Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes

The Perfect Taste for Fall

The Good:  I made these for my co-workers when I worked at the hospital and they were gone quickly.

The Bad: Fall only comes once a year!

The Ugly:  Crystallized ginger is extremely expensive unless you find the right store.

Suggestions before starting:
I like to "seal" cakes and cupcakes with a thin layer of icing while it is still warm to keep in the moisture.  As you can see in the picture, I was a little impatient when I went back to finish icing them so the icing became a bit runny and not so pretty.

If you don't already have ginger, cinnamon or ground cloves and are wondering if this recipe would be worth buying those spices, check out our Chai Tea recipe.  All three of this spices are in both recipes and are delicious!

Double Tomato Brushcetta

Flavorful and appetizing

The Good: Delicious and easy to make.

The Bad: Tomato seeds are slimy and messy.

The Ugly: Not good for tomato allergies.

Suggestions before starting:

If you are unclear about mincing garlic or what a clove is visit Garlic, Yes Please! for further instructions.  Remember when cutting bread to use a serrated knife.  Allow the blade to cut the bread by using long strokes rather than applying large amounts of pressure.  When spreading the cheese be careful not to leave any on the pan b/c it is extremely difficult to wash off the pan.  Be cautious when using the broiler setting.  Stay close by otherwise you will have burnt bread instantly.

Sushi

Nom nom nom...

The Good:  Incredible, versatile and scrumptious.

The Bad: It's really hard to make sushi without rolling mats.

The Ugly: It is difficult to find rolling mats in rural areas.

Suggestions before starting:

If you want to use the same roller multiple times, cover it in plastic wrap and remove when done.

The vinegar we use is rice vinegar but you can use any type of white vinegar.

Before pressing down the rice, it helps to dip your fingers in water so the rice does not stick to your fingers.

The ingredients listed here are for a version of Philadelphia rolls (without avocado). You can feel free to use whatever ingredients/seasonings you like!

We suggest peeling the cucumber.

If you use raw fish do your research well before preparing your sushi. There are certain techniques that you need to use to protect yourself!

Potato Casserole- Family Favorite

Another devine family favorite

A dish that is craved at all family gatherings and is always the first to run out

This is an 8x8, the recipe makes 9x13

The Good:  This recipe is simple, delicious and great for children wanting to help in the kitchen.  It is another recipe you can make ahead of time and freeze if needed.
The Bad: You shouldn't eat it the second it comes out of the oven... it will burn you.
The Ugly: I'm serious, let it cool down first or it will burn you!

Suggestions before starting:
My mother always leaves the butter out of the mixture but puts butter with extra corn flakes to spread on top.
Don't forget to buy cornflakes and account for the butter in the topping.
An interesting twist, make with french fried onions on top instead of the cornflakes.
My sister has used the frozen hashbrowns with peppers and veggies already in it and it was incredible!

Hamburger Balls

These unusual ingredients make for a surprisingly delicious party favorite appetizer or meal!





The actual recipe makes 3x's this amount



The Good: This dish has been a favorite recipe in our cooking group and it freezes wonderfully.  Also, it is easy to prepare ahead of time.

The Bad: The recipe calls for 4-5 lbs of hamburger so it can be difficult to minimize the recipe.

The Ugly: It takes 2 hrs to bake these once they are prepared.

Suggestions before starting:

If you don't have any bread, saltine crackers work just as well.

Garlic??? Yes Please!

A Wicked How-To for Garlic

If you are like many others, the idea of using fresh garlic entirely befuddles you.

Don't worry its not as difficult as it looks. Let's start at the beginning...

This is a bulb of garlic:

A bulb of garlic is made up of several cloves.  In order to get a clove you need to break through nature's protective layers and break the clove free.

Your next step is to remove the protective layers from the garlic clove.  I've found the best way of doing this is to use the flat end of a knife and press down on the clove of garlic. I like to use any knife with a decent amount of surface area.

Please excuse my 100 yr old knife.

Now it will be simple to remove the outside layer.  Your clove should be smooth and slightly shiny and now ready to use.

Most recipes call for minced garlic.  It simply means to cut very finely.

Troubleshooting for Garlic:

Sprouting: Unfortunately, garlic is harvested best in June or July but is wonderful year round, especially in those cold months.  When garlic sits around for too long it begins to sprout.  There are 2 ways to handle this 1) you can plant it or 2) you can work around it.  Some people choose to leave the sprouts in but it tends to make the garlic a bit more bitter than I like.  So to remove your sprouts, slice down the middle of your garlic the long ways and open it up.  Now all you have to do is pull it out and discard.  Your garlic should be just fine to use from here.

Stinky hands: Whenever you use any ingredient that makes your hands stink I whip out the fresh lemon.  If you don't have access to fresh lemon, lemon juice or citrus juice is the next best thing.  Rinse your hands with the juices, let it sit for a couple seconds and rinse.

Fragrant Facts:

Garlic is freshest typically in June or July but is available all year round.

Garlic is part of the onion family.

Garlic's actual name is Allium sativum.

The leaves and flower of the plant are also edible just less pungent and not often used.

Garlic has been used for centuries medicinally.

Garlic is a tasty way to keep your vampire friends away.

Cabbage Rolls

This typical European and Western Asian dish is absolutely delicious when prepared properly.  Typically filled with onions, rice and meat, it can be a simple and delectable meal best for large groups.

This particular recipe used hamburger for the meat and a tomato sauce that turned out almost tangy.

The Good: The recipe is easy to make for large groups.

The Bad: Parts of the recipe can be fairly ambiguous, especially for those new to cooking with cabbage.

The Ugly: This recipe does not save well.  The cabbage tends to get stringy when reheated.

Recipe # 1 - Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée

If you like delicious... this is your dish. Dave and I made these for a Halloween party.  We could barely get them to the party without drooling on them ourselves.  The people brave enough to try them said, "These are better than pumpkin pie!"

The Good: The recipe is easy to make, delicious, festive and definitely unique.
The Bad: The recipe takes a lot of preparation time. It is difficult to pour the water into the roasting pan without it spilling into the pumpkins.
The Ugly: If you don't already have all of the spices it can become a bit costly to make this recipe.