Not A Pie Lime Meringue Cupcake

Do you have that one flavor of pie you absolutely adore, but you are so busy that you would appreciate it even more if you could eat it with one hand? If that's the case, look no further than this recipe for lime meringue cupcakes. It isn't overly sweet like pie can be sometimes, and the meringue is perfectly fluffy and flavorful. Move over, pie. There's a new, chic confection in town. 

The recipe:
For the batter:
1/2 c. softened unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
zest of 3 limes and juice of 2 1/2 
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 c. cold milk

For the meringue:
3 egg whites
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Makes 12 cupcakes. 
Preheat your oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar at medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. When eggs are thoroughly mixed with the butter and sugar, beat in the vanilla. 

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture, a little at a time. Mix on medium speed. When the mixture is well-incorporated, add the milk, lime zest, and juice to the mixing bowl and mix until it is fully incorporated. 

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and evenly distribute the batter amongst  the 12 muffin cups. Bake 18-24 minutes. Poke small hole into the center of one of the cupcakes. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. Take them out of the pan and set on a wire rack to cool. 

While those are cooling, make the meringue. If you haven't separated eggs before, have no fear; it is pretty easy, even for a rookie baker. Here is a video tutorial if you are a visual learner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0FXHwIRTC8&noredirect=1

Okay. You now have your egg whites. Add the sugar and cream of tartar to the whites, and beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form. To check for stiff peaks, simply turn the beaters upside down. If the whites stay in place at the end of the beaters, congratulations. Gently scoop the meringue with a large spoon and top each cupcake with some meringue. Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven, and set your broiler on the low setting in order to lightly brown the meringue. This will take 1 or two minutes. Carefully monitor these babies because there is nothing worse than burnt meringue. Ick!

Bon appétit!

New Cupake Ideas?

Hey, y'all. I wanted to spice things up a bit on here, so I would like to know...
Are there any flavor suggestions you may have in the world of cupcakes? If so, feel free to add them in the comment section of this post!
One more thing...be sure to include what flavor of frosting you think would pair well with the suggested cake flavor. I will decide which flavor pairings are my favorite and bake them off. The best tasting one will be posted right here on my blog, as well as on Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter, so be sure to check back here within a few weeks to see which one I deemed the best!

Thank you, and Bon appetit!
-Caitlin

Mushroom Risotto

So....one of my absolute favorite dishes in this world is risotto. Being half-Italian, it would be a sin for me not to love it. When it's cold outside, and you want something that'll stick to your ribs and make you feel good all over, risotto isn't a bad way to go. Cooked slowly over the stovetop for an hour, the flavors really develop, and the aroma is bold enough to make the whole house smell wonderful.
One day while scrolling through recipes on Pinterest, I came across a recipe for asparagus risotto and decided to make it. I've had so many people re-pin the recipe to their Pinterest profile that I figured this dish would not disappoint me. Ok, so in case you're confused about why I'm talking about asparagus risotto when the title of the recipe is clearly "Mushroom Risotto," I will gladly clear up any confusion you may have. The night I wanted to make it, I went to the grocery to gather the ingredients, only to find that there was no fresh asparagus in the whole store. So, I improvised and bought mushrooms instead. I was not going to let the lack of fresh asparagus inhibit me at all.
I'm actually glad that the store was out of fresh asparagus that day because I was so pleasantly pleased with the way the risotto came out. I couldn't have asked for anything more delicious.
The fresh mushrooms contributed such an earthy flavor to the stewed rice dish, and the rice has a wonderful nutty quality to it from being lightly toasted in the pot before adding the chicken stock. Towards the end of the cooking process, I folded in some grated parmesan cheese, which added a salty, nutty bite that made the dish simply divine. This dish doesn't even need any salt because of the cheese. This risotto dish is simply perfection. Would you like to know how to make it? Ok. I thought you would. Here goes:

4 cups chicken stock
1 cup Arborio rice
1-8 oz. package of Baby Portabella (Cremini) mushrooms, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
grated Parmesan  cheese to taste

Heat chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring it to a simmer.
Meanwhile, in another pot on medium heat, pour just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the rice and stir often for 2-3 minutes or until it is light golden brown in color. Add  1/2 cup chicken stock and stir until the most of the liquid is absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments.(Don't add more stock until the previous 1/2 cup is mostly absorbed into the rice.) Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan and so that the stock is evenly absorbed into the rice.Add the chopped mushrooms 5 minutes before the risotto is finished cooking. Continue cooking and stirring the rice until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat and gently stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
*Note: You may need a little more or less of the chicken stock. Just keep an eye on it.

Tomato and Mozzarella Tart

Hello, my followers (whoever you are). Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I've just been crazy busy. But I never forgot about my blog. (It's that dear to my heart.) So, with that being said, here is my latest delicious culinary creation. I made this savory tart a couple weeks ago. I know, I know--it took me a while to publish the recipe and picture of it. I'm bad. Sorry, guys :(
In my kitchen at home, I had several vine ripe tomatoes that looked so beautiful. I just couldn't not make something scrumptious without them. I also had a pie crust in the refrigerator, and I was not in the mood for something sweet, so I thought to myself, "Caitlin, why not make a savory pie or tart or something with those ingredients?" I was inspired by a tomato and mozzarella sandwich that one of my dearest friends makes from time to time, so I just went with it. Oh, Liz, you are such an inspiration and beautiful person. I love you.
This savory tart is the yummiest thing ever if you are hungry but do not want to be weighed down. As it cooks in the oven, the cheese bubbles and turns a light golden brown color in some areas, and the tomato slices become nice and soft, and the heat from the oven makes them simply delectable and tender. If you've ever had a Margherita pizza, you can probably imagine what I'm talking about. The tomato flavor just pops in your mouth, sending your taste buds on the scenic route to flavor town. The crust is buttery and pairs well with the tomato and mozzarella. I also brush the crust with herb-infused olive oil, adding another dimension of flavor. It's a pretty easy dish to make as well. I hope you all try to make this tart. Feel free to put your own creative spin on it, too. I know you won't regret it!
Ok, that's enough teasing for one day. Here's the recipe:

2 large vine-ripe tomatoes
1-8 oz. package of sliced mozzarella
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, and some set aside to drizzle on top
1 refrigerated pie crust ( I used Pillsbury. Just unroll and conform it to the pie pan)
1 T Italian herb seasoning
Cavender's Greek seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Nonstick cooking spray
Pastry brush

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Pour olive oil into a small saucepan over low heat. Add the Italian herb seasoning and let it sit for a couple of minutes so that the herbs infuse into the olive oil. Spray the pan with nonstick spray.
Unroll the pie crust onto the pie pan and with the pastry brush, brush the crust with the herb olive oil. Set aside.
With a serrated-edge knife, core of the tomatoes. Don't cut all the way through to the bottom of the tomatoes, though. You just want the inner core taken out. Just use your knife and circle around the stem of the tomato with it, then go just a tad bit deep into it (about half an inch) so as to remove some of the seeds and core. Next, cut crosswise into thin slices.
Line the bottom of the tart shell with the mozzarella slices. On top of the cheese, arrange the tomato slices in a ring around the edge of the crust, overlapping each slice a little bit. Arrange the slices into another ring in the very center of the crust. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and Greek seasoning and drizzle a little olive oil on top. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots.
Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing so that the tart can set up nicely.
Bon appetit!

Here's a visual: