These aren’t your grandma’s cupcakes. Or…maybe they are?

April 17th, 2010

cupcake_smallI’ve tasted kahlua cupcakes (yum), and recently someone posted a Pyramid Hefeweizen cupcake online. Naturally, my mind started racing with all of these ideas using my most favorite flavored beers - this one being Lindemans Framboise (Raspberry).

Always wanting to do everything extra special I realized I didn’t have the energy or time to make everything from scratch. I always want what comes out of my oven to be filled with love, and if that means taking an easy route, so be it. Opting out of making the cupcakes from scratch (for now) I went with the cheaper, can’t-mess-up option of Betty Crocker super moist cake mix and the frosting from the can.

Don’t hate - out-of-the-box items are fabulous options if you are in a hurry or don’t feel like perfecting “from scratch” creations when you are trying to perfect soaking cake in alcohol.

Since I didn’t find any recipes on replacing liquids with beer while mixing the ingredients, I poked holes in the baked cupcakes with a toothpick and after cooling down, I poured about 1 tspn over the holes of each cupcake, watching the delicious liquid sink n’ soak into the cake. I thought about replacing the water with the beer, but wanted to try the easier option first. I might replace the water ingredient once I start making the cupcake batter from scratch.

Next, one spoon full at a time, I poured the raspberry beer into a little dish with the frosting. Mixed that until nicely whipped and lightly spread over the cupcakes.

My first reaction after tasting was that I could taste the beer but not the flavor. thinking the chocolate cake and frosting flavors were overpowering the raspberry. However, after my husband got a hold of one, he said it was very strong and present. Perhaps my taste buds were on overload…maybe I shouldn’t drink the ingredients until after I have tasted everything?

Since chocolate has such a strong flavor already, my next batch will be with regular yellow cake - mixing with my favorite seasonal ale from Elysian Brewery: Night Owl Pumpkin Ale (which I keep a stock of 2 bottles through out the year for special occasions) and, for the “kiddos” a Rootbeer and Cream Soda cupcake!

UPDATE: Made the Rootbeer and Cream Soda cupcakes. Just like the Raspberry beer, I poured a spoon full into the cupcakes and then mixed more of the pop with the frosting and decorated with sprinkles.

rootbeer_cupcakes_small

Cheers everyone and who wants a cupcake!?

Eating only fresh produce makes a girl go crazy!

March 9th, 2010

I went two and a half weeks before going completely crazy. Not knowing if I wanted the natural sugar from fruit, or the processed sugar from a two pound bag of M&M’s. I almost felt like I was tricking myself into feeling the natural sugars from the fruit were awakening my body. Even if I don’t feel sluggish after “clean eating”, I don’t want to feel “out-of-the-loop” about how my body and brain are processing the natural sugars.

I got so confused that I slowly decided to add sugar back into my diet - yes, the processed kind. starting out with once a week (on a Saturday) but then it evolved to Saturday and Sunday, and then it evolved to all day Saturday.

Total weekend binging. That is NOT what life should be, and is not healthy. Even telling myself that vegan doughnuts don’t REALLY count, is delusional.

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The evolution of a chicken wing.

March 9th, 2010

wings_bbqhoney
I’m cooking chicken wings for the first time. Sounds simple right? Well, did you know, unlike boneless chicken breast, that it takes at least 35 minutes to bake in the oven? I bet you didn’t, especially if you are starving like I am! Oh, there’s a banana.

Now that we have covered that I am a)baking chicken wings and b)snacking while waiting, we can continue with the rest of this post.

Growing up, I always loved when my parents baked mini chicken wings with teriyaki sauce. I could devour the whole pan if there weren’t four other people to feed. I love everything about them.

The small size makes it easier to get every last bit of meat off the bone, the juices running down your hand, sometimes getting down your sleeve because you are too busy to notice anything but the tiny feast between your fingers. And the sticky ring of sauce left behind on your face, from the tip of your nose to the sides of your mouth and upper chin; only a shower can disintegrate the gooey mess.
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