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  • in Recipes

    Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

    You can make your own buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to milk and letting it stand for about 10 minutes.

    Method

    1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers.
    2 Make the cupcake batter: Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
    Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
    In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring.
    Add a fourth of the dry ingredients and mix, then add a third of the wet. Continue adding in a dry, wet, dry pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
    3 Divide the cupcake batter: Scoop into cupcake papers, about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full.
    4 Bake the cupcakes: Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes of baking to ensure even baking.
    5 Cool the cupcakes: Allow the cupcakes to cool for one minute in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
    6 Make the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese for the frosting together, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the powdered sugar, continually taste to get to desired sweetness. (See Cream Cheese Frosting for full instructions.)
    7 Frost the cupcakes: Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

    Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Got Kitchen Gadgets? Make These 5 No-Stove, No-Oven Dinners

    This month welcome Sara Bir. Sara Bir is the author of two cookbooks, Tasting Ohio and the IACP award-winning The Fruit Forager’s Companion. She also moderates and replies to your comments here on Simply Recipes. Follow her @sausagetarian.
    I love my gadgets and think they earn their keep. Or do they? I have a high-speed blender, a food processor, two Instant Pots, a portable induction burner, a waffle iron, a stand mixer, a sous vide circulator, a food dehydrator, an immersion blender, and…hmm. That’s a lot.
    When was the last time I pureed food in a blender? Or grilled a panini? Okay, so maybe I don’t fire these up daily, but I like having them. It’s always inspiring to spy a cool recipe that reminds me to play with my toys.
    This meal plan gives you a nudge to dust off a few of those nifty appliances you may be neglecting. And if you don’t have an Instant Pot, (or a slow cooker or sous vide machine, don’t worry—all the recipes below offer alternative cooking methods for your trusty old range.
    One last thing: Looking for dinner ideas? You’re in the right spot! We have delicious meal plans to suit every taste and lifestyle—Healthy Eating, Family Favorites, and Vegetarian just to name a few. These one-month plans are $6.95 and, with them, you get a dessert and weekend prep recipe and a shopping list. They’re beautifully designed and perfect to print and save or simply load and cook right from your computer! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Why I Love the OXO Fat Separator

    If you love making meals like short ribs, bone broth, and meat roasts in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot, then you need this fat separator. It’s the best one!

    Welcome to One Simply Terrific Thing, our ongoing series highlighting the small tools and kitchen goods that make life better!

    Separating the fat out of cooking liquids is a kitchen task that I wouldn’t have thought could be streamlined in such a delightful way. But now that I have such a nice fat separator, I’m much more inclined to make dishes that require that step.
    WHAT IS A FAT SEPARATOR? 
    Growing up, and then in my own kitchens as a young adult, I always had a small, very simple fat separator. If you don’t know what I mean by fat separator, it’s basically a clear plastic measuring cup with a pour spout that, with the help of gravity, separates the fat from the rest of the cooking liquid when you’re making a soup, stew, or braise.
    When I was writing my Instant Pot cookbooks I found that I was using my fat separator a lot — so many pressure cooker recipes are for meats that release a lot of fat when cooked, and you need to separate the fat out of the cooking liquid to finish making the sauce.
    With my old-fashioned fat separator, it was very tedious to pour the liquid through a strainer into a bowl or pitcher and then run it through the separator, one cup or so at a time. It made a lot of extra dishes, too. The frustration of repeating that task so many times inspired me to search online for a better fat separator — surely the designs must have improved since I was a kid, right?
    Yep, they sure had.

    OXO MAKES THE BEST FAT SEPARATOR
    The OXO Good Grips Fat Separator is OXO’s most expensive fat separator model, but not outrageously so, priced at $25. It would make a great housewarming gift or holiday present for that friend who is really into making their own bone broth. (I’m sure you know someone in that category, right?)

    I like a lot of things about this fat separator. For one thing, it has a 4-cup capacity, which is very generous, plenty large for one pass when I’m separating out the drippings from a chicken or turkey.
    Another nice design feature is the strainer attachment on top, so there’s no need to strain everything separately into another container first.
    And finally, my favorite innovative feature is the release mechanism, wherein you squeeze the trigger handle to open a silicone valve, pouring the liquid out of the bottom of the fat separator. This method makes it much easier to tell when you’ve strained off all the fat down to that last drop of cooking liquid – way better than traditional fat separators that pour out of a spout.
    My favorites pressure cooker recipes are short ribs, oxtails, pork loin roasts, and beef bone broth. If you like to make these sorts of recipes, do yourself a favor and upgrade your fat separator! You won’t regret it. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Cosmopolitan

    Nothing like a Cosmopolitan! Made with citrus vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup, this easy-to-make cocktail is a favorite for every occasion.

    The Cosmopolitan is a bright, easy-to-make cocktail with a bouquet of lime, orange, lemon, and cranberry. Neon pink, the “Cosmo” revivifies, refreshes, and rightfully earns its place beside the Margarita and Sidecar on your table.

    THE HISTORY OF THE COSMOPOLITAN
    The Cosmopolitan is a vodka daisy, which is a sour made with fresh citrus and a liqueur like curacao. Where its siblings, the Margarita and the Sidecar, play it fairly straight, the Cosmopolitan’s nod to the cranberries of Cape Cod makes it an almost singular pleasure.
    For such a relatively new drink, the Cosmopolitan’s origins have become as often (and hotly) debated as the classics of the late 19th Century. What we can say for sure is that the drink—a standard sour customized with cranberry juice—first found real popularity and recognition in the mid-1980s, just before Absolut Citron would launch and become its signature vodka.
    Neal Murray, Cheryl Cook, Toby Cecchini, and others from South Beach to New York City to Minneapolis to San Francisco all have elaborate stories to support their claims of invention. But we can look back a little further to see the fingerprints of this drink in everything from Ocean Spray promotions from the 1950s through 1970s, to a handful of drinks from the 1930s bearing the same name (one of which featured gin in place of vodka, and raspberry syrup in place of cranberry juice).
    Given its similarity to the combination of vodka, cranberry juice, and lime in the “Cape Codder” or “Harpoon”—both creations of Ocean Spray’s promotions department—that company might have the best claim. But its refinement at the hands of Cheryl Cook, Dale DeGroff, et al, and its posterizing by Sex and the City, made it the standard it is today.

    WHAT IS THE BEST VODKA FOR A COSMO?
    While purists will insist on a lemon-accented citron vodka such as Absolut Citron (and I recommend as much), there are more than a few ways to approach the Cosmopolitan. The citrus accents to the vodka are somewhat key, however, unless you want to add lemon juice on your own.
    Stolichnaya Lemon is a common runner-up, while Absolut Lime would make for a complementary, semi-creative substitute. You’re only advised to avoid overly expensive “sipping” or prestige vodkas, whose more subtle qualities would likely be lost in the sour party that is a Cosmo.
    TRIPLE SEC OR COINTREAU
    While somewhat interchangeable in most recipes, Cointreau is better balanced between bitter and sweet. It’s also typically of higher quality than your average triple sec or other curaçaos, has a better palate, and usually has a better nose. At 40% alcohol (against Triple Sec’s 15% – 30%), Cointreau will also make for a stronger or less-diluted drink, accentuating the orange without sapping the vodka’s quiet strength.
    That said, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, an elegant, dry, bitter recipe crafted by Cognac Ferrand in consultation with cocktail historian David Wondrich and based on a 19th century recipe, would be a clever feather to stick in your Cosmopolitan’s cap.

    100% CRANBERRY JUICE OR CRANBERRY JUICE COCKTAIL?
    The best bet is 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened). Resist the urge to go with a cranberry juice cocktail. Different cranberry cocktails can have a variable amount of sugar, and this would make it far too difficult to balance the drink.
    Fresh, unsweetened cranberry juice is far too tart on its own—but with the perfect measure of simple syrup, it will come across as pleasant, if slightly cheeky, and add exactly the flavor, character, and sourness it was meant to. Also with cranberry juice, you can customize the sweetness and end up with far better color for your trouble.
    If you want to forgo the simple syrup in the recipe, you can substitute Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail for the unsweetened cranberry juice: You’ll still get the necessary sweetness to balance the drink, and have one fewer ingredient to measure out. Not the worst outcome!
    VARIATIONS ON THE COSMOPOLITAN
    Watermelon Cosmo: 1.5 oz vodka, 1 oz triple sec, 0.5 oz fresh lime juice, 2 oz watermelon juice
    Cosmopolitan Strawberry: 2-4 fresh strawberries, 1 oz Cointreau, 0.25 oz fresh lime juice, 2 oz Absolut Citron (citrus vodka). Halve the strawberries (saving one half for garnish) and muddle the others with the Cointreau and lime juice. Add the vodka and ice, and shake well until cold to the touch. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with the reserved strawberry half.
    Rude Cosmopolitan: Substitute tequila for the vodka.
    Brazilian Cosmopolitan: Substitute cachaça for the vodka
    The 1934 Cosmopolitan: A dry gin in place of the vodka, a dash of Raspberry (framboise) sugar syrup in place of the cranberry juice

    MORE CLASSIC COCKTAILS LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Get Excited: Introducing Walmart+

    Free unlimited delivery and everyday low prices on groceries, gadgets, and more! Too good to be true? Thanks to Walmart+, it’s not: dinner is on the table fast this fall with less stress and more ease.

    Print

    Photography Credit: Walmart

    This post is written in partnership with Walmart. 
    The name Walmart is already synonymous with low prices, and today we’re excited to share how free unlimited delivery as soon as same day* can help you get dinner on the table tonight.
    Meet Walmart+, a different kind of membership service that will make your life easier this fall and holiday (and beyond).
    The Same Big Savings You Know and Love
    Because Walmart is the world’s largest retailer, they’re able to consistently offer everyday low prices. And of course that’s a huge draw, but with growing families at home quality is really important to our team, and thankfully that’s never sacrificed for price.

    Free Unlimited Delivery as Soon as Same Day

    Since there are thousands of Walmart stores across the country, chances are you’ve likely got one close to home. And free unlimited delivery for groceries and more can be a real lifesaver for busy parents … or busy anyone.
    Big bonus that you can’t find with other grocery delivery services: Walmart+ also delivers everything from household essentials, healthcare products, electronics and more! 

    Imagine being able to order your groceries and add an Instant Pot to your order. Or perhaps you forgot a birthday gift for your mother in law – it’s easy to tack that on, too. A new book for the kid’s remote learning this fall or some new hand weights for your at-home fitness situation? Done and done.

    No Delays, No Hassle
    You’ve probably been there: you order something from another online retailer and are promised your order will arrive by a certain date and then … it doesn’t. There are any number of reasons for these delays, but thankfully with Walmart+ that’s a thing of the past.
    Because they’re coming from your local store, your items don’t have to travel far to get to you. And with Walmart+ you have the option of selecting a one hour window for your delivery, so you don’t have to spend hours waiting for it to arrive.

    So, How Much Does it Cost?
    Good news! An annual Walmart+ membership is just $12.95/month or $98/year. In addition to the savings, quality and convenience there are other benefits, too: membership prices on fuel (save 5 cents per gallon at most Walmart and Murphy’s stores) and mobile scan & go, allowing you to check out with your phone to make in-store shopping fast, easy and contact-free!

    It’s easy to sign up today, and they’re offering a 15-day free trial, so now’s a great time to give it a spin!
    *See membership details. $35 minimum order. Restrictions apply. 

    This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    12 Apple Recipes to Satisfy Your Fall Baking Needs

    I look forward to apple season all year long and baking definitely tops my list of reasons why.
    Apples bake into so many lovely recipes that add a touch of comfort and coziness to the season. Spiced applesauce simmering on the stove is such a treat on a blustery fall day and Apple Turnovers ensure everyone in my house shows up for breakfast. Let’s not forget the joy of biting into a crisp, juicy apple, especially when coated in warm caramel.
    Let’s dive into fall with all the best apple recipes to make when the weather turns chilly but your house is warm and cozy.
    Wondering which apple variety is best for the baking project you have in mind? Check out our Fall Guide to the Best Baking Apples for information on the best apple varieties for baking. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Drink

    Episode 164 – Kleos Mastiha with Effie Panagopoulos

    One last thing: we drop the word organoleptic in this episode, and I wanted to back up and make sure you know what we mean when we say that. Fittingly, this word has Greek origins: a fusion of the words Organon – meaning “organ” – and leptikos – meaning “disposed to take.” Put those two root words together and we get a word that refers to our sensory organs’ ability to perceive (in the case of Mastiha) flavor and aroma qualities. This word also refers to the potency of certain substances. So when Effie and I are talking about precisely the best way to extract flavor from mastic resin or the downstream effects of consuming the product, that’s where you’re going to hear that word “organoleptic” come into play.
    With that, please sit back and enjoy this fascinating conversation with everyone’s favorite Greek Spirits Muse, Effie Panagopoulos.
    SHOW NOTES
    Effie Panagopoulos initially perforated the spirits industry amidst her four-year stint at Boston College. Cocktailing at a dive bar “Mary Anne’s,” which Effie affectionately nicknamed “Scary Anne’s,” and a beer/cordial bar, she found her start. Graduating from bartender to supplier, Effie landed a gig with Bacardi in 2004 and moved to San Francisco. At the time, SF was forefront in cocktail culture. The city was full of cocktail snobbery and esoteric booze; the perfect city to get your feet wet. 
    In the summer of 2008, Effie was recruited by Rémy Cointreau to become a national brand ambassador for METAXA, the largest greek spirit brand in the world. METAXA brought her back to her roots in Greece, reigniting her love affair with the old country. Mykonos reintroduced Effie to the unique taste of Mastiha, a liquor derived from tree resin which can only be found in 24 villages across Greece. She recognized the flavor profile immediately from Ypovrichio, a greek dessert Effie ate as a child. Inspiration hit and she decided to bring Mastiha to the United States as the brand we know and love today, the “bartender’s olive oil,” KLEOS. 
    As a PDO, a protected designation of origin ingredient, Mastiha is required by law to be sourced and bottled in Greece. Through intense trial and error with issues from consistency to viscosity, Effie worked with Greek distilleries to perfect the KLEOS recipe. As the first greek female to create a liquor brand, Effie found it apropos to team up with the first greek female distiller to produce her spirit. KLEOS undergoes double distillation through two forms of Mastiha. The first round, raw resin, allows for the extraction of flavor and aroma compounds while the second round, essential oil, rectifies the spirit to ensure there is no variance. This laborious process is worth it, however, as KLEOS has been rated the highest Mastiha globally with 5+ stars from the English spirits industry writer and publisher Simon Difford, and 94 points in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. 
    Effie recognized that America does not have enough of an aperitif and digestif drinking culture for KLEOS to survive on its own. The challenge, which she dominated with an incredible vigor, was to create a Mastiha good enough to drink on the rocks, but also simple enough to be used as a workhorse for the bar. KLEOS is perfectly that; everything a bartender, spirit fanatic, and cocktail enthusiast could want and more.
    Drinks to Make:
    Signature cocktail for KLEOS is the KLEO-PATRA JONES. The recipe is right on the bottle. Effie also riffed off this drink to make the BIG IN JAPAN – KLEOS, Shiso, and Lemon.
    How to get your hands on KLEOS Mastiha:
    United States – Greek Wines Delivered – Ships to Alaska, California, DC, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Virginia, and Wyoming.
    International – The Whiskey Exchange, Master of Malt, Amazon.co.uk
    LIGHTNING ROUND
    Favorite Cocktail
    I’m going to go with a KLEOS Mezcal 50/50 with a pink grapefruit wedge. I’m not a loyalist when it comes to Mezcal, but I do love Del Maguey Chichicapa and my friends over at El Silencio.
    If You Were a Cocktail Ingredient, What Would You Be?
    Angostura bitters because it’s essential.
    Cocktail with Anyone, Past or Present
    Socrates in the Ancient Agora in Athens. It would be my KLEOS Mezcal 50/50, and I would want to hear him pontificate on philosophy. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Classic Patty Melt

    Switch up your burger game and make a patty melt for dinner (or lunch) this week. Layer caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, and a perfectly thin burger patty between two slices of toasted bread for the BEST HOMEMADE patty melt ever! This recipe serves two, but you can easily scale it up or down.

    When I go to a diner, I almost always order a classic patty melt. There are a few variations on this sandwich, but the version I made here is what I consider the most authentic diner-worthy version.
    A good, classic patty melt has a crispy crunchy bread, melted cheese, a thin beef patty, and salty and slightly sweet onions. It’s a perfect flavor and texture combo!
    It’s a hearty sandwich, for sure, and is pure comfort food in my opinion.
    It’s one of those sandwiches that I don’t really consider making at home very often, but then when I do make it I ask myself why I don’t make it more often?! It’s just absolutely delicious and the perfect mix of a grilled cheese and a good burger.

    WHAT IS A PATTY MELT?
    In its most basic form, a patty melt is a thin beef patty cooked between two pieces of toasted bread with cheese and onions. I suppose the onions are optional, but I consider them pretty important to a true patty melt experience.

    WHAT MAKES A GOOD PATTY MELT?
    You might think it’s the beef patty that makes a good patty melt. It’s important, for sure—otherwise, you’d just have a grilled cheese. But it’s the caramelized onions that make a patty melt special.
    To make caramelized onions, you have to cook them slowly until the sugars breakdown causing the onions to brown and the sweetness to intensify. I like to add a splash of apple cider vinegar to my onions to help brighten the flavor.
    This deep onion sweetness gives a patty melt a crave-worthy complex flavor. Without them, you would basically have a cheeseburger on toast but the onions add a delicious sweet and tangy layer.
    If you make extra caramelized onions you can freeze the cooked onions in ice cube trays and save them for another day. This way the next time a patty melt craving strikes, you will already have the caramelized onions ready saving you valuable time.
    HOW TO MAKE A PATTY MELT
    For a simple sandwich, the cook time might seem like a long time, but it’s worth it! You cook a patty melt in three phases. First, the onions. As I said, they take some time—25 minutes on the low end, but it might take longer, and you could definitely cook them down more.
    After the onions are cooked, you make and cook the patties. This goes pretty quickly because the patties are very thin. If you wanted to speed up the cooking process (and dirty an extra skillet) you can absolutely cook the patties while the onions are caramelizing.
    Finally, you sandwich everything together and grill the sandwich in the skillet!

    WHAT IS THE BEST BREAD FOR A PATTY MELT?
    Personally, I like simple sandwich bread for my patty melts. Nothing fancy! I just use standard white or wheat sandwich bread and the results are wonderful. Don’t overthink it!
    SWAPS, SUBSTITUTIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS
    You can go crazy with substitutions here. Personally, I’d keep the onions no matter what, but you could add vegetables like mushrooms or peppers.
    You can also change up the cheese to your liking, although swiss or provolone is pretty standard, and it’s hard to go wrong with them.
    My only suggestion for this sandwich is to take your time. Don’t make it if you are rushed for a meal. It’s a relaxed sandwich for when you have the time to make a good comfort food meal.

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH A PATTY MELT?
    A beer.
    No, but seriously, it’s really good with a cold beer! Other than the beer, I like to serve it with bright, acidic or vinegar-based side dishes since it’s such a rich sandwich. Try pickles, pickled vegetables, Greek salad, green bean salad, or maybe an olive salad.
    MORE GREAT GROUND BEEF RECIPES! LEGGI TUTTO