Potluck Cupcakes (Tailgate Theme)

I started a new job last October and about a week after I started, we had a potluck lunch. Wanting to impress my new coworkers, I went with an old favorite: Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes with Perfectly Chocolate Frosting. (ProTip: despite what the recipe says, my cupcakes are almost always done after 17 minutes.) I dusted the cupcakes with orange sugar so that they would be the colors of the Cleveland Browns.

I'm happy that my much vaunted baking skills were confirmed and appreciated. We have potlucks every few months so I'm adding a new label to the blog!

Rice Krispies Treats

Everyone and their mother can make Rice Krispies Treats. But since I've been complimented more than once on mine, I thought I'd do a post about them.

I always use mini-marshmallows since they melt faster than regular ones. It's very important to completely melt the marshmallows - make sure there are no lumps!

I add the Rice Krispies to the melted marshmallows slowly - by the cupful if possible. It's easier if you can have someone else add them while you stir the marshmallow mixture. You should stir the mixture very well - there shouldn't be blobs of marshmallows left before you pour it into the pan.

Instead of cooking spray, I butter the pan with A LOT of butter. Once I pour the mixture into the pan, I lightly butter my hands and press the mixture into the pan with bare hands. Once it's pressed,into shape, I flip the entire thing and press it again. This makes them both more buttery and prettier.

Sorry if these "tips" seem obvious, but I've found that small details in preparation can make a huge difference in the final product.

How To: Cut-Out Cookies

I'm often complimented on how pretty, unbroken and perfect my cut-out cookies look (see previous post for an example.) I decided to document the process the last time I made them, which was at my 6th annual cookie party in December. I'm sure other people do it this way, but this is one tip I learned on my own.

 First roll out the dough on a Silpat, other baking mat or parchment paper.

Second use various cookie cutters to make fun-shaped cookies. Make sure you leave a little room between the shapes.

Third do not move the shaped cookies! Leave the cookies in place and remove the excess dough.

Slide the mat or parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and bake as directed. As soon as you take them out of the oven, slide the entire mat or parchment paper off of the cookie sheet and place on a cooling rack. Wait for the cookies to cool before removing them from the mat or parchment paper. They should retain their shape and be ready to frost to make them even prettier!

I try not to do the last part of the process if I can help it. In fact, Cookie Party started because I love to bake but hate to frost cookies! Other people seem to like it (or at least feign liking it) and show up to frost cookies every year. And every year I am thankful that they do.

Produce

Last week I bought some mulberries from a vendor at a farmer's market whose other (non-produce) products I've enjoyed in the past. I did it against my better judgment since: A) a taste test at the market didn't impress me 2) the vendor had a lot of berries where other vendors were sold out and C) you later. When I got home I discovered the berries were full of teeny tiny bugs that were resistant to my attempt to drown them -- in fact a few swam to the edge of the bowl and tried to climb out. I stuffed the berries and their bugs down the garbage disposal and sprayed a bleach cleaner in and around the sink in case the bugs tried to escape. Apparently, this is a fairly common problem.



The trip to the market wasn't a total waste since I got some lettuce from a different vendor that was fantastic. I bought a head that had romaine, red leaf and green leaf in one. It's weird to rave about lettuce, but it was really very good.



I bought some cherries from the grocery store the other day and I decided to clean them with a vinegar solution I read about in a Newsweek article (there's also an NPR article with an audio clip on the subject). It worked brilliantly since the fruit tasted better than it did when I washed it with tap water alone. I was worried that the cherries might taste vinegary but they didn't. I've put the spray bottle in my fridge for future use.



I wonder how the vinegar solution would have worked against the bugs of the mulberries? Some of the links above suggest a salt wash but I can't imagine the salt not soaking into the fruit.

In case you were wondering, the FDA recommends washing produce with water. I'm not sure how to comment on that.

Tips

I was driving around for a few hours yesterday, which gave me some thinking time, and my mind started to wander to thoughts of Christmas. I didn't think of presents or decorations or even Christmas baking. I thought of the song for my Christmas letter.


The best letters splice the events of the past year with song lyrics. It saves time because half the work is done before you start typing! Here are past songs that provided the better parts of my letters.


My first letter used "Come Clean" by Hilary Duff.





Last year's song was "Rush" by Aly and AJ.






If you know what these songs have in common besides their awesomeness, then you might be able to guess this year's song/artist. The only hint I can give is that it's a breakup song that turns into a duet at the end when the guy that the singer is breaking up with whines, "what about us?"

Also, I found this website that's guaranteed to make my letter writing easier. If I just follow these 10 simple tips, I'm sure to write the best letter ever!

The Classic

Chocolate chip cookies are my signature baked good. I basically follow the Nestle toll house recipe with a few tweaks, but they always turn out delicious if I do say so myself.

I won't tell you all my secrets, but the most important thing you have to do is make sure the chips aren't touching the cookie sheet. The entire bottom of the cookie should be dough, with the chips in the middle and on top. It's a simple thing that makes a huge difference.