Kitchen Karate - a food blog with kick

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Cake + 5 TV Shows That Rock... And Why!

2012-01-27T22:42:00.003-05:00

Since starting this blog, I've come to notice that I have quite a knack for making lists, which is ironic because making lists suggests some sort of organizational skill and we all know I'm nothing like that. Lists that I'm talking about aren't the ones you'd find taped to the fridge or in your hand while you stroll around the grocery store. My lists are much more important. They're lists about, well, nothing really. Whatever I can think about. A few that I've done so far are 5-Steps for Shoppers, How You Know You Watch Too Much Grey's Anatomy, Traveling "Tips", 5 Ways to Not Feel Guilty About Eating While You Bake, What I'd Bring to a Deserted Island, Things About Halloween That I Just Can't Stand, Why Adulthood Sorta Bites.

In the spirit of keeping this grand, albeit somewhat pointless, tradition alive, I turned to a good friend of mine, Lindsey from Hot Polka Dot for inspiration. If I'm going to be making lists, then I might as well take ideas from other people. Right? She suggested - drum roll please...

...

TV Shows That Rock

Now, she didn't specify how many, but in the interest of keeping your attention, I'll widdle it down to 5. Good?

I present to you, 5 TV Shows That Rock... And Why! (in no particular order)

1. Friends - Well, OK. This one is number 1, because it is number 1. But Friends is amazing for a few reasons, but don't worry, I won't be creating a list within a list. First of all, it takes place in New York City, which of course, sets me up to love it because anyone who knows me knows that its my life's purpose to live in the Big Apple and eat breakfast at Tiffany's and then ship at F.A.O. Schwartz all day long. It's also about 6 friends, which is what I live vicariously through, because I don't think I have that many friends. Sorry, Mom, you don't count. Finally, smelly cat anyone? Anyone?

2. Charmed - I've loved the idea of magic and witches since I was a little, little kid. I still pretend that I can move things with my mind and, every once and a while, while holding a spoon, I maybe try and bend it with my mind. Doesn't work, but at least now you can't say that I don't have goals. It also starts three amazingly kick-ass women which, as a young man who grew up with two older sisters, a mother who took no prisoners, and a babysitter who my parents dubbed a "Saint", I hold a certain affinity for strong women. And I mean, what's stronger than a women who can blow demons up with a flash of her hands? That's right. Nothing.

3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Comical, dark, dangerous, action-packing, and with Sarah Michelle Gellar to boot! She can slay "vamps" at midnight and still find the energy to sit through biology. Now, if that isn't an All-American Girl, then I don't know what is!

4. Golden Girls - With all the shows now-a-days that glorify appearances over everything else, it's mildly refreshing to see a show that doesn't revolve its success around having young, hot actors who walk around in bikinis all day and drink martinis in hotels at the age of sixteen. Maybe it was made during a time before this is what TV was primarily based around, but as a new fan of Golden Girls, I laugh my ass off daily. It's refreshing to watch a show that can attribute its success to being sensible, smart, and witty!

5. The Big Band Theory - I hated science in high school. I mean, really hated it. "Mitosis is... Mitosis is..." Thankfully, I've never actually had to figure out the speed of a car by factoring in the distance it will travel and the time its going to take to get there. But, suddenly, this show comes along and renews my faith in the sciences (including math). Maybe there is more to science than cells and big equations. It can also be about video games, whacky roommates, and Kaley Cuoco (who also stared in the 8th season of Charmed) living across the hall. Funny, smart, and possibly my new Friends.

What do you think? What are TV Shows do you think rock?

Ellen should do a segment on this.

If for no other reason than this cake is pure bliss on a cake stand.... I present to you the Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Chocolate Cake! It's a mouthful, but that won't matter so much when you're devouring his piece of sweet decadence.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Chocolate Cake

Visit Sweetapolita for the cake recipe! You should be able to get 3 nine-inch round cakes from the recipe as it is.

Buttercream:

Ingredients:

3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

8 cups icing sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Red food colouring

Directions:

1. Beat the butter in a large bowl until pale and and smooth. Slowly incorporate the icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and blend until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.

2. Mix in the red food colouring until you get your desired shade.
3. Once the cakes are cooled, frost as shown above, or however you want! Be creative!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries:

Ingredients:

Approx. 24 fresh strawberries

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1.Add the chocolate to a large heatproof bowl.

2. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiled, at 1/4 of the cream to the chocolate and gently stir with a spatula until the chocolate beings to melt. Continue adding the cream, in three separate batches, stirring after each addition. You'll know you're done when the mixture is smooth.

3. Once cooled, but not hardened, slice the tops off the strawberries and dip the bottom end in the chocolate. Place the strawberries around frosted cake as you want. I had a bit of extra ganache left, so, being the chocolate lover that I am, I poured the rest to fill in the cracks between the strawberries. It's just good construction!

Happy baking!

-Jordan

Chocolate Chip Cookie + Brownie Bars & Why Adulthood Sorta Bites

2012-01-19T18:48:00.000-05:00

I'm here to tell you that being a grown-up kinda sucks. I mean, it can be great at time. Driving, buying stuff, etc. But, once you realize that the things you enjoyed as a kid are no longer that great, it all changes. So, in the spirit of growing older, I've compiled a list of the Top 5 Things That You Once Loved As A Child But Were Ruined By Adulthood.

1) Snow/ Winter - As a kid, winter is the best. Snow days, snow ball fights, building forts. It's a winter wonderland of fun and excitement. When you're an adult, it's all about cold weather, scraping your car off in the morning, and making sure kids avoid the yellow snow.

2) TV Shows - Shows that once amazed you are now starting to look extremely dull and under-produced. Take Power Rangers for example. As a kid, I use to think it was the best, most kick ass thing ever made. Watching it as an adult with my nephew; not so much. It's so hard to not point out all the flaws in effects and the corny dialogue. Not to mention the self-imposed stigma and shame that comes with being a 21 year old who secretly watches Power Rangers.... with his nephew, of course.

3) Christmas - Christmas never really can lose its magic, but it can lose some of the wonder and awe. As a kid, you're fascination with Christmas can come from knowing that, while you sleep, a jolly, magical man and his eight flying reindeer are landing on your roof, sliding down your chimney, and leaving you the best friggin' presents ever and all you have to do is leave him a plate of Mr. Christie's. Sweet, huh? As a grown up, Christmas means spending money, realizing the truth about Santa, and shopping with crazy bitches.

4) School - When you're a kid, school can literally be the best thing ever. You go to a place for the day, hang with your friends, colour some stuff, maybe practice your printing, try and learn how to add and subtract, and then go home and do more of the same thing. When you're a young adult, school means 15 page essays on Thomas Hobbes, late night cram sessions, and teachers who are against you having any sort of imagination/ fun.

5) Candy - It's a total thrill to get a huge, giant bag of candy and know that it's all yours. You and you alone will consume it all and then survive for a week on sugar. But, then you grow up and even though it still makes you happy, it's no longer looked at as something of the Gods. "How many calories? That many grams of sugar? Maybe just one..."

In the spirit of pulling a Peter Pan and staying young forever, I present you with Chocolate Chip Cookie + Brownie Bars; simply the best thing you will ever eat.

Chocolate Chip Cookie + Brownie Bars

Ingredients:

For Brownies: (recipe adapted from Fry's Premium Cocoa)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup butter

1 cup cocoa

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For Chocolate Chip Cookies: (recipe adapted from Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/8 cup granulated sugar

1/4 unsalted butter

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350'F.

For Brownies:

1) Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

2) Melt the butter in a large saucepan and then remove it from the heat. Stir in the cocoa.

3) Mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

4) Blend in dry ingredients.

5) Pour the batter into a well greased 13x9-inch rectangular baking pan.

6) Don't put it in the oven just yet! Set the pan aside.

For Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1) Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2) With an electric mixer, blend the sugars at medium speed and then add the butter to form a grainy paste. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3) Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until just incorporated. Make sure not to overmix.

4) Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend it all on low speed until just mixed. Again, make sure not to overmix.

Assembly:

1) Drop the cookie dough by generous teaspoons into the prepared pan with the brownie batter, spaced at least an inch apart. You should have enough to make about 12 bars.

2) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the brownie and cookie comes out clean.

Happy baking!

-Jordan

Lemon + Cranberry Tea Bread & A Return

2012-01-14T14:32:00.002-05:00

Where have I been?

I wish I had an answer for that. It's been a few months since I let my internet presence fade away and for a while, I was sort of ok with that. I felt like, maybe, it was my time to go. Maybe I had gotten all out of food blogging that I was going to get. I kept baking, but I wasn't photographing what I had created.

It wasn't until last week when I was starting off a new semester of school when I realized that my life was lacking some sort of creativity. I had my business, I had school, but nothing out there that I could create and play around with. Nothing that I could look at simply as something fun to do with no strings attached and no commitment to another person.

That's when I realized that what food blogging gave me was more than a place to showcase my baking, but really was, like most people say it is, an outlet. It may look like it's just baking and photographing but for the people behind it, myself included, it really is multi-dimensional. In a world full of linear direction and responsibilities that might not always be the best thing in the world, it's always nice to know that you have something, maybe not always food blogging, to go to.

I'm so happy I'm back.

This recipe is absolutely wonderful. It gives you a nice moist loaf and is great for adapting with various flavours.

Lemon + Cranberry Tea Bread

adapated from The Harrowsmith Country Life Baking Book

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine or 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon or 2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2c cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
1. Cream together the margarine and sugar until light.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Stir in lemon zest (or juice) and cranberries.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, in separate bowl.
5. Add milk and flour mixture alternately to creamed mixture, stirring until well blended and combined.
6. Empty the mixture into a well-greased 9-inch loaf pan.
7. Bake in preheated 350'F oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Imagination - Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream

2011-10-20T09:06:00.000-04:00

I turned facing my enemy, my wand hanging down by my side. I rubbed the handle with the tips of my fingers waiting for something to happen. Was I going to be the one to make the first move or would I be dodging his fiery attack?

I waited another moment before lifting my wand, shouting some incoherent spell, and watching as the streak of bright blue light flew from the tip of my wand, soaring across the dense field of grass. Without any hesitation, the man on the receiving end knocked the spell away with his own wand and quickly fired a spell back at me. Before I knew what was happening I was on my back, laying on the grass like nobodies business.

I was fervent when I shot back up to my feet. I held my wand back, ready to attack. I could feel the magic in my fingertips just whirling away, ready when I needed it. I thrust my arm forward, sending a jet of light, this time red, from my wand. I watched as the light flew across the field, closer and closer, until....

"Jordan, put down that stick and get in the car. People are watching."

The story of my life. As a kid, my imagination was wild and unrelenting. It didn't matter where we were or where my parents took me. I was hungry for adventure and magic and, being a kid with no actual magical powers (that I know of), I had to make my own. Sticks easily became magic wands. Brooms in the garage that were meant for nothing more than sweeping dust soon became wondrous contraptions that I could fly on.

My imagination took me to places that I could never see otherwise. It's what's helped me be the "adult" that I am today. Without it, who knows if I'd be able to create the way I do now, or find such a passion in baking, writing, photographing, or running a business all about cute things, cupcake stuff, and party ware?

I probably wouldn't be. As a seasoned child, I can tell you the importance of imagination on a kid, especially growing up. Who cares if they want to grab a stick from the front yard and pretend it's a wand? Does it matter if they want to take a bucket, fill it with water, and mix in leaves, grass, and rocks in an attempt to make a potion and sell it to the neighbourhood kids? Probably not.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream via Martha Stewart

Yield | 22 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 large egg, room temperature

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375'F and line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, until pale and fluffy. Mix in the peanut butter and then add eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla and gradually the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Mix in the sour cream.

4. Divide the batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake the cupcakes, rotating halfway through. Bake for 22 minutes, until cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the tins on a wire rack.

Honey Buttercream adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups icing sugar

Approx. 2 tbsp. honey or to taste

Directions:

1. Cream butter until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until well combined. Add the honey and mix until combined.
2. Once the buttercream has piped on top, add a few more drops of honey on top and then let it harden a bit.

TIP: Depending on how much honey you add, you may need to add a bit more icing sugar to get the right consistency.

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

P.S. Pink Paper Straws and Plastic Milk Bottles from I'm With Cupcake!

Pumpkin Patch Cake and Getting Beat By A 5 Year Old

2011-09-19T20:33:00.000-04:00

Isn't it kinda sad when a five year old can beat you at video games? Especially video games I've been playing since before he was born?

My nephew is practically an expert at Mario Kart on Wii and he can seriously kick my ass at Super Smash Bros. What I want to know is, how? He's five. Aren't kids at that age just learning how to walk and talk? Alright, maybe my perception of child development is a little distorted, but it baffles me.

He always tells me how he's going to kick my butt. Of course he has the trash talking down.

We've come a long way since I gave him a controller and pretended he was playing. That didn't last long with my Gamecube and he was quick to upgrade to a Wii wireless remote. Before I knew what was happening, he was really playing, and really beating me.

It's ok. I have ways of insuring my victory. Maybe throw a blanket over his head in the middle of a race. Pause it and then unpause it when he's not looking. I have my ways. They may not be nice or techncially "correct" but a 21 year old has to survive in this dog eat dog world. Or should I say a 5 year old eat 21 year old world?

Sigh.

Pumpkin Patch Cake

Cake adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8x2-inch cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, with an electric beater or an amazing stirring arm, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time until incorporated. Mix in vanilla.

4. Alternately beat in the flour mixture and the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.

5. Divide the batter evenly between two pans and bake until cakes are cooked through and pull away from the side, about 32 to 35 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center will let you know if they're done. Let the cakes cool in a pan for 10 minutes before inverting the cakes onto wire racks. If you have trouble getting the cakes loose, run a knife along the edges. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

8 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

Directions:

1. Beat butter in a large bowl under light and creamy.

2. Add the icing sugar, about 1/2 cup or 1 cup at a time, and beat until just incorporated.

3. Take about 1 cup of the frosting and, in a separate bowl, add green food colouring to it.

4. With the remaining white frosting, add the the cocoa until well blended, making sure there are no lumps.

Assembly

Ingredients:

12 plain Timbits or, as Americans seem to call them, donut holes

1 1/2 cup orange chocolate wafers

12 orange M&M's

Directions:

1. Slice the two cakes in half, horizontally, dusting off excess crumbs and trimming around the edges to give them a smoother finish.

2. Coat each layer with a generous amount of chocolate frosting, stacking each layer on top of each other after you do so.

3. Once all the layers are assembled, crumb coat the cake which helps prevent crumbs of the cake getting in the frosting and making it all ugly. Once the crumb coat is applied and set for a few minutes, frost that baby real good.

4. Melt the chocolate wafers in a microwave safe bowl and once completely melted, coat the Timbits (donut holes) with the melted chocolate and set on a piece of wax paper. These are going to be your pumpkins!

5. Once the cake is completely iced and the donut holes have cooled and hardened, arrange them, along with the M&M's anywhere on the cake. Once arrange, use a thin piping tip to pipe the green icing for the vines.

This cake is a serious labour of love but so worth it! Feel free to mix up the colours or design. Maybe you could do a pile of apples with red wafers?

Good luck and happy baking!

-Jordan

Deep Dish Dessert Pizza and How I Can Be Fickle

2011-07-28T20:05:00.001-04:00

I can be a very fickle person. I try not to be, but I can't help it. I like things a certain way and I really, really, really don't do well with change. Over the years I've gotten progressively worse, mostly because as I've gotten older I've become increasingly like an old man in that just the idea of someone touching my stuff and maybe, potentially breaking it, gives me a heart attack.

I hold firm on the idea that I don't mind sharing, as long as you ask first and don't grab my only copy of Mean Girls on DVD and wipe your nose with it. Then, you and me, we have problems. It's mostly material possessions. I just like my things in a certain way, be it chaotic and disorganized, and no one should mess with it.

"Please, please don't touch that!"

"Why? It's just on a pile of stuff."

"K, seriously, I have a system, and you touching the crowning piece is just ruining everything. I don't think we can be friends anymore. Get the hell out of my house."

That's a tad dramatic and thankfully it's never come to that, but believe me, I've thought about it.

The one thing I absolutely can not, will not, share, is my Deep Dish Dessert Pizza. Not only is it mine and no one elses, but it's pretty much food of the god's and that makes it divine. We all know what happens when you mess with divinity, right...?

Yeah, me either, but it probably isn't good.

Deep Dish Dessert Pizza

Serves approx. 8 small pieces

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp. butter

20 marshmallows

3 cups Rice Krispies

1/4 cup Nutella

1/4 cup strawberry jam

1/4 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 shredded coconut

Directions:

1. Make Rice Krispie treats, following the recipe here. Instead of spreading the treats out in a rectangular pan, take an 8-inch cake pan and line with tin foil and then spray with cooking spray. This will allow you to lift the treats from the pain easily and remove the tin foil with ease. Once the treats are in the pan, and before placing in the refrigerator to cool, press the sides of the treats up like you would a pie crust to make it look like a pizza.

2. Once the crust is cooled, remove from the pan and remove the tine foil. Coat the top, minus the outer few inches, with the Nutella, the strawberry jam, and the coconut. Arrange the fruit however you like and top with a bit more coconut.

3. Slice with a pizza cutter or knife if it's easier, and ENJOY!

Let me know if you try this. I have a feeling it would be a great idea for a birthday party!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Confessions of a Toothless Psychopath

2011-07-14T20:14:00.000-04:00

The other day I had my wisdom teeth taken out. This is my story...

The months leading up to it were not pleasant, the day of it was not pleasant, and the days preceding it have not, repeat not, been pleasant.

It all started the night before the surgery. I was scanning the brochure for the 5,000th time, making sure it said that I wasn't suppose to eat or drink eight hours before hand, hoping deep down that it was actually more like an hour and that I'd be able to wake up, eat five cookies to settle my stomach and calm my nerves, and then let a strange man pull teeth from my face.

Getting me out of the car didn't take that much coaxing. I was constantly told by people -my mom, dad, sisters, lady at the grocery store, man walking dog - that it was completely painfree; at least during the operation. I'd be asleep, what did I have to fear? Oh, maybe you haven't ever watched TV or movies? People asleep in chairs always get felt up. Now, I wouldn't call myself Ryan Reynolds or anything, maybe a Brad Pitt circa marriage to Jennifer Aniston. But, stuff like this still happens, and I'd be totally knocked up on drugs and unable to use my attack whistle.

Once inside the dentist's office I ran in to an old friend from elementary school, who, as fate would have it, was also getting his wisdom teeth out that day... at the exact same time as me. Oh joyous fates, how ye taunt me so. My planned morning of nerve wracking and nail biting was suddenly replaced with uncomfortable chit chat and catch up.

I got called in before my friend did. I couldn't help but feel a little happy at the fact that I had seemingly "beat him" in to the surgery. Sucker. I win.

I've only ever had two other surgeries in my entire life. One to have my tonsils taken out and one to fix the crappy job Doctor A did on taking my tonsils out. That's for another day. From what I remember from those surgeries, I wasn't as irrational as I was this time. It took me a few minutes to sit in the chair, another few minutes to actually put my head back, and another few minutes on top of all that to let the nurse stick my hand with a butterfly needle. Apparently it's the kind they use on kids. I was tempted to flash her my ID to prove that I could take a shot of Patron if I wanted to, but I wasn't reacting well to the prospect of any needle, so I figured a needle laced with vulnerability and innocence really couldn't hurt.

"Will it hurt?" I asked the nurse, death-staring at my dad from across the room.

"No, not at all. It'll feel like a tiny mosquito bite," She replied as she wiped the top of my hand with alcohol.

She inched forward with the needle. "OMG, DON'T DO IT!" I screamed. Actually, I didn't scream, but I did move my hand.

She grabbed a can of something from a tray and held it up. "If you'd like, I can numb your hand with this spray."

I took a deep breath, put on my best Spartan face (Gerard Butler anyone?) and let her prick me.
"Son of a bitch. What type of mosquitoes do you run in to?"

In the meantime they had placed an oxygen mask over my nose that didn't sit very well and smelled really strange. But don't worry, the nurse assured me that what I was smelling was cleaning products, the stuff they use to disinfect, and not some old man's nostril hair.

Wow, I thought, no way am I going to ever going to be relaxed enough for - And I was out. Apparently they'd started pumping the drugs.

The next thing I remembered was stumbling out of the chair into a wheelchair and being pushed into a recovery room where I was oh-so-hygienically placed near two other young adults stuffed with gauze like a Thanksgiving turkey. I remember thinking that, hey, this wasn't so bad. I was totally alert and completely in control of my body. Pft, drugs.

My attempt at walking to the car and nearly falling through the glass door quickly proved me wrong.

It's three days later. I'm pretty good, I guess. I was lucky enough to only have two teeth pulled, because that's all I had. The dentist said it's because I'm evolving, and that as humans evolve, we don't need those teeth as much anymore. What I heard was that only having two wisdom teeth was my god-given super power. I was a mutant. Any minute Professor X would be knocking on my door to tell me that I was special. I'd be next to Storm in no time. The only thing I had to do was wait and figure out exactly what my lack of two other teeth let me accomplish. I was hoping for either super strength or fire from my fingers.

Maybe those drugs haven't worn off completely.

I apologize for not having a recipe up for you today. It's been so long since I've posted and I'm so thankful that all of you still like me (I hope). Basically, my official excuse is that I'm really tired and in too much pain to write anything coherent (as witnessed from above)

What I'm trying to say is that I will be back to posting regularly very soon - as soon as the pain in my entire face stops.

Introducing I'M WITH CUPCAKE

2011-07-01T10:51:00.001-04:00

I'm so happy to finally be able to share with all of you what I've been working on for the past 6 months. Read on for more information:

----------------------------

Why does the word cupcake have to mean something you eat? Why can’t cupcake refer to a state of mind, where everything is as cute as everyone’s favourite dessert?

I’m With Cupcake offers you just that. A place where the word cupcake is redefined to mean more than a small cake. Here, cupcake means anything cute, fun, kitsch, and clever.

I’m With Cupcake offers a diverse selection of fun, kitsch products for you to choose from: unique office and kitchen knick knacks, girly accessories that are practically good enough to eat, and some stuff that’s just for fun! Life shouldn’t be taken so seriously!

I’m With Cupcake is currently open for business so you can make a purchase, but we will be celebrating our OFFICIAL launch all day on Saturday, July 2nd, 2011. Will you be attending? Head on over to our event page and RSVP! We’ll have some great promotions going on.

And, to celebrate our grand opening, use promo code "kitchenkarate" to receive 10% off your purchase over $30 before taxes and shipping. This promotion can not be combined with any other offer and is only valid from tomorrow, July 2nd to the end of of July 3rd.

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Contact I’m With Cupcake: imwithcupcake@gmail.com

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Krispie Chocolate Buttercream and What I'd Do If I Won the Lottery

2011-06-03T22:42:00.007-04:00

I've often spent many ~~minutes~~ hours thinking about the things I would do if I won the lottery. I like to get my family going with games of "What Would You Do/ Buy Me If You Won the Lottery?". I love hearing everyone's answers. The answers are always fairly evenly split, between the people who are responsible and would choose to invest their winnings and live off of the interest and then you have the other people who say stuff like, "I'd by a 2-4 and have a killer roof party!" Granted, I've never met those people, but I'm sure they exist. Somewhere.

I know I'm not alone when I say that I often daydream about what I'd do with my life if money was no object. After several years of planning and calculating, I think I have it down to at least a top five.

1) I'd travel and I don't meant to Toronto and back. I mean, I'd buy a private plane and fly all around the world so that I could literally have parties in the sky. I'd name my plane Air Jordan and then probably get sued by Michael Jordan. Either way, I'd have a plane.

2) I'd buy a really, really big house and I mean a mother of a house. It would have like eighteen floors, six pools, a jacuzzi in every room, a tennis court on the roof, eighteen butlers with English accents, a gym that's just for show, a helicopter pad without the helicopter because, please, let's not get carried away, and probably one or two guest houses so that I'd have extra room to decorate.

3) I'd move to a really fancy city, like New York or LA and become some sort of socialite and become BFFs with other really famous people like Britney Spears or the Kardashians. I'd be known as "that fame whore who hasn't even done anything" which means I'd fit in perfectly with Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe. A reality show would also be imminent.

4) I'd probably shop a lot. It's no secret that I love clothes, especially cashmere, and I always say the fancier the better. I wouldn't even bother bargain hunting because, like I said in number 1, money would be no object, so I'd frivolously buy stuff and just store it in my Carrie Bradshaw sized closet.

5) I'd probably give a lot of money to my two sisters so that they can enjoy partaking in number 3 with me and we could all hang out with famous people together. Like the Kardashians, we'd get our own reality show that would primarily focus on me and my fame obsessed ways but, over time, the general public would learn to like my sisters, so they'd probably get a perfume deal or something. But I'd always be considered the sex symbol.

I know it's nothing fancy like curing diseases or stopping world hunger, but dreaming about the lottery is meant to indulge your materialistic fantasies. Of course I'd give to charity!

What I wouldn't give to charity is these cupcakes, because holy cow they're amazing. Just kidding, I'd probably give one away. Or two.

My question to you is this: If you won the lottery, what would you do?

This is a peanut butter cupcake from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes with a chocolate buttercream frosting, infused with Rice Krispies to give the topping a little extra crunch. Who'd have thought that adding so little could make such a big difference?

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Krispie Chocolate Buttercream via Martha Stewart

Yield | 22 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 large egg, room temperature

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

3/4 cup coarsely chopped salted, roasted peanuts (which I did not use)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375'F and line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Krispie Chocolate Buttercream adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups icing sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 cup Rice Krispies

Directions:

1. Cream butter until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until well combined. Add the vanilla.

2. Melt the chocolate and once cooled, fold it into the frosting. Fold in Rice Krispies.

3. Pipe or spread a generous amount on to each cupcake.

4. Enjoy!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Meringue Cups with a Blueberry Curd

2011-05-20T21:22:00.000-04:00

Oh merginue, why must you torment me so? With your ridiculous mixing guidelines and your tight as leather baking instructions. All I want to do is eat you! I've been told I should make you myself because when I try and buy macarons from a bakery, it costs me approximately ten dollars for six and I have to sign a contract promising them my first born. Apparently making you is easier than spending the money, but I don't really agree.

I'm sorry. But, one day I may have to just loosen my purse strings and fork over the cash instead of suffering in silence while I feel the beads of sweat drip down my face as I adjust my mixers speed accordingly or while I make sure not to make any sudden movements, lest I scare you in to deflating or not cooking properly.

As I open the oven at the hour and a half mark, my face is red from what I would like to call anticipation, but what is actually a hot flash brought on by your devilish like preparation. I close the oven slowly, making sure that my hands, wet as the rain, don't slip off the oven door handle and slam the oven shut. God forbid.

When you're finished, I take you out of the oven slowly and examine your wonderous outer shell. Sure, I wish you had turned out a bit differently, but overall I'm satisfied. After you've cooled ever so slightly, I take a sharp knife (the quicker the better as I always say) and I slowly slice off your top. Everything's going fine. I can feel myself smiling again in god only knows how long. I feel happiness spread through my body like a sugar rush from a tablespoon of buttercream.

Instead of cooperating, you decide to fall apart. You decide that, after our four hours together, you're just going to crumble. What about our dreams? What about the lives we wanted together? Remember what we planned? You'd bake perfectly and then I'd eat you with such lust that it would make Aphrodite weep.

Well, b**ch, the jokes on you cause only one of us can fit in the garbage can.

****

In all honesty, this recipe was fantastic. I just wrote the above analogy to hightlight the difficulties of cooking anything meringue. However, this shouldn't discourage you from trying it, because when it is done it's actually incredibly rewarding.

The recipe for the Mergingue Cupcakes comes from Whisk Kid. However, after a few issues with slicing the top, I was forced to head to my imagination station and think of another way to make this dessert, with a homemade whipped cream and blueberry curd, work. I was determined.

Instead of making it in the way that it was originally intended, I sliced the tops off, turned them over, and made them in to cups. Hoozah!

Meringue Cups with a Blueberry Curd adapted from Whisk Kid

Yield | Approx. 12

Ingredients:

6 eggs whites, room temperature

1 tsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1 3/4 cup sugar

Blueberry curd

Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 225'F. Take two 12-cup muffin tins and line every second cup with a paper baking cup and spray each with cooking spray.

2. Beat the egg whites, vinegar, vanilla, and salt until frothy, in a large mixing bowl with a stand mixer or hand mixer. Slowly increase the speed and start adding the sugar 1 tbsp. at a time, allowing one minute after each addition to give the sugar time to dissolve. Whip the mixture until stiff, glossy peaks form

3. Once finished, add the mixture to a pastry bag. You can add a plain coupler to the piping bag before pouring in the mixture, though I didn't and it worked alright. Pipe the mixture into prepared cups, piping to about 2 inches above the rims. Finish each with a peak in the center or no peak if you want the bowl to stand straighter when filled with cream and curd.

4. Bake for approx. 3 hours - 3 hours and 20 minutes, rotating each tin halfway through. According to Whisk Kid, the "Cupcakes should be completely dry on the outside but still soft in the middle. A toothpick inserted horizontally at base of top should have moist but cooked crumbs attached).

5. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.

6. To assemble the cups, slice off the caps of the cupcakes with a serrated knife and turn upside down on a plate. Fill with whipped cream and blueberry curd and top with fruit.

Blueberry Curd adapted from Whisk Kid

Ingredients:

85 g blueberries

a little less than 2/3 cup of sugar

2 egg yolks

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/8 cup lemon juice

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Whisk all the ingredients in heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering, not boiling water, until slightly thick. This will take approx. 8 to 10 minutes. You may need to use a masher to crush the blueberries slightly to let the juices out. Blueberries have a tough outer shell that hold up well against a whisk.

2. Strain the mixture over a bowl and then cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the curd. Place in the refrigerator until cold/ thick.

Honestly, meringue should not be something that is feared. It's a great learning experience and if it doesn't turn out the first time, then try again and learn from previous mistakes.

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Penne with Five Cheeses

2011-05-17T19:13:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that when it comes to being in the kitchen I'm much less likely to whip up a casserole than cupcakes. Generally speaking I find baking much more soothing and much easier. Cooking, to me, can be stressful, time consuming, and it doesn't make much room for my disorganization. I'm horrible at multi-tasking and when I'm trying to cook a meal, it really starts to show. Because god-forbid I should be able to tear some greens while I have to stir a pot of soup.

However, I've recently come across Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family by Ina Garten. I hadn't realized it before, but her recipes are very functional and not as intimidating as some of the other cooking recipes I've faced in my days. And by my days I mean the last year or so. I have a tendency to be a bit over-dramatic.

Ina's recipe for Penne with Five Cheeses was the first thing that caught my eye and I instantly knew that I had to make it. The recipe had a huge list of delicious ingredients with only a few simple steps, which for a simple folk like me, was absolutely perfect.

Not to mention the amazing picture of it was pretty compelling as well.

Penne with Five Cheeses via Barefoot Contessa

Serves | 6

Ingredients:

Kosher salt

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup crushed tomatoes in thick tomato paste

1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

1/2 cup shredded imported Italian fontina

1/4 cup crumbled Italian Gorgonzola

2 tbsp. ricotta cheese

1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 pound imported penne rigate pasta

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 500'F.

2. In a large stockpot, bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil.

3. Except the penne and butter, combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix it well.

4. Parboil the penne in the boiling water for approximately 4 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander and add it to the bowl of mixed ingredients and toss it to combine.

5. Divide the pasta dish evenly in to 6 shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2 cup capacity). Top with a bit of butter. Bake for 7-10 minutes until bubbly and the top is brown.

Enjoy!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Individual Chocolate Strawberry Cakes and 5 Things My Mother Has Taught Me

2011-05-11T14:28:00.002-04:00

I know I'm a little late on the whole Mother's Day celebration and this is normally where'd I'd blame someone else, i.e. the public school system, society, my mom (I'll cut her some slack because it is/was her day), but my mom has always taught me to never blame someone else for your own actions.

In honour of this belated Mother's Day, I've decided that I am going to share with the world the wonder that is my mother and five of the most memorable things that she's taught me.

1. Never eat raw cookie dough. It has raw eggs which could make you really sick. Granted, I eat it anyways, but I definitely know that she's coming from a good place.

2. Always do the dishes. Recently, I've even learned that if you do them as you're baking, it makes it much more easy and much more efficient.

3. No elbows on the table. Apparently it's bad manners. I like to think that I'm just doing what biology has told me I'm meant to do, which apparently means sitting at the table like a cave person while I use my almost extinct wisdom teeth to tear at my juicy tri-tip.

4. Always be professional, even in those rare circumstances when you want to punch your boss for yelling at you for not telling him that someone is on the phone for him in the proper way. Yes, untraceable rumours are still unprofessional.

5. Pay it forward. Doing something nice for someone else will undoubtedly bring about great things when the person you've helped is one day able to help another person. i.e. Make someone a cake and one day they might make one for someone else.

I could go on forever because my mom has taught me so much about myself and about others and there's really no way that I could ever repay her for the sacrifices she's made for me and all the things she's helped me achieve.

My mom is Kitchen Karate's self-professed #1 fan and she's always encouraging and helpful whenever I need her.

Happy Mother's Day mom! I love you!

These mini cakes are delicious and absolutely perfect for this time of the year. The recipe consists of chocolate cake cut in to circles, with strawberries and a buttercream frosting. Not only are they absolutely scrumptious, but aren't they the cutest things ever?

Individual Chocolate Strawberry Cakes

Yield | 6 servings

Chocolate Cake via Whisk Kid

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup flour

3/8 cup (33 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

4/6 cup sour cream, room temperature

4/6 cup hot coffee (I didn't add the coffee and the cake still tasted great)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350'F and coat a 13x9-inch rectangular cake pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until each egg is well incorporated. Add the vanilla.

4. Pour a third of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Proceed by adding half of the sour cream and mix until combined. Repeat the process, alternating between the flour mixture and the sour cream, making sure to end with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until all is combined. Stir in the hot coffee if you choose to use it.

5. Add mixture to the cake pan and bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Buttercream Frosting via Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

4 cups icing sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. While the cake is cooling, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed until light and creamy.

2. Add the icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat until well incorporated.

3. Add the vanilla extract and beat well.

Assembling the Cakes

Extras:

approx. 24 fresh strawberries

mint leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. When the cake is cooled cut out circles approx. 3 or 4 inches in diameter with a round cookie cutter. Remove cut out portion from the pan and, using a seraded knife, slice the piece in half horizontally to make two halves.

2. Pipe a generous amount of frosting on to the top of the bottom piece and proceed to place slices of strawberry on top, pressing down to make sure the strawberry pieces don't slide.

3. Place the top half of the cake on top and pipe another generous helping of frosting. Add a full strawberry (without the stem) and a mint leaf to garnish.

4. Enjoy!

I really hope you enjoy these! Please, let me know if you try them!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Julie & Julia DVD Winner!

2011-05-11T14:26:00.000-04:00

So, it's been a few days since I announced the winner of the giveaway and I have yet to get a response. As per the guidelines of the giveaway, should the winner fail to contact me within 48 hours, I would draw a new one.

The new winner is.... AMBER, who said...

Please e-mail me at kitchenkarateATgmailDOTcom to claim the prize!

Have a great week and thank you to everyone for entering!

-Jordan

Rabbit in the Hole

2011-04-25T22:37:00.002-04:00

When you try to lead a relatively healthy lifestyle, and by healthy I mean one plate of brownies, instead of two, it can be hard to figure out what you're going to eat. One of the most difficult parts of leading a healthy diet is not going for the easy foods with processed junk and too much sugar. While those obviously taste amazing and make you want to sing, it's just as easy to make healthy alternatives that you can prepare yourself.

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I want to eat is a) potato salad or b) leftover cake. I've always heard that protein is a great way to really fuel your body and fill you up so you're less tempted to snack throughout the day. And one of my favourite ways to load up with the protein is with an egg. While I'm usually a scrambled kinda guy, I've recently gained a certain affinity for easy over. I love cracking the yolk and dipping my toast. So, when I found this recipe that incorporated toast and an egg in a new and fun way, I knew I had to give it a try as soon as possible!

Rabbit in the Hole

Yield | 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 large egg
1 slice of whole wheat bread
approx. 2 tsp. of butter

Directions:
1. Place a frying pan on a burner at medium heat, adding about 1 tsp. of butter and letting it melt, spreading it around the pan.
2. Using a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut a whole out of the center of the bread. Place the bread in the pan.
3. Place another small amount of butter in the center of the hole. Once the butter has melted, crack the egg in the hole of the bread, letting it cook for 30 seconds to a minute.
4. Flip the toast over carefully, making sure not to break the yolk. Cook on the other side for another minute or so. Make sure the bread has toasted on both sides and that the egg is cooked thoroughly.
5. Serve when hot with your favourite side of fruit and morning beverage.

Note:
- Froot Loops are not a side of fruit.
- Tequila is not a morning beverage.

I know it's no plate of cookies or triple layer cake with kit kat bars, but it's very tasty, and hey, we could all use a little extra health in our lives, right?

Until next time, happy cooking!

-Jordan

P.S. Want to win a copy of Julie & Julia on DVD or a copy of Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell? Well, head over here and check out all the details!

Kitchen Karate's Blogirthday, an Easter Cake, and a Giveaway!

2011-04-23T12:30:00.004-04:00

Over 2 years ago I started a blog with the only known purpose being that it was a place I could write down random thoughts and no one would even care. Posts were short, to the point, and rather obscure. I wish I could tell you how it happened, but somehow through blogging I found baking, through baking I found the kitchen, and through the kitchen I found something that would come to mean more to me than most things in my life.

Eventually, the former blog would transform in to one that was purely food based. While it still incorporated a few random thoughts, I began to dedicate most of my spare time to being in the kitchen, trying my hand at various things I began to learn from other food bloggers. What started off as a basic need for cupcakes and cookies slowly evolved to allow me to expand my collection of favourite recipes to include breads, savoury dishes, and loads of other dishes that I secretly wish I had an unlimited supply of.

As I look back on the past two years, since Kitchen Karate became Kitchen Karate, I'm overwhelmed by the experiences I've gained and the people I've met. I think it's safe to say that the food blogging community is one of the most supportive, inspiring, and kind groups of people on the internet. I've learned so much from so many people and they've never failed to inspire me with their unique styles, in writing, baking, and photography.

When I first started photographing food I was using an old point-and-shoot camera that took, what I consider to be, the most pixelated and dark pictures ever. However, salvation came in the form of a Canon digital rebel xti, thanks to my mother's need to take decent pictures of grandchildren. I suppose I also need to thank my sister for actually having children for my mother to take pictures of. Eventually, I was able to learn about arrangement, proper lighting (I use to shoot at night, because I really didn't see the big deal), and the use of props, and I'd like to think that my photography has improved in some measurable degree.

I've made some amazing friends through baking and it never ceases to amaze me, the connection that food creates between people. When I first started out, I met Kristan and Lindsey, who are both so talented I want to cry and eat a box of bite-size brownies. From there, I have to admit that I gained enough courage to start talking to other bloggers, and I went on to meet Julie, Azmina, Tessa, Kaitlin, Sheena, and a whole butt-load, all of whom inspire me in so many different ways.

These last two years have been filled with new experiences and learning and I can't wait to see what the rest of my food blogging existence holds. Thank you to everyone who keeps reading and supporting. You're the ones who make it fun to come up with news posts and try new things!

Now, as a way to celebrate Kitchen Karate's second birthday, I'm holding not one, but TWO giveaways. Giveaway #1 is hosted on Kitchen Karate's blog and Giveaway #2 is held on Kitchen Karate's Facebook page.

What am I giving away you ask? Well, click below to see more and you'll find out! (P.S. The recipe for the Easter Cake will immediately follow the giveaway guidelines).

BOTH GIVEAWAYS ARE NOW CLOSED. WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON. GOOD LUCK!

I am giving away one (1) copy of Julie & Julia on DVD and one (1) copy of Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell.

Giveaway #1


Giveaway #2

Please read all rules in advance before entering. Only those entrants who have followed the specified guidelines will be eligible to win.

Giveaway #1:

- giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the USA only.

- entrants must be a follower of Kitchen Karate via Google Friend Connect on the sidebar.

- receive one (1) entry by leaving a comment below, telling me what your favourite part of Julie & Julia is or, if you haven't seen it, what your favourite recipe is.

- receive one (1) entry for following Kitchen Karate on Twitter. Please leave a comment saying that you did.

- receive one (1) entry for Tweeting the following message on Twitter - Please leave a comment saying that you did.

Win a copy of Julie & Julia on DVD from @kitchenkarate http://bit.ly/f0ziaD

- receive one (1) entry for Liking Kitchen Karate on Facebook. Please leave a comment saying that you did.

- if you already follow on Twitter or Like on Facebook, just leave a comment below saying so.

- all entries must be in separate comments. If not, only the first entry will be counted.

- the winner will be drawn on Friday, May 6 at midnight EST and announced shortly after. Please e-mail me by Saturday, May 7 at noon to claim your prize.

- winner will be drawn via Random.org.

GOOD LUCK!

For details on Giveaway #2, head over to Kitchen Karate's Facebook page!

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with either of these products in any way. They were not provided to me for promotional purposes or otherwise. Any prizes were purchased with my own money.

Super Decadent Easter Cake

Cake recipe via Martha Stewart

Yield | 12 servings

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Frosting recipe here

Extra Ingredients:

Approx. 40 mini Kit Kat bars

Approx. 2 cups Cadbury Mini Eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350'F and coat two 8" round pans with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, beat in, one at a time, the eggs and the egg yolks. Beat in the vanilla.

4. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk, making sure to begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.

5. Divide the batter between two pans and make sure to remove any excess air bubbles by gently hitting the base of the pans against the counter top. Bake the cakes in the preheated oven for 32 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in to the center comes out clean. When finished, run a knife around the edges of the pans and remove cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool before frosting.

6. Make this buttercream frosting then add food colouring to dye yellow.

7. Once cakes are cooled, slice the rounded tops off of each and begin by icing the top of the bottom layer with a generous coating. Place the second layer on top and begin icing the entire cake with a thin layer of icing, enough so that the candies can stick.

8. Unwrap each Kit Kat bar and stick to the sides of the cake, vertically, until the entire perimeter of the cake is covered.

9. Using the Cadbury Mini Eggs, create a border around the top of the cake and make sure each egg is stable so that no other will fall. Fill in the remaining space on the top of the cake with Mini Eggs.

10. Pipe icing in to any empty spaces around the edge of the cake to fill in an inconsistency.

11. Add a sparkler for good measure, slice, and enjoy!

Thanks again for all the support and amazing encouragement! I hope you give this cake a whirl!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Frozen Hot Chocolate

2011-04-20T19:38:00.000-04:00

If you've ever been to Second Cup (and yes, I am judging you if you've never been), you may or may not have come across or even tried their Frozen Hot Chocolate. Made from the perfect combination of chocolate, cream, and, oh yes, ice, this drink never fails to make me question why I'm not worthy of a simple existence in comparison.

Every time I'm within a mile of a Second Cup, I have to sniff it out and buy this drink. It's creamy, chocolatey, and did I mention frozen? So, you can only imagine by extreme disbelief when I found a recipe for the drink on Dine & Dish. There was a lot of jaw-dropping and falling off of chairs to be had. Needless to say I knew then and there that I would make this drink and no longer would I spend $4.50 to devour something that takes me, oh, about 45 seconds to finish. Tops.

Promise me one thing. Promise me that you will try this drink, you'll soak up all it's heavenly goodness, and then you'll proceed to join me in shouting hallelujah! Meet back here in ten minutes. Aaaaaaand, break!

Frozen Hot Chocolate

via Dine & Dish

Yield | 3 or 4 drinks

Rating | 4/5 - Extremely easy and worth every second of time.

Ingredients:

3 ounces white chocolate (however, I used semi-sweet chocolate)

2 tbsp. half and half cream (I used whipping cream and it still worked)

1 package of store bought hot chocolate

1 tbsp. white sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

3 cups of ice

whipped cream (optional)

chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe bowl, heat chocolate for 1 minute, stopping after 30 seconds to stir. Continue to heat the chocolate until completely melted and smooth.

2. Add in the hot chocolate package and the sugar and stir until completely combined. Remove the mixture from the heat and slowly add only 1/2 cup of milk. Stir until smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature which shouldn't take too long once the milk has been added.

3. Add the chocolate mixture, the ice, and the rest of the milk to a blender and blend on high until smooth until, in Dine & Dish's words, at the consistency of a frozen daiquiri.

4. Pour the mixture into a cup and top it with whipped cream of shaved chocolate. Or, if you're like me, sprinkle some chocolate chips on top and then eat it with a spoon.

Note:

- I don't really like my drinks with too much ice, so I left out a bit from what the recipe called for, which is why the drink in my photos looks more liquidy than was originally intended.

I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you give it a whirl!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-04-18T15:16:00.001-04:00

I came across this recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Tessa at Handle the Heat. They were originally presented with whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose white flour as a healthier alternative to traditional cookies. But, given my unwillingness to find whole-wheat flour, I ~~was forced~~ decided to make them in a more traditional fashion.

I'm not lying when I say that these are probably one of the best cookies I have ever tasted. The peanut butter to chocolate ratio is perfect and the added oats make for a unique texture that I just can't resist. They aren't overly chewy, but they also aren't overly crunchy, which I'm entirely thankful for.

And of course, for those who dread being in the kitchen, but are always looking to fill that cookie sized void in your heart and stomach, this recipe is insanely easy to prepare and flatten out perfectly while cooking. I mean, just look at how easy it was for me to stack them. Bonus!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
via Handle the Heat

Yield | Approx. 2 dozen

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour or whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350'F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium sized bowl or with a stand mixer, beat the peanut butter and brown sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated.
3. Mix the flour in to the mixture until just incorporated and then proceed to mix in oats, baking soda, and cinnamon (optional). Finally, by hand, stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Using a tablespoon, scoop and drop balls of same-size dough on the parchment paper lined baking sheets.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are golden. Cool cookies on a rack when finished and store in an airtight contained for 3-4 days.

I really hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I did! They're great for eating ~~all at once~~ in moderation.

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Pizza with Feta Cheese, Red Onion, Broccoli and a Homemade Tomato Sauce

2011-04-15T22:35:00.001-04:00

One of my earliest childhood memories (regarding food) is Friday night pizza. While we ordered pizza a fair amount, there was never anything quite like the taste of homemade pizzas. I've always thought that what gives it that extra bit of flavour is being able to make it exactly the way you want. I don't mean with toppings, but you can be as picky as you want. It's also become a staple with me to dress my pizza the exact same way every single time I make it, with feta cheese, red onion, and broccoli.

The crusts we generally use are store bought, from Farm Boy, and taste terrific and fresh everytime. While there's no substitute for my parent's homemade crust, these delicious squares serve as a great time saver, especially for a quick lunch or easy dinner.

Oh, and did I mention the homemade tomato sauce?

Pizza with Feta Cheese, Red Onion, and Broccoli

Yield | One 7x7 square pizza

Ingredients for Pizza:

1/4 mozarella cheese, grated

1/4 broccoli, chopped

3 tbsp. red onion, sliced in small pieces

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 7x7 pizza crust (of course, you can use any size of pizza crust, just adjust ingredient amounts accordingly)

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce:

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

3 tsp. sugar

oregano

basil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400'F.

2. Chop the onion and broccoli and grate cheese. Set aside on a cutting board.

3. To prepare the sauce, start by putting a medium sized pot on the stove, at medium heat. Empty the can of diced tomatoes in the pot and mash the tomatoes until mushy. Stir in the tomato paste then add sugar and stir until incorporated. Add oregano and basil to taste. Cook sauce until hot all the way through.

4. Once sauce is prepared, spread a generous coating (or thin, depending on how you like it) on to the pizza crust. Sprinkle cheese to cover the crust, leaving an inch around the edges. Add onion, broccoli, and feta.

5. Cook pizza on a cookie sheet in the oven for approx. 8-10 minutes until crust turns golden brown (or cook to specifications on package). Once golden brown, place under the broil for another minute or so.

This pizza is great for an easy lunch or quick dinner and is very adaptable (because we all know everything goes with feta and red onion, right?).

Until next time, happy cooking!

-Jordan

Blueberry & Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins and The Epiphany of a Parent's Actions

2011-04-14T22:44:00.000-04:00

When you're a toddler, you can't help but look up at them with wonder and awe. You're heart swells everytime you seem them after a long day of being under someone else's care.

When you're a teenager, your heart is still there for them, but your thoughts and interests are elsewhere. No longer do your days revolve around your parents, as much as they do around friends, texting, computer time, and maybe some school work.

When you reach your twenties and find yourself in post-secondary education or with a full-time job or with both, your sudden appreciation for everything your parents have done for you suddenly hits you and you realize the true measure of everything they've sacrificed for you. Their sacrifices were selfless and the only thing wanted in return is your happiness.

The time when you realize that what your parents do for you, what they say to you, and what they prepare you for by "nagging" you, talking to you, and showing an interest in your day-to-day life (as boring as it may be) is the time you realize that the people you've made out to be the bad guys are really the people who've been on your side all along.

When you're a teenager everything seems like it's an apocalypse. Your phone is out-of-date by a month and half, your friends are a bunch of bitches, but now your friends are too clingy, your sister is hogging the bathroom, and your parents won't stop nagging you to do the dishes.

For what it's worth, I've come to realize the innate sacrifices that come with being a parent because I've suddenly been hit by the reality of the real world and it sucks, but I'm thankful that when it all keeps sucking, at least I know how to properly clean a kitchen.

Blueberry & Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins

Adapted from The Harrowsmith Country Life Baking Book

Yield | 1.5 - 2 dozen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (reserve 3 tbsp. for berries

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups blueberries

Approx. 1 cup chopped strawberries

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350'F. The original recipe called for 400'F, but I really think this is too high and it seemed to have resulted in uneven browning of the muffins. Grease a muffin tin or line with muffin liners.

2. Cream together the butter, eggs, and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Toss blueberries and strawberries with the reserved flour and set aside.

3. Mix the vanilla and buttermilk, and add in thirds to the cream mixture, alternating with the dry ingredients. Fold blueberries and strawberries into batter.

4. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes or until slightly golden or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

These muffins are great for a quick breakfast and are especially tasty with butter and your favourite jam!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Currently Unnamed Cake Bars and Traveling "Tips"

2011-04-10T17:46:00.001-04:00

In less than 20 days I'll be finished exams and boarding a plane to a tropical paradise for my sister's wedding.

I love traveling. I mean, I love the destination part. I'm not too keen about the actual time it takes to get where you're going. Though, despite what family members might tell you, I'm not that bad to travel with. I'm twenty-years old, but I don't think that the question of "Are we there yet?" will ever get old and honestly, I don't think it's a question that should be limited to any one age group. I mean, everyone has a right to know, don't we?

While I'm stuck inside studying for finals, writing notes, reviewing lectures, and semi-enjoying my relief from actual classes, my mind is constantly drifting to Mexico. Why can't it come sooner? Why can't it be now? But then, my mind is overtaken by the demons of travel whose only purpose it to fill my brain with fears of travel and all the antsy, unpredictable parts that come with it.

I've had to become my own therapist, teaching myself certain techniques to cope with the unknowing stress that starts to surface for every trip, approximately three weeks before.

I know I'm not a doctor and you probably shouldn't actually follow my advice, despite how much Grey's Anatomy I watch.

1) Early flights are the worst. In this case, our flight is at 6AM. 6AM! I wasn't even aware that there was a 6AM. I just assumed that time flowed according to when I was awake. It's correlated to the idea that the world revolves around me. If you're hit with an early flight, my tip is to obviously go to bed early, but also feel free to use a really handy, sort of lame excuse to have someone carry you the entire way.

"Ow! I twisted my ankle getting out of bed at 4AM. I don't think I can walk..."

"OMG! What can I do to --"

"Carry me."

See?

2) Waiting for the flight is the worst and this is double-y frustrating when you have at least one connecting flight. So, as a way to pass the time while you wait to board the plane, I suggest food, magazines, or storytelling. No, I don't mean grabbing the latest Berenstein Bears and reading aloud. Most people aren't that interested in a moral lesson on the 'gimme's'. Storytelling involves finding a person, preferably one you don't know, watching them, and coming up with a story.

"That woman over there with the briefcase is only forty years old. She's not married and has no kids because she's too busy spying on Russia for the United States and fighting evil apocalyptic, virus infected zombies who've been created to terminate the human race and wipe out civilization as we know it!"

Don't let your imagination get the better of you.

3) Long flights are the worst. I don't care what you say, but they are. It's a bit harder to do storytelling on the plane because it's not as easy to stare at people without them noticing you and calling the Air Marshal. Instead, why not play a rousing game of... of...

Actually, it's a boring plane ride. There's really no way around it.

However, if you're feeling up to it, why not pack a barrel of these bad boys (see below) and hand them out to the other passengers, charging only a mere $4.50 per bar. It's cheap compared to airplane food and you'll actually accept cash, unlike Air Canada.

Believe it or not, this is actually an original recipe. I mean, I think it is. If you've seen it somewhere before, feel free to e-mail me and let me know, but keep in mind that my self-esteem bruises easily and by the time I read your message I'll probably be fresh out of these bars and thus left with nothing to comfort me.

I also have no name for what these are, but holy kaftan they're delicious. I stole the idea of the bottom layer from cake balls/pops, combining crumbled cake with buttercream frosting, and pressing it to the bottom of a pan.

Have a name suggestion for these little pieces of heaven? Leave a comment below or e-mail me your suggestion!

Currently Unnamed Cake Bars by Kitchen Karate

Ingredients:
One cake mix, with necessary ingredients
Approx. 2 cups of buttercream frosting (I used Martha's recipe, found here)
Chocolate Ganache, made from approx. 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and 1/2 cup of heavy cream
Sweetened coconut

Directions:
1. Cook the cake to the specifications on the box. It really doesn't matter what shape the cake is, because you're just going to crumble it up, but keep in mind that I only ended up using half the cake, so maybe make only half of the mix?
2. Once cooled, crumble the cake into small pieces in a bowl.
3. I cooked an entire box of cake mix and only used half of it, which is what I strongly recommend. Basically, combine 2 cups of buttercream frosting for each half of the cake recipe. If you want to use the whole cake, you'll probably need 3-4 cups of buttercream. Keep in mind, this is just my educated guess based on making it.
4. Using clean hands, combine the buttercream and cake pieces until well combined and no cake piece is left dry. It should all stick together.
5. Press the mixture into an 11x7 pan, making sure to press firmly around edges and in to the corners.
Let chill in the fridge for several hours or even over night until the cake layer is firm to the touch.
6. While the cake is in the fridge, make the ganache by scalding cream in a small saucepan. Put the chocolate squares in a heat-proof bowl and pour the cream over it. Let the chocolate and cream sit for 5-10 minutes then stir to combine.
7. When ganache is relatively cool and the cake layer is firm, spread the ganache over the cake layer and immediately sprinkle coconut or another desired topping. Don't combine the topping with the ganache before spreading because it will only lead to disaster and the cake being pulled.
8. Let the bars chill in the fridge until the ganache is cooled and firm.

Tips:
- When serving the bars, make sure to use a lifter to remove them from the pan or you might end up with some cake left behind.
- If you ever find that you're out of semi-sweet baking squares for anything, you can always substitute 3 tbsp. of cocoa and 1 tbsp. of butter for every 1 oz. of chocolate needed.

Enjoy!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Why I Probably Shouldn't Be An Action Star

2011-03-30T14:58:00.001-04:00

I've never really told anyone this before (minus Mom and Dad), but I've always had this secret fantasy of being an action star. As a kid I would throw myself across rooms pretending I was hit by an explosion. I'd scale play structures and fall off, acting as if someone had pushed me. I used to even sword fight with invisible people with invisible swords. I would even think of my action star names, coming up with complete movie plots in my heads. I could be Lloyd Croft, Lara's long lost brother. I could be 007.5, Bond's cyborg twin, controlled by an evil organization. Maybe even start my own series of 'Mission Possible', because Impossible is just such a negative word.

And, as I've grown up, the dream hasn't really faded because I still want to be an action star, but I've come to realize that there are plenty of reasons why I shouldn't be one.

1. I scream at the sight of blood. Could you imagine me near the end of a film, bleeding while immersed in a huge, climactic battle for the fate of the world. I'd be too focused on the fact that the blood was starting to dry under my finger nails to really take much concern as to the destruction of man-kind.

2. I pull a muscle brushing my teeth. I doubt that I'd be suited for jumping off of buildings or riding on top of cars in high-speed chases. I'd probably fall off a platform and break my leg.

3. I don't think I could handle badly dressed villains. They always seem to dress in grimy, old clothing. I'd be too distracted by their wardrobe to even think about kicking their asses.

4. I'm extremely uncoordinated. Could you imagine me trying to walk across a ledge on the edge of a high-rise building? One shiny object and I'm a goner.

5. I'm pretty unfit and I don't think I could keep up with those hour long chase scenes where the hero runs after the villain, flipping over people, bouncing off of buildings etc. I'd definitely need a stunt double for that kind of stuff. That or I could be the start of a new generation of heroes. Heroes who aren't completely oblivious to the obvious. I'd see situations from the eyes of the person sitting in the theater. If someone starts running, I'd hit them with a tranquilizer dart before they hit the door. But my horrible aim is something for another time...

I also believe that action stars need to eat healthy and what's healthier than cookies with peanut butter and banana? The chocolate chunks are for... coordination, so I obviously need extra.

This delicious recipe comes from Dinner With Julie. I was so glad to come across it after finding myself in a kitchen with no brown sugar and a cookie craving so big it felt like the Apocalypse was upon me.

Hope you enjoy!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Interview: Kaitlin of Whisk Kid

2011-03-22T23:11:00.000-04:00

This is Kaitlin, but you may know her as Whisk Kid, the totally rad, awesome food blogger who's known for her amazing creations, her fabulous writing, and her insane talent!

In keeping with the interview theme, I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Kaitlin and ask her about everything from her favourite tips to her appearance on Martha Stewart!

Kaitlin is an amazing food blogger and one of my personal inspirations! In fact, she was one of the first food blogs I avidly followed and, if you've seen her blog, it's not hard to understand why. Her photos and food styling are amazing, only surpassed by the stuff she's actually taking pictures of!

For those who are curious, have you seen this or this or this?

Yeah, know what I mean?

I also really admire Kaitlin for her cake decorating abilities, more specifically her ability to frost a cake. Having said this, I felt it only appropriate that I seriously try my hand at replicating her masterpiece, coating it with delicious Swiss Meringue Buttercream, and following her amazing tutorial on how to frost a cake.

It really isn't as easy as I thought and I'm not ashamed to say that I underestimated how difficult it would be, especially given that it was only my first time. But, I promise that I did do a crumb coat and it still came out a bit crumby. Thankfully I'm able to distract you from that by cutting out the worst part of the cake and putting a giant, chocolate 'WK' on the top? It's like an illusion...

I was so lucky to be able to interview Kaitlin and learn more about her! Care to take a read?

Interview with Kaitlin from Whisk Kid!

Jordan:

How did Whisk Kid start?

Kaitlin:

I started Whisk Kid after being inspired by blogs like Tartelette and Cannelle et Vanille, which I found through Tastespotting. Their work was (and is) so amazing that they made me really want to learn how to use a camera properly. After months of photographing food for myself, I decided that I wanted to share, the pictures, recipes and stories with other people. I was so happy to have a place to express myself freely.

Jordan:

Did you have any goals for your blog when you first started? Was there anything in particular that you were hoping to get out of it?

Kaitlin:

I want to learn and improve. I want to become a better photographer, a better writer, and a better cook/baker, and while I'm working on it I want to learn as much as I can about all three subjects. It makes me really happy to have a trail to look back on so I can see where I started.

Jordan:

Your recipes are so eclectic and different. I never know what to expect from one of your posts. Where does your inspiration from a recipe come from?

Kaitlin:

Thanks! I usually get my inspiration from other blogs, and if not there: my friends. I don't like to make things that people won't eat, so I ask them what they want and go from there. I'm willing to try just about anything too, even if I have no idea what I'm doing. Actually, that's usually when I have the most fun - I loved learning to make things like creme anglaise (for ice cream) and meringue buttercreams because I knew I would learn a lot in the process. Anyway, when it comes to multiple component recipes, I usually pick one thing to start with (like a flavor for cake) and then pick my friend's brains or surf the web for accompaniments. Putting it all together is a lot of fun and I'm always excited to see how things will turn out!

Jordan:

Do you a favourite thing that you like to bake over anything else?

Kaitlin:

Layer cakes! I am not the biggest fan of eating cake (weird, right?) but I love baking the cakes, trimming them, stacking them and then frosting them. It's so therapeutic, and there are SO many possibilities... Cakes are awesome!

Jordan:

What are a few of your favourite food blogs and what is it about each of them that you particularly like?

Kaitlin:

There are SO many blogs that I love! I don't even know where to start. Well, in no particular order: I've been very inspired by Sweetapolita recently. Her blog is relatively new, but she certainly knows what she's doing in the kitchen and takes gorgeous photos! I love her recipes. Her blog makes me happy!

I also really like BraveTart because Stella posts the coolest recipes, is incredibly knowledgeable and is very funny. I think of all the blogs I read, BraveTart is the one that I've baked the most things from.

Mowielicious is incredible because of the photos and how approachable the recipes are. I'm always excited whenever there's an update.

Julie from Willow Bird Baking posts delicious-looking food and shares the greatest stories. Her blog is very personal, which I love.

Culinary Concoctions by Peabody is another one with tasty recipes and great stories. I like that one because the author is very confident and never apologetic for posting whatever she wants. She never censors herself, which makes for some hilarious stories!

Amanda from I Am Baker is INSANELY talented in all forms of baking. She's so imaginative and creative. She's such an inspiration to me... I don't know how she comes up with all of her incredible ideas. She's also very generous, which I love.

Desserts for Breakfast has AMAZING photos and recipes. I love how involved so many of her recipes are, and actually plan on making one of her cakes for my birthday this year!

What Katie Ate is a joy to read, too. It's easy to tell that the author is incredibly passionate about her work, and she's so very talented at what she does. The recipes, photos and styling are impeccable.

I love Confessions of a Cookbook Queen because I never know what to expect. Kristan makes beautiful and creative treats, and she always makes me laugh. Her blog is full of happiness!

And last, but certainly not least, I LOVE The Spinning Plate. The recipes and photos are wonderful, but what I love most is the author's writing style. I hope to someday be able to write with as much grace and beauty as she does... She makes it seem so effortless!

Jordan:

Your blog incorporates a stong mix of food, photography, and writing. What would you say is your favourite part?

Kaitlin:

Man, you ask a lot of difficult questions! I think, if I had to choose, I would say that my favorite part is the baking. I can bake for days on end without any trouble because I've never had "baker's block" the way I've had similar troubles with photography and writing. It always feels natural to pick up my measuring cups and a whisk!

Jordan:

You were recently on Martha Stewart. Can you tell me all about that experience? How did the opportunity come about?

Kaitlin:

Goodness - that was crazy! I still can't believe that happened. One of the women who works at the show (I believe she's a producer) left a comment on the blog and asked me to e-mail her. At first I thought it was a joke. Of course, I couldn't understand why anyone would do that, but it was just so unbelievable... Anyway, I sent her a message and she asked me for my phone number because she wanted to talk in the near future. I didn't get a call that day, so I assumed she had changed her mind, but the next day my phone started buzzing while I was in class, and I knew it had to be the call. It took so much willpower for me to wait until class was over to call back! As soon as my prof said we were dismissed, I ran out the door and redialed the number, and she gave me an interview of sorts as I walked home. I was so excited and kept laughing - everyone I passed was giving me weird looks! At the end of the call she told me that there was a very good possibility that they would like me to be on the show, but she had to get everything confirmed there before she could give me a yes or a no... A little over a week later I was flying out to New York with my mom, still in complete and utter disbelief!

Jordan:

That's crazy! And what was it like once you got there?

Kaitlin:

It was incredible. I had no idea what to expect, but everything went so well thanks to ther super kind staff! My mom and I were directed to a dressing room when we arrived at the studio, and then two women did my hair and makeup. It was cool, but very strange to be taken care of like that! After I was "camera ready," I ran through the segment one time with the producer and returned to the dressing room where my mom and I hung out until she had to leave to sit in the audience. I stayed in the dressing room while they were filming the show (live!) and a couple members of the staff came in to talk with me while we waited, which was SO cool! They gave me all sorts of advice about where to go in New York and what to eat/see/do and we talked about food and their jobs and just... I don't know. All I can say was that it was an amazing feeling to be talking to all of them like that. I was on top of the world! Anyway, my segment came up much faster than I expected it to. When it was time to go, the people I was chatting with led me on stage for filming and I was finally able to meet the incredible Ms. Stewart. We talked for a few moments during the commercial break, then started filming the segment.

Jordan:

And what was Martha like in person?

Kaitlin:

It really was incredible. Like I said - I still can't believe it! She was very nice, but I didn't have a whole lot of time to talk to her, unfortunately. She was busy preparing for the next segment during the one break I had on set, so she went to one side and I went to the other. I'm so happy and lucky to have met her though, even if I didn't get to talk to her much. Oh, and the producers told me afterward that she liked me, which was such a good feeling!

Jordan:

How nervous were you in front of the cameras?

Kaitlin:

Actually, I know it probably sounds strange, but I only got nervous for a few seconds in the middle of fliming. I couldn't immediately locate something on the table that I knew I'd be talking about soon, so I hesitated a little while I tried to figure things out. I spotted it a few seconds later though, and I kept going. There are two reasons why I think I wasn't nervous. The biggest one is that it just didn't seem real, so I wasn't afraid. The second one is that I've been involved in theater in the past, so to me it was just like being on stage. It was really fun!

Jordan:

Finally, do you have any advice for new food bloggers out there or those people who are thinking about starting a food blog?

Kaitlin:

I would say it's very important to just be true to yourself. Post what's in your heart - not what you think will make you popular. Also, I think it helps a lot to update consistently. Try to aim for a certain amount of posts per week or month, but don't try to post so frequently that the quality of your work suffers. That will only make you sad! Also, utilize things like Twitter and Facebook to get in touch with other bloggers. It's fun to meet and interact with the people behind the blogs, and it's really something that you shouldn't miss out on!

Thanks for reading! If you have a question for Kaitlin, don't hesitate to post it below and hopefully she can answer it for you!

Until next time, happy baking!

-Jordan

Rainbow Cake Batter Pancakes and What I'd Bring to a Deserted Island

2011-03-19T21:16:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be trapped on a deserted island? Completely alone, completely isolated from everyone. Could you even imagine? It'd be like Lost, only without Evangeline Lilly and hopefully with a few more cupcakes.

I was thinking about it today and that game that people sometimes play, where they have to name their top five things that they would want if they were trapped on a deserted island and I've decided to share mine with you.

1) Cookie Dough - I'm thinking that it'd be a great way to kill the time while I lounge in my hammock that I will have fashioned from various plants. Plus, when it gets really hot out, I can either start a fire and bake some cookies or let them bake on a rock under the hot sun.

2) All 10 Seasons of Friends - Granted, I wouldn't have a TV, but I could talk to the little faces on the back, kind of like Tom Hanks talked to that volleyball in Cast Away.

3) My Cashmere Sweaters - I'm assuming that some nights on the island would get rather chilly, so I'd obviously need to be prepared. Also, with no one else on the island, I'd probably be the Best Dressed.

4) My iPhone - Essentially, what I'm thinking is that I can either a) Call for help or b) Assuming the island is really nice and I don't feel like sharing, I can just play Angry Birds in my hammock all day long.

5) Britney Spears - Someone has to keep me entertained right? I'm thinking that she could perform on a whim for me or have breakdowns whenever I ask. Plus, she wouldn't need to worry about paparazzi so she'd probably be more than happy to be stranded with me, right?

Can you believe I was never a Boy Scout? I know.

Thanks to How Sweet It Is, I found this recipe, which I think is probably the most amazing thing I've ever heard of. It's pancakes, made from cake batter! Genius!

Making a few changes, I decided to make my stack with a rainbow birthday cake theme, sort of like one of the concoctions that Whisk Kid is famous for, though mine isn't quite as visually appealing!

Cake Batter Pancakes via How Sweet It Is
Yields: approx. 12 pancakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup yellow cake mix (I used white cake mix)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-cups of milk
sprinkles

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cake mix, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add 1 cup of the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract and stir the mixture until it's relatively lump free. Essentially, you want it to be the consistency of regular pancake batter. Start with 1 cup of milk, then add more if need be.
3. Preheat a pan to medium heat.
4. I separated the batter into bowls, each filled with approx. 1/4 cup of mix and coloured each part a different colour of the rainbow.
5. Pour mixes in to the pan, making sure not to let the different colours touch. Cook each pancake until bubbles begin to form on the top, which takes about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 1 minute, or until done.
6. How Sweet It Is served the pancakes with a vanilla glaze, the recipe for which can be found at the end of this post. However, I made a simple vanilla buttercream and generously piped frosting on to each layer, staking them one after the other and finally coating the top layer with frosting. As well, you can also fold in sprinkles of your choosing to the frosting.
7. Enjoy!

Until next time, think about what you might want on a deserted island, and happy baking!

-Jordan

P.S. It wasn't actually anybody's birthday, but if you feel the urge to send me presents, it's probably best to go with your instincts!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T23:05:00.000-04:00

For Japan with Love

2011-03-16T18:56:00.000-04:00

When I think about the devastation in Japan right now, I can't even fathom it. The idea of such massive destruction affecting the lives of so many is unbelievable to me. What has happened in Japan has truly touched my heart. But, even more than that, I'm truly touched by the generosity that has instantly started pouring out to the nation from all over the world. Now, more than ever, the people of Japan need our help.

Thanks to Hannah at Honey & Jam, I came across For Japan with Love which was started by the great people behind Ever Ours and Utterly Engaged.

Donations from this campaign go to Shelter Box which "is an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide".

In times like these, even the smallest donation can make a huge difference! Donate what you can and please spread the word!