Pink Buttercream Frosting

My neighbor's daughter is having her 3rd birthday party and I decided to make her cupcakes for her because the ones at places like wal-mart or kroger are so ugly and full of crap. Apparently she loves pink, of course, so I tried to do the girliest cupcakes I could. I even put pink sprinkles in the batter to turn it pink so when she bites into it, everything will be pink! It was really hard trying to tie the ribbon around them, and I'm not sure if I would it again...we'll have to see. The sugarpaste flowers are actually really easy to make, if you know how to work with sugarpaste, and you know how to make proper royal icing. But I'm going to give you the recipe for my buttercream, which it is soooooooooooooooooo much better than the stuff you get in tubs, or the stuff on cakes at kroger which is all made from shortening or lard, which in other words is just fat. For this one, I used, 3 sticks of soft, really soft, unsalted butter, 1 bag (1lb) of sifted icing sugar, 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, about 3 tablespoons milk, and some pink food coloring gel (always try and use the gel food coloring because it doesn't change the consistency of things such as frosting like the liquid does). Beat the butter until it gets really soft, and beat in the sifted icing sugar 1 cup at a time, add the vanilla and beat through with the milk, (you may need more or less milk depending on how you want your frosting; I used 3 tablespoons), add a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness and then I added some of the pink food gel. If you dip a toothpick in and grab a little bit of to put in the frosting it works well, I usually do one at a time so the color doesn't go crazy and you can have it who you want it. Beat the buttercream until creamy and smooth. (Instead of vanilla you could use different extracts such as orange, almond, lemon, etc..)

Crêpes

My mum got me a crêpe maker the other week-end because I had been talking about how much I wanted one, and there was a one cheap in Tuesday Morning. (Originally she had said no cause I'm leaving in a couple of months and it won't work in Europe) I LOVE crêpes, they're one of my favourites food. Especially when I've made them and they're so easy and you can put anything you want in them. They're also not as heavy as American style pancakes, they're a lot lighter and less stodgy which is why I love them! This is the one she got me: http://www.jardenstore.com/productdetails.aspx?BrandId=501&pid=1302 ; only mine was a lot cheaper, like $10 and I like it because you dip the top into a pan of batter which I think sounds easier that way you get an equal amount of batter everywhere. For a basic crêpe batter which makes about 6 22 inch crêpes : -4 large eggs -1 1/2 cups milk, more as needed -1 1/2 cups all purpose flour -1/4 teaspoon of salt -2-3 tablespoons of butter for rubbing on the cooking plate. 1)combine flour and salt in a large bowl and then make a well in the middle. break the eggs into the center and in 3/4 cup of milk. whisk in a small circle in the middle to blend the eggs and milk. whisking constantly, slowly draw in the flour until you have a thick mixture and then add another 3/4 cup of milk, and whisk until smooth. 2)strain to remove any lumps and let the batter rest at room temperature for atleast 30 minutes. 3)melt the butter, and brush onto the cooking plate, or into the bottom of a frying pan before dipping into batter. (if you don't have a crêpe maker, just take a ladle of batter and pouring into a very hot frying that you've coated with a little bit of butter, and then when it start's to bubble and comes up at the sides, if you can lift it up to see if it's golden, give it a flip for about another 30 seconds.) TIPS: Using butter to brush on the cooking plate or frying adds flavor but also oil can make the crêpe stick. Don't stack crêpes because the steam that comes off of them will make them become gummy. They can be eaten hot or cooled, and even frozen for later.

Fillings: The fillings for crêpes are endless! It all depends on what you want. You can make them either savory or sweet. Try curried chicken or chicken and mushrooms, or fresh shrimp, a vegetable filling would be nice. For sweet I love fresh lemon juice and icing sugar and then in another one nutella, because the hot crêpe will melt the chocolate :P The possibilities are endless pretty much and they're so easy and cheap to make. You can also cook off some alcohol like cointreau to pour over the top which is what Crêpes Suzette is; a very popular french dessert. You can really do anything with them and they're delicious. Enjoy :)

Clams

I suppose I need to get back in the habit of doing this blog!! This past week-end I went to the Urban Harvest Farmers Market on Richmond which was a really nice day out with my parents and granny who is in town! It was such a lovely day, and the market wasn't too big for us to walk around. There was everything from fresh vegetables,eggs which we got a lot of because they were so fresh and way better than store bought (the ones we bought were fed twice as much flax seed which made the yolks so yellow) strawberries, lots of fresh lettuces, herbs, homemade breads, soaps, cheeses, I managed to get some fresh culinary lavender, lavender sugar, and a lavender rub, and there were stands selling homemade foods to eat while you were there. You really should check out local farmers markets and support your local growers. It will always be organic, affordable, and so fresh! So Sunday was then Mother's Day in England, so of course I had to do something because we're english and my granny was here. I made a lovely breakfast of Mimosa sunrises ( 1/2 oz grenadine, 1 oz orange juice, and then topped off with champagne and an orange slice), eggs benedict with my speciality of hollandaise sauce which I will never give the recipe out for, I made my mum's and granny's with smoked salmon, and ham for my dad and I because we don't eat seafood, and a fresh fruit salad which we ate outside by the pool. For dinner, I did clams for mum and granny my mum ended up having all of them which made her very happy because my granny was being weird? health wise and was sleeping during that part. For my dad and I, I made tricolore which is tomato, avocado, and mozzarella drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and some fresh basil from my garden. Then roast pheasant, roast potatoes, roast parsnips and brocollini. For dessert I made chocolate mousse with cointreau. The recipe I'm going to give you is for the clams. First off buy your clams either the day before or the day that you're going to use them, they shouldn't be older than that. Also to keep them overnight if you do buy them the day before NEVER put them on ice, in water, or in an airtight container because they will die!! Keep them in container with the lid open a little bit, covered with a damp cloth (I used just kitchen towel). So where I bought them they only came by the dozen, not by ounces or pounds, so I got 24 clams. If you get them in a good grocery store, they should be cleaned up already, and make sure they smell like the ocean, if they smell funky to you, don't risk it. So then in a large stock pot I softened 2 shallots in about 2 tablespoons of oil (sunflower or just olive will be fine). Then when they were soft I tossed in some chopped thyme, about 1 tablespoon, a splash of dry white wine and the clams. Immediately put the lid on top of the pan, give them a quick shake in the pan, and let them steam for 4-5 minutes. Also I should mention, if you find any clams that are open slightly, give them a little tap and if they close they're still alive, if they do not close they're dead and you should throw them away. Now after about 4 minutes lift the lid slightly to see if they've opened cause that's when they're done and if you cook them too long they'll go horrible. Scoop the clams out with a slotted spoon (one with holes) and put in a bowl. In the sauce a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley, a little bit of salt and pepper, and about a tablespoon ob aioli. I made my aioli by taking about 3 large spoons of mayo, 5 chopped garlic cloves (very finely chopped), some orange zest, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a tablespoon of milk or half and half, and some salt and pepper. Stir some of that into the sauce and pour over the clams. Serve with the rest of the aioli and some nice crusty bread. This is a very healthy and light meal ,but in the summer it will be hard because shellfish should really only be bought in months that have an R in them, but you can ask your fishmonger.

Herbs

First off I'll start by letting you know where the farmer's markets are in Houston, and I really hope you get a chance to check them out. It's much better supporting your local farmers livelihood and produce, it's going to be fresh mostly, if not all, organic, and homemade. There is one called the Urban Harvest Farmers Market and it's located on 3000 Richmond Avenue, but apparently you cannot see it from Richmond. It is in a parking lot, between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway; the cross street is Eastside; for more information visit http://www.urbanharvest.org/programs/market/index.html. Next up is the Houston Farmers Market located at 2100 University BLVD in Rice Village; for more information visit http://farmersmarket.rice.edu/. One more is the Midtown Farmers Market located at 3701 Travis St, in and outside of T'afia Restaurant, http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/M14420. Most of the farmers markets are only open either Saturday or Sunday, rain or shine, for about 4 hours in the morning. The one in the rice village has a late evening market on Tuesdays as well. But check them out!! You're always sure to find much better stuff than in somewhere like Kroger at much better price as well.

Now on to herbs! We were going to build me a big herb garden in the backyard that I would be able to use for my cooking instead of buying the expensive stuff at HEB. ( I don't think there's anything nicer than cooking with herbs you picked straight from the garden ) However, I'm leaving Houston in June, and that's just about when everything will be ready for picking so I won't be here...so all in all there is not point building a HUGE herb garden that I'm not going to be around to use. So instead we got a small rosemary plant, some chives, thyme, and spicy basil, and planted them in pots. Herb gardens can be tricky because each herb might be different. For instance some like full sun all day, while others might need shade part of the day, some may need lots of water, while others don't. I believe that the best way is to know what herbs you cook the most with, and then go based on the climate of where you live. I'll talk about some of the most popular herbs.

1) Cilantro, very popular in Mexican and Indian cooking, is best grown in cool climates (not so good for Houston summer weather!) It doesn't like to go over 75 degrees. It needs sun either in the early morning or late afternoon, but should be shaded at the hottest part of the day.

2) Chives are members of the onion family and you can eat the whole thing, they also don't take up that much space. They're great because they can be grown in any type of soil, like direct sunlight, or partial shade, and although they can withstand water for awhile, it's best not to plant them in a dry place.

3) Thyme is a very popular herb to pair with chicken and full of fresh flavor. Thyme can be grown in sunny environments, and can also stand up to harsh winters. It's very important that you don't over water thyme. It should do very well in Houston climates, but during the summer, I wouldn't keep it in direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day.

5) Rosemary is extremely popular in cooking used with beef, lamb, soups, stews, potatoes, vegetables, and even some desserts. Rosemary doesn't do so great in cool climates, but more like ours, more of a mediterranean one, with plenty of drainage.

6) Basil is also another very popular one, and probably everyones favorite. Basils great because it can grow in direct sunlight with partial shade. They can grow in dry soil conditions, and they really only need to be watered once a week, when it's been dry.

7) Bay is not a herb you eat, but one you infuse with, such as pasta sauces, soups, stews, inside of chickens, but always removed before eating. Bay bushes absolutely hate the cold and like rosemary originated in mediterranean climates so it does like sun and heat.

These are just a few of the thousands of herbs out there, but these are really the most popular ones in cooking, and the ones that will do best in Houston, maybe not so much cilantro but if your garden gets a lot of shade give it go. If you don't want to run the risk of building a herb garden and having everything die, or your not sure because each herb acquires different soil, or amount of water, or amount of shade or sunlight, start off in pots, one for each herb, and see how that goes. Gooooood luck! :)