Halloween dessert or horrible accident?

I was working on some Halloween desserts the other afternoon when I was jolted by a loud cluck-cluck-scream coming from the living room.  I dropped everything and ran as fast as I could (which isn't all that fast just in case you were wondering) but nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Mr. Rusty mauling his beloved Mr. Chicken.

Rusty was standing over Mr. Chicken who was ripped to shreds, blood everywhere.  I leaned down to check for a pulse but couldn't find one.  My first thought was to call 911 and get Mr. Chicken an ambulance to the vet, but then I realized I have plenty of medical knowledge in my back pocket and why was I going to waste all that money on proper veterinary care when I could probably just fix him myself.

I was sure Mr. Chickens' heart wasn't beating so I decided maybe I could remove the afflicted heart and do a quick repair job.  I searched high and low for the proper sterilized tools for the job.

I finally settled on a sharp paring knife to do the job.  I didn't have any anesthesia to quell his shrieks, so I smacked him across the beak and told him, "Buck up Cluck and quit being such a Chicken." I started by going in through the wing, and lifted the skin over the breastbone (all the while cautious to not disrupt the wishbone) and went through the rib bones and removed the heart.  It was indeed not beating and starting to deteriorate quickly.

I was in a complete panic at this point.  I was going to lose the patient pronto if I didn't do something fast. Then it hit me, "Duh, I've seen Pulp Fiction, I need adrenaline stat."  I searched the cupboards for adrenaline but seemed to be fresh out.  Then I spotted a neglected box of pistachio pudding and whipped it up as fast as I could.  I filled the nearest syringe I could find (a kids medicine syringe) full of the makeshift heart starter.

Plunged that sucker in as fast as I could and waited.  Then I kind of got sidetracked because I remembered I was going to throw a pork roast in the oven, oh and I wanted to make some rosemary mashed potatoes.

A couple hours later when I realized I had forgot my surgery patient on the table I went back to ascertain the situation.  That is when I had to call it. My apologies were given to the family, but I'm sorry this guy was cooked.

Don't think this story has a sad ending though.  Mr. Rusty still loves Mr. Chicken and carries around his sad heartless carcass where ever he goes.

These now grotesque looking hearts started out their journey as cute, delicious red velvet hearts.  I used a half recipe of this red velvet cupcake recipe and used a heart shaped whoopie pan. If you don't want a special pan you could bake the cake in a small pan and cut the hearts out with a cookie cutter.

Swirl a coat of Wilton pink candy melt coating (melted on half-power in the microwave) with a spoon on the hearts.  After the coating is hardened, pipe veins on the heart with additional candy coating using a disposable piping bag.  Then when the coating is dry use a clean paintbrush barely dabbed in food coloring (blue and purple) and brush in the recesses.  Gruesome never tasted so good.  *Oh by the way, just in case you were wondering, yes they did taste exactly like chicken.

I hope all of you know by now how much the Queen loves Halloween.  I'm having a party here for the kids soon and I figured I will share with all of you what the little gremlins can expect to see here.

I have been locked away in my kitchen laboratory the last few days and I have quite a few wicked treats coming your way.

Gina

Little Shop of Cake Pop Horrors & Meeting Bakerella

Yay, I finally get to tell you about my little Halloween project.  I was invited to Foodbuzz headquarters to bring Halloween themed cake pops for a little contest with Bakerella.  How could I pass up an opportunity like that?

After I said yes, I quickly realized I had never made cake pops before and panic starting setting in. Not only was I a pop newbie, but the "Queen of Cake Pops" would be judging me.  I spent a couple hours on her site reading all her tips.  I realized there just might be a little bit more to these cute pops than I thought.

My first batch fell off the sticks when I went to dip them, oops.  Second batch, I had issues getting the melts the right consistency.  I guess it's true that the third time is a charm, because these ones I felt were worthy of setting before the "Queen of Cake Pops".

I was joined by some fellow Bay Area bloggers and got to see their wonderful creations, Eat, Live, Run, Bonnibella, and Eat, Drink and Just Be!  All fantastic writers and fellow pop stars too.  The Federated Media staff made some amazing ones too.

"Three Blind Mice, the Queen cut off their tails with a Bloody Butcher Knife."

My secret weapon for these came from Sarah-Jane of Silicone Moulds, I won a giveaway she was having a couple of weeks ago.  This mould worked perfectly for my evil intentions.  Pack a small amount of the cake pop mixture into the mice and refrigerate until hard, and then turn the mould inside out to release.  Thank you again for the moulds, cookbook and thermometer you sent, I have a few other ideas for using them.

"This is what happens when you criticize your wife's meatloaf."  

The knives are pretty scary, huh?  They are made from miniature Swedish fish and cut to the shape of a knife and sprayed with Duff's silver food color spray and the handle is painted with black gel paste food color using a small brush.  I wasn't sure if I'd have enough of these left to use, they kept disappearing off my counter.  To make inserting the knife easier after dipping the cake ball in the candy coating, use a lollipop stick and poke a 1/2" deep hole into the uncoated cake ball where you would like the knife to go.

I used Red Velvet Cake and cream cheese icing on the inside of the darker colored ones.  I found it works better if you use white cake for the lighter color candy melts, so I used a vanilla-orange cake inside of the white ones.  All you do is add enough frosting to the cake to moisten it and so that it loosely sticks together, then you can shape it from there.

I used Wilton candy melts, thinned with a little bit of vegetable oil to get a smoother coating.

My friend Jennifer suggested I make Devils, I think these ended up looking a bit angelic though.

These were molded by hand, sugar google eyes were added on after the coating was set and additional melted candy coating was piped on.  For adding extra shape to the pops, make a round ball then take little bits of the cake mixture and add it on where you want projection.

"I thought the sign said Barber, not Butcher!"

Start with a round cake ball, dip it in white candy coating and let firm up.  Melt pink candy coating and place in a piping bag, draw a circle around the middle top third and then fill in messily with the pink.  When dry, glue on eyes, mouth (confetti sprinkle) and small candy nose.  Food color markers were used for the veins, but I wasn't having much luck with the markers.  Angie gave me a good tip I will try next time, I think I was pressing too hard.

How to glue:  Use a toothpick and dip it in melted candy coating and add it to the back of whatever you want to attach and hold it in place for a few seconds.

For piping:  I used a disposable piping bag and cut the smallest amount possible off the end.

"Happy Hellraising!"

Start with a round pop and break angel hair pasta noodles into 1/4" lengths and insert into face of pop. Dip whole thing in white candy melts.  Once set, attach eyes (sprinkles), draw face with black food color marker and spray with Duff silver food color spray and hopefully scare all the kids on the block.

To display the my winning (hint, hint) cake pops, cut a piece of styrofoam to fit snugly into a container, cut a rough shape of black fabric and tuck it inside to cover the foam.  All you have to do is put the cake pops in and you have a really cute display.  The count's coffin was purchased at the craft store too.

The FMer's winning cake pops, are these too cute for words or what?  They were all so cute, I bet it was a hard decision for Angie to make.

Angie, her Mom, the other bloggers and FM staff were so delightful, I just want to say thank you to them for the experience.  

Enjoy,

Gina

Red Velvet Cupcakes - Dorm Room Approved!

I think I may have a new job - Dorm Room Mom!  The girls loved all the food I brought them so much; I've been invited back to cook for them again.  I love it - I didn't even have to beg and plead for a visit with my daughter, she was the one who called me with her request list.  On her list were red velvet cupcakes, something I've made for her many times. 

They didn't even wait till after dinner to dig into these, her roommate Madeline was so cute, she said, "I want one with the most frosting"!  It made me so happy to see them so interested in food; they wanted to know where did I get the cupcake wrappers (Michaels) and what were the red sprinkles on top (edible glitter from Michaels or a well stocked grocery store).

Red Velvet Cupcakes

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

3 tbsp. cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup of milk + 1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 oz. red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.



In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar, beat until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time and mix well. Add cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking soda and mix until starting to combine.  Add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract and red food coloring, mix slowly until completely combined.  Divide batter into (2) muffin pans lined with 24 wrappers. 

Bake for 14-16 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Icing

6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tbsp. heavy cream or milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

To the mixer add cream cheese and beat until smooth, then add butter and beat until smooth, scraping down sides.  Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, mix until smooth and will spread easily.  I like to use a piping bag with a star tip (Wilton 1M) a butter knife or frosting spatula works too.  These were garnished with edible glitter from the craft store.  Store cupcakes in the fridge and set out 10 minutes or so prior to serving, they will keep on the counter if it's not too warm.

Can you all do me a big favor and go check in on my dear friend Becky, she is still new to blogging and having a hard time due to the fact she is in pain.  I know she would love it if everyone was checking up on her.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Gina