Cookin' 101

I have had so many mishaps in the kitchen since I started cooking more often that I decided to make a new posting label called Cookin' 101. This label is much different from my successful cooking experiences, labeled "Recipes". Cookin' 101 is for people who I like to call "beginner cooks", who like myself have been afraid to try the delicate art of cooking. Please have them read some of my stories and they will soon realize anyone can cook!
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The latest cooking drama occurred Tuesday night while I was attempting to cook shrimp for the first time. Sam and I had about 45 minutes to cook, eat, freshen up, and head downtown for our ballroom dance lessons. Speaking of dance lessons, I just realized that I haven't even blogged once about that. I promise to tell y'all all about it soon, but for now let's get back to Cookin' 101. The instructions on the peeled, deveined, frozen, raw shrimp said "Boil 3-4 minutes, then immediately place shrimp in cold water." Simple right? WRONG! I turned my back for maybe fifteen seconds to measure 1 cup of white rice, and then I heard the sound of water overflowing from my shrimp boiling pot. The water was all over the kitchen floor and you could already smell shrimp all throughout the house! Ugh, I can still remember the nauseating smell like it is still there!
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Sam came running into the kitchen when he heard all the commotion and asked how he could help. Ha ha, I was so overwhelmed with the whole deal so I just looked at him and remained silent. Me, silent?! Yep! I knew he was just trying to help, but I also knew that if I opened my mouth I would either start screaming or crying and I wasn't sure which one. Somehow I mustered out the words "NO! Dinner will be ready in 5 minutes." He took out a wine glass and poured me a very generous serving of Chardonnay. What can I say, the man knows me well! Wine is an instant relaxor for me!
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5-10 minutes later we sat down at the dinner table to eat overcooked honey-ginger shrimp, undercooked rice, green beans, and bread. THANK GOODNESS for the bread because it was the only edible thing I cooked that night! Sam is wonderfully appreciative and supportive of my cooking so he had seconds and kept telling me it was good. I knew it was awful, but he has a way of making me feel good about everything. I'm a lucky girl! We had to leave everything out...dishes, pots, pans, and the smell. After our dance lesson, we came home to Bubba Gump's Shrimpin' Boat (or atleast the smell of it). Now I am on wine glass #2. We change clothes and start scrubbing! 1 half gallon of Lysol, 2 yellow rubber gloves, 1 mop & bucket, 1 Swiffer Wet Jet, 1 peaches & cream scented candle, and an hour and a half later we finished. Kitchen's never looked so clean and fresh! Lesson #1: Don't try cooking a new dish if you are in a hurry. Lesson #2: Always have a bottle of wine at home.
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Sam stopped washing dishes to take a quick picture of me cleaning. Clearly, I have that "I am NOT amused" look and fake smile on my face.

Mini Chocolate-Mint Cupcakes

I love baking, but it requires a lot of time and patience so I don't do it very often. I have had the non-perishable ingredients to make these delicious cupcakes for about a month and I was excited to finally start baking! I got to use some of my new baking accessories and my favorite bake-from-scratch-recipe-book, Cupcakes, all of which I received as gifts at my bridal showers and let me tell ya, it was a blast! I also got to use the new Stamper I received as a gift at my last shower from the hostesses with the mostesses, Kendall, Jessica, Jan, & Sherry.
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Ingredients for Cupcakes
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
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Directions
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a 24-cup miniature muffin pan with miniature paper or foil liners. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan; stir frequently until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; let the mixture cool to room temperature.
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Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar into the melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, whisking until combined after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla and peppermint extracts and then the salt. Gently fold in the flour; do not overmix.
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Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Bake until the tops are crackly and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 18-20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 45 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan.
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Ingredients for Buttercream Frosting
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, at room temperature
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Ingredients for Chocolate-Mint Flavoring
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
4 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
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Directions for Buttercream Frosting
In a large, heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch (about 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), about 2 mintues. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg white mixture until it is fluffy, cooled to room temperature, and holds stiff peaks (the mixture should not look dry), about 6 minutes.
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With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the salt and butter, a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. If the frosting appears to separate or is very liquid after all the butter is added, continue to beat on high speed until it is smooth and creamy, 3-5 minutes more.
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Directions for Adding the Chocolate-Mint Flavoring to the Frosting
In a heatproof bowl, combine the butter and chocolate. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture; stir frequently until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; let the mixutre cool to room temperature. Add the chocolate mint flavoring to the buttercream frosting mixture and beat until combined.
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HAPPY FROSTING! The frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days; bring to room termperature before serving.
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Melting chocolate for cupcake batter & frosting

Voila! It melts before your very eyes so don't stop stirring!

Fresh right out of the oven!

My attempt to frost the cupcakes was ummm...err interesting. I broke...no, I exploded my pastry bag! Frosting went everywhere, and unfortunately I was so caught up in the mess I made that I forgot to take a picture. No worries, I did laugh pretty hard at myself, and Sam got a good laugh out of it too. *Not sure why the duct tape is on the counter, but I digress.
And here is my rectangular-baked-goods-carrier-thingamajig! This thing is awesome! It can carry mini cupcakes, big cupcakes, sheet cakes, etc, and your baked goods will arrive anywhere intact! I took some to my co-workers, some friends, my future in-law's, and of course saved plenty for Sam! On another very important note, I would also like to say Happy Birthday to Elizabeth Anne, my beautiful dear friend whom I've known since 7th grade, and Alexis, my beautiful 'Delta Mom'!