recipe: red velvet cupcakes

there are a plethora of cupcake bakeries here in new york: magnolia, crumbs, buttercup, sugar sweet sunshine, chikalicious, etc. i could go on and on. whenever i visit a new shop, i always end up ordering the classic red velvet. my favorite one so far is from crumbs. the cake is dense and moist and the buttercream frosting is rich and delicious. it would probably be more economical to bake these at home, but that just means i end up devouring 3-4 cupcakes a day which is just not good. so i'm happy to pay $4 for my large crumbs cupcake. however, when the occasion calls (such as a friend's birthday for example), i gladly bake up a batch and keep some extras to eat some days afterward.



red velvet cupcakes
cake adapted from the new york times red velvet cake recipe
frosting adapted from paula deen's cream cheese frosting recipe
(makes 36)

ingredients:

cupcakes
3 1/2 c cake flour
1/2 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 c vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 large eggs
6 tbsp (3 ounces) red food coloring
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c buttermilk
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp white vinegar

frosting
2 8 oz. pkg (1 1/2 pounds) cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 c sifted confectioners' sugar

instructions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 3 12-cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

in a large bowl, whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt. in a separate bowl, add oil and sugar and with an electric mixer beat at medium speed until well-blended. then beat in eggs one at a time. with machine on low, very slowly pour in the red food coloring (take care: it may splash). then pour in the vanilla. finally, add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.

put baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. beat for 10 seconds.

divide batter among 3 12-cupcake pans, filling each about 2/3 full. bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

for the frosting, in a large bowl beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until very fluffy. add vanilla and mix until well-combined. finally, beat in confectioners' sugar.

let cupcakes completely cool before frosting. store in refrigerator.

recipe: chicken tortilla soup

fonda san miguel is one my favorite restaurants in austin, texas, serving up delicious authentic mexican cuisine. the restaurant itself is a site worth checking out with mexican furnishings and art adorning the building making one feel as if they are actually in mexico. i had a chance to experience their famous brunch buffet a couple of months back and was astounded by the quality and authenticity of the food. naturally, i bought their cookbook before i left the restaurant to take back a little mexico with me to new york. this recipe is perfect for a light winter meal.



chicken tortilla soup
adapted from fonda san miguel: thirty years of food and art
(serves 2)

ingredients:
6 tbsp vegetable oil
6 small corn tortilla, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 tomato (roasted)
1/4 onion, diced
1 garlic clove
3 c chicken broth
1 chicken breast, poached and shredded *
1 tbsp dried epazote **
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp shredded monterey jack cheese

instructions:
in a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and fry the tortilla strips until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. remove the tortilla strips from the oil using a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and set aside. pour off all but 1 tbsp of oil from the pot.

in a blender, combine the tomato, onion and garlic and puree until smooth. heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat and fry the puree until it has thickened and reduced by about one-quarter. add the chicken broth and shredded chicken and bring to a boil. then reduce the heat to a simmer and add the epazote, fried tortilla strips (save about 2 to 3 tbsp for garnish) and salt and pepper to taste. cook for about 10 minutes.

to serve, ladle the soup into 2 bowls and garnish with monterey jack cheese and the remaining tortilla strips.

notes:
* instructions to poach and shred chicken breasts can be found here
** this mexican herb can be found in your local latin markets or grocery stores

recipe: creamy chicken salad

my favorite chicken salad in new york city is at ess-a-bagel, where i order a warm whole wheat everything bagel piled high with their creamy chicken salad, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. if i'm not ravenously hungry, i usually won't be able to finish it and save the rest for later. being health conscience and all, i devised a recipe that's only *slightly* healthier than the mayo-laden goodness - to be enjoyed at home with multi-grain bread and your choice of toppings.

creamy chicken salad
(serves 3-4)

ingredients:
1 chicken breast, poached and shredded
1/4 c non-fat plain greek yogurt
1/4 c mayonnaise
2 celery stalks, chopped
quarter of a large onion, chopped
1/4 c roasted walnuts, chopped
1/4 c dried cranberries
1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

instructions:
to poach the chicken breast, bring a small pot of water to a boil and place the whole breast meat in the pot and turn the heat down to a simmer. you may add some extra flavorings to the pot if you wish, such as celery chunks, carrots or onion quarters. let poach for 25 minutes. afterward, transfer the chicken to a plate to let cool. after it cools, shred the chicken with your hands and place the meat in a large bowl.

while the chicken is poaching, chop the onion, celery and nuts. after all the ingredients are chopped and the chicken is shredded, add all the ingredients to the large bowl and toss thoroughly.

here's to 2010!

happy new year everyone! my apologies for the lack of updates. i've been traveling a lot since thanksgiving and haven't had much time to devote to any personal fancies and crafts. i've acquired some lovely cookbooks recently and will be scouring them for share-worthy recipes. until then, hope everyone's year is off to a great start!

recipe: thanksgiving side dishes

thanksgiving with my family (which includes the extended relatives) has recently become more of a joint effort. all the kids at the "kids table" have grown up and have something to say with their own dishes. i love potluck dinners. it's a great time for those family members to show off their tried and true recipes or even attempt new ones. i always look forward to my cousin's rich ranch mashed potatoes dish. in previous years, we had great little starters that included homemade stuffed mushrooms and deviled eggs. of course no vietnamese thanksgiving would be complete without a couple of spring or summer rolls on their plate. alas, i won't be joining my family this year for the annual feast. i'll be on a gastro-journey in spain, but that just means that i'll have to share my recipes online. so here is my contribution for thanksgiving 2009.

golden-crusted brussels sprouts
(serves 4)

ingredients:
8 oz brussels sprouts
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt to taste
1/4 c roasted walnuts, chopped
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

instructions:
washed the brussels sprouts well, removing any questionable outer leaves and cutting them in half. in a pan, add olive oil and add a single layer of brussels sprouts with a sprinkling of salt. over medium heat, cover the pan and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the bottom of the sprouts turn a golden brown color. flip over the sprouts and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes uncovered until the other side turns golden as well. plate the brussels sprouts and sprinkle with cheese and chopped walnuts.



warm butternut squash and chickpea salad
(serves 4)

ingredients:

dressing
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp water
juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
salt to taste

salad
1 butternut squash (2 - 2 1/2 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped (for garnish)
1/4 c flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)

instructions:
for the dressing, add all the ingredients in a small bowl, whisk and set aside.

preheat the oven to 425 degrees. in a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove, salt and pepper. tossed until the squash is well coated and transfer to a baking pan. roast the squash for 20-25 minutes, tossing the vegetables once or twice in the oven, until soft. after the butternut squash is done roasting, remove from oven and let cool.

in a saute pan over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil, garlic, onions and chickpeas. cook for 7-10 minutes, tossing frequently, until the chickpeas develop a golden crust. midway, add salt and pepper to taste.

in another large bowl, combine the butternut squash, chickpeas and dressing and toss until well coated. place the mixture on a large serving bowl and garnish with red onions and / or parsley. i didn't have any garnish on hand this time around so i omitted this step, but might i add the red onions give it a great bite!