23 Flavors of Deliciousness

Hello Sweets,

So its been a few days since I've posted anything, and even longer since I posted something with substance to it :/  Do you know that I actually get more down the more time between my creations, well it's true :(  My health doesn't allow me to do much of anything, so when I don't do what is within my means I get purdy down.  Needless to say if I'm posting now I obviously have had a break in my insanity, but oddly enough I still feel fairly blah-zay.  This frustrates me, and I'm not sure why I can't shake this damn funk >_<  Either way, here I am with a tasty treat to share with y'all :)  I will try and keep this post upbeat and fun, but I'm struggling with this right now.

I know many people are going to read this post and see the soda and will say it's full of sugars and processed blah blah blah.  I agree that soda is not the healthy choice, but I also subscribe to the everything in moderation philosophy.  But Dr. Pepper boasts a soda with 23 flavors, and while in Texas we prefer to get the real sugar version (btw soooooo much better).  Naturally as a Texan, Nathan LOVES Dr.Pepper, especially the cherry version.  So when I came across a version of cherry Dr.Pepper cupcakes, I couldn't pass up the chance.

Cherry Dr.Pepper Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2C butter, softened

3 large eggs

1/2C milk

2 1/2Tsp baking soda

2 1/2C flour

2 1/2C brown sugar

3 oz unsweetened bakers chocolate, melted

1/2Tbs lemon juice

1/2Tsp salt

2Tsp vanilla

1C Cherry Dr.Pepper, cooled

 

Directions:
1)  Preheat oven 375F.  In a small saucepan bring the Dr. Pepper to boil.  Set aside so it can cool before you add it to the batter.

 

2)  In a small bowl add the lemon juice (yes I squeezed it lol) to the milk and let sit.  You can use buttermilk in replace of the lemon juice/milk concoction.  After allowing it to sit for 5 or so minutes, add the baking soda to it.

 

3)  Cream together the butter and sugar, mixing until light and fluffy (not your typical light and fluffy because the butter to sugar ratio is very unbalanced).

 

4)  Add the melted chocolate, thats been slightly cooled.  Then beat the eggs in thoroughly.

 

5)  Mix the remaining dry ingredients in another bowl.  Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk mixture to the chocolatey sugar mix.

 

6)  Mix in the vanilla and lastly the cooled cherry Dr. Pepper.

 

7)  Pour into cupcake liners, bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

 

Of course these bad boys aren't finished, there is a deliciously and light frosting to finish them off, but as per my torturous ways, that will be tomorrows post!  Again, like with the cola cupcakes, they're light and airy and not overly sweet.  They're not over-powered with the taste of cherry Dr. Pepper, but it has a lovely under tone of cherry.  As you know I'm a cherry junkie, so needless to say you can let your imagination run wild with how these bad boys will be finished.

So I think I managed to keep this post fairly upbeat, but frankly I am still feeling blahhhhhhhhhhh lol true story.  Hopefully tomorrow I will be in much better state of mind and can delivery something fun, exciting, and ENERGETIC!!!!  Okay maybe that was a little forced, but I'm trying lol.  Until next time..............................................................

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxoxo 

Sweet Red, White, and Blue

Hello Sweets,

Can you believe that we're already half way through our week?  I don't know why it feels like time is just flying by me, probably because I am counting down the days until I return to Texas and am reunited with my love :)  Has it been flying by for all of y'all too?  I am very thankful to feel more like myself today, not in as much pain as yesterday and actually got out of the house for a change too.  My version of "getting out of the house" is pretty minuscule compared to most people, but I picked up my prescriptions and some groceries so it's a win in my books :)

I am super excited about today's post, as I explained yesterday this specific recipe was completely out of my comfort zone and I was successful so I just couldn't wait to share it with all of y'all.  I don't know about y'all but I love me some pie, specifically cherry pie so I was super pumped when I came across this recipe.  It's not an apple pie, which is uber American, but it's pretty comparable in my books and very patriotic ;)  But enough talk, let's get to this delicious treat already!

Old Glory Cherry-Blueberry Pie (from My Recipes)

Ingredients

5C fresh sweet dark cherries, rinsed and pitted

3Tbs lemon juice

1 1/2C fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained

1C sugar

1/4C cornstarch

2Tsp butter, cut into small pieces

9" pie pastry (see tomorrows blog for recipe)

 

 

I wanted to show the monotonous process of pitting cherries lol

Directions:
1)  Preheat oven to 400F.  In a large bowl, mix cherries with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.  In a small bowl, mix blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. (yes I squeezed a fresh lemon lol)

 

   

 

 2)  Combine the sugar and cornstarch, gently stir 1 cup of the mixture with the cherries and the remaining 1/4 cup with the blueberries (I tossed it with my hands to be more careful).

 

 

 

 3)  Spoon cherry mixture over 3/4 of the pastry in the pan, leaving 1quadron free.  Spoon blueberries into the empty space.  Sprinkle the butter evenly over the fruit.

4)  Top with the stars and strips (I made an extra batch of pastry and cut it by hand).

 

tah dah! My stars are a little crazy looking lol

5)   Set pie in a foil lined 13"x17" baking pan.  Bake on the bottom rack until the fruit in the middle bubbles and the pastry is well browned (checking at the 1 hour mark).  If the edges brown too quickly (check after 40 minutes), cover loosely with tin foil.  Let pie cool on a wire rack for 3 hours, and can be left on the counter for 8 hours (max).  Cut into wedges and serve with ice cream or whip cream.

 

so proud :)

So not only does it look like a mini flag, it also embodies the red (cherries) white (pastry) and blue (blueberries) aspect.  This was a very time consuming process, but that's not going to stop me from doing it over again and again.  This is going to sound a little crazy but an hour before this I made another pie, lol yes another one.  Nathan's coconut meringue, see :)

 

I know what you're thinking; 1) I'm crazy for doing two pies in one day and 2) I spoil him rotten.  Well I would have to say yes to both lol, since I made the pastry from scratch I had to make his with it as well (plus I love seeing him smile).  The cherry-blueberry pie isn't overly sweet at all, I was actually worried it was going to be tart because of the cherries (they can be sort of tart) but I had nothing to worry about all along :)  This is officially the "Canuckette Forth of July dessert", and I am going to make it every year from now on :)

During the middle of me writing this post my roommate came home and handed me a package that was sent to me by Nathan's aunt Cindy.  She told me she was sending me something to remind me of home while I'm here in Canada, yes I know I live in Canada but Texas is my real home.  Anyways back to presents :D, so I had no idea what to expect but I knew it would be great.  Considering the type of gift it would only be fair to share with all my lovely readers, yup it's a kitchen goodie.

 

Aren't they amazing!?!  I am so in love with them :)  Every since I met Cindy we've been pretty close and we have very similar taste.  Apparently when she and her husband (Nathan's uncle Michael) saw them they immediately thought of me and picked them up.  I am so very blessed with amazing people in my life, and could never thank them enough for the thoughtful gift.  Well I'm going to try and say thanks by baking something chocolate for her :)  Tomorrow I will share the pastry recipe with y'all along with a recap of our celebrations, it's a very good recipe that my bestie shared with me and now I'll share with you too!  Until next time......................................................

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxoxo

A Cure for my Craving

Hello Sweets,

I hope you all are having a wonderful Monday, unfortunately for me the theme for my day is migraine Monday :(.  I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the freezing cold wind, but I'm doing everything I can to help remedy the migraine and I think I'm doing a pretty good job.  I wanted to share with you guys my latest obsession, Cherry Craisins.  They are sooo yummy and good for you too!  I first tried them in a trail mix I bought (I didn't think I would like them), and I'm so glad I did, because you can never have too many healthy snack options right?

Happy girl with a yummy snack

So lately I've been craving chicken, like really really craving chicken lol, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I haven't had it in a while?  So on my way home from my meeting today, I decided to stop in the grocery store and pick up some chicken to cure my cravings.  So then it got me thinking about flavors, how did I want to prep my chicken?  So when I got home I took inventory of my spices.  I knew I definitely wanted to use garlic and red chili flakes but I felt like I needed something more.  Then I opened open the fridge and it was like the kitchen angels started to sing, tandoori sauce was what caught my eye.  I haven't cooked with the tandoori flavor in a very long time, but it smelt too yummy to pass up, thus a new Canuckette recipe was born!

Canuckette's Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

chicken breast

garlic powder

red chili flakes

tandoori sauce

Directions:

1)  Rub chicken breast with garlic and red pepper flakes, then smoother in tandoori.  Let marinade for a couple of hours in the fridge (overnight if you can).

2)  Preheat oven to broil, fill bottom of the broiling pan with water.  Cook for 13 minutes.

3)  Remove from oven and enjoy!

nice and juicy

This subtle spicy dinner definitely satisfied my chicken craving, and since I am one girl I have some leftovers for tomorrow :)  Is there something you've been craving lately?  Did you satisfy that craving, and with what?

While I was at the grocery store I picked up a couple of other mystery items.  The reason they are mystery items is because I am devising a new yummy recipe for tomorrow.  I want to make something subtly sweet with a hearty fall likeness to it.  But it will remain a secret until tomorrow, which means even more incentive to come back to my little blog :)  (sneaky sneaky)  Until next time.........

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo