Birthday Cake Shots

 Who says you can't have your cake and drink it too?  Not me.  Birthday Cake Shots.  Yes, I said cake and shots.  I've been up to my elbows in cake for the past year, creating recipes for Duncan Hines.  So cake is sort of my life right now.

I'm sure you've heard of all the flavored vodkas out there but now you can find cake flavored vodka and whipped cream flavored vodka as well.  I first spotted some of these recipes on the Pinnacle Vodka website as well as on Sweetapolita.  Now while you probably wouldn't want a whole martini glass of one of these, the shots do make a festive way to celebrate with your friends. 

I don't like cocktails that are super strong so I have altered the alcohol amounts to make it a little smoother.  A final note: I do not recommend testing this recipe right before you go pick up your children from school.  It's only one shot but still...people may talk.

Bottoms up!

Birthday Cake Shots
Adapted from Pinnacle Vodka Website & Sweetapolita
Yield: 1 shot

1/2 ounce Cake Flavored Vodka (I used Three Olives brand)
1/2 ounce Whipped Creme Flavored Vodka (I used Pinnacle)
1 ounce half-n-half
1 teaspoon dry cake mix (I used yellow)
2-3 ice cubes
whipped creme
sprinkles or nonpareils

1. Combine vodkas, half-n-half, cake mix and ice cubes in cocktail shaker and shake until well mixed.
2. Strain into a shot glass and top with whipped creme, sprinkles and straw.

Whazz Up?

It has been a flurry of activity around here for months.  Here's what I've been up to:

• Apparently I was passed up on the May 21st rapture.  That's ok.  I have more Real Housewives series to catch up on.

• I did a 3-day juice cleanse.  I was hungry. I lost 3 lbs (which was not my goal) but BONUS.  My life was not transformed in the way some have written about.  I did feel like it helped me to get back on track following a Disney week-long diet of foods I don't usually eat. And I reaffirmed that beets are on the very short list of foods I can't choke down even if my life depends on it.

• I've decided to take up drinking bourbon.  (Not as a hobby, just on occasion.) Every interesting cocktail recipe I see lately contains bourbon.  

• Speaking of bourbon, this is my new favorite grown-up milkshake to serve at parties...

Vanilla Caramel Bourbon Milkshake 

Serves 1-2
 
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups premium vanilla ice cream
2-3 tablespoons pourable caramel sauce1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon

Mix in blender and serve.

• I've gone viral!!!  I did a few months of work testing products and creating recipes for Duncan Hines commercials and campaigns.  If you go to the Duncan Hines Facebook page you can watch the commercial.  After the commercial you can click on any of the desserts and watch videos of me demo'ing some tips and techniques.  To find me, look for these "kitchen timer" icons...

 

 Click and there I'll be...

Don't I look joyful and perky?  Don't judge.  I was very excited to show home bakers how easy some of these professional techniques are to do at home. 

• I also developed new burger recipes for Vlasic pickles.  Click here and try some of these recipes out.  My personal faves are the Zesty Garlic Guacamole Burger and the State Fair Fried Pickle Burger.  My family loves the BBQ Bread and Butter Burger.

So there you have it. (Which I say far too often in these videos.  Not really the catchphrase I dreamt of being associated with...) That is what I've been busy with.  How's things with you?

Pork Belly on Steamed Buns with Gojujang Sauce and Pickled Cucumbers

If you haven't eaten all of your pork belly yet and haven't grown weary of my pig jokes...I know, I'm asking a lot.  I have another recipe for you.  Pork Belly on Steamed Buns with Gojujang Sauce and Pickled Cucumbers.  What is gogjujang you may ask?  It is a fermented red pepper paste from Korea.  It's a little spicy plus sweet and smoky and I can't get enough of it lately. 

 Now, here's the thing.  You'll probably only find gojujang at an Asian grocery store or I'm sure you could order it online.  Once you've acquired it, make this sauce below.  Make it a lot.  Use it for these pork belly buns and then make more and toss it with noodles. Bake or fry some chicken and slather it with this sauce. Use it as a dip for egg rolls or dumplings. Add it to your scrambled eggs.  You get the idea.

There are many recipes out there to make your own steamed buns but I bought mine at the Asian market in the freezer section and thawed, then steamed them in a bamboo steamer.  And although the package says you can microwave them instead, don't.  Trust me, they are not good.

The final element, the quick pickled cucumbers add the acid and crunch that the pork belly needs.  And these are so dead simple, they'd make a great side dish at any meal. 

 Here's a thought.  Serve these Pork Belly Buns at your Super Bowl party.  People may miss some of the game when they take a bite and their eyes roll back in their heads.  But that's a risk you'll have to take.  And let's face it, they could get buffalo wings and sliders anywhere.

Pork Belly on Steamed Buns with Gojujang Sauce and Pickled Cucumbers

1. Take pork belly slices out of refrigerator and let come to room temperature.  Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Warm pork belly slices in the heated pan starting with fat side down first.  Then turn to warm sides of pork belly, 2-3 minutes.  Do not cook the belly, just warm it.

2. Fill wok with an inch of water and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Set bamboo steamer over wok.  Line steamer with a piece of wax paper and fill with steamed buns.  Do not let them touch each other.  Put lid on steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes.

3.  Slice open steamed buns down the center of the top of the bun, rather than on the side of the bun.  Fill with warmed pork belly, gojujang sauce and pickled cucumbers.  Serve immediately.

Slow-Cooked Pork Belly
Recipe here

Gojujang Sauce
5 cloves of garlic
1 1-1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3T gojujang paste (Korean red pepper paste)
1T honey
3T soy sauce
1 1/2T rice vinegar
1T sesame oil

In a food processor chop garlic and ginger.  My tip: Turn the food processor on and then drop the garlic and ginger down the feed tube and watch the magic happen.  Add gojujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil and whiz until combined.

  
Pickled Cucumbers
2 small Kirby or baby seedless cucumbers, slice 1/8 inch thick
1T sugar
3/4T kosher salt
2T rice vinegar

Combine sliced cucumbers, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Mix and let sit for 5-10 minutes.  Rinse salt and sugar off cucumber and pat dry.  Add rice vinegar and serve immediately or keep refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

Gin and Tonic Sorbet

Nothing says summer like a Gin & Tonic.  Well, sunburn, mosquito bites, humidity, those say summer too.  But a G & T says summer in a better way.

I've done sorbets with white wine, red wine, with limoncello, so why not gin and tonic?  This could not be simpler but is such an unusual surprise to any one who tries it.   This sorbet can be a dessert, a slushy cocktail or a refreshing palate cleanser between courses during a dinner party.

Gin and Tonic Sorbet

1/2 c water
1/2 c sugar
1 lime zested, then juiced
2 1/2 c tonic water
4 ounces Bombay Sapphire gin


1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan.  Heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved into the water.  Set aside to cool.
2.  Once sugar syrup is cooled, add lime zest, lime juice, tonic water and gin.  Taste and see if you want more lime or more tonic, etc.  Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
3.  Use your ice cream maker as directed.  The consistency will still look slushy when it is done mixing. Transfer into a container and freeze until ready to serve.

*Note: If you don't have an ice cream maker, freeze the liquid in a wide, shallow container and every half hour take two forks and scrape them across the frozen top to create a granita-like consistency.

Summer Fruit Pavlova

Don't you just want to dive into that face first?  Or maybe that's just me.  This is a great summer dessert because it's light and you can use any kind of summer fruit.  You can even do it without the sauce, just fruit, whipped cream and meringue.

This is also a great solution for how to use up those eight egg whites you have leftover from the latest yolk-only baking project.  Or maybe that's just me.  And it's purty.

This recipe is slightly adapted from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.  I love her.  Her recipes always work and they are elegant enough for a dinner party but still homey, comforting and delicious.  I want to be her when I grow up.  Or at least inherit her house, after all she has no children to pass it on to.  Hi Aunt Ina!

One note: Meringues do not do well on a humid day.  Yah, I know I just described most summer days.  Anyway, keep in mind you'll be tempting fate if you try to execute this on a muggy day, ya rebels.
Because of tempramental meringue, this is a "eat it the day you make it" dessert.  I guess that means you're just going to have to polish off whatever is left at midnight.  Or maybe that's just me.

Summer Fruit Pavlova
Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa
 Serves 6-8 
  
Meringue:
4 extra-large egg whites, at room temp 
pinch of kosher salt 
1 c sugar
2t cornstarch
1t white wine vinegar
1/2 t vanilla
4 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups blueberries


Whipped Cream:
1 c heavy cream
1T sugar
1t vanilla

 Fruit Sauce:
1 cup strawberries, chopped
1/4 c sugar
12 ounce jar of red fruit jam, I used cherry

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using a pie or dinner plate, draw a 9-inch circle on the parchment with pencil.  Turn parchment over.  You will be able to see your circle through the paper.  Set aside.
3. Place egg whites and salt in bowl of mixer using the whisk and beat on high until firm, about 1 minutes.
4.  While still mixing on high speed, gradually pour in sugar to egg whites.  Beat until you have firm shiny peaks that stand up, 2-3 minutes. To test this,  detach the whisk then dip it into the meringue and turn upside down.  If your egg whites hold their shape and don't droop you're done.
5. Sift cornstarch into beaten egg whites and add vinegar and vanilla.  Gently fold ingredients with a rubber scraper until mixed.
6. Transfer meringue into to your drawn circle on the parchment. Use an offset spatula to spread meringue to the edges and smooth.
7. Bake for 90 minutes then turn off oven and leave meringue in oven with the door closed for another hour. 
8. Transfer to plate.

Egg whites before baking

Whipping Cream:
9. In mixer beat heavy cream at high speed until it starts to thicken.  Add in sugar and vanilla and continue beating until firm. Chill until ready to serve.

Fruit Sauce:
10.  Mash chopped strawberries with 1/4 c sugar.  Transfer to a small saucepan.
11. Add in fruit jam and bring to a boil.  Simmer over low heat until mixture is bubbly and fruit has softened.
12. Once cooked, pour the mixture into a food processor and process until smooth.  Chill.

To Assemble:
13. Spoon whipped cream onto meringue disk, leaving a one inch border of meringue all around.
14. Mound your strawberries and blueberries on top of whipped cream.
15.  Spoon chilled fruit sauce over the pavlova.  Serve immediately.

Cooked meringue topped with whipped cream

With berries and sauce

Teeny Tiny Food

What is it about teeny tiny food that adults love so much?  Any foods "miniature-ized" are the most popular items on my catering menus.  Sliders, mini grilled cheese, two-bite pizzas, mini quesadillas, etc.  Obviously, these are great cocktail fare because you can eat with one hand and hold your drink in the other.   But I have a feeling that it's more than convenience.  I think it's because it's silly and fun.  Admit it, you get to feel like a kid again because the food is just so darn cute.  Sometimes, bigger is not better.

In the spirit of cute food, I give you the quail egg. 

Teeny, tiny eggs that match my counter tops.  Ooooh! Aaaah!  OK, just lost any male readers out there...but seriously, how often do you get to coordinate your food with your kitchen?

I find these at my local Asian market.  I've also seen them at Whole Foods.  You can fry, poach or boil these little guys, just treat them like a regular egg.  I have made tiny deviled eggs with these too.  For this presentation, I fried them and served them on teeny tiny toast rounds with teeny tiny coins of chorizo.  Everyone giggled and licked their teeny tiny plates clean.  Try these.  Hilarity may ensue.

Quail Eggs & Chorizo on a Raft
Serves 1
 
2 quail eggs
Spanish chorizo, sliced in thin rounds
1 piece of toast
Smoked Paprika

1. In a small skillet warm the chorizo rounds until they release some of their oil and juices, remove from pan.
2. Toast a piece of bread.
3. Fry two quail eggs, sunny side up, in the chorizo "juice".
4. Using a round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut a circle out of the toast.
5. Layer chorizo on toast round, followed by quail eggs.
6. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and serve.