Posts for July 23rd 2012

Sugar Shout Out

Sugar Shout Out: Cruise in Style

What to wear on a cruise: 4 outfits to stay stylish at sea What to do with leftover rice PopSugar Shop: Stila's In the Light Eye Shadow Palette Rewind: watch the proposal from Emily Maynard's Bachelorette finale Your kids' new go-to snack: homemade pizza bites Get Summer decorating inspiration from Dirty Dancing Bachelor Pad: meet the sexy new contestants joining the cast Insurance is not enough: must-dos for renters What we're sweet on: every concealer, all at once Try a short stretching sequence for a sore lower back Fun Mac apps for Instagram-like pics on your desktop CelebStyle: shop Blake Lively's favorite hats!

Original Recipes

Mini Victorian Sponge Cakes

While this recipe does not call for a baking scale, if you have one, make this recipe perfectly accurate by weighing the eggs in their shells, which should be around 8 ounces or a little less.

While this recipe does not call for a baking scale, if you have one, make this recipe perfectly accurate by weighing the eggs in their shells, which should be around 8 ounces or a little less. Rather than using the measurements below, weigh out the butter, sugar, and flour to equal the same weight as the eggs. Keep the baking powder and salt the same as below.

Mini Victorian Sponge Cakes

Mini Victorian Sponge Cakes

Victorian Sponge Cake Recipe

Ingredients

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, plus more for greasing
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 can whipped cream or 1 batch of basic homemade whipped cream
2 8-ounce containers raspberries

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease 3 dozen mini muffin tins with butter. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt together.
  2. Using a standing mixer or a hand mixer with a large bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium-high for 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at at time, beating mixture thoroughly between each egg. Turn off mixer and use a wooden or metal spoon to fold in flour mixture thoroughly.
  3. Fill each muffin tin two-thirds of the way full, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick test inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  4. Let cakes set for 2 minutes, then carefully remove them using a butter knife. Allow cakes to cool to room temperature before decorating.
  5. When cakes are cooled, dollop 1-2 tablespoons whipped cream on top of each cake and garnish with a raspberry.

Makes 3 dozen mini sponge cakes.

red wine

Wine of the Day: 2009 Folie a Deux Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2009 Alexander Valley Folie à Deux Cabernet Sauvignon ($24) translates to "a passion shared by two," and the moderately priced Sonoma County red is a great bottle to enjoy on date nights.

The 2009 Alexander Valley Folie à Deux Cabernet Sauvignon ($24) translates to "a passion shared by two," and the moderately priced Sonoma County red is a great bottle to enjoy on date nights. While pouring the deep purple Cab, I admired the strong smoky and oaky aromas, and the flavor tasted noticeably barrel-aged with a sour cherry zing. Despite its lack of sweetness, the wine is not bitter. And with a medium body and moderate tannic finish, the wine holds its own. It's a red on the lighter side, with a spicy, warm character that would definitely help a date go in the right direction. Serve it alongside earthy risotto and morels or a firm, dry cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Food News

Justin Warner: A Rebel Chef With an Attitude to Match

Last night, Justin Warner became the next Food Network Star.

Last night, Justin Warner became the next Food Network Star. This 27-year-old Brooklynite, chef, and owner of Do or Dine restaurant has the attention of the young and old alike for his offbeat personality and even odder culinary concoctions.

His new show, Rebel With a Culinary Cause, is slated to air this Fall on the Food Network. Prepare for funky fusion dishes like Nippon nachos, a pork wonton dumpling smothered in melted chipotle gouda and a traditional Mexican salsa. He's remixing old-school favorites, too: for the pilot episode, Justin revamped a classic Caesar salad, whipping up a grilled chicken Caesar salad with an aspic Caesar dressing that dissolves into the hot, charred lettuce hearts.

I spoke to the rebel himself only hours after the finale of Food Network Star aired. The quirky chef discussed his love-me-or-leave-me attitude, the mentors in his life, and an illegal ingredient he can't wait to get his hands on. Take a look at what he had to say.

sandwiches

3 Finger Sandwiches Inspired by Classic English Teatime Snacks

In America, finger sandwiches are reserved for special-occasion brunches, but in the UK, these small sandwiches are traditionally served daily during afternoon teatime.

In America, finger sandwiches are reserved for special-occasion brunches, but in the UK, these small sandwiches are traditionally served daily during afternoon teatime. This assortment of sandwiches highlights classic British fillings, like watercress, cucumber, and salmon.

If you've never had watercress, its texture is like a cross between kale and spinach, with fibrous stems but buttery soft leaves. It has a fairly bitter flavor, but the contrast of butter helps to cut that out, and whole wheat bread adds natural sweetness from the oats.

Another standard combination that can't be missed is cucumber and cream cheese. Instead of falling back on dill, try the less-traditional addition of mint, a light and refreshing Summer herb.

Smoked salmon and lemon make for another classic duo; the two go together like, well, bread and butter. Savory mayonnaise bonds the flavors (and the bread pieces).

Tea sandwiches are easy to assemble, have sufficient sustenance for a casual afternoon pick-me-up, and are dainty enough to serve guests alongside refined refreshments. Learn how to make the simple tea sandwiches.

Eco

Dishes to Make During Stone Fruit Season

"Get your cherries fresh and ripe!

"Get your cherries fresh and ripe! These are the sweetest you've ever tasted!" a man called out to me as I walked past my neighborhood farmers market this morning. He's right: this month is the perfect time to enjoy Bing and Rainier cherries at their most succulent, firm, and flavorful. We're in the middle of stone fruit season that bears a bounty of apricots, plums, peaches, and their hybrid fruits all the way through the end of the Summer and into Fall. From salads to salsas and sweet treats, here are 10 of my favorite ways to enjoy the fruit family — aside from eating 'em out of hand, of course.

Yum How To

3 Ways to Revive Leftover Rice

Even 12 hours of refrigeration will dehydrate rice, leaving it tough, dry, and sticky.

Even 12 hours of refrigeration will dehydrate rice, leaving it tough, dry, and sticky. There are a few quick methods of reviving it, so it tastes almost as fluffy and light as the day it was made. No matter what your method of preparation, oil and a little liquid are the keys to helping rice retain its moisture and clump-free texture.

  • Reheat it in the microwave: For every cup of rice, add a few tablespoons of broth or water. Cover the bowl of rice with plastic wrap or another bowl to create a steaming effect as it reheats.
  • Stir-fry it: In a large wok or sauté pan, heat canola or peanut oil on high. Make a fried rice, breaking up the lumps of rice with a wooden spoon so the oil coats the granules evenly.
  • Stove-top steam it: In a sauce pan, add the rice with a few tablespoons of butter and a splash of broth or water. Cover the pan and steam the rice on a low flame. Stir occasionally until the rice is heated thoroughly.
community

Savory Sight: Corn and Manchego Quinoa Salad

We've been smitten with Summer quinoa recipes for a while now, but this one — jam-packed with manchego and corn — looks truly delicious.

We've been smitten with Summer quinoa recipes for a while now, but this one — jam-packed with manchego and corn — looks truly delicious. Thanks to cheeseplease, we have another great variation on this grain of the moment.

Two beloved Summer ingredients, tomatoes and corn, are combined in a healthy quinoa salad. This dish is tied together not only by pretty tricolor quinoa, but by cilantro, lime, and manchego as well — this cheese's buttery texture truly makes it. Make a big batch of this dish and take this for lunch or use it as a dinner side!

For more, check out her recipe, then be sure to share your favorite Summer treats with us in the Savory Sights community group. If you're on Instagram, then don't forget to tag your food photos #savorysight.