Tasty Tangents

Food, life and other morsels

March 13, 2009
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Like buttah

Okay, so I was watching Paula Deen doing her southern cooking thing on Food TV tonight, and I swear every other word was butter. They were baking with it, frying with it, you name the dish, it had butter. I’m sure she could figure out how to add butter to absolutely anything. I know her down home cooking style can be appealing, but what I can’t understand is how she isn’t twice her size! Maybe she just samples the dishes, maybe she’s just really active, I don’t know. I often wonder the same thing about other chefs, how some of them remain so trim. Anyway, it was a little scary and a little appetizing at the same time, all that butter, but I’m going to try to go easy on it to maintain my girlish figure. 😉

March 12, 2009
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My first time

French Vanilla Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes

French Vanilla Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes

So here’s my first attempt at using my new cupcake decorating kit to pretty up some cake mix chocolate cupcakes. I used the Round Tip 12 to cover the cupcakes and the Star Tip 22 for the flowers and some store bought French Vanilla icing plus blue food colouring. The Wilton kit also comes with piping bags, but I used a Ziploc sandwich bag to keep the sugary stuff from coming out the other end. I’m no Picasso, but I think they turned out pretty cute. The occasion was my mom starting her March Break, so I figured I could pretty much go with any theme I wanted to. If you have any tips for icing, let me know!

March 11, 2009
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Comments Off on Mmm, roast beef

Mmm, roast beef

While a roast may take time in the oven, since the prep time is so short, it’s really great for easy weekend meals, or if you’re expecting company and you don’t want to be tending to the grill or frying pan. Roasts need about half an hour per pound depending how well done you want it, and enough liquid to stay moist and maybe make some gravy. My personal favourite is just to coat a standing rib roast in yellow mustard. Then throw a couple of carrots, a quartered red onion, some red wine and chicken stock into a roasting pan. Cover and bake at about 375C. A couple of hours later, voila, delicious beef. Don’t forget to let the roast rest for about 15 minutes once it’s out of the oven. Add a couple of potatoes to the oven and tear up a head of lettuce and you’re done. It’s a perfect Sunday meal in my books.

March 10, 2009
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Killer craving

Have you ever had one of those days when there’s some flavour or taste or texture you’re craving, but you can’t quite put your finger on it? You try salty and sweet, nutty and spicy, chocolatey and cheesy. You try everything, yet nothing quite seems to fit the bill. At the end of the day you feel a little queasy because you’ve eaten too much and still haven’t dealt with the thing that started it all. Does anybody have the solution to that dilemma? Or at least a way to walk away from the craving and pretend it doesn’t exist? I’ve always thought that giving in to cravings a little bit is a good thing…no deprivation. However, what do you do when you don’t know what the craving is?

March 9, 2009
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Comments Off on That’s Mr. Potato to you

That’s Mr. Potato to you

I’m going to sing the praises of the potato. I’m sure it’s already been done, but as a comfort food, it just can’t be beat. It’s versatility and ability to replace other (often high fat) ingredients make it an indispensible staple. Using a potato in a creamy soup can reduce or eliminate the milk or cream needed to thicken the broth. A potato can be a starch serving, a salad, or a vessel for cheesy or bacon-y goodness. A simple baked potato with the traditional salt and butter, or a heart healthy olive oil, can be a side dish to be reckoned with. It is among the solutions to all of life’s troubles.