#9: The Cupcakes that made it to camp!

If you've been following my blog, you were well aware from my last post, that i missed the deadline to submit cupcakes for cupcake camp. Well...it's pretty amazing how the internet works, because the organizer of Cupcake Camp saw my blog post, commented, and said that she could squeeze me into cupcake camp!

Later in the week, they sent out a schedule of all the cupcakes, and i was so intimidated. i was still thinking through ideas of what kind of cupcakes to make/how to decorate them, so i realized i needed to step up my game. fred got pretty into it too, and really helped with the conceptual piece and execution.

For the competition, I went with a Pumpkin Spice cupcake (modified from Martha Stewart) and a Cookies 'n Cream cupcake (modified from AllRecipes.com). I entered the Pumpkin Spice into 2 categories: Best Halloween and Best Decorated, and I entered the Cookies 'n Cream into Best Decorated. When they announced the winners of the competition, I was announced as the winner for Best Halloween (Pumpkin Spice), and the runner-up for Best Decorated (Cookies 'n Cream). I was so surprised, and very appreciative. It was nice to be acknowledged for all the hard work.

I was really happy with how they turned out. All the time spent thinking about cupcakes, and actually making and decorating the cupcakes really paid off. This is one of the first times in awhile that I've really done something for myself...just because I wanted to. It really feels good.

Visit cupcakecamp.org to see the announcement of the winners for the competition!

#8: The Cupcake that Didn't Make it to Camp

so maybe you've heard of cupcake camp. it's an annual cupcake festival, if you will, in san francisco. http://www.sfstation.com/cupcake-camp-e336721 my colleague mentioned it to me and i was really excited to check it out! i figured i'd experiment and come up with something to make for the event. i'd been wanting to try out some chai cupcake recipes (http://dessertfirst.typepad.com/dessert_first/). i finally found one from pastry girl and tested it out last night. it's a chai vanilla cupcake with a cinnamon/sugar topping. i modified it slightly from her recipe. i tried out a buttercream frosting that didn't quite turn out, so i opted for the cinnamon/sugar mixture instead. i think it worked out pretty well. it's more like a breakfast cupcake now.

anyways, i wasn't completely satisfied with submitting this cupcake so all day today i was trying to brainstorm cupcakes that i could make for cupcake camp. after a long day of thinking about cupcake flavors - i thought of one that i thought would be pretty interesting. Oreo cupcake. Chocolate cake with vanilla, buttercream frosting mixed with oreo cookie crumbs, and an oreo half sticking out on top. i was very eager to go home and register, as today (sunday) was the last day. when i got home around 9:00pm, i was very disappointed to find out that registration closed at 12pm today! bah. after all of my investment in cupcakes these last couple weeks...now i cannot be a part of cupcake camp. sigh...maybe next year...

#7: Pizza My Heart

no, no, not the pizza chain...semi-homemade pizza. the pizza dough was courtesy of trader joe's. i've had the whole wheat and garlic herb doughs, but this was the first time i used the "regular" dough. i was pretty impressed with it - but i probably could have made the crust a little thinner because it bubbled up a lot. i started out roasting some garlic in the oven and caramelizing red onion in a pan while i waited for my pizza dough to rest (20 minutes). The finished pizza had marinara sauce, mozzarella sprinkled cheese, white button mushrooms, sliced turkey sausage, caramelized red onion, and oven roasted garlic. also, before sliding it in the oven, i brushed some olive oil on the crust and sprinkled some dry oregano along the edge. the pizza baked for about 10 minutes and then wah-la! freshly made pizza out of the oven. try it out...it's super easy and delicious. my favorite part was the caramelized onions - enough char to really bring out the onion flavor.

#6: A Granola Lover's Treat

i was trying to think of "healthier option" recipes so i decided to try out a homemade granola bar recipe. as it turns out, the highest rated and most appealing was not the healthiest - but i went with it anyways. these homemade granola bars remind me of dessert bars. it's also pretty versatile because you can sub in - sub out anything you're craving, or anything you dislike. i followed the recipe pretty closely so mine were chocolate chip, dried cranberry, almond, and coconut. i brought them to share at work and they were definitely a crowd pleaser. however, if you're trying to "sell them" to a sweet tooth, make sure you mention that they have chocolate =)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Granola-Bars/Detail.aspx

note: like some of the comments say, i baked the bars a little longer than the recipe calls for. also, let them sit out for awhile before cutting them so they can harden.

#5: Whoopty Doo: Whoopie Pies!

while browsing through tastespotting one day, i came across a whole assortment of whoopie pie pictures. i had never heard of them before, but they sure looked yummy so i thought i'd try it out.

i found a recipe on allrecipes.com. you make the "buns" out of devils food cake mix (yes, from the box...easy!). i also added chocolate chips to the mix at the end. i used a muffin top pan so it was a lot easier to have consistent sized tops and bottoms. while you're letting the cakes cool down, go ahead and make the creamy filling. i didn't follow the original instructions for the cream, but i tried out another user's recommendation. 2 egg whites, 1C butter, 1 lb box of confectioners sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla, 4 tbs flour and 4 tbs whole milk.

the end product reminds me of oreo cakesters. they are much better after being refrigerated and eaten the next day. i wonder how it would taste frozen...ice cream sandwich anyone?

#4: Sliders with all the Fixins

Lunch on a sunday afternoon. I love eating mini so I jumped at the opportunity to make a mini lunch..and now I feel like having an hors d'oeuvres party! Today I made 2 kinds of sliders cooked on a panini grill.

1. Beef Sliders. Mini buns and mini beef patties with pepper jack cheese slices.
2. Chicken Sliders. Hawaiian style buns with chicken patties and pepper jack cheese slices.

Fixins': sauteed onions/mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and guacamole.




The panini grill really makes a huge difference. It's easy to use, and it makes the bread nice and crispy. 3 of these little burgers is probably enough for a meal. Otherwise, try them out as snacks.

#3: Magic French Toast 3 Ways

I think the magic of this french toast really comes from the light coating of cinnamon/sugar on top of the crisp bread. i've made several variations of this french toast both with whole pieces of bread, and chopped up french toast sticks. this time, it's essentially the same recipe, but with 3 different types of bread.

it all starts out with a mixture of egg beaters, milk, and vanilla. coat the bread, and then drop on a warm oiled pan. flip the bread over once one side is crispy and then try this...flattening the bread - take a piece of foil and a heavy pot, then set the pot on top of the foil on top of the bread. i've seen great results with this cooking method, so i definitely recommend trying it out. after the french toast is off the pan, coat with a cinnamon/sugar mixture.

1st way:
Bread: 2 slices of whole wheat
Topped with cinnamon/sugar coated blueberries, and stuffed with banana custard pudding



2nd way:
Bread: Peasant bread (i.e. ciabatta bread)
Topped with blueberry compote, stuffed with banana custard pudding


(camera photo credit: fred chang)

3rd way:
Bread: leftover rolls from Sunrise Bistro (Walnut Creek)
Topped with blueberry compote