Brooklyn Cupcake Cook-Off

Jo the MasterBaker and her sister entered this year’s 3rd Annual Cupcake Cook-Off, and I happily tagged along. (Jo is recently unemployed which means the level of baking has gone through the roof.) Jo made yummy cookie-dough cupcakes that she loving titled, “Where’s the Dough?!” and her sister made pretty amazing oreo “Milk and Cookies” cupcakes. I found a recipe that seems to look a lot like her final product — it had an inside chocolate cup that she filled with milk to dunk to oreos. The winner of the “popular vote” (which was really a completely bought-win, but acceptable b/c the money went to charity) was the Elvis Cupcake — I tasted it and it was pretty darn good. So combo of peanut butter and bananas, but… and I’m not totally sure about this b/c I ate too many to remember… if I’m right there was SoCo and lime somehow involved in the recipe. Sugar comma has erased my memory. I can’t believe how many cupcakes I consumed. It was basically a no-fee cupcake free-for-all. Check it out next year, and go hungry!

photo via

Pepsi With Real Sugar

Sugar has been a much-talked-about subject in my apartment recently. Jo the MasterBaker went on a sugar-free diet (and yeast-free) for about a month and it was one of the most impressive displays of will-power I’ve ever seen. Sugar is in everything… everything! But I’m kind of excited about the prospect of Pepsi with real sugar cane instead of high-fructose corn syrup. I’ve been abroad, and I’ve had Coke/soda with real sugar. It is soooo much better. It’ll definitely be more expensive (I was just speaking with a food expert about how much cheaper high fructose corn syrup is), but I think worth it! Do you?

 

Good friend Gina with Cola Turka in Istanbul

St. Patrick’s Day Shake

When I lived in London with Jo the MasterBaker, she introduced me to the very delicious Shamrock Shake from McDonalds. But this one looks even better (via YumSugar)! Celebrate St. Patty’s day with a shake instead of a beer!

Happy Birthday to Jo the MasterBaker!

Perfect Pumpkin Recipes

Jo the MasterBaker has decided to share the recipes for 2 different treats she made over the weekend. Wahoo!

The first is a Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake (click here for the recipe). She made a few substitutions to try to cut down on the calories (amen!): she bought the pre-made graham cracker crust, used Neufchatel Cream Cheese (1/3 less fat! and better tasting), and Splenda sugar substitute. She says, “still delicious and creamier than the Junior’s pumpkin cheesecake that someone else brought.” So ha!

The second is a Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread (click here for the recipe) that I got the pleasure of tasting. It was so yummy—like warm, soft, comforting pumpkin bread with a little hidden surprise inside. Here Jo decided to make muffins instead of bread, and she says, “just make sure you cut the baking time to about 20 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean.”

Happy baking! And those of you who tasted either of these, please share in praising the MasterBaker.

Does Amy Sedaris Wear the Same Outfit Every Day?

I just saw this clip of Amy Sedaris on the Martha Stewart show—she’s making her famous Cheese Balls. BUT… I saw Amy Sedaris about a week ago at an IKEA event (where I consumed PB&Js, burgers, BLTs, apple pies with ice cream, popcorn, a rice crispy treat, and beer… and proceeded to get sick), and she was wearing the exact same outfit! Is this her shtick now? Anyway, she’s really funny and I love her book, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence. Jo the MasterBaker owns it. So, I won’t hate on her. Or her cheese balls.

Here’s the recipe for the Lil’ Smoky Cheese Balls:

2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese, room temperature
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons steak sauce
1 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
Crackers, for serving

Place Gouda, cream cheese, butter, milk and steak sauce in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix until well combined. Transfer mixture to refrigerator. Let chill overnight. Roll cheese mixture into a ball. Place nuts in a shallow dish. Roll cheese in nuts to fully coat. Serve with crackers.

Chocolate Craving? That’ll Cost You a Grand.

Check out this list of the five most expensive chocolates in the world from Trifter. The one above is from Knipschildt (god bless you!), and it costs $2,600 per pound.  Hmm.. I could eat some chocolate… or, I could pay my rent for 3 months. Tough call. I’ve had some pretty good chocolate in my day—fondue in Switzerland… umm… amazing. And, the lovely people at both Godiva and Cote d’Or once sent me an entire giant briefcase of treats, making me the number one go-to-girl for the 3pm chocolate craving in the office. I also got to go to a Dove event where there was an amazing chocolate fountain—something Jo the MasterBaker owns in the apartment. So what’s your fave?

My Roommate is a MasterBaker

Joanna makes amazing dessert delights that help keep the meat on my bones. Check out the remnants of the berry pie (above) and the chocolate cake with whipped cream (below) that she made for Labor Day.