Since then I’ve tackled a few more batches, but more so I’ve been reading a lot, trying to absorb some tricks of the trade and get an idea of basic methods. Some bloggers I’m most intrigued with lately are: Food in Jars, Tigress in a Jam and Modern Beet.

This year citrus has rained upon me. One gift was a dozen blood oranges. Inspired by the Can Jam going on over at Tigress, I started researching recipes and flavor combinations. Orange and rosemary stood out the most to me. It was a flavor combination that appeared to have variety and depth without going into the sweet savory category.

I am new to canning so many things are new to me. Newly learned:

• Pectin isn’t a necessary ingredient
• Using the cold plate method to determine if jam has set
• Observing the boiling bubbles to determine if the jam has set

I loosely followed Modern Beet’s listed below:

Blood Orange Marmalade with Rosemary

Adapted from The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld

2.5 lbs blood oranges

2 large meyer lemons

6 cups cold water

8 cups sugar

6 6-in sprigs rosemary, wrapped in a single layer of cheesecloth and tied with twine

Special Equipment:

6 pints worth of canning jars (I used three pint jars plus 6 half-pint jars), and corresponding two piece lids

2 large pots

Thoroughly wash oranges and lemons. Slice in half vertically, place cut side down, then slice into thin (1/16th inch) half moons. Remove seeds as you come across them. Place slices in a large pot and cover with the water. Let soak at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. (This releases the pectin and softens the rind)

The next day, bring the pot to a boil and boil steadily for 30 minutes. Stir in the sugar and rosemary bundle and cook at a steady boil until the mixture has softly gelled (To check this, put a small plate in the freezer to chill. Once the plate is cold, drop about 1/2 t of the jelly onto the plate and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 minutes. Remove the plate from the refrigerator and push the top of the jelly with your finger; if it wrinkles, it is ready; if it stays smooth, then continue to boil). Note: keep an eye on the pot so that it does not boil over

Meanwhile, sterilize the jars by placing them in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Sterilize the lids and bands by dropping them into the boiling water for the last two minutes of the boiling. Remove from heat, but leave jars and lids in water until ready to use. Then, remove from water and drain.

Remove rosemary bundle from marmalade. Ladle the hot marmalade into the canning jars, filling about 1/4 inch from the top. Place lids on top of jars and screw bands on until finger tight. Flip jars over onto a clean towel and allow to cool undisturbed. When the jars have cooled, check that each has sealed properly (there should be no give in the center portion of the lid). If any jars did not seal, place in the refrigerator. The sealed jars will keep for many months.

(Note: you may need to sterilize the jars in batches unless you have a very large pot. To do this, boil as many jars as will fit in the pot. Remove, and place in a sink full of very hot water until ready to use. Repeat until you’ve sterilized all of the jars and lids)

via Blood Orange Marmalade with a Hint of Rosemary | Modern Beet.

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It was when we were riding home that she pointed out a rainbow captured in a cloud. I wish I was able to caputure the brilliance of the colors. We commented about how facinating it was that a rainbow just right there, no rainbow tails, it was neatly captured right there. The cloud looked just like a bird to me or maybe a fish.

I hope I have many more bike rides where I get a change to observe wonderful moments like this one.

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So, I did know what having four ripe bananas meant for her, she wanted to make banana bread. But I think we’ve evolved since then, and I suggested we make banana cupcakes with caramel frosting.

Of course, of course there’s a recipe for Banana Pecan Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream in the Martha Stewart Cupcake book. Ever wonder what’s in buttercream frosting?

Yeah, lots and lots of butter. This recipe of cupcakes yielded 28 exactly as the book instructed. We made the full recipe of buttercream and had about 1 cup left over.

Caramel Buttercream

Makes about 4 cups

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy cream
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Bring 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, undisturbed, until caramel is dark amber. Remove from heat, and slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Let cool.
2. Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Place whites and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
4. Remove from heat, and attach bowl to a mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add beaten butter, cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla.
5. Switch to paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add caramel, and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. We found that in Arizona you need to put the bowl with the frosting in it an ice bath or the frosting will separate. Use immediately, or cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)

Martha Stewart Cupcake Challenge 8/175

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Pretty soon we’ll have breezes that feel like you’ve turned on a hair dryer and pointed it straight at your face and night time temperatures that don’t  dip below triple digits. And when all your phone conversations to home have some sort of comment about the Arizona dry heat.

My summer cooking regiment in Arizona is an odd mix of “mix it in” salads and cupcakes. Salads because they’re cool and refreshing and cupcakes, because summer is the time of year when I feel most confined to the house. I celebrated one of the last heat tolerable nights of the Spring by making a Black Bean and Tropical Fruit Salsa.

Black Bean and Tropical Fruit Salsa

1 can drained and rinsed black beans
1 cup of yellow corn
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1 cup diced fresh mango
3 T finely diced purple onion
2 T finely diced jalapenos
2 cups diced tomatoes
1/2 chopped cilantro
3 T fresh lime juice
Season with garlic, salt and pepper to taste

Mix in a bowl and give it an hour in the fridge so the flavors can mix.

This “salsa” ate more like a spiced up black bean salad although that didn’t stop me from using a chip as my preferred delivery device.

Other mix in salads on this blog:

Confetti Salad
Quinoa Salad
Black Bean Couscous Salad

Other salad recipes:

Black Bean Confetti Salad at Smitten Kitchen
Confetti Pasta Salad at Good-bye Martha

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This is the biggest lemon I’ve ever seen. I’ve actually not used it yet, because it’s so perfectly large. I’ve used every other lemon, but this morning I found a recipe for lemon shortbread cookies that I think are worthy of this perfect specimen.

This week I revisited a cupcake combination I’ve used before: Lemons and Raspberries. This lemon cake recipe is from Rachael Ray. It’s loaded with butter and lemon and when it bakes the butter and lemon caramelize and make a crunchy top.

I messed up on this batch of frosting. I hastily made a cream cheese frosting mainly because I had the ingredients on hand. I thought a heavier frosting could stand up to this cake recipe simply because there was so much butter already in the cake recipe. In retrospect, perhaps a fruit whipped cream would have been a better compliment.

And for the record, these lemons were a gift.

Other Citrus Cupcakes on This Blog:
Delux Lemon-Raspberry Cupcakes with Pomegranate
Sangria Cupcakes
Black and White Cupcakes

Other Citrus Cupcakes on the Web:
Jessica’s Lemon Lemon Cupcakes
Red, White and Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes

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The reason I became a runner is because I was athletic, but not coordinated and running required no: hand eye coordination, no equipment and most importantly no contact.

This bike thing was going to be, let’s say a stretch.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t totally aware of the differences between a FRONT break and a BACK break and the ramifications of engaging the WRONG one when going downhill. Let’s cut this story short and just say, I ate asphalt. Literally.

Fast forward 15 years and I’ve learned that if I keep it simple, bike riding and I actually get along. I’ve got a simple cruiser, 3 gears and my break is old school pedal. And I’ve friends who tolerate my cruising, when they have fancy (aka faster sleeker) bikes.

On this trip we headed out from basically downtown Chandler to downtown Gilbert. Joe of Joe’s BBQ and his wife have opened another downtown Gilbert eatery; Liberty Market. I’m not going to venture and say I love the East Valley yet, but I will say with gems like Liberty Market, Urban Tea Loft, Sushi Eye and Cork. Life is becoming more tolerable.

My progression with bike riding:

My first bike ride to the Grocery Store
Exploring Chandler AZ
Riding my bike to work
Exploring on my bike

Biking friends:

EricaLucci.com
ChrisMadeThis.com
FlyingGalindo.com

Yelp reviews:

Liberty Market
Urban Tea Loft
Sushi Eye
Cork

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I get really shy.

I don’t receive compliments well and I know that I don’t give them because I’m afraid I’ll receive them. AND then I would be so freaking uncomfortable.

For example, I got busted this past week when a friend opened my glove box in my car. I had at least 10 thinking of you, get well soon cards, all composed and not mailed. I *think* about my family and friends all the time, but I don’t always demonstrate it.

That needs to change. Really.

So (my favorite transition word), this week I’m going to actually write cards for my peeps and I’m going to actually mail them. To help me get started, I got a whole book of stamps.

I’m also equipped with my new crafting goods from Stamp Works I’m ready to go.

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We haven’t really stopped since our trip to San Francisco last weekend, so this weekend I’m purposely trying to take it slow. Friday we met Mel, RJ and crew at Postino’s for a late birthday celebration and had a night cap at Chelsea Kitchen. Saturday, Hubby had golfing and I booked a manicure at the Wigwam. A Red Door Spa just opened there and I have a preferred membership, so I get nice discounts and stuff. It was a drive, over 35 miles. I got there about 4 hours before my appointment to layout by their pool, use the gym, get hydrated in the steam room. That night we met Vic and Bec out for dinner at the Rookery (sp?). The front dining room is under construction, but they’re still serving full dinners downstairs. If you have a loved one addicted to their mobile, this is the place to go, no cell coverage in the basement. Today, I went to the Orange Table in Old Town for breakfast (more on that later, it’s so good) and I’ve been cooking and nesting around the house the rest of the day. Oh to the right here is a picture of Bica, he looked just too cute here. She’s very photogenic, like her mama.

The crew came over for the game and I cooked a Mexican Roast Beef from a recipe I found in this month’s Better Homes & Garden (see I can be productive at the spa). In the beef broth just mix in equal portions of coffee grounds, cocoa, cumin, and chili powder. I added some potatoes and onions, turned on the crock and 6 hours later, we had a fantastic dinner.

While cruizing the Internet, I found some articles on Donna Hay or guess you’re supposed to say Hay Hay Donna Hay Day when you make one of her recipes. I found her magazine later while at the grocery store, so I thought, why not? I picked up Volume 27 which was the Cupcake Couture issue- ooh-la-la! I decided to make her vanilla bean mini cupcakes with a divinity icing I’ve made before.

Hope y’all have a great week!

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