Tuesday Tip!

Here we go! Here we go! Here we go! Our very first "Tuesday Tip".  And like I said in the previous post, this may be old news to many but may be new to some. So this is for you.

Buttermilk.

Let me say it again. Buttermilk. Yes, some people drink it but that is not our purpose today.

Buttermilk is a type of fermented drink that has a tart flavor and gives richness to the end product. When baking (or making pancakes), buttermilk is the better wet ingredient for your recipe.  Yes, it is more expensive than regular milk but it is so worth using.

Now if you bake alot like me, you won't have buttermilk left over sitting in your fridge wondering when it will ever see sugar and flour again.  You will always be in search of it. As a matter of fact, the dairy section in the supermarket can be a scary place for someone like me because as I turn the corner I always approach with caution.

Do they? Do they? Do they...have...some...today?

[opens eyes slowly as if watching a horror movie]

YES! They do!

And off I go with two of the largest containers I can find, which is usually no more than a half gallon carton.

But this Tuesday Tip is not just about buying buttermilk and using it. It's about how much to use and what to do if you don't have any. Ahhhh...now that is something I always need to remember.

First, in a pinch or if you simply don't bake enough to stock your fridge with even a pint of the sour goodness, you can make a fair enough substitute. Just remember that real buttermilk is always best.  Here you go:

• 
  
  Bring 1 cup of milk (preferably whole) to room temperature (30 minutes is actually fine)
• 
  
  Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice (the acid needed to "spoil" the milk)
• 
  
  If you do not have lemon juice handy you can also use apple cider vinegar
• 
  
  Let sit for an additional 10 minute
• 
  
  Milk will have a curdled appearance...because it is :)

Next, how much to use.  I have found that replacing the amount of milk called for in a recipe with buttermilk is a good match.  Also, I have found that when using a box mix (pancakes, cake, muffins, etc) you can replace the water called for with buttermilk too. The end product comes out tasting wonderful!  Buttermilk makes everything better.

Who knew being "spoiled rotten" would be so good! HA!

And that my friends is our first Tuesday Tip. Please let me know what you think or even if you already knew about using buttermilk.  I would really appreciate it.

Happy baking!

 

Something new for me and you!

Ok, I really need to get this blog going AND get my pictures up! So to get me rolling, I've come up with something that will keep me posting at least once a week. Well, let's hope so anyway.

I'll call it "Tuesday Tip".  I know, I know. Everybody has a Tuesday tip. What will make mine any different?  I don't know...but it's worth a try anyway. Right?

One thing is for sure. I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination.  The tips I will offer are things I have learned in my test kitchen.  They may be old news to many but it may be new to others. In otherwords, I want whatever kitchen tip I give out to be useful to whomever needs it.

And it just may be me who needs it!

So come back tomorrow and hopefully it will be just for you...or even you...or maybe one of the five other followers at the moment :)

Too much cake

I know this blog isn't rolling yet but I had to sign on to tell you that I just made my entire household bust out laughing.

Normally, when I am getting ready to leave the house with the children, I remind them of all things that need to be done.  Usually I say, "Bathroom, socks and shoes!"  Then chaos stirs the pot and the energy level rises high enough to power a small country but they usually are ready when I am. 

This time I did something a little different...unintentionally.

I've been baking so much lately that all I seem to have on my mind is cupcakes and cake.  So this afternoon when I had to go to the store for some more buttermilk and eggs, I announced the directions.  Except this time I said,

"Bathroom, cake and shoes!"

I didn't even realize what I had said until the usual whirlwind of activity was filled with shrills and side splitting laugher:

- "MOMMY! YOU SAID CAKE AND SHOES!"
- "YOU want us to put CAKE in our SHOES! HA! HA!"
- "SHOE cakes...not CUPcakes?"
- "You're CRAZY mommy!"

Yes. Yes. I think I am.

And the laughter went on and on...

Saving the Economy...one cupcake at a time!

"Forget trendy. New Yorkers’ obsession with cupcakes, sparked nearly a decade ago by ‘Sex and the City’ characters’ pilgrimages to Magnolia, has now become a legitimate driver of the city’s economy.

The latest unemployment numbers for New York City show that, while the labor market shrunk in June, the overall unemployment rate improved, partially fueled by growth in the restaurant and bar industry. And one of the main drivers of that growth?..."

Yup, you guessed it...cupcakes!

To read the rest of the article, click here.