peppermint Mocha Bark

Crushed candy canes, to yield 1 cup
1 pounds semi-sweet chocolate
Peppermint flavorings, optional

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

To make the Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes I made a mocha cake recipe from Hey There Cupcake, used a white frosting and placed a piece of bark on each cupcake.