Well Heeled Blog > pretending I'm Iron Chef

The Cupcake Craze

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Even though the cupcake craze has swept the nation in the past few years, I haven’t been wholly impressed by most of the cupcakes I’ve tasted. Some of them were too sweet, some too dense. Others were good, sure, but nothing that made me think oh-my-this-is-GOOD.

Instead of paying $3 a cupcake from pricey boutiques, I have to believe that I can make cupcakes that are just (if not more) delicious than store-brought ones. And so… I present to you my vanilla cupcakes with lemon zest cream cheese frosting.

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Cupcake Recipe (makes 1 dozen cupcakes)

4 oz. stick butter
3/4 cups sugar
1 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk or evaporated skim milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites

preheat oven to 350

1. soften butter in the mixer
2. put the sugar in with the butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
3. sift flour, baking powder, and salt together
4. measure out milk and vanilla extract, then combine the two
5. add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter/sugar in 3 parts alternating between flour and milk and beating well after each addition
6. set aside flour and milk mixture (should be in batter consistency by this point)
7. in another bowl, beat egg whites on high until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes
8. fold egg whites into cake batter until incorporated
9. scoop batter into the prepared cupcake pans (I like to use foil baking cups)
10. bake in the 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven (use a toothpick to poke the center of a cupcake – it’s done if the toothpick comes out clean)

Frosting Recipe

4 oz butter
8 oz cream cheese
2 tablespoon lemon zest (my motto was “the zestier the better!” so I added 2.5 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 cups confectioner’s sugar (depending on desired sweetness – I used 1 cup)

1. combine softened butter and cream cheese with mixer on high speed
2. add about half of the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice and zest to the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat on high speed to combine
3. add remaining confectioner’s sugar in stages until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved

Putting It Together

After cupcakes are done, set them on rack to cool. When the top is cool, the cupcakes are ready to be frosted.

If you don’t have special frosting piping tools, you can construct a makeshift one with a small ziploc bag. Just put frosting in the bag, make sure all the air is out, push the frosting towards one corner of the bag, zip the bag close, then make a small cut at the corner of the bag. Then just pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

Final, But Most Important, Step

Enjoy the cupcakes of your labor. I like mine with a glass of milk. icon smile The Cupcake Craze

The REAL Benefit Of Cooking At Home

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Is that you can make a dish full of expensive ingredients, and STILL have the cost come out to be much much much lower than a restaurant’s.

Exhibit A: this morning I made an omelet stuffed with smoked salmon and an entire half of an avocado, and topped with more avocado and a generous handful of crumbled goat cheese.

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It. Was. Delicious. And probably cost me less than $3.

Counteracting the Boba Factor – How to Make Boba Milk Tea At Home

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People have heard of the Latte Factor, when the daily $3 latte quickly adds up to a significant sum of money at the end of the month. But those of you who are lucky enough to live near Asian tea shops know there’s such as thing as the Boba Factor.

Boba milk tea is a drink originally from Taiwan, made from tapioca balls (also called boba balls) in a milk and tea concoction. It’s simply delicious. But a drink at a tea shop can range from $3.50 for a medium to over $5 for a large. So how did I counteract the Boba Factor without giving up the delicious goodness of boba milk tea? It’s simple, I became a baller.

Get it? Get it? I’m a (tapioca) baller ’cause I am totally (tapioca) ballin’ by making my own tapioca balls! icon wink Counteracting the Boba Factor How to Make Boba Milk Tea At Home

Okay you all can stop groaning now. My joke may be lame I don’t care! Because I’ve successfully made boba milk tea (also known as bubble tea) in the comfort of my own home. It’s quick and easy to do, and so much more wallet-friendly.

Here’s what you need:

Tea (I used Thai Tea here, but you can use black tea, green tea, jasmine tea, whatever tea that strikes your fancy), sugar, honey, milk / creamer, and package of tapioca balls.

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Here’s how you make it:

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Measure boba balls and cook according to the direction on the package (you can get these quick cooking boba balls at Asian supermarkets).

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Make sure you don’t overcook the boba balls. In my opinion, the perfect boba ball is bouncy and chewy but completely cooked through. It should have just the right amount of “give” and “resistance”, and the outside should never be mushy. In fact, the worst boba balls are ones that are mushy on the outside but undercooked on the inside.

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Make the thai tea, then add milk or creamer to your liking. Add sugar to taste.

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Submerge boba balls in a bowl with a honey and water mixture for 30 minutes if you like the balls to be sweeter.

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Spoon balls into milk tea.

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Voila! One perfect cup of boba milk tea, ready for your enjoyment. icon smile Counteracting the Boba Factor How to Make Boba Milk Tea At Home

Tasty Thursday: Ode to Crab Cakes

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Because crab cakes are so good, prose just ain’t gonna cut it.

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Succulent and tender, the crab cake is king
Each precious morsel makes my taste buds sing

Crab cake oh crab cake, you are a true delight
But it’s so difficult at a restaurant to eat right

Chain establishments use white bread as filler
At swanky bistros, the price tag is killer

What to do? What to do? is this crab cake lover’s lament
Taste I do not compromise, money I need for rent

So I asked the great O sage Internet
For a recipe my palate will not regret

Voila, an offering whose taste can’t be beat
Fit for a king, a queen, or a princess to eat

The golden-brown sizzles, the aroma permeates the air
Two crab cakes sitting side by side, what a perfect pair

Ah! Let me taste a morsel – perfectly delicious!
I assure you, readers, the results are not fictitious

Indeed the crab cake wins the crown
At the table, all other appetizers bow down

O fearless eater, read on if you need
To see the way this dish is done
But my warning you must heed
Make multiples – you can’t stop at just one

Such is the crab cake’s power
It has inspired me to rhyme
In the hungry hour
The crab cake is sublime

Crab Cakes

Ingredients (makes ~9-12 patties depending on size of patty):
2 pounds crab meat
1 egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup saltine crackers, crushed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine crab meat, egg, lemon zest, pepper, chopped basil, crushed crackers and mayonnaise. Mix thoroughly.
  • Form patties out of the crab mixture, 3 quarter of an inch to 1-inch thick, and chill until cold before cooking.
  • In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute the crab cakes for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Lemon-Yogurt Sauce:

1 cup plain yogurt (I like using “Greek style” because it’s thicker)
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 table spoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon honey

Tonight’s Dinner: Salmon Pasta with Veggies

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Prep:

  • Chop 2 zucchinis, 1 package of crimini mushrooms, and 1/3 of a large red onion. Set aside 1/2 cup mushroom pasta sauce and 1/3 can of sun-roasted tomatos.
  • Measure 2 cups pasta shells.
  • Cut 1 filet of Alaskan salmon (Morey’s) into small chunks. Save the oil and seasoning from package into a small bowl.

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Cook:

  • Boil water. Put pasta in and cook according to direction (usually 8-9 minutes).
  • Saute veggies all with a dash of olive oil. Then put in pasta sauce and tomatoes.
  • Meanwhile, pan-fry salmon chunks until fish is cooked through. 
  • After the salmon is done, mix the salmon with the veggies and the pasta sauce.  Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.

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Serve:

Pour sauce over pasta, and enjoy!

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What’s Better Than Roasted Corn & Chicken Sausage Soup?

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Eating said soup while perusing the Carnival of Personal Finance (hosted at SimplyForties), of course!

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Sundays Are Perfect for “Eggs Benedicts” And Naps

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Both of which, incidentally, cost very little.

Last night, after watching Iron Chef America, I suddenly had an impulse to exercise my culinary creativity. (I spent the 20 minutes before bed thinking about what I can make for breakfast).

I’ve decided to work on an improvised, healthier version of eggs benedict, both to save my heart from artery-clogging hollandaise sauce and to use up all the vegetables still sitting in my fridge.

It’s basically an open-faced sandwich. Crust-less, toasted wheat bread with cucumber slices, julienned carrots, caramelized onions, and apple-smoked chicken sausage, topped with a poached egg.

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(Below is what it looks like before the eggs are placed on top)

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The taste was pretty good, and the veggies made me feel good about my meal. I made four of these little “eggs benedicts” for boyfriend and I, and they are all gone now.

How To Poach A Perfect Egg (In Pictures!)

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For the longest time, I couldn’t poach an egg. It was frustrating because I love to eat poached eggs but can only have them in restaurants. But now, I’ve figured it out (hint: shallow pan + vinegar!). Poached egg is the purest way of eating an egg – no oil, no butter, just delicious eggy goodness. And because it’s an egg, it’s super cheap – less than $0.25 per poached egg. I just poached an egg (the most perfect looking egg I’ve ever poached) and have captured it in pictures for posterity.

So here is my step-by-step guide of how to poach a perfect egg:

1. Fill a small and shallow saucepan (2-3 inches deep) with water. Put on a gentle boil (small bubbles in the water). Just remember, the smaller the saucepan, the easier it will be for you to control the water temperature.

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2. Pour 2 tablespoons of white vinegar into the water. The vinegar will help the egg whites stay together.

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3. Break an egg into a small bowl or cup.

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4. Gently slide the egg from the bowl into the saucepan. The egg will come to rest at the bottom of the saucepan – this is another reason why a shallow pan works best.

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5. Use spatula to push egg whites towards the center of the egg. This makes the egg look pretty and collected. Then let egg sit in simmering water for ~3 minutes until the egg whites are firm. ***NOTE: if your pan is very shallow like mine (around 1.5 inches), the top of the egg doesn’t quite get cooked. So you may have to carefully flip the egg over to ensure the egg whites are all cooked. Use a spatula and a spoon for this task. Take care not to break the yolk.

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6. Use a slotted spoon to lift egg out of water bath. (I don’t have a slotted spoon, so I just use a wooden spatula and a spoon to carefully get the egg out of the bath). If you’d like, you can use a paper towel to pat the egg dry.

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7. Garnish with your choice of seasoning. (I used pepper and garlic salt)

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8. Break into the egg. Rejoice as the yolk flows out like a pool of sunshine. Enjoy!

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Costco Recommendation: Delicious Salmon Dinner for Under $5 Per Person

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Not everyone can be Julia Child. With some dishes (i.e. fish), I’m not even going to try. So I was very happy when Mom introduced me to Morey’s Marinated Wild Alaskan Salmon fillets from Costco.

(if you see this product at Costco, pick it up. It’s worth it, I promise.)

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Six fillets for ~$14. But really, the fillets are big enough that I can cut them into half and serve.

(1/2 salmon fillet pan-fried on brown rice, served with carrots, broccoli, and caramelized onions. Fancy square plates purchased from Marshalls. Silverware from IKEA.)

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Basically, this has become my go-to dish when I make dinner for CB or friends. The advantages are many:

1. It looks pretty plated – I love all the contrasting colors.
2. It’s relatively healthy. Every 1/2 filet serving of salmon has 125 calories (65 calories from fat).
3. Most people can eat the food. I have friends who won’t eat chicken, pork, or beef, but will eat fish. So unless I’m making dinner for vegetarians, this meal is perfect.
4. It takes a short time to prepare. The salmon comes seasoned. All I have to do is make the veggies and rice, and pan-fry the salmon.
5. Most importantly of all, this dish is really, really delicious. Everyone who has tasted this salmon raved about it. I told them it came seasoned from the freezer, but hey, I can take a little credit, can’t I?
6. It’s a good deal. Each 1/2 fillet is around $1.25. Add on the other ingredients, and the total can’t be over $3. Seriously. Even if you go crazy with expensive veggies or use the whole fillet, the meal will still be below $5. Where can you get guaranteed-to-be-delicious dinner deal like that?

Cream Cheese Frosting: Easy and Cheap and Oh So Delicious

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8 oz. Trader Joe’s light cream cheese: $1.69
5 tablespoon unsalted butter: $1.25
1.5 to 2 cups powdered sugar: $1.00
2 teaspoons vanilla extract: $0.75
Electric handheld mixer: free (borrowed from landlady)

Combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Mix well. Add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you achieve the desired taste and texture. Mix until entire mixture is thick and creamy.

I’m sure there are things more beautiful in this world than thick, luscious ribbons of frosting, perfectly balanced between the slight tangyiness of cream cheese and sweetness of sugar.

But I can’t think of any right now. Excuse me while I go eat my 3rd cupcake in 10 minutes.

Entertaining At Home > Restaurants (Sometimes)

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Lately, I’ve been trying to cook more. As a rite of passage into “adulthood”, I’ve began inviting friends over and hosting dinner parties.

In the past 3 months, I’ve had a housewarming party, a brunch gathering (featuring eggs benedict with homemade hollandaise sauce and cinnamon swirl french toast), two dinners with a girlfriend, and a dinner party, all held at my much-beloved apartment, which includes a common area with a patio set surrounded by 3 tiny fish ponds, small planted trees, tomatos ripening on a vine, and a miniscule fresh herb “garden”.

Of course, it’s much cheaper to have friends over at home than to go out to a restaurant. But I’ve realized that the joy of entertaining at home isn’t really about the savings, per se. The best part about having dinner parties instead of heading out to restaraunts is this: there’s no waiting for a table, no feeling pressure to finish dinner quickly, and no need to figure out how to split the bill. 

Of course, there are special dining occasions, but many of the restaurants I’ve been to had uninspired choices. I went to those restaurants more for meeting with friends, not for the food. But hey, I can make mediocre food at home! My last dinner party lasted almost 4 hours – even when the food was all gone most people stuck around and talked. This would’ve never happened at a restaurant. Dining at home is a much more relaxed experience.

I make it even more relaxed by:
(1) having some premade treats on hand (Trade Joe’s sweet potato fries are a huge hit) and
(2) using paper plates, plastic forks, and disposable cups for larger gatherings (my set of dishes only has 4 place settings).
(3) inviting friends to bring wine or desserts if they’d like.

So my dinner parties are not exactly impeccable masterpieces a la Julia Child, but the food is all eaten up, the wine is free-flowing and the laughter’s contagious. And at the end of the night, isn’t that what makes dinner with friends an awesome experience?

The bad part about entertaining at home (sans dishwasher), though, is all the dirty pots, pans, and plates!

Le petit chef (in training)

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CB has agreed to eat whatever I cook.

*evil laughter*

Okay, I’m kidding about the evil part. This morning I made scrambled eggs, and this might sound silly, but they were good (and yes, I’ve made bad scrambled eggs before). I plated the food, set the table, and it was fun. I like cooking – not everyday, certainly, but I like it enough that I want to be good enough at it to plan a special meal for two or host a dinner party.

I’m already planning our meals for Saturday and Sunday.

-> Saturday dinner: roasted chicken breast, mini-mushroom frittatas, and brown rice cooked with chicken stock.

-> Sunday brunch: cinnamon pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs.

A stop at Ross or Target is also in order – I need to pick up a couple of placemats and some candles, and maybe even a table cloth (I’m thinking classic white). One reason why I love going to restaurants is the ambiance… so why not try to recreate some at home?

I’m really excited about learning to cook, so I’ve decided that its okay if I spend more money than I normally do on ingredients, as long as I don’t waste food. And I’m doing some research into culinary classes. They are quite expensive, but maybe this can be my Christmas present to myself.

We shall see how this enterprise turns out…