Kitchen Karate - a food blog with kick

Food Bloggers

2012-03-23T10:36:00.000-04:00

I had to jump on this bandwagon and decided to share my idea of myself, if only for shits + giggles! Enjoy.

[Giveaway Post] Cadbury Mini Egg & Chocolate Chip Blondies + What I'd Do Differently Than Katniss from The Hunger Games

2012-03-21T22:28:00.001-04:00

I recently finished reading The Hunger Games. Not the series... yet. Just the first book. I liked it. I loved it, actually. I haven't been this interested in a series since Harry Potter. I love the characters, the plot, the settings. It's all amazing.

BUT.

I've been thinking about a few things. Sure, Katniss is brave and strong and pretty much a Warrior Princess, but are there things that she and her friends could have done differently? Well, I explore that very question!

Top 5 Things I Would Have Done Differently If I Was Katniss Everdeen

1. First of all, I would never have gone to the name drawing ceremony thing. I know it's probably illegal not to, but I mean, would anyone really have missed you? If you were at home eating a mint leaf and milking your goat, would anyone really notice you weren't there? And even if your name was called, you could just lie and say you were super sick from all the mint leafs you were eating and that you also just had a glass of sour goat milk.

2. She was way too calm during her training/ days leading up to The Games. I would be clawing at the walls trying to get out. I mean, like, crawling through the plumbing, hiding in laundry baskets to try and get out.

3. I'd be throwing knives at people trying to get out of that building. I mean, we all know that she can throw a knife, as made evident on the train, but come on. Did it not occur to her to maybe throw knife at a guard? And even if she hadn't escaped, nothing wrong with stashing a butter knife in your underwear when you get talking onto the playing field, right?

4. Maybe paid a bit more attention to the subtle hints that Peeta was throwing at me and, I don't know, maybe made a plan from the beginning. "Hey, Peeta. What do you say we team up and at the end, if we're both still left, we threaten to kill each other if they don't let us both win? Plan?" Not hard.

5. Finally, I'd probably have died a lot sooner. Not on purpose, but God knows I'm not that resourceful. I'd be the dumb one who would think that the best plan would to have been to stay at the Cornucopia from the beginning and try to kill as many people as possible, thus getting killed myself. I picture either a knife in my back or tripping over a root and hitting my head on a rock.

Cadbury Mini Eggs + Chocolate Chip Blondies
Yield | About 16 bars
Adapted from JoyofBaking.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 large egg
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Cadbury Mini Eggs

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350'F and grease an 8x8 inch square baking pan.
2. Melt the butter and let cool to room temperature.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
4. With an electric mixer, beat the egg and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in the vanilla extract and the melted butter.
5. At low speed, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated.
6. With a wooden spoon or spatula, mix in the chocolate chips and Mini Eggs.
7. Spread the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the top of the Blondies are dry and golden brown.
8. Let cool before cutting.

Click ahead for the GIVEAWAY!

GIVEAWAY:
Wanna win some of the fun paper straws used in this post? Well, now you can! I'm giving away three packs of straws from my online shop, I'm With Cupcake!

Rules:
1. Contest is open to residents worldwide.
2. Winner is responsible for contacting me at imwithcupcake AT gmail DOT com to claim their prize after the winner is announced.
3. Giveaway runs from March 21, 2012 until March 28, 2012 and the winner will be announced March 29, 2012.
4. To enter, you MUST FOLLOW KITCHEN KARATE via Google Friend Connect on the sidebar. This will be checked!
5. All entries will be verified before the winner is chosen and those that have not been actually completed will not be counted.
6. Completing any or all of these entries does not guarantee you will win. Purchases made from our store in conjunction with entering this giveaway will not be refunded if the customer did not win the giveaway.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Starbucks Adventure + Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

2012-03-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

I will be the first to admit that I'm not the grandest fan of coffee. It's the taste. It's not the caffeine, it's not the colour, it's the taste and no matter how much cream or sugar you load it up with, I can still taste the coffee swimming around in it. I can dilute it with as much as I want, but when push comes to shove I still can't get past the taste of... well, whatever it is.

The other day I found myself at Chapters. I was scrounging for books that I'd buy but never read but that would sit in my home and make me look well-read. Inside the Chapters was a Starbucks. For those that know me, they know I'm a huge celeb junkie and I'm about the most impressionable person you will ever meet. If Ellen told me to wrestle a grizzly... I probably wouldn't, but if she told me to shop at JCPenney, I totally would. I'd spend four dollars on socks, just to make her happy. Feel free to leave your comments about how I'm what's wrong with the world.

I was in Chapters, staring at Starbucks, and I instantly thought of Lauren Conrad sipping that monstrous pink drink she's always photographed with and it occurred to me that, maybe I could be like, I don't know, the male Lauren Conrad if I had a drink. I wouldn't be famous (I'm not that delusional) but maybe I could walk with a reality star confidence.

In my desperate attempt to emulate LC, I bought a Skinny Iced Mocha something, waited like 10 ten days for it to be ready, and I was ready to walk with my reality star swag. I left the store with my iced goodness and bag of books in hand. Took a sip, and BLEGH. It was coffee. The ice did nothing. It didn't make it cold, it didn't change the flavour. It was room temperature coffee with, what I hope was ice.

That was it. I was never going to be like LC.

A few days later I resolved to give it another go. I picked a new Starbucks, because clearly the other one was cursed or out to get me, and walked in, again confident that I would obtain what I needed. I scanned the menu boards and really thought about it. I had to get something good. Something fruity. Something sweet. Something that was actually cold. There it was. Tazo Shaken Iced Passion Tea. Venti, obviously.

That was it. I was hooked, addicted, whatever you want to label it as. Call up LiLo, I need a good rehab recommendation.

It was tasty. I mean, I had officially found my drink. This would be my beverage of choice at Starbucks. No more coffee, thank God. I would drink this. This delicious blend of tea and goodness.

Did I mention I finished it in about three minutes? Oh well.

And now, for what you're all here for, besides hearing about my LC obsession. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies from Two Peas and Their Pod! Probably the best cookie I've tasted in a long time. That's all I need to say.

What's Leonard Thinking?: Episode 1

2012-03-09T22:40:00.000-05:00

Here's what my dog is probably thinking about right now. You know, when he's not contemplating String Theory or where gravity comes from, he likes to kick back and really soak in celeb culture.

And Now For Something Completely Different... This Week In News!

2012-02-28T17:21:00.000-05:00

I know it's not Friday and I probably have no right to tell you about what's going on in the world, but I felt that it was my duty (as established by me) to round up some of the most interesting news of the week. No recipe for you today, but I figured that not everything I say has to come with something delicious to stare at. Most of the times, yes.

And now for something a little different...

#1: Jan Berenstain died. The woman who, along with her husband, started the Berenstain Bears dynasty, and I call it a dynasty because it's been a long time and I don't really know what dynasty technically means, passed away. When Jan died, so did my childhood. I literally grew up on these stories and, as my parents will attest to, though maybe not directly, I pretty much forced anyone around at bedtime to read me one of these stories. I still have my entire collection which is like... a lot of books.

#2: Rihanna and Chris Brown are apparently back together, which I think is the biggest mistake in the entire world, if not only for the fact that the man is clearly whacked and in serious need of a hug from someone he hasn't paid. Also, I think he might need anger management, but I also think that could come from not enough cupcakes in his system. We all know Rihanna could do soooo much better than the guy who likes to grab his crotch and steal people's iPhones.

#3: Jessica Simpson is still pregnant. Am I the only one who hadn't actually realized that she was still with child? After an e-mail from my sister's I did one of those "Oh snap, she is!" I think, by my calculations, she's going in to her 900th trimester and the baby is the size of a horse.

#4: Meryl Streep FINALLY won the Oscar she so rightly deserves and Viola Davis when home with nothing. The Queen of All Acting was honoured in a way that only other rich people can honour her: with a golden statue that will effectively raise how much she's able to ask per film. Personally, I was kind of rooting for Viola Davis from The Help and, if it were any other time, I would scream at the TV and yell that Meryl was robbed. She's pretty much robbed whenever she isn't nominated. I'd like to turn your attention to Kathy Lee Gifford who, on that show she's on, the morning after the Oscars, said that Meryl had put on a performance that no other actor in the world could have pulled off in The Iron Lady, while Viola played a role that others could have taken on, which is why Meryl very much deserved to win. Uh, girlfriend. Might I remind you about 2009 when Meryl was nominated for and DID NOT win the Oscar for her role in Julie & Julia? The woman played Julia Child and lost to Sandra Bullock who played a southern blonde with no really characteristics or mannerisms different from herself. I think Kathy Lee Gifford should think about that.

#5:Beyonce finally took her baby into public. That's right, folks. Blue Ivy or Pomegranate Orchard, or something, FINALLY made her triumph diva walk to the outside world once Beyonce was able to pull her away from her 19 nannies. Oh wait, I think she did. Her mother had her completely wrapped up like she was hiding a football from the offensive line on the other team. No matter how thick the cover, that child just sort of exuded wealth and instant fame. God, I'm so jealous.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting + My Issues With The Internet

2012-02-24T20:29:00.001-05:00

Hold on, let me finish this cupcake.

Ah-mazing.

I see you followed through on your side of the deal. Thanks for being here. That $20 isn't tax deductible, by the way.

Earlier today I was sitting at my computer (as per the usual, right?) and it hit me that, as an avid internet user, the internet makes me too angry. I mean, why should something that brings you this much joy and unconditional love, make you this frustrated?

I hope that's not what marriage is like.

As soon as I realized that I was mercilessly hitting the enter key, as if that would make my page load faster, I suddenly realized all the other things that irritate me about the internet.

1. For starters, it isn't consistent enough. It's like making bread. Sometimes it's just right and other times you want to throw it at your mailman in pure anger. Usually in the evening I find myself sitting here, ~~obsessively~~ casually browsing Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Perez Hilton, People Magazine, my own blog, other food blogs, conferences I'll never, ever attend, New York City travel guides, among other things, and I'll be totally in a groove. A click there, a scroll here, and BAM - the internet decides it doesn't want to serve you anymore. "Sorry b**ch. Come back later. Mama needs a nap."

2. The way you can usually find what you're looking for, but then 1% of the time you can't. You spend hours looking for this one recipe you saw three days ago that would be perfect for your Uncle's, girlfriend's, doctor's, nephew's, dog's birthday party, and you're like "WHY ME, GOD!?"

3. Generally, I don't like to criticize people... out loud. But I can't get over how many ignorant and wildly "uneducated" people are on the internet. Usually I can get past the typos and the terrible grammar, because god knows I've made a few myself (see this entire post for, like, a bunch I'm sure) but other times I really want to hold some sort of online Webinar and make all the internet people attend. It would be structured as such:

There = "Hey look, the dog is over there!"
They're = Conjunction of they are
Their = possessive

When ending a sentence, stick to these three generally acceptable forms of punctuation. The period (.), the question mark (?) or the exclamation point (!). It should be noted that you usually don't end every sentence of a paragraph with three periods (...) Ex. "my cat decided it would be a gooooood idea to climb a tree... didnt like that... i told the cat no way and she said yes way... cats..."

Also, emoticons are not necessary for EVERY sentence and the overuse of LOL and JK should be avoided. Ex. "Wow. Just saw a lady buy fourteen bags of cat food : P LOL I asked her if she had a lot of cats lol and she said no : P I wanted to follow her home, jkjk obvi lol"

Of course, this is not to discourage you from using LOL and in fact, it's encouraged. It adds a certain amount of colour to the internet.

I promise you I'm not a total prude and I don't claim to be the best internet user ever because we all know about my potty mouth online and how much I love e-mail. Take this post with a grain of salt. Actually, take it with a tablespoon, or two, of buttercream. Salt by itself is disgusting.

Cupcakes, anyone?

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and an M&M "Crust"

Yield | 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. whole milk

1/3 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso (I used instant coffee)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350'F and line 12 cupcake molds or muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, beat together the egg, and both sugars. Add the milk, coffee, and melted butter and mix until incorporated.

4. Mix in the dry ingredients and divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake molds. I found that filling mine 3/4 of the way full does work best.

5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack. Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.

Frosting via How Sweet Eats

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter, softened

2/3 cup peanut butter

3-4 cups of powdered sugar, as per the recipe, but I found that about 3 cups works best

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-2 tbsp. milk

pinch of salt

Extra:

One friggin' huge bag of your favourite M&M's, all crushed up

Directions:

1. Cream together the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer.

2. Add powdered sugar at low speed and then gradually add the milk and vanilla extract. Frosting should be smooth.

3. If the frosting is too dry, add more milk. If it's too runny, add more powdered sugar.

4. Frost cupcakes as desired and "crust" with the crushed M&M's!

Enjoy!

Happy baking!

-Jordan

Guess Who's a New Contributor at "The Bakery Spot"?

2012-02-21T21:21:00.000-05:00

I'm so happy to announce that I'm a new contributor at The Bakery Spot, a wonderful website created by Courtney Dial, the visionary behind the popular party website Pizzazzerie and author of the new book Push-Up Pops!

My first post is up and I would so love it if you would all head over and take a peak! Irish Coffee Cupcakes anyone?

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

2012-01-27T22:42:00.004-05:00

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 Bang 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