Meal-a-long #2 2/25-3/4

[mala]

For our second meal-a-long we are going to do....






wait for it





Tacos!
Let's end the great soft/hard taco debate. I noticed several people in the Meal Planing Monday thread are doing taco's this week, and since orris was the only one who PMd me a suggestion, and she wanted to do Tacos, so Tacos it is!

I don't have an appetizer or side, so if someone wants to suggest something that would be great.

For dessert: Chocolate cupcakes with cookie dough buttercream. I'm going to use the chocolate butter cake from smitten kitchen, but feel free to use your own favorite chocolate cake recipe. As for the frosting, I'm totally making up the recipe. I was looking online but all the recipes I saw for CCCD frosting were American buttercreams, which I hate. I wanted to do an Italian meringue based recipe, because I have all these egg whites left over from making ice cream. And I know quite a few of you were interested in making Italian meringue frosting too.

My totally made up on the spot, untested, CCCD Italian Meringue Buttercream:

2oz granulated sugar
6oz brown sugar (light or dark)
2oz water

4oz egg whites (aprox 4 large egg whites)

14oz butter, soft
1tsp vanilla
1C flour
1/2 tsp salt

chocolate chips/mini chocolate chips

Put sugars and water in a small saucepan on the stove on medium. Stir,gently, until the sugar has dissolved then put in a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks from.
When your sugar hits 240*F, pour very slowly into the egg whites while the mixer runs.
Beat at med-high speed until the meringue is room temperature (could be as long as 10min).
Add butter a tablespoon at a time.
Add vanilla, flour and salt.
Mix in chocolate chips now (just be mindful that you don't want to use a fancy decorating tip to frost the cupcakes if you mix the chips in now) or top the cupcakes with the chips after they're frosted.

I have not tested this recipe so I may have to change it a bit after I actually make it and see if it turns out all right.

[joyhart02]

I am going to be making a sour cream chocolate cake with sour cream chocolate frosting for my husband's birthday this weekend, I can post that if anyone wants it.

[cat19]

I never saw a thread for pics of the first meal a long... Did I mess up?

[orriskitten]

Feb 26, 2013 9:02:23 GMT -5 cat19 said:

I never saw a thread for pics of the first meal a long... Did I mess up?

There was a thread but not a ton of pics.

[rileym2010]

How about salsa for an appetizer? I can add links to recipes when I get on my laptop.

[rileym2010]

Feb 26, 2013 9:02:23 GMT -5 cat19 said:

I never saw a thread for pics of the first meal a long... Did I mess up?

pandce.proboards.com/thread/142560/meal-long

[raynes]

cat19, I'm using #aprilmealalong on Instagram to keep track! Except it keeps crashing when I try to put up the finished ice cream picture.

[mala]

Omg you guys! I made the cupcakes with my frosting and they are amazing! The frosting is so light and fluffy but tastes like cookie dough!

[mala]

Feb 26, 2013 12:31:11 GMT -5 raynes said:

cat19, I'm using #aprilmealalong on Instagram to keep track! Except it keeps crashing when I try to put up the finished ice cream picture.

This is an awesome idea, but I don't have an instagram account

[rileym2010]

Here are a couple salsa recipes I have pinned: www.skinnytaste.com/2011/04/salsa-picante-roja.html#more
www.closetcooking.com/2011/01/roasted-tomato-salsa.html

Queso Fundido: www.annies-eats.com/2012/01/25/queso-fundido/

[raynes]

Feb 26, 2013 14:08:23 GMT -5 mala said:

Feb 26, 2013 12:31:11 GMT -5 raynes said:

cat19, I'm using #aprilmealalong on Instagram to keep track! Except it keeps crashing when I try to put up the finished ice cream picture.

This is an awesome idea, but I don't have an instagram account

Then you need to get one!!

I shall have to use your icing recipe. Super excited about cupcakes. Though I'm going to have to bring them somewhere. Or I'll eat them all.

[laurack]

mala I can't believe you can just MAKE UP frosting recipes that turn out yummy! I'm totally going to make this frosting saturday as I've said I'll bring cupcakes to a pot luck. I think I'll use the Cooks illustrated recipe for chocolate cupcakes with ganache filling, and your frosting.
YUM!

i'm delighted because I am not a huge fan of regular buttercream frosting.

[mala]

laurack you totally just validated my existence



I made one third the recipe from smitten kitchen and it made 14 cupcakes. I made half the frosting recipe and it made just enough for all 14 cupcakes (though I don't pile the frosting really high).

I would probably use all brown sugar or dark brown sugar in the frosting next time. As the recipe is, the cookie dough flavor is there, but rather subtle.  If you want a stronger flavor to stand up to a stronger cake flavor, use dark brown sugar and increase the flour by 1/2 cup. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of milk to keep the frosting from becoming too thick though.

My totally made up on the spot, untested, CCCD Italian Meringue Buttercream (updated):

8oz brown sugar (light or dark)
2oz water

4oz egg whites (aprox 4 large egg whites)

14oz butter, soft
1tsp vanilla
1C-1 1/2C flour
2tbls milk (optional)
1/2 tsp salt

chocolate chips/mini chocolate chips

Put
sugar and water in a small saucepan on the stove on medium.
Stir,gently, until the sugar has dissolved then put in a candy
thermometer.
Meanwhile, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks from.
When your sugar hits 240*F, pour very slowly into the egg whites while the mixer runs.
Beat at med-high speed until the meringue is room temperature (could be as long as 10min).
Add butter a tablespoon at a time.
Add vanilla, flour (slowly) and salt.
Taste. Add up to half a cup of flour if you want a stronger flavor. Thin frosting with milk as necessary to keep it soft.
Mix
in chocolate chips now (just be mindful that you don't want to use a
fancy decorating tip to frost the cupcakes if you mix the chips in now)
or top the cupcakes with the chips after they're frosted.

[laurack]

mala what would you think of mixing in crushed up oreos to the frosting?

or bits of actual cookie dough (that doesn't have raw egg in it)? Am I being crazy

[mala]

Feb 27, 2013 9:30:43 GMT -5 laurack said:

mala what would you think of mixing in crushed up oreos to the frosting?

or bits of actual cookie dough (that doesn't have raw egg in it)? Am I being crazy

om nom nom nom

You can make some egg-less cookie dough by taking your favorite cookie dough recipe, replacing the egg with milk, and leaving out the leavening. Roll it into half inch balls and freeze them. Then make your cupcake batter, fill your liners just a little less full than you normally would, then push a frozen ball of cookie dough under the batter & bake. Cookie dough filled cupcakes! Or you can bake the cupcakes normally and cut a cone out of the top to fill them with cookie dough. Or before you frost them, top them with a ball of cookie dough and then frost around the dough ball to hold it in place.

[mala]

Feb 26, 2013 16:00:30 GMT -5 raynes said:

Feb 26, 2013 14:08:23 GMT -5 mala said:

This is an awesome idea, but I don't have an instagram account

Then you need to get one!!

I shall have to use your icing recipe. Super excited about cupcakes. Though I'm going to have to bring them somewhere. Or I'll eat them all.

ok. I made an instagram account. Now what?

[raynes]

Feb 27, 2013 9:49:21 GMT -5 mala said:

Feb 26, 2013 16:00:30 GMT -5 raynes said:

Then you need to get one!!

I shall have to use your icing recipe. Super excited about cupcakes. Though I'm going to have to bring them somewhere. Or I'll eat them all.

ok. I made an instagram account. Now what?

Take pictures and post them!  Add hashtags as you feel like it.  And follow people.  Like your FB friends, are we FB friends?  Cause if not we need to be!