PW's Red Velvet Cake (turned into cupcakes)

I went to The Pioneer Woman's book signing and the night before, I made her Red Velvet Cake.  But I took the cake batter and made cupcakes instead.  I love taking food to a party that is ready to serve...'cause I didn't want to stand in the kitchen and cut it up. 

Rebecca saw the cupcakes when she got home from school, and immediately begged for one.  I promised she could have one...after dinner.  I kept 6 at home for us and took the rest to a party.  Gracious goodness y'all...were they EVER good...everyone LOVED them. 

If you don't want to mess with cupcakes, just make a regular 2-layer cake.  Either way...you are guaranteed a compliment!

Pioneer Woman's Red Velvet Cake/Cupcakes

FOR THE CAKE:

1 cup shortening

1  3/4 cups sugar

2  1/2 cups cake flour

1  1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1  1/4 teaspoon vinegar

1 ounce red food coloring (PW says use 2 ounces if you want a deeper red color)

1  1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder

FOR THE FROSTING:

12 ounces (1  1/2 packages) cream cheese at room temperature

1  1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1  1/ pounds powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Red and white sparkling sugar sprinkles (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Line a cupcake pan with paper liners of choice. 

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and sugar.

Normally, I don't bother to sift anything.  Seriously...I don't.  But this time, I did.  My cake flour hadn't seen the light of day for about 4 months (I only use it about 2x a year), and I wanted to be sure it was nice and lump-free.  So sift together the cake flour and salt....and if you skip this step, I am sure no one will know the wiser.  

In a seperate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar. 

If you don't have buttermilk on handy, simply mix 3/4 cup low-fat milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar.  Or use 1 cup plain, low-fat yogurt.

Here's where I oopsied when I should have daisied.  I was supposed to add the red food coloring last.   I added it to the creamed shortening and sugar instead.  But I don't think it made a difference in the end.  Nevertheless...PW's recipe has the red food coloring added after the buttermilk mixture and the flour go it.   But'll you'll see I did it backwards in the following pictures. 

Combine the red food coloring and cocoa powder in a small bowl.  I used 2 ounces of food coloring because I had plenty :-).   Add to the mixing bowl, and let it run on low until the red is evenly distributed. 

Once you've put the food coloring in, alternate the flour mixture with the buttermilk mixture and mix until just combined.  I did 3 additions of flour and 2 of the buttermilk. 

Here's the first round of flour (you can see the red shortening/sugar mixture in the bowl)...

And then comes the buttermilk mixture.

After all the flour and buttermilk mixtures have been mixed in, the batter will look like this.  Isn't it jest purdy? 

I like using a small ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the batter between all the cupcake liners.  It's much faster and sure beats using a couple of spoons...trust me!

Fill up all your cupcake liners about 2/3rds full. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool while you make the frosting.

Beat the cream cheese and butter together in a stand mixer until smooth. 

Add the powdered sugar in 1 cup intervals (or you'll have a mess!), until all the sugar is incorporated. Lastly, add the salt and vanilla. 

My sister-in-law Stephanie got me hooked on piping frosting onto cupcakes.  She says it looks prettier, and it goes a lot faster...and she's right!

I used a large Wilton tip (1 M), which can be found at craft stores.  You'll need the extra-large adaptor and coupler too.

Use a large plastic food storage bag for the frosting.  Snip the tip off one corner along the bottom edge, and insert the adapter. 

Place your metal tip over the top, and screw on the coupler. 

Pretty painless, right?  Just be sure not to screw on the coupler too tightly...I couldn't get it off after I frosted the cupcakes and had to wait until the hubby came home to unscrew it for me. 

Stand the bag upright in a large, tall cup or vase with the edges folded over the top like this...and yes, it's a Texas A&M cup...Gig 'Em Aggies! 

Fill the bag up with the frosting...about 1/2 of it.  Any more and it'll be too much to hold in your hands comfortably.  Using the cup makes it really easy...you won't make a big 'ole mess...and get frosting in your hair ;-). 

Seal the bag shut...and you're all ready to pipe!  This might take a bit of practice, but just pipe the frosting on top of the cupcakes in a circle, going around and around towards the middle, making smaller circles until it's all filled in.  Finish by pulling the tip straight up. 

As you can see, I am not a professional.  Just setting the record straight!

Be generous with the frosting y'all...I laid that stuff on, and still had some leftover (which BTW is really good on chocolate devil's food cake, Christmas cookies, etc.  Heck, it was good on almost anything!). 

Before the frosting sets, sprinkle with some red and white sparkling sugar if you'd like.  I happen to love the little bit of crunch you get when combined with sweet, creamy frosting and moist cake :-). 

Set these out on a pretty platter or dessert stand and watch 'em disappear.  I took 18 of these to that Christmas party, and only came home with 4!

Whether you make one big cake or cupcakes with this recipe, it will be a hit!  And it's perfect to put out on the holiday buffet too.  Just be sure to refridgerate any cake/cupcakes after the party's over, since there's cream cheese in the frosting. 

Hope you enjoy this sweet treat.  God Bless your table tonight!

Winner!

Okay ladies...I put all the names in Santa's hat...

and I pulled one out...

And the winner is...

(I'm not going to drag it out this time because I'm nice, and it's getting closer to Christmas ;-)

BEV!

Here's part of her comment:

"...Oh, and I'd LOVE to win your giveaway! My favorite cookie recipe is from Bridget, of course! AND, not only does she have wonderful sugar cookies, she is so kind to give step-by-step decorating instructions too. She ranks right up there with The Pioneer Woman! :)"

Bev, please email me at gajusmax@yahoo.com so I can get your prize to you.

Thank you for all the comments, I had fun reading them...I'm off to make more cookies right now!

Turkey Sliders with Caramelized Onions

Some people don't like going to the grocery store.  I can understand that.   There's simply too many options, and if it's late in the afternoon, the store is full of crazed people hurrying to buy what they need for dinner (I've done that plenty of times myself).  If you go late at night (which I've also done), those darn checkers who are always high school age can't seem to ring up things on special correctly.

But...I have to say...I love grocery shopping.  I collect all the grocery flyers, and armed with paper and pencil, I plan out what I want to make for the next week or so.  This doesn't happen every Tuesday (when the flyers come in the mail), but I usually make up a good list of ideas every 2 weeks.

Last week, we needed the basics...milk, bread, eggs, orange juice.  We got to the store--Gabriel always holds the list for me, and headed for the bread aisle. 

Once there, I grabbed our usual, 100% whole wheat sandwich bread, and started towards the dairy case for milk.  And then I stopped. 

Now I know a package of little sandwich buns might not stop traffic.  But they got me thinking. 

My kids love it when I make smaller dishes for them, like mini meatloaves, cupcakes, pancakes, and mini muffins.  I decided to make turkey sliders, and cook down some onions because my hubby loves 'em.  He'll eat onions raw or cooked with just about anything.  Except brisket.  Don't ask him why...he just just doesn't. 

The trick to ground turkey is to add moisture and cook it quickly, otherwise it will be dry, since turkey doesn't have a high fat content either like ground beef.  That's why we add grated apple to the turkey :-). 

So here's a fun recipe your big kids (aka husbands) and little kids will love! And it's healthy too...just don't tell anyone. 

Turkey Sliders with Caramelized Onions

1 pound ground turkey (90/10)

1 medium apple, finely grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1  1/2 teaspoons poulty seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon allspice

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 package (12 count) slider buns/small rolls

tomatoes, lettuce, and other toppings/condiments of choice

Let's start with the onions.  In a small skillet over low heat, saute the red onions in olive oil for 30-45 minutes until they're very soft and caramelized.  About 10 minutes in, season with some salt and pepper to taste.  This is time-consuming, but it's worth the effort.  I get a big kiss from my hubby whenever I make these.  Plus you can make them ahead of time, and just reheat when needed. 

Turkey is next!  In a large bowl, combine the turkey, grated apple, garlic, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, allspice, and parsley.  Mix gently until combined, but don't overdo it.

As a side note...use the small holes on your grater to grate the apple.  The large holes will be too big...the small bits of apple will mix more easily into the turkey. 

You can shape the little burgers by hand, but I like using a mold.  For regular sized burgers, I use a peanut butter lid; this time I used a lid from a large spice jar.  Next time, I want to try something just a little bigger...I forgot the burgers would shrink a little after cooking. 

Just take a piece of plastic wrap and line the lid. 

Scoop the turkey mixture in and pack it in gently. 

Then unmold onto a plate.  Easy as pie!

Continue with the rest of the turkey mixture.  I ended up with 11 patties...you may or may not get the same number. 

The day I made these, it was cold and rainy outside, so I fired up my indoor grill pan.  You can pan-fry these or stick 'em under the broiler if you don't have a grill pan.  These will take about 3-4 minutes per side...be sure not to overcook them or they'll be dry.  I made these in the afternoon and reheated them for dinner. 

For those fancy grill marks...just rotate the burgers 90 degrees after 2 minutes.  But I only did it for y'all...the kids could care less. 

David, Rebecca and I like everything on our burgers.  The rest of the kids just like cheese and ketchup.  I cut a slice of cheese small enough to cover the patty and used roma tomatoes (since they're smaller).  Feel free to make your burger the way you want ;-)

I made ours like this.  Lettuce and turkey...

Cheese, tomato, and pickles...

And some caramelized onions...yum!  The kids like to add ketchup/mustard themselves. 

Then the cap...and don't forget to open wide!

I made a plate for David "to go," only to realize he had a meeting at church that night, and dinner would be provided.  Oh well...guess I'll have to eat it ;-). 

In keeping with the heathly theme of this meal, I made Sweet Potato Fries and Roasted Broccoli on the side.  They're my go-to sides these days because sweet potatoes are good for you...and we have plenty of broccoli from the garden. 

These turned out really great...kid-friendly and easy to make in advance.  I wanted to post this last week, but figured it was too soon after Thanksgiving, and nobody wanted to be anywhere near any form of turkey. 

Hope you enjoy 'em, and God Bless your table!

The Pioneer Woman Herself!

Driving to and from Georgia's Market on I-10...1.5 hours.

Waiting for The Pioneer Woman to arrive for her book signing... another 1.5 hours. 

Standing in line to get 2 cookbooks signed...2.5 more hours. 

Meeting Ree Drummond in person, getting a picture with her, and telling her how much we loved her red velvet cake and brisket...PRICELESS.

Yes...I spend a total of 5.5 hours today to get 2 copies of The Pioneer Woman Cooks signed. And it was totally worth it. 

I met some really lovely ladies during those long hours.  Briget from Bake at 350, Laurel from Go Against the Grain, Joann, and I exchanged websites, smiles, and great conversation.  Joann was so kind to keep standing up to give me room every time I had to leave, and we all became fast friends :-)

Left to right: Laurel, Joann, and Bridget

When Ree was finally announced and came out...it was a bit sureal.  I went a tad crazy snapping pictures along with hundreds of other people

During the Q & A, someone asked if Marlboro Man (aka Ree Drummond's husband) wore boxers or briefs.  After the roar of laughter finally died down, Ree said, "Um...boxers...and I'm sorry honey!"

Ree was as nice in person as she is on her blog, and just as funny.  I told her how I'd cooked a 9 pound brisket using her recipe for our block party and she said, "Was it tender and just falling apart?"  I said yes; she laughed....and added, "That sounds really good right now, does anyone have any brisket here?" 

And here's little 'ole me...with The Pioneer Woman herself! 

It was a long day, but I owe the biggest thanks to my wonderful, amazing, loving, patient, awesome husband, who had our four chittlins nearly all day.  Not only did he watch them, he fed them lunch, gave everyone baths, emptied the dishwasher, reloaded it, put up more Christmas lights outside, and patched a hole in the drywall of  the foyer, b/c he knew it bothered me.  Thank you honey, I love you.....mmmuaww!

Now that I've come back down to earth...I'm gonna go get me another cupcake ;-).  And yes, I'll post the recipe very soon!

Holiday Giveaway!

We had a grand time over Thanksgiving with the family...ate plenty of yummy food, delicious desserts, and great conversation with everyone.  I'm now completely, hopelessly addicted to Dreyer's Slow Churned Pumpkin ice cream. 

I also broke my left pinkie finger...and hoping it doesn't get in the way of all the cookie baking I plan to do within the next few weeks.  I never though about it...but you do use your pinkie finger for quite a number of things.  I keep missing the "a" key while I'm typing here. 

But...not even a broken finger stopped me from stopping by one of my very favorite stores today.  I deliberately stay away from this place, otherwise...I might go a little hog wild.  You know...a little...crazy. 

Here's what I got.

Want an early Christmas present?  How about a snowman tea towel, rubber scraper, and snowman cookie cutter, all from Sur La Table?  I know...SO CUTE! 

Need a close-up?

The neat thing about the scraper is the rubber head can be pulled off the bamboo handle and tossed into the dishwasher. 

Who wants it? Anybody? 

Leave me a note in my comments section and tell me what your favorite holiday cookie recipe is.  Is it Grandma's gingerbread men?  Aunt Sally's shortbread?  Mine happens to be these awesome jam thumbprints from Ina Garten...really, really good y'all. 

Comments are welcome only from readers within the continental United States.  And one comment per person...I trust you all are "nice" and not "naughty"!  I'll be shipping this prize via 2-day priority mail, so you'll get it in just in time for your holiday baking. 

Deadline for comments is Thursday, December 10, at 6:00 PM, and the winner will be announced Friday morning.

Good luck!