Icebox Cupcakes

How pretty are these cupcakes?   I made these for a co-workers birthday tomorrow.  She said each year for her birthday her mom makes her a homemade 4-layer chocolate cake, with raspberry preserves between each layer, iced with real whip cream and topped with fresh raspberries.  I wanted to make something similar in a cupcake form and thought Smitten Kitchen's  icebox cupcakes would be a great substitute.  So I can't take much credit for the recipe, just adding the raspberry on top. I have made an icebox cake before and the cupcakes are just as easy.  Especially now that I have established Heinen's as a reliable source for Nabisco's chocolate wafer cookies.  

Once you have the chocolate wafer cookies, these are as simple as whipping some heavy cream with a teaspoon of sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract until the cream stiffens enough to form peaks.  Then just layer the cookies with the whip cream, top with a raspberry, place in a cupcake tin and refrigerate over night.  It doesn't get much easier than that.  The cookies soften to form a cake-like consistency, no baking required!

Pumpkin Carving

I have two pumpkins sitting in front of the house left over from Halloween.  About a week ago I came home to find one of the fatty squirrels that live around our yard sitting on top of one of them and he had taken a chunk out of the side.  Everyday I have come home to find the chunk out of the pumpkin has grown and turned into a hole and has now turned into this:

I didn't even know squirrels liked pumpkins, but apparently the fatty squirrel in my yard LOVES pumpkin.  Or maybe he is collecting pumpkin for his Thanksgiving dinner.  Either way, this pumpkin looks scarier than anything I could have carved.  

What a day.  This morning we went downtown for the Pigskin Classic at Blind Pig for the Ohio State Michigan game.  Chris ran a 5k while Jen, Brooke, Kelly and I attended the Snuggiefest Tailgate.  So cozy!!  The collegiate snuggies are even softer than the originals.  And you know I love drinking in a snuggie.  The Buckeyes of course won and we had a great afternoon!

After a good two hour nap, Chris and I cleaned up and met Sarah (Ruby) and Nick at L'Albatros for dinner.  It. was. so. good.  Sarah I started with three cheeses.  The waiter talked us through the whole cheese plate, probably 15 different cheeses, and I don't know how he remembered all the cheese info.  We went with a goat cheese, a semi-hard manchego, and a truffle cheese.  Mmmm, I love cheese...  For dinner, I tried their vegetarian root vegetable cassoulet with goat cheese, Chris had the beef bourguignon, Sarah had the mussels, and Nick had the croque monsieur.  The food was awesome, the wait staff very attentive with the water (we really needed it, see above), and nice overall atmosphere.  And here is the best part - its really well priced.   I would say this food is some of the best value in the area.    So cross #2 off the list.  Oh and this cassoulet blew Lure's out of the water and it didn't even have any meat in it.  So if you are as curious about cassoulet as I am, I suggest you head to L'Albatros very soon to try it!

I love Eugene

I made the mistake of sitting down at Harry Buffalo tonight and proclaiming that "I love Eugene".  Which got me some funny looks cuz my friend Gene was sitting across from me (next to his lovely wife Mary).  But while I am very fond of Gene, I was actually referring to my new Home Depot kitchen designer.  Most of our kitchen cabinets were purchased from the Kraftmaid outlet, the pantry piece came from Craig's List, and the base mixer stand (that I am really pumped for) was ordered from Home Depot.  And after getting some quotes, I was surprised to find that Home Depot was our cheapest option for cabinet installation.  

So Eugene has been helping us schedule the official kitchen measurement and has also assisted with some tweaking of the floor plan and design.  I get so inspired and excited every time I go to the HD to talk to him.  Eugene is not only a very helpful designer, but he is also super friendly.  Every time I talk to him he says, "say hello to Chris for me".  Which is extra cute cuz he has a bushy mustache and an accent.  He's the best.  So now you know while I am going around proclaiming my love for Eugene.

I am also in the market for countertops and a new range.  I'm saying prayers for a Black Friday miracle on the LG range I want:

The Little Potato

How cute was yesterday's post?  Katie is a natural blogger.  She's my little sister so obviously we lived together for the first 20 or so years of life, but living together now is a little different - post-college "adults" and minus the rest of the family.  I really like it and not just cuz she will blog and make popcorn for me.  So because I love lists, here is my top 5 reasons I'm glad to be living with Katie again.

5. Espresso.  She has an espresso maker and she taught me to use it.  And on the weekends she makes me lattes.

4.  Cleaning.  She cleans the house on the weekends and says it is "satisfying".  amen.

3.  Entertainment Weekly.  She has a subscription and she is ON TOP of pop culture.  She makes sure I don't miss anything.

2.  Needle Point.  She makes funny needle point sayings:

nice housewarming gift

1.  TV Club.  She has the same taste in tv and we have a serious tv schedule that we stick to.  Hours of DVR time, couch lounging, Olive cuddling and popcorn eating going on over here.  And I love it.  

Come and Get Your Popcorn

Here at Food'n'Such, I'm all about variety (hence the n'such).  That's why I've decided to offer you a variety of popcorn recipes in two days. That's also why I decided to let my sister, Katie, guest blog. She's our family's popcorn expert...sometimes you have to call in the big guns. You are in good hands, I promise.

Hello, this is Katie. For those of you who don't know me, let me start with what I am not. I am not a chef. I am not a baker. I am, however, great at pouring wine. Does that count??

So, when Molly asked me to write on her blog I was secretly hoping that I'd be asked to cover the "n'such". Not the case. Apparently, I do make a mean caramel popcorn. It's definitely my go-to for parties and gifts. So, I'm hoping others do not swipe this recipe only to give it back to me for Christmas...

I feel that it is important to note that this recipe is straight from a church cookbook. God-fearing women do many things well but they are especially adept at whipping up guilt-ridden treats. Scroll down and you'll soon understand...anything with this much butter does not come guilt-free.

Caramel Corn

1 1/2 c unpopped popcorn

1/2 lb butter or margarine

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 c Karo or white corn syrup

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

First, pop the popcorn. I use an air popper when I make this recipe but I imagine you could use microwavable popcorn. Just make sure it's plain. This recipe makes A LOT of popcorn so do not be alarmed when you have three bowls of plain popcorn sitting on your counter. Set aside popcorn in large pan(s). I use two roasting pans- like I said earlier, this recipe makes a crazy amount of popcorn and I mean that in the best way possible.

In a medium sized pot, heat butter, brown sugar and white corn syrup. Bring to a boil  for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove pot from heat and stir in soda, salt, and vanilla. You'll notice a change in color and consistency while stirring. The caramel mixture will become a much lighter brown and almost fluffy in consistency. Pour the caramel mixture over popcorn in the large pans and mix well, spreading the caramel evenly over the popcorn.

Once its completely coated, place the pans in a 250 degree oven for 40 min stirring every 10 minutes. This will ensure that your popcorn comes out perfectly coated and evenly baked. Remove from the oven and move popcorn into a large brown paper bag or several large plastic bags. I like using ziploc bags because they are easy to shake up and will keep your popcorn fresh without moving it from one container to another. 

Trust me this caramel corn is worth the effort! It was even requested by one of Food'n'Such's faithful readers. 

Ok. So maybe you don't have 40 minutes of your life to dedicate to making caramel corn? Or, are you are so hungry at this moment that you need a quick fix- FAST?! I find myself in this predicament often. In these cases, I whip up a batch of kettle corn. It's super quick, super simple and requires 4 kitchen staples. Love it!

Kettle Corn

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

1/2 cup peanut oil (This is really important. The peanut oil heats to the right temperature and allows the sweetness to come through. Other oils get distracting. The first time I tried this recipe, I used a mixture of sesame oil and olive oil- it was like gnawing on burnt sesame bagels.)

salt

In a large pot heat peanut oil over med-high heat with 3-4 popcorn kernels. You'll know the oil is ready once the kernels have popped. In the meantime, combine the sugar and unpopped kernels together. This will help to better coat the kernels while popping. Once your oil is ready, add the sugar and kernel mixture and shake it like a polaroid picture. Make sure that the sugar and popcorn are spread evenly throughout the pan to keep the sugar from burning. Cover the pot and continue to shake. Listen until most of the kernels have popped and remove from heat. 

At this point you could do a number of things to add salt. I prefer to pour the popcorn into a bowl and then add it. The original recipe suggests a large brown paper bag. Or hell, you can add it while you eat. Just make it salty. You cannot have kettle corn without the dynamics of sweet vs. salty. Its a fact. Ask The Church Lady. Or Kate Gosselin...

Sweet & Spicy

I am a big fan of the sweet & spicy combo.  Whether it is Jeni's Spicy Thai Chili ice cream (yes you read that right. Intrigued? Click here for Cleveland Foodie's interview with creator of the fabulous ice cream line and here to find out where it is available in Cleveland) or Lily's Chocolates signature Heather (in honor of Heather Haviland of Lucky's Cafe and my local fave - the Vine and Bean Cafe) filled with spicy cayenne pepper, a dash of Madagascar Vanilla Bean and surrounded by yummy dark chocolate.  So when I saw this article in the NY Times combining this winning flavor combination and my favorite food, I knew it would made tonight.  

It just so happened I had already planned a dinner for this week that also fit the bill.  It is a healthy grilled cheese recipe from Ellie Krieger that doesn't use fakey fake weird fat free cheese.  It uses real ingredients and while it isn't exactly what you ate as a kid or what you would get at Melt, this is still a very satisfying sandwich for 350 calories.

Spicy Caramel Popcorn

Nonstick cooking spray

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt.

1. Lightly coat two large, heatproof rubber spatulas and a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared bowl, removing any unpopped kernels.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper.

4. Have two large baking sheets ready. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, 10 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking-soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up).

5. Immediately pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn. Working quickly and carefully, use the prepared spatulas to toss the caramel and popcorn together, as if you were tossing a salad, until the popcorn is well coated.

6. Spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets and quickly separate them into small pieces while still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 4 quarts.

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 large red onion, finely diced

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces sharp Cheddar, thinly sliced, divided

8 slices whole-wheat bread

3 ounces pepper Jack cheese, thinly sliced, divided

1 large or 2 medium beefsteak or hothouse tomatoes, sliced

Cooking spray

Directions

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lower heat to medium. Add onions and saute, stirring, until edges are browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Place 3/4-ounce Cheddar on 1 slice bread. Spread 1 tablespoon caramelized onions on top of cheese and top with 3/4-ounce pepper Jack. Top with 1 large or 2 medium slices tomato and other slice of bread. Repeat with 3 other sandwiches.

Spray a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and heat until hot. Place sandwich on griddle and weigh down with a heavy skillet or plate. Lower heat to medium-low and grill until underside is a deep brown but not burnt and cheese is partially melted, about 5 to 6 minutes. Flip sandwich and grill other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Slice in half and serve hot.