Denver Bronco cupcakes

This is Brooklyn's serious Monday night football stance.  Everyone should have one, especially when one of the games in the Monday night season opener happens to be the rivalry of rivalries....Oakland at Denver.  It doesn't get any better than this in my humble Bronco-centric mind.  

There are a few times each year when food coloring might be necessary and football season tops that list in my mind.  I found a place online that sold blue and orange sprinkles--what did we do before the internet? The sprinkles were called navy...they appear more royal blue to me.  I also learned that navy blue cupcake liners become black after baking. I suppose beggars can't be choosers and they are Broncos in spirit.

I'm was so giddy with anticipation I may have gotten carried away with sprinkles on everything...go Broncos!

Same pumpkin cupcake recipe from yesterday. 

9-11 Remembrance Cakes

Photo: RockyMountainNews.com

My grandparents used to say that they'll never forget where they were on December 7, 1941 when they first heard about Pearl Harbor.  It's odd how the most tragic moments are burned into your memory so that you remember every detail of where you were when you first heard.   In 2001 I was back in Colorado after 10 years in NY.   On Sept 11, 2001, I was driving to work listening to the morning show and remember my exact cross streets when the radio broke the news....they thought it was a either prank or a single engine plane at that point.  Fifteen minutes later the severity and reality was being broadcast across all the media and we were all glued to the television at work.  Is there anyone who doesn't remember the collective gasp and sharp intake of air as the first tower went down?  Or the sense of helplessness as the tragedy just continued to unfold?

And while the reality is that life does go on for most of us, just intentionally remembering can rekindle the feelings of shock, horror, sadness of that day, or the feelings of pride and patriotism as we watched the country unite in a way I'd never seen in all of my years.  Victims and heroes were honored and everyone seemed a little bit kinder during the months that followed.

Now on the 10th anniversary, we want to say we do still remember.   Yes, it's just cake.  And no it doesn't directly help anyone.  But it says I remember and my heart aches for those with hearts that are still healing and will always carry a bit of the hurt from that day.  And I thank those who continue to put their lives in harms way to protect our nation.

Thanks to Marla at Family Fresh Cooking for putting this together and creating the badge.  Head on over to her site see other Remembrance Cakes.

This recipe is pretty popular and hardly a new one...it's usually made in a sheet pan and serves a gazillion people.  My aunt made it for a family reunion and it was so moist and phenomenal, that we made it a couple of more times during that short reunion time.  I opted for cupcakes above (it still makes 24 servings using a cookie scoop...3/4 filled) but the recipe below is for the traditional sheet cake method. If you do make the cupcakes though, be warned that frosting them like above will give you enough frosting for about 10 cupcakes.  I may have gotten carried away.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: 

Cake Ingredients:

1 can solid-pack pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups powdered confectioner's sugar
2-4 teaspoons milk
chopped nuts, for topping

Instructions: 

1. Beat pumpkin, sugar, and oil. Add eggs, mixing well.

2. In another bowl, combine dry cake ingredients and stir to mix. Add to pumpkin mixture and beat well.

3. Pour batter into greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool on a wire rack (in the pan); cover with a towel after about 15 minutes of cooling.

4. To make frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar, mixing well. Add milk until frosting reaches desired thickness. Frosten cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.

Barefoot Contessa Chinese Chicken Salad

Forgive this post with relatively few words....it's just one of those lazy Saturday mornings.  

I love this recipe from Barefoot Contessa Parties and not just because I love Barefoot Contessa so much.  Ok, maybe just a little because I love Barefoot Contessa so much.  But the recipe itself is easy,  refrigerates well, and is perfect for preparing ahead of time and for work lunches.  I usually add a full pound of asparagus since I love veggies, and I change the proportions in the dressing a bit--less sesame oil, less oil, more ginger and only natural PB  since the emulsifiers in regular PB makes dressings kind of  glumpy.  Yes glumpy.  The below proportions are what I use, but dressing is pretty flexible....change it up a bit to your preferences. 

Chinese Chicken Salad

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• Olive Oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. 
3. Roast for 20- to 30 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
4. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.
5. Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender. 
6. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. 
7. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces.
8. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.
9. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. 
10. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. 
11. Serve room temperature (or even cold).

Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon

With the seasons set to change soon, there is an hour or two, right around sunrise, when the air is deliciously cooler and there is no feeling like being outside.  The other day I went outside and actually thought it was chilly and it might be time to grab a jacket.  My phone then told me it was 72 degrees.  I fear that with that pivotal moment, I might not be allowed back into the state of Colorado.   I swore when I moved here I wouldn't be one of those people who can't handle a bit of snow and cold weather, and a mere 4 months later, I think 72 is jacket weather.  Shame on me. 

I love morning, I swear it has its own feel, sound and even smell.  In an effort to begin exploring my new home, I took Brooklyn for a nice little 6:00am trip up to Calico Basin.  I'd read reviews and seen pictures of Calico Basin on the web and was a bit surprised that somewhere can be both desert and green at the same time.  I had to check it out...and it was every bit as beautiful as people say.  It's also relatively empty at 6:00am so you are sharing the trail boardwalk with just a few others.

Okay, so yes, it's a full boardwalk in the middle of a nature area.  I think that's what I loved so much about it.  I mean it only makes sense to keep yourself at least 12 inches above the rattlesnakes and all the rattlesnake shaped holes in the ground. Everywhere. 

It's not a huge area and  tthe walk can't be longer than 1/2 a mile all the way around, but it is quite lovely, and I swear a few degrees cooler.  I think grass just makes it seem cooler if not feel cooler. 

Do you think landscapes are one of those things that often should be shot with a wide open aperture?  

The best part is that Calico Basin and the rest of Red Rock Canyon are just a quick 15 minute drive from central Las Vegas.  Once you enter the Red Rock Canyon area and about a mile before you get to the scenic loop entrance and fee station, there's a turnoff for Calico Basin.  It's definitely worth a trip if you want to see Las Vegas  outside of the stereotypical Vegas Strip scene.

Fiery Noodles

Cleaning out the fridge usually falls into one of two categories...soup or casserole.   Since it's too hot for soup (does soup really have a season?) and am not a huge casserole fan, there's a third option...stir fry. While a regular stir fry is always a great option to use up all the veggies in the crisper, mixing it up with some noodles or leftover cold rice, makes for a great meal as well.

I buy these big chinese noodles each time I'm at an asian grocer.  They are usually in the refrigerated section next to the rice noodles and wonton wrappers.  Since they are vacuum packed, you can keep for months (sometimes it's just better not to ask) and having them on hand means there's always a chinese noodle dish available with just a few minutes of chopping and stirring.  You can of course use pasta and have it turn out just as well, these noodles do have a that lo mein chewy noodle texture that's pretty fun.

For the spice in this dish, I opted for a few tbsp of Korean red pepper paste or gochujang.  I first tried Korean red pepper paste on a flight to Korea and I have been in love ever since. They served it with the bibimbap right on the flight and it was amazing....did you ever think to hear that airline food inspired anyone?  While I definitely feel more familiar in an asian market than I do in perhaps an Indian market, the Korean aisle of an Asian market stupefies me.  I once stood there staring at the wall of gochujang wondering how on earth I could ever decide.  A lady walked up, grabbed a box with a decidedness so I grabbed the same brand.  She seemed so sure of herself...that's the secret to shopping in asian stores btw. 

I do think it's a bit odd that they only opt for one word of english on the entire package.  And really, it's not a word that you just throw out there with an exclamation mark no less, without any further explanation.  But alas, I live life on the culinary edge.

Stir fry is not really a recipe so much as a technique.  I usually start with the protein, sometimes pull it out after it's done and before I start on the veggies, but usually not.  I throw the garlic and onions in after the meat is cooked mostly through and then start adding the chopped veggies.

Separate the noodles in warm water before tossing them in.  They are fully cooked so you are really just heating them through.  Add the sauce, stir to coat everything and voila...it's that easy and takes 15 mins max.

It's the same process for a fried rice, except that instead of noodles, you are using up your leftover cold rice.  It's great because fried rice actually requires cold rice--warm rice will mush and stick together with just a couple of stirs. 

Stir Fry Sauce

- 4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp water

- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced

- 2-3 tbsp Korean red pepper paste 

Combine all ingredients and add to the pan after all other ingredients are finished cooking.  Stir to coat and turn off heat. 

Many are a bit hesitant at  the very words "oyster sauce" but in reality, it's neither fishy nor oystery(it's a word) in flavor, but it does contribute a chinese noodle flavor.   The great thing about these noodles though is that you can practically omit or substitute any of the sauce ingredients.  Sriracha would be fabulous in place of the red pepper paste.