I may or may not have just stayed up until 2am baking mini-cupcakes...

Around 9pm I desperately needed to do something other than be on a computer and really wanted to make something.  So I have had this cake recipe on my list to try for cupcakes... and yet my regular size cupcake liners were a big ole Fail.  So babycakes it is! (If you can't tell from the photo- these are bite sized.)

Now I have 2 containers of mini-cupcakes packed up to take to the office tomorrow and another one in the freezer... Anyone want a mini-cupcake?

This past Saturday I was craving cupcakes.  We didn't have the ingredients for chocolate cupcakes so after a bit of evaluating my cupboards and my recipes-to-try folder I ended up making Angel Food Cupcakes.  It ended up being the best last minute, bare cupboards, need my cupcakes now kind of recipe!

The recipe is incredibly easy and quick.  It is such a bonus in the summer to have a dessert recipe that takes minimal prep and baking time.  And they taste wonderful- light and sweet.

Since they were just for us (and they did not last long!) I went super simple with the decorating.  You could do a much more involved frosting to pretty them up to share.  But the combination of whipped cream, angel food cake, and a hint of strawberry was lovely.

I found this recipe on Not Quite Nigella and made just a few minor tweaks.  My version is below and a printable version is here.

 

Recipe for Angel Food Cupcakes

From InThisInstance.com, original by Not Quite Nigella

Serves 12 cupcakes

5 egg whites at room temperature 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted 3 times

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons sugar Fresh berries, chocolate mint leaves, etc for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin. Sift flour three times.

With clean, metal bowl and beater (for KitchenAid mixer use the wire whip) beat the egg whites and lemon juice until frothy. Add in vanilla and cream of tarter, beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beat until firm peaks form.

Gently fold the sifted flour into the egg white mixture until just combined (I used a metal spoon rather than the mixer to avoid over beating). Spoon the batter into the pan. They don’t rise so fill to the top and smooth with spoon.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the tops spring back and are very lightly browned.

Beat whipping cream and sugar until it is a smooth consistency, maybe add an extract for flavoring. Decorate cooled cupcakes with whipped cream, berries, or whatever you prefer.

 

Enjoy!

Orzo is one of my latest obsessions for cooking.  It is so easy, versatile, tasty, and kind of fun.  I moved my recipe for Orzo with Basil, Feta, & Tomato to my new cooking blog.

One of the first recipes I learned to cook was Rhubarb Cake and it is still one of my favorites!  I have moved this recipe post to my cooking blog so please head over for the full story and recipe. 

 

 

 

Growing up in the midwest a year has always had defining characteristics of what "season" it is, and by season I mean what produce is in season.  My parents had a massive garden and we predominately ate what we grew.  So even a quarterly season such as summer had many stages for me as produce would come into being "in season."  I have always loved when rhubarb and strawberries are in season- they are what June taste like to me.

A few years ago I read an article in the now defunct Cottage Living that featured recipes from the lady that owns Milk + Honey, a cafe in Chicago.  Of the several in that article it was the Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp that has stuck with me... and it made me aware of Milk + Honey Granola.  I am a huge fan of this granola- it is truly fantastic and makes the absolute best granola, berries, and yogurt breakfasts.  Seriously, I love this stuff and will go out of my way to keep it in my kitchen cupboards.  In addition to being able to get get it at the cafe, you can also get it online here and at some Whole Foods (may be only the local ones).

This crisp is perfection in my opinion for a June dessert, the combo of rhubarb, strawberry, and Milk + Honey granola is just so very tasty.  I did cut the sugar in half and the brown sugar by one third in my version- I like to taste the rhubarb.  And I find that you really do want to keep your chopping coarse and so cut my strawberries in quarters and keep the rhubarb at least an inch- this keeps it from being a gooey mess.  Also, Grand Marnier does add a nice touch over using orange juice in my opinion.

You can download an easily printable version of my take here or get the original here.

Recipe for Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp From InThisInstance.com, adapted from Cottage Living Serves 8-10 16 oz fresh strawberries, about 4 cups coarsely sliced 5 stalks of rhubarb, cut to about 1” pieces about 4 cups 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons corn starch 2 teaspoons orange zest 1/3 cup orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier (or orange juice)   2 cups flour 1 cup granola, Milk & Honey brand recommended 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon Pinch of salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.   Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour into a 13– x 9-inch pan, you can lightly grease if desired (not necessarily required).   Combine flour and next 5 ingredients with hands until crumbly. Add egg, and combine. You make ahead and keep the topping and fruit mixture separate for several hours before baking.   Place granola mixture on top of fruit mixture. Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly.   Enjoy!

Chocolate chip cookies are a classic and nearly everyone has a recipe that they swear is the best.  But there is something wonderful about these little baby sized yet decidedly grown up cookies that I recently came across on Gourmet.  I was in a pinch to find a replacement for the favors for the baby shower I recently hosted and wanted something super easy.  It was literally days before the shower and time {and energy} had run out to do something complex.  I decided on the Tiny Chocolate Chip cookies for their nod to the classic childhood favorite but with a "Gourmet" twist to make them just a little different.

The recipe met my requirement of being super easy... and the added bonus was that I had everything on hand.  Some reviews stated that they had a hard time keeping them small enough- so I took a literal approach to the 1/2 teaspoon of batter for each cookie and used a measuring spoon to keep them tiny. I also found that while the recipe says 6-7 minutes for my oven it was more like 5 minutes.

They were crispy yet chewy and a little buttery- I found them to be quite delicious!  And one batch was plenty for the favors! They were a great find all around and I definitely will be making these again. Get the recipe here.

Cooking together can be really nice way to transition into couple time and doing something "active" together.   This is a great recipe to make together as there are quite a few tasks to be done where you won't step on each other toes.  I moved this post and recipe to my cooking blog.