Passion Fruit Caipirinha
Passion Fruit Caipirinha
Makes 1
1/2 lime, juiced, rind reserved, plus slice, for garnish
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
1/4 cup cachaca
1/4 cup passion-fruit juice
1. Place lime rind in a heavy 12-ounce rocks glass; sprinkle with sugar. Add lime juice, cachaca, and passion-fruit juice; let stand 5 minutes. Fill glass with ice and stir until well combined. Garnish with lime wheel; serve immediately.
Classic Caipirinha
Classic Caipirinha
Makes 1
1/2 lime, juiced, rind reserved, plus wedge for garnish
2 teaspoons turbinado (raw cane) sugar
1/4 cup cachaca
1. Place lime rind in a heavy 12-ounce rocks glass; sprinkle with sugar. Add lime juice and cachaca; let stand 5 minutes. Fill glass with ice and stir until well combined. Garnish with a lime wedge; serve immediately.
Soba Bowl
Soba Bowl
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
Yields 4 servings
1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus some for drizzling
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 handfuls store-bought shredded carrots
10 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 large zucchini or 2 small, cut into half moons and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 large bok choy, cored and chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup fresh bean sprouts, optional
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
Cayenne pepper, a pinch
Tamari (dark soy sauce)
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring up to a boil to cook the spaghetti. Once boiling, add some salt and the spaghetti and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and toss with a little bit of vegetable oil.
While the water is coming up to a boil to cook the spaghetti, place a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add 2 turns of the pan of vegetable oil, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onion, garlic and shredded carrots and cook until the onions start to get tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, zucchini and bok choy and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add stock, bring up to a bubble then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the bean sprouts the last minute. In a small bowl, combine the toasted sesame seeds, ground coriander, chili powder and cayenne pepper and reserve for garnishing the soup.
To serve, place some of the spaghetti in a soup bowl and season it with a couple of splashes of tamari. Ladle the veggies and soup over the noodles. Sprinkle the sesame mixture on top and serve.
Yellow Cupcakes
Yellow Cupcakes
Makes 12; Prep time: 25 minutes; Total time: 40 minutes
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Sprinkles, for decorating
FOR THE FROSTING:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350°; line the cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a liquid-measuring cup, mix milk and vanilla; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add half of dry ingredients, followed by milk-vanilla mixture, then remaining dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
3. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (a 2-ounce or 1/4-cup ice-cream scoop is good for this).
4. Place tin on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in tin, then remove and cool completely on a rack before frosting.
5. Frost cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting; decorate with sprinkles before frosting dries (to ensure that they stick). The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.
6. Vanilla Frosting: In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat unsalted butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix in up to 1/2 cup more sugar or a few more teaspoons of milk as necessary to achieve a spreadable consistency.
Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Makes 12 Cupcakes
For the Batter:
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teasooon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
For the Frosting:
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
For the Chocolate Coating:
2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate (about 12 ounces)
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1. Preheat oven to 350° with rack in center. Prepare the batter: Place chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl, and set it over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping sides of bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. On low speed, mix in melted chocolate. Increase speed to medium, and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, and beat until mixture is creamy and color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in sour cream. On low speed, add half of reserved flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Mix in 1/2 cup water. Add remaining flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated.
4. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Fill each liner with enough batter to come 1/8 inch from top, about 1/3 cup. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
5. Use a small knife to loosen any tops stuck to the pan. Carefully invert cupcakes onto the wire rack. Turn cupcakes right side up, and let cool completely.
6. Prepare the frosting: In a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, egg whites, and cream of tartar. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 minutes; frosting should register 160° on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts, and beat for 2 minutes more until frosting thickens.
7. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain pastry tip. Leaving a 1/8-inch border on each cupcake, pipe a spiral of frosting into a 2-inch-high cone shape, using about 1/2 cup of frosting per cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet, and refrigerate while preparing the chocolate coating.
8. Prepare the chocolate coating: Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let cool about 15 minutes.
9. Holding each cupcake by its bottom, dip cupcake in the chocolate to coat frosting, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Spoon more coating around edge of cupcake and any exposed frosting; none of the frosting should show. Let cupcakes stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
10. Carefully remove paper liners from cupcakes, and discard. Place cupcakes on a serving platter, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let coating set. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours more. Serve cold. Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
White Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream
White Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream
Makes 2 dozen
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
8 large egg whites
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows)
24 small fresh strawberries, washed (hulls intact), for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.
4. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gently fold a third of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture.
5. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each with a heaping 1/4 cup batter. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Invert cupcakes onto rack; then reinvert and let cool completely, top sides up. Frost cupcakes with Strawberry Meringue Buttercream, swirling to cover. Cupcakes may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Garnish with strawberries just before serving.
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
Makes 5 cups
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) strawberry jam, pureed in a food processor
1. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160°).
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.
3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir in strawberry jam with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.
Jerk Chicken Burgers with Mango Salsa
Jerk Chicken Burgers with Mango Salsa
Yields 4 servings
1 pound ground chicken
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 lime, juiced
Spicy potato chips, any brand you like
Heat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. In a medium mixing bowl, combine chicken with spices and sugar. Drizzle in olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix to combine. Score the meat into 4 equal parts and then form 4 patties, each about 1 1/2-inch thick. Add the burgers to the skillet and cook about 5 minutes on both sides or until cooked all the way through, there shouldn’t be any pink in the middle.
While the burgers cook, make the mango salsa. In a small bowl, combine the mango, red pepper, jalapeño, cucumber and lime juice. When the burgers are done, transfer them to a serving platter alongside the mango salsa and spicy chips.
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