pumpkin cuppies

I again found the recipe on howtoeatacupcake.

http://howtoeatacupcake.net/2007/10/halloween-costume-party-2007.html

super yummy. i chose not to frost them since i think they just looked great with the powdered sugar

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella- double the recipe made 70 mini cuppies. and I almost didn't have enough frosting.

I used the mint chocolate chip recipe with a few differences. First I had no chocolate milk stuff since I make mine from scratch so I just used regular milk and added .1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate. I also had no mini chocolate chips so I skipped them. I made mini cuppies since they were going with me to a party.

to the mix. after tasting the batter I decided there still wasn't a good balance of chocolate/mint so I also added a half square of hershey's special dark to each cuppie.

ohhh... lookie lookie naked cupcakes. oh the shame!

I dont know which was better the batter, or the baby with the batter on him. Nate loved every second of it and stood there while I mixed saying "some? spoon? me nate spoon?" I think perhaps I bake too much? can one ever bake too much?

I made ganche topping and whipped it up (from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella ) This was my first try at making a ganache and It came out ok i guess. It was heavier than I wanted it to be. I used bittersweet chocolate, heavy whipping cream and light cream (since I didn't have enough whipping cream for the recipe) I added 2 tsp of vanilla and 1/2tsp peppermint and that made it a little less intense

the end result. 70 cuppies with whipped ganache frosting. some garnished with a pep'o'mint lifesaver piece. the last 24 cuppies had just a tiny bit of frosting. next time I will have to double it too.

Chocolate Mint Chip CupcakesMakes 18-20

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped, melted

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon peppermint extract1/2 cup chocolate milk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (6 ounces) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.

2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat the melted chocolate into the butter mixture. Add the eggs, peppermint extract, and chocolate milk. Beat until creamy. (this took my stand mixer about 4 minutes)

3. In a separate medium-sized bowl combine the flour and baking soda.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and beat until well blended (DO NOT OVER BEAT). With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3-3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan.

bittersweet chocolate ganache frosting

3/4Cup whipping cream

6 oz chocolate (chopped small)

heat the cream until just boiling. add to the chocolate pieces and whip until light and airy (7 minutes?)

I added 2tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp peppermint to the whipped cream while it was cooking

Elizabeth's in Fairhaven

Daniel and I went to dinner a few nights back at Elizabeth's. Personally I love this place and usually receive great service and great food at a reasonable price.
We went about 7:30 and the place was packed. we were not greeted at all and chose to sit at the bar. the bartender was attentive and brought me the drink menu when asked. I ordered an orange creamsicle martini, Dan had a coke. Elizabeth's is known for their martinis and has a substantial list, so given that it was understandable the bartender had to look up my drink. The cocktail was good but the lime garnish did not go well with the orange drink and added to the bitterness from watery orange juice.
We asked the bartender for a table when one opened and he gave our name to the hostess. 3 parties were seated before us after coming in off the street. We did finally get a nice table beside the kitchen where it was warm. very nice.
Daniel and I ordered the clam chowder which was disappointing. it was watery and bland with an overpowering flavor of dill. in fact we found a stem from the dill in our bowl. after adding some salt and pepper it was palatable.The chowder had large pieces of clams and potatoes which could have made the chowder very satisfying.
We were then told that most of their main entrees and specials were no longer available. luckily my broiled lobster with potato pancake and sherry sauce was still available. Daniel could not get his steak however, so he opted for the almond and pesto haddock.
The entrees came and were nicely presented. the sherry sauce and potato pancake were very well done and complimented each other nicely. the large chunks of potatoes were a welcome addition to the texture of the dish and really quite pleasing. The lobster was overcooked and mushy however. It was also served without a lobster pick or a anything to crack the shell of the claws. When I asked the server for them I was informed there were none in the restaurant and to just break it with my hands. I was undeterred, considering my love of lobster. The waitress was pro active in bringing me a wet towel in a bowl to clean my hands as needed, I was grateful.
The Haddock was AMAZING and flavorful. the almonds on top were toasted perfectly and went so well with the garlicky pesto. chunks of garlic and fresh herbs were obvious in the pesto.The fish was cooked perfectly and was sweet and fresh. The vegetables (zucchini) were mooshy as was the rice.
We then ordered tiramisu which was delightful! thick and rick with real whipped cream. fantastic and my absolute favorite item of the night. I also ordered a cloud9 which is hot chocolate with Godiva white and dark liquors. This drink is fantastic. Daniel got coffee and was quite pleased with the smooth cup he received.
Our service was great and the food was decent. the bill came out to $ 55 and change.
on a scale from one to ten
greeting -2
service -9
food -7
cocktails -8
price -10
-----------------
total 36/50

more cuppies!

I made my standby banana cupcakes. My kids love them and they taste as good cooked as they do as batter. found here.

http://howtoeatacupcake.net/2008/02/banana-cupcakes-with-banana-coconut.html

This time I added 4Tbs chopped sweet chocolate to the batter. the result was amazing. i frosted them with a chocolate cream cheese frosting.
1 package cream cheese (softened)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 Tbs cocoa (unsweetened,it cuts through all the sugar)

my turkey

I bought a local farm raised organic pasture fed 22.5lb turkey. Holy crap the difference in taste is AMAZING! I like turkey. it isn't my favorite but it is great on Thanksgiving. But this turkey was so moist and juicy, flavorful and just all around AMAZING.

i flipped it over and put it back in when the breast read 170* on the meat thermometer since the dark meat underneath wasn't done enough yet. that is why it's upside down.

green bean casserole

2lbs green beans (trimmed)
3 cups cream
4Tbs butter , divided
2Tbs olive oil
2Tbs flour
5 portobella mushroom tops chopped
1 medium onion
6 cloves garlic
salt & pepper
1 tsp thyme
dash cayenne pepper
1 can artichoke hearts (drained well and chopped)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
fried onions


blanch the green beans and then add them to an ice bath to stop the cooking
saute mushrooms,onions , and garlic with 1/2 the butter and the olive oil until tender
put aside
melt remaining 2 Tbs butter add flour. cook to a light caramel color
add half and half
add mushroom mixture
simmer and stir until thick (like melted ice cream)
add to cooled green beans and mix well
add seasoning and artichoke hearts
top with Parmesan cheese
top with thinly sliced fried onions
bake at 350* until hot throughout and green beans are tender

lost my camera

thanksgiving! yay good food. fun to cook. panic that I wont get it done.

my grandfather's stuffing
roche (pronounced RO-shay)
essentially a giblet stuffing

2 loaves crusty bread (broken up and dried out)
1 package chicken liver
1 package giblets (not just the ones with the turkey, the actual package of them from the store)
1 medium onion
2 stalks celery
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp assafrua(safflower)
6 eggs
3Tbs Bells seasonings
salt and pepper


soak bread in water with a small amount of salt
brown the onion and the giblets and liver.
add celery
cook until softened
cover with chicken broth and water set to simmer
drain bread squeeze out as much water by hand as you can.
mix the eggs in by hand
add seasonings

remove the simmering pot from the stove.
run it through the food processor to chop it as much as you like
add to the bread mix
bake in the oven, covered with foil
375* until set but not dry