Doing Project: Simplify 2012

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Pinterest is a many-splendid thing. It provides me with that much needed 3:30pm brain-break from mommying. It gives me inspiration to be creative and crafty in my free time. It provides a highly entertaining way for me to procrastinate. It also has provided a way for me to junk all those pages I’ve torn out of magazines over the years.

But it’s also given me a few new great blogs/bloggers to follow. And one of these is Tsh over at SimpleMom. Her motto? Live Intentionally.

Gee, you’ve heard me say that before, huh? But not in a “I know how to do that”-way, but in a “I want to live intentionally”-way.

Her blog is a great resource for ideas, projects, and ways of living to simplify and organize and intentionally make life great for moms and their families. And she’s starting a spring cleaning event today that I’m going to be doing with her. And you could, too!

You can read more about it on her blog, here, but the main idea is to tackle those trouble zones or “hot spots” in your home. The ones that are just overwhelmingly unorganized. You take a whole week to work on them, and then at the end, post before and after pictures. Tsh mentions the possibility of a prize … so be ambitious! But not overly so.

Dying in a pile of clutter does not sound glamorous.

So today I begin with my kids’ stuff. Here’s a bit of a bullet list of what I’m planning on doing for those of you who are looking for inspiration:

  • weeding out those toys/books they’re too old for
  • setting some toys aside for “rotation”
  • going through their craft/coloring supplies
  • finding and donating clothes that are too small

On Friday I’ll be posting some before and after pictures. If you’d like to join up and post before and after pictures, too, Tsh outlines how to do that here.

And, in another week, I’m going to start posting on my decision to go Primal. I hope you’ll join me for both of these events!!

I {heart} Community

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It may come as no surprise to you, my dear reader, that I am a HUGE Community fan. And I gotta say, when they put the show on hiatus the end of last year, there was a mini-emotional breakdown in my household.

However, my pining for the show has come to end, because Community is coming BACK BABY! And to celebrate, here are a few fun things on the interwebz:

Community Season 3/Dark Knight Rises Parody

Troy and Abed in the Morning!

And from the Star Wars episode:

 

I hope you’ll all join me on March 15th, 8/7c on NBC to watch the return of the best TV comedy since ever.

*This is simply shameless promotion of a show I love and I am not being compensated in any way except for my own self-satisfaction of being able to promote a show I love.

Fennel, Artichoke and Tomato Soup

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There’s nothing that warms me up, body and soul, like a good bowl of soup. And in the world of soup, if it ain’t homemade, it just won’t cut it.

Who wants to grab an aluminum can of soup, get out the can opener and then pour cold, congealed soup into a pot? Where’s the magic in that?

Homemade soup. A big ol’ soup pot. Some olive oil. Lovingly chopped veggies. Simmering broth. Salt and seasonings. And then it bubbles away on the stove, filling your home with warmth and delicious wafts. Finally, a soup ladle, and big white bowl – and aaahhhh, warmth, flavor and a big soupy hug.

That’s so much better. And it’s not much harder than opening a cold aluminum can.

This soup is one a friend and I savored at a local cafe. I loved it so much that I came home and made it that week – and it’s almost exactly the same as the delicious original down the street from me.

The flavors blend so beautifully in this soup – the subtle bite of the artichoke, the sweet and slightly peppery flavor of the fennel and the flavorful acidity of the tomato make this a soup to eat slowly. You won’t want to, but you should.

Start to finish, this soup will be done in about an hour – although only 15 minutes of that is active. It saves beautifully for about a week in an airtight container in the fridge, and could be frozen for several months.

Doesn’t it just look like the best way to warm up and give yourself a hug in these last few weeks of winter?

That was a rhetorical question.

Fennel, Artichoke and Tomato Soup

  • 2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 fennel bulbs, halved and sliced
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 16.5 ounce jar marinated artichokes, roughly chopped with juices reserved
  • 28 ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped, with 1/3 cup juice reserved
  • 2 qts. chicken stock
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1. Add olive oil to a soup pot and saute the fennel with salt and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add chopped onions and garlic and saute for another 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, have stock simmering in another pot and roughly chop tomatoes and artichokes. Add stock, tomatoes, artichokes and juices to fennel mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Taste, adjust seasoning and enjoy!

Variation: if you’d like to bring some meat into this soup, I would recommend some kind of sausage. I would cook the sausage in the soup pot first, and use the drippings to saute the fennel and only add olive oil if necessary. Then add the sausage back in with the tomatoes and artichokes.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Ham

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I may just be a soupaholic.

This may come as a shock to you.

I understand.  As we grow in our blogger-reader relationship, these kinds of revelations are bound to bubble up to the surface.  I sincerely hope that you can forgive me and make this soup to help you feel better.

Because this soup will make you feel better.  It’s comfort food in a very healthy way.  It’s warm and silky smooth, with just the right amount of spice, the perfect sweetness from the butternut squash, and that bit of saltiness from the ham.  It may just be my favorite soup.

And I don’t mean to be presumptuous (okay, who am I kidding … I totally do), but this would be an awesome dish to make for Thanksgiving.  It speaks of all of those things that we love about this time of year:

  • that spicy, orangey color
  • warm, steamy things
  • something you can plop into a mug and hold under your chin
  • the spicy smell of autumn and plenty
  • thankfulness for people who share awesome recipes

It’s also a very easy recipe that really WOWs people in a totally non-Alliance/Horde way (if you get this reference, you are my favorite).

So let’s make up.  I’ll make this soup, and you make this soup, and we’ll cyber-soup together.  K?

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

  • 3 Tbl. butter
  • 1 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large leek (or two small-medium ones), quartered, sliced and rinsed well (green and whitish green parts)
  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and diced, about 7-8 cups
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tsp. curry powder
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 cups diced ham steak (optional)
  1. In soup pot, melt butter and add olive oil.  Toss in leeks and saute until transparent, about 5-8 minutes.  Pour in chicken stock and add squash.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for about 20 minutes or until squash is very tender.
  3. Puree soup in batches in a blender until very smooth and return to soup pot (or just use an immersion blender if you have one).  Add spices and ham and simmer over heat for 10-15 minutes more.  Serve.

(Possible variation – you could add about 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger to punch up the flavor a bit, but you might loose that delicate curry flavor.  I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but it sounds yummy to me)

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies, etc.

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I may have fallen off my diet this week.  It wasn’t really a gentle fall, like falling back into fluffy snow to make a snow angel.  It was more like a faceplant.  Into asphalt.

But hey.  A diet that limits you to 40g or less of carbs a day, no fruit, no starches and no carrots isn’t an easy one to stick to.  And that “night off” for carb-loading … yeah, that just made me sick to my stomach.

Because while your mind is thinking, “I want sugar.  I need chocolate.  I MUST HAVE CARBS!!” – the truth you discover after eating them is that they simply weren’t what your body needed.  They were things that fooled you, deceived you, into thinking they were better for you than they were.  And then you get sick to your stomach.

There are a lot of things like that in life.  That shiny new pair of $700 shoes.  Those chandelier earrings.  Even something like a home decor item from Target that’s on clearance (irresistible, I know).  All these things parade around as stuff we think we need but the truth is, they just aren’t.  And often, after we get them, they just aren’t as satisfying as we thought they would be.

Falling of my diet made me see this in a very tangible way.  I often think I need things – I’ve had them before and boy! were they good.  They made me happy, even!  But what I’ve selectively chosen to forget is that they only satisfied for a while.

Like this cookie.  It definitely satisfied my never-ending peanut butter craving.

But after eating one – just one – I was done.  That sugar hit my unsuspecting system (who had been devoid of the stuff for a week) and did me in.  I wouldn’t have gotten sick if I’d said, “Okay, that was really good.  I’ve had my taste, and now I’m done.”  Instead, I went back for more.  And more of other things.

Because my body and mind were confused.  My body was saying, “enough” and my mind was saying, “more pleasure.”  We’ve all been here.  And this is what breaks lots of diets.

It can also be what breaks budgets, trust and even relationships.  Why is it so hard to remember the truth of these urges, these enticements?

Perhaps this isn’t a good plug for my cookie, a mini-peanut butter cup, mini-chocolate chip and peanut butter chip filled cookie of deliciousness.  Perhaps I should have spared you my faceplant story and consequent musings.

And while I fell off my diet (and trust me, these cookies were the way to do it!), I learned something important.  You’re gonna fall.  You’re going to eat that delicious, peanut buttery cookie or give into any other temptation while swooning – but you don’t have to stay down.

Having a treat every once in a while is good.  But it needs to be a treat, not a worshipful altar of sugar and carbs like my “night off”s were becoming.

So in response, I’ve decided to do away with my carb-loads and make my diet a bit more inclusive.  I will eat carrots.  Every once in a while, a sweet potato.  I will also have one serving of fruits and one serving of whole grain carbs a day.  And this will be my little “treat” every day.

I’ll still have something special once a week – something I’ve been craving.  But instead of a whole carton of ice cream (don’t judge), it will be a scoop bought at my favorite gelato shop.  There’s no need to take something good and make it into something bad.

Except maybe these cookies.  They are bad, bad cookies.

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, at room temp
  • 1/4 cup mini- chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
  • 1/2 cup mini-peanut butter cups, halved

1. Cream together the butter, shortening and sugars in a mixer until well blended.

2. Add the eggs in one at a time and mix until just combined.  Stir in the vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.

3. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture, one cup at a time.  Stir in chips and peanut butter cups gently. (if batter is very wet, add 1/4 cup additional flour at a time)

4. Drop by tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are just beginning to brown.  Let cool on the cookie sheet for two minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes 3 dozen.

Creamy Shrimp Fra Diavolo

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Do you ever have a moment where everything seems to go right?  When it doesn’t matter how many things you’re juggling at that time, because it’s like God Himself is looking down on you and saying, “How you doin’?” because you’ve just got it all under control?

That kinda happened to me last night.  (but don’t worry, it doesn’t happen that often)

It was during the witching hours of motherhood (for those of you not in the know, that’s 4-6pm) and I was juggling my two kids, two meals, a husband and a dirty kitchen.  Somehow during those two hours, I made an alfredo sauce to go over penne and broccoli for the kids, bathed one of them, got the other in her PJs and in bed, read a story to the other one, and got him in bed, too.

Meanwhile, I made up a recipe.  I peeled and de-veined a pound of jumbo wild Gulf shrimp (hopefully not ones that have mutant oil spill powers) and prepped for this meal.  I cooked it while putting my kids to bed and juggling a very busy law student husband.

And I didn’t burn anything.

Okay.  That’s not entirely true.  I did burn the brussel sprouts I was roasting in the oven.  My husband called them “brussel spropcorn.”

But the important thing is, the main dish, my Creamy Shrimp Fra Diavolo, turned out wonderful.

I don’t recommend you make it while multitasking six other things, but maybe, if you have to, God will smile down on you, too.

Creamy Shrimp Fra Diavolo

  • 1 lb. large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined and de-tailed
  • 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3-6 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 Tbl. tomato paste
  • 1/2 C. white wine (or chicken stock)
  • 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 C. heavy cream
  • 2 Tbl. chopped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
  • 2 Tbl. chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  1. Toss shrimp with 1 tsp. kosher salt and the red pepper flakes.  Heat 3 Tbl. olive oil in a heavy saucepan and saute shrimp for 2-3 minutes, or until they are pink.  Set them aside on a plate.
  2. In the remaining oil and drippings, saute the onions with an additional tablespoon or two of olive oil until they are very tender and slightly caramelized, about 5-10 minutes.  Add minced garlic and saute a minute more.  Add in tomatoes with their juice, white wine, tomato paste and oregano.  Simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.
  3. Stir in cream and heat 1 minute.  Add in shrimp with their drippings on the plate and stir, heating 1 minute to meld the flavors.  Finish by stirring in the parsley, basil and parmesean cheese.  Garnish with additional parmesean cheese and enjoy!

Serves 4

(addition: you could also pan fry some cremini mushrooms and stir these in with the herbs and cheese at the very end.  Then give a slight squeeze of fresh lemon and enjoy even more veggies!)

On Lifestyle Changes

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As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been a bit concerned with my heart health because of my pretty sugary and carb-laden diet.  This combo is showing to be a bad one for people with a risk for heart disease, which runs in my family.

So I made the unpopular decision to just completely cut sugar and most carbs (even whole grain carbs!) out of my diet.  The first ten days of my new diet were an induction period designed to acclimate my body to the diet change and to help it begin to burn fat as fuel instead of carbs.

It sucked.

But I lived.

And as a part of this diet I’m on, I get a cheat night once a week.  Starting at 5pm and ending at 9pm, my goal is to devour about 1,500 calories worth of over-processed, sugary carbohydrates.

That’s right folks.  It’s mandatory.

So that’s what I’ve been doing.  And in addition to losing 8 pounds over three or four weeks, I’ve come to realize something terribly important: sugar is evil.

I’m not saying sugar is the Devil or anything – but what I am saying is that once you’re off the stuff, it absolutely wrecks your system.  Within a half hour of consuming sugary goods (which taste VERY sweet), I become bloated, get a headache, my stomach hurts and I feel sick.  The next day, I have a hangover.  A sugar hangover.

And this is coming from a woman who used to burn through a 1 lb. bag of candy corn in two days.  From a woman who could eat a carton of ice cream or a 6-inch cake in one sitting.  I loved sugar.  It made my favorite foods.  It tasted great just on a spoon.

But now, I have to say, while there are still some sugary things I will enjoy from time to time on my night off, I’m going to be consuming less and less of the stuff.  Because not only is it not good for my body – but I don’t need it anymore.

See, for me, sugar was more than just a component in a recipe.  It had become an emotional dependent.  If I were unhappy or stressed, it made me happy.  If I were tired, it gave me a jolt.  If I wanted to celebrate, it was there to help me enjoy the moment.  And if I were bored, it was there to keep me company.

Sugar is not bad, but I had taken it to a whole new level.  I had taken something good and made it the “penultimate” in my life.  So for me, sugar was evil.  Sugar took the place of my good relationships with my husband, my family, my friends, and most importantly, the place of God in my life.  Instead of turning to my husband for company or relying on God for strength or contentment, I turned to sugar.

But for now, that chapter is over in my life.  I’ll still make things with sugar in them, and I’ll still eat them; but only once a week, at most.  And in the meantime, I’m working on some great new recipes – low-carb recipes – that will fit my new, healthier lifestyle.

So if you eat low-carb, want to start mixing in a few low-carb meals a week, or have dietary restrictions like PCOS or diabetes, then I’ve got a ton of stuff coming up for you!

 

Crazy Day Chicken

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I’m sure that you – like me – are a totally put together mom and homemaker.  Just like me, you get up every morning to a clean house, start a small load of laundry from the day before and start making your grateful family a nice, homemade breakfast.

After a leisurely breakfast where you connect with love, everyone happily goes off in different directions for the day.  The rest of the day is filled with joyous moments, small amounts of cleaning, plenty of time to play and do things you enjoy, capped off by a fun-filled afternoon with your kids, who then settle quietly into coloring while you prepare your family a nutritionally balanced dinner.

If your day actually goes like this – stop reading my blog.  Seriously.  You’re making me feel terrible about myself.

But this meal, well, it made me feel great about myself.  Not only did I make this after a particularly crazy day (hence the name, Crazy Day Chicken), but I got rave reviews.  My husband claimed it was the tastiest thing he’d ever eaten.  That he wanted to sauce on everything – toast, beef, just by itself in a bowl.  Over ice cream.

Okay, not really on that last one.  That would be gross.

Considering I just made it up on the spot with ingredients I had around the kitchen, I’d say it was a tremendous success.  Plus, it only took about 30 minutes to make.  (take that, Rachael Ray!)

So next time you’re having one of those crazy days … ahem, I mean, perfectly wonderful days, like you always have … try whipping up this meal.  At least you will have succeeded somewhere!

Crazy Day Chicken

  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (also called baby portabella)
  • 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
  • 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 2 chicken breasts, butterflied all the way through, then cut in quarters
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or whipping cream)
  1. Fry bacon in a hot skillet until crispy.  Set aside to drain on paper towels.  Using the bacon drippings, cook the onions until they are tender and transluscent, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  2. Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan.  When the mixture is back to a simmer, add in the crushed tomatoes, chicken, mushrooms and cream.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
  3. When chicken is fully cooked, remove the pan from heat, stir in the bacon and serve immediately over rice, pasta, crostini or just eat it by itself for a great low-carb meal!

Serves 2-3

Super Kid-Friendly Cheese Soup

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I don’t know if it’s just my kids, or if it’s most kids, but soup is something that seems to be an acquired taste.  Not so much because of unusual flavors or textures, but because there are big chunks of things in liquid.  And that just doesn’t seem appetizing if you think of it that way.

Which is probably how my kids think of soup.  I have been trying for years to get my kids to eat soup.  I LOVE soup.  Few culinary items appeal to me more than soups, stews and chilis (this is only if we are totally discounting confections).

I tried giving them the chunks in a bowl with the broth in a cup.  I tried mushing it all up into an oatmeal-like paste (don’t try this.  It doesn’t work).  But it seems all it takes to get kids to eat soup is a few years under their belt and a bunch of cheese.

The recipe for this soup came from my childhood.  My mom used to make this soup for us and it was always a comforting, yummy soup.  I’ve altered it a bit to my personal tastes, and like most soups, you can alter it very easily to yours!

We always called it cheese soup.  It’s not an intense cheese flavor, but a subtle one.  One that’s there.

If you’re not an accomplished soup maker, don’t worry, this is a great starter soup.  You can’t really mess it up.  And it’s warm and comforting and goes great with a sandwich.

Plus, it’s packed with lots of good veggies.

And it’s not all crazy-complicated when it comes to the spices, like a lot of soups can be.  That in and of itself can be daunting, because not everyone has every spice imaginable in their spice arsenal.  I can guarantee you’ve got these spices in your cabinet, or at the worst, you’d just have to go buy ONE spice.  See, easy, huh?

Salt, pepper and dill – OH MY!

So if you’re in need of some warming up in this early fall, and want a simple, quick soup to get you started on the road to soupdom, give this one a try.  Plus, my kids devoured this soup, so it’s great for the whole family!

You’ll all be hooked on the first spoonful.

So Cheesey ...

 Cheese Soup

  • 3 cups chopped potato (with or without skins)
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1/2 cup diced white onion
  • 1 Tbl fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dill
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 Tbl flour
  • 1/2 lb cubed Velveeta cheese
  1. Add veggies, parsley, chicken stock and seasoning to a soup pot.  Cook over medium heat and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until veggies are nice and tender.
  2. Whisk the flour into the milk and add to the soup pot, mixing well.  
  3. Add the cubed Velveeta to the pot and stir until the cheese has melted and the soup is well combined.  Serve immediately.

Serves 6-8

Ideas for alterations: I’d recommend always using the potatoes, but feel free to throw in other veggies – some greens would go really well in this, as would sausage or even bacon.  And if you don’t like Velveeta, you could use real cheddar, gruyere or even brie.  You could also use some buttermilk and parmesean cheese to give it a tangy taste.  Sky’s the limit!  Have fun!

Lemon Berry Cupcakes

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I’m a sucker for all things lemon and berry.  Lemon and raspberry.  Lemon and blueberry.  Lemon and strawberry.  Lemon and blackberry.  The list could go on until we run out of berry choices.  And then I’d just take lemon.

It’s bright.  It’s fresh.  It’s cooling.

It reminds me of hot summer days, warm summer nights and feeling content.

So when I was called upon to make a dessert for a BBQ, I decided to make something that would hopefully invoke all those things for other people, too.

Meet the Lemon Stuffed, Strawberry Topped, Blueberry Drizzled Cupcake.

This cupcake was the perfect summer treat.  Light.  Not too sweet.  Refreshing.  And messy.

I recommend eating this with a fork, no real exceptions.  People tried eating it by hand, and, well, let’s just say they ended up with a plate and a fork.

While the recipes for this cupcake are simple, I recommend making the different components over a few days prior to making the cupcakes.  Doing it all in one day is quite the culinary undertaking.  And it makes for one very mess kitchen.

Enjoy!

Lemon Berry Cupcakes

For the lemon curd filling:

3 egg yolks

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, strained and at room temp (about 2 lemons)

1 Tbl fresh lemon zest (2-4 lemons)

3/4 C. sugar

4 Tbl unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tbl cubes, room temp

1. In a double boiler, or in a heat proof bowl set over, but not touching, a pot of simmering water, whisk the eggs, sugar and lemon juice just until blended.  Continue stirring while cooking the mixture until it’s thick, about 160 F or very warm to the touch, about 10 minutes.

2. Remove from heat.  Drop in the butter and whisk until melted.  Whisk in the zest.  Transfer into a storage container and put plastic wrap on the curd (touching it) so a skin doesn’t form on the top of the curd.  Cool in the refrigerator until ready to use, or for up to a week.

For the strawberry sauce:

1 1/2 lb. strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract)

1/2 lemon, peeled and sliced, membranes removed

1/2 cup water

1 Tbl Chambord (optional)

Pinch of salt

1. Put the strawberries, vanilla bean pod and seeds, lemon and water into a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Remove from heat, cover pot with a lid and let the flavors infuse for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath using a large bowl (glass bowls are best) filled with ice and some cold water, and a smaller bowl set into the ice.

3. After 30 minutes, pour the mixture through a strainer into the smaller bowl of the ice bath.  Use a wooden spoon to press as much liquid as possible out of the strawberry mixture.  Let the mixture cool (about 10-15 minutes).  Then add the Chambord and salt.  Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days, frozen for up to 3 months.

For the blueberry sauce:

1 1/2 lb. blueberries

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract)

1/2 lemon, peeled and sliced, membranes removed

1/2 cup water

1 3-inch piece of cinnamon stick

1 Tbl Chambord (optional)

Pinch of salt

1. Put the blueberries, vanilla bean pod and seeds, lemon and water into a pot and bring to a boil.  Microwave the cinnamon stick on high for 10 seconds, then add it to the pot.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Remove from heat, cover pot with a lid and let the flavors infuse for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath using a large bowl (glass bowls are best) filled with ice and some cold water, and a smaller bowl set into the ice.

3. After 30 minutes, pour the mixture through a strainer into the smaller bowl of the ice bath.  Use a wooden spoon to press as much liquid as possible out of the blueberry mixture.  Let the mixture cool (about 10-15 minutes).  Then add the Chambord and salt.  Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days, frozen for up to 3 months.

For the cupakes:

(borrowed from Hello, Cupcake)

1 Box French Vanilla cake mix

4 eggs

Vegetable oil called for on the box

1 cup buttermilk (I used 2% milk with a Tbl of lemon juice)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (or 325 if using a dark or non-stick pan).  Put all ingredients into a large bowl and mix on medium-low until combined.  Beat on high for 2 more minutes, until mixture is light and fluffy.

2. Put cupcake liners in the pan, and fill them 3/4 full with batter.  Bake for 14-18 minutes, turning the pan halfway through cooking.  When the cupcakes spring back to your touch, or a tester comes out with a moist crumb, remove from the oven and let cool 2-3 minutes in the pan.  Remove from the pan and let completely cool on a wire rack.

For the strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream:

(adapted from cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski)

3 egg whites, room temp

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1 C. unsalted butter (18 Tbl), cut into 1 Tbl pieces, room temp

1 cup strawberry sauce (or more to taste)

6-8 drops red food coloring (optional)

1. In a double boiler, or in a heat proof bowl set over, but not touching, a pot of simmering water, constantly whisk the egg whites and sugar until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is about 160 F or very hot to your touch.  Remove from head and transfer into a mixing bowl.

2. Beat on high with a whisk attachment until the mixture is fluffy, glossy and holds a stiff peak (6-10 minutes).

3. Turn the mixer to medium-low and add in the salt.  Drop in the butter, 1 Tbl at a time, waiting to add more until it has been incorporated.  It may start to separate, look liquidy or a bit curdled.  It’s fine – just beat it on high for 3-5 more minutes until it looks smooth and creamy.  It will have a stiff consistency.

4. Lastly, add in the strawberry sauce and food coloring and beat for several minutes until the frosting is smooth and creamy and all the sauce has been incorporated.  Add more sauce based on your taste preference.

To assemble cupcakes:

Step 1: Once cupcakes have cooled, use a sharp knife to cut a hole in the top of the cupcake.  Pop it out, slice off the tip of the cupcake “plug.”  Fill the hole with the chilled lemon curd and put the cupcake plug back on the cupcake to seal in the filling.

Step 2: Using a piping bag fitted with an open star tip (I use a Wilton 2D), pipe on the strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream.  Top with a fresh blueberry.

Step 3: Drizzle the blueberry sauce on top right before eating, using either a spoor or a plastic condiment bottle (or the bottle you use for filling with royal icing).

Don’t forget to use a fork!