Birthday Celebrations

Tomorrow is my birthday, the big old 2-6. Well I guess not really that old, but it is still another year closer to thirty, a number which I am dreading.

Historically in my family birthdays are celebrated with a store bought Safeway birthday cake, complete with icing flowers. Now this cake must be from Safeway! Not Superstore, or Save-On, or the cute little bakery down the street that uses only the finest ingredients. I can't really explain it. The average person would find the icing way to sweet in eat, and the cake probably not the moistest they had ever tasted. But, for us it represents the definition of a birthday. They funny thing is I have even converted my in-laws on this matter, and now birthdays in both houses are celebrated with the Safeway cake.

Unfortunately for me though tomorrow will not be celebrated with the coveted cake, as nearly everyone is working! On my birthday everyone, including my Hubby, is working and leaving me alone :( The festivities will be postponed until the middle of the week, but that still leaves my actual birthday slightly empty. So to compensate I decided to make myself birthday cupcakes tonight...what a better way to make a girl feel better.


Now, I deliberately didn't make chocolate cupcakes either to ensure that my Hubby would not over indulge in my birthday treat to myself...aren't I sneaky! These burnt-butter cupcakes are straight from Nigella Lawson's How to be a domestic Goddess. I have to admit I was a little scared to try them, based on the name. But I felt adventurous, and went for it. Lets just same I am really glad that I did, as these are absolutely delicious. There really is no way to explain the taste from the burnt butter, as it isn't 'burnt' at all, but rather rich and incredibly aromatic. The recipe itself is very simply and straight forward, and I highly recommend them!

Burnt-Butter Cupcakes: (Nigella Lawson)
Makes 12 cupcakes

• 150g unsalted butter
• 125g self raising flour (is you don't have it is easy to make, check it out here)
• 60g sugar
• 65g brown suger
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2-3 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 390F.

Over medium heat melt butter, stirring constantly until it is a dark, golden colour (You will really be able to smell it when it is at this point, it isn't a burnt smell thought). Remove from heat and strain butter into bowl to remove sediment. Let butter solidify again.

In a food processor combine all other ingredients except for the milk. Process into a smooth batter. Pour milk down funnel while pulsing batter.

Spoon in to paper cup lined muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes. These don't make big cupcakes at all. I was barely able to fill the bottom of each tin.

Burnt-Butter Icing:
Makes enough icing to very generously cover all cupcakes, and then some.

• 150g butter
• 250g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-3 tbsp milk (I used cream, I felt like being extravagant)

Repeat process with butter. Add half of icing sugar and beat until mixed and stiff. Add a tablespoon og the milk, followed by more sugar. Alternate until desired consistency is acheived. Finally add the vanilla.

Smooth icing over cupcakes, and ENJOY!!!

Menu Planning

I am back, and more that ready too cook! The last two weeks have been nothing but eating out, and quite frankly if I don't set foot into a restaurant for the next six months it will still be too soon!

I am dying at this point to use my new kitchen, for something beside making cream of wheat cereal. I want to slide open one my pot drawers and reach for my pan of choice, without sitting on the floor and removing the entire content of the cabinet. Or, walk over to my pantry and be able to easily spot my ingredients, because everything in no longer crammed into shelves just so it stays put. And yes, it is time that my new kitchen appliances be put to the test!

It is just unfortunate that I still don't have a table in which to serve my creations at...hopefully by next weekend we will have that problem rectified.

Tuesday: Mexican salmon and salad
Wednesday: Asian tuna cakes (I appear to have a multitude of canned tuna...way more that I though...suggestions are more than welcome for recipes) and noodles
Thursday: Chicken curry
Friday: Night off
Saturday: Shrimp Etoufee
Sunday: Pizza

I didn't forget

I am just not cooking all week! Trying to use up my freezer food in preperatin for our move.

I will be back next week when I get to cook in here:

Slapdash

Definition:
–adverb

1.	in a hasty, haphazard manner

–adjective

2.	hasty and careless

My grandfather was a slapdash cook, throwing whatever he could together. A good friend came over the other night and she made us dinner, she is a slapdash cook.

Me, unfortunately not so much. I need structure, I need direction, I need inspiration for whatever I am making. Maybe it is due to what I consider lack of experience, or simply a fear of the unknown...what is it really going to taste like? My friend explained to just go for it and mix stuff up.

But I can't, I just can't!

Unless, I am making pasta. Fr some reason at that point I have no problem getting creative with my dishes, and simply adding whatever I have on hand. Pasta seems like something that you just can't screw up too badly, so why not just go for it. I probably should transfer this attitude to more of my dishes, and I guess I will in time. I just need to take baby steps to get there, Hey it is not like I am wanting to go on Hell's Kitchen or some other reality based chef show. All I want to do is cook for my family!

Lemon Shrimp pasta:

• Farfalle (aka bowtie) pasta
• half onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• zest of 1 lemon
  
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 1 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In large fry pan, cook onions and garlic until soft. Add uncooked shrimp and cook until just starting to turn pink. Add frozen peas and lemon zest and continue to cook until shrimp is cooked. Add cream cheese and stir into mixture until melted. Add broth or wine and mix.

Remove from heat and add to mix with cooked pasta. Add basil, and toss.

Enjoy!

Menu Planning

Two weeks left, until I get to cook in my new kitchen! That means only two weeks left in my current little one :( It has been a good little kitchen. It has seen me through many culinary adventures over the past two years. Some which we remember fondly with mouths watering, and others, well we simply choose not to remember. Together my kitchen and I have travelled the world; Italy, England, Mexico, Thailand, India...the list goes on. Each stop teaching a new lesson, and creating a new memory.

I am definitely a little sad to leave, and going to give my kitchen a good last hurrah!

Tuesday: Steak (missed the menu last week)
Wednesday: Curry night
Thursday: Lilly night - Translation: shake n' bake and broccoli
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Shrimp pasta of some kind
Sunday: Birthday celebration at Nana's house

Something new

Today marked a new culinary adventure in our kitchen! Wait that make my kitchen sound like it is normally boring, but it isn't, I swear! I am always trying new things and attempting to recreate and spicy up the old. It is just that this was the first time I have made, and to be honest tasted, paella. Okay maybe that does make me slightly behind, but at least I finally have it checked off my list of things to cook. Let me tell you this though it is definitely something I will be repeating in our kitchen, very soon as we both loved it!

This recipe was apparently the original brain child of Mark Bittman. While it looked wonderful I wasn't too sure if I could get away with a second vegetarian night with Hubby after the mushroom soup, so I was delighted when Nicole tweaked it slightly. With that we were off and running. I was pleasantly surprised at the easy in which this came together. The reason I have never even dreamed of making it before was because I just assumed it was difficult...silly me. I have learn my lesson.

Tomato paella with chorizo sausage:

As I said being a paella virgin, I just used this recipe, you can check it out here.

Enjoy!

Savory Soup

I don't like raw mushrooms, shhhh it is a secret. Simply I can't stand the texture of them, all spongy and squigy! Now if you fry them up and cook them in something you have a totally different story as I can't stop eating them. There is something about the earthy flavor that develops, and the change in texture, that I can't get enough of. If you put them in a soup and I am in even more trouble. Consequently whenever I stumble across a mushroom soup recipe I have to try it, no if ands or buts! Hubby of course complains at the start due to the lack of meat, but normally enjoys it just as much as I do in the end.

This recipe here is by far the simplest one I have completed to date. Not many complicated ingredients, so it allows the full bodied flavor of the mushroom to be full enjoyed. It was also very quick and easy, something I definitely appreciate after a long day at work and a almost three year old who desperately wants my attention.

White Mushroom Soup:

• 2 lbs white mushrooms, sliced
  
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 4 1/4 cups chicken broth or water
• Salt and pepper

Melt butter in soup pot. Add onion and cook slowly until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until soft.

Add flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Add thyme, chicken stock and salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook covered for approximately 15 minutes.

Transfer half to blender and puree, and return to pot, stirring well to incorporate.

Serve and enjoy!