Key Lime Cupcake

Mmm citrus. I’ve already blogged about my love of lemons but I also share an intense appreciation for their little green buddies, limes. Since it was St. Patrick’s Day and this recipe crossed my blog roll I thought it would be a nice treat to chef up for a friends birthday party.

I found the post on Real Mom Kitchen who adapted it from Betty Crocker. The English major in me has a real problem with food blogs that often have a loose interpretation of adaption. Where I come from it is pretty much plagiarism. Omitting a step or ingredient really isn’t an adaption; but maybe I’m old school. For me, I’m always going to credit a source as I have yet to start blogging my own recipes. Off of my soapbox and on with the food.

These babies are pretty easy to make and I think that the key lime glaze gives them a tangy burst of flavor and the icing is ah-mazing. The cake portion isn’t traditional cake moist but it doesn’t handicap the overall experience.

Not a killer photo, but it is a killer cupcake.

Key Lime Cupcakes from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

Box lemon cake mix

Box (4-serving size) lime-flavored gelatin

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup Key lime juice

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 or 3 drops green food color, if desired (I used 2 drops)

1 cup powdered sugar

2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons Key lime juice

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan) and line 24 regular-size muffin cups with cupcake liners.

In large bowl, beat the cake mix, gelatin, water, juice, vegetable oil, eggs and food coloring with an electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake at 350 for 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack.

Using a toothpick, pierce tops of cupcakes in several places (about 7 to 8 times per cupcake). In small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and enough of the 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice until glaze is smooth. Brush or spread glaze over cupcakes. Cool for 30 more minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar to beat until frosting is fluffy. Frost cupcakes. Store covered in refrigerator.

I garnished mine with lime halves just before serving per the recommendation of the Real Mom post. Betty Crocker recommends garnishing with lime peel. 

Soupa Toscana

Before it gets too warm outside I thought I’d better get this post out. It is for a yummy and simple Italian soup, Soupa Toscana complete with spicy sausage and kale.

I first had this at my girlfriend’s house. She hosted a soup themed dinner and this was one of the options. I had seconds and asked her for the recipe, which she was gracious to share. If spicy food isn’t your thing go with mild sausage and lighten up on the crushed red pepper, otherwise chef it up and enjoy.

Soupa Toscana

Ingredients:

One-pound sausage (hot)

1 ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Large diced onion

Two boxes of chicken broth, 32-ounce boxes

Four potatoes peeled, sliced thin

One-cup cream

Handful of kale, stems removed and chopped

Directions:

Brown sausage in a large pot adding red pepper, remove from pot and set aside. Sauté onion in olive oil, add broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cream. About five to 10 minutes before serving add sausage and kale. 

Too Predictable to Say I Was Ravenous for the Ravenous Pig?

I was talking to a friend who was bashing Orlando on his way out of town for a business meeting. I had to jump to the city’s defense. Sure, when you think of Orlando one may conjure up thoughts of mad tourists, long lines, screaming kids and often annoying foreigners, but there is also a side to Orlando that the general traveling public fail to see. I recently visited friends who live there and have a beautiful lake home. It was great to sit in their den in “winter” with the doors open and the curtains welcoming a cool, clean breeze.

During that stay they took us to eat at the Ravenous Pig, an American Gastropub. The restaurant is located in lovely Winter Park. Over the course of our dinner the question came up about what a gastropub is. I explained it as taking traditional fare (in this case pub fare) and putting a more creative, modern culinary spin on it. The Pig’s website says, “The gastropub is an idea fresh from across the pond. Start with a traditional pub experience, add a passionate culinary team and pair with an elevated dining experience—and you’ll get fare that is as delicious as it is unique.”

There were so many items on the menu that I wanted to try and after having a late lunch my appetite was lacking. In order to get the most of my dining experience my man-love and I decided to split everything from appetizer, salad, entrée and dessert.

Right off the bat I saw they had house-made Charcuterie and Artisan cheese. It is one of my favorite things so this was a no brainer. Our tasting included picante pimento, orange cardamom, capicola, brescola, oxtail rillettes, garlic pork sausage, pig ear terrine, Cabot, cheddar, VA (ironic), and Vermont creamery, bijou, VT. I’m proud to say I sampled it all, even the pig ear. It was a delicious (the pig not so much), beautiful display.

For the salad we enjoyed the Gatherer, which had baby lettuces, avocado, pickled beets, radish, French feta, pistachios with herb vinaigrette. A pretty amazing salad that is making my mouth water thinking back on it.

For the entrée we had the Stuffed Mississippi Quall with Anson mills polenta, soffrito, spicy fennel sausage and green strawberry relish. Holy cow – good. The only problem here was the two of us trying to split quail. An already small meat portion being served so deliciously that the two of us were vying for more than the other.

Rounding out our meal and continuing the theme from the entrée we enjoyed strawberry shortcake for dessert. It was good but I recall getting out ordered in the dessert department but for the life of me I can’t remember what it was our friends got. That is what I get for waiting so long to blog (life has been busy – what can I say).

If you find yourself in Orlando and want to break free from the chain food monotony PLEASE go check this place out. It was awesome. Be sure to make a reservation because the place was PACKED. Bar seating is first come, first serve but they have a nice size restaurant ready to accommodate.