I was once defeated, but now I am victorious! Here is My Red Velvet Cup Cake Recipe!

Ted's Red Velvet Cupcakes…

Oh victory is sweet, so sweet!!

Total Cooking Time: 55 min

Yield: 16 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

10 ounces all-purpose flour – 2 cups

3/4 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt – sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cups vegetable oil

8 ounces granulated sugar – 7/8 cups

3/4 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons red food coloring 

3/4 teaspoons vinegar (white or apple cider can both work)

3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/16 cup water

For the cream cheese frosting:

3/4 pounds cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 pound butter, room temperature

1 pounds powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl whisk gently till well blended and set aside.

Using the paddle blade on a stand mixer, mix the oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Next, add the eggs (whipped), food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well.  Slowly but deliberately, add the dry ingredients a bit at a time and mix on the lowest setting and mix until just combined, scraping down sides occasionally.  Make sure to not over mix, or the batter will come out tough.  Its done mixing when the color is uniform.  Line a 16-cup cupcake pan or two 8-cup pans with paper liners, scoop the batter just below top edge of paper liner and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Then let them cool and make sure to decorate them sooner than later.  After an hour, they begin to dry out.  At this point you will need to wash the mixing bowl and paddle blade attachement.

For the cream cheese frosting:

Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.

The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.

Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.

Red Velvet Cupcastrophe....

Ok, so I need a little help understanding the fascination with Red Velvet Cup Cakes...  I asked a friend for a challenge and this little red devil of a task was handed to me.  After I looked at a few recipes, I was intrigued by similar ingredients in all of them.  I figured I was up for the challenge, but some of the ingredients caught my eye more that others.  This was the mixture of white vinegar, baking soda and red food coloring, which were the same ingredients that we used as kids during science experiments to emulate volcanoes... 
What does a really great Red Velvet Cup Cake taste like?  Is it Chocolate masked by the red color? Is it the icing, which has 4 cups of powdered sugar in it?  Please comment to tell me.  I followed a recipe I found online and the cake came out more pink than red and the flavor was bland with a hint of egg.  I wasn't really impressed by the result, but the $11 dollar icing was pretty amazing.  I am going to experiment a little bit more, adjusting ingredients a bit to figure out better flavors.   I'll keep you posted on the progress of this and maybe we collectively can figure out the best recipe that is easy to make!!!

A Quick, Healthy, Deconstructed Turkey Chili

Ok, so the demands for a new recipe have been heard.  The New Year has brought on some distractions from the kitchen but here is a recipe I came up with on the fly.  It’s pretty good and follows one of my New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier.  This recipe was thought up walking through the market and includes whole container measuring.  Enjoy.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 15-25 mins

Servings 4-8

Ingredients:

Lb ground turkey breast

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

14.5 oz can pinto beans

Med White onion sliced

Red bell pepper halved & sliced

2 tbs minced garlic

1 tbs chipotle chile sauce

2 tsp tikka paste

Black pepper and sea salt to taste

¼ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 Pkgs Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice – Whole Grain

Prep:

Start with a 12” nonstick frying pan on med/high heat.  Add enough vegetable oil to coat the entire bottom.  Add the sliced onion and red pepper, sauté till onion just turns translucent (5mins).  Add drained and rinsed pinto beans to pan and stir to mix.  2 mins later add canned tomatoes, tikka paste, chipotle sauce and garlic to pan. Stir frequently to mix all flavors.  When the contents of the pan begin to simmer, add the ground turkey breast and break it up in the pan with a spoon.  Mix again to coat turkey stirring every 2 mins or so until turkey is cooked about 10 mins.  While this is happening prepare the rice to the instructions on package.  When turkey is done, salt and pepper to taste and serve while hot!!  Garnish with sharp cheddar cheese on a bed of Whole Grain Rice.

By Popular Request - The Apple-Cheddar Squash Soup

Apple-Cheddar Squash Soup

By Ted Slee                                                     

Serves 4

Prep Time: 30 Mins

Cooking Time: 10 – 15 Mins

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 medium apples, thinly sliced (the crisper the better)

1 large white potato, diced

1 ½ cups chopped peeled butternut squash

3 leaves of fresh sage (½ teaspoon dried sage)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/3 cup apple cider

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (½ to 1 cup extra for garnish)

Chopped chives, for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Half loaf of French Bread or Chibatta
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic Salt

Directions:

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-low heat and add the onion, apples, potato and squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is soft, about 6 – 10 minutes. With a whisk or slotted spoon, stir in the sage and flour. Add the cider and cook over high heat, stirring, until thickened. Add the broth and heavy cream, cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Make sure to stir well until the potato is soft, then remove from heat and stir in the 2 cups of cheese.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook until crisp, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Puree in a blender in batches until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the prosciutto, more cheese and chives.

Cut 1/4" slices of bread and layout on a cookie sheet.  Coat with EVOO and dust with garlic salt.  Broil until crispy.

Serve soup in a bowl, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, chives and toast slices.

The Post Holiday Leftovers... What to do? More Like What I did...

No matter what we all try to do we always end up with leftovers... Sometimes they are things we actually will want to reheat, like turkey and stuffing.  Usually, they aren't as glamorous or appealing to the eye after a night or two in the fridge.  So as a challege I have chosen the least eye catching ingredients to experiment with.  Unfortunately, I did not come up with this idea before we chose our Christmas dinner so that I could influence what I now am able to work with.  As may happen in many families we had a lot of family cheer on the 25th which made the next morning was a little rough... 

My first project included using the container with the leftover roasted white potatoes, whole caramelized onions and halved button mushrooms from the fridge.  These veggies certainly did not look appealing but I decided home fries were a necessity.  I diced the three veggie amigos and added them to a 12" Nonstick pan on the stove with 3 tbl butter, a pinch each of pepper, paprika, cayenne, old bay seasoning and garlic powder.  I made sure to coat the veggies in the butter and spice mixture, turning only when necessary to prevent over crisping the potatoes.  I added a little shredded Parmesan cheese before serving with a spiked ketchup.  Now potatoes do not make a breakfast alone...  So, I decided an omelet with some of the gouda and bell peppers from the previous nights appetizers, half of a leftover onion (diced) and some thinly sliced leftover roast beef.  Toast was provided by the left over baguette from the cheese plate.   Everybody that wanted breakfast got the same plate: Toast, Omelet, Home fries, Cold Roasted Pear Slices (salad topper) and Bacon (which my dad made long before any of us were up).

The only leftover I didn't use was the baby peas...  I am working that with all the left over roast beef... Maybe a Roast Beef Pot Pie?

Enjoy!
Ted

New Recipe

Cordon Bleu Risotto
By Ted Slee

Prep Time: 25 – 30 Mins

Cooking Time: 30 – 45 Mins

Servings: 2 (Main Course)

Servings: 4-6 (Side Dish)

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Risotto rice

4 cups of boxed unsalted chicken stock

2 tbls of olive oil

2 tbls of salted butter

½ cup of diced white onion or shallot

½ cup diced cooked ham

½ cup diced cooked chicken breast

½ cup diced uncooked red bell pepper (half a normal sized pepper)

½ cup gruyere shredded or diced

½ cup shredded parmesean cheese

Tsp dried oregano

Dash of cayenne pepper

Salt & Pepper for taste

Prep:

1. Saute Onion on Med to High heat in melted butter and olive oil until translucent (about 3-5 mins)
2. Add dry rice and cook for 4-5 mins stirring to coat rice in oil/butter.
3. Stir in 1 cup of Room Temp Broth at a time until almost absorbed stirring frequently.
4. Just before last cup is absorbed add the chicken, ham, red bell pepper, cheddar cheese and half of the Parmesean cheese.  Mix till well incorporated and cheese is melting
5. Add Oregano and Cayenne pepper and mix it in well.  Give the mixture a taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.
6. Use the rest of the Parmesean cheese as a garnish.

Holiday WNDC Menu

So tomorrow is our Wednesday Night Dinner Club and its our Annual Holiday Edition.  This is the 6th time I have hosted this over the years and this years menu has become quite a challenge.  Every year I try to come up with something new and exciting.  So this year I decided to combine some ideas from past dinner parties and Christmas themed dinners.  The menu starts with Apple, Cheddar & Squash soup with garlic toast points then guests will be able to self dress their Arugula Salad with roasted Walnuts, Dried Cranberries and crumbled Bleu Cheese with a red wine vinaigrette.  The main course is a twist on risotto which I have always loved making.  Roasted Chicken Cordon Bleu Risotto with Gruyere cheese.  The night will be finished off with Captain Morgan Rum Cake with ice cream.  I will take some pictures off the finished products...