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 :

Helpful Cooking Tips For Real Life Situations

There are things you need to know. This article will teach you information about how to cook like a pro. Read them in their entirety to ensure you can cultivate your cooking prowess.

You should do the prep work done ahead of time. It is essential that the prep work finished before cooking commences. You can help lessen the potential stress by doing prep work done early.

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.

It will be very helpful to have their supplies nicely organized. If you do not organize them, you will waste time running around trying to find everything. Try to keep things with similar things in proximity to one area. For example, put all your spices in one cabinet.

To avoid mistakes like burning your food while you are cooking, stay organized. Having all your kitchen tools handy and organized will ensure that you are productive when cooking. Being disorganized means having difficulty finding things and quite possibly ruining an entire dish, which makes you miss out on the goodies that you could be indulging in.

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

One of the best cooking tip is just be flexible and creative; do your own thing. You need not have to follow a recipe to the "T". That is the definition of a sign of a true cook!

This adds some extra flavor to the herbs and helps to keep them on the board. Do not add more salt to the dish you are making to prevent over-salting. The salt that is used on the board will stick to the herbs some extra flavor because it sticks to them.

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.

One of the best cooking tip is just be flexible and creative; do your imagination. You need not have to follow a recipe word for word. That is a sign of cooking finesse make a true cook!

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.

Try not to overcook or over cook your cake. The times on the recipe are great as a guide for cooking, but these guidelines can be inaccurate because elevation and other factors have to be taken into account when determining how long to leave the cake in the oven. A better way is to test the cake by inserting a cake is finished is by sticking a toothpick into the center of the cake.If it comes out clean, more baking is needed; when the toothpick stays clean after insertion, the cake needs to be baked longer.

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.

You could also add bouillon cubes to the water that you are using. This keeps your food while adding more flavorful.

Always take your butter is soft and not melted when you are making cookies. If the butter is melted, stick it in the freezer for several minutes, or you can place the dough in a refrigerator after the ingredients are mixed. Your cookies will be less likely to spread if you make sure your dough has been allowed to cool.

Use cooking oil for measuring sticky foods easily. Before you even measure, add a little cooking oil to the spoon, such as canola, and the thing being measured will fall off the spoon easier, which will reduce the waste and will make clean up easier. This works well for peanut butter too.

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.

Snickers Cupcakes

Snickers Cupcakes

Yield: 20 cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ cup hot water
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. coarse salt
16 tbsp. unsalted butter
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1¾ tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the caramel sauce:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For the filling:
24 fun-size Snickers bars, chopped

For the frosting:
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup caramel sauce
Pinch of coarse salt
2 tbsp. heavy cream

For garnish:
8 fun-size Snickers bars, chopped

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line standard cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and the sugar over medium heat.  Heat, stirring occasionally to combine, until the butter is melted.  Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Beat on medium-low speed, 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is cooled.  Mix in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and beating well after each addition.  Mix in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture and beat until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, beating just until combined.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ of the way full.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the caramel sauce, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.  Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar begins to foam a bit.  It will look and smell like it’s on the verge of burning.  Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream.  Stir until the sauce is smooth (you may need to return it to the heat to smooth it out), then mix in the vanilla and salt.  Let cool.  (This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake with a paring knife.

To make the filling, combine the chopped Snickers bars in a bowl with 1/3-½ cup of the caramel sauce, and mix to coat.

Drop a spoonful of the filling mixture into each cupcake.

To make the frosting, add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed 1 minute until smooth.  Blend in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla, caramel sauce and salt until incorporated.  (Note: the caramel sauce should be just warm enough that it is workable, but not warm enough to melt the butter in the frosting.)  Add the heavy cream and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip.  Drizzle the frosted cupcakes with additional caramel sauce and garnish with chopped Snickers bars.

Cooking Tips :

Have Fun In The Kitchen With These Simple Tips

Many people have a natural inclination to be a cooking pro but are intimidated by the skill set required. The great thing about cooking is that you can take it one step at a time, and if you follow the advice below, you will be convinced that you have what it takes to be the next top chef.

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

Bake pie crusts a little longer time than you think is really necessary. They should be a light golden caramel color rather than pale in color. The darker color results when the sugar from the pie crust has started to caramelize and will give a much sweeter and crisper flavor.

Preparation is key when cooking a meal for loved ones. Make sure you have all of the ingredients available. This can seriously reduce stress and help manifest a more positive outcome.

Cooking processes like boiling tend to destroy a lot of the nutrients that are in vegetables. To preserve their nutrition, consider steaming or sauteing your food, or enjoy them raw.

Always use airtight container to store baking ingredients such as sugar or flour. Keeping your food in airtight containers will keep them fresher longer as the air can't reach them. You can easily find affordable containers and the investment is worth every penny.

This will help ensure that they do not burn during the cooking process. Use two parallel skewers instead of one skewer to avoid food intact.

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

If you are serving a salad with a meal where you have guests, keep the dressing on the side, allow your guests to put the dressing on themselves. Some people enjoy lots of dressing than others; let guests pour their own dressing. Offer several different types of salad dressing as well.

Try making your own fresh tomatoes. You can do this by slicing your tomatoes about a half an inch thick, or ripe tomatoes sliced about a half inch thick. You can also store them in a jar with fresh herbs and olive oil. Place in the refrigerator and be sure to use it within two weeks.

It is vital for cooks to have their supplies organized. If your supplies aren't organized, you won't know where to find the cheese grater or the spatula when you need them. Try keeping similar items in one another. For instance, since basil and parsley are both spices, put them in the same cabinet.

You should consider replacing your spices biannually and buy new ones.The flavor of spices fade just a few months after opening the container. If you purchase a new spice but doubt you can use it before the flavor dries up, give it as a gift to someone who will use it.

Follow the instructions on the packaging to the letter anytime you are making macaroni and cheese. The macaroni turns out perfect once the cheese melts over the noodles. A solid spoon should be used when serving the macaroni and cheese. Use pepper to spice on your mac and cheese.

You can make remarkably flavorful dishes by making your stock ahead of time to add to other dishes.You should always have access to stock on hand for soup and other things. Creating your own stock can reduce preservatives in the concoction that you to avoid preservatives.

One great cooking tips you can find is to use your imagination. You do not follow a recipe exactly. That is how a real chef!

Set aside about one-fourth cup. When you are going to mix your pasta and sauce together, also add the water you reserved. The pasta water's starch adds a "creaminess" to the starchy water will bulk up your sauce and make it creamier.

Impress family and friends when you make a great sandwich just by spreading the mayonnaise evenly spread from corner to corner on the entire slice of bread. An even spread helps keep the taste consistent from bite tastes as it should.

It is important to properly 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, instead, soapy water. You can find oil designed for this purpose. Make sure that the cutting board dry before using.

Using brine is a culinary secret that can make your dishes go from bland to bursting with flavor. Soak your poultry in the brine mixture for at least an hour before cooking to enhance the flavor.

Fruit works extremely well on the grill. You can fill a skewer with peach or nectarine slices, melon and bananas. Place them on a grill and allow it to cook until you see grill marks. Serve the grilled fruit with pound cake or ice cream for instance.

Dark, leafy greens tend to be healthy, but it can be time-consuming to prepare them. Removing the tough stems can be difficult and tiresome. Make it easier by folding the leaf and then break out the stem. You could also cut the stems of the folded leaves with a knife.

Make some flavored butter to add a new twist to staples like dinner rolls or ears of corn. Next, mix in spices, fresh herbs or sauces.Some great things to try are honey, honey, lemon juice or BBQ sauce.

Put heavier, then put the lettuce and other ingredients that wilt easily on top.

Warm the oven to 300 degrees.

Avoid adding salt and garlic to dried beans until they have not yet softened.Both garlic and salt can prevent the beans from getting softer while they cook.

Whether you just want to learn to cook to save money on food or you want to treat a significant other, knowing how to cook well is always useful. Sharing meals with friends and family is a worldwide practice. These tips can help you on your journey to becoming a better cook!



Learn The Tips You Need To Take Your Cooking To The Next Level!

All people eat; however, but not all people can make one. The tips in this article will teach you learn a thing or two about preparing your culinary skills. Do not think cooking is too complicated or new ingredients. Cooking can be a source of great joy.

Prepare as much as possible. It is essential to have all prep work finished before cooking commences. You can spare yourself a great deal of hassle by getting all your prep work in advance.

This will make your food the flavor you crave.

It is extremely important that your knives when cooking. Dull knives make it very difficult to cut and also extremely dangerous to use.

Boiling your vegetables may cause you to miss out on many of the benefits and other long preparation methods tend to eliminate key nutrients to be found in vegetables. To preserve their healthy reputation, quickly steam or sauté your vegetables, enjoy them in their natural, raw state.

You should never attempt to cook new or extravagant recipes that you don't have experience with. You will feel less stressed while cooking if you have greater peace of mind.

To make your French fries crispier, try leaving the raw potatoes in some cold water for half an hour before you fry them.

Try adding cauliflower in with your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content. The taste of cauliflower will blend seamlessly with the potatoes. Cauliflower is also the same texture and color of potatoes when mashed so it's a great way to add more veggies, offering you a perfect way to add another vegetable to your dish while cutting calories.

It can be used on other foods besides meats. Try using it to season roasted pumpkin seeds sprinkled with the seasoning for a tasty snack or mix it in your scrambled eggs.People will be asking you to tell them your secret ingredient!

Plan on preparing a big pot of stock so that the excess can freeze and store it. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, stews, stews and other dishes.

This step will help to prevent burning while it is being used. Use two parallel skewers instead of one skewer to keep food falling off.

You must read the product labels before purchasing ingredients for a meal. A lot of ingredients that could be unhealthy. You want to produce a product that is not high in sugar or salt because both can cause major health problems if eaten too much.

Leave the bone in your roast if you are cooking and pressed for time.The bone helps distribute the cooking process by distributing the heat throughout the inner portion of the joint.

Don't use any wine in your meal that you wouldn't drink regularly. There is wine available that are used just for cooking purposes.

You can make your own tomatoes. You can use Roma tomatoes cut lengthwise, or by cutting Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. You can also store them in a jar with some fresh herbs and olive oil. The jars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Never throw away your leftovers after cooking a turkey. Cut the leftover meat and freeze it in an airtight container. The turkey meat will keep its freshness and can stay fresh for making sandwiches or as a salad ingredient.

The salt will keep the herbs on the cutting board during chopping and add extra flavor. Do not add any extra salt to the foods you're preparing. The salt that is added to your dish with the herbs some extra flavor because it sticks to them.

Impress family and friends when you make a sandwich by spreading the mayonnaise evenly across the bread. An even spread helps keep the taste consistent from bite tastes as it should.

Fresh herbs and different types of natural seasonings can help spice up even the simplest dish. Dried herbs like oregano are okay to use in dishes that are complex. Fresh herbs produce a stronger flavor and can improve the taste of any dish.

Learn about any new foods that you haven't cooked with before. You might be surprised how much you can do with that your research leads to many great new food.

The high heats in a microwave causes oil to separate from other food ingredients. Baking slowly and consistently can reheat your whole dish and keep the ingredients more cohesive.

Use spices after you cook. Pepper, cayenne, cayenne seasoning, and salt are excellent spices. Many people have different things in terms of spices. Each person will have their own dish.

Those who like making fish should try taking DIY to the next level and do some fishing to get their raw ingredients.

Make some flavored butter to add a new twist to staples like dinner rolls or ears of corn. Next, blend your butter with garlic, sauces or herbs to create a burst of new flavors. Some good things to add in are lemon juice, chipotles, barbecue sauce and chipotles.

Buy your fish and meat on the bone.

Avoid adding salt or garlic to dried beans that have not yet softened. Both garlic and salt will keep your beans from softening.


Don't be afraid to try your hand at cooking. You can save some money by making your food, and improve your nutrition and health all while having fun. Take what you have learned from the tips in this article to the grocery store, your kitchen, and finally to your plate. Enjoy cooking a delicious meal that is sure to please any palate.