Know What I Mean, Jelly Bean?
I'm in an honest sort of mood so I think it's about time I confessed a few things.
I have never used unsalted butter in any recipe though most of the recipes I've posted on here call for it. I'll tell you a little secret about butter. If the recipe calls for salt then you can just leave it out and use salted butter. You might have already known that but recently it was a little personal revelation of mine.
I am frightened of yeast. Don't get me wrong. It's not like I wake up in a cold sweat after a nightmare about being chased by rising bread dough. I've just never made bread and I'm a little intimidated by it. It's like one of those things you put off for so long you feel like you'll never get around to doing it.
I've never been so organized in the morning that I actually remember to take my butter or cream cheese out of the refrigerator to allow it to reach room temperature like it always needs to be for every recipe. Microwaves are wonderful things aren't they? Although mine seems to be angry with me for whatever reason. When I push the 4 it inputs a 3. Yeah, because that's what I really meant to push, microwave. Thanks.
Also, I used leftover frosting to top off these cute cupcakes. Don't hate me if I don't make everything from scratch every single time ok? Please? I made way too much icing for those Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes the other day and I just can't bring myself to throw out something as yummy as that White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. I hate waste but I love these Vanilla Jelly Bean Cupcakes. I think you will too.
Chocolate Cubed.
There's something to be said about chocolate. But triple chocolate? That leaves me speechless. We need to invent some new words or something.
Supercalafra-delicious. Expialid-ohyeah.
That works, but it's still lacking somehow. They're just stupid delicious people. Trust me.
Funny how the English language tends to fall flat like that sometimes. It just fails to describe what you actually feel. It's times like that I just stand there with my mouth hanging open. All the better to shove cookies into it my dear. Or I just gesture wildly with my hands while making tortured squealing noises.
I mean you're not going to refer to the fall colours as pretty. That just doesn't cut it. You're not going to bite into a fresh juicy peach and call it tasty. It's not even close. You're not going to inhale a lungful of summer breeze scented with heat and wildflowers then say it's good. You get the picture.
Chocolate cubed. Delicious to the power of three. So it's ok to eat them three at a time right?
Got The Blues.
I baked you a cake. A Blueberry Boy Bait Bundt Cake with Lemon Blueberry Glaze. Try to say that ten times fast.
I love blueberries not just for their adorable smallness, their violet blue hue and explosion of sweetness. Blueberries also hold a special place in my heart right there next to jars of buttons, kittens and antique brooches.
I have fond memories of picking giant, juicy wild blueberries when I was a kid camping in Algonquin Park with my family. We spent every summer there until I was eleven. It's where I learned to swim in Lake of Two Rivers. It's where I learned to draw in the sand of the warm beaches. It's where I distinctly recall drinking orange juice so cold every morning that you could feel it going down into your stomach. It's where I fell in love with fresh blueberry pancakes and bumbleberry pies.
Granted this cake is made with frozen blueberries, but still full of lots of blueberry goodness. Next time, fresh blueberries. Promise.
Beater Licking Good.
One of the happiest childhood memories that I have is licking the beaters whenever I helped my Mom in the kitchen. Whether it was cookie dough or brownie batter or icing, licking the beaters was always the best part about baking at that young age. It's that little preview of the treat you're helping to create, that little something extra that seems like it shouldn't be allowed but it is.
I also have a less than happy childhood memory associated with the beaters. When I was a kid I had long curly brown hair that I would always get compliments on. I'm sure you can see where this is going. Long hair + beaters = bad news. So this one time when I was helping my Mom with the baking I got a little too close for comfort and a piece of my hair zipped right into the running beaters and yanked out. Ouch. It wasn't much but it still hurt. Needless to say we didn't eat that batch of cookies and from then on I was to tie my hair back when helping in the kitchen. But I did get to eat some Soda-Licious gummy fruit snacks to ease the pain and dry my tears. That was never allowed at home. Fruit snacks were strictly for school lunches and nothing else, though I did attempt to sneak them whenever I could.
The reason for all this nostalgia about beaters is yet to come. As an adult I don't normally lick the beaters anymore. I tend to just throw them in the sink and my inner child always fights to get free and save the smidgen of wasted batter still clinging to them. There are times though when licking the beaters is absolutely necessary like with this White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. I stood there in my kitchen and licked clean the spatula, the scraped bowl and the mixing paddle. I couldn't help myself. My inner child made me do it. My electric beaters might have transformed into a Kitchen Aid Mixer paddle attachment, but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to lick it.
Lost and Found.
I lost my 3/4 measuring cup along with my mind. I frantically tore the kitchen apart searching for it. The measuring cup, that is. Although, had I lost my mind, I would probably search the kitchen for it as well since that's where it usually resides.
The thought of having to use the 1/4 measuring cup three times to measure one ingredient was unacceptable. It had to be found at any and all costs.
So there I was yanking open every drawer and pushing aside every utensil. I checked the dishwasher and even peered into the bottom to see if it had fallen off a shelf. I urgently searched every cupboard and even the pantry. I thoroughly inspected the fridge to no avail. I looked in the microwave twice. Don't ask me why.
In wandered Lee, inquiring sweetly about my unabashed cursing and incessant rummaging. “What did you last use it for?” he asked while helpfully digging through the cupboards.
I paused a moment and replied hurriedly, “I measured sugar for those meringue candies.”
My eyes widened as he calmly pulled out the large tupperware container we keep the granulated sugar in, the 3/4 measuring cup tapping obviously on the partially opaque plastic side. “Oh my god!”
Sometimes you need a second opinion.
I love you honey. Where would I be without you?
So, with my trusty 3/4 measuring cup in hand and my handy boyfriend at my side I made White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies. Both the name and the taste is a mouthful. I'll never say no to a mouthful of cookie.
I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice Cream.
Have you ever been personally judged by your ice cream choice? You probably have. You know how it is. Vanilla is safe, innocent, naive, uncomplicated and unimaginative. Chocolate is daring, adventurous, mysterious, spontaneous and creative. You might have had someone look at you funny when you order a vanilla milkshake or give you a wink when you get a chocolate sundae.
Just as the variety of ice cream flavours has broadened since, oh I don't know, the 1940's, we are realizing that there aren't a finite number of personalities. People aren't either a vanilla or a chocolate. They can be rocky road, neopolitan, chocolate chip cookie dough, raspberry sorbet, or even chunky monkey if they please. My favourite ice cream is Cherry Garcia. Does that mean I'm a combination of innocent and adventurous? I'm both daring and safe? Unimaginative and creative? What does the cherry part mean then? Sounds fun to me, whatever it is.
The lesson here is that you can't judge a person by their ice cream choices. There are millions of ice cream flavours and varieties just like there are millions of different personalities and preferences. Just because my favourite is Cherry Garcia doesn't mean that that's what I eat day and night, although I kind of wish I did. I also like lemon gelato, mint chocolate, rainbow sherbet, triple chocolate and countless others. Flavours change. Moods change. People change.
Why am I talking so much about ice cream, you ask? Because these delicious vanilla and chocolate Meringue Candies remind me of that freeze dried ice cream like the stuff astronauts chow down on in space. Have you ever had that? They sell it mostly in science center or museum gift stores so it's hard to come by. It tastes exactly like real ice cream except without the wetness or the cold. Sounds weird but, trust me, it's super good. It melts in your mouth literally like these things do and tastes much the same. If, like most of us, you are intrigued by this space ice cream idea and you lack the means to dehydrate your own ice cream, but you have three eggs and a bit of sugar, this is the treat for you.
Because in space no one can hear you (ice) scream.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Cherry!
I have a habit. The bad kind. Early in the morning I browse through the magical land of food blogs before I've even eaten breakfast. I would not recommend this. It's like grocery shopping on an empty stomach.
I have to make this.
And that.
Ooohh this looks good.
I could eat a whole vat of that.
A couple minutes in and my stomach starts protesting rather loudly. I don't blame it. All the teasing sugar, butter, fruit and chocolate is enough to drive anyone crazy. If I were a little more insane you might find me frantically licking my lap top screen, urgently seeking out some semblance of flavour besides pixels and dust. Alas I do have that important social skill called composure on my good days. It serves me well.
So when I wandered onto my blog buddy, Kristan's post on Crumb Coffee Cake I knew what my stomach was really trying to say. Yes I can translate those uncertain groans and gurgles. Bake it. Bake it now!
So I did, but if you're wondering if I had it for breakfast that would be a no. Cherry Crumb Coffee Cake for lunch.
My New Favourite Thing.
I've just discovered browned butter.
Oh. My. God.
Why haven't I been browning butter all along? Seriously. I've been missing out. I think I'm a little ashamed of myself actually. I'm going to vow to make everything with browned butter from now on. It's my new favourite thing.
If you haven't grasped what I'm so subtly hinting at here, browned butter is freaking amazing! You must try this. And fast. For the good of mankind. Drink it, I don't care. I could live off the smell alone. Do you like caramel corn? Yeah it's like that. Just like that. Then mix that with the smell of toasted hazelnuts and try not to die of sensory rapture.
For those of you unsure about how to introduce this new incredible flavour to your mouth, here's a little suggestion: Hazelnut Brown Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Filling and Chocolate Buttercream. Yes. That's the stuff.
How Not to Waste a Dozen Eggs.
I danced in my kitchen today. Have you ever done that? I highly recommend it. It's quite liberating.
I've actually done a great many things in the kitchen.
I've cried.
I've screamed.
I've drawn blood.
I've broken stuff.
I've burned myself.
I've threatened food.
Seriously, I wish I were kidding. You know, the usual.
But today, today was different. Today was the day I mastered a Martha Stewart recipe for the very first time, turned up the volume on Metric and danced my heart out. I also may or may not have screamed “I'm Martha Stewart!” Ok yeah, I did. You'll understand when you scroll down. Trust me. If you have five lemons and a dozen eggs you need to make this. Now.
And the Winner Is…
Drum roll please....
Diane!
You are the proud new owner of a generous stack of Cute as a Button Sugar Cookies! I guess I'm sending them to Mexico. I don't think my cookies have ever been on such a long journey before. I hope you like them!
And for the rest of you that were unlucky enough not to win, here's the recipe so you can make your own.
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