Food Polls and Cupcakes

Did I mention that this blog was not going to be incredibly consistent? I know, I know, it's been since February since I last posted. There's been a lot of activity going on that has prevented the execution of all the blog ideas that have been floating around in my brain, but that's about to change.

Here's what to expect in the next few weeks... cupcakes!!! John and Heather got married on April 30th (one of the very best weddings I've ever been to). With most wedding comes cake ... with John and Heather's wedding there were mini cupcakes! 30 dozen if you're counting (believe me, I was). As soon as I get some great pictures I'm going to share everything, so be prepared, I'm certain it will be lengthy (possibly even entertaining!)

In the meantime, I'm asking for help. One of my plans over the summer, when it's too hot to mow my lawn, is to go out to restaurants and try to deconstruct and reconstruct menu items. Here's where I need the help. Think of your favorite restaurant, think of the dish there that you would most like to make at home. This is what I want you to share with me. At this point, if you're in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Graham area, it's more likely that I will get to that particular restaurant (although, there is a chance that the Richmond, VA and Burlington/Montpelier, VT restaurants might get their shot too).

Any takers?? This is a project I'm looking forward to starting, and I would love the input.

And just because I feel like it's not a post without a picture ... I have added a picture of the cutting cake that I prepared for John and Heather's wedding!!

Comments

Pie Crust -- A Worthy Opponent

I have issues with pie crust. I can make an okay crust, but I always strive for a crust that's more than just okay. Thanksgiving is the time of year where I put my crust skills to the test. I won't lie, I get a little nervous every year at Thanksgiving. I mean, being responsible for dessert for a dozen people is a big responsibility! Every year I try a little something different with my crust, striving to come up with that perfectly flaky crust that makes people wanting to go back for more. I THINK I might have found it this year. I think I ran across the concept on Pinterest , and although I didn't pin that recipe, it got me thinking about it. Sour cream pie crust. It was intriguing... would it work? Would I like the result? I had the ingredients, so I tried it (with slight modification). Here's the recipe from food.com. My modified recipe is below: Sour Cream Pie Crust (supposedly will make enough for 1 9in pie, but I ...

Quick Alfredo

Sometimes, it's hard to get to the grocery store. I'm just going to put that out there. Recently, I found myself in the situation where I had a box of pasta in the cupboard and a stick of butter in the fridge (along with a few unidentifiable items in plastic containers, but as a pseudo-chef, I should likely not admit to having such things in my home). As I was reaching for the butter, I noticed that I had a bit of whipping cream, and a shaker can of Parmesan cheese (don't judge). After smelling the cream to make sure it was alright (it was on the verge, I kid you not, of being ready for the trash), I made a down and dirty version of Alfredo sauce. Surprisingly it came out really well. I have a bad habit of not measuring ... with this, just taste as you go and all will be well. I'm giving ingredients and approximate measurements. Down and Dirty Alfredo 1 cup whipping cream (I'm certain that half and half or milk will work just fine) 1 Tbsp. b...

Feta Pesto

Lately I’ve been craving pesto. I don’t even really like pesto, but I’ve been craving it. Normally pesto is just too much basil for me, so I tend to steer clear. In this time of craving however, I dug up the recipe I created for feta pesto. For me, it’s a really good balance of basil, and feta. I LOVE feta… it also has a slight nuttiness from the toasted walnuts. I imagine that I was simply out of pine nuts, and that’s why I used walnuts (plus, it’s also cheaper). Feta Pesto: 1 cup fresh basil ½ cup walnuts (toasted) 1 garlic clove 6 oz reduced fat feta cheese 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1/3-1/2 cup water Place walnuts, basil, and garlic clove into a food processor and pulse, until combined. Add the feta and olive oil and process the mixture until it resembles paste (yum, right?). To the paste, add 1/3 cup of water, and process until creamy. If you want a thick pesto, you can stop here. If you want a more sauce like pesto, continue to add small amounts of water and process until...

Empirical Foodism

Search This Blog