Why is there so much hate for the number 3? Supposedly 3′s a crowd and if there is a 3rd person on an outing they are the 3rd wheel. And then they also say bad things always come in 3′s. I mean this is just unfair hate for the number 3! I think 3 cupcakes is fabulous! You always need 3…or 33….or 333….
These cupcakes were fabulous! I really, really liked the actual cake part of the cupcakes. Then again, I am a self proclaimed Coke-A-Holic! Growing up I would beg my Dad to take me to the gas station and buy me a bottle of Mexico Coke. And what is Mexico Coke? Well…it is coke, in the glass bottle, made in Mexico. Apparently the USDA came out and told people not to drink it because they found some bad stuff in it…something like lead, or lighter fluid, or anthrax. Whatever it was, it made for DELICIOUS Coke. Like honest to God crack (Let me just say I have no idea what actual crack is like, but if I would guess, I would say it is the equivalent of Mexico Coke). So to make these cupcakes, I knew I just had to go find some of the real Mexico Coke. In Texas, it was really, REALLY easy to find. Here in Florida….not as easy. However I drove on down to one of the Spanish stores around here and picked up a hundred couple bottles to make these cupcakes. I think it really put the edge on the cupcakes. Coke in a glass bottle has a lot stronger flavor then regular coke, so it gave it that extra bit. The cake was moist, delicious, and with a great hint of Coke. When filled with the cherries, topped with the glaze and whip cream frosting…they really take on a Coke Float likeliness! I was really happy with how these turned out and plan on making these again!
Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes
Printable Recipe
Cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
6 T cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups Coke (don’t use diet)
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 can cherry pie filling
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with liners or spray with baking spray. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa in a bowl and set aside.
In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and beat on medium-high until light and creamy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating about 1 minute after each. In a large mixing cup or small bowl, combine buttermilk, Coke and vanilla extract. (Make sure you wait for the foam to go down when measuring the Coke and don’t worry if your mixture looks curdled when you add the buttermilk.)
Beginning with the dry ingredient mix, add in 4 parts to the butter mixture, alternating with the Coke mixture. Beat each addition just until incorporated.
Use a cookie scoop or piping bag to transfer the batter to the muffin tins, filling each tin about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center cupcake comes out clean. Cool about 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, use a paring knife to cut out a cone shape in the middle of each cupcake. Add a spoonful of cherry mixture (2-3 cherries) to the well.
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 T Coke
Mix together with a whisk in a small bowl. The mixture should run slowly off a spoon so you can drizzle the cupcakes but it won’t run all over the place.
Icing:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
6 T powdered sugar
Maraschino Cherries for garnish
Beat cream in a chilled bowl with whisk attachment or hand mixer on low speed. Begin adding sugar, 1 spoonful at a time, increasing speed as the cream comes together. Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks, if you dip a spoon in it, the whipped cream should stay on the spoon when you turn it upside down. Pipe the whipped cream onto cupcakes as desired and top with maraschino cherries for garnish.
I used the delicious adapted version on: Homemade By Holman
This recipe was originally from: Nigella Lawson’s ‘How to be a Domestic Goddess’.
I believe there are signs in life and that sometimes when you pray you get an answer. It may come as a surprise and even in a way you totally did not expect. But it happens. And it happened to me today. Last night I was cleaning out a closet and I came across something I had shoved in it. My sweet kitty Caesar’s old bed. We had to put him down a few months ago and it was absolutely heartbreaking for both Jorge and I. I felt so lost without him and felt that he was taken from me way to soon. Some people may not understand, but until you have a pet that is truly part of the family…you just will not get it. And that is what he was, part of the family. So last night I found his bed, that I had shoved way in the back, because I had no idea how to deal with the pain I felt when I saw it. And last night, a few months after he passed, I stumbled across it. And I thought of all the great times and his unique, quirky personality. And I started to cry because I miss him. And then I prayed. I prayed that he is ok where ever he may be…and that he knows that Jorge and I love and miss him and did everything we could for him. And then I put his bed back because I was not sure what else to do with it, and I went to bed. Then this afternoon the UPS man stopped by and when I opened the door, in ran this little baby girl…
I stood there staring at the UPS guy and he just shrugged and said “Sign here please?”. So I scooped up the little kitten that just ran inside and started walking up and down knocking on my neighbors doors. Eventually I found out that some people moved this last weekend and two neighbors noticed that she showed up on Friday. At this point, I was getting so aggravated with my neighbors. This kitten was skin and bones and so scared to be outside, and people saw her…and just left her. But I said, well I guess you are home now, and headed inside. I took her upstairs and put her in the office and sat down next to her. And it hit me and I immediately started crying and calling Jorge. Caesar sent her to me. It is his way of telling me he is ok and that he knows we would take care of this little kitty like we took care of him. And I will. I am taking her tomorrow to get checked out at the vet and as long as everything checks out ok, I am going to introduce her to our other 4 legged babies. You may not believe in signs, but I do. And I never asked for a sign but I sure did get one. And I am definitely not going to ignore it. And now the only thing left is to give her a name to fit her sweet, chatty personality! My Mom says she looks like Halloween…so we might name her Pumpkin or Trixie (for Trick or Treat) or who knows…but any good ones I would love to hear!
Now this had absolutely NOTHING to do with these delicious Blackened Fish Tacos. I wish it did. Caesar did love fish…but that’s a pretty weak connection! I just had to share this story with you guys, because it truly amazed me and reminded me that someone really is looking down on us and listening…and sometimes we do get signs or prayers answered. But please, don’t take the lack of a funny tale about these tacos as a sign that these tacos are any less then amazing. They are honestly one of the absolute best Fish Tacos I have had! Part of that can be attributed to the sauce…which was spicy and just incredibly flavorful. And the other part is from how the fish was blackened. Both recipes are from my parents, so to me…it just makes it that much better! These truly made for a delicious, fresh, light dinner…perfect for one of these hot summer nights!
Edited to say: Yes I have marked this recipe as Ass Friendly, and yes it calls for a stick of butter. But 2 lbs of fish, is a lot of fish. If you were to make these with one pound, it would only be half a stick of butter. Next, the butter is melted, and most of the butter stays in the bottom of the pan, not on the fish!
Blackened Fish Tacos
Printable Recipe
You will need:
2 lbs sea trout fillets (or any white fish), cut into 1 inch thick fillets
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup blackening seasoning
2 tablespoon olive oil
Corn Tortillas, heated
Cabbage, Shredded
Fish Taco Sauce (below)
Coat cast iron skillet with olive oil. Preheat cast iron skillet to roughly 350 degrees in the oven. And once heated, move to grill that has already been heated to 400 degrees.
Toss fish with melted butter. Using 1/4 cup seasonings cover one side of fish. Place seasoning side down in cast iron skillet. Allow to cook for 2 minutes. During this time coat the side of fish facing up with the other 1/4 cup seasonings. Flip fish and allow to cook another 2 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.
Then fill tortillas with fish, cabbage, a drizzle of the Fish Taco Sauce and enjoy!
Fish Taco Sauce:
You will need:
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup light mayo
1 tablespoon Garlic Salt
1-2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, to taste
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro, or to taste
Using your food processor or blender, purée all ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to use.
A Novice Chef Original Recipe
I have been trying to decide how to approach this post for the last week. Should I just graze over the subject of the Oil Spill in the Gulf Of Mexico? Should I go deep and tell you exactly what I think? Should I badger you with tons of photos of the animals and people it is affecting? Should I talk about it just a little and then move on? In the end, I came to the conclusion that there is no good way to go about this. It is something close to my heart and an issue that can easily get me “hot under the collar”. So, I figured I will just talk to you from my heart.
The stunning Gulf Of Mexico a month before the Oil Spill
My family lives all around the Gulf Of Mexico…all the way from Galveston, Texas to Tampa, Florida. My grandmother was born and raised in Louisiana and my grandfather in Mississippi. My mother was born in Louisiana and raised in Texas and I was also raised in Texas, and now live in Tampa, Florida. To say the least, our lives have involved the beautiful beaches surrounding the Gulf forever. Almost every single vacation we took was one to the Gulf. Eventually it became a ritual, for our entire family, to take a week vacation to stay in one of the beach houses on Galveston Island. We would fish, eat, sunbathe, boogie board, walk looking for shells, build sand castles and just generally enjoy our time there and each others company. These days, now that I live in Tampa, even more of my days are filled with the Gulf Of Mexico. We spend weekends upon weekends out on the beaches, snorkeling the flats and fishing the Gulf. One of my favorite places in the whole world is Anclote Key. It is a beautiful key off of Florida that is only accessible by boat. Whenever I get the chance, I go with my family out there and we have the time of our lives. But if the oil reaches there, which it will, those good times will be over.
These beautiful beaches will be filled with oil. Can you imagine? I can’t. I also can not even begin to fathom what the people of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi feel like. The oil has been detrimental not only to their coasts, but to their people, wildlife, and livelihood. Take for instance the P&J Oyster Company, in New Orleans, that has been open since 1876. Thanks directly to the oil spill, it is now closed. A 134 year old company, done. It takes an oyster between 18 months to 2 years to become fully grown. With all of the Oysters being killed by the oil, it will take years before the oysters grow big enough to be harvested again. And while you might think, well, it’s just oysters…for cities along the Gulf Of Mexico, it is a livelihood. 67% of the nations oysters, come from the Gulf Of Mexico and in 2008, Louisiana alone made 40 million in sales of Oysters at the docks.
And that is JUST oysters! That is not to mention all of the other marine life living in, and along, the Gulf Of Mexico. Or the tourism money that some of these coastal cities rely on. To put it in a different perspective, this is the equivalent of a giant sinkhole swallowing up the Midwest, and for years farmers not being able to use their land to grow anything. Instead it would just sit there. No money in, no money out, and no true hope in sight.
(You can read more about this here, here, and here.)
(Source: www.cayman27.com)
As I write this and you read this, oil is reaching more and more of the Gulf Of Mexico. There should have been more precautions taken by BP. There should have been a better plan in action in case something of this nature happened. President Obama should have waived the Jones Act when countries IMMEDIATELY offered their aid in sending their ships to the Gulf to suck up ALL of the oil with ships made specifically for this issue…but he had his own agenda apparently. President Bush waived the Jones Act to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with no consequences…so why did President Obama refuse? If President Obama would have waived the Jones Act, the oil spill could have been completely cleaned up in 3 months. (You can read more about this here, here, here, and here.)
This is still happening. It has not gone away. And it is not going away any time soon. But it will, in time, get better. And eventually, hopefully, be a thing of the past. I am writing this post, and sharing my thoughts, feelings, pleads, and Granny’s “Gulf” Gumbo recipe with you in hopes that it reaches people who are not living here along the Gulf Of Mexico. I can understand how it could become easy for someone living far, far away from the Gulf to forget…or to become numb to the pictures on the news every night. But don’t let yourself fall into that. It is still very, very real. And the animals, marine life, and people still need your help. I am just one person. And you are just one person. But if we all stand together and help each other, we can all overcome this and help save the Gulf. There truly are no beaches like it in the world. There are no people, as kind, as true, as welcoming, as you will find in the coastal cities along the Gulf. There are no tastier shrimp, oysters, or fish then from the Gulf Of Mexico. In other words, there is only one Gulf Of Mexico.
Usually when FoodBuzz does these 24X24 posts, they pay the blogger $250 dollars to help pay for the costs of the party, the Taste Of Sarasota, or whatever the blogger may do for the event. However this month, they approached bloggers with a new/different idea. Instead of the money being given to us, the bloggers, the money will be given to the Greater New Orleans Foundation. And if you were not chosen as part of the 24 bloggers to participate in the 24X24 event, if you still blogged about something pertaining to the Gulf Of Mexico they will donate an additional 25$ in that persons name. Isn’t that just amazing? I would like to take a second and say, Thank You, FoodBuzz for supporting the Gulf Of Mexico and realizing how sacred it is…even though you are all the way over in California!
Now, for my personal plea, I receive many hits a day on this blog. I know there are lots of readers at home reading this. And if each of you donated 5$ to help the Gulf…we could raise a ton of money to help! Skip the Starbucks run one day this week. Or don’t buy the trashy OK magazine in the check out line. Instead donate those few dollars to something better. Of course, if you can donate more please do…but I know almost every one is feeling a little lighter in their bank account these days…But I also know each and everyone of us can donate something. So please if you would like, leave a comment stating that you donated to help the Gulf Of Mexico, the people, and the animals! Lets see if we can make a difference!
There are many, MANY ways to help! Here are just a few:
-Donate to the Greater New Orleans Foundation here.
-Support In Defense of Animals here. Donate to Defenders of Wildlife here.
-Donate to the Environmental Defense Fund here.
-Matter of Trust is collecting donations of hair, fur and nylons that it uses to soak up the oil.
-Send a political message about the need to restore the Gulf Coast! The National Wildlife Federation has created this form letter you can send to President Obama.
-If you’d like to volunteer for the Audubon Society, you can fill out this volunteer form.
-Donate to the National Wildlife Federation here.
-Donate Alabama Coastal Foundation here.
-Donate to Save our sea birds here.
Now let’s lighten the mood! GUMBO! My Granny’s Gumbo to be exact! I wish I could call it Granny’s “Gulf” Gumbo…which is normally would be since it would be all fresh, delicious seafood from the Gulf…but with everything going on I had to use frozen seafood. My Granny has been making this recipe forever. Ok, so maybe not forever, but for as long as I can remember…and as long as my Mom can remember…so a long time
Notes on this recipe: I have written the recipe below, but the great thing about Gumbo is that it can be anything you want it to be. Shrimp, Oysters, Sausage, Crab Meat, Chicken, or Alligator…or any other meat you can get your hands on. In the recipe it states that things like Sausage, Chicken, and Alligator should be slightly pre-cooked. Meaning that you should have it cooked partly before adding it, and let it finish cooking in the Gumbo. Things like crab meat or oysters should be added at the very end, since they cook fast and are easy to over cook. You can also adjust any seasonings to your liking. We like it hot, but below I have left it at what we consider to be mild. Season along the way so you do not end up with too spicy of a Gumbo. And lastly, this makes a very large batch of Gumbo….probably enough for 8-10 people (depending on if someone eats 3 bowls like my Dad did). You can size down the recipe, or like my Granny does, just freeze it! It freezes wonderfully in a Ziplock freezer bag. And whenever you are ready for gumbo, just let thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove!
Granny’s “Gulf” Gumbo
Printable Recipe
You will need:
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
16 oz frozen cut okra, precook until soft (or fresh if you are as patient as my Granny)
1 14 1/2 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
4 lbs shrimp, cleaned
1 1/2 to 2 cups flour
1 1/2 to 3/4 cups vegetable oil (Do not do 1:1 ratio like “traditional” rouxs. It will make a greasy Gumbo)
1 lb crab meat
8 oz oysters
andouille sausage or chicken or alligator (pre-cooked), roughly chopped
3 tablespoons garlic powder
4-5 tablespoons slap ya mama
5 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
The hardest part of a good gumbo is the roux. After that, it should be pretty easy. Using a 12 qt stock pot over medium-high heat, add flour and oil. Continuously stirring until the roux reaches a dark reddish brown color. You cannot stop stirring otherwise it will burn and you will have to start all over again. Have everything chopped and ready to go before starting so you do not risk a ruined roux.
After you have gotten your roux to the desired color, you are going to mix in the “Holy Trinity”, a.k.a. the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until wilted (only takes a minute or two). Next add shrimp, and cook for just a few minutes until they just begin to turn pink, but have not completely cooked.
Turn heat down to low and add 8-10 cups water to the roux, 2 cups at a time. You can decide how much water you would like to add. A traditional gumbo should be a little less thick then a bisque, but if you prefer it to be a little soupier, add more water. Now, in a separate pan, sauté the okra with a little Pam until it is soft, and add it to the gumbo. Next add the additional meats (sausage, chicken, or alligator) you have chosen. Also add tomatoes, garlic powder, Slap Ya Mama, and Tabasco. Make sure your gumbo does not come to a boil. At this time you can add more water if your rue is too thick.
Cook for 1 hour on very low then turn off and while it’s still hot add both crab and oysters and place lid back on and let sit for a while until the oysters and crab meat cook (about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your Oysters). Check your seasonings and adjust accordingly. Serve over rice.
A Novice Chef Blog Original
And I will leave you with this…My Dad…on his 3rd bowl of Gumbo!
When I moved to Tampa, Florida from Houston, Texas I was in culture shock. Gone were my delicious Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. And no brisket or any Texas BBQ for that matter. I was devastated. Then as time went on, I found that Tampa has two other prominent fabulous cultures to offer, that while different from what I was used to, were just as amazing. Tampa has a large Cuban influence and…Greek. Ya, I know…Greek is a surprise right? I mean the Cuban culture is not that big of a surprise, but Greek? Well however the Greeks wound up here in Tampa, I sure am glad they did!!
If you ever take a trip to Tampa there are two places you have to visit. First, Larry’s Deli in Land O’ Lakes, Florida. Don’t be surprised when you pull up and it looks like a little shack (they don’t even have a website). It is just a little north of Tampa and has one of the most amazing Cuban sandwiches I have EVER had. Seriously, it is mouthwatering good. It has been featured in the papers, as the best in Tampa, multiple times and it deserves it! Get the 6 inch Cuban Sandwich, All The Way, with the Garlic Butter Press. And prepare yourself for the most amazing sandwich ever. Then after you have recovered, go to Acropolis. They have multiple locations around the Tampa area and order anything that looks good. I promise it is all fabulous! Or, if you would like to immerse yourself in the Greek culture, go to the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, Florida (a short 30 minute drive from Tampa) and eat at Hella’s!
After much begging I finally got a traditional Chicken Souvlaki recipe from the chef at Hungry Greek. He said this is not how they make it there, but this is how he makes it at home for his family…so thank you Rhadamanthus! The Chicken Souvlaki is delicious and can be served a number of ways. But my favorite is to use it in a Gyro with some delicious Tzatziki! The Tzatziki recipe is from a friend of mine, Laura. I made this dinner for a group of friends who are Gyro enthusiasts for what we called “Greek Thursday”. They LOVED it! I was so proud! They especially loved the Tzatziki, and told me that it was so much better then they have had at some of the Greek restaurants around town. I truly love this meal (especially because it is ass friendly), and hope you will too!
Chicken Souvlaki Gyros with Tzatziki
Printable Recipe
Chicken Souvlaki
You will need:
1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, in bite size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Greek Seasoning (you can purchase this in the spice aisle or make your own)
juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients except chicken, and mix well. Place in a ziplock bag, and add chicken. Shake to ensure the marinade is covering chicken. Allow to marinate in refrigerator overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade, and toss leftover marinade. Thread chicken onto skewers and grill until cooked thoroughly. Remove from Skewers and serve in a Gyro, top with Tzatziki and serve with your favorite sides, or to be a little healthier, serve over a Greek Salad.
Tzatziki
You will need:
6 oz low fat Greek Yogurt
juice of 1/2 of a medium lemon
1 med cucumber, peeled
3 large cloves garlic, minced
Garlic Salt, to taste
Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
Slice cucumber in half, length wise. Using a spoon, scrape out seeds. Finely shred cucumber and place in paper towels and squeeze out extra moisture.
Then combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, shredded cucumber, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper. Refrigerate in a air tight container for 1 hour before serving.
This makes 3-5 servings, depending on how much you like it!
To serve as a Gyro: Brush whole wheat pita bread with a little olive oil, or butter and then warm in a skillet over medium heat. Then add a little, or in my case A LOT of Tzatziki, tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, and Chicken Souvlaki! Enjoy!
Source: The Novice Chef Original
Cinnamon Rolls remind me of my childhood and happy times. My great, great grandmother, who spoke hardly any English used to make homemade cinnamon rolls that were the best I have ever had (and trust me, I have had lots of them in my lifetime). She would make them completely from scratch, in her tiny kitchen, and everyone knew her for them. She passed away when I was young, but I will forever remember sitting in her kitchen with her eating one of those delicious, hot out of the oven cinnamon rolls.
Then when I was in highschool, my Mom, got a bread machine…and she started making cinnamon rolls. Now, they were not as good as my Great Grandma Sally’s cinnamon rolls…but they were still absolutely delicious. You could smell them when they were rising and when she would put them in the oven the whole house would smell like a giant cinnamon roll. And now in my adult life, when I smell cinnamon rolls, I am filled with good memories and warm feelings….and so when my friend Christina was staying with me, I wanted to make her feel welcomed with a yummy breakfast. I would have preferred to make her actual cinnamon rolls, but seeing as they took longer then I had that morning…I instead made these Cinnamon Roll Pancakes! They were delicious and filled us up for the day, but I think next time, I will make sure and have some delicious, homemade cinnamon rolls ready!
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Printable Recipe
Pancake:
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2.5 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1.25 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp butter, melted
Filling:
2/3 cup pecans
3 Tbsp maple syrup
Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
milk
Preheat your griddle or pan and grease if necessary. Beat the egg and mix it with the milk, vanilla and brown sugar in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add the butter and mix lightly together with a spatula. Spoon out the batter in equal amounts onto the hot griddle. Cook until you start to see bubbles forming around the edges and a little on the top. Flip the pancakes and finish cooking on the other side.
Meanwhile, toast your pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until they become fragrant. Put them in a mini food processor with the syrup and pulse until well combined and paste-like (adding more syrup, if you wish).
To make the glaze, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Then add the cinnamon, followed by the vanilla and a little milk until you get the proper consistency.
To plate, place a little bit of the pecan-maple paste in the center of a pancake and roll pancake and drizzle with the glaze. Lastly add a little more cinnamon on top and enjoy!
Adapted from: Elly Says Opa
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) And I think yours was a great one.
by Jessica
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