Chicken Pot Pie

Posted on November 11, 2009 by Annie


Chicken pot pie is a food that I have only ever had as a frozen food.  I always liked them as a kid, but it has been a long time since I have had one.  Now that we’re well into the comfort food months I thought it sounded like a perfect thing to try at home.  I knew they would be good, but oh.my.gosh.  I thought this dinner was pretty unbelievable.  The filling is fantastic – creamy and thick without being too heavy, and full of lots of chicken and yummy veggies.  I think what really blew me away was the crust on top.  It was perfectly golden and flaky, and taken together all these elements combined to create a truly wonderful meal.

I like that this version uses individual serving dishes rather than making one giant pie as some recipes do.  It certainly makes for easier portioning and better presentation.  As you might imagine, these do take some time to prepare but I think they are completely worth the effort.  The use of a store-bought rotisserie chicken helps to cut down prep time significantly, so you can focus on cooking the filling and making the crust.  The recipe does make a lot of food (6-8 pies, depending on the size of dishes you use) and though you may be tempted to cut down the quantity as I was, I suggest you go ahead and make the full recipe anyway.  After all, if you are going to take the time to make these, you might as well get the most of your efforts.  The finished pies can be frozen after baking, and then simply rewarmed in the oven at 350° F for 30 minutes.

Chicken Pot Pies
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Ingredients:
For the filling:
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large russett potato, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 purchased rotisserie chicken
1-2 cups frozen peas and carrots

For the sauce:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2½ cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream (optional)
Dash of hot sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the crust:
16 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
10 oz. cream cheese, chilled
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 large egg

Directions:
To make the filling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and potato to the pan, and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Mix in the garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms, and cook for about 15 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender.  While the vegetables are cooking, remove the skin from the chicken, pull the meat off the bones and shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Once the vegetables are finished cooking, turn off the heat and mix in the chicken and the frozen peas and carrots.  Stir in the red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add the flour and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in the chicken broth and cook over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup.  Mix in the cream (if using), the hot sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour the cream sauce over the chicken and veggie mixture and stir to combine well.  Spoon the mixture into 6-8 individual oven-safe dishes (such as ramekins).

Preheat the oven to 375° F.  To make the crust, cut the butter into 16 pieces.  In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the butter and flour until crumbly.  Add the cream cheese, salt and pepper.  Continue pulsing just until the dough forms a ball.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.  Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness.  Cut out dough rounds to be about 1½ inches larger than the diameter of your pot pie dishes.  Lay the dough rounds on top of the individual dishes.  Beat the egg with a whisk, and brush the tops of the dough rounds lightly with the beaten egg.

Place the pot pie dishes on a baking sheet for easy transfer in and out of the oven.  Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Ezra Pound Cake, originally from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

Filed under: Chicken, Main Dish | 15 Comments »

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Annie


It’s that time of year again when pumpkin spice anything sounds good to me.  Usually it’s some sort of pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bar or even pumpkin ice cream…but with pancakes, I can bring my addiction into breakfast time :)   These are a perfect fall breakfast and a great way to use up any half-cans of pumpkin leftover from your other baking endeavors.  Sprinkling the tops with cinnamon sugar and adding just a drizzle of syrup is all these need in the way of topping.  I bet they would also be great with some cinnamon whipped cream.  They would definitely be a big hit at a small brunch, but just keep in mind that you don’t want to spend too much time standing over the stove cooking instead of entertaining guests.

Just wait to see later this week what I did with my left over cinnamon-sugar.  Oh, it is goooood.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
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Ingredients:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of ground cloves
1 cup milk
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tbsp. vegetable oil or melted butter

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and spices and stir with a fork to combine.  Mix together the milk, pumpkin puree, egg and oil or butter in a liquid measuring cup.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combine.  (The batter may still have a few lumps – that is okay.)

Preheat the oven to 200° F.  Have an oven safe plate or serving dish ready.  Heat a greased skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Once the skillet is hot, add a 1/3 cup scoop of batter to the pan.  Let cool until bubbles begin to form on the top surface.  Carefully flip with a spatula and cook the second side until golden brown, a couple minutes more.  Transfer the cooked pancake to the oven safe dish, and place in the oven to keep warm.  Repeat with the rest of the batter until it has all been cooked, regreasing the pan as needed.  Serve with cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, and/or whipped cream.

Source: adapted from Joy the Baker, originally from Martha Stewart

Filed under: Breakfast, Pumpkin, Waffles & Pancakes | 27 Comments »

Shrimp Fried Rice

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Annie
Shrimp fried rice has been my standard order when we have Chinese food for as long as I remember.  Oh, every once in a while I switch it up with chicken and broccoli or something else, but this is my default favorite.  In college there was a wonderfully cheap restaurant just down the block that had great shrimp fried rice and I probably had it once a week.  Of course, with that (tsk, tsk) styrofoam container came a lot of grease as well.  I’m thrilled to have learned to make this dish at home!  No wasteful take-out containers and no pool of grease…and wouldn’t you know it, it was even better than take-out.  Even Andrew loved it.  Who knew a 16-month old would be gobbling up shrimp fried rice?!  As much fun as it was to make all his baby food, we’re very happy to have him eating table food now, and we’re thrilled that he is not a picky eater.

A few quick tips regarding the recipe – first and foremost, it is very important to use previously cooked, leftover rice.  If you use freshly cooked rice you will end up with a gloppy mess.  Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking, because things move quickly once you get going.  Also, use high heat to cook the ingredients, but avoid constantly poking and prodding at the food as it cooks.  The various ingredients need decent contact with the pan to allow them to cook appropriately.

 

And on a slightly related note, since the baby food recipes have ceased for the time being, here is a picture of my not-so-little foodie just because I think it’s been too long :)

Shrimp Fried Rice
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Ingredients:
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil, divided
3 eggs, beaten
2 stalks green onions, minced
4 cups leftover rice
¾ cup frozen peas and carrots, defrosted
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Few drops sesame oil

Directions:
In  a medium mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, salt, pepper and cornstarch, and toss well to coat the shrimp.  Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat.  When a drop of water immediately sizzles and evaporates, the pan is hot enough to add 1 tablespoon of the oil.  Swirl to coat the pan well.

Add the shrimp to the hot pan and quickly spread them out so that they are in a single layer, and all touching the pan surface.  (You may need to do this in two batches to ensure even cooking.)  Let them cook untouched for 30 seconds, then flip over (tongs work well for this) and let cook for 30 more seconds, so that the shrimp are about 80% cooked through.  Remove to a plate and set aside.

Lower the heat on the pan to medium.  Add the eggs to the pan and stir quickly, to break up and scramble the eggs.  When the eggs are almost cooked through but still slightly runny in the middle, remove from the pan to the same plate as the shrimp.

Use paper towels to wipe the pan clean and return the pan to high heat.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling to coat.  Once the oil is very hot, add the green onions to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.  Add the rice to the pan and mix well to combine with the green onions.  Spread the rice out evenly over the pan and let cook without stirring, until you hear the rice grains sizzle, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Toss the rice a bit with your spatula, and again spread it out over the cooking surface.

Drizzle the soy sauce all over the rice, and toss again.  Add the peas and carrots, the cooked shrimp and eggs, and the sesame oil to the pan.  Toss to combine all the ingredients well with the rice.  Let everything heat back up again until the rice grains are sizzling again.  Add additional soy sauce to taste, if needed.  Serve.

Source: adapted from Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen via Simply Recipes

Filed under: Main Dish, Seafood | 16 Comments »

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Annie


I can’t imagine it will take much for me to convince you of how wonderful these cupcakes are.  First of all, there’s the obvious – that ever-winning combo of chocolate and peanut butter.  The cake is a wonderfully dense chocolate cake with a thick creamy batter that bakes up beautifully.  The filling is essentially a buckeye candy without the chocolate coating.  And the frosting – ooooh, the frosting.  It is to die for.  It will now be my standard peanut butter frosting.  The peanut butter flavor is intense, and the texture is silky smooth.  These were (not surprisingly) very, very popular with the coworkers.

I do wish the peanut butter balls inside the cupcakes had been a little less dense – next time I may try adding a bit more butter or a little less powdered sugar.  I also needed to make extra filling balls because the original quantity was not enough for me to fill all the cupcakes.  I’ve indicated my changes below.  I say it’s better to end up with a few extra than not have enough.  You could even make them into buckeyes – that is, if your husband doesn’t wander in to the kitchen and polish them off ;)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
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Ingredients:
For the filling:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the cake:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
½ cup creamy peanut butter
3¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

To make the filling, combine the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.  Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (at least 24) and set aside on a baking sheet.

To make the cake batter, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk together and set aside.  In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, milk and vanilla extract.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.  With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated.

Spoon a tablespoon or two of batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  Place a ball of the peanut butter filling in each cupcake well and top with the remaining batter so that all the cups are filled.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth and well blended.  Mix in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Source: adapted from Proceed with Caution, originally from Good Housekeeping

Filed under: Chocolate, Cupcakes, Dessert | 30 Comments »

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Annie

It seems I’ve come a long way since I started blogging.  It used to be that I was very nervous to deviate from a recipe at all.  Omitting a half teaspoon of an ingredient?  I don’t know, it seems risky.  Haha!  Now after making a meal like this, I look back and see how far I have come.  I have always loved broccoli cheddar soup and was eager to try making it at home.  I happened to see a great photo of it on another blog, so I bought all the ingredients listed.  Only after I had started prepping dinner did I realize that everything about the methods of that recipe seemed off to me.  After reading through it multiple times, I decided to just throw out the recipe and come up with my own based on the ingredients I had around.

I am pleased to report it was a definite success, and apparently all this cooking and blogging I have done has taught me a thing or two.  This soup is just what I was hoping for – a nice thick, creamy soup with equal parts broccoli and cheddar flavor.  I added a dash of cayenne to the pot at the last minute, and Ben and I both really enjoyed the hint of spiciness it provided.  The only thing I’ll change next time will be to use shredded or matchstick carrots.  I just diced them up this time around because the food processor was dirty.  You can leave the soup chunky or puree it with an immersion blender for a smoother texture.  I went for a slightly pureed version, so it was mostly smooth but still had some chunks of vegetables.  A bowl of this soup with a honey yeast roll makes for a fabulous cold weather meal!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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Ingredients:
6 tbsp. butter, divided
¾ cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped or shredded
4 cups small broccoli florets
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ tsp. onion salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Add the onion to the pan and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the carrots to the pan and cook a couple minutes more.  Stir in the broccoli, chicken broth, onion salt and garlic powder.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt remaining butter.  Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, whisking constantly.  Whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 5 minutes.  Once the mixture has thickened, whisk in the cheese until completely melted.  Remove from the heat and add the cheese sauce to the soup pot.  Allow to simmer until warmed through and broccoli is tender.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  If desired, puree the soup with an immersion blender for a smooth texture.

Source: Annie’s Eats original

Filed under: Main Dish, Soups & Stews | 19 Comments »

Herb-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Creamy Orzo

Posted on November 4, 2009 by Annie

If this recipe looks at all familiar, it’s because I have posted it on my blog once before nearly a year ago.  I finally decided to take down the old post and create a whole new one for this recipe for a couple of reasons. I make this meal often and have changed the way I prepare it a bit, so I have reflected those changes in this updated version to make this recipe more clearly written and with a better final product.  Also, the old picture was simply terrible (as many of my old photos are) and since this is truly a favorite meal, I thought it deserved a more appealing shot.

So, why do I love this dish so much?  Because it’s delicious, it’s an easy one pan meal (well, plus a pan to cook the pasta), and did I mention it’s delicious?  I mean, what’s not to love about a dish that has pasta, veggies, chicken and cheese all in one place?  Sign me up!  Herbes de Provence is a wonderful spice blend to have in your pantry, but if you don’t happen to have it and don’t want to buy it, you can easily create your own with other spices you are likely to have on hand.  Just do a Google search and you’ll find some estimates of what to mix together as a suitable sub.  I’ve done this many times, and it always works out just fine.  Enjoy!

Herb-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Creamy Orzo
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Ingredients:
8 oz. orzo pasta, uncooked
2 chicken breasts, butterflied into halves (4 pieces total)
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 cups broccoli florets
½ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil.  Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.  Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

Season both sides of the chicken breast halves with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle evenly with the Herbes de Provence.  Heat the olive oil in a 12- or 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken breast halves to the pan and cook about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallot to the pan and sauté 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute, until fragrant.  Add the diced tomatoes with juices and the broccoli florets to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer over medium-low.  Cover and let cook until the broccoli florets are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the cooked orzo, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.  Mix until well blended and the cheese has melted.   If necessary, add some of the reserved pasta water to smooth out the sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Smells Like Home, who adapted it from Food Network

Filed under: Chicken, Main Dish, Pasta | 16 Comments »

Snickerdoodle Scones

Posted on November 3, 2009 by Annie

Baked goods for breakfast are one thing I never seem to tire of, and I’m always looking for new variations to try.  It seems so many versions contain either fruit or some sort of chips mixed in and while I certainly enjoy those as well, I was very excited to try these because they seemed a bit out of the ordinary.  Not only that, but they are like a giant snickerdoodle cookie that I can eat for breakfast because it’s called a scone – sign me up!  They bake up with a really nice tender texture, and the cinnamon sugar topping makes them warm and comforting somehow.  One of these combined with a small plate of fresh fruit was a great way to start out the day.  Ben actually declared them, “The best scones you have ever made.”  Once I reminded him of some past favorites, he wavered – but still, they were a hit.  These would surely be a welcome addition at any holiday brunches you might host or attend (and that time is rapidly approaching – yay!)

Can’t get enough scones?  Try these other favorites:
Cranberry Scones
Cheddar Dill Scones
Chocolate Chip Scones
Pumpkin Scones
Strawberry Yogurt Scones

Snickerdoodle Scones
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Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
¼ tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup whole milk or heavy cream
1½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
¼ cup sugar
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; stir together with a fork.  Add the cold butter to the flour mixture and cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or two knives, until the mixture is crumbly and the largest butter pieces are the size of peas.

Combine the milk and vanilla in a measuring cup.  Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir together with a fork just until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.  If necessary, knead the mixture just a few times by hand to bring the dough together.  Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and form a large round disc about 8-9 inches in diameter.  In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping.  Sprinkle generously over the top of the dough round (you will not need to use all of the topping.)  Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool on the pan, then slice into 6-8 wedges for serving.

Source: adapted from Baking Bites

Filed under: Breakfast, Muffins & Scones | 12 Comments »

Mocha Brownie Cupcakes

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Annie

Lots of people like coffee, lots of people like cupcakes – why not combine the two?  These were another birthday treat for a coworker who just happens to be a bit of a coffee addict.  I have made white chocolate mocha cupcakes before which were great, but they seemed a bit girly for this dude and I wanted a more intense coffee flavor.  The base consists of a fudgy brownie flavored with coffee liqueur and espresso powder.  The cupcakes are nicely complimented by the mocha buttercream on top, and if you can find them I think chocolate-covered espresso beans are the perfect garnish for these treats.  I really, really liked these and will definitely make them again.  Mmmm, I can smell that coffee now just thinking about them….

Need more coffee?  Try these recipes:
Coffee Ice Cream
Chocolate Espresso Semifreddo
White Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes
Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Mocha Brownie Cupcakes
Printer-Friendly Version

Yield: about 22 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
11 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. espresso powder
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
½ cup coffee liqueur

For the frosting:
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. instant coffee granules
2 tsp. hot coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  Combine the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat until completely melted, stirring until smooth.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  In the meantime combine the flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and stir together with a fork to combine.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs and sugar and beat on medium speed until light.  Stir in the chocolate mixture and the coffee liqueur until well combined.  Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until combined.  Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full.  Bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs.  Allow to cool in the pans about 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar on low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and light, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the coffee granules, hot coffee and vanilla extract until completely incorporated.  Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes, and top with chocolate-covered espresso beans if desired.

Source: adapted from Tofu and Cupcakes, cupcakes originally from The Lady & Sons, Too!, frosting originally from 500 Cupcakes

Filed under: Chocolate, Cupcakes, Dessert | 13 Comments »

Brain with Blood Clot Cupcakes

Posted on October 30, 2009 by Annie

I can say without a doubt that is definitely the grossest title for a blog update I have ever written. And these are probably the ickiest treat I have ever made (or do you think the eyeball cupcakes win?) But really, that’s the fun of Halloween! I’ve been wanting to make these since last Halloween but of course, there never seems to be an appropriate occasion for such confections.  Even as a physician, I was never quite sure if my colleagues would find it funny or just creepy and gross so I held off. (Wouldn’t they be funny for our neuropathologists, though?!)  Finally Halloween is here and my opportunity has arrived!

These are simple enough to make, and you can really use whatever recipes you like for cake, frosting and filling – only the method is important.  Bake whatever cupcakes you wish – I used Dorie’s Perfect Party Cake – hope she doesn’t mind :) .  I decided to use canned cherry pie filling for the blood clot and though I had intended to puree it, I thought the cherries would give it a more clotted look (haha!)  I suppose you could puree it and call it a hemorrhagic stroke.  I used my usual vanilla buttercream for the icing, and colored it with very small amounts of red, brown and black to achieve that cerebral cortex color.   Then just squiggle on top to get the effect of the gyri and sulci of the brain.  (I cannot tell you how much it pains me that these are not even remotely anatomically correct, but it would have been impossible.)  To help get the look of a brain, try to decorate in two halves to give the look of hemispheres, try to give it a domed shape, and make the sides as symmetrical as possible.

I also made a few with vessels using red decorating gel, but I’m not sure I like it as well.   To me it kind of looks like subarachnoid hemorrhage – but I’m sure that’s just me, and normal people wouldn’t think about such bizarre things.  Happy Halloween, everyone!

Source: inspired by Not Quite Nigella , originally from Hey There, Cupcake!

Filed under: Cupcakes, Dessert | 43 Comments »

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Posted on October 29, 2009 by Annie

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I look for any occasion to decorate with royal icing.  I’ve been looking forward to making Halloween sugar cookies since I learned how to use royal icing, but my baking schedule has been fairly hectic lately and I didn’t think I would get around to it.  Then a friend asked if she could order some cookies for her Halloween party – the perfect excuse!

Halloween is such a fun and festive time with all its creepy creatures, there are practically limitless possibilities for decorating.  I had tons of ideas but obviously did not have the time to employ them all, so I’ll just have to save some of them for next year.  The spiderwebs are my absolute favorites.  I had been planning on making those all year long, but had only thought of doing them in boring black and white.  Then Bridget’s blog inspired me to add a pop of color and it really took these cookies up a notch.  I love them!

The pumpkins were an obvious choice to brighten up the color palette and also because I happened to have a pumpkin cookie cutter at home.  I was a bit skeptical after cutting out the pumpkin shapes (they just looked like a lumpy circle) but decorating made all the difference.

To be perfectly honest, I had no idea if I would be able to pull off the skull and crossbones cookies, but I was happy with how they turned out.  This is definitely a case where I was really glad I had practiced sketching out the skulls before icing so that I knew exactly how to make them look the way I wanted.  (I have some pretty funny sticky notes on my desk at work now that are probably making my coworkers wonder if I have issues.)

The “Boo!” and “Eek!” cookies were a last minute idea, but I thought they rounded out the cookie groups well.  This is a good example of how a regular cookie cutter can become something more festive with just a little creativity.

Every time I use royal icing, I learn a few more tips about how to do a better job.  This time, my tips are more logistical:

  • I cannot stress enough how much it helps to plan out your cookies in advance by making a sketch, as well as a list of icing colors you will need.
  • Be sure the drawings you have made are feasible for translation into icing.  It’s easy enough to draw something with a pen, but another matter entirely when using a piping bag.  Keep that in mind and don’t get too fancy with your designs unless you have a very fine tip ready (and lots of time!)
  • This time, I made all of my icing colors at once and it made the entire decorating process go much more smoothly because I didn’t have to stop in between and color more icing.
  • I have had questions from several readers who have had issues with tiny bubbles in their royal icing.  This is a common problem with an easy fix.  The bubbles are created by the air that is incorporated into the icing while you stir it for thinning purposes.  After thinning, cover and let the icing sit about 10 minutes before use.  Most of the air bubbles will have risen to the top and can be eliminated with a quick stir of the icing.

For all my previous posts with more tips on sugar cookies and royal icing, see these posts:
Christmas Cookies
Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Valentine’s Cookies
Onesie Cookies
Andrew’s First Birthday Party
Wedding Sugar Cookies
Home, Sweet Home Cookies

Filed under: Cookies, Dessert | 55 Comments »

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