Cooking & Conversation: May 2013

Happy 25th Birthday !

Memorial Day was my daughter-in-law, Liz's, birthday. We celebrated the day before by going to a fun lunch at Texas Roadhouse. We had a lot of fun, and tried to keep the embarrassment down to a minimum. You will know what I am referring to when you see the posts of the birthday pictures. All in fun. I baked some birthday cakes for the occasion. And, they were baked in a jar. That is my new favorite thing! They are really simple as I used a box cake mix. They look festive and are so fun to eat!

To start, prepare a box cake mix according to directions on package.

Gather ingredients.

Blend cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl until moistened.
Beat with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

Scoop batter into prepared canning jars
that have been sprayed with non-stick vegetable cooking spray.
I used 2 different sizes, 4 oz. and 8 oz. jars.

Bake at 350 degrees. I poured some water in the bottom of the sheet pan
so the jars would not get too hot and break.
The 4 oz. jars baked for 20 minutes,
the 8 oz. jars for 26 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

I filled the cupcakes with a creamy filling similar to Hostess cupcakes.

This is a little tutorial on how to fill the cupcakes with a creamy filling.

For the filling:

1 cup marshmallow creme

1/4 cup oleo or margarine

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Gather the ingredients.

Mix together until creamy.

Cut out the center of the cupcakes.
I used an apple corer, but use any gadget you have on hand.

Put the cream filling into a plastic bag and cut the corner of the bag.
Pipe it into the center of the cupcake.

Repeat until all are filled.

Then frost with your favorite frosting. I used a container of frosting
and put it in a plastic bag to pipe into the jars.

It's a birthday!, so top with sprinkles.

Then pop the canning lids on top until ready to serve.

Start to add the toppings, I added Cool Whip, maraschino cherries,
a dollop of peppermint ice cream, and a birthday candle.

Happy Birthday, Liz!

Celebrating at Texas Roadhouse.

Yee Haw!

Happy 25th!

Mexican food is one of my favorites and with Cinco de Mayo here, I wanted to try this delicious taco dip...in a jar. This delicious dip has beef, guacamole, taco seasoning and refried beans. It is a dish that is not only fun to make, but also fun to eat. You can make them ahead, so they are ready to serve as an appetizer to your hungry guests. Grab a bag of your favorite tortilla chips and you are ready to munch away while your other favorite Mexican dishes are finishing up.

Taco Dip in a Jar!

History of Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of the Battle of Puebla and is not Mexico's independence day like it widely thought. The Battle of Puebla took place when France was trying to invade Mexico and Napoleon's 6500 men came against 4000 Mexican men in a bloody battle. Mexico won and that is why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo today.

Puebla celebrates Cinco de Mayo with fiestas, dancing, decorations and food. Women dress in brightly colored dresses, and men wear authentic western clothing to commemorate the holiday. There are parades, Mariachi bands and people dancing in the streets. Cinco de Mayo is a truly a fiesta grande in Puebla and many other Mexican states celebrate it as well, but not to the degree of Puebla.

Cinco de Mayo Food
Cinco de Mayo is also widely celebrated in the United States and many food and drink companies use the holiday to promote their products. Cinco de Mayo parties are held and the party goers enjoy many traditional Mexican foods such as tamales, guacamole, or chips and salsa.

(from mexicanfood.about.com)