Baking Up Chaos - my blog with recipes for cupcakes, candy, cookies and more in my chaos

Freeze your New Years Eve...My kind of fun!

2012-01-04T10:33:00.000-06:00

Foodbuzz is a great place to browse when you are interested in getting inspiration from other foodies. But let me give you very heartfelt warning...Do. Not. Go. When. Hungry! You can kiss that New Years Resolution good-bye right away if you do. It is seriously worse than going grocery shopping hungry. I come up with so many recipes I want to make and how I would modify them. Then my grocery list begins...Rum. Heavy Cream. Sugar...I digress.

Today one of the top 9 on Foodbuzz caught my attention. Ms Bosslady at Mind Over Batter shared her recipe for Coquito Ice Cream. Before I go further, let me share with you a picture from her blog. This will explain exactly why it caught my eye and has managed to keep it.

I mean, WOW! (thanks for the picture, I don't think I could capture it any better. Its cold. Its textured. It looks amazing!!)

So that reminded me that with a nice stipends I received last month, I planned to buy the ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. No, I have not yet. Its still a little chilly, but I'm thinking this little frozen drink might be exactly what I need to move me in that direction. I mean, the alcohol has to add some warmth, right? But lets look at this a little further...I'm not sure I can wait. I might need to make this tonight!

Then I began to remember that I don't know how to make ice cream. I remember from growing up that Granny would make Strawberry Banana ice cream in her old ice cream maker. I remember her needing cream, sugar, strawberries, bananas, vanilla and ice. But aside from that, I've never actually made it. So I Googled it. I love Google! And, I came up with a Wiki site that not only includes wording for each step, but also pictures. I love pictures. I can't screw up pictures. Even better, there are several ways mentioned and a video. I didn't know you could make ice cream in a bag or a ball, did you?

I'm not going to post every method, but I will tell you how to make it in a freezer and you can visit How to Make Ice Cream by Jim to see the rest. This method is great with a custard recipe or if you are desiring a smoother ice cream.

Pour ice cream mixture in a deep baking dish, something durable for the freezer.
Put in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Check the mixture and when it starts to freeze at the edges, take it and stir it with a spatula until your arms are about to fall off, or until all the ice crystals are broken up. I think this would be a good time to bring out the hand mixer.
Check and stir every 30 minutes until it is ice cream. Viola! Thanks Jim!

Now he also left a few tips just to help you be more successful at your first attempt making home-made ice cream.

If you prefer to keep that diet resolution, use milk instead of heavy cream and splenda with you mixture.
Flavor combinations are limitless. Chocolate syrup is a great basic option. Add fruits, nuts, whatever your favorate combinations might be. I think i'm going to add some mini candies. Extracts can also be purchased to add flavors.
Blueberries can be added as well. Crush them first. Whole blueberries become hard blueberry rock bombs instead of mixing nicely with the ice cream, fyi.
If you want to use the stand mixer, like I plan to, put the canister in the freezer overnight. Then put straight on the mixer. Add the mix while the canister is still VERY cold. It cuts down on the ice crystals and produces a smoother ice cream.

Thanks Jim and Ms Bosslady! Y'all have been gems today. You've also given me my first real craving of 2012, and no I'm not pregnant. I just love ice cream!

For Ms Bosslady's Receip for Coquito Ice Cream, See below:

An M.O.B. Production

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
healthy pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg yolks
5 1/2 tablespoons white Puerto Rican Rum ( I used Bacardi)

In a small saucepan combine evaporated milk, coconut milk, sweetened cream of coconut, condensed milk, heavy cream, salt, spices and vanilla extract. Stir to incorporate and over low heat bring to a simmer.
While the milk mixture is simmering prepare a bowl of ice water. Over that bowl of ice water place a smaller bowl with a fine mesh strainer over the top.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks until they are smooth. Once the milk mixture has simmered, slowly pour a small amount over the egg yolks to temper them, whisking constantly. Continue whisking and pour the rest of the mixture into the bowl. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon (about 170-175 degrees F), or about 3-4 minutes.
Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the prepared bowl. Allow the ice water to chill it completely. Add the rum and stir until fully incorporated. At this point you can either place in the refrigerator to steep and develop flavor or you can freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

Makes 1 quart of ice cream.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 10 minute(s)

Nestle Toll House Afternoon!!!

2011-11-15T21:58:00.000-06:00

What a way to end the day...making cookies with my boys. Its been a crazy one and this was a very nice ending to the chaos of the grind. As a Foodbuzz Tastemaker, I occassionally get coupons for free items or free products to try, usually related to food. When the chance to opt in for an awesome Nestle Toll House "Baking with your Kids" opportunity presented itself, you bet i opted in. With 4 boys, who wouldn't? We LOVE cookies!!

In our house everyone got into it, even the baby! What did we make? Well with the generous coupons and my fresh new apron, we made sugar cookies with Sprinkles, Sugar cookies with Recess Peanut Butter Cups and with great homage to tradition, we made Nestle Toll House chocolate cookies with ready made dough.

For the sugar cookies, we went pretty simple. I made a basic sugar cookie recipe and then mixed in milk chocolate chips or topped with different jimmies. For the traditional chocolate chip cookies, we used the Nestle Toll House cookie ready-made cookie dough. My melon baller was very handy at this point getting a consistent drop cookie. We even decided to top a few with the Nestle Heath Toffee pieces. BOY were those YUMMY!!!

For the sugar cookies with recess pieces centers, i used the same sugar cookie mix and baked for a few minutes until they were just started to brown, then pulled them out and immediately dropped a recess peanut butter cup (unwrapped of course) into the center. Be careful not to touch the pan at this point, it can be very hot. They will continue to cook a little after being pulled out and will create a nice gooey chocolate-peanut center....mmmm...

It was in our opinion a "finger-licking" great afternoon!!

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a Nestle Toll House apron and coupons for free cookie dough.

Will we get to Trick or Treat?

2011-10-28T08:16:00.000-05:00

The final days are upon us for what is one my boys favorite holidays, All Hallow's Eve aka Halloween! But with the recent reports at school and their inability to simply listen, they may lose the opportunity to be a Ninja, Green Lantern and Lighting McQueen. (NO, the baby isn't in jeopardy of losing his Lion costume, but if the big boys don't go, he won't either.) So, I've put it out there. If you want to enjoy the candy-filled holiday and dress up in your costumes, You must have good reports from school. There can't be any more "not-listening" reports, or "you son accidently bit another student today" reports, or any more "he simply isn't doing what he is suppose to do when asked" reports. (Yes he actually did "accidently" bit another student...but that is another story.) Am I bad for using this holiday to my advantage and getting a few good days out of my boys? Nope. I don't think so. SO the count down is on...1 Day down. 2 to go at school and 2 to go this weekend. Are you using the holiday to bribe your children? Do you use Santa as a bribe?

We are going to spend lots of time together this weekend and since we haven't done our pumpkin carving yet, I'm half tempted to do some decoupage pumpkins like Not so Idle Hands created and are showcased in Woman's day this month. Have you seen them?

(source)

I love the pumpkins, ghosts and mummies. Being a Scentsy consultant, working in a lighting store and having 4 boys makes me LOVE anything that works with light bulbs instead of flames! What other mosters would you come up with? I bet we could do this with other holidays too!

FoodBuzz: Skippy Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies & Banana bread

2011-10-02T22:54:00.001-05:00

As a preferred blogger for Foodbuzz.com, I get lots of fun trials and freebies. This time around I hit the jackpot! The National Peanut Board sent me two, count them two jars of Skippy Peanut Butter, which in this house was like winning the lottery. But there was a stipulation...like or love, they didn't care as long I blogged about it. SO here it is... Two wonderful recipes tried just for you to enjoy like we did!

Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies:

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

The Filling:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment: Pastry bag with round tip

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in buttermilk or sour milk, egg, and vanilla until combined. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and cocoa powder. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.

Drop dough from a rounded measuring tablespoon* 2-1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

Spread the flat sides of half the cookies with a rounded tablespoon of Creamy Filling. Top with the remaining cookies, flat sides down. Store in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 16 sandwich cookies.

These were awesome!! Nothing like whoopie pies to brighten your evening!!

Then we moved onto Peanut Butter Banana Bread:

1 3/4 cups flour, sift before measuring
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup mashed bananas

Preparation:

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; set aside. Cream shortening and peanut butter, then beat in sugar and eggs. Alternately add dry ingredients and bananas, stirring with a wooden spoon. Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 18 minutes.

If your house is anything like our's, your jar of Skippy creamy peanut butter will look a lot like this when you are done!!

Pretzels, Pretzels and pretzels!!!!

2011-10-02T22:45:00.002-05:00

Guy may know a thing or two about Triple D, but he also really knows his pretzels! Last week we were in charge of bringing snacks to our adult bible study and we opted for something savory. Savory? Really hunny? That is NOT my style. I'm sweet like sugar, sweet like honey and sweet like candy. Savory is my compliment. Its my husband. He can grab a few ingredients and throw them in together and make it taste great! Not me so much. I'm the baker, the sweet baker. So I looked to Guy to help me out...and boy did he!! These were awesome!!!

Guys Soft Herb Pretzels, with a few twists...

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast
1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
Assorted fillings, optional
Coarse salt or other toppings

Directions

Mix 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F), the yeast and agave in a bowl. Set aside 5 minutes.

In a food processor fitted with the dough blade, pulse the whole-wheat flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour and the sea salt. Add 1 egg and the yeast mixture and pulse in 10-second intervals until the dough comes together, about 3 pulses. Turn out onto a floured board. Knead 10 to 12 times, adding up to 3/4 cup more flour if the dough is too sticky. Cut the dough into 4 equal portions; cover with a clean towel.

On a floured board, roll out one piece of dough into a 14-by-11-inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick, with a shorter side facing you.

To make plain pretzels, cut the dough rectangle into seven 11-by-2-inch strips. For stuffed pretzels, follow the filling instructions, then cut into strips.

One at a time, pinch the cut long edges of each strip together and roll into a 12-inch rope with your hands. Transfer the rope to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Grab the ends and bring them toward each other, forming a U shape, then cross the left end over the right end to make a pretzel shape. Cross the left end over the right again to make a twist in the middle. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the pretzels 3 inches apart. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes; preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Beat the remaining egg in a bowl. Brush the pretzels with the egg; sprinkle with salt or other toppings. Bake until browned, 16 to 18 minutes.

These were awesome!! And I served them with a Zippy Pretzel dip that rocked!!

1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. blue cheese-crumbled
1 six oz. pkg. chive
1 C. heavy whipping cream

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Tacos

2011-09-12T19:26:00.000-05:00

One would think with 4 boys, that my slow cooker would get a serious workout on a regular basis. Unfortunately until the weather chills, it rarely sees more than some pork ribs or the occasional taco soup. But recently I had received a bottle of KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade as an opt-in member of FoodBuzz. The only requirements of the acquisition was to blog about what I made. So here it is... a WINNER in the house of Chaos, Buffalo Chicken Tacos.

Recipe:

6-8 drum sticks (bone in) or chicken breasts

1 btl of KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade

2 btl of water (just enough to cover the chicken)

and a slow cooker with a little S&P

Topping:

Italian shredded cheese blend

Blue Cheese Dressing, chunky

diced tomatoes

tortillas

Put in the cooker for 4-6 hours. Pull the chicken off the bone and serve warm on tortillas with cheese, tomatoes and dressing.

Talk about amazing!! This was prepped on Saturday and made for a great dinner tonight. The left overs will become a Buffalo Chicken salad before I head to bed. 1 C Mayo, 1 C Miracle Whip, 1 ranch seasoning and shredded chicken. Perfect Chicken salad with a little kit!

Good Bye Summer, We are finished!

2011-09-12T09:13:00.000-05:00

I love Bridget over at Bake@350. She is simply wonderful and so incredibly talented. This weekend, she inspired me. She stepped out first to do something we have all wanted to do so many times this year, if you live in the South. She broke it off with Summer. Yep! She told him they were finished and she moved on to Fall. That tall dark and hansom season right around the corner. His rich colors, his cool temps, his inviting smells...who wouldn't move on. So, I'm joining her!

Photo from the Awesome Homemade by Holman.

Good bye Summer. Good bye hot temps. Good bye wild fires. Good bye drought!

Hello football! Hello chili! Hello rodeos! Hello campfires & S'mores cupcakes! Hello costumes! Hello holidays! Bring on your cooler temps, your rain showers, your chilly fire-side nights. I welcome your snuggle times, your cold tile and your fall jackets!

To read about my inspiration and learn more about Bridget's amazing cookie making abilities, please see her break-up post here and her camper inspiration.

Picture from Bake@350 blog

Monster Tooth Pillow and feeling Domestic

2011-09-05T23:10:00.000-05:00

Back in 7th grade in Peoria, AZ I was forced to attend Home Economics three times a week for half a year. I made an apron. I made some cracked hard candy. And I made a pointless blue M&M mini pillow. I never thought I would have to pull out my M&M pillow making skills as an adult. Well, today marks the day that I admit I was wrong. The educators were right and I learned a valuable skill. And to top it off, I fell domestic!

So you may think, Domestic, so? But that doesn't come easy for me. I work full time. I have 4 boys and a husband that keep my house in a constant state of Chaos. I think FlyLade describes CHAOS as can't have anybody over syndrom. Yep. That's our house. So to accomplish feeling domestic is a big feat.

Drum roll please.... I made 2, count them 2, Monster Tooth Pillows!!! I do not take credit for the pattern. Its from www.thelongthread.com She has some amazing stuff for boys!! Back to my story...My oldest has a new found Shark tooth on bottom and one pushing through on top. No babies have wiggled their way out to make room for the larger more adult versions, but they sure are shaking in their roots. So, despite my fatigue and my homework, I used a pattern and created these cute pillows!!

Oh the handle, yeah. I have 4 boys remember. I had to come up with a few of the tooth fairy rules this weekend because apparently she is knocking on our doorstep any day. Well the sister in laws consulted this weekend about the tooth fairy network and its complications. One sister in law has a really high maintenance tooth fairy. She has a name. An origin. Checks toothbrushes and leaves fairy dust all over the place. Oh and did you know fairies are born when children have their first laugh, so says SIL #1.

SIL #2 has a much less complicated tooth fairy. She also has a boy. We determined he doesn't so much care about all those details as long as the loot is under the pillow. There is one simple rule though, if the tooth is pulled, he gets nothing. It has to fall out on its own accord. His tooth fairy seems to run well with the National treasury tooth fairy because she always leaves gold dollars.

Sweet isn't it? No. Not when my son is within ear shot and the standards are getting very HIGH!.

So I had to put a few things in place.

Pillows are required to get money, so says the tooth fairy.
Sometimes the tooth fairy needs an express option of delivery if they are going to get to every child each night, so says the tooth fairy. Hence the ribbon. ;) There is no way the tooth fairy can get to the pillow without waking someone up or stepping on someone.
And If the tooth fairy arrives before the child is asleep, becuase he is still up playing, the tooth fairy will take the tooth and leave nothing. Hey, I had to have some bedtime insurance to offset the excitement.

I think I did well. Now to just determine what the opening bid will bed...We keep hearing $5. What is the going rate for tooth #1 and each subsequent tooth?

Coupons Coupons Coupons

2011-09-05T12:09:00.000-05:00

We are only a few days into the new month and with a new month comes new coupons!! Check them out Here and clip some savings for your family. There are some great deals like these below! Have fun!!

Krazy Coupon Lady

2011-09-03T14:49:00.000-05:00

I won't lie. I'm worried. With 4 boys, how will I ever feed them when they are teenagers? Heck, my oldest is 6 and is already starting to eat close to his weight in food. I'm getting on the coupon band wagon. I'm not into the binder method...yet. I'm going to hang out with Teri at The Grocery Game and file my tabs away. I've been doing this since April, but after watching my boys eat recently, I'm going to get more serious about it. No more frivolous shopping. Shop with a purpose and never pay full price, that is my new motto!

Today I visited a new site, The Krazy Coupon Lady! These women have been featured on TLC, Today and The Early show. To top it off, they recently wrote their own book, Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey! Not only will it help get even the youngest of Coupon Virgins going, it will help make those that are tenured quite savvy too! I bought my own copy today and can't wait for it to arrive!!

Have you thought about couponing? Do you think you could be an extremist? Or what about just an expert on the subject? I'm not sure what category I fall into, but I know I would like to pay off some debt, buy a home and take an annual family vacation. I know I make enough money for all of that, but I sure don't have any of that accomplished. Are you in the same boat? Want to join me?

Comment and let me know what you would do with all the savings you would have from clipping some coupons? Want to know how to get started? The Krazy Coupon Lady has a great 10 day starter workshop for all Coupon Virgins. Check it out here!!

Cake Balls...

2011-08-16T21:11:00.000-05:00

Its been three years since I started this blog, this month. And I thought I would celebrate the blogiversary by featuring one my most favorite innovators, Bakerella!! Oh, you don't know who she is?

Have you ever had one of these?

Oh, those look familiar? RIGHT! Cake balls!!! YUMMY!! What about Cake pops??

That rings a bell, huh? Yep. Introducing Bakerella. She is only THE Best foodie on the block! Taking a simple favorite like cake and icing and creating Cake balls and Cake pops makes her a genius in my book! Blogging since Oct 2007, Bakerella has endeared herself to all those in love with cake, but in dire need of portion control. Her sweet and simple creation is just enough to hit that sweet spot without throwing you over your calories or that simple point of discomfort.

She has written a book and done several videos giving amazing direction and exhibiting her creativity. I'm stoked to say that Bakerella will be in Dallas, Oct 28, 2011 at noon. To find when she is visiting a location near you, click here.

DALLAS, TEXAS
Thursday, October 28, 2010
12:00 p.m.
Williams-Sonoma – Northpark
327 Northpark Center
Dallas, TX 75225

Want to see her in action? Sweet, endearing and a pour genius in my book! Introducing Bakerella!!!!

Couponing 4 a Difference: Thirty-One Bags Mini On-the-Go Organzier Giveaway!...

2011-07-26T20:56:00.000-05:00

Couponing 4 a Difference: Thirty-One Bags Mini On-the-Go Organzier Giveaway!...: " I am giving away a mini on-the-go organizer by Thirty-One bags! This little stylish organizer has a removable wristlet, an ID holder, two..."

Hot and Steamy...and right on time!

2011-06-02T19:20:00.001-05:00

Dinner is always a fight in our household. Who is going to cook? Which is followed by who is going to do dishes? And of course the inevitable, what are we going to eat?

Usually about twice a month I throw in the towel and order pizza. Most often I have it delivered. Its easy. It quick and I don't have to go anywhere or get anything. Bonus for a busy mom like me. It feeds everyone fast and provides a hot meal i don't have to feel guilty about serving the children. It has all the basic food groups, right?

Grains - wheat in the crust
vegetables - olives, peppers
fruits - tomatoes and occasionally pinapple
dairy - cheese and extra cheese
proteins - meats vary from sausage, chicken, bacon, anchovies, hamburger, etc
fats/oils - this is pretty given with the oil in the crust and from the meats/cheese
supplements

But what impressed me the most about tonight's order was the speed and the heat. No seriously. We placed our order via iphone app for carryout at 6:09pm. Within minutes we had our confimation that the pizza would be ready in 15-20 minutes. So we timed it almost to the minute and arrive at 6:22pm. My husband is in the shop less than 2 minutes and emerges with a hot and steamy pizza for all my big boys and side of undressed chicken strips for the little dudes. Win.

Then he places the order on my lap for the quick drive home. HOLY HOTNESS BATMAN! That pizza was pipping hot. I love it! Hot fresh pizza in less than 20 minutes and no wait for carry-out! Win! Win!

Now a review is in order. Most of the time we only review things when life doesn't go as we want and we are disgruntled. Well this one deserves a review because the complete opposite is at hand. I am more than pleased with tonight's service and quality of dinner. This was defiantly a great decision. So the picture...

The Meats Original

That is one Hot pizza! The crust on the underside was done a little more than we like, but the taste was awesome. It had a hot sauce, tender meats and a sweet tomato sauce to compliment the stringy cheese. Not on person complained about dinner tonight, not one! In a household of 6, that is quite an accomplishment!

So to you Papa John's Pizza on Rock Prairie...Great job!! This is from one busy mom in a world of chaotic boys just looking to enjoy life, food and make things easier one meal at a time! You will definitely be seeing more of us!!

My Fantasy Trip...France via NileGuide

2011-05-25T13:18:00.002-05:00

** picture from NileGuide.com

I love France! Or atleast I like most things French and think I would love France if I had the opportunity to experience it. French wine, French fashion, French food...what isn't there to love?

Après des études de français pendant dix ans, ma récompensedoit être un beau voyage en France. Mon mari n'est pas d'accord. Je voudrais voir les rivières, les pays et les magasins. Je voudraismanger du chocolat et du pain frais. Je voudrais profiter des musées et de la musique. Je veux boire dans la culture française.

Nile Guide has a great trip planner for almost every destination under the sun. And for those of us dreaming, its the perfect place to layout our perfect vacation sans fils of course. Check it out!!

France Travel Guide - France Trip Planner - France Vacation - NileGuide | NileGuide

Sandra's Easy Cooking: Eggs with Gorgonzola cheese in Phyllo dough wrappe...

2011-05-10T12:52:00.000-05:00

img from Sandra's Easy Cooking

OMG! Can i have this with a super big side of Hollandaise sauce?

Sandra's Easy Cooking: Eggs with Gorgonzola cheese in Phyllo dough wrappe...: " Foodbuzz BACONALIA Challenge Today I woke up so happy, went to bed too late and got up at 7am full of energy! It is weird, but if I go t..."

B. Square Clothing - A Mother's Selfless Sacrifice

2011-05-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

I guest blogged on B. Square Clothing over the weekend. For those of you that didn't read it, here it is. B. Square Clothing - A Mother's Selfless Sacrifice

Cinco De Mayo: Homemade Churro Cupcakes with Salted Dulce De Leche Sauce

2011-05-05T10:28:00.001-05:00

Cinco De Mayo...Get in my Tummy-O! Are you kidding? No, Darla isn't Homemade Churro Cupcakes with Salted Dulce De Leche Sauce is perfect for today. She does an amazing job of giving step by step details about how to create these mouth watering desserts, including pictures of the Dulce De Leche sauce creation. Its beautifully done!

Yes, its May 5th everywhere. But here in America and parts of Mexico, Cinco De Mayo is a celebration! And I'm all for days when we can justify margaritas, great food and dessert without any guilt. After all, aren't holidays guilt-free days?

The story is complicated, but the ending is revolutionary. You can read more about it here or here.

Either way, grab a drink. Eat some Tacos. Make some Churro Cupcakes and enjoy the reason to celebrate!

(images are sole property of Darla @ bakingdom)

Bake at 350: Daffodil Cake Pops

2011-05-05T09:56:00.002-05:00

I just LOVE Bridgette from Bake@350!! She is one of my favorite bloggers and bakers. While stalking her site this week, I ran across some very sad news. News that has taken me a couple days to process. One of my other all time favorite bloggers/bakers is sick...sweet Bakerella. You can read about her challenges here. But I love the idea that Bridgette had to brighten her day and had to share. Why not make a set for yourself and honor those loved ones in your life, past and present. Or give them to your mom or favorite teacher this week.

Bake at 350: Daffodil Cake Pops
(images solely belong to Bake@350*)

Seeking Sweetness in Everyday Life - CakeSpy - Cake Byte: Popsy Cakes Makes Cupcakes on a Pretzel

2011-05-05T09:38:00.002-05:00

Seeking Sweetness in Everyday Life - CakeSpy - Cake Byte: Popsy Cakes Makes Cupcakes on a Pretzel

I love cake bytes. And I love cupcakes. My husband loves pretzels. Now there is a great compromise that will let me bake and him enjoy! Cake pops on pretzel sticks!! I love it! Great job Jessica Cervantes! (images from popsy cakes as posted on Cakespy)

The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle: The Twenty Second Rule

2011-04-18T15:35:00.002-05:00

Sugarbelle has out done herself with these great videos to visually show the icing of minicookies!!! Check it out!

The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle: The Twenty Second Rule

Warm sweet cobbler and creamy ice cream is the perfect combo to end a case of the Monday's!

2011-04-11T16:27:00.002-05:00

Nothing says Spring and Summer like a warm bowl of cobbler and frozen Blue Bell Ice Cream. And after a Monday, like today, Peach Cobbler is definitely on the dessert menu!! My mother passed this recipe down to me. And if there is one thing she always did right, it was dessert. So i'm sharing it with you.

And as Truvy from Steel Magnolia's said, "Oh hell, Clairee, you don’t need a recipe. It’s just a cup of flour, a cup of sugar and a cup of fruit cocktail WITH the syrup, stir and bake in a hot oven ‘til golden brown and bubbly. I serve it with ice cream to cut the sweetness."

1 1/2 Large cans of sliced peaches in heavy syrup, save the heavy syrup
2 sticks of melted butter
a box of yellow cake mix
- 1 cup of syrup from the peaches
1 cup of Sugar

- 1
  Drain peaches, saving 1 Cup of Heavy Syrup in a glass bowl. Layer peaches in a 9x12 baking dish.
- 2
  Dissolve 1 cup of sugar into heavy syrup set aside. Pour evenly over peaches.
- 3
  Pour cake mix over the berries and even out with a spoon. be sure to cover all the peaches as much as possible.
- 4
  Pour 1 cup melted butter over the cake mix, making sure to coat fairly evenly.
- 5
  Bake for 40-60 minutes at 350* degrees until bubbly and brown. The top should be a light brown and crusty. Serve warm with Vanilla ice cream!

Warm sweet cobbler and creamy ice cream is the perfect combo to end a case of the Monday's!

2011-04-11T15:47:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 Large cans of sliced peaches in heavy syrup, save the heavy syrup
1 cup of melted butter
a box of yellow cake mix
- 1 cup of syrup from the peaches
1 cup of Sugar

- 1
  Drain peaches, saving 1 Cup of Heavy Syrup in a glass bowl. Layer peaches in a 9x12 baking dish.
- 2
  Dissolve 1 cup of sugar into heavy syrup set aside. Pour evenly over peaches.
- 3
  Pour cake mix over the berries and even out with a spoon. be sure to cover all the peaches as much as possible.
- 4
  Pour 1 cup melted butter over the cake mix, making sure to coat fairly evenly.
- 5
  Bake for 40-60 minutes at 350* degrees until bubbly and brown. The top should be a light brown and crusty. Serve warm with Vanilla ice cream!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting | TidyMom - StumbleUpon

2011-04-04T07:25:00.000-05:00

TidyMom out did herself this morning. Talk about a sugar rush and I haven't even devoured one of these beautiful cupcakes.

Check out the recipe here: Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting | TidyMom - StumbleUpon

Banana, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Cupcakes - Blog Posts - Foodbuzz

2011-04-02T13:26:00.000-05:00

Banana, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Cupcakes - Blog Posts - Foodbuzz

OMG WOW!! Just a little Spice rum and this is just like one of my favorite mixed shakes. WOW!! Just look at those cupcakes. I know my husband wouldn't appreciate the banana...the peanut butter...or the chocolate for that matter, but I know a few little men that sure would!! Who's up for some of these tomorrow after church, my kitchen aid needs a workout!

Spring Brunch is officially HERE!!

2011-04-02T13:22:00.001-05:00

This week has been a crappy, stressful week overall...but the food, foodie conversation and blog posts have been AMAZING!! This one was no exception. Who doesn't LOVE great brunch ideas? What about your favorites with a little twist just in time for a glorious Spring Sunday morning? Well here is a tribute to some of the awesome food bloggers on the net this week.

The {Little} Foodie: Island Eggs Benedict Eggs Benedict with Tomatoes and grilled Hawaiian Bread. WOW!
Kitchen Runway: Maple Bacon & Apple Baked French Toast Large Fiji Apples, Sweet Hawaiian bread & crisp maple bacon with warm maple syrup.
Fork Spoon Knife: Caramelised Fennel, Serrano Ham and Fried Quail Eggs Truly loving my new found love affair with Quail.

Charm & Salt: Parmesan Grits Toasts with BBQ Shrimp Who said you can't have seafood for breakfast?

Clean Green Simple: Vegan, Gluten Free Spinach Quiche We call use a little freedom for all the extra fillers in our food and enjoy a guilt-free meal once in awhile.

Kitchen Confidante: Lemon Raspberry Cake This with a pipping hot super-bowl sized coffee sound amazing!! A perfect pair of sweet, tart and rich. MMMM!!

And Becuase I love Ree Drummond, Here is an egg recipe from June 2009 that sounds, looks and I'm sure tastes scrumptious. Huevos Ree-os See for yourself...

pictures straight from the author's websites with links back.

Curried Chicken Salad...Oh...My...GOSH!

2011-04-01T14:14:00.000-05:00

While attending a local Home Builders Association meeting last night, I met the coolest chefs! They made an amazingly smooth white chocolate mousse and a rich milk chocolate mousse, both served in the cutest little waffle cones. But the creme de la creme in my book was the Curried Chicken Salad served in a green tea waffle cone. Let me just say...Oh...My...Gosh!! I could eat that 24/7 and never been done with it. It was the perfect balance of spices and sweetness. It was creamy and just melted in my mouth. So of course being the foodie that I am, I had to ask. What made it so amazing? I didn't get the whole recipe but I did find out it was made with mango chutney which was the sweetness offsetting the curried spice. WOW!

So Google being my friend today, here it the closest I could find recipe-wise without having the original thing. I will be making this on Sunday to see if I can be as successful as Chef Scott last night. And Chef Scott, if you still have my business card and are reading this post, CALL ME!! I want that recipe!!!

From SimplyRecipes.com...The one I had didn't have Grapes or Raisins and was made with Mayo, but this one looks pretty dang good to me! Enjoy! (Thank you Elise for submitting your recipe)

Ingredients:
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Tbsp (or more) of vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
- 2 Tbsp yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 mangos, peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (can substitute all or partially with coconut milk)
- Salt and pepper
- Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1 Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and another tablespoon of oil, cook for a couple more minutes. Add the curry powder and cumin, cook for a few more minutes. The spices will absorb some of the oil, so if anything begins to stick too much to the bottom of the pan, add a little more oil to the pan. Add the ginger and garlic, cook for one minute more.

2 Add the vinegar, water, and a 1/2 of the chopped mango to the pan. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Scoop the sauce into a blender. Purée the sauce, pulsing until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan.

3 Add chicken pieces and raisins to the pan. Return to a low simmer. Cover the pan and let cook for 8-10 minutes. Chicken should be just cooked through. Use a knife to cut open the largest piece to check.

4 Add remaining mango pieces to the pan. Stir in the cream. Let cook at a very low temperature for another minute or two, uncovered. Do not let boil! Or the cream may curdle. Adjust seasonings. If a little too sweet, add a little more vinegar. If not sweet enough, you can add a dash of sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro. Serves 4.

The Hip Chic Online

2011-03-16T09:59:00.005-05:00

I stumbled across the Hip Chic Online while visiting the Savvy Mom's guide. I couldn't wait to share what I found with you! Who wouldn't love a YouTube site that helps take us from "frumpy" to "HOT" regardless of our age?!

I am a thirty-two year old wife to one and mother to four crazy boys! I am working full time, have 2 part time jobs/hobbies and go to school full time trying to finish that coveted Bachelor's degree. Now helping to launch a new jewelry line called Bamboo Pink. I love to learn how I can look more put-together, feel more beautiful in my own skin and love who I am on the outside as much as I do the inside. As mom, we can look amazing no matter how many kids we have or how chaotic our lives are. We can still look "hip" before and after we accept the title of "MOM" or resign to pass the threshold of the big 3-0, 4-0 or even 5-0. So, I checked out a You Tube Channel that works to inspire other women look and feel their very best - it's called The Hip Chick Online. There you'll find videos on hair, makeup and outfits.

About this new line of jewelry i'm sporting, a little over a month ago, I heard about another
opportunity to join the ground floor of a jewelry business. But not just any jewelry business, one that is ten plus years strong and sold in major high end department stores, JudeFrances. I wasn't excited about taking on another business venture. But I was excited that I didn't have to do any home shows if I didn't want to, and there wasn't any charge to join. So, What did I have to lose? What do you have to lose? So I signed up! And boy am I glad I did!! This company is already proving to be the fastest growing woman's jewelry line in the history and its going viral over the internet!

What can I tell you about Bamboo Pink?

How it’s Made

All bamboopink jewelry is hypoallergenic. This means it is not only nickel, lead and tarnish free, but all earrings have a titanium surgical post as well. bamboopink will random test every shipment of jewelry to insure quality control. The Gold BP Finish pieces are 24 karat gold plated which create the stunning gold shimmer. The Silver BP Finish pieces are plated with the precious metal, rhodium, a member of the platinum family, to create the silver sheen and unique brushed look.

The Signature bamboopink by JudeFrances Love Knot

Inspired by the ancient Celtic and Chinese knot characters symbolizing love, trust and harmony, the bamboopink love knot represents the union of the three unique founders to create one harmonious company. The symmetrical knot is interwoven into itself with no beginning or end—the three founders, Jude Steele, Frances Gadbois, and Debbie Millar, saw this design as a perfect depiction of their partnership and vision for the company: unity, trust and love.

The Jewelry Pieces

All bamboopink jewelry is designed by co-founder, Frances Gadbois. This classic, sexy, elegant and affordable collection starts at $19 with most pieces under $100. Featuring only the finest crystals as well as seasonal colored stones in turquoise, coral and more, bamboopink jewelry will always be on-trend yet classic for everyday wear. The line is composed of a myriad of earrings from hoops to studs to show-stopping chandelier earrings; super chic bangles and bracelets that are perfect for layering; stackable rings as well as bold and funky cocktail rings for day into evening looks; and collectable pendants and chain necklaces which make bamboopink the most versatile fashion jewelry collection around.

This is an amazing opportunity to get in on the GROUND FLOOR!! The Company will launch any day, and you don't want to miss it! Sign-ups are FREE ...forever!! You get to decide how much you want to buy in and determine your level of commitment, not someone else.

I would love to have you on my team and I'll help you every step of the way. What are you waiting for? Sign up or email me for more information at sherra.ogden@gmail.com.

Bamboo Pink

2011-02-26T21:01:00.001-06:00

Bamboo Pink

Earlier this week, I was contacted about a new opportunity at Bamboo Pink. I'm taking the leap! I promise not to pester you all with it, but did want to share the opportunity with those who may be interested. :-)

Here's why:

*It's FREE to become a consultant! (No demo kits or mandatory start up fees)

*You don't have to host parties or distribute books.

*You don't have to buy product and sell it from your home, office, etc...

*It's all internet based using virtual trunk shows. You simply direct people who want to buy Bamboo Pink to your website and presto... it's done!

*The merchandise!!! Have you seen it!?!? We're talking about SUPER cute stuff!!! The jewelry is high quality, fashionable, AND affordable. It's price pointed from $29-$100. So it works with anyone's budget.

*The designers behind Bamboo Pink, JudeFrances, already have an established high-end jewelry line that can be found in upscale department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

*There is absolutely NO RISK if you sign up now to become a consultant. Because you do not have to invest $ into the company in order to become a consultant, if in the future you decide that this isn't for you, you're not out any money.

*It's already projected to be the fastest growing women's internet start-up company in HISTORY!!! And the company hasn't been officially launched yet!

So why not become apart of history with Bamboo Pink? You have nothing to lose!

If you're interested, you can sign-up by visiting me here:
http://www.bamboopink.net/sparkle

02/04/05: Six years ago tomorrow

2011-02-03T17:14:00.003-06:00

Yes I am becoming old. It will be official at 1:19pm on 02/04/11. My oldest son, Case will be 6. I know you might think, whop-te-do. But to me, this is my baby. This little...hmm...sweet innocent boy, yeah that is what I'll call him today and tomorrow, changed my life. I never knew what it would be like to be a mom. I always imagined growing up how it might feel and how much fun it would be, who didn't? But I don't think anything ever REALLY prepared me for the chaos and joys of motherhood. Nor did I have any idea that 6 years later, I would have 4 spawn screaming my name hourly.

So it comes, the oldest turns 6 tomorrow and has requested Blueberry Indiana Jones Cupcakes. Tonight he will bake with me. Tonight we will buy Indiana Jones ring party favors. Tonight we will make a mess out of my already messy kitchen. But tonight, we will also make a memory that he and I both won't forget. I love my little boy. Happy Birthday Case! Your mother is very proud of you!

...You don't think I'd leave the post without atleast something to tide you over until tomorrow, do you? Nope. I had hoped that Case would have jumped at my new favorite thing, Cake Balls. No they aren't new. But they are still new to me because I haven't mastered them like I have cupcakes and pumpkin bread. I was hoping he would go for some strawberry cake balls and I could practice my chocolate coatings and drizzles. But no that was not his request this year. I might still make them next week. ;)

However, Today I found a great post because of @bakeat350tweets twitter feed. My kitchen addiction posted a great post on chocolate drizzle and tips to make it "chaos" proof. Here is a picture of her amazing work:

You can read the full post here. Not only did she do a great job with the tips and techniques, she incorporated some humor as well. I can just see her kitchen covered in gloopy chocolate.

Hottest Food Trends for 2011

2011-02-01T12:19:00.002-06:00

What are the hottest trends in food for 2011? According to Chris Macias McClatchy Newspaper, Milk, goat, Iphone Wine lists and humane foods are among the list. You can see the full article here.

Why did that catch my eye, because I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate nostalgic favorites with hot trends when it comes to cooking and baking. I've had an iphone wine list for 2 years now, so this isn't new to me. But i love that Chris mentions Nostalgic ethnic foods returning. What makes a food nostalgic? And which ethnicities is Chris referring to? The one preparing the food or the one enjoying it?

What foods do you find nostalgic? Which ones would you like see a new twist to? I'm considering learning to can jellies this year. And I am flirting with the idea of incorporating Messina Hof wines into my jellies. Any suggestions?

24.24.24...entered again!!

2011-01-06T17:33:00.002-06:00

Have you heard of what buzz at Foodbuzz.com, their 24.24.24?? Not yet you say? Then man are you missing out. Every month at Foodbuzz.com 24 chefs or foodies get $250 to create an amazing blog about their experience with food, menus, celebrations, etc that all happen on a set day.

"Showcasing posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher Bloggers, the monthly Foodbuzz 24 highlights unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period."

What a great idea!! So I'm thinking about actually putting in for it this month. So here i am, adding another thing to my list, hoping I win the opportunity to be highlighted on www.foodbuzz.com for the month of January.

So whats on the agenda??

We will be guided through an exquisite five course menu created especially for us by the Executive Chef at Messina Hof Winery and Vintage House Restaurant. Each course will be perfectly paired with their amazing award winning wines. Since the Chef is from Louisiana originally, we will work with him to develop a dinner that incorporates his flair in the meal and compliments the wine.

We have 4 dear friends, my husband and I, that we enjoy having wine and dinner with for special occasions. We would like to treat them to this 5 course meal in honor of our friendship, the foundations and the new year to come!

As a photographer and blogger, I will journal the meal with photographs focuses on the enjoyment the food brings to each individual. I would like to find the connections between Chef's creations and our memories and scribe those for foodbuzz to read and enjoy. Recipes will be included, Pictures will be taken in great fashion and video will be incorporated to showcase the Chef's amazing personality and passion for his craft.

This would be unlike any blog post i have written to date.

WINNER of the $50 CSN Give-A-Way

2011-01-01T20:12:00.002-06:00

Congratulations Liz of Quiltz 'n' Hoez!!! You are the winner of the $50 gift certificate from CSN Stores. Check your email for more details and enjoy that new blender!! I'd love a follow up post with pictures once you receive it!!! Thanks again!

Howdy 2011!

2011-01-01T19:46:00.004-06:00

(Image from Brooke Griffin's Healthy Taco Soup)

Boy are we glad to see 2011!! Not that 2010 was bad, but I'm very over it. I'm ready to move on to resolutions I can break, changes I can make and opportunities yet to unfold. :)

One thing I will make sure to keep the same, the Southern tradition of eating Black eyed peas on January 1st. My Granny always made a big pot of black eyed peas that we always enjoyed shortly after the ball dropped in NYC every year. She would always remember to drop a quarter in the bottom of every one of our bowls to encourage a prosperous new year. While I was preparing my families serving of 2011 luck, it got me thinking. Where did this tradition come from? Was it something my Granny's family passed down for years, or is there more to it?

Lets start with what is a black-eyed pea? Wikipedia states "The black-eyed pea, also called black-eyed bean, ChawaLie, Lobia, Mulatto-Gelato in various languages in India, is a subspecies of the cowpea, grown around the world for its medium-sized edible bean. The bean mutates easily, giving rise to a number of varieties. The common commercial one is called the California Blackeye; it is pale-colored with a prominent black spot."

Why are they lucky? The tradition came to America when the first Sphardi Jews settled in Georgia in the 1730s. The beans are tolerant to drought and do well in hotter temperatures. This made them a prominent protein during the American Civil War. The story is told that the Union soldiers believed field peas/beans to be animal feed thereby leaving the pea/bean crops when stripping the other fruitful crops from the South. The meal is typically cooked in bacon or with ham bones, diced onions and served with hot chili sauce, collard greens or cabbage and cornbread. The peas symbolize prosperity because they swell when cooked. The greens symbolize money and the pork stands for positive motion because pigs will root in a forward motion when foraging.

A little history for us all...now what to make this year? I went between 3 recipes before finally settling on a modified classic in our household.

Recipe #1: Texas Caviar

2 cans of black-eyed peas (use ones with jalapeños)

1 can white hominy

1 can rotel

1/2 bottle of zesty Italian dressing (small bottle)

cilantro

1 avocado chopped

1 bell pepper chopped

Directions: Mix it all up and let sit in fridge a bit before serving. Best served with big scoop Fritos

Recipe #2: Black Eyed Pea Hummus with Olive Oil (recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen)

(Makes about 3 cups hummus, adapted from Black-Eyed Pea Hummus at Lentil Breakdown.)
2 cans (15 oz. can) black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
(or use 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas)
2 tsp. garlic puree or minced garlic
6 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice (or slightly less if you're not that into lemon)
1/2 - 1 tsp. salt
2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3-6 T tahini (sesame seed paste), to taste
water to thin hummus as needed (I used 2 T water)
2-3 T olive oil, for drizzling on hummus
powdered Sumac, for sprinkling on hummus (or use a smaller amount of paprika or just skip this
whole wheat pita bread for serving

Directions: Dump the canned black-eyed peas into a colander placed in the sink, then rinse with cold water until no more foam appears. Let black-eyed peas drain for a minute or two, then put them into the food processor with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil and process until black-eyed peas are pureed, about 1 minute. Add the ground cumin and 3 T of tahini and process until it's combined. Taste to see if you want more tahini, and keep adding in small amounts until it seems right to you. (I used the full 6 T of tahini, but I really like the taste of tahini.) If the hummus seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of water and process. (I added 2 tablespoons of water.) Put hummus into serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with Sumac (or a smaller amount of paprika.) Serve with whole wheat pita bread. Hummus will keep in the fridge for at least a week.

But the winner was recipe #3...Taco Soup with Black Eyed Peas

2 Cans of Black Beans

2 Cans of Pinto Beans

2 Cans of Black Eyed Peas

2 Cans of Stewed Tomatoes

1 Can of Rotel Tomatoes

1 Can of Mexicorn

1 pkg of Taco seasoning

1 pkg of Ranch Dressing

1 lb of Hamberger browned and drained

Directions: Mix all together in crock pot for 3 hours on high. Serve with Sour Cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

What did you eat? What traditions do you keep? What resolutions are you making?

$50 Give-a-way by CSN Stores

2010-12-28T17:38:00.004-06:00

A few months back I did a review for CSN stores and I was recently contacted to see if I'd like to have another give-a-way. Well of course I would?! Who wouldn't? So what can you get? A $50 gift certificate to any of the 200+ CSN Stores.

CSN Stores have so many items, its like one stop shopping. They have modern furniture, bookshelves, office desks, chairs, beds, lighting, and more. They have 200+ stores ... who wouldn't LOVE a $50 gift certificate. Check it out for yourself.

Giveaway: Step 1: Follow my blog. Step 2: Visit the link and tell me what you would buy with the $50 Step 3: Leave a comment & You're officially entered to win!

Bonus Entries - One for Tweeting "$50 Gift Certificate Give-A-way by @bakingupchaos." Then paste the link to this post...or something in that nature. One for following my twitter.

** Make sure to comment for every entry in order to get credit!

This contest will end Friday, December 31, 2010 at 11:59pm (EST) and is open to US entrants only. Sorry! All entries must be in by then. The winner will be announced shortly after that.

Good luck, y'all!

Stuffed Flat Iron Steak - NYE Dinner!!!

2010-12-27T17:04:00.003-06:00

I went searching for the perfect New Year's Eve dinner and stumbled across Stuffed Flat Iron Steak by Marica Kiesel. I'm not even going to take credit for this one. It rocks, all on its own. Although I have made a few adaptations...

Active Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 1hr 40 mis

Servings: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Five 1/3-inch-thick slices of white Pullman bread
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
10 pitted prunes (omitted and replaced with figs)
1 1/4 cups dry red wine (I love the Messina Hof Private Reserve Shiraz)
One 5-ounce piece of pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped
4 ounces vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts, coarsely crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, plus 2 large sprigs
1 tablespoon freshly grated pecorino cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Two 1 1/4-pound flatiron steaks, each pounded to a 1/3-inch thickness (look for ones with great marbling, this means the flavors will merry well throughout)
2 1/2 cups beef broth
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400°. Put the bread on a large baking sheet and brush all over with olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes, until very crisp and golden brown. Let cool. Break up the toasts and transfer to a food processor. Process to coarse crumbs.
In a large glass measuring cup, cover the prunes with 1/2 cup of the wine. Microwave at high power for 1 minute, or until the prunes are soft. Cut the prunes into 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl along with the soaking wine.
In a large, deep ovenproof skillet, heat the 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add one-third of the pancetta and cook over moderate heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, add the pancetta to the prunes. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Scrape the garlic into the bowl. Add the bread crumbs, chestnuts, chopped rosemary, pecorino and cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the eggs.
Put the steaks on a work surface and season both sides with salt and pepper. Press half of the stuffing over each steak. Roll up the steaks lengthwise and tie at 2-inch intervals with kitchen string.
Turn the oven down to 350°. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet until shimmering. Add the steaks and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Turn the steaks seam side down. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of wine and pancetta to the skillet along with the broth, rosemary sprigs and shallots; bring to a boil. Transfer the skillet to the oven and braise the steaks for about 25 minutes, turning once, until a thermometer inserted in the steaks registers 130° for medium-rare to medium meat.
Transfer the steaks to a carving board to rest for 5 minutes. Whisk the flour into the pan juices and simmer over moderately high heat, whisking a few times, until the gravy is thickened and slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan, pressing on the solids. Season with salt and pepper and keep the gravy warm.
Untie the steaks and slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Serve with the gravy.

“Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Holland House.”

Breeze through security with TSA-friendly fragrance products

2010-11-07T00:13:00.000-05:00

Breeze through security with TSA-friendly fragrance products

I LOVE IT!!! Http://sherraogden.scentsy.us Join my team now and catch the wave!!!

Kicking off the Holiday Giveaway!!!

2010-10-27T17:03:00.007-05:00

I just recently found CSN stores a few weeks back. And today I received an email asking if I was ready to have a giveaway. Well, of course! What better way to start off the holidays than by giving away an item I consider a necessity. What do you get? An 8" Emile Henry Pie Dish in Vert. A great pie dish is essential for any serious baking. So essential in fact, I'm getting one for myself and one for you!!

CSN Stores are filled with amazing items for every baker or chef no matter your expertise. With four boys and never enough space, I found the Drop Leaf Tables extremely intriguing. I remember my granny have one growing up and thought how ingenious! Having my own children and knowing they will be bringing home friends in the future, it looks like one of these might be on my Christmas list...square, round, oval...hmm so many choices...With more than 200+ stores CSN has something for everyone's taste. Check it out for yourself.

Giveaway: Here's how it works.

1. You get one entry for following my blog.*

2. One entry for tweeting the following:*

@bakingupchaos is giving away a baker's essential - 8in Emile Henry Pie Dish in Vert! Check out her blog to learn how to enter

3. One entry for visiting the Drop Leaf Tables link and commenting on your favorite table.*

4. Post a comment for each entry above. VIOLA! You are entered.

*You will need to post a comment for each to make sure I give you full credit.

This contest will end on Sunday, October 31st at 10:00pm (CST) and is open to US entrants only. Sorry. All entries and comments must be posted by then. The winner will be announced shortly there after.

Good Luck!! May the Luckiest Baker win!

My Addiction...I know. I know...but I can't resist.

2010-08-30T14:40:00.006-05:00

Addiction (əˈdɪkʃən)

— n
	the condition of being abnormally dependent on some habit, espcompulsive dependency on narcotic drugs

I know, what good foodie isn't addicted to The Food network channel? But it goes much deeper than my tv always on TFN. It roots all the way to constant transmissions and continual thoughts of ways to tinker and develop amazing dishes. It is almost like the core of my existence. And being a food addict, it only make sense that TFN is my lifeline, well next to my blackberry. But one show in particular catches my fancy every time it is on, the Next Food Network Star, and this past season was no exception.

Who didn't love it? The drama? The excitement and oooooh the food...And the contestants this round were wonderful! But my favorite part of everything was that a food blogger like myself won! Aarti Sequeiras from AartiParti now has her own show, one I can watch and learn about Indian cuisine and the art of food blogging. Of course I had to stumble her blog and cyberstock her on TFN. What I found amazing was her innate ability to combine her native spices with whatever intended cuisine and come up with food that not only photographed well, but sounded delicious!! I'm sure it tasted even better! One recipe in particular caught my fancy, Roasted Chicken Breasts with Orange, CardamomamTurmeric (and of course you must pronounce it with the delicate accent so well known of Aarti).

Thank you Aarti for your beautiful personality, your perseverance, your love of food and your inspiration that all of us Foodies can be as great as we want to be! You should find the confidence in yourself that we all know you have!

So courtesy of TFN & Aarti Sequeira, here is the recipe and picture:

Prep Time:: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time:: 5 min
Cook Time:: 25 min

Level:: Easy

Serves:: 2 servings

Ingredients

6 red potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 cardamom pods, husks removed and seeds pulverized
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
2 bone-in chicken breasts with skin

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

In the bottom of a foil-lined broiler pan, toss the potato slices with a generous drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper, to taste.

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, shallots, garlic, cardamom, orange zest, orange juice, turmeric, garam masala and salt and pepper, to taste. Separate the skin from chicken flesh using your index finger, moving it back and forth. Do not remove the skin completely, just make a pocket. Spoon half of the butter mixture under skin of 1 breast, smoothing it out with your index finger. Repeat with other chicken breast.

Put a rack over the potatoes in the broiler pan and arrange the chicken on the rack. Roast until the chicken registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, and the potatoes are tender. Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving platter. Allow to rest for 5 minutes then serve.

Middle Sister Wine: Goodie Two-Shoes

2010-07-22T20:29:00.003-05:00

While browsing the isles of Targét last week a sweet label caught my eye, Middle Sister Wine. Speaking from a middle sister's point of view, who wouldn't want a wine named after them?! So I grabbed a bottle of "goodie two-shoes" california pinot noir. And tonight is the night that I popped that cork. The first surprise was the wonderful design of the many personalities of Middle Sister worked right into the cork. What a cleaver way to continue the theme!

This sparked my interest in find out more about Middle Sister. Afterall, if they were able to catch my attention and then include other elements that I, as a middle sister found intrigue, what more would I find amirable?!

The label reads: "Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful. Or because I graduated top of my class. Being almost perfect is a terrible burden to bear. So I must confess I do have one or two vices. Wine, cheese, cheeseburgers, vampire novels, pink outfits and serial flirting…is that more than one or two? I hope my secrets are safe with you. I have an image to protect. Let me buy you a glass of wine." Clever label and catching. The taste exhibits that attitude quite well. With a medium body, light vanilla notes dancing with lush berry and finishing with hints of cocoa, who wouldn't find Goodie Two-shoes almost perfect?!

Are there other sisters? Well, there are other characters of middle sisters, yes. Check "the Girls" out for yourself at Middle Sisters Wine.

Cinnamon Raisin Stuffed French Toast

2010-06-22T20:22:00.003-05:00

I know its not the dinner of champions, but it sure tasted good and was quick!! The boys loved it and now are swinging from the rafters from the sugar overload. Wait...this might not have been the best decision for an evening desiring an early bedtime. The fights, the screams, the playing, the yelling...it will all wear off eventually.

Ingredients:

1pkg softened Philly cream cheese

2Tbs Sugar Cinnamon Mix

2 Eggs

8 slices of Cinnamon raisin bread

1Tbs of Butter

In one bowl, Mix 1Tbs of Sugar Cinnamon Mix with cream cheese for the stuffing. Take 1 slice of bread and spread on the filling. Top with a slice of bread. Continue until you have 4 french toast sandwiches. Heat the butter in a skillet on Medium high heat.

In another bowl, beat 2 eggs with 1Tbs of Sugar Cinnamon Mix. Dip one frech toast sandwich into the egg mixture, flip then put into the skillet. Continue until all 4 are in the skillet. Grill on each side for 2 minutes. Serve warm with sliced bananas and warm butter maple syrup.

YUMM!!!

A long lost friend...

2010-06-17T14:25:00.004-05:00

I'm sitting at home today, enjoying the peace of quiet in the house while fighting a nasty virus. So what makes us feel better?? A giant bowl of ice cream, Blue Bell Chocolate Cookie dough to be exact. Upon opening the utensil drawer, there it was...my long lost friend, my spring ice cream scoop. For those of you that have read my blog for some time, this is THE ITEM i use to properly fill my cupcake liners. Without my friend, my cupcakes would be too under filled or too overfilled. It truly delivers the perfect portion to every liner. And it got me to thinking, where has it been? Where have I been? When was the last time I made cupcakes and really blogged about the experience?

The answer was far more disturbing that the questions, but I went there anyway. So I'm vowing, to give you all what you want and what my spring ice cream scoop NEEDS...more cupcakes!!! When, I'm not sure at this moment as i can't think completely straight right this instance. But I promise. More cupcakes. More kid pictures, updates and funny saying. But more importantly more food blogging!! Foodbuzz is starting a competition in July and I'm IN!! yep, you read that right. I'm in. I'm going to use the challenge as a great way to upstart my food blogging again. And maybe, just maybe when all is said and done, i will have created some great new creations to feature as the imaginary restaurant my sweet husband and I are still developing. So stay tuned... and give your ice cream scoop a workout for me!

Cinnamon cressent rolls

2010-05-31T19:10:00.001-05:00

Memorial day is one set aside to remember those that have served and died for our country, and to honor those that still are. In my line of work memorial day becomes one filled with large customer counts, long hours and lots of transactions. The main reason gets forgotten oh too easily in that environment. But today, today was different than last year. I was at home with my family. I got to enjoy the break and remember those I'm so proud of. To start the morning, I made breakfast. But not planning on this, my groceries are low and I had to improvise. Sugar. Check. Butter. Check. Cinnamon. Check. Cressent rolls. Check. Bingo! Yep I made cinnamon cressent rolls that were to die for. Note to self, keep cressent on hand because this could be a future breakfast again in a pinch. And we all know any good baker keeps sugar, cinnamon and butter on hand at all times.
Sherra
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Southern-Fried Memorial Day PicNic

2010-05-28T20:59:00.003-05:00

I absolutely LOVE the Food Network. Yes, I know. I'm a horrible addict, but I just can't help myself. When I saw their tweet about the perfect Memorial Day PicNic, I had to check it out. And wouldn't you know, it sounds AMAZING!!!!

Drink: Cherry Cooler (courtesy of Food Network Magazine)
Appetizer: French Onion Dip (courtesy of Food Network Magazine)
Appetizer: Parmesan Puff Pastry
Main Dish: Buttermilk Fried Chicken (courtesy of Food Network Magazine)
Main Dish: Shrimp and Deviled-Egg Salad Rolls (courtesy of Food Network Magazine)
Side Dish: Spring Garden Potato Salad
Side Dish: Packin' A Punch Broccoli Slaw

Check it out for yourself! Who wouldn't love a nice cocktail, a little puff pastry and some seriously down home buttermilk fried chicken. I'm seriously considering changing my Monday Menu.

Things I never thought I'd say

2010-05-27T14:45:00.000-05:00

I've been behind on blogging because life has taken over. And with 4 boys, a full time job, 2 part time jobs and school it's no wonder how that happened. So iPhone has iblogger and I'm hoping it will rejuvinate my blogging.

To kick it off...my husband and I have recently found ourselves saying things we never thought we would say. Ah the joys of raising boys!

1. Get you hands out of your pants.. Said at the dinner table in a nice restaurant.

2. We do not write on the furniture, walls or our little brothers.

3. Stop licking my toes. Eww

4. Stop sharing toys with your brothers head.

5. Stop smelling your brothers butt.

If that doesn't make you laugh, I'm not really sure what will. Needless to say, our house us never boring!

Sherra
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A night at the Vinyard

2010-03-20T21:42:00.008-05:00

Picture the event...No screaming kids yelling "MOM/DAD" every two minutes. No calls from work or volunteer organizations trying to buy a few moments of time. Simply nothing competing for your attention. Now picture the venue...beautiful vineyard, antiques, bottles of wine, the man/woman of your dreams and the sun setting. What could be better?

This is exactly how my Thursday evening began. My groom escorted me to the Messina Hof Winery in Bryan, Tx, not that far from home but still a journey from reality. We arrived in time for the last tour and tasting that evening. Our tour guide was phenomenal. She had a great dry sense of humor with perfect delivery. We peeked in on the Villa, Messina Hof's bed and breakfast. Merril's taste in antique is exquisite. We also enjoyed learning about the fermentation process and the process for making wine, but my favorite part was tasting 4 of the amazing wines Messina Hof has to offer. The tasting menu of the night was Unoaked Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot and Angel Harvest Riesling. Of course, my personal preference is the Riesling, but David actually really enjoyed the Chenin blanc.

Wine tips...Okay so our tour guide provided tips for tasting wines that I have never heard in all the years of waiting tables. When tasting wines, the first thing should be to smell the bouquet. Then swirl the wine. I know, most think you should swirl first, but that is the case. Smell, Swirl and then Smell again. The swirling awakens the wine and gives it life. You'll notice the wine's bouquet is stronger and more aromatic.

When tasting White Wines...start with the above but then try trilling the wine. What is trilling? Trilling is very similar to sucking up that last noddle of spaghetti that is hanging from your chin. Take a sip of the wine to clear your pallet, the take another sip but before swallowing, Trill the wine welcoming air over the wine and taste buds. Finish with another sip and continue drinking. This wakes up the taste buds need to appreciate white wines making them smoother and more full flavored.

When tasting Red Wines...Smell and swirl, but notice the legs on the wine before smelling again. The slow or fast return of the wine from the top of the swirl to the bottom of the glass is known as the legs. The slower the legs return, the sweeter the wine. This will give you a great idea of what you are tasting before you actually do. Then smell the awoken bouquet. Now take a sip and clear the pallet. Make the actions with your mouth like when you say "cluck". Okay now you are ready to cluck and awaken the red wine taste buds at the back of the throat. Take another sip, then before swallowing tilt your head back and cluck. Key thing to remember is keep your mouth shut. Swallow the sip and take another sip. This has awoken your taste buds and made the red wine more flavorful and smoother to drink.

After joining the VIP club of the winery, the husband and I moved on to our Cajun dinner with the Chef. The menu: blackened shrimp on roasted red pepper polenta cake, crab salad on bib lettuce, jambalaya and gateau du syrup. The pairings: Angel Harvest Riesling, Unoaked Chardonnay, Beau, Texas Hold'em and Solera Sherry. The Executive Chef was unable to speak so Kelly filled in and did a great job. She was warm and inviting and offered some amazing tips for cooking with blackening seasonings, vinaigrettes and making stocks. The two other couples at our table were very welcoming as well. They shared in enlightening conversation over amazing food and wine selections. It was an evening to remember...but it was done there.

We decided the evenings sans kids are few and far between and we should capitalize on the moment, so we acquired a room in the Villa...

We spent the evening in the Romeo and Juliet room. It was perfect. Large enough to have some space, but small enough to really embrace the romantic ambiance. The bed and breakfast had every amenity we could need, including a champagne European style breakfast. We were greeted with mimosas and crapes shortly after the sun rose above the vineyard . This was my first time at a b&b and the event was one I'll never forget. Even after 4 kids, having a moment away with the husband is priceless and will be one to keep in the memories for the years to come.

I'm not sure my husband can top our experience at Messina Hof. The staff were very warm and accommodating. The Wines were flavorful and perfectly paired with exquisite food. This will definitely be one evening to repeat several times in the years to come!

Design Dazzle: Rock the Tote Giveaway!!!

2010-01-11T22:16:00.002-06:00

How incredible cute are these diaper bags?!? With Christopher Joshua arriving in less than 5 weeks, I couldn't pass up the chance to sign up for a giveaway and max out my chances. I added the Design Dazzle button to the right (scroll down), tweeted the information, commented as requested and was already a follower. Here's to hoping I win!

ICE: Music

2009-10-06T21:15:00.004-05:00

It has returned!!!!

Iron Cupcake Earth, that is! And this time with an even more open area of interpritation and experimentation. This month is Iron Cupcake Earth: Music.

The gifts this year are amazing!!!

Our Generous IronCupcake:Earth Prize Providers:
The Demy™ by Key Ingredient
Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson
Bella Cupcake Couture
Cupcake Stackers by Gourmac
The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrne

And when you have the chance, "To help get IronCupcake onto The ELLEN Show, please take a moment to contact Ellen via facebook at "The Ellen DeGeneres Show"; on Twitter @TheEllenShow or on the website, http://ellen.warnerbros.com/. Tell them you want to see IronCupcake hit the national airwaves! With the local challenges and our launch of IronCupcake:Earth, year 2...there is no time like the present. The more who ask, the more likely it will happen!!!!"

Special K Blueberry Cereal & cravings

2009-07-28T17:13:00.005-05:00

If you haven't had the opportunity or desire to try Kellogg's Special K Blueberry cereal, take the time to do so. It is phenominal. It's not like the Strawberry version with freeze dried strawberries. The blueberries are actually baked into the flakes. It is a great low fat meal with a punch of flavor. :)

Now that I've put away a whole box on my own, allow me to explain the sudden craving. I'm pregnant again. Yes, with #4. No we don't know what the gender is yet, but I'm sure as soon as we do, you'll know too. In the mean time, this baking blog might find itself entertaining some very random food cravings.

Shrimp & Snow Pea Salad

2009-05-11T20:41:00.009-05:00

While enjoying my Mother's Day manicure and spa pedicure, I was reading my copy of the April edition of the Food Network Magazine. (Which if you haven't already bought a subscription, you definately should!) And wouldn't you know, it had a receipe I just thought I'd have to share because it seems too yummy to be true. I know, FNMag wouldn't have good receipes, DUH! Yes it does and not just one, but more than I can count on 2 hands and 2 feet. So here it is...Enjoy!

Shrimp & Snow Pea Salad (courtesy of Foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients
12 ounces snow peas
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 radishes, thinly sliced into half-moons
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Salt
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions
Bring a large saucepan of water with a steamer basket to a boil. Put the snow peas in the basket, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the basket and transfer the snow peas to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry.

Add the shrimp directly to the saucepan of water and return to a boil; cook for 2 minutes. Drain, then plunge the shrimp into a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry.

Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise. Cut the snow peas diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding the ends. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp, snow peas, radishes and scallions.

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, both oils, the ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss with the salad right before serving; top with sesame seeds.

Per serving: Calories 280; Fat 13 g (Sat. 1 g; Mono. 4 g; Poly. 3.5 g); Cholesterol 215 mg; Sodium 510 mg; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 32 g

Photography by Lara Robby

FoodBuzz 24.24.24.

2009-04-07T21:10:00.003-05:00

Have you heard of what buzz at Foodbuzz.com, their 24.24.24?? Not yet you say? Then man are you missing out. Every month at foodbuzz.com 24 chefs or foodies get $250 to create an amazing blog about their experience with food, menus, celebrations, etc that all happen on a set day.

"Showcasing posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher bloggers, the monthly Foodbuzz 24 highlights unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period."

What a great idea!! So i'm thinking about actually putting in for it this month. Its perfect grilling weather. We've had amazing weather for outdoor photography, not to mention the bluebonnets are in full bloom. So what better way than to document a Spring festivity in Texas?!

So here i am, adding another thing to my list, hoping I win the opportunity to be highlighted on www.foodbuzz.com for the month of April. Now to just decide if I want to make it a wine-excursion, Grill feast or a romantic spring celebration! Any input?

I know one thing is for sure, dessert is a definate. Cookies, cupcakes, you name it. I WILL be baking! I'm so ready to get back in the kitchen.

Starbucks at town & country is sporting cupcakes!

2009-01-26T07:19:00.001-06:00

In case you haven't noticed, the Starbucks at memorial and beltway 8 is now serving up cupcakes. And let me just add that not only are they pretty to look at, they are more than equally tastey.
Pardon the picture... It was spur of the moment and with the camera phone.
Sherra Ogden
281-642-4313
Sherra.ogden@gmail.com

ICE_006: Wine - Mimosa Sunrise Cupcakes

2009-01-08T08:50:00.009-06:00

To start the New year off with a BANG, Sandy announced the first 2009 Iron Cupcake Earth challenge ingredient as Wine. It could be sweet, savory, red, white, bubbly...it didn't matter as long as it was wine.

So I chose Champagne...and paired it with oranges for a nice Mimosa Cupcake. Start off the day with a good Mimosa and start off the year with a great Mimosa Cupcake!

Happy New Year!

My recipe is a modification from a post on the Cupcake Project. The original receipe was a modification from one of my favorite blogs, Ooh You Tastey Little Things.

Mimosa Sunrise Cupcake Recipe

3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp frozen orange concentrate
3 eggs
3/4 cup plain yogurt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda and powder and set aside. In a medium sized bowl, cream the butter until smooth then add the sugar and cream together. Once the butter and sugar are creamed add in the orange juice concentrate. Mix in one egg at a time. Add in flour mixture 1/3 at a time. When flour is thoroughly mixed, mix in the yogurt. Batter will be slightly lumpy, but should be smooth kind of like pancake batter. Divide the batter evenly into lined cupcake tins and bake for about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool.

Poke about 4-5 holes in the top of every cupcake, but not quite all the way to the bottom. You also might want to place the cupcakes on wax paper or a platter as the next step can run over a little.

Champagne Syrup (my modification)
2 cups champagne
2 cup powdered sugar

1pkg of Orange Jello

Bring the champagne, powdered sugar & Jello to a boil and let them reduce about half way. It will thicken up some but will still be liquidy when you are done. Drizzle the syrup over the top of each cupcake. Let it absorb into the cupcake and add more. Keep adding to taste.

Champagne Frosting

It was recommended to use champagne flavoring instead of real champagne, but I didn't have the chance and wanted to make these right away. So I modified this as well but am posting both receipes.

The problem with champagne frosting is that you have to add way too much champagne in order to get a strong champagne flavor. This ends up making your frosting runny.You can buy some champagne flavor from LorAnn Gourmet.

1 cup chilled whipping cream
8 oz mascarpone
2 to 3 cups confectioner's sugar (depending upon how thick you prefer frosting)
8 drops of champagne flavor (use an eye dropper)

Whip up whipping cream in mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Fold in mascarpone. Then, while mixing over low speed, slowly add the confectioner's sugar one cup at a time, being careful not to over whip frosting. Mix in the champagne flavor.

My Modified version:

1 cup chilled whipping cream

4 oz cream cheese, softened

4 oz sour cream

4 Tbl Champagne

3-5 Cups of confectioner's sugar

Cream the sour cream and cream cheese together until well mixed. Whip the whipping cream in mixer until soft peaks form. Add the cream mixture and the champagne. Then slowly add the confectioner's sugar until desired stiffness is acheived.

The frosting didn't set up quite like I wanted, so I will be trying the Champagne flavoring next time.

But regardless, the cupcakes are by far one of my favorites! They are moist, flavorful and just down right Yummy!!!

Special thanks for the amazing prizes this month!!

Our January ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:
DOGBONE ART - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=22042
as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.
PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

As an added bonus for January, our friend at SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY will be tossing in another treat as well, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com. NEW, BEGINNING IN JANUARY; our new friends at UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/ will be providing our winner with one of their cute cupcake attitue t's! Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

What is Cake Flour?

2009-01-08T08:42:00.004-06:00

Last night while working on a new cupcake (I'll share shortly), I was asked "what is cake flour?"

Um?! I don't really know. I know Alton Brown has a pretty good explanation but I don't recall. So on the google search I went...

According to WiseGeek, Cake Flour "is made from the endosperm of soft wheat. The endosperm is the softest part of the wheat kernel, making cake flour the finest flour available. As cake flour is milled, it is heavily bleached, not only to make it white but to break down the protein in the flour. Typically, cake flour is around seven percent protein, much lower than other flours; bread flour, for example, has twice that amount of protein.

The delicate, fine texture of cake flour is accomplished by heavy milling. The fine grain absorbs fat readily, ensuring that butter and other fats in cakes are well distributed throughout the batter. Cake flour can also carry a high volume of sugar when compared to higher protein flours. Since cake flour is a high-starch flour, it is extremely well suited for certain baking tasks. Cake flour is also lighter than conventional flour, which is why the substitution above falls short of a full cup."

So in basic english, Cake flour has a less protein, finer grain and a lighter, fluffier finish.

As a good rule of thumb, don't use Cake flour for breads or too many savory items, but do use it for cookies, cakes and of course, cupcakes!

Photo catch up from Christmas...

2009-01-08T08:36:00.005-06:00

I owe you some promised cupcakes from the Christmas holidays. SO here are the pictures for your enjoyment!

These were the Astros Baseball cupcakes made for a client as a Christmas present. The frosting was amazing!!

And these are my Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes mentioned here. :)

Cupcake Pocket Mirror Winners!!

2009-01-06T14:33:00.010-06:00

We have three very lucky ladies that have won themselves a very cool Cupcake Pocket Mirror. Lets give it up for Clara from I ♥ Cuppycakes, Bridget of Bake at 350, and Brooke of Cupcakeand.

Congratulations Ladies!! May all your resolutions come to fruition!

ICE_006: Wine!!

2009-01-01T15:51:00.002-06:00

Iron Cupcake Earth: Wine was just announced by Sandy. What a great way to ring in the New Year!

Sweet, dry, bubbly...it idoesn't matter, its all game!!

Here's the post from the ICE website:

006_Wine! Toast the New Year!!
The IronCupcake:Earth challenge for January is Wine! Red or White, Sweet or Dry, Bubbly or Still. What can you do with a bottle of wine and a sweet little cupcake? WINE is the challenge for January 2009.

FINAL POSTING DAY is the 24th of every month: SATURDAY, JANUARY 24 at 12 noon. All times are CENTRAL time.

TAKE NOTE:
• Photograph your baking experience and then post about it on your blog.
• Posting your recipe on your blog is optional.
• New creations only, please. No previously submitted cupcakes.
• In your post, please be sure mention that you are competing to win the following prizes, be sure to include reference and an active link to our prize providers and sponsors:

Our January ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:
DOGBONE ART - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=22042
as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.

PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

As an added bonus for January, our friend at SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY will be tossing in another treat as well, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

If you are interested in Joining the excitement of Iron Cupcake Earth, please click here to learn how.

Happy New Year 2009!!! (give-a-way)

2009-01-01T14:41:00.007-06:00

Happy New Year!!

May this year be filled with savory sauces and sweet frosting!

I'm kicking off the new year with a give-a-way. I know, we just had Christmas but who doesn't love a give-a-way??

Katie Barker of Posh Totty Designs has made some of the cutest pocket mirrors I've ever seen. What makes them so cute?? Why the cupcake design of course!

So you could be 1 of 3 lucky readers to be gifted you own personal Cupcake Pocket Mirror to start 2009 looking HOT!

The Rules:
1) You have to be in the US to qualify (Sorry everyone else).
2) You can only enter once.
3) Entries start now and Stop Jan. 5th at 12 midnight (CST).
4) Mr Random Generator will pick our winner. (I heard he doens't take bribes.)

Enter by leaving a comment with good contact information and answer a few questions.

1) What is one of your resolutions this year?

2) How do you plan to keep this year's resolutions?

3) What flavor combination would you like to see "tested" this year?

New Baking Up Chaos Logo

2008-12-31T20:09:00.004-06:00

Yep! I finally got around to designing a Baking Up Chaos logo.

What do you think??

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Now who wants to see a cool give-a-way with the new logo?!?!

Daring Bakers: First Challenge ended in a flop!

2008-12-31T12:36:00.004-06:00

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux. They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.

This was my first month to actually participate and the choice of a French Yule Log sounded amazing! My intentions were to great and my abition good, even with such an extensive first challenge. But the life happened...

What happens when you have 2 Christmas parties, an extra order of cupcakes, 4 homemade Christmas presents and you arrive after your holiday travels to find no room in the fridge or freezer? Simply put, your project flops. I tried. I really did. But it was a disaster. I'm going to try this one again in February with a Valentine's twist just so I can I completed the challenge successfully. However, I have no pictures to share because it was THAT bad of a flop.

So for your viewing pleasure, here is a picture of what a true French Yule Log should look like, courtesy of Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry.

Of Course you want the receipe, who doesn't? This was my intended French Yule Log (taken from the DB Kitchen):

Element #1 Coconut Dacquoise Biscuit

Preparation time: 10 mn + 15 mn for baking

Equipment: 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan, parchment paper

Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible.

Ingredients:
1/4 C almond meal
2/3 C Shredded coconut

1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner’s sugar

2Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour

3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

1. Finely mix the almond meal, coconut and the confectioner's sugar.
2. Sift the flour into the mix.

3. Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.

4. Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.

5. Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it.

6. Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc...) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).

7. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden.

8. Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Element #2 Vanilla Mousse

Preparation time: 20mn

Equipment: stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, thermometer, double boiler or equivalent, spatula

Note: You will see that a Pate a Bombe is mentioned in this recipe. A Pate a Bombe is a term used for egg yolks beaten with a sugar syrup, then aerated. It is the base used for many mousse and buttercream recipes. It makes mousses and buttercreams more stable, particularly if they are to be frozen, so that they do not melt as quickly or collapse under the weight of heavier items such as the crème brulee insert. In the Vanilla Mousse variation, pastry cream is made to the same effect.Gelatin is the gelifying agent in all of the following recipes, but if you would like to use agar-agar, here are the equivalencies: 8g powdered gelatin = 1 (0.25 oz) envelope powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp Agar-Agar. 1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (160g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

2/3 cup (160g) whole milk

1 vanilla bean

4 medium-sized egg yolks

3 oz (6 Tbsp / 80g) granulated sugar

3 Tbsp (25g) cornstarch, sifted

4g / 2 tsp powdered gelatin or 2 sheets gelatin

1 cup (240g) whipping cream (35% fat content)

Make a pastry cream:

1. Pour the milk and 2/3 cup cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean halves into milk and put the vanilla bean in as well.

2. Heat to boiling, then turn the heat off, cover and let infuse for at least 30 minutes. Then remove the vanilla bean.

3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until white, thick and fluffy.

4. Add the cornstarch, beating carefully to ensure that there are no lumps. While whisking vigorously, pour some of the milk into the yolk mixture to temper it.

5. Put infused milk back on the stove on medium heat. Pour yolk mixture back into the milk while whisking vigorously. Keep whisking vigorously until mixture thickens considerably.

6. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, leave on for only 2 more minutes. (The recipe says you should remove the vanilla bean at this time but in the interest of no one getting burned, that can be done after you take the pastry cream off the stove.)

7. Once removed from the heat, cover the pastry cream by putting plastic film directly on the surface of the cream (this prevents it from forming a thick and unappetizing skin as it cools). Let cool at room temperature.

8. Soften the gelatin in cold water and melt in a small saucepan with 1 tsp of water OR melt in the microwave for 1 second (do not boil). Whisking vigorously, pour the cooled pastry cream over it.

9. Whip the 1 cup whipping cream until stiff and add gradually to the pastry cream (DO NOT WHISK). Blend delicately with a spatula (DO NOT WHISK).

Element #3 White Chocolate Ganache Insert

Preparation time: 10mn

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

Ingredients:

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

5 oz (135g) white chocolate, finely chopped

4.5 oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp / 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small sauce pan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).

2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.

3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.

Element #4 Coconut Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Preparation time: 10 mn (+ optional 15mn if you make lace crepes)

Equipment: Small saucepan, baking sheet (if you make lace crepes).Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper, rolling pin (or I use an empty bottle of olive oil).

Note: Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp. There are non-praline variations below. The crunch in this crisp comes from an ingredient which is called gavottes in French. Gavottes are lace-thin crepes. To our knowledge they are not available outside of France, so you have the option of making your own using the recipe below or you can simply substitute rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K for them. Special note: If you use one of the substitutes for the gavottes, you should halve the quantity stated, as in use 1oz of any of these cereals instead of 2.1oz.If you want to make your own praline, please refer back to the Daring Baker Challenge Recipe from July 2008.

To make 2.1oz / 60g of gavottes (lace crepes - recipe by Ferich Mounia):

1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk

2/3 Tbsp (8g) unsalted butter

1/3 cup – 2tsp (35g) all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp / 0.5 oz (15g) beaten egg

1 tsp (3.5g) granulated sugar

½ tsp vegetable oil

1. Heat the milk and butter together until butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat.

2. Sift flour into milk-butter mixture while beating, add egg and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.

3. Grease a baking sheet and spread batter thinly over it.

4. Bake at 430°F (220°C) for a few minutes until the crepe is golden and crispy. Let cool.

Ingredients:
3.5 oz (100g) white chocolate

1 oz (1/3 cup/25g) shredded coconut

1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) unsalted butter

2.1 oz (60g) lace crepes or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

1. Spread the coconut on a baking tray and bake for 5-10 minutes at 375°F (190°C) to toast (a different temperature might work better for you with your own oven).

2. Melt the white chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Stir until smooth and add the toasted coconut.

3. Add the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Element #5 Vanilla Crème Brulée Insert

Preparation time: 15mn + 1h infusing + 1h baking

Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper

Note: The vanilla crème brulée can be flavored differently by simply replacing the vanilla with something else e.g. cardamom, lavender, etc...

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

½ cup (115g) whole milk

4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks

0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean

1. Heat the milk, cream, and scraped vanilla bean to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the vanilla infuse for about 1 hour.

2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).

3. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.

4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.

Tartelette says: You can bake it without a water bath since it is going to go inside the log (the aesthetics of it won't matter as much since it will be covered with other things)....BUT I would recommend a water bath for the following reasons:- you will get a much nicer mouth feel when it is done- you will be able to control its baking point and desired consistency much better- it bakes for such a long time that I fear it will get overdone without a water bathNow...since it is baked in a pan and it is sometimes difficult to find another large pan to set it in for a water bath, even a small amount of water in your water bath will help the heat be distributed evenly in the baking process. Even as little as 1 inch will help.

5. Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

Element #6 White Chocolate Icing

Preparation time: 25 minutes (10mn if you don’t count softening the gelatin)

Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan

Note: Because the icing gelifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.For other gelatin equivalencies or gelatin to agar-agar equivalencies, look at the notes for the mousse component.

Ingredients:

1.5 gelatin sheets or 3g / 1/2Tbsp powdered gelatin

3.5 oz (100g) white chocolate

2 Tbsp (30g) unsalted butter

1/3 cup (90 g) whole milk

1 2/3 Tbsp (30g) glucose or thick corn syrup

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.

2. Coarsely chop the chocolate and butter together.

3. Bring the milk and glucose syrup to a boil.

4. Add the gelatin.

5. Pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until smooth.

6. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

How To Assemble your French Yule LogDepending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different.

THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP. You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

1) Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with rhodoid (clear hard plastic, I usually use transparencies cut to the desired shape, it’s easier to find than cellulose acetate which is what rhodoid translates to in English) OR plastic film. Rhodoid will give you a smoother shape but you may have a hard time using it depending on the kind of mold you’re using.You have two choices for Step 2, you can either have Dacquoise on the top and bottom of your log as in version A or you can have Dacquoise simply on the bottom of your log as in version B:

2A) Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.

3A) Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.

4A) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

5A) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.

6A) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.

7A) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.

8A) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.

9A) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.

10A) Close with the last strip of Dacquoise.Freeze until the next day.

Assembly UPSIDE DOWN with ONE piece of Dacquoise on the BOTTOM ONLY the order is:

1) Mousse

2) Creme Brulee Insert

3) Mousse

4) Praline/Crisp Insert

5) Mousse

6) Ganache Insert

7) Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY...Unmold the cake/log/whatever and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan.Cover the cake with the icing.Let set. Return to the freezer. You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse, etc...Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than ½ hour before serving as it may start to melt quickly depending on the elements you chose.

Whew! Are you tired from just reading that?? Looks like most DB's took about 6 hours to complete the challenge. Man, when the french throw down the gauntlet, they REALLY throw down the gauntlet

Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

2008-12-30T08:42:00.008-06:00

**Pictures to follow soon**

This past weekend I was instructed to bring cupcakes to the family pot luck. Okay, the instruction part was easy. But deciding what to bring was a whole other ball game. I finally pulled a receipe for a Raspberry Chocolate cake from the Taste of Home Baking Book. But then of course modified it for a family friendly cupcake receipe.

It was a so incredibly flavorful and moist! There was some overflow as the coffee in the recipe really thinned things out, but the results were amazing. I figured it would make 24 cupcakes, nope. We pull 36 and could have probably gone another 12-18 easily. Here's the receipe, with my modifications...

Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes: (yields 48 cupcakes)

The cake:

3 C Sugar

2 3/4 C All purpose Flour

1 C Baking cocoa

1 1/2 t Salt

3/4 t Baking powder

2 t Baking soda

1 1/4 C Buttermilk

3/4 C Veg. Oil

3 t Vanilla

3 Eggs

1 1/2 C Strong Brewed Coffee - Room temperature

In a Large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil and vanilla until mixed well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until combined. Beat in one egg at a time. Gradually add coffee. Note that coffee will thin batter substantially. Spoon into cupcake liners until half full. Anything more than half way will overflow.

Bake at 350* for 20 mins. Remove when tester comes out clear and allow to cool completely.

The Filling:

3 T Flour

6 T Milk

6 T Sortening

3 T Butter, softened

3 C Confectioners Sugar

2 T Raspberry liquor

1/4 t Salt

2 Drops of red food coloring (if desired)

Additional: 4 T Raspberry jam, melted.

When the cupcakes are completely cooled, cut out the center section. Add some of the melted jam to each cupcake. Then Fill with the filling until level with top of cupcake. You can then replace the top of the cupcake, or leave it off likeI did. Then frost...

The Frosting:

1 pkg cold cream cheese

1/3 C butter, softened

1/2 C baking cocoa

1 T raspberry flavoring (the original receipe called for Raspberry liquor)

4 C Confectioners Sugar

I frosted the cupcakes with a large star tip, the mandatory cupcake tip if you ask me. And topped with chocolate dipped Raspberries for added effect. You could simply top with raspberried and chocolate curls or leave plan. They are beautiful just as they are.

This recipe, while step intensive, was amazingly simple and delicious! As soon as I get my memory card back from the husband, I will post pictures of the Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes and their cross section.

No one to blame but myself...

2008-12-29T18:49:00.002-06:00

If you are in the world of cupcake blogs, then you know of the drama engulfing iron cupcake earth. It is with my utmost of sincerities that I write this apology...

I try hard to teach my boys values and integrity but today I showed little of both. In my zest to get recognized in the cupcake blogging world, I didn't think before I acted. This type of noticing was not what I had in mind. I'm a big enough woman and have enough integrity to admit when I am wrong.

I apologize to each ICE competitor this month. While my post to a handful of women was not meant maliciously, it was still a public forum and viewed as such. When I posted for these women to vote for me**, I never dreamed that it would be considered cheating. This handful of women would never sit there voting for me continuously, much less once. But never the less, cheating it was. And for that, I apologize.

I apologize to Sandy for all of your hard work coordinating ICE each month. You put so much into the competition that my actions were like a slap in the face. I admire your creativity and your leadership.

I am no longer a contender in this month's challenge. I'm sad because I know based on the number of votes that I might have actually had a chance this month. And no, those were legitimate votes. (Like I said, only a handful of women were advised how to vote more than once and to my knowledge, none have even voted yet.) I will not be participating next month. But would like to assist Sandy to offset the distress I have caused.

Again I apologize for my actions. The challenge might be full of drama this month, but the challenge isn't over and a worthy competitor will win some amazing prizes.

** To be clear, asking friends, coworkers, spouse, family, etc to vote for you is not considered cheating, but telling them how to vote multiple times is.

VOTE NOW!!

2008-12-29T08:36:00.001-06:00

Its that time again! GO vote for ME (BakingUpChaos) to win the December Iron Cupcake Earth: Chocolate Twist Challenge!!!

WHATS ON THE LINE?
Our December ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:
BETTY TURBO - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5002976
as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.

PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

As an added bonus for December we have adorable cupcake pincushions complements of SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-24T11:15:00.005-06:00

Happy Holidays from our family to your's!

Iron Cupcake Earth: Chocolate Twist

2008-12-22T23:36:00.006-06:00

When Sandy announced this month's Iron Cupcake: Earth Challenge, I just about jumped for joy! But out of fear of being caught and thought to be an even more odd-ball than my cowarkers already think I am, I contained my excitement and started surfing for the perfect combination. By mixing a few recipes across the web, I was able to pull together an amazing entry...

Chocolate Shiner "Stout" Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Bailey's Buttercream Icing...

WOW! I mean seriously. WOW! If that title alone doesn't win this month's Iron Cupcake Earth Challenge, the recipe sure will. This one will warm you from the inside out while calming that chocolate craving that hits mid afternoon. This one is a sure fire winner!! Try it out for yourself if you don't believe me.

Chocolate Shiner "Stout" Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Bailey's Buttercream Icing:

Cupcakes: (makes 44)
2 C Shiner Stout
2 C unsalted butter
1 1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder

4 C all purpose flour
4 C sugar
1 T baking soda
1 1/2 t salt

4 Large eggs
1 1/3 C sour cream

Preheat oven to 350*. Bring 2 C stout and 2 C butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan (this is important or you'll get a serious mess to clean up). Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Fold in batter until completely combined. Divide evenly among cupcake liners and bake until cake tester comes out clean. It was about 15 minutes in my oven. Cool completely on rack.

Ganache: (makes 48)
1 1/2 C dark semi sweet cocolate chips
1 1/3 C heavy cream

Heat cream to a simmer then pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for a minute and stir until blended. Dip cupcakes into chocolate and put in refrigerator to set.

Bailey's Buttercream: (makes 48)
4 sticks of butter, softened
4-6 C of powdered sugar
4 T of Bailey's Irish Cream

Cream all ingredients until desired consistancy and pipe big swirls on each cupcake. Dust with cocoa powder if so desired.

Big Thanks to for December's prizes and sponsers!!

Our December ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists (taken straight from Sandy's website):
BETTY TURBO - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5002976 as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.

PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

As an added bonus for December we have adorable cupcake pincushions complements of SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers:
HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com/, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com/, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com/; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com/; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com/. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com/ .

Submitted for Art you can Eat's Winter Holiday 2008 Book #6 "Cupcakes"

Guest Blogger: Stef & Cupcake Project

2008-12-22T07:12:00.005-06:00

I was so honored when Sherra asked if I would write a guest post and tell you guys a little bit about Cupcake Project!

Cupcake Project has actually been more like Cupcake Projects.

Project 1:

My first project was baking 300 wedding cupcakes for my friends' wedding. As if that weren't enough, I baked them a new flavor of cupcake every week for the year prior to their wedding so that they could pick which cupcakes they wanted on the big day.

The three that they ended up choosing were soda fountain cupcakes (a root beer cupcake with cream soda frosting topped with a malt ball), margarita cupcakes, and gingerbread latte cupcakes.

Project 2:

When another couple I am good friends with announced their engagement, I couldn't help but make them the same offer to bake for their wedding. I again had a year to prepare and gave them different cupcakes to try each week. As you can see in the picture, they clearly had a Fall wedding and chose some great Fall-themed cupcakes: apple cinnamon cupcakes, oatmeal raisin cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes with bourbon and pecan. Oh - and just in case you think based on this picture that I didn't really make very many cupcakes for the second wedding, you should know that I made the same number as the first wedding, they were just hiding and venue's staff kept replenishing them.

Project 3:

With no more readily available engaged friends to bake for, I decided that my next project would be to fix up with of my male cupcake-loving friends (who I call Groom 2.5 although he is definitely a bachelor) with a cupcake baking female - based solely on their love of the cupcake. You can read the whole list of questions that I asked the bachelor and bachlorette in my cupcake love connection post, but here's my favorite one:

Groom 2.5, you are watching Minko bake and discover that she has some extra frosting. What do you suggest that she do with it?

I'd offer to frost her cupcakes.

You are baking cupcakes and Groom 2.5 is watching. You find that you have some extra frosting. What do you do with it?

Put it on my 'cupcakes' and …….

The fatal flaw with the Cupcake Love Connection was that Minko is a located in Australia and my friend is in St. Louis, Missouri. I had a lot of fun trying to set them up, but alas, that project is on hold until they get a chance to meet.

What will project 4.0 be? You'll have to check out my blog to find out. I'll let my readers know as soon as I know.

What are the most exciting word for a Foodie??

2008-12-19T09:50:00.003-06:00

POT LUCK!

I know crazy, right. But seriously if they weren't, then someone please explain why I just stayed up 24hrs+ to bake items for the Office Holiday Pot luck? Did I take on a projec too big? It, in and of itself would have been fine, but add it to finishing 3 gifts and wrapping 4 and it is an all nighter.

Here's the menu:
24 Melting Snowmen Butter Pecan Cupcakes
24 Coconut Vanilla Buttercream Cupcakes
Broccoli Cheese Chicken Braid
Meat & Cheese Tray
Stuffing
Green bean caserole
3 doz deviled eggs

Seams pretty reaonslbe, right? I agree. Or did until my sweet husband had to make modifications to the schedule.

I did however get a chance to retry those melting snowmen. I think they turned on better this time.

Happy Blogaversary I ♥ Cuppycakes!

2008-12-16T09:47:00.003-06:00

Happy Blogaversary to you!
Happy Blogaversary to you!
Happy Blogaversary to Clara!!
Happy Blogaversary to you!

Clara over at I ♥ Cuppycakes is celebrating a very special Blogaversary...1 year!! Congratulations Clara! Cupcakes lifted to you in Cheers for your accomplishment!!

If you haven't seen Clara's blog, take a moment and stop by. She has some amazing receipes, fresh new ideas for cupcakes and generally is an entertainly read. :)

Thanks Clara for make the year so much more enjoyable with your fresh take on cupcakes!