Truffle Butter Popcorn

Ah, these days.

I love 'em.  Christmas was fantastic... I love the fresh start of a new year...and here we are in the in between. It's totally perfect.  It's like these days don't count.  It feels right to sleep absurdly late.  It seems perfectly acceptable to see two movies during the day.

It's the perfect afternoon to throw away every sock that doesn't match and try to find matching lids to tupperware.  Yep, I'm totally ignoring my rotting Christmas tree and opting to organize the kitchen and my closet.  By the time 2012 rolls around, I'll be moving at the speed of light because everything will be so organized.  It's my vision...I'm goin for it.

In the meantime, we must ring in the New Year.  Make it fun.  Keep it simple.  Ignore the hype.

Make this fancy popcorn that is exactly that... fun and fancy and ridiculously simple.

Truffle popcorn and champagne is all you need to say goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012.

Hope you have a smashing New Year's and I'll catch ya in 2012.

Truffle Butter Popcorn
Recipe Notes
Truffle oil is expensive, but totally worth it. I have a tiny bottle that cost about $12, but has lasted years.  You only need a smidge so make the investment and you will have a sprinkle whenever you need it.
Ingredients
1 bag unsalted, unflavored popcorn (8 to 10 cups popped)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon truffle oil
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, to taste
kosher or fine sea salt
Step by Step
Melt butter in a small microwave safe bowl.  Mix truffle oil into butter.  Pop popcorn.  As soon as popcorn is finished pour in a medium sized bowl.  Drizzle butter mixture over popcorn, making sure to turn the popcorn and evenly coat.  Sprinkle parmesan evenly over popcorn while still warm.  Taste popcorn and add salt to taste.  Serve immediately or reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

Christmas was here

It sure was.And it passed much too quickly.
It brought with it a magical eve full of excitement and anticipation. Full of cooking and cooking and cooking. Eating a feast of roast beast, stuffing ourselves and unbuttoning of all-the-sudden-too-tight-pants.A little nativity with a little Joseph and a little Mary, holding a baby Jesus, while scriptures were read.Children in matching jammies (my

A Cake Pop Christmas.

My dad & I build cake pop towers..sparkly ones!

I will never forget when my dad showed me his sparkly fingernail after working hours on a beautiful cake pop tower.  The sparkly glue was stuck on his fingernail for days. ♥ Only a real man can walk around for a week with a sparkly fingernail!

This week my dad and I worked as a team to make 510 cake pops and cake pop towers for Red Shoes PR in Appleton.

♥ A true work of love.

Distributed all around as a Christmas gift from Red Shoes PR to their clients in Appleton.  And they picked me, Amanda Cupcake as their Cake Pop Santa!? ♥

 People always say my creations look "Dr. Seuss-esque" , and Red Shoes PR was another to tell me this! So naturally, they requested something right out of a children's book. ♥  It's funny, because Dr. Suess has been my role model for life.  Not only in creating, but I love the whimsical yet deep way that he looked at everything.  Kids and adults everywhere can read his books and learn something ahhmazing.

Flavors:

Green: Red Velvet

Red: Chocolate

Brown: Eggless Cookie Dough

Tiffany Blue: Vanilla Mint

And of course, sparkles always taste amazing!

An entire Christmas tree, on a stick that is on sparkly cake pop tower.  That tastes like Whoville!

(this is Whoville).

I feel like I am there right now..

This is what happens when a father and a daughter have a vision!

What does this make you think of?

The Abominable Snowman perhaps?

Back to Whoville...

I molded the cake pop mixture into little cones.

First I made a cake pop ball.

 I rolled the ball into a pointed cone shape to resemble a tree.

Of course, endless sprinkles & stars, sparkles, and swirls of snow really bring the trees to life. ♥

Snowballs ♥

Vanilla Mint.

Should I write an edible storybook?

Cookie Dough Christmas Cake Pop Trees!



this christmas

happy.happy.It started out as flour. molasses. cinnamon, and ginger.It was rolled and shaped and baked.pieces. of a house.It's walls went up--a bit crooked.Its roof was placed on top--leaning just a little to the right.Icing was dripped, candy was dropped.A little bit funny, a lot imperfect, but a happy, happy house.Made with all of the best intentions,and a whole lot of sugar.Is it perfect?

A Merry Mousy Christmas.

Merry Christmas To All Creatures Small.........

......................And Great 

I hope your day is filled with love, joy and family blessings.

Edible gift idea: Brownie mix

Click image for recipe!

Hemmagjorda julklappar är alltid uppskattade, särskilt sådana som smakar bra. Den här idén funkar med en mängd olika recept, problemet är bara att få ingredienserna att passa exakt i burken. Därför är det bra att avsluta med t.ex. choklad och nötter som jag gjort i det här fallet, så kan man bara lägga till eller plocka bort om det behövs. Glöm inte att packa ingredienserna hårt i burken (särskilt mjöl och kakao) så att de hålls på plats!
Scrolla ner lite så får ni se resultatet (dvs. browniesarna, eller vad man nu säger i plural). De är riktigt goda kan jag lova.

En annan trevlig sak att ge bort till någon som bakar mycket är vaniljextrakt som jag skrev om förra året.




In English:
Homemade christmas presents are always appreciated, especially ones that taste good! This idea can be used with whichever recipe you like, the problem is fitting all the ingredients into the jar. That's why it's good to top off with ingredients like nuts or chocolate, so you can use a little extra or a little less if you need to.
Make sure to pack everything tightly (especially the flour and cocoa powder) to keep everything in it's place.
Scroll down a little bit to see the result (the brownies, that is..). They are sooo good. Promise.

Be sure to check out my homemade gift idea from last year, vanilla extract!











Efter 3 stora ägg, 150 gram smör, lite vanilj och 30 minuter i ugnen...

And the result, after adding 3 large eggs, 150 g butter, vanilla and baking for 30 minutes...





Browniemix

1 burk (1 liter)

1/2 tsk salt
2 1/2 dl mjöl
1/2 tsk bakpulver
3/4 dl kakao
1 1/2 dl farinsocker
1 1/2 dl strösocker
3/4 dl hackad mörk choklad/ mörka chokladknappar
3/4 dl hackad mjölkchoklad/ mjölkchokladknappar
3/4 dl hackad vit choklad/ vita chokladknappar
100 gram valnötter eller pekannötter

Tillsätt:
150 gram smält smör
3 stora ägg
4 msk starkt kaffe
1 tsk vaniljextrakt

Gör såhär:
Blanda salt, mjöl och bakpulver i en skål. Lägg ingredienserna i följande ordning (packa ingredienserna hårt) i en ren och torr burk:

1/2 av mjölblandningen
Kakao
Resten av mjölblandningen
Farinsocker
Strösocker
Mörk choklad
Mjölkchoklad
Vit choklad
Valnötter/pekannötter

Se till att skicka med instruktioner till den som får burken i present:

Värm ugnen till 175 C. Smörj en ugnsform.
Häll burkens innehåll i en stor skål och blanda väl. Smält smöret och låt det svalna något. Blanda de torra ingredienserna med det smälta smöret, ägg, kaffe och vaniljextrakt. Vispa till en jämn smet. Häll smeten i den förberedda formen och grädda 25-30 minuter.

A few of my favorite things.

1. kitchen magic whisk, Anthropologie...$8.00

2. farmer's market basket, Anthropologie...$14.00

3. egg timer, Crate and Barrell...$4.95

4. Capri Blue Volcano candle, Anthropologie... $28.00

5. baggu reusable grocery bag, Baggu...$8.00

6. microplane zester, Sur la Table... $14.95

We are down to the wire on Christmas. Here are a few of my favorite things that would be great stocking stuffers or last minute gifts.  Everything is under $30 and a few things that might seem unexpected, but will be used over and over.  The whisk adds such a magical touch.  These glass farmer's baskets have a thousand uses in the kitchen.  Have someone on your list that wants nothing to do with the kitchen?  These also happen to be the perfect size for business cards... sure would be a fun pop of color on a desk.  The egg timer might seem like a silly gift, but the person will call you every time they make a hard boil egg and tell you how great you are.  I can't say I make hard boiled eggs all that often, but when I do, I am so glad I have this little gadget and it takes up no space at all.  Anyone who likes to cook is bound to have a lingering smell of fried bacon or a garlic scent that doesn't smell so good at breakfast the next morning.  This is the absolute best smelling candle in the world... homey and fresh all at the same time.  Know a brown bagger or a green grocery shopper?  Baggu bags are perfect.  They are lightweight and portable and you can always have an extra bag on hand and not even realize it because of the small little pouch it scrunches up in.  The microplane zester is such a star.  From zesting citrus to the perfect shaving of parmesan on pasta, it's a necessity.  

Triple Ginger Cookies

"For centuries men have kept an appointment with Christmas. Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, a time of good cheer, home."

~W.J. Ronald Tucker

Happy Holidays! I hope you all are having a great time preparing and celebrating the holidays no matter which one you celebrate.

I want to apologize for my absence from this blog. I appreciate your support and for reading, even though I don't always update as much as I'd like. December 11 was my birthday and my family came to visit to help me celebrate, we had a great time. After their departure I haven't been feeling well. I haven't done my usual making candy and baking that I usually do this time of year. Ah, such is life. Doesn't always go as planned.

Also I had that thing happen with my email account where it looked like I sent out spam. Sorry if I sent you spam. I promise it wasn't me, just a bot/virus thing that I think I've fixed now.

If you aren't finished with your holiday baking or edible gift making I have lots of ideas in the sidebar that I've also included below.

Homemade Food Gifts

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Savory Rosemary Shortbread

Savory Aged Cheddar Shortbread

White Walnut Fudge

Salted Caramels

Wine Jelly

Chocolate Almond Butter Toffee

Street Fair Cinnamon Almonds

Caramel Corn Clusters

Pepper Jelly

Homemade Blackberry Liqueur

Satsuma Mandarin Marmalade

I wanted to share this recipe for my favorite ginger cookies. I love them and I think you will too. they come from a number of trials to find the perfect ginger cookie. The writing below is from a post I made on another blog this time last year.

If there could be a perfect ginger cookie, I'm convinced these chewy morsels could be it. What sets this recipe apart from all others is that it contains 3 types of ginger. This provides a layering of multidimensional ginger flavor. And the crystallized ginger really adds a spicy element. If you'd like to kick the spiciness up a bit, then add a pinch of cayenne pepper. I did to one batch and I loved it. It may not be for everyone, but it adds a special spicy dimension that you can't really put your finger on. If you're skeptical, make the dough, and add a small pinch to only a portion of the dough so you can try it.





Triple Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (200 g,) all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 inch knob fresh ginger, (or 2-3 Tablespoons) peeled and grated*
3/4 -1 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup (packed) (150 g.) brown sugar
1/2 cup (113 g.) vegetable shortening room temperature, or substitute more butter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) (56 g.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 cup mild flavored (light) molasses

raw turbinado sugar, or granulated sugar for rolling

Directions

  Combine first 7 ingredients, (8 if using the cayenne) in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, shortening and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350° degrees Fahrenheit, 180 degrees Celsius, or Gas Mark 4. Cover 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter them. Spoon sugar in thick layer onto small plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Carefully transfer to racks and cool. (Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature.)

*The easiest way to grate fresh ginger is to freeze it first, then peel, then grate it with a microplane or a box grater using the fine holes.

pomegranate

I am excited.I have had this little idea brewing in my head for a while now, and was waiting until the new year to begin....but I just couldn't wait.
There are so many yummy fruits and veggies out there just waiting to be devoured.....but sometimes, we don't know the best way to go about it. Or eat it.Or even peel it. There is some really odd looking and intimidating produce out there, changing

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

It's a jungle out there. 

Driving a few blocks takes an hour.  

The parking lots look like scenes from Braveheart.  

I swear the woman that cut me off was wearing war paint as she came roaring out of oblivion and stole my spot in the mall parking lot.  Did she really need to yell expletives and flip me off?  She got the darn spot.  

 

Let's lock ourselves inside.   If you're in my part of the country, let's crank the air down and act like we are experiencing winter.   Let's make spiked cider and watch Christmas Vacation.   Let's blast Andre Bocelli's Christmas album and sing Celine Dion's parts (do this one for me... I've been banned from singing too loud due to a husband who needs his peace and quiet to study for the Bar exam).  Let's make our houses smell like chocolate.  Let's make it snow in the kitchen with powdered sugar. 

Yep, that will do it.  That will feel like Christmas.

These cookies are unreal.  Chocolatey as chocolate can get.  Smooth and creamy with a barely crusty exterior that is rolled and dusted in sugar.  Whoever you spend your Christmas weekend with will be very happy you brought these along. 

Leave a plate for Santa... he'll be impressed.  

From my little kitchen to yours... Merry Christmas.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Recipe Notes
I have a sifter and sometimes I still don't feel like messing with it.  If you do not have one or you are not in the mood, mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.  Using a fork, fluff and sift all the ingredients with a fork.  Make sure all ingredients are well mixed and no lumps of flour or cocoa powder remain.  Chocolate is the star here so I used Godiva cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate.   The dough will be unbelievable sticky when first mixed.  I had to spoon it onto the saran wrap.  But don't worry... after two hours, it will be firm enough to work with. Make sure to take only one ball of dough at a time and I sprayed my hands with cooking spray, which helped to keep the dough from sticking to my hands.  The dough will get harder to work with the longer it is out of the refrigerator.
Ingredients
8oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
11/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powder sugar
Step by Step
Melt chocolate in a double boiler then set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

In a mixer or using a hand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in eggs, vanilla, and then the melted chocolate.  Reduce speed to low mix in flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk. Divide dough into four equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Take one ball of dough out of the refrigerator at a time.  Working quickly,  pinch off the dough and roll into one inch balls.   Roll in the granulated sugar to coat, then in powder sugar to coat.  Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until surfaces crack, about 12 to 14 minutes rotating sheets half way through. Take cookies out when edges are set, but be careful to not over bake.  Cool on a wire rack and store at room temperature.

it takes two

surprise surprise.......I'm blogging another treat. what has december done to me?
toffee.we made this. Robby and I. together.Because he is home now,on school break. and I love it.(well....home-ish. he's still working of course but no school is the BEST)we are jumping at every chance we get to play and laugh together. because isn't that what marriage is all about? playing and laughing together. 

Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes In the Winter!

Waking up on a winter morning wrapped up in my snuggie, looking out the window at a fresh snowfall is kind of like comfort food. And when the sun goes down, the sparkles in the snow become twinkly stars.

If I lived in an edible winter wonderland, the snow would be fluffy and creamy and sugary. Like a dream.

Orange and White Winter Dreamsicle Cupcakes.

♥

I used an extra large #9 Open Star Tip to swirl frosting dreams come true.

The tip looks like this and you can buy it at Ateco:

I used a basic buttercream frosting recipe, and added a splash of orange extract. See recipe below.

My favorite brand of icing color (especially their "electric" line of colors!):  Americolor.

Picking up the cupcake with a stick and eating it like an orange dreamsicle in the winter is an indulgent fantasy, truly.  I used mini "Woodsies" popsicle sticks as cupcake toppers. You can buy them at Hobby Lobby.

little dreams ready for delivery.

Simple Recipe for your very own Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes:

(Makes approximately 24 cupcakes!)

Ingredients needed:

1 box of white cake mix

3 oz package of Orange Jello Mix

3 or 4 oz package of Cheesecake pudding mix

1 1/4 Cup Orange Juice

4 Eggs

1/3 C Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Orange Extract

Optional (and I like adding this..):  1 tsp of Orange Zest

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  Line your cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners.

3.  In a bowl or a stand mixer, whip all of your ingredients together for approximately 2 minutes.

4.  Once ingredients are blended, use an ice cream scoop to fill your cupcake liners with batter-approximately 2/3 full.

5.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The delicious frosting:

1 lb of butter

1 Tablespoon of Milk or Heavy Whipped Cream

1 Teaspoon of Orange Extract

2 tsp of Orange Jello Powder

appx 2-3 Cups of Confectioners Sugar

Optional:

• Combine 4 oz of cream cheese with your butter & milk
• Add 1 Tablespoon of Orange Zest to the frosting blend.
• Sample your frosting with a popsicle stick ♥ I really recommend this!

Instructions:

1. In your Mixer, Blend Butter & Milk until creamy & dreamy.

2. Add Orange Extract & Jello Powder to the whipped goodness.

3. Gradually add Confectioners Sugar.  This is where you decide how much you want to add. The more sugar you add, the thicker the texture of the frosting.

I add about 3 cups of this to achieve a dreamy swirl of frosting. You can always add more milk to make the frosting creamier.

♥ 

Peanut butter & chocolate cookies

Scroll down for English text! Click images for recipe.

Nu är det verkligen jul på riktigt, fast jag tycker inte det känns så ändå. Jag saknar snön.
Granen är i alla fall uppe, ni kan titta på den här fast jag har lagt till ytterligare dekorationer nu. Och nej, jag har inte lagt till stjärnorna i Photoshop, jag har använt ett fiffigt stjärnfilter! Jag tycker fortfarande att granen är bland det bästa med julen. Jag kan bara sitta och titta på den i en evighet. När jag var liten klädde vi alltid granen den 23:e på kvällen. Så gör jag inte längre. Jag vill hinna njuta av granen före julafton. Hur gör ni?

Hursomhelst så måste ni prova de här kakorna. Småkakor av olika slag är ju aldrig fel, särskilt inte när det är jul. Lagom söta och en aning salta.








Kakor med jordnötssmör och choklad
40-50 st

125 gram osaltat smör
1 tsk vaniljpulver
5 3/4 dl mjöl
3 tsk bakpulver
3 stora ägg
3 1/2 dl socker
1 1/4 dl krämigt jordnötssmör
150 gram mörka chokladknappar (eller hackad choklad)
50 gram mjölkchokladknappar
150 gram torrostade jordnötter

Smält smöret på medelstark värme. Rör om då och då. Låt sjuda tills smöret är brynt och luktar svagt karamellaktigt, ungefär 5 minuter. Låt svalna.

Vispa samman mjöl och bakpulver i en skål.
Vispa äggen och sockret vitt och fluffigt i en annan skål, tillsätt sedan det smälta smöret och vanilj och vispa till en jämn smet.
Tillsätt de torra ingredienserna i två omgångar och vispa tills det blir till en fast kakdeg. Vänd ner all choklad samt jordnötter.

Värm ugnen till 175 grader. Forma degen till små bollar som du sedan lägger på bakplåtspapper (lämna ordentligt med mellanrum mellan dem!). Grädda tills kakorna är gyllenbruna runt kanterna, cirka 12-15 minuter.




In English:
It doesn't feel like christmas even though it's only one week left until christmas eve. I wish it would snow. Just a little.

The christmas tree is up. You can watch it here if you want to. I've added even more decorations now though. In case you're wondering, I haven't added the sparkles in photoshop (I would never!). I actually used a nifty star filter! The christmas tree is still one of my favorite things about christmas. When I was little we used to dress the tree on the 23rd (we celebrate on the 24th). I don't do that anymore. I want to enjoy the tree before christmas is over. How about you? When do you dress your tree?
Now I'm going to stop saying christmas. I've had waaay to much coffee.

Anyway, you have to try these cookies. Perfect!