This is one of my “wow” factor meals – something that sounds as wonderful and interesting as it tastes.  The best part is, this recipe comes from a Cooking Light cookbook, so not only does it pack some serious flavor, but it is easy on the waistline too!  The sauce is the real star of this dish.  (And the most complex aspect of the recipe, however very worth it.)   With a unique combination of sweet blackberry with savory pork, the sauce is a rich, dark, luscious dressing for the meat.  It ends up a deep purple color and feels like blackberry velvet in your mouth. (more…)

This is the cake I made for my Mother-in-Law this year.  The cake is a pina colata creation that I tried for the first time.  (The mojito cupcakes were such a hit, I have decided to further explore “cocktail” cake flavors.)  This particular cake is a pineapple cake (boxed cake made with pineapple juice instead of water and added crushed pineapple) layered with a coconut pastry cream, finished with a coconut rum whipped cream.  Although I could have had fun with more flavor-inspired decorations (shredded coconut and fresh pineapple)  I wanted this cake to be elegant and feminine for Mother’s Day.  To achieve this look, I simply placed royal icing flowers around the edge of the cake to create a flower wreath.  I kept the flowers all the same color, but made them in three different sizes.  Allowing some of the flowers to “fall” over the edge gives the flowers and more natural look.

Stay tuned for instructions on how to make your own Royal Icing Flowers.

Recipe: Pina Colata Cake

What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than a cupcake?  (Who needs beer, guacamole and salsa anyways?)  Scott and I were invited to a Cinco de Mayo party and I started thinking of what Mexican inspired dessert I could come up with that would be good for a crowd.  While beer may be the drink of choice for this holiday, I am a personal fan of the mojito.  The combination of rum, lime and mint is very refreshing and says “South of the Border” to me.  (I do realize the mojito is traditionally a Cuban drink, but lime is certainly no stranger to Mexican cuisine).  So I knew I wanted to play with the idea of an edible mojito, but in what form?  When planning for a party, I tend to fall back on the cupcake for group events.  They are already pre-portioned, don’t require a plate or utensils and are easy to eat.  So I knew what I wanted to create, the next step was actually figuring out how to do so. (more…)

This is my newest cake creation – a Backyardigans Cake – made for my boss’ son’s third birthday.  (For those of you who are not familiar with the latest kid’s craze, I have included a picture of the Backyardigans below.)  Everything on the cake is edible and all formed from gum paste and fondant.  I won’t lie – this cake was a lot of work.  The characters were molded over the course of a week, forming each body part separately and then assembling on the cake.  The ribbon loops were made ahead of time and allowed to dry so they would hold their shape and then all clustered on the cake to achieve the bow.

Shaping figures from gum paste is still something relatively new for me.  I learn more tricks and techniques every time I attempt them (I think these are only my second or third set of figures).  Like most things, you learn most from doing, and of course, your mistakes.  For example, I started making the figurines from fondant, however due to an unseasonably warm spring – complete with high humidity – I switched to gum paste half way through.  Gum paste is meant to dry hard, while fondant stays soft.  Fondant is mainly used to enrobe cakes (ie the smooth wedding cakes) and is meant for consumption – a hard crust on a cake would not be that appealing.  Gum paste, and its hardening tendency, is more designed for the use of decorations.  I should have started with gum paste in the first place, but because it dries hard, it is also more fragile and breaks easily.  I tried to get away with more pliable figurines to make transport easier, but hey, live and learn, right?  All in all, I am very pleased with the cake.

Original Backyardigans

I first tried this dish in a small restaurant in NYC while visiting friends for the weekend.  My friend Amy recommended the scrambled eggs with asparagus and feta – how could I pass that up?  I was hooked.  The crisp, clean asparagus is a sweet contrast to the faint tang of the feta – all enjoyed against the background of fluffy, creamy eggs.  While I am not as fortunate to live in the city and order up these delectable eggs every weekend, I decided that something this simple should be easy enough to duplicate at home.  Turns out – it is.

Scrambled eggs are probably one of the most traditional breakfast options.  Ranging from a over-cooked rubbery mess, to heavenly fluffy melt-in-your-mouth creamy, scrambled eggs can mean several things.  Once you learn a couple of simple tricks, it is easy to produce those creamy eggs every time.  With a good technique for creamy eggs, the possibilities are endless to “spice them up” and turn a simple dish into a true breakfast. My first “perfect egg tip”: Don’t forget to season. After you have cracked your eggs, don’t hesitate to add a good amount of salt, pepper and even some fresh herbs.  I also like to add a splash of heavy cream to my raw eggs.  Whisk the eggs and the seasonings until well incorporated.  (One of my biggest pet-peeves is scrambled eggs with distinct chunks of whites and yolks.)  Tip 2:  For those perfectly smooth eggs, don’t be afraid to give those suckers a good beating. You know your eggs are properly beaten when you lift the whisk and the eggs run off smoothly – you should not have any remaining clumps of egg white.  Now to the cooking process.  Tip 3: Eggs are often ruined because they are overcooked – either too long a stay on the stove or too high of a temperature. Low and slow is the way to go (more…)

Neither my husband or I are lovers of tomato sauce.  Because of this, we rarely eat lasagna…at least the traditional form.  I came across this recipe and was terribly excited at the concept of a “white lasagna” (a lasagna that layers the noodles with a cream sauce instead of the traditional tomato).  This recipe pairs a creamy garlic sauce with spinach, broccoli, and peas for a fresh and clean twist on the Italian classic.  White lasagna is the perfect way to transition the comfort-food lasagna we crave in Winter into a fresh vegetable lasagna for Spring. (more…)

Spring has sprung at The Crown, which means … they are back!  The butterfly cupcakes have returned to the Crown Supermarket.  These are our seasonal Spring “kids” cupcakes, although suitable for the kid in all of us.  We made these colorful butterflies for the first time last year and our customers really seemed to enjoy them.  Each butterfly wing is a cookie, dusted with pink and purple sugars.  I pipe the body with pink buttercream and add red licorice antennae.  (All Kosher Parve, of course!)  These signs of Spring retail for $1.69 and are available all season.