Coconut Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling

Spring is in the air.  Birds are chirping, tulips are blooming, and the spargle is being harvested.   Everything is so fresh and crisp it makes you want to rejoice in awe of Mother Nature.

Rejoicing can mean walks with the family around the plush green field, a stroll through the downtown Farmer's Market, or a simple BBQ with friends.  Invitations to cookouts with neighbors are starting to peak as we dust off our winter hibernation and come out to celebrate this beautiful time of year. 

Of course, Mother Nature has a way to be unpredictable.  Tornados, rain, and a drastic change in temperatures can  put a damper on weekend plans.  It's a time of year to celebrate and a time of year to be flexible.  

Yesterday was such an occasion when a backyard (or in our case, front yard) BBQ became a indoor engagement as the temperature slowly but consistently dropped down from the upper 50's to mid 40's.  It was still wonderful to get together with friends and take a much needed break from a monotonous weekend.  

To freshen up our spread with a taste of spring, I used a recipe I've been saving from William Sonoma;  Coconut Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling.  The subtle sweetness of coconut paired with a surprise lemon curd filling momentarily lets your mind escape to slightly warmer local.  Memories of my first Mother's Day Tea at The Westin Monoa Surfrider in Hawaii came to mind. The frosting was light and airy and had reminiscent taste of childhood days eating marshmallow fluff by the spoonful.  I may try my Marscapoon Cream Frosting the next time I make this treat as I think it would compliment the flavors fabulously.  

Overall, these cupcakes were, delicate, refreshing, and slightly exotic.  A perfect accompaniment to a spring time celebration; even an indoor one.  

Coconut Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling

adapted from William Sonoma

For the cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup sweetend shredded coconut (plus 1 cup slightly tosted for garnish)

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup lemon curd (I used a store bought one)

7minute frosting (see recipe below)

or Marscapone Cream Frosting (see recipe here)

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F

Line 12 - 16 standard muffin cups with paper liners.  In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl using a paddle attachment or an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light, 2-3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the vanilla and beat until well combined.  Fold in 1 cup coconut.  Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined.  Continuing to beat on low speed, add the buttermilk and then the remaning mixture.

Fill the muffin cups 1/2 way full.  Add about a tbsp of lemon curd in the center, on top of the batter, of each cup.  Divide the remaining batter into each cup until it is about 3/4 full.  

Bake for about 18-22 minutes until lightly golden brown.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then on a wire rack for about an hour.  

Frost cupcakes with desired frosting and sprinkle with toasted coconut.  Refridgerate for up to four days but serve at room temp

7 Minute Frosting

3 large egg whites at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

2 tbs light corn syrup

1/8 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar corn syrup, sal, and water.  Set the bowl of (but not touching) barely simmering water in a saucepan.  Using a hand mixer, beat on medium high speed to stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.  Remove the bowl from over the water and continue to beat until the mixture cools about 2 minutes.  Add the vanillla and beat until blended.  Frosting doesn't keep well so use right away.  Frosts about 12-18 cupcakes

House Update I: A Work in Progress

Its been a couple of weeks since I've last posted and even longer since I mentioned the status of our house.  Yesterday, which ironically was the day after the DFW tornados (thankfully family and friends in the area were not affected) we received a package from  my in-laws containing all sorts of goodies.  A DVD of Italy for our upcoming vacation, hats for Beau, Lightning McQueen slippers for Jude, and coupons for me (no, I didn't get the short end, they have been nice enough to set these aside for me per my request).  Tucked away among the usual stack of leftover magazines was what we were really hoping for, a CD filled with 160 images of multiple phases and angles of our house.

My in-laws have been kind enough to act as POA while we are in Germany.  They have been going to the property occasionally to check the status of the work and make sure the construction workers don't cut corners (I saw an email the builder received from my FIL; what can I say, he knows his stuff).  These trips have also been a way to document the progression of the house.  I was shocked at the transformation that has taken place in the last few months.  Here are a few highlights.

Framing!

Concrete Slab

The bones

Our lake view from the upstairs balcony overlooking the 2 story living room

We have a roof and some exterior walls!

Back view: Master on the left, 2 story living room in the middle, Kitchen on the right

View from the back half of the house looking towards the front.  Sitting room  by the front door, dining room closest to us.

Upstairs view of the kitchen and family room.  That long structure in the middle of the kitchen, our island (or as Beau said, a place to perform emergency surgery).

Starting to look like an actual house

So a BIG thank you to Randy and Debra for all of the goodies and for keeping us updated.  It definitely puts our mind at ease knowing our house is being carefully observed. We really appreciate it!

A Place for Everything: Kitchen Organization

Life in the military is a constant revolving door of people coming and going.  You meet people, make friends, say goodbye and the cycle starts over again.  In many ways, the friends you meet in the military are like the friends you had in high school.  You have your Upper and Lower classmates.  You have your Jocks, Thespians, Band Geeks, and Outcasts.  You have your cliques.  Sometimes you share classes with these individuals and sometimes you may see each other at the same party Saturday night or stop to have an actual conversation with them while studying at the local coffee shop Sunday afternoon.  Then one of you graduates, moves on, and the cycle continues

Thanks to the world of social media, you look back on these individuals from time to time and realize that you may have had more in common than you thought.  Introducing Jennifer.  Jennifer, who has an uncanny resembelence to Jennifer Garner, is former military now military spouse, SAHM of three beautiful girls, and married to a dashing young doctor who has flawless Ken Doll hair.  She and I met in 2008 while we were stationed in Hawaii.  She was a senior to my freshman status since her husband was one of my husband's bosses.  We met while she was pregnant with her third daughter and my husband and I were still enjoying life as DINKs (dual income no kids).  While we were tied to the same social circle, we never really ventured outside of that.

Of course, knowing what I do know, that's an absolute shame.

Jennifer started a blog, Organized Ohana which combines so many of my passions it's scary.  Organization, Interior Design, Cooking, Raising Kiddos, ect.  We also apparently have ESP because the other day while I was scheduling to write a post on Kitchen Organization, she actually did write a post on Kitchen Organization.  She even mentions a kids' drawer in a later post which I've been using for my son since he could crawl.  I promise, I'm not stealing her ideas or topics even if her ideas are certainly steal worthy.  She presents some great tips so while I will dabble in some organization techniques from time to time, be sure to bookmark her blog because she has some really awesome ideas that will make your home function much more smoothly.

E3's Kitchen Organization

Everyone dreams of having a kitchen that well  stocked, functional, and perfectly organized. Challenges come into play when you have little or no pantry, odd size packaging, and an explosion of condiments and spices that overwhelm your fridge.  Here are three areas that were taking over my kitchen and my sanity.  

Pantry

Problem: Narrow but deep pantry, odd packaging sizes, random pre-packaged snacks, and inability to determine when you are almost out of rice.

Solution:  A designated area for similar goods, Clear, Stackable Air Tight Containers and a small plastic bin.

Top to Bottom 1st Shelf Breakfast, 2nd Grains and Random Snacks, 3rd Canned Goods, Pasta Sauce, and Extra Stock.
Drawer full of Baking Supplies, Basket holds freezer, sandwich, and trash bags, Bottom Shelf extra dog food and treats

To counter the deep and unused space on the top shelf, I pulled our every day breakfast items up front, and placed minimally used, extra stock, and large items in the back.  Since most of the packaging is clear, I can easily see what's behind.

The 2nd shelf contains 2 sizes of clear air tight containers that I purchased at IKEA for around 2euro each.  Things like pasta and grains are taken out of their store bought package (and then recycled) and placed in the appropriate size.  I cut the instructions off the package and tape it to the outside of the container with thick packaging tape.  This saves a step for when I need to just replenish items.  

For dried beans and lentils that I don't use often enough for their own container, I simply place multiple bags in one container.  I can still see what's inside, and since the containers stack easily, I don't sacrifice space due to odd shaped, semi empty bags and they stay fresher longer.  

For those random pre packaged snack foods that are a necessity in every child's life, I immediately remove them from the larger packaging (and then recycle) and put them in a small Rubbermaid bin.  I can still easily tell what's in there and I don't find random fruit snacks or peanut butter cracker packages mixed up with the canned goods.  I also place minimally purchased items like Ramen noodles, Taco Shells, and boxed mac and cheese stacked nicely behind the bin.

While my flour, sugar, and brown sugar are stored in nice airtight containers on the counter, when I feel like baking cupcakes, I can easily find my extra ingredients such as baking soda, shortening, canola oil, and sprinkles in one nice tidy location (fyi, drawers are an awesome organization technique).

Refrigerator

Problem: An explosion of condiments, odd sized packaging, and leftovers that have been left over for too long.

Solution: White plastic bins of different sizes, a place for everything, and clear containers.

      

 

Since my husband and I love to cook we have a massive amount of condiments, sauces, and spices.  We tried to stuff as much as we can in the door which resulted in our flimsy door shelfs breaking and condiments crashing to the ground.  After seeing this post, I went to IKEA purchased 5 white plastic bins found in the kitchen section and divided it into the following categories:

Condiments (and another for Salad Dressing)

Small random spices

Pickles and Olives

Yogurt and/or Apple Sauce Cups

Leftovers go into clear containers so that they are visible.  Cheese and lunch meat go into the small drawer below the milk and produce goes into the produce drawers. 

 Produce that does not need to be refrigerated however is nicely displayed on this Pampered Chef 3 Tiered Tower (or into a bowl if I need to use said tower).  

Kids' Bowls and Plates

Problem:  Random assortment of character induced, uneven, unsightly children's dishes over crowding your nice stack-able wedding registry dishes.

Solution: Kid's Drawer at reachable level.

Since my son is 2, I keep his cups in a separate cabinet with our to-go mugs and his cutlery in our cutlery drawer (the latter not because of accidental self inflicting wounds but because apparently it is a lot of fun to scatter them all over the kitchen floor).  Keeping his plates in reach allows him to be a big helper at meal time and when unloading the dishwasher but also teaches him colors, shapes, and sizes.  Another bonus, I'm instilling at a very young age, a place for everything and everything in it's place.

Slow Cooked Chicken Tikka Masala

I FINALLY found it!  After receiving requests for Chicken Tikka Masala after my Weeknight Indian Post, I have been searching and experimenting with a multitude of recipes found in Internet land.  I can now share with you this fabulous creation for Chicken Tikka Masala made in the crock pot and as delicious as you would find in any British pub.

Wait...what?  Yes, turns out that I have fallen into the trap of stereotyping ethnic cuisine.  Chicken Tikka Masala which I admittedly think of when I'm craving Indian, is not exactly a local Indian dish but more of a British spin on an Indian dish.  The origins are sketchy with belief that a cream sauce was thrown into a Chicken Tikka dish to tone down the spice in to cater towards the British pallet..  Some fun reading (and references) for those that are interested can be found here, here, and here.

Enough history, back to the food.  I was ecstatic to find a recipe in January's issue of Real Simple Magazine for their version of Slow Cooked Chicken Tikka Masala.  I was all set to make this fab looking dish when I realized the recipe looked like it was lacking quite a few ingredients.  There are cases where less is more but honestly, I was tired of having sub par or not just right Indianish leftovers. So, I did a google search and the first two links I clicked on were  1. Tasty Kitchen's recipe and 2. a link to Tasty Kitchen's recipe.  Decided to use my "gut" instinct.  Results, just like the pictures themselves, this dish was AMAZING!

It takes a little more prep than some of your standard slow cooked recipes but the results are worth the extra time.  I prepped it during my son's nap, cooked on low for 3 hours and on high for 1 instead of the recommended low on 5.  I served it with the cucumber relish in Real Simple's recipe which was a perfect companion to this rich and creamy dish.

So whether it's British fare or Indian cuisine, this meal will certainly satisfy your craving.

Tasty Kitchen's Slow Cooked Chicken Tikka Masala

For the Chicken

9 whole, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

1 TBSP Ground Coriander

1 TBSP Ground Cumin

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 cup Yogurt

4 TBSP Butter

1 whole Jalapeno Pepper, Stem Removed, Pepper Pierced Several Times with a Sharp Knife

For the Sauce

4 TBSP Butter

1 Whole Large Onion, Peeled and Diced

6 Cloves Garlic

1 TBSP Kosher Salt

3 TBSP Garam Masala

1 piece Fresh Ginger, 2-3 inches, Peeled and Grated

4 Cups Crushed Tomatoes

1 TBSP Raw Sugar

2 TSP Cornstarch

1 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1- 1 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle the coriander, cumin and salt over the chicken, then stir in the yogurt until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover lightly and let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Melt 1 tablespoon the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Raise the heat to medium high and quickly brown about 1/4 of the chicken. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker as it is finished, using 1 tablespoon of butter per batch, and repeat until the chicken is all in the slow-cooker. Throw the pierced jalapeno in on top of the chicken.

Prepare the sauce. Return the pan to the heat and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and kosher salt, then stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to lightly brown around the edges.

Stir in the garam masala and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before raising the heat to high and adding the crushed tomatoes and raw sugar. Stir well, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow-cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, or until the chicken is very tender.

Use a fork or whisk to stir the cornstarch or cleargel into the heavy cream until smooth. Pour into the slow-cooker and stir gently until the colour is even. Replace the lid and let cook for 10 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.

• 
  

Real Simple's Cucumber Relish

• 1/2 English Cucumber halved and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
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In a small bowl, toss the cucumber and cilantro with the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Slow Cooked Shiner Bock Brisket Tacos and Avocado Salad

Our new town Roanoke adopted the slogan, "The Unique Dining Capital of Texas".   With over 40 restaurants, mostly local or at least established in Texas, there is no shortage of supply to satisfy almost any craving.  Every time we're in town we always head over to the old fashion quaint downtown area to one of the local Mexican restaurants (yes, I'm moving from a place that only has about 3 so called "Mexican" resturants in a 25mi radius to one that has two 25 yards apart) Anyway,  Mi Familia provides a fun family friendly atmosphere with festive Mexican dishes and thirst quenching Margaritas. As a creature of habit when it comes to my fav resturants, I am always choosing between the Grilled Fajita Salad with a cilantro lime dressing or the Shiner Bock Brisket Tacos.

In celebration of our move to Texas I wanted to recreate Mi Famila's Shiner Bock Bristet because it combined two of Texas' quintessential culinary fares, Mexican and BBQ.  In addition to Shiner Bock Beer which is made in Shiner, Texas,  I wanted to add another Texas made product and accent the finished dish with Fuzzy's Butt Burning Hot Sauce.

I was introduced to both Shiner Bock Beer and Fuzzy's Taco from my "I'm not from Texas but I got there as quick as I could" husband.  Beau is a beer connoisseur of sorts but when asked what comes to mind when he thinks of beer, a good ol' chilled Shiner Bock is the front runner.  You used to only be able to get Shiner Bock from a few locations which were listed on it's website.  I felt like the prize girlfriend when I went out of my way after a family trip to pick up a case for this taste of home beer deprived med student back in Iowa.  Of course I had to have my daddy buy it because I was underage but that's a different story...Fast forward almost a decade and now, even our little shoppette here in Germany carries this from time to time.

Fuzzy's Taco Shop is located across from Beau's amla mater, TCU.  This local establishment was on the verge of closing it's doors after only two years when regular (and business savvy) customers saw a hidden gem.  There are now over 42 stores in 7 states including good ol' Roanoke.  Their popular Baja Fish Taco is a delicacy in itself but top it with their infamous Butt Burning Hot Sauce and you really are in for a tasty treat.  While it will be a few months before we can indulge in Fuzzy's when a craving hits, for now our pantry is not complete without a bottle or two of this goodness.

It took some research to figure out how to go about with this recipe as there was no particular recipe that had exactly what I wanted.  I really wanted to capture the subtle sweetness of the beer and to not overwhelm the natural flavors with unnecessary spices as the hot sauce in itself compliments the simplicity of the dish .  On the side I include a fresh Avacado Salad that added almost a lightness to a usually heavy dish.  My husband was supportive but skeptical of my process.  The results of my first true attempt at Tex Mex, fabulous.    Maybe Texas will be a good fit with me after all.

Slow Cooked Shiner Bock Beef Brisket Tacos
3lb trimmed Beef Brisket
Shiner Bock BBQ Sauce* (or favorite sweet BBQ sauce we like Stubs Honey Pecan)
12oz Shiner Bock Beer
Salt and Pepper (Cayenne for an extra spice)
4 cloves Garlic smashed
2 whole Jalapenos pierced
Corn Tortillas
Lettuce
Cheese
Fuzzy Butt Burning Hot Sauce (or other hot sauce if desired)


Salt and pepper brisket and place in bottom of stoneware.  Add 1/2 of the BBQ sauce (reserve the rest) combined with Shiner Bock beer.  Marinate over night.

Pour out the 3/4 of the liquid.  Add reserved BBQ sauce, garlic and jalapenos and turn on low for 6-8 hours until brisket shreds apart easily.

Make tacos with your favorite ingredients. I used lettuce, feta, and Fuzzy's Butt Burning Sauce on corn tortillas and it was delish!


Shiner Bock BBQ Marinade
Olive Oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 Jalapeno de-seeded and sliced
1 cup room temp Shiner Bock Beer
1 cup Tomato Sauce (or Ketchup for a thicker sauce)
1/4 cup White Vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Dry Mustard

Saute Onion and Garlic and Jalapeno in olive oil in a medium size sauce pan until slightly browned.  Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to blend.

Avocado Salad
Combine 1 Avocado Peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes, a variety of heirloom tomatoes, corn, black beans, and red onion.  Drizzle juice of one lime, salt and pepper, and fresh cilantro.  Toss to combine.

Clean Slate

At the site of our future home!

After almost a year of planning and dreaming, our house if officially under construction.  It was a hectic few weeks in the States and now that the jet lag has ceased, I can breath a sigh of relief knowing our part of the job is done...for now.

We knew going into the design center that our style would be too modern for Drees' typical home.  We had a priority list of what we just had to have and what could be completed at a later date.  When we were negotiating the price for our home, we included a design center budget that we were adamant that we were not going to go over.   We had to remind ourselves that a fallacy of building a home (at least through a corporate builder) is that the design is done as soon as you are handed the keys.  There will be a lot of interior design work as well as possible upgrades down the road to make our house a home that reflects our personal style.

I knew it would be a stretch to even ask, but we couldn't do the cable rod staircase that I showed in Pinspiration.  We instead chose a simple square antiqued bronze vertical balister with an Arts and Crafts style newel post.  The shaker style cabinets were a huge upgrade expense since they switch out the entire cabinet and not just the cabinet front. We stuck with their standard one and will invest in some modern hardware to accent it.

Since we were planning on upgrading those two items originally, we had some money left over that we were able to add to the actual construction of the home.  We squared off the end of island in the kitchen to make room for a built in wine fridge.  Where I was planning on doing a micro/oven combo, we turned that into a micro/DOUBLE oven combo (perfect for hosting parties).  Another fun surprise was that when the builder was looking at our blueprints he noticed behind the shower in the master bath, was dead space.  A couple of walls will be expanded into an ultra huge shower with a double shower head. Completely unnecessary but why the heck not.

Our awesome Design Consultant took some pictures of our selections.  Oh, and just in case you are keeping tabs, we went with the Modern Nature inspiration for our exterior (note to self, look into xeriscaping).  Missing is the accent tile in the kitchen which we chose after discussing our selections at our celebratory dinner at Bob's Steak and Chop House (which by the way, if you are in the DFW area...a must).  We also changed the carpet (upstairs and in master) to slightly darker.  A home has to be livable after all despite how perfect I want it to look 100% of the time.  Working on that whole realistic expectations thing.

During the next 6 months we'll get updates from our market manager and my father-in-law of the entire process including photos.  We're trying to decide if we'll actually look at the photos or just wait until closing for the big reveal (can you tell we watched a ton of HGTV while we were stateside?).  In the meantime, on to the next project...decorating ideas!

Pinspiration: Home Basics

I have found a site that replaces Facebook in useless creative time consumption.

I've mentioned Pintrest before and my home design posts would be a loss without this fabulous discovery.  For those of you that have not joined the Pintrest craze, Pintrest is a virtual pin board that lets you save ideas in one easy to navigate location.  It's the clean, clutter free, organized, categorized rendition of cutting pictures from magazines and pinning them to a cork board.  Awesome for Type A personalities like myself.  See a living room you love on HGTV.com, Pin it.  See a cake recipe that would be perfect for your son'a birthday party in a few months, Pin it.  See a way to make a DIY version of the wreath you saw at Pottery Barn,  Pin it.  It saves a picture from the site and links you directly to the page where you found the amazing idea.  You can even follow friends ideas to enhance your creativity.  Pin it and refer back to it.

I have boards from Living Room to Bathrooms, Recipes to Kiddo.  I even got my husband on the bandwagon as he frequently finds items to Pin to my account.  It has made our anal-retentive power point presentation a cinch to organize and a way to share and criticize discuss ideas with one another.

Our trip to the design center in just over a week will consist of picking out the flooring, tiles, cabinetry, ect. Here are some examples we're using to show so that we can help narrow down our ideas and decide what we can do with what they have to offer.  Makes an otherwise overwhelming situation so simple!

Floors and Paint:

Still deciding on carpet for master and upstairs as well as tile for entry, kitchen, bathrooms, and utility

Floors from Lyptus.com, Color Pallet from Sherwin Williams, Bathroom with color example from HGTV.com

Kitchen

Clockswise from Upper Left: Kitchen with Vent Hood from HGTV.com, Kichen Layout by Beau Ellenbecker, Tile Selction from HGTV Green Home, Granite color idea from Google Images

Fun Accents

Stairwell concept from, you guessed it, HGTV Green Home.  Rock Wall Fireplace with Floating Mantel, houzz.com

Master Bath

Clockwise from Upper Left: HGTV Green Home Bathroom, Plush Hemisphere, HGTV Contemporary Bath, HGTV Remodels

Additional Bathrooms

Bathrooms Houzz.com