TWD: Corniest Corn Muffins

I'll keep things short and simple. I love this week's selection. This is the first corn muffin I've made from scratch that I actually plan on making again. It was delicious and perfectly corny. Because I like my corn muffins sweet, I added creamed corn instead of the kernels since I find creamed corn to be sweeter in taste.

Thanks to Jill of My Next Life for making this week's selection. Make sure to go to her blog for the recipe and to head over to the TWD site so you can read up on everyone else's reactions to these muffins.

Giveaway Winners!

I'm barely getting through today. I won't even go into the day I've had because it's not worth it. Instead, we'll focus on the positive and the lucky winners behind my 1000th Post Giveaway. The winners were selected using Random.org. Congrats!

 Please make sure to email me your addresses so I can get the books out to you as soon as possible! Email is confessionsofacityeater@gmail.com.

Styling C: 03.03.11 to 03.06.11

Thursday, 03.03.11

The Look: Casual Baby
The Outfit: Gap pink "peanut" onesie and skinny jeans, 
silver ribbon "belt", Me Too silver shoes

Friday, 03.04.11

The Look: Casual Baby

The Outfit: Gymboree pink "lulu fifi coco" dog shirt, Old Navy light blue jeans


Saturday, 03.05.11

The Look: Preppy Chic

The Outfit: Target pink bow, Janie and Jack purple, green, 
pink plaid dress, Me Too silver shoes

Sunday, 03.06.11

The Look: Ready for Summer

The Outfit: Carter yellow floral romper

 

This Week in Mommyhood

Another week of impressive accomplishments. One day I was playing with Cati by tickling her belly and saying "belly!" Now she knows what belly is and every time I say belly, she lifts her shirt and starts grabbing her belly. Cati is also grasping clothing better and understands where things go. For example, Cati will grab her socks and try to put them on her feet.

I have been bad about updating you on foods but Cati is doing great with food. She had a bit of my Jamba Juice Peanut Butter Moo'd smoothie this week and had no reaction to the chocolate and peanut butter in the smoothie. She had french fries cooked in peanut oil and no reaction. The coolest thing, though, was her eating a bit of pulled pork with us. I love this aspect of Cati getting older. I still puree her vegetables but everything else is solid.

Despite us not wanting this, Cati has learned how to go down the stairs. At some point she made the mental leap from trying to crawl down the stairs head first to climbing down the stairs feet first. I still don't trust her going down the stairs because it's a series of cornered, tiled, stairs but it's awesome to see that she learned how to do this despite us discouraging her along the way. An accompanying development is Cati climbing and sitting on everything. She especially loves to climb on me whenever I'm laying down.

Cati is starting to sleep like a big person! She used to sleep all curled up into herself and still does occasionally but, more and more, she's sleeping all sprawled out. It's the cutest thing ever. She looks like such a big person!

Cati is officially obsessed with bubbles. I blame it on being the newest developmental thing so she's fixated on it, but when she asks for bubbles as soon as she wakes up it's a little much. We can't help but laugh at this, especially at those times when she sounds like a broken record.

Cati will be 13 months soon and the biggest question I have is "where are those teeth?" She still has two teeth and those teeth we all thought (doctor included) were days away from breaking through seem to have retreated. This is motherhood for you: waiting and anticipating.

Slow Cooker Shepherd's Pie

I am always looking for a reason to use my slow cooker. I love the idea of throwing things into the pot and letting it cook, slowly, for an entire day. I can across this recipe for Shepherd's Pie and jumped at the chance to make it. It came out delicious but was different from other Shepherd's Pies I've had in the past. Everything kind of melted together and the corn gave the dish a sweet taste. The meat actually burned a bit because it cooked longer than it should have; I think three hours on low would have been more than enough time.

Shepherd's Pie with Creamy Corn Filling
Source: The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson
Serves 4-6

1 lb lean ground beef
2 onions finely chopped (I omitted)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp paprilka
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup condensed beef broth
2 Tbsp tomato paste (I used puree)
1-8.5 oz can cream-style corn
4 cups mashed potatoes, seasoned with 1 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet over high heat, cook beef until meat is no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Drain off liquid.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for one minute. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stir and cook for one minute. Add beef broth and tomato paste, stir  to combine and cook, until thickened.

Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Spread corn evenly over mixture and top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top, cover and cook on Low for 4-6 hours or on High for 3-4 hours, until hot and bubbly.

Margarita Cupcakes

 

I made these cupcakes last week for National Margarita Day. I was really intrigued by the recipe and wondered how the margarita flavor would come through in the cupcakes. While the cupcakes were good, they needed a shot of tequila because the flavor was very limey. I also had a hard time with the swiss buttercream and it didn't firm up on me. I'm sure it would have if I kept beating, but baby girl's needs came before my wants for the perfect buttercream. Alex said the cupcakes tasted more like key lime pie so if key lime pie is something you love, then you will like this recipe. 

 

PS don't you hate when pictures look great on your camera but not on your computer? These pictures did not look as dark on my camera.

Margarita Cupcakes
Source: Annie's Eats
Yield: about 24 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3 limes, zested and juiced
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:
2 cups sugar
8 large egg whites
Pinch fleur de sel (coarse salt)
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2-4 tbsp. tequila


To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a fork to blend. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full. Bake 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don’t worry, it will come together, though it may take a long time!) Stir in the lime juice and tequila and mix until fully incorporated and smooth.

Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream. Garnish with lime zest and lime slices as desired.

Holding On & Letting Go

There are points in my motherhood journey where I stop and ask myself "Why are you holding on? Why aren't you letting go?" These moments come and go and come up in so many different situations. The most recent one was the last time I packed clothes away. The memory of when Cati wore certain items still fresh and the desire to squeeze her into them one more time make me hold on to them and prevent me from packing them away. I tell myself over and over again that she can wear it one more time. That it's ok if the dress now fits her as a shirt. I can make it work. But why? Why do I hold on if it's just clothes? Why do I hold on if there are plenty of other clothes for her to wear? Because the clothes are more than just fabrics sewn together; they are the physical representation of what was. Cati will never be that small again. She is growing and I can't stop her. The only control I have in this is holding on to her clothes and pretending they will fit her one more time.

Motherhood is a series of holding on and letting go moments. We hold on for as long as we can until we have no choice but to let go. Sometimes, we let go willingly but most of the time we let go with sadness in our hearts. Yes, it's true that we let go and open our arms to embrace something better, but even then, we are stuck in the cycle of holding on and letting go. Just as we are truly enjoying and relishing a particular stage, it's time for that stage to end. Simply put, motherhood is a bittersweet experience.

1000th Post Giveaway!

When I started this blog three years ago I didn't think I'd (a) make it this far and (b) post this much. I think this happens to all bloggers; you start a blog without any real direction, you just go with the flow and then, all of sudden, the blog has taken a life of its own. So here we are three years later celebrating the 1000th post. I have blogged about so many different things but everything has, in one way or another, been related to food. Here's your chance to get your hands on one of the following:

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Treats for Kids by Jill O'Connor

The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals by Missy Chase Lapine

Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for More Than 40 Irresistible Mini Treats by Bakerella

Booze Cakes: Confections Spiked With Spirits, Wine, and Beer by Krystina Castella & Terry Lee Stone

Here are the rules:
*To enter answer the following question: Which book would you want and why?
*One entry per person with an extra entry if you're a fan on Facebook. 
*US entrants only.
*Ends 5pm on Monday, March 7, 2011. Winners announced by Tuesday, March 8, 2011.

Even Cati is excited about this giveaway!

Styling C: 02.28.11 to 03.02.11

Monday, 02.28.11

The Look: Springtime Baby

The Outfit: Greendog white top, Gymboree plaid pink and yellow pants

Tuesday, 03.01.11

The Look: Springtime Baby
The Outfit: First Impressions pink and white polka dot dress

Wednesday, 03.02.11

The Look: Love Bug

The Outfit: Okie Dokie white "love bug" onesie and red shorts
 

TWD: Chocolate Pots de Crème

I couldn't resist the prospect of making an orange whipped cream to go with these Chocolate Pots de Crème. Something about the orange flavor really seemed to offer the luxurious taste I wanted for these already luxurious sounding and tasting chocolate sweets. A little bit of Cointreau (or Triple Sec) added to the heavy cream before beating did the trick and the desserts had a wonderful taste dynamic between the freshness of the citrus and the richness of the chocolate. Dorie describes the Chocolate Pots de Crème as a cousin to pudding and I agree in terms of technique, but when it comes to taste Alex and I both thought this dessert was closer to a mousse. However, that could be because I think I overcooked mine a bit. Oops, as usual.

Thanks to Christine of BlackCatCooking for making such a great selection this week. Make sure to go to her blog for the recipe and to go to the TWD site to see what everyone else did this week.