It's The Spice Cakes!

Today I finally made my B&W style cupcakes. Was it work? Heck  yeah!! It was interesting and definitely a learning experience. It's been over ten years since I last made cupcakes so it was like relearning how to make them.

I started with Duncan Hines Spice mix. It's a simple enough mix,

It's three eggs along with a cup of water and 1/3 cup of vegetable oil all are mixed into a satiny , creamy batter thanks to three minutes with an electric mixer set on high.

Thank Target for these pretty heart decorated cupcake papers. Using the paper makes clean up easier.I filled the cups 2/3 full. This was not a good idea. Use the tablespoon rule when filling cupcake pans. Always pour in three tablespoons. Other wise.

Yup, they look like mutant muffins instead of delicate tea cakes.This is  how they should look:

See how perfect they look, wth only slightly rounded tops. As for that empty one, there wasn't enough batter for it. I would have had enough if I had followed the three tablespoon rule, Now it's time for the icing. As I've written before, I wanted to use a glaze. and I found a super easy micro wave one from  Food.com. It just required semi-sweet chocolate chips , condensed milk and three tablespoons of butter.

The chips just had to be microwaved for just a minute and a half (no longer otherwise the chocolate will burn).The condensed milk and butter(I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter) are added and vigorously stirred with a wooden spoon.I then used my spoon from my ice cream maker to ladle it on and smooth it out

They look pretty professional, despite all the trouble. The taste - better than B& W's. (Sorry B&W).

I will definitely make them again or maybe as a layer cake form for a birthday or party.I want to try the icing with a scratch butter cake for a truly old fashioned treat.

My cupcake skills need more work, but everything baked is a step closer to creating the perfect cake, cupcake, bread, pie and cookie. It's on to the next yummy project for this home baker!.

Sheet Pan Dinners With A Twist

One of the latest trends in home cooking right now is sheet pan meals. These are an easy cook and mix of the main meal and sides. Now there's another layer added to this - pasta. It gives a new texture and taste to a popular dish.

Melissa Clark decided to tackle this and write about it in her A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Any sheet pan meal is an easy make.It's just spreading out your desired ingredients on a baking sheet that's usually reserved for cookies and square  pizzas. She makes a roasted broccoli pasta. This is unusual in the sense that the main ingredient isn't a meat such as chicken or pork but pasta. Ms. Clark uses chiocciole , a  macaroni shaped kind, however, home chefs can also use fusilli or ziti.Using pasta does require the extra step of boiling it, but then it's really no different than boiling the wide noodles for lasagna. Vegetables are a must for any sheet pan meal. Broccoli is used because it roasts well,,with the florets becoming crispy. That and the pasta, which will become crisp too will pair nicely with the addition of fresh ricotta.The cheese will burnish and caramelize.Ms. Clark also adds a good sprinkling of Parmesan spiked breadcrumbs and lemon zest for more zing.

Even novice home chefs can create this tasty dish, perfect for a weekday dinner or weekend lunch.It does start off with a very hot oven. Ms. Clark recommends a 425 degree Farenheit oven Use a rimmed baking sheet. The broccoli is tossed with olive oil along with red pepper flakes, a pinch of sea salt  and cumin for flavor( you can swap out the pepper if it proves to be too spicy). Roast until tender and brown between eighteen and twenty-five minutes. Toss halfway through to make sure that all the florets are evenly cooked. The sheet pan is removed from the oven and it's time to turn on the broiler. At this point, the pasta should be boiled and then drained.It's also at this time that the
 breadcrumbs have to be spiced. Ms. Clark uses panko bread crumbs but I don't see why regular or homemade ones can 't be used. Toss the breadcrumbs with the grated Parmesan,  lemon zest and salt and pepper. The pasta and broccoli are then tossed together on the pan then dollops of  the ricotta is added..It's then sprinkled with the breadcrumbs , along with getting a generous drizzle of olive oil. Broil for about two to three minutes or until browned and crisped. It's served with a squirt of lemon juice. Other veggies such as cauliflower and eggplant can be subbed in for the broccoli  while Camembert can be used for the ricotta.

A sheet pan meal is an easy meal. Add pasta to make it special and tastier. It's a nice spin on a new trend.

Cajun Beer For Mardi Gras

All eyes will be turned to New Orleans and Louisiana this Tuesday for Mardi Gras. Cajun food such as gumbos and etouffes will be bubbling away on stovetops and in cauldrons outdoors. Now there are beers to go with it and the wild revelry.

Rachel Wharton, a food writer usually published in The  New York Daily News switches to the New York Times Food section this week to write about an exciting entry into the drinking world : Cajun beer.She travelled to Arnaudville, Louisiana, the heart of Cajun country where  French is the primary language and the laws still follow the Napoleonic Code.Karlos, Byron and Dorsey Knott, whose ancestors came from Quebec in the 1780's started the brewery to go with the spicy, flavorful foods they grew up on.Bayou Teche Brewery, named for the famed waterway that connects southern Louisiana, goes back to the French or Belgian tradition of French and Belgian farmhouse brewing traditions.Unlike other beers that stand along, these biers are meant to be served as part of the meal. There are different types, one made with the fruity tasting French yeast.This is the Saison D'Ecrivisses or crawfish beer that goes well with the Cajun staple, seafood.Many of the ingredients incorporate Southern Louisiana ingredrients  such as raw local sugar , rice and hot peppers. There was even a beer called Shrimp and Grits that actually included hominy grits and shrimp!.according to Karlos, The drink tasted fantastic but the aroma was none too great.It smelled like old shrimp - not a big selling point.

How did a Lousianian get involved in brewng? Blame Karlos' time in Seattle. He and his wife, Stephanie , moved there and that's where he got caught up in home brewing.He also went on tours of such craft breweries as Redhook and Pyramid. Karlos returned back home in 1998 where he and his brothers home bewed their beers to go with the spicy gumbos and boils. Unfotunately their hoppiness and maltiness competed with the intense flavors.of Cajun cooking.Recipes were tweaked and revised so that they went better with the brews. The Knott brother's turning point came in 2009 when six kegs of their traditional Belgian pale ale was served at a beer festival in Lafayette. Local distributors went wild for it. Now the brewery has over twenty different types from a peppery strawberry to a citrussy one called Swamp Thing brewed with the classic Cajun ingrdient - rice.Included in the article is a recipe for Crawfish Etoufee, the spicy stew made with crawfish tails and poblano chiles. Bayou Teche is only sold in Lousiiana and Texas right now. Hopefully theyll branch out nationwide soon. so everyone can enjoy their delicious brews.

Cajun beers are not just a niche beer.Soon hipsters and Cajun food afectionadoes  will enjoy these spicy and unusual brews. Bayou Teche will be up there with Sam Adams,

Q'Doba Grill Possibly The Best Mexican Food

Mexican food out can be a dicey affair . It could be too bland - or worse too spicy and hot. Then there's the cookie cutter factor, creating the same dishes for every customer..Luckily there is the refreshing Qdoba Grill that offers freshness and variety.


This is my favorite Mexican fast food - although should it be called such? There's nothing even remotely "fast" about it. There are fresh cut  vegetables and grilled meats. Even the tortilla chips are crisp and crunchy, not soggy with oil.Qdoba's Grill's tastes and cooking style is similar to home chefs' cooking the cuisine. Why is it not like its' closest competitor, Taco Bell? Maybe because it''s not  part of an international fast food corporation. The restaurant chain was started in the mid 1990s by Anthony Hauser  and Robert Miller in Denver ,Colorado. Another competietor, Chipotle was also created there two years earlier.It was called Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill and made a million and a half in revenues alone during the first year.Four years later the name was changed to Qdoba . The chain is known for their San Francisco or Mission style where the burritos are overstuffed with rice and double the amount of meat and veggies.It's also known for other freshly made customized dishes , unlike Taco Bell and reasonable prices - unlike Chipotle with its' expensive tacos , burritos and even guacamole.

Again , the reason I love it  there  is a homey freshness to it. I love having the tacos made my way, without beans and corn, just loaded with their spiced chicken and chopped tomatoes. The servers add just the right dollop of guacamole to top it off. Another reason to like Qdoba is that every dish can customized to suit both meat lovers and vegans. The menu is not varied. There are only six choices such as the classic taco, burrito and nachos along with  the burrito bowl, tortilla  soup, and taco salad. Of course, they have guac and chips, a creamy mashed avocado lightly spiced with what tastes like tabasco sauce. The queso or cheese sauce is laced with beer as is the featured drunken chicken this month. I enjoy their regular grilled chicken, again lightly spiced and not overpowering. The burrito bowls are also tasty, Bean lovers can go crazy with it, having both pinto and black beans and nothing else. There's also corn and peppers to add to everything too. Another plus? The soda machine that has a huge variety of different sodas. It' where I get my Dr. Pepper cherry vanilla fix and I can get as many refills as I want.Qdoba also sells wrapped chocolate chip cookies to battle any leftover fire and spiciness.


Qqdoba Grill offers the best and most reasonably priced Mexican fare out there. It's no wonder so my, like myself, can;t get enough of their delicious tacos and yummy guac. It's the best south of the border style food.

White House Kitchen Meals Fit For A President

The White House is the base of many American institutions The West Wing and  the Oval Office represent the  sitting president while the second story represent the presidential family. However, it's the little written about White House kitchen that fuels the powers that be with favorite dishes and desserts.

There has always been a kitchen in the White House. The first cooks were enslaved African-Americans owned by George Washington. They continued on in the kitchen until President William Henry Harrison in the 1890's . As the 20th century progressed the kitchen became fancier and much more sophisticated . Updates such as a stainless steel makeover during FDR's tenure and an entire transformation thanks to Harry S. Truman seeing the room needed to be drastically updated. Gourmet chefs ushered in the 21st Century with the Obamas bringing in Cristata Comerford, a Filipino born to oversee the cooking. The White House kitchen is also responsible for hard boiling and dying the dozens of Easter eggs used for the annual Easter egg hunt and the annual Christmas gingerbread house, a copy of the White House with some personal touches representing the sitting First Families. They also create amazing banquets which reflect the countries of the foreign leaders feted. When former British Prime Minister David Cameron visited , the kitchen whipped up a bison Wellington , an American spin on the classic British dish and lemon sponge cake. another English classic for his state dinner.

What did our presidents like to nosh on? Not surprisingly,  our first president George Washington had a fondness for cherries along with other fruits. John Adams and his wife Abigail preferred simple New England fare such as Indian pudding along with basic ingredients such as butter and molasses. Thomas  Jefferson was the first gourmand president , bringing in ice cream and macaroni along with anchovies, souffle, and Parmesan cheese to the US palate. James Madison had his wife, the famed Dolly, to thank for White House teas. Abe Lincoln was a fan of his wife 's Mary's courting cake, a homemade , frothy meringue of a cake. Teddy Roosevelt loved sugar so much he put seven lumps in his coffee cup, described as a bathtub by one of his sons along with a kind of shortbread cookie called a sandtart., Cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a big fan of any kind of soup and homemade doughnuts.The first president who loved to cook and often made his own meals was Dwight D. Eisenhower. He had a thing for soups and beef stews. Haute cuisine took a holiday when Bill Clinton was elected.. His was a passion for cheeseburgers along with roast beef sandwiches , his mom's sweet potato casserole and carrot cake. President Obama loved scallops along with the healthier fare his wife Michelle recommended.,

The White House has fed and catered to all our presidents. They have nourished our leaders in times of crises and tempted then wth  savory and sweet treats during difficult days. It is not just a kitchen where food is prepared but part of the net work that support all American preidents.

Your Best Ever Mini Guide To French Food

If you can cook French food, you've mastered one of the world's most complex yet most delicious cuisines>Many home chefs shy away from it, claiming it's too difficult. It's really isn;t thanks to a special section to tomorrow's New York Sunday Times. This isn't a spoiler alert.The New Essentials Of French Cooking is a keeper alert.

Melissa Clark is the author of this section which has some classic Gallic recipes as well one for a tagine, a North African dish popular with the French. Ms. Clark is the author of the weekly column A Good Appetite for the Times' Wednesday Food section. She has also  has authored several cookbooks, her last with famed Manhattan andFrench-born chefs, the famed Daniel Boulud and David Bouley. Their work in savory main meals and delectable pastries and have introduced many a
New Yorker to the subtleties of  French cooking. . Ms. Clark offers such basics as steak and omelets and fancier fare like quiches and souffles. What I found truly intriguing was each dish's history. Some like the omelet are adaptations from the  French, They have been around from ancient Rome. The same is true for the classic coq au vin, created by an annoyed Julius Caesar to give to the Gauls.
A variation of quiche was popular in ancient Egypt. Tangines may have entered the vocabulary and the country around the seventies but their history goes back to the Tenth  Century where Berber and Muslim cultures collided.

Another likable aspect is the why master it column  gracing every recipe. Ms.Clark gives encouraging reasons to make the dishes.Many home chefs would balk at the cassoulet recipe but she  explains as nothing more than a humble bean and meat stew. She does point out the negatives, that the dish is not one to make it on the fly. It does take planning as well as marinating the meats.Yet some of the ingredients , such as Great Northern beans  are easy to come by and easy to work with in the recipe. another plus is that she thoroughly explains the steps , offering how tos that any chef, from novice to experienced can follow. For those that are still put off by le cuisine Francais, there are simple recipes. Try the steak recipe with a red wine sauce.It's a mix of Cognac and brandy added to sauteed shallots.The sauce is then deglazed with chicken stock  and then butter and chives are added. This will go well with the butter cooked steaks. Serve with the mouthwatering  Pomme Anna, , a buttery crispy, baked cake  of thinly sliced potato slices.If you get brave enough, finish with a dessert of the airy bittersweet chocolate souffle.

The New Essentials of French Cooking is a must save for home chefs. Itis the best beginner's guide to  French cooking. Save this special pull out and try the recipes.There is nothing like the cuisine Francaise!

Expiration Dates Yes Or No?

Most home chefs are controlled by them while there is a small band of rebels that blatantly ignore them. What are they? Expiration dates. They control what we eat and how we eat. Now they're coming into question. Are they legit?

Everyone , from local news to even John Oliver are bringing them into the forefront. are they correct? Should we throw out that milk a day after the sell by date? Or chuck those canned veggies a week after or are they still good enough to cook? Some foods are and aren't. It's an iffy situation but there is a rule of thumb you can stick to.  Milk can be kept up to one week past the expiration date. while eggs can last as long as three to five It's hard to tell if they're rotten because it's only after the shell is cracked there's an odor.Poultry and seafood are a bit chancier. They should be cooked or frozen with a day or two of buying. Beef is a little sturdier. There's a window of three to five days before it goes bad. Canned goods are a whole other ball game. Highly acidic vegetables like canned tomatoes can last up to eighteen months . Low acid ones such as green beans can last five years. There is a catch , however, and most, if not all home chefs know what it is. Canned goods have to be kept in a cool,dry place, such as a pantry. ambient temperature should be between fifty and seventy degrees Farenheit. To make sure the temperature is constantly accurate, install a thermometer inside your pantry .

What about frozen foods such as ice cream and microwave meals? Unopened cartons of chocolate and vanilla can last up to two to three months past the printed date. Untouched sherbet can last a month longer at three months. Opened, it can last one to two months while sherbet, again, can last a month longer. How can you tell when its' bad. It's not the odor - there is none but the appearance. Tiny ice shards form on the ice cream's surface and under the lid. These can be removed so the ice cream can still be enjoyed but one ice shard begets several. Together , they can turn that solid brick of butter pecan into a gooey, oozy mess. Do Popsicles last as long?  Much much longer. The average Bomb pop or Rocket Pop can last up to six to eight months. Frozen TV dinners vary . Anything with chicken can only  stand six months before it goes bad while beef, seafood and pork can last up to a year and a half.  Tacos, enchiladas, and burritos have a year expiration date. That doesn't mean to load your freezer with them. Just remember you have them before you go shopping for a new dinners. Freezers tend to be like closets, with the older stuff being shoved to the back. Clean it out every three to four months.

Do you follow expiration dates. The best advice is to be aware of them. Food can last longer than the sell by date. Let your nose and taste buds be the judge.