Milkshake, Popcorn, Burger Cupcakes

Popcorn Cupcakes
makes 12

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup popcorn kernels, popped and unsalted (you’ll use 3 cups of popped popcorn for the cupcakes and reserve the rest for the top of the frosting)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with baking cups.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla extract.

3. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until just combined. Add milk and stir until it’s completely incorporated. Gently fold in 3 cups of popcorn (it’s okay if the popcorn breaks up into smaller pieces).

4. Fill baking cups 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Caramel Frosting
from Freutcake

for the caramel
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine light brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, continue to boil for three minutes.

2. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla extract and salt. Allow to cool to room temperature. Beat with a whisk until smooth before adding to buttercream.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla and salt.

2. Slowly add the cooled caramel, stirring until completely incorporated.

Cooking Tips : 

Try These Tips To Learn How To Be A Good Cook

Do you ever wonder how they are able to create such masterpieces? The following article can turn anyone a better cook.

Your spices and herbs should always be stored in a cool and dark area. If they get exposed to any light, humidity or heat, or light they may lose their flavor. Most ground spices will retain their flavor for about a year. Spices that are not been ground may still be worth using for 3 to 5 years. Storing your spices in glass containers with a

Apples are very popular in cooking in fall and winter, but they will spoil fast if incorrectly stored. Apples will be ruined if they are stored in a warm place, warm air. One rotten apple can actually spoil the bunch so make sure you keep a close eye your apples.

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

Always use an airtight containers to store baking ingredients such as sugar or flour. Keeping your ingredients in airtight containers will keep them from spoiling or being infected with bugs. These containers can be purchased at almost any store and are definitely make for a good investment.

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

Beans and tofu are excellent sources of protein if you need to add some to your diet. Both are available in grocery stores. Try frying tofu with some interesting seasonings and you will have a tasty alternative to meat. Beans can always be cooked with herbs is a flavorful source of flavor and protein.

Always properly measure your cooking oils!This will help you lower the fat is present in your foods while cooking. This will enable you to carefully watch how much oil you are cooking with.

Always select fresh garlic for it. A rule of thumb is that fresh garlic will have a sweet taste to it. Fresh garlic will have firm skin and lacks bruises.

If you are about to serve salad to multiple guests, be sure to serve the salad dry and serve the dressing on the side. Let people add what they want to their own dressing. Make sure you have a selection to choose from as well.

It is important to buy new spices around every six months. The flavors of spices diminishes if they sit around for too long.If you know you will not use the whole spice bottle, give it as a gift to someone who will use it.

Follow the recipe exactly when you cook macaroni and cheese. The macaroni will be perfect and is to die for once the nice velvety cheese is melted over the noodles. Use a solid spoon to serve macaroni and cheese. Spice up with a bit of salt and black pepper.

This allows you to economize on the amount of gas or electricity used when cooking, including flare-ups from overheated oil or choosing the wrong temperatures for your needs.

If you're going to be barbecuing, make sure you prep the grill beforehand so it's ready for use when you need it. The charcoal will need to burn about 30 minutes before it is used for cooking. The coals need to be around medium heat and they should be ash covered. This is the optimal temperature to grill.

It is important to properly care of wood cutting boards. A wood cutting board can warp or split by too much exposure to moisture, heat and dryness.You should never put the board fully underwater, rather apply a wet sponge to clean it.You can find oil designed for this purpose.Make sure it is completely dried before using.

Spices rapidly lose their flavor and aroma if they are kept in areas that are bright, humidity, or heat. This only exposes the spices to the elements which make them lose their flavor.

Try not over 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 better idea is to insert a toothpick in the center of the cake.If it removes cleanly, more baking is needed; when the toothpick stays clean after insertion, the cake needs to be baked longer.

Learn about any vegetables or fruits you haven't cooked with before. You may find that your research leads to many great new ways to use the possibilities you will learn about for food.

Cooling racks that stack can be a handy thing to have in your kitchen. Stackable cooling racks help you use the available space more efficiently. Stacking cooling goodies up instead of out makes sure you need to work in.

You can also use bouillon cubes if you do not have any stock handy as a substitute. Your food will get the moisture and have a good flavor.

Red potatoes don't have the skin is too thin.

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

Cut the cinnamon rolls easily. Cinnamon rolls can be difficult to slice before they have been baked. You can make this simpler by using a piece of thread or clean fishing line to slice wherever you wish to cut the roll. Doing so will make sure that you have the perfect cut!

Fresh fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, peaches and pears are likely to turn brown when sliced and exposed to air. Lemon or salt water can do an adequate job of staving off the browning process, but the best flavor to use to stop the browning is by dipping the fruit in pineapple juice. A brief submersion will be effective, so there is no need to soak the fruit.

Make sure to use of the tips in this article. Your loved ones will be asking to know some of your cooking secrets in no time.


How To Make The Kind Of Food That Gets Talked About

Most people see view cooking as a menial chore. It can also help to contribute towards a means to a healthier life. A good chef constantly learns new things; hopefully, and the following information will help you learn more about cooking as well.

Keep herbs and spices in a dark space that stays room temperature. If they get exposed to any light, heat, their flavor will begin to weaken. Ground herbs and spices can retain full flavor for around a year. Whole spices might retain their robust flavors for around 3 to 5 years. Storing spices in glass containers with a longer shelf-life for your spices.

Bake pie crusts a little longer than you would think is really necessary. They should be golden caramel color instead of pale blonde. The golden color indicates that the sugar from the crust has caramelized and this will have a sweet and crisp flavor.

Cut meat thinly across the bias when you are stirfrying. This can sometimes be a tricky undertaking and be tricky.

Oil and butter add more fat that is often unnecessary. You can use a low-fat non-stick cooking spray as an alternative to get the same results without the extra fats.

If the recipe has called for water, switch it up by using a broth, beef broth, or juice when suitable. You can substitute buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream instead of milk.Using different liquids can increase nutrition and give a standby dish a new flavor.

Don't mix unfamiliar wine in your food. There are cooking-specific wines available.

Make sure that you do not dispose of your Thanksgiving dinner. Cut the leftover meat and freeze it in an airtight container. Turkey will stay fresh for a couple weeks after being frozen.

Many veggies and herbs have a scent that can remain on cutting boards even after use. Use indelible ink to mark one end of the cutting board to identify which side to use for each purpose.

Always follow instructions to the directions for cooking mac and cheese. The macaroni turns out perfect and delicious because the great looking cheese is melted on top of the noodles. Use a solid spoon to serve up the finished product. Use a dash of pepper as the dish!

Allow the food to sit for a moment before serving it. Many home cooks do not realize the importance of letting their cooked food rest. It can be tempting to serve up a meal as it comes right off the grill. If you serve immediately off the grill, you will really be missing out.Always allow your meat sit for a little while.

This will prevent you from wasting resources or overcooking your food, 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, make sure the grill itself is prepped beforehand. The charcoal will need to burn about 30 minutes before it is used for cooking. The heat and covered in ash.This is the optimal temperature to grill.

Exposure to humidity, heat and humidity can cause them to lose a lot of their flavor very fast.This will keep them to the elements and other unfavorable conditions that zap all of their flavors.

Do your prep work to save time when cooking.You can get many of the ingredients for upcoming meals a day or two in advance. There are many occasions where longer prep times actually lend a wonderful meal.

Don't try out a new recipes when you are cooking for someone you want to impress. Whether it is for friend, in-laws or a boss, it is not the time to be daring. Impress them by cooking a meal that you already know you are good at making.

There are a variety of great ways to cook oysters. You can prepare oysters in other ways rather than just raw with lemon juice. Sprinkle Parmesan and pepper over the top and broil until oysters bubble. You can also choose to saute oysters for a different technique. You can bake your oysters right in their shells. Put them in a deep baking dish, add a bit of butter and freshly-made breadcrumbs to every oyster, and bake for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve hot on toast points or a baguette when your oysters once the butter is bubbling.

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

While dark, dark greens are quite nutritious, it can be inconvenient to prepare them. The most difficult to deal with. Make it easier by folding the leaf lengthwise in half and breaking the stem. You can also cut the stems of the folded leaves with a knife.

Cooking oil helps you measure out a product that is sticky. Before you measure, lightly coat the spoon with a cooking oil which has little flavor, such as canola, 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 works well for things like peanut butter and honey also.

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

Make a flavored butter to add to your dinner rolls or corn for an exciting experience. Then mix in some herbs, herbs or spices to give the butter that extra kick. Some great things to try are honey, lemon juice, chipotles or BBQ sauce.

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

Learn how to use color in your cooking.Colorful additions to your meals will add both nutrition and tend to be very healthy. Put some creativity into your color combinations, and watch how quickly those meals disappear.

As this article stated, a great cook is constantly looking for new ways to improve their culinary skills. The best part about cooking is not simply meal preparation, but learning about all the kinds of foods, ingredients and techniques. It's also about sharing what you know with others. Cooking tips should be shared, not only learned.


Cooking Tips, Hints, And Tricks For Chefs Of All Skill Levels

Learning the basics of cooking can make it a drag into an enjoyable activity. This article will allow you more confidence in the kitchen.

Bake pie and tart crusts a longer than you would think they should be baked. They should be golden caramel color instead of pale blonde. The golden color indicates that the sugar in the pie crust has caramelized and will have a much sweeter and crisp flavor.

Cut meat thinly across the grain when you are stirfrying. This can be a very time consuming and be hard to do.

Partially frozen meat so it becomes easier to cut into thin strips. This is ideal for meals like Chinese or Thai dishes. However, so they are evenly cooked, so it cooks evenly.

Avoid cooking all of it after seasoning the meat.Cook a small amount in the shape of a patty first.

It is important to have sharp knives whenever you cook. Dull knives can be dangerous to use and they also make cutting things hard.

Quickly cooking vegetables makes them to retain much of their nutritional value. Vegetables that are cooked slowly lose a lot of their taste and valuable nutrients. These speed-cooking techniques usually produce vegetables that are more healthy overall. Cooking vegetables for the least amount of time is essential.

Are you cooking using basil? Place a few fresh sprouts in a jar or glass. Add some water until the stems are covered. You could let it sit on the kitchen counter and it will stay fresh for weeks. The basil can actually grow roots if you keep the water regularly.Trim or cut the basil once in a while so it grows even more and stays fresh.

They behave like sponges and just soak up a lot of that water. Wipe them off with a damp cloth that is damp.

Always use an airtight container to store sugar or flour in the kitchen. Keeping your ingredients in sealed containers will stop them from spoiling or being infected with bugs. These containers are carried in many stores and will be worth the money invested.

Add chicken broth to your pan when cooking vegetables. Chicken broth is a great way to add flavor to your vegetables and prevents them from getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.

You should always look at the product labels before purchasing ingredients for a recipe. Many common ingredients can contain unhealthy and unnecessary additives. You want to ensure that anything you buy is not high in sugar or sodium.

When cooking a whole pumpkin, first set the pumpkin upright; then slice it down the center, then cut directly down its middle to create two halves.Place both halves cut side down on a baking sheets with the cut side facing down.

Prepare things the night before if you cannot handle doing everything in one night. Cut up veggies and make marinades or sauces before going to bed at night. You will feel less stressed when you wake up.

Always begin your utensils that are spotlessly clean. Any leftover food post-washing can spoil the dish you plan on cooking next. This can be costly because it might allow harmful bacteria to spread.

Blot raw meat before you brown it. It helps to blot away moisture from any type of ground meat. Any moisture left on the meat will be released during cooking. This will then sizzle off.This makes it unlikely that the meat from searing as you intended; it will steam instead.

Use salt in the water when you are cooking pasta. This is the seasoning will set into the pasta. Salting after boiling your pasta will not have the same effect of absorption.

Learn a little bit about any new foods that you haven't worked with before. You might be surprised how much you can do with that new ways to use the food.

Brine is a method that is great cooking method. Soak your poultry in the brine mixture for at least an hour prior to cooking to get a great taste out of it.

Consider using ketchup to add to your battering ingredients that you are going to fry.Ketchup isn't just for dipping; when frying veggies or chicken, but it can also be used to dip chicken or vegetables into before dipping in breadcrumbs.

Use cooking oil for measuring sticky messes. Before you measure, lightly coat the spoon with a cooking oil which has little flavor, like canola oil, and the thing being measured will fall off the spoon easier, preventing waste and making clean up much easier. This method works for honey and peanut butter as well as honey.

Learn to use color as a guide to cooking. Colorful foods appeal to your eyes and visual appeal. If you are creative with the colors of your meals, people will want to eat your foods.

Make sure you preheat your oven at 300 degrees.

The fat will float to the top and congeal. You can then easily pluck the hardened fat from your soup and discard it prior to eating. This can save you to remove hundreds of calories easily.

Avoid adding salt and garlic to dried beans until they have softened. Both garlic and salt can prevent the beans from getting softer while they cook.

One effective way to create new flavors in your food is by simply changing the spices and marinades you will use. Something that people do not think of is shopping at ethnic food store for new spices.

As this article has shown, it is easy to start learning how to cook. It is also easy to continue improving your cooking ability. You just need to want to get better and be willing to put in the effort that it takes. Using the advice from this article can give you the knowledge you need to become an expert in the kitchen. With the right attitude, cooking can be much fun.

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.