Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

For the chocolate cupcakes: Recipe adapted from Hello, Cupcake!

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 cup buttermilk (instead of water indicated on box)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a regular muffin tin with 24 paper liners

- Beat together all of the ingredients for the cupcakes with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes

- Divide batter evenly among cups and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean

- Allow cupcakes to cool in the tin for at least 5 minutes after they are done, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely

For the strawberry buttercream: Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

3 tbsp strawberry puree (from about 1/2 cup fresh strawberries)

1 cup unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold

3-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- Puree strawberries with a food processor and strain out the seeds by forcing the puree through a fine-mesh sieve

- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter on medium speed until light and fluffy

- Reduce speed of mixer and slowly add confectioners’ sugar, and beat until well combined

- Add vanilla and strawberry puree, and mix until just blended (If frosting is too thick, add more puree, if it’s too fluid, add more sugar)

- Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes using a large star tip and top with half a chocolate covered strawberry (see below)

For chocolate covered strawberries:

12 medium-sized strawberries

Chocolate melts

- Cut strawberries in half, keeping the leaves and stems on as much as possible

- Using a double boiler, melt chocolate melts until smooth

- Dip each strawberry half in the chocolate and place on a tinfoil-lined baking sheet to dry

- Once chocolate is set, place one strawberry half on each cupcake

Recipe makes 24 cupcakes

Cooking Tips :

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Being organized is a key step when planning to prepare a meal for family and friends.Make sure you have all of the ingredients ready. This can seriously reduce stress level and help manifest a more positive outcome.

Look at your recipes and decide which steps you can be completed beforehand. You can simplify the cooking process by doing your preparations a day or more in advance.This makes preparing even the most complicated recipes fun and fast.

Garlic is a popular ingredient that has one notable downside; its trademark scent transfers easily stay on your hands. Try rubbing your hands on the inside of a steel when they smell from an odoriferous cooking ingredientThis will cleanse your hands of the smells from transferring to the food that you have to handle next.

Add some chicken broth to your pan when you cook them. Chicken broth adds flavor to your vegetables and prevents them from sticking to your pan.

Beans and tofu are great sources of protein that you need to add some to your diet. Both are readily available at most grocery stores. Try frying tofu and you will have a tasty alternative to meat. Beans boiled with some spices and herbs is a meal full of flavor and protein.

Leave the bone in a roast if you are pressed for time. The reason this cooks your roast faster is because the heat throughout the center of the roast.

Try making your own fresh tomatoes. Cut tomatoes in thick slices or in half, or slice ripe regular tomatoes into half inch slices for drying.You can also store them in a jar with some fresh herbs and olive oil. Place this in the refrigerator and be sure to use it within two weeks.

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You should clean your dishes as you use them to cook.

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It is important to maintain a wooden cutting boards. A wood cutting board can warp or split by too much exposure to moisture, heat and dryness.Do not immerse the cutting board in water, but instead, clean it using a sponge and warm water. You can do some restoration to a damaged board by regularly oiling it with a product specifically for cutting boards to maintain yours.Make sure that your board has completely dry before using.

Tying a turkey is called trussing the turkey. Trussing helps to keep the legs and wings to the body so that cooking is done evenly. If left untied, then the extremities are more likely to burn.

Try to make sure you cook your cake to the proper temperature and do not to overcook or under cook it. The time recommended on the box or in a recipe is a guide to be used with caution, because many factors, like elevation, can have an effect on the actual time needed. A tried and true method is to insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it removes cleanly, more baking is needed; when the toothpick stays clean after insertion, it needs longer to bake.

Fresh herbs and different types of natural seasonings can help spice up even the traditional dish. Dried herbs aren't quite as conspicuous in complex dishes. Fresh herbs produce a stronger flavor and can improve the taste of any dish.

Set a timer in parallel with you as well.

Bouillon cubes dissolved in the appropriate amount of water will also add flavor to those meals that call for water. This is a good way to moisten your food you are cooking the necessary amount of moisture while also adding another level to the taste profile.

Microwave citrus fruit before juicing it to get every last drop of juice.Heat your citrus fruits for just ten seconds or so. After you remove it from the microwave, roll it on the counter before you cut it.

Try cooking with saffron if you want to try new spices. Saffron can impart a bright flavor that cannot be replicated with any other spices. Saffron is a great ancient spice that you should explore.

Fresh fruits like avocados, bananas, pears, bananas, peaches and pears are likely to turn brown when sliced and exposed to air. Lemon and salt water will stop the process, but it's better to use is pineapple juice.A small dip works well, so soaking the food is not needed.

The advice that was presented in this article can help even the most inexperienced cooks become cooking geniuses. Some people have a knack for cooking, while others have to learn the hard way. Think of this article as a starting point in your education.

Great Cooking Tips Everyone Needs To Know

It is a fact that humans need to eat. But there's more than just the need to survive. Cooking great food can be even more rewarding than just eating one. Here are some great tips that will kick your cooking to a new level.

If you are using metal skewers, avoid ones with rounded surfaces and try ones with square or beveled designs.

Prepare in advance as much as you can ahead of time. It is essential that the prep work done before you start cooking. You can help lessen the potential stress by doing as much preparation ahead of time as you can.

This will optimize the flavors in your food more flavorful when it is ready to serve.

There is something you can do to rescue your sauce and use it instantly. Mix one tablespoon of starch and two tablespoons of water together in a bowl. Stir the mixture into a warm thin sauce to thicken it up. The mixture needs to be added slowly and constantly stirred so that it doesn't get too thick.

Try putting some cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to cut some calories and fat. The taste of cauliflower will blend nicely with the other ingredients. Cauliflower has the same texture and color as potatoes, while lowering calories from classic mashed potatoes.

You can use this seasoning on other than meat. Try using it to season roasted pumpkin seeds sprinkled with the seasoning for a tasty snack or chickpeas. Everyone will be wondering what your secret ingredient.

Have you ever had a hard time figuring out the time your meat should be grilled? Use a meat thermometer (a digital one is more accurate) so that you can ensure the inside is cooked correctly.

If burgers get stuck to the grill, it may be hard to take them off without breaking them. Try brushing vegetable oil on the cooking surface prior to cooking so that food from sticking.

Oils and butters often contain needless fats. Try using nonstick cooking sprays that will help your food not contain anything unhealthy and keep it free from fats that contribute little to a healthy lifestyle.

This will keep fruits fresh for much longer. You will also be able to enjoy certain fruits that are not in season.

This will help to give your dish to become more flavorful.

Place unripe fruits in a plastic bag that is perforated right after you have poked small holes into. If you put them in the bag with holds the air will go through the bag, and the gas will stay in, keeping the fruit fresh and tasty.

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Save approximately 1/4 cup of this water. When your sauce is also ready, add this water as well. The addition of the sauce and make it creamier.

When you are sauteing a food, try to avoid filling the pan with oil. Make sure you do this at a low temperature.

It is important to take proper care for your wood cutting boards. A cutting board made from wood can crack and warp if it is exposed to excessive moisture, heat or dryness. Do not submerge the board to clean it, just sponge it off using warm, clean it using a sponge and warm water. You can do some restoration to a damaged board by regularly oiling it with a product specifically for cutting boards to maintain yours.Allow your board to dry completely before using.

Spices rapidly lose their flavor and aroma if they are kept in areas that are bright, humidity, or heat. This exposure will keep them exposed to heat and other unfavorable conditions that zap all of their flavor.

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There are many varieties of potatoes, and they cannot be equally substituted for each other.

Set a watch timer that you can easily carry with you as well.

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Those of you who enjoy cooking fish dishes should consider trying to catch your own.

This will cause the remaining fat to congeal on the top. The fat can then be removed and discarded.This can save you about 100 calories easily.

Learn to have fun when you cook; you may find that you enjoy it even more than eating. Use these tips in your day to day life and improvise on them for added benefits. By doing this, your cooking skills will greatly improve and you will be the one people ask to bring food to different events.