Domestic Tuesdays

A while back, a reader commented that I should post some of the recipes I like to make, and I thought "HAAAA!". You see, while I adore cooking and baking and even just making a sandwich to bring to work the next day, I would hardly say I'm skilled at those things, or at least not skilled enough to offer anyone else advice or tutorials. But, ya know, I'm not bad...and what I lack in ability I make up for in determination, and I'm nothing if not inventive.

Most of my recipes are variations of those I find on food blogs and cookbooks. Also, I rarely step foot in supermarkets, as one thing I absolutely hate is being blatantly advertised to. Don't confuse that with me being a yuppie; I almost never buy organic, at least not on purpose, hate farmer's markets, and clipping coupons is one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday. Most everything I buy comes from Trader Joe's or the ethnic market down the street from my house.

I cook within my means, both capability and financially speaking, and I'm slowly but surely gaining confidence. When a now-ex boyfriend once burnt the every-loving hell out of scrambled eggs (which I make with ease), I thought "huh". When people go apeshit when I bring rice krispie treats to a get-together (which seriously take minutes to prepare), I'm surprised. I make the best damn chili in the world, but it's embarrassingly simple to make. I guess I'd be a good role model when it comes to demonstrating that cooking yummy, affordable, accessible food is incredibly easy. So with that in mind, I've decided to start Domestic Tuesdays, where I'll post a recipe that I've made and loved, or tried and failed and then tried again, and post photos and commentary along with it.

If you're looking for expert tips and beautiful photos, try Smitten Kitchen, Use Real Butter, or Yogurtsoda (all of whom I plan on stealing recipes from...with credit, of course). If you want to know how to impress a date with a thinly veiled Rachel Ray recipe, how five ingredients totalling under $10 can feed you for the week, or how to turn boxed cake mix into beautiful cupcakes, you've come to the right place.

Lets start with that last one. I keep a couple boxes of cake mix hidden in my cupboard at all times. Although I usually make the frosting myself, I don't really see boxed mix as cheating, as all it consists of is pre-measured dry ingredients...think of it as a shortcut. Of course, I'm not quick to offer up this fact when my friends are praising me for my yummy cupcakes. "What they don't know...", right? So last week when I found myself invited to a last minute potluck to watch the season premier of Lost, I was happy to have a box of carrot cake mix on hand.

The problem, though, was that when I'm in a hurry, I always end up making the BIGGEST mess.

That's melted butter that I dropped into my dish drainer.

Powdered sugar and batter EVERYWHERE.

The best thing to do in these cooking situations, which I find myself in a lot, is to keep calm and act like a normal, mature adult:

Also, it's important to utilize Zen breathing techniques to calm down:

After almost crying, coming This Close to flaking on the potluck, having to put my hair in a ponytail because I didn't have time to shower, and almost having a panic attack, the cupcakes turned out okay in the end. Not best I've ever made, but better than the time I used olive oil in place of vegetable oil back when I was a rookie. I ran into a snag when I realized the only honey I had for the honey-cinnamon frosting was lavender honey, so the cupcakes ended up with a bit of a potpourri flavor.

Notice how I grated a carrot on top to make them look more home-made? That's called "camouflage".

Honey-Cinnamon Frosting - I like to add a pinch of nutmeg to this, and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top of the cupcakes when I've finished frosting them. I've used this frosting for both carrot and spice cupcakes, and it worked well on both. Enjoy!

I should have a new camera by next week, so the photos will look prettier (although I can't promise the subject will be any more attractive). If you have a suggestion for a recipe, something you've always wanted to cook but can't figure out, let me know in the comments and I'll give it a go.