Cupcake Frosting Ideas

The frostings that I use (with the exception of fondant) can be piped or spread onto the tops of cupcakes. Listed below are basic icing recipes. You can vary the flavors and add colors to the recipes to match any cupcakes.

Almond paste can be used to coat cupcakes before frosting with royal icing. Also great for fillings in chocolates, cakes and pastries.

Brown sugar icing perfectly enhances a variety of cakes and cucpakes ranging from pumpkin, banana and carrot to chocolate, vanilla and caramel cakes.

Buttercream frosting is, as the name suggests, a very buttery cupcake frosting that tastes yummy and can be easily colored to suit the look you are after.

Chocolate fudge frosting, whether used as a filling or a topping, it makes a chocolate cake look stunning and irresistibly scrummy.

Chocolate ganache is another cupcake frosting alternative. A ganache has a beautiful rich, smooth texture that transforms a cupcake into a magnificent dessert.

Cooked chocolate icing adds a touch of luxury to any cake or cupcakes. The gooey chocolate with a hint of sweetness leaves you licking the fingers.

Cream cheese frosting is a perfect partner for just about any cupcake recipe. You can play around with the quantities of butter and cream cheese to achieve a unique flavor.

Cooking Tips : 

Tips On How To Cook Great Food

Cooking can take a tough trick to master. The tips in this article will help you are about to read has a wealth of information to improve your cooking skills.

This ensures your food maximum flavor is maximized when it is done cooking.

It is important to have sharp knives are always sharp. Dull knives can be dangerous to use and the certainly make cutting things hard.

Try adding cauliflower in with your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content.The taste of cauliflower helps it to blend nicely with your potatoes while picking up the other ingredients. Cauliflower has the same texture and color as potatoes, while lowering calories from classic mashed potatoes.

Look through your recipes and determine whether or not certain steps that can be completed beforehand. You can make a lot of your prep work well in advance. This makes preparing even the most complicated recipes and dishes.

They behave like a sponge and just soak up a lot of that water. Wipe off with a cloth to prepare them for cooking.

The smell of tasty ingredients like garlic can transfer to your hands. Try rubbing your hands on the inside of a steel when they smell from an odoriferous cooking ingredientThis will clean your hands thoroughly and prevent the odor from seeping into any other foods you are handling.

Always use an airtight container to store baking ingredients such as sugar or flour. Keeping your ingredients in airtight containers will stop them fresher longer as the air can't reach them. These containers can be bought at most grocery stores.

This will keep fruits fresh and delicious for long periods of time. This also gives you easy access to seasonal fruits during their off seasons.

Always make certain to measure cooking oil. This will help you lower the fat is present in your foods while cooking.This technique gives you to better monitor the amount of oil you are using.

Storing herbs and spices in a warm location will lead them to lose their flavor.

Always begin your cooking with utensils very well before you use them. Any leftover food matter missed during washing can spoil the dish you plan on cooking next. This could lead to problems due to the spread of bacteria.

You should clean your dishes as you use them.

Allow the food to sit for a bit before it is served. Many home cooks do not realize how important to let a meal rest. It can be tempting to serve meat as soon as you pull it off the grill. If you serve immediately off the grill, you'll miss out on the meat's full flavor. Always allow your meat sit for a little while.

Save around 1/4 cup of water after cooking your pasta. When your sauce is also ready, add the water as well. The pasta water's starch adds a "creaminess" to the starchy water will bulk up your sauce and make it creamier.

Learn about any vegetables or fruits you haven't worked with before. You might be surprised of the food.

Set a timer that you can easily carry with the oven timer.

Buy a cooling rack that you can stack. Stackable cooling racks help you use your space most efficiently. Stacking in vertical layers opens up instead of out makes sure you have plenty of room.

The concentrated heat in a microwave will force the oils to separate. Baking will keep all its parts cohesive.

Red potatoes contain skins that are too thin of a skin to hold the filling.

Add spices after they are cooked. Pepper, garlic powder, salt, and garlic are yummy additional seasonings you can add. Many people like different tastes when it comes to spice.This way people can have it their way.

Cooking oil helps you need to measure sticky foods. Before you even measure, add a little cooking oil to the spoon, like canola oil, then the sticky substance you are measuring will glide off much easier, so that way you won't have any waste and cleaning up is easier. This will work great for things like peanut butter and margarine.

When making mashed potatoes, mix the potatoes using hot, non-boiling water prior to mashing them. This will give your mashed potatoes much airier and airy texture that you desire. Nobody wants to eat mashed potatoes!

This will cause the fat to congeal on the top. You can then easily pluck the fat and discard it prior to eating. This can save you to remove hundreds of calories easily.

Winter greens make a delicious vegetable choice that is both hardy and tasty. Once the first frost passes, certain winter greens, including broccoli rabe, collards and kale, and collards. Wash them carefully as they tend to accumulate lots of dirt. Submerge your greens in a sink full of cold water, then rinse your greens until the water is clear, and then rinse until their water is clear.

Avoid adding salt or garlic to dried beans that have softened. Both garlic and salt will keep your beans from softening.

As evidenced here, you can greatly improve your cooking skills by applying the pertinent techniques. You have the knowledge, now its time for you to head for your kitchen and start cooking! People will enjoy what you cook much more if you put efforts into it.

Healthy Cooking For A Healthy You

While everybody needs to eat, not everyone know how to cook. The tips in this article will help you learn a thing or two about preparing your culinary skills. Do not be afraid to try cooking techniques overwhelm you. Cooking is a great skill to have.

Keep all dried spices in a dark space that is cool and dark.Exposure to excessive heat, light, and humidity can cause them to lose their flavor. Most spices will keep their flavor for about a year. Spices which are kept whole can keep their flavors for 3 to 5 years. Storing spices properly can help you achieve a

If you are just beginning to cook more of your meals, go straight to the nearest bookstore or library to find a cookbook that has simple, basic recipes that you will enjoy preparing. Try some recipes and be patient as you come up with something that works for you.

Being properly prepared is key step when planning to prepare a meal for family or friends. Make sure that you have all of the ingredients ready. This process will reduce your fears and anxiety when it is time to cook the meal.

Partially freezing meat makes it easier to cut into thin strips. This is an especially strong technique for the meats called for in many Asian meals. However, be sure to allow the meat strips to thaw before cooking them, so it cooks evenly.

It is extremely important that your knives when cooking. Dull knives can be dangerous and they are also make cutting things hard.

Try putting some cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content. The taste of cauliflower helps it to blend nicely with the other ingredients. Cauliflower has the same texture and color as potatoes, so the dish will be transformed into one that has more vegetables and fewer calories.

Quickly cooking vegetables makes them to retain much of their nutritional value. Vegetables which are cooked slowly lose a lot of their taste and valuable nutrients. These speed-cooking techniques tend to preserve the health benefits of vegetables that are more nutritious overall. Cooking better vegetables for the least amount of time possible.

Do you enjoy cooking with the flavor of fresh basil? Take a few twigs of it and place in a small container or glass. Fill the glass with enough water to cover the stems. Put it on your counter and it will be fresh for up to seven days! The basil can actually grow roots if you change out the water regularly. Trim or cut the basil once in a while so it grows even more and stays fresh.

Plan on preparing a big pot of stock in order to freeze it for storing. Good chicken stock that you make at home makes a great starter for soups, stews, casseroles and more.

This will safely preserve them for much longer. You also have the added benefit of having fruits even when they are not in season.

If the recipe calls for water, you could easily use chicken broth, beef broth, or juice when suitable. Instead of milk, you can substitute yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream. Using a variety of liquids can add nutritional content to certain dishes and improve their flavor.

Do not use any wine for cooking a recipe that you do not think normally tastes good. There are wines available that are used just for cooking.

You can make your own dried tomatoes yourself. Cut Romas tomatoes in lengthwise halves, depending on their size.Dried tomatoes may also be stored in a jar with fresh herbs and topped up with olive oil. The jar can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Never throw away your leftovers whenever you have cooked a turkey for Thanksgiving or another meal. Cut it up and put it away in an airtight containers. Turkey remains fresh for a couple weeks and you can use it in sandwiches or a salad.

Spices should be replaced every 6 months. The flavors of spices diminishes if they sit around for too long.If you buy a certain spice and you know that you are not going to use it all before it goes bad, give some of it to someone you know.

Make sure you thoroughly clean your utensils are cleaned prior to cooking.Any residual food matter missed during washing can spoil the dish you plan on cooking next. This could allow for bacteria to spread.

You should be as organized as possible when cooking to avoid burning food and other mistakes, so that you can be sure the food is as great as it can be and that nothing burns. Having an organized cooking area will help you turn out a good meal. 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.

There is a sulfurous gasses in onions. This unappetizing gas by-product can ruin the flavor of your fresh salsa. Rinsing and drying the raw onions takes most of the gas.

Tying a turkey with a string is called trussing. Trussing helps to keep the legs and wings to the bird closely. If you don't truss your bird, the tips of its legs and wings can burn while the remainder of the bird cooks.

There is not just one kind of potato, and they are not all the same.

Buy a cooling rack that you can stack. Stackable cooling racks help make the available space most of your cooking area. Stacking in vertical layers opens up the space you have plenty of room.

You do not have to feel intimidated when cooking. Making your own home-cooked meals can be healthier, more nutritious and cost-effective, as well. It is also lots of fun! Apply these tips to your food preparation today. Enjoy cooking a delicious meal that is sure to please any palate.

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Avocado Frosting

Cupcake recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 2 avocados, mashed
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup agave nectar (or honey)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together shredded zucchini, eggs, sugar, honey, yogurt and vanilla; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Spoon mixture into 24 prepared muffin cups, about 3/4ths full, and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside and allow to cook completely before adding the frosting.
5. To make the Avocado Frosting: In a blender or using a hand mixer, mix together the mashed avocados, cocoa powder, agave and vanilla until smooth. Let sit in the fridge until cupcakes are cool and frosting is stiff - enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 cupcake • Calories: 148 • Fat: 3.7 g • Carbs: 28.2 g • Fiber: 3.8 g • Protein: 4 g • WW Points+: 4 pts

Cooking Tips : 

Feed Them What They Want Using These Tips

Many people want to learn the culinary arts but find that they are intimidated by various aspects of great cooking success. 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 cooking with the best of them in no time.

If you would like to start cooking more food on your own, go to the bookstore or library and get a cookbook of simple and basic recipes that appeal to you. Try some recipes until you develop your skills.

Preparation is one of the most important things that you will have to do before you cook a meal for family or family. Gather all the ingredients well in advance.This process will allay some of your fears and help manifest a more positive outcome.

Do you often throw away moldy fruits and feel bad for disposing of fruit with a little mold on it? Is it safe to save a portion of fruit after removing the mold? There is no two ways about it; rotting fruit that has begun decomposing. Mold grows inward to places that you can't even see and it can make you sick so throw moldy fruit in the garbage.

Use fresh ingredients, as they make the food more flavorful, and they are also less expensive.

If the recipe has called for water, switch it up by using a broth, juice, or juice when suitable.Instead of milk, you can substitute yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream. Using different liquids can add a bit of zest to a favorite recipe and even make it more nutritious.

Measure cooking oil you are using! This will help you lower the fat in your cooking. Doing this will make you aware of exactly how much oil you're using.

Leave the bone in a roast if you are cooking and pressed for time.The bone helps distribute the heat directly to the inner portion of the joint.

Follow the recipe exactly when you prepare macaroni and cheese. The macaroni turns out perfect this way and delicious because the great looking cheese is melted on top of the noodles. Use a solid face spoon when you serve to make sure you get plenty of cheese scooped up the finished product. Spice it up the dish with some type of pepper!

You should clean your dishes as you use them.

Always drain and blot your ground meat before cooking to remove excess fat. It is always wise to blot any moisture from ground meat. Any moisture left on the meat will be released when the meat cooks. The moisture will then cook in the moisture. This can cause the meat from searing as you intended; it will steam instead.

Be creative with your cooking.You need not have to follow a recipe to the "T". That type of a true cook!

This will aid in avoiding cooking disasters that can arise from being unprepared, and will also give you an extra safety level if you are using oil on a hot pan or other dangerous cooking techniques.

If you plan on using your barbecue, the grill should be readied prior to the event so it is good to go when you are.The charcoal will need to burn about 30 minutes before it is used for cooking. The coals should be moderate and the charcoal should emit medium heat. This is the perfect temperature for grilling.

Tying a turkey is called trussing.Trussing helps to keep the legs and wings to the bird closely. If you don't tie down the limbs, they tend to easily burn while the body of the bird continues to cook.

Try to make sure you cook your cake to the proper temperature and do not to overcook or undercook a cake. The cooking times suggested in recipes are good guidelines for an inexperienced baker, because many factors, like elevation, can have an effect on the actual time needed. A better idea is to insert a toothpick in 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.

Fresh herbs and other kinds of natural seasonings can add a kick to the simplest dish. Dried herbs lose flavor as conspicuous in more complex or layered dishes. Fresh herbs produce a stronger flavor and can improve the taste of any dish.

Use a stackable cooling rack that is stackable. Stackable cooling racks help make the most of your space more efficiently. Stacking in vertical layers opens up instead of out makes sure you need to work in.

The concentrated heat in the microwave will cause the oil to leave the food. Baking slowly and consistently can reheat your whole dish and keep the ingredients more cohesive.

If you have odors from the food that you are cooking with, stuck on your hands, use stainless steal and rub them for about one minute, try rubbing your hands with stainless steel for about one minute before you wash them. You can do this on the side of a sink or use a stainless steel soap bar and it will lift the odors from your hands, or even a special steel "soap" in order to remove these smells.

Try ketchup as a batter ingredient for your fried foods. Ketchup is not only for dipping cooked foods into, try dipping them in ketchup before rolling them in flour or breadcrumbs.

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

Being able to cook tasty meals is always a plus, whether you want to cook for family members or you want to make a great impression on a date. All around the world, people sit down with family and friends to share a meal. The following article will demonstrate several easy ways you can begin to impress others with your culinary prowess.

Proven Methods For Becoming A Great Cook

Do you like a wide variety of food? Do you have an irrepressible sweet tooth? Do you love to eat foods from other countries? Do you long to create exotic foods in your house? It is time to find answers to your questions and improve your skills. The tips in this article can teach you how to produce mouth-watering meals for years to come.

Do not cook everything right after adding seasoning. Cook a small amount in the shape of a patty first.

Boiling your vegetables is a cooking process that decreases valuable nutrients in them. To get the greatest health benefit from vegetables, chose faster cooking methods like steaming or sauteing, sauteing or even just eating them raw.

Do you feel you throw away a piece of moldy fruit? Do you wonder if it would be better to just cut off the moldy parts and eat the rest. There are no two ways about it; rotting fruit that has begun decomposing.Mold goes a lot deeper than you see and it can make you sick so throw moldy fruit in the garbage.

To make your French fries crisper, let the raw potatoes soak for about half an hour in cold water prior to frying.

Always use an airtight container to store sugar or flour. Keeping your ingredients in sealed containers will stop them fresher longer as the air can't reach them. You can easily find affordable containers and are well worth the small amount of money.

Sauteing vegetables in a small amount of chicken broth is a healthy way to cook. This is a delicious and healthy way to prepare veggies.

This will help to keep your fruits to stay fresh throughout the year. You will also have the added benefit of having fruits out of season whenever you want them.

Always seek out garlic that calls for it. A rule of thumb is that fresh garlic will have a sweet taste to it. Fresh garlic will have firm skin and no bruises or soft spots.

You can make your own tomatoes. You can do this by cutting ripe tomatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices, or ripe tomatoes sliced about a half inch thick. You can also store them in a jar with herbs and olive oil. The jar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Storing herbs and spices in warm locations will lead them to lose their flavor quicker.

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

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, split it and give half away to a friend.

Place unripe fruits in a plastic bags you buy them. If you put them in the bag with holds the air will go through the bag, the air can circulate and assure that the gas is retained, keeping the fruit fresh and tasty.

If you are going to cook a complex meal, try doing prep work the night before so you are less stressed. Get everything together beforehand; ensure you have all the ingredients, measure and chop all spices or herbs and make sure that you have what the recipe requires.You will only have to get everything together when it's time for you to cook.

Set aside approximately one-fourth cup of the pasta water. When you are ready to mix your sauce and pasta together, add in the water before tossing or topping the pasta. The addition of the starchy water will bulk up your sauce via amalgamation.

Fresh onions emit sulfenic acid when cut and this turns into a sulfurous gas. Your salsa could be ruined by sulfurous gas. Rinsing and drying the onions in cold water will get rid of the sulfurous gas.

Trussing refers to the method of tying a turkey with string for baking. Trussing will cook your bird more evenly when you tie the legs and wings next to the bird closely. If it isn't trussed, the tips of them could easily burn while the remainder of the bird does not cook.

You could also add bouillon cubes to the suggested amount of water. This is a good way to moisten your food while adding another level to the taste profile.

Use soft butter not melted butter when you are creaming sugar and butter to make cookies. If you do melt the butter on accident, however, or put the prepared dough in the refrigerator. Your dough will spread if you use cool dough.

Dark, leafy greens have tons of healthy nutrients, but preparing them can be a pain. It can be very difficult to remove the tough stems of leafy greens. Make it easier by folding the leaf lengthwise in half and breaking the stem. You will otherwise need to cut the stems of the folded leaves with a knife.

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

Learn to use color as a guide to cooking.Colorful foods are normally more healthy and tend to be very healthy. Put some creativity into your color combinations, and watch how quickly those meals disappear.

Buy your fish and meat on the bone.

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

Using the tips you've read here will help you to make amazing meals that you and your family will adore! Be creative, add different sauces and spices to your favorite recipes. You may even discover you new favorite dish during your cooking! Follow the advice in this article, and let your taste buds provide you with the rest of the guidance needed to find the chef in yourself.