romancing the belly [heart cutout cupcakes]

hello lovers!

i don't care much for valentine's traditions, but i can't help myself when it comes to baking heart-shaped goodies.  i knew i wanted to try this adorable technique when i saw it on glorious treats last month.

first you'll bake some chocolate cupcakes (i used a box mix), filling the cups 3/4 full (instead of the recommended 2/3). this should be good for 18 cupcakes, but not quite enough for 24.

i added the extra batter to a small ramekin and made a mini cake with it.

when the cupcakes are finished baking, they will come out nicely domed (haha, dome.)

while we're waiting for them to cool, make the frosting.

start by rinsing and hulling some strawberries, then slice them.

i really wanted an excuse to use this adorable strawberry slicer.

after you slice the berries, mash them up a bit with a fork

OR YOU COULD USE MASHY

now press the mash through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of the excess juice.

you'll want 1/4 cup strawberry solids.  set aside.

 now cream together 1 stick of butter and 2 blocks of cream cheese (both at room temperature)

add confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition (2 cups total)

this is my basic cream cheese frosting recipe. normally you'd be done here, but we need to add the strawberries.

add the mashed strawberries and mix until fully incorporated

your icing will be a nice light pink color.

the cupcakes should be cooled at this point...

so behead them with a serrated knife, using the top of the liner as a guide.

since the smooth top of the cupcake has been removed, it's difficult to spread the frosting without getting crumbs all up in there.  so i used a pastry bag with a flat tip, and just did squiggles

take the cupcake lids and cut a heart in them with an itty bitty heart cookie cutter

replace the lids

and you now have the cutest cupcakes ever.

but what to do with the heart cutouts?

there will be plenty of frosting left over, so you can frost them too (sloppily, of course)

and remember the mini-cake?  yeah, i did that too.

i had a little... 

extra time... 

on my hands

heart cutout cupcakes.

make some chocolate (or whatever flavor tickles your fancy) cupcakes from a box mix

icing ingredients

2 8-oz blocks cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups confectioners sugar

5-10 whole strawberries (depending on size)

procedure

make the cupcakes according to the directions on the box.

fill liners 3/4 full (instead of the recommended 2/3 full) to achieve dome-ness.

this is enough for 18 cupcakes, but not enough for 24. get creative with any extra batter.

while the cupcakes are cooling:

hull, slice, and mash strawberries

press strawberry mash through a fine mesh strainer, reserving 1/4 cup of the remaining solids

cream together butter and cream cheese with a mixer

add confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition

add strawberries, mix well

using a serrated knife, slice the dome off the top of the cupcake, using the top of the liner as a guide

ice cupcakes with a flat pastry tip, snaking it back and forth to avoid crumbs in the icing

use a cookie cutter to cut a heart shape into the cupcake lids

replace the lids over the iced cupcakes

now feed them to people you love, including yourself!  

that's right...TREAT YO SELF!

bacon cheddar deviled eggs

this is a fun twist on traditional deviled eggs.  they'd be a great super bowl snack

 

start by hard boiling 6 eggs.  slice them in half lengthwise and remove the yolks to a bowl

mash the yolks with a masher or a fork.

this is my egg masher by the way.

his name is mashy and he'll be assisting me.

now add 1/4 cup mayo, 1tsp mustard, 1tsp vinegar, and a sprinkling of salt

combine with a whisk.  some of it may get caught in the center of the whisk, 

but you can just tap it off every so often.

now fry up 3 slices of bacon to crispiness level 8 or above. drain well on paper towels.

(i cut mine in half so it cooks faster)

now add it to a mini food processor

pulse several times

now you have bacon bits!

add them to the bowl with the yolk.  don't worry if it's clumped together.  

the bacon fat is responsible for that.  it'll work itself out later.

now add 1/4 to 1/3 cup shredded cheddar to the chopper

and pulse.

it should look something like this

add the cheese to the bowl with the yolk mixture and bacon

now fold it all together with a rubber spatula.

it's like egg yolk funfetti!

now place a lunch baggie in a glass and fold the top over.

use the spatula to spoon the mixture into the baggie.

lift the bag out and squish all the mixture towards one corner

cut a decent size hole in the corner.  remember you need enough space for the bacon and cheese bits to pass through.

now pipe it into your egg whites.

and there you have it.

this is basically the exact same as my regular deviled egg recipe, with the addition of pulverized bacon and cheese.

give it a try and see how you like it!

bacon cheddar deviled eggs.

ingredients

6 eggs, hard boiled

1/4 cup mayonaise

1tsp yellow mustard

1 scant tsp white vinegar

dash of salt

3 slices bacon

1/4 to 1/3 cup shredded cheddar

procedure

peel the eggs and slice in half lengthwise

set whites aside, place yolks in a bowl and mash well

add mayo, mustard, vinegar, and salt.  stir well with a wire whisk

cook 3 slices of bacon very well done (without burning of course)
pulverize the bacon in a chopper or mini food processor, add to yolk mixture

add shredded cheddar to chopper/processor and pulverize, add to yolk mixture

fold all ingredients together with a rubber spatula.

spoon into a lunch bag and snip a hole in one corner

pipe into empty egg whites

serve to a man and watch as he falls in love with you.

wilted spinach with garlic in oil

OH MY GOSH.  i haven't posted a recipe since OCTOBER.  and now it's 2012.  FOR SHAME.

okay.  this recipe is inspired by a side of spinach i had a chef geoff's. it was delicious and garlicky.  wasn't too hard to replicate.  i actually tweeted chef geoff himself to ask for the recipe/procedure. he PM'd me the email address of one of his chefs, i contacted him, and never heard back. so i was left to my own devices. i'm sure there's more that goes into it, but i kept it real simple.

start by washing and thoroughly drying 1-2 bunches of fresh spinach

i meticulously removed all stems by hand. but i hate stems. leave them on if you want.

get a little rough mince action going on some garlic

add to a pan with 1-2 tbsp olive oil and sautee for about 30 sec

add enough spinach to cover the bottom of the pan without overcrowding

let it soak up the oil and wilt some. flip, and let it wilt a bit more.

then move it to one side of the pan and add more spinach

repeat. if the pan gets too dry, add more olive oil sparingly with each shift.

keep adding spinach until it's all cooked

salt & pepper to taste.  that's it.

seriously, you're done.

i just like this photo because there's a big ol chunk of garlic.

i love garlic.

you can see a small puddle of oil below the spinach. i used a bit too much oil this go-round.  add just enough for your spinach to soak it up and wilt, but you don't really want any excess oil.

wilted spinach with garlic in oil.

ingredients
1-2 bunches of spinach, washed & thoroughly dried
2-3 cloves garlic, roughly minced
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

method
wash & thoroughly dry spinach, remove stems if desired
heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium heat
add garlic, sautee for 30 sec
add enough spinach to cover the bottom of the pan, do not overcrowd.
the spinach will begin soaking up oil and wilting. flip and let it wilt some more.
move wilted spinach to one side of the pan
if the pan is too dry, add more oil as needed before adding more spinach
continue adding fresh spinach in shifts until it's all cooked
salt and pepper to taste.

note- spinach MAJORLY shrinks when you cook it. one bunch of spinach makes only about half a cup once cooked.  i made about 7 bunches of spinach on christmas.  the entire kitchen table was covered in paper towels and spinach to dry.  but once it was all cooked, it all fit into one sautee pan and one normal sized dinner plate.  so just be prepared.  major shrinkage.