Lemon Cupcakes

The Beats!

So I'm not really sure how to start this post. It feels a little awkward and uncomfortable. You know, like when you see a friend before Thanksgiving and say "Oh, I won't wish you Happy Holidays now because I'm sure to see you plenty before then!" and then the next time you see them is mid-February. Anyway, I'm great at creating awkward situations so I'll just dive right into this one with the usual "Ohhhh, it's SO good to see you! How have you been?!" How was that? Only a little awkward? Ok, I'll tell you about awkward...
 
A few years ago I decided that every year I'd get out of my comfort zone to try a new activity. So far this has meant I've learned to row - skulling down the canal in Fremont, backwards, blindly steering towards massive barges. I officially became a culinary school drop out. I subjected my body to weekly abuse by joining a dodge ball team. I completed a climbing course which taught me crevasse rescue, how to spend the most comically miserable night of my life in a snow cave (in a non-emergency situation), and ways to explore some of the most incredible outdoors I have ever seen. I've discovered I might go pro as a kickball player. And most recently, that I am not made for meditation. Yep, "New Thing 2012" was meditation. 
 
I walked into class a few weeks ago a little skeptical because, for the most part, I'd rather be lazily relaxing (i.e. sleeping) than intellectually relaxing. But I was trying to keep an open mind. Twenty strangers took off their shoes and awkwardly sat in a circle for a couple of hours trying to get their zen on. With twenty minutes until freedom, the instructor left the room and seconds later the really loud beat of drum circle music started buzzing in the room. Whaaaaat, NO! I totally know where this is going and I'm trapped! What do you know, he walks back in and commands that we "DANCE!" His next command is to repeat his motions which appear to be straight out of the Hokey Pokey. Ummmm ok, dude, I realize you're a hippie, but "you put your right hand in, you put your right hand out" ... really?! And then it just gets worse ... He tells the person to his right to make up a "move" which we will then all imitate. And around the circle we go. All I could think of was HOW BADLY I WANTED TO BUST OUT THE BERNIE. But after the ninth person did yet another "Slight Variation of the Hokey Pokey" I realized the crowd wasn't worthy of the Bernie, or the Stanky Leg, or Jerkin', so I did something equally lame. I have since decided I will be a meditation flunkie for other reasons, but this blog post is to avenge my shameful hokey pokey meditation dance move. 
 


Oh, and by the way, I hope you had a wonderful holiday, happy new year ... and how have you been?!  

The Treats!

I'll be brief here since I just overwhelmed you with a boring story. 
These. Cupcakes. Are. Good.

Lemon Cupcakes
From Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
Makes 12

What you'll need ...

Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus extra to decorate
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
 
Filling (optional)
Lemon curd
 
Lemon Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest
a few drops of yellow food coloring (optional)
2 Tablespoons whole milk



Preheat the over to 325 degrees. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and butter in a mixer and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in the milk and beat until just incorporated.

Add the egg to the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cake bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean. Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, I would recommend you use a sharp knife to cut out a conical bit of the top of the cupcake top and fill with about a tablespoon of lemon curd. Clearly, adding this step will make you appear much more badass, although it's not required. Also, clearly, the cookbook does not claim you will be more badass. I'm claiming that you will be.



For the frosting: Beat together the confectioners' sugar, butter, lemon zest, and food coloring, if using, in a mixer on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to a slower speed. Slowly pour in the milk, then when it is all incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. 


Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes. When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the lemon frosting on top and decorate with a little lemon zest.

Dark Magic Gingerbread

The Move!

I was running on the treadmill in my dad's basement a few years ago, with a DVD of the Talking Heads playing on the screen about 3 feet from my face. It was during this work out that I realized something that probably everyone in my parent's generation has known for decades. David Byrne is one craaaaaaaaaazy dude. His body moves like a cooked piece of spaghetti being waved about. And then there's the move that reminds me of the hanging wooden man at my grandma's house, where you can pull a cord and his arms and legs jerk up and down. So since we're taking this playlist back a few decades I just want to share the trailer for the video that changed my life.

Weird right? Oh wait, better idea ... Chuck Berry's Duck Walk. For Thanksgiving just make it the Turkey Walk.

The Beats!

We're going back to some old school rock. Because you have a turkey to cook. And they take forever. And if you haven't taken it out of the freezer yet, do it now. When you're ready, duck walk it into the oven.

The Treats!

If you have any doubts about what your Thanksgiving dessert should be, or maybe just an open spot on the menu (because Thanksgiving is one of those days when there needs to be at least 2 varieties of pie, in addition to all the other dessert items) ... choose this recipe. My stepdad made it for Christmas dinner last year and then my sister and I proceeded to continue eating it for our post-dessert dessert, breakfast, and lunch. That good (it is called Dark Magic Gingerbread afterall, I didn't just make that up). It's already moist and then you add homemade butterscotch on top - BAM, best dessert you've ever had. And it's a fall treat so you're kinda pinched for time here. It might look a little intimidating; in fact, I was a bit scared of making butterscotch especially when I read the line "when it barely begins to smoke", oh, and where it mentions "it can sputter and get kind of wild". It's not as bad as it sounds, and as it turns out, wild butterscotch tastes even better than regular type. Happy Thanksgiving y'all.

Dark Magic Gingerbread with Butterscotch Sauce
From With a Measure of Grace 
makes at least 12 servings


What you'll need ...

Gingerbread

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 1/2 sticks butter

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups dark molasses

1 1/4 cups boiling water

 1 Tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

Butterscotch Sauce

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cut water

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or Scotch whiskey


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13" baking pan. Sift or stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a large bowl, beat butter until it's creamy. Gradually add eggs and sugar and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until batter is light in color and texture, 2 or 3 minutes. Slowly beat in the molasses.





Add the flour mixture and stir with a spoon until it's just combined. You don't want to overmix this cake. Stir in boiling water slowly, mixing well, then add crystallized ginger (make sure you've already chopped it into small pieces).

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake it for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed on top.

To make the butterscotch, combine butter, water, and corn syrup in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted.

Add sugar and stir until it's really dissolved - completely smooth and no longer making gritty, scraping sounds. Increase heat and boil without stirring until the mixture starts to brown around the edges. Start stirring at this point, and continue to stir as it thickens and turns a darker brown.

When it just barely begins to smoke, remove from heat and pour in cream (be careful here, because it can sputter and get kind of wild). Stir butterscotch until it's dissolved. If it's stubborn and won't melt, place briefly over low heat and stir the lumps out.


Add salt and vanilla extract or Scotch and stir well. Reheat before pouring over gingerbread.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Move!

 

The following playlist is a little on the electronic side, but since I'm using it as my soundtrack for solo snowboarding days on the mountain, we're going to use the moves as my warm up. Plus, I'm pretty sure I could do the jerk while on my board.  Maybe I already do.

And here's a little montage of the Biebs doing the jerk, the reject, etc. No, I didn't make it ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOyC6wJ1meM&feature=related

The Beats!

Last year I went snowboarding solo for the first time.  I would always prefer to be surrounded by my friends, screaming down the mountain and talking on the lift ride back up, but on this day my friends were taking some turns in the backcountry so I decided to ride Stevens Pass with my iPod in hand.  It was a blast.  I can't remember what I listened to that day, but I remember thinking the music sounded better and moving over the snow felt more fluid and fast.  Nope, not on drugs (that's what you were thinking, I know).  My friend once wrote, "I thought of the beauty of winter and the tracks we can leave.  After a fresh snowfall I look at the new world left by the snow, all white and so smooth. And if the sun or moon is right, then sparkling gems appear, more precious than any diamond. On this canvas left by nature we may draw or paint as we please ...".  So here's to another season of riding the sparkling snow with good friends, the rest of my apple cup waiting in the car (if you haven't stopped by the bakery in Monroe on your way out Hwy 2 you are seriously missing out), and the perfect playlist ready for my next solo ride.

The Treats!

I've always been a big fan of cookies.  As long as they are warm and chewy then they're probably my favorite unhealthy thing to eat.  After trying many, many different recipes in search of the perfect chocolate chip cookies, I've decided there are three deal breakers on whether or not I'll give a new recipe a try.  The deal breakers:
1. There should always be more brown sugar than white sugar.
2. Every recipe needs at least a tablespoon of vanilla extract.
3. Mixing semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips make them that much better. And if you're feeling rich, buy the Guittard brand, but try not to eat them all before they make it into the batter.  It's harder than you think.
This was the first time I'd tried this recipe and I wasn't disappointed.  I recommend rotating the baking sheets halfway through and make sure not to overbake them.  As long as you give them time to cool  they will settle into big, chewy, chocolatey cookies.  And what's not to love about that?

Chocolate Chip Cookies           

Makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies

What you'll need ...

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar 
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.  







Beat in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and creamy.  Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.  Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.  






Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted.  Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before removing to cool completely.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

The Move!

Wow, right? It's almost too hard to pick a move from this video because they are all soooooooo good.  And if you don't know the running man by now, well, you should.  Look it up.

The Beats!

This playlist is taken directly from my playlist made in 2008 for the 80's Jazzercise party.  I'll spare you a play-by-play of the night and pictures of the spandex, but I will not spare you the totally sick beats.  What is there not to like about 80's music?  What, you don't wear your sunglasses at night?  Your number isn't 867-5309?  Doesn't matter.  Just make sure you look like a champ when you're rockin' out.  Which brings me to a quick story (don't worry, I promised to skip a full play-by-play): Among the crowd of people that showed up to the party was someone I didn't know (not unusual).  He was dressed in sparkly celestial black spandex tights with a light turquoise belly tanktop (I will refer to him as Belly Tank from now on).  Oh and a sweatband around his head of course.  Belly Tank decided to lead the party in a team stretch so no one would pull a hammie doing the sprinkler.  And at that moment, mankind came together, sharing the same goal - a pre-Jazzercise stretch.  Limbered up, we all got back to dancing and drinking and talking way too loud.  I still don't know Belly Tank's name (clearly) but I've always appreciated this strangers concern for the well-being of everyone there.  So, (I kept that pretty short right?) inspired by Belly Tank, I recommend you put on some spandex, strrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeetch, and then bust a move.

The Treats!

As a pre-party to the 80's jazzercise party we hosted a cut-throat brownie bake-off.  Four contestants resulted in about 100 brownies which we then served by walking through the crowd with an enormous tray raised overhead, yelling over Salt 'n Peppas "Push It" that people need to help judge the competition by trying a brownie between their beers and dancing.  I should admit, I lost the bake off ... which is why this won't be a brownie recipe and will instead be a pumpkin cupcake recipe. This is one of my favorites and I usually try to make as many batches as possible between early October and late November. I guess I've spared you by waiting until October has passed, but do make sure to try these out before Pumpkin season is over.

Pumpkin Cupcakes              

From Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Makes 12

What you'll need ...

Cupcake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
scant 3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs
6 1/2 oz. canned pumpkin puree


Frosting:
2 1/3 cups confectioners sugar
3 Tablesoons unsalted butter, room temp
4 oz. cream cheese, cold

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a freestanding electric mixer.  Beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.








Gradually pour in the milk and beat until well mixed. Add the eggs to the mix and beat well (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).  Stir in the pumpkin puree by hand until evenly dispersed.





Spoon the batter into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until light golden and the cake bounces back when touched.  Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan before turning out to cool completely.






For the frosting: Beat the confectioners sugar and butter together in a freestanding mixer on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.  Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated.  Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed.  Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.  Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny. When the cupcakes are cold, spoon cream cheese frosting on top and finish with a light sprinkling of cinnamon.

Blackberry Galette

The Move!

The time has come ...
Here's a move we can all do:

THE BERNIE

I think the bernie can be done almost anywhere and be totally appropriate.  At work, at the grocery store, in the car, at a football game (obvi), or walking down the aisle at your wedding. Seriously, you will never fail to gain respect with this move.  This kid is just proving that point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcuLSw5aS-8&feature=related.

And when people flock to you because you look SO GOOD you can just push them away like Ray Rice because YOU DO LOOK THAT GOOD ....  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ORn5zft1_o

The Beats!

Welp!  Fall is definitely here. The leaves have turned, the clouds and rain are back for the next 9 months, and I'm sick.  And this is how the season of Becky turning into a weak sauce, stuffy nosed, dude-sounding girl begins.  On the bright side, it means cider, pumpkin pie, and fuzzy blankets, which are some of my favorite things.  Anyway, after waking up this morning barely able to breath I'm going with a fairly mellow playlist.  If you're feeling a little melancholy, maybe it's not the best choice.  But then if you can manage to exaggerate that melancholy you can turn the music up even louder and sway back and forth, arms in the air, singing way too loud with a distraught look on your face and I guarantee you'll feel better by the end.  Yeah, I know the bernie doesn't fit with this music, so make it fit. These are some of my favorite mellow tunes.  The ones where I do just that (the swaying, crying, belting out, ok - maybe not the crying ...).  But most of them have great memories behind them.  Singing loud on a car trip across Montana to see one of my best friends get married, or in the hallway with my roommate with hairbrushes and blow-dryers as mics.  Oh and I used to think I had an obsession of tragic sounds about outer space (Rocket Man by Elton John, Space Oddity by David Bowie, Lost in Space by Aimee Mann ... ) but I've spared you by NOT making that the theme of this playlist.

The Treats!

A blackberry galette from a cookbook called "How to Be a Domestic Goddess"?!  YESSSS.  Cause that's how classy we are.  In pajamas.  In the kitchen.  BUT, with an awesome apron on.  Doing the bernie.  While baking.  BOOOM, you have the best Saturday of your life.  And I'm just gonna be revolutionary and say you can find a way to fit "the bernie" into a slow, sad playlist.  Or go back to a more lively one so that you can at least try it once.  This galette turned out pretty good, although it was one of those recipes where you're just not confident until its in your mouth (I know I'm going to hear back about part of that statement. Shhhhh.).    Maybe it's because Nigella's British, or maybe it's because I eat too much, but the picture in her cookbook looked a little deceiving as it looked pizza sized and said it served six.  It's more like personal pizza sized and if  you have self control it'll serve four.  So if you're making it for company double the recipe and make two, or one big one.  Oh, and really, you DO need the kickass apron ... http://treatsandbeats.blogspot.com/p/few-favorites.html .

Blackberry Galette              

From How to Be a Domestic Goddess
(Nigella say's it serves 6, but I'd say 4 ...)

What you'll need ...

Pastry:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons fine cornmeal
1 scant Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
scant 1/4 cup cold butter
1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening
1-3 Tablespoons ice water (enough to bind)

Filling:
1/2 pint blackberries
approx. 3 Tablespoons sugar
3 heaping Tablespoons creme fraiche
Cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon sugar

In a food processor (or with a potato masher in a bowl like I did), mix the dry ingredients, then add the butter and shortening diced into small pieces. Mix briefly  until it resembles coarse bread crumbs, then add enough ice water to form a dough, mixing gently.  Form it into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to rest for about 30 minutes (or overnight like I did - I made this on a warm day and had trouble with the dough being too sticky).




Preheat the over to 375 degrees.  Roll the pastry out into a rough circle, transfer to a greased baking sheet, and scatter blackberries on top, leaving 3" margin around the edge.  Sprinkle with 1-2 Tablespoons of sugar, to taste.

Dollop with creme fraiche.  Sprinkle a further Tablespoon of sugar over, dampen the edges with water, then wrap them over themselves to form a knobbly, ramshackle rim ... this is why I love Nigella - a "knobby, ramshackle rim?  Ok, no problem".








Put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through.

Apple Pie

The Move!

I'm trying something different with the beats this week ... country.  I'll explain that in a minute.  BUT, I still really wanted to put a "normal" move up here, ya know, something like The Bernie or Jerkin or The Stanky Legg.  But then you really couldn't put the move and the playlist together.  At all.  Siiiiigh, I guess I will put country moves on here (i'm whining if you can't tell).  I get in trouble at just about every wedding I go to when they start playing country music.  First I say "no", then I say "I don't country dance" and then finally "FINE! I warned you!"  Then one minute later I hear, "Wait, you're from Wyoming?  Why don't you know how to country dance?  Wyoming girls always try to lead."  Seriously dude, I don't want to be out here either.  Annnyway, maybe someday I'll learn so I can avoid that conversation altogether.  

The Tush Push??  Whaaaat?! ... HAHAHA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AupZaN1ZP-c&feature=related
  
The Beats!

Ummm, I don't really know what happened but for some reason I thought apple pie ... and I thought country music.  This never happens.  To be honest, I've never really had any interest in classic country.  I like bluegrass, I like folk, I don't like depressing, whiny music.  My roommate in college used to listen to country on Sundays and when I would come home and turn on the stereo ... I would realize what had happened.  Sometimes I was forced into hearing a few lines before I could find the remote to change back to my thug station.  Anyway, I'm making an exception today.  But since I've never listened to country I asked a friend to come up with a list of his favorite songs.  He sent me the names of 36 songs and I recognized 1 of them.  I added a few of my own, one of which I'm not even sure qualifies as country, but it's close enough.  Here goes:



 
The Treats!

Here's the apple pie, as promised.  I collected the apples from a park down the street while my dad and step-mom were visiting ... Carolyn climbed up the tree to knock the best looking apples down to my father (attempting to catch them) while I jumped from below, snatching branches and shaking them until they pummeled me and the ground.  I'm sure we made a scene, maybe more entertaining than the nearby cricket match.  Anyway, the apples were tart and flavorful, and free.  I don't dislike apple pie, but it's never been my favorite (which somehow seems un-American) but this recipe is ridiculously easy and it is pretty darn good served warm with vanilla icecream.  And maybe with caramel sauce ...  

Apple Pie              

From Cooking Light Complete Cookbook

(makes 1 pie, 10 servings or 5 ramekin pies)
 

What you'll need ...

1 crust (bought or homemade)
8 cups thinly sliced peeled apples 
(about 8 medium apples, something tart like Braeburns)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt


Cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon sugar


Well, after the blackberry pie, and now this you've probably guessed that I don't usually make my own pie crusts.  My grandmother always made delicious pie crusts, but I just find it too tempting to pick up the pre-made crusts and within five minutes have a pie put together.  If you prefer homemade crusts I'm all for it.  Also, if you'd like, you can turn this recipe into "personal" pies, made with small ramekins.  Follow the same instructions, cutting the crust into smaller circles. Check the pies before the full baking time, as they may not require the full time.

To prepare filling, mix apple and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Combine 2/3 cups sugar and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Sprinkle sugar mixture over apple; toss well to coat.

Place crust bottom into pie baking dish, spread with lightly beaten egg.  Spoon filling into dish, brush edges of dough lightly with water.  Place crust top over filling and press edges of dough together.  Fold edges under; press together with fingers (flute).  Brush crust top with lightly beaten egg, cut 4 1-inch slits into top of pastry using a knife. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon of sugar.

Place pie (or ramekins) on baking sheet, bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 40 minutes or until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.