Today's Patriotic Recipes

Today's patriotic recipes include: Baked by Melissa's American Popper & my very own berry lemonade sangria!

Having your friends and family over for a barbecue? Give your traditional lemonade a patriotic edge with my berry lemonade sangria! 

Ingredients:

6 lemons

2 packages of raspberries

1 package of blueberries

3 bottles of white wine (I prefer champagne)

Instructions:

Juice lemons and berries into a bowl. Strain three times and pour into pitcher. Mix wine into pitcher and garnish with lemon slices and berries. (Serves about 12) Enjoy! 

I stopped by Baked by Melissa yesterday and ordered their Fourth of July cupcake, American Popper. As soon as I bit into the cupcake, it literally was exploding with flavor. 

I recommend you stop by and try one for yourself. Be warned the candy topping will shock your tongue! For the more domestic individuals like myself, make this cupcake yourself with the recipe below! 

Ingredients: 

Cake:

2 large eggs

1 3/4 cups (175 grams) sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar, divided

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Red & Blue dye

Butter Frosting:

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons milk or light cream

Candy Topping:

White chocolate

Pop Rocks

Instructions:

Candy Topping:
Melt white chocolate in a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water until it has a smooth consistency. Don't take your eyes off the bowl and be sure to be constantly stirring or you may end up burning your chocolate (Ewww!). Once your chocolate is completely melted, pour it onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle your pop rocks on top! Place the cookie sheet  in the fridge so the chocolate will get nice and firm.

Cupcake:
While eggs are still cold separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes).

In a mixing bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add 3/4 cup (150 grams) of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract. Then, with the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 grams) of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then fold in the remaining whites until combined. Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate.

Separate batter into three bowls. Keep one bowl white, dye the second red, and dye the third blue. Fill cupcake cups by using a spoon full of batter from each of the three bowls. Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting
While the cupcakes are cooling, in an electric mixer cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and top with a piece of the chocolate Pop Rock candy! Enjoy!

Music: This Week's Playlist

Beach Boys- "Surfing USA"

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis- "Can't Hold Us"

The Guess Who- "American Woman"

Justin Timerlake- "Summer Love"

Chuck Berry- "Back in the USA"

Katy Perry- "California Gurls"

Steppenwolf- "Born to be Wild"

Foo Fighters- "Hero"

Miley Cyrus- "Party in the USA"

Elvis Presley- "An American Trilogy"

Bruce Springsteen- "Born in the USA"

Inspiration: Independence Day

From sun bathing on the beach to backyard barbecues, the 4th of July has to be one of my favorite days of the summer. Independence day to me is not only about celebrating this country's existence, but to spend time with my friends and family.

Stay tuned for more 4th of July inspired posts this week!

I'm Back!

Hello Readers,

After being on hiatus for almost a year, I have decided to resume my writing. Since last year, I have graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology and continued working in online marketing. I'm currently working with OSP Group to further their social media presence and have been enjoying it immensely.

I started this blog in 2012 with the intention to inspire myself and others to become more cultured and involved with our surroundings. I've always focused on my main interests, such as: fashion, home decor, art, literature, and food. I intend to maintain these topics, but I would also like to expand to other topics along this journey.

Feel free to contact me with any suggestions or simple words of encouragement!


Best,
Nicolette Rivera

Inspiration: Labor Day (A.K.A.) National Lori Mundell Day

Cupcake Du Jour: S'mores

This delicious beauty is Magnolia Bakery's S'mores cupcake that has been one of their top sellers this past month. The perfect combination of a moist graham cracker cake and gooey marshmallow chocolate swirled topping is sure to make you feel nostalgic for those glorious summer nights. 

Once you let your taste buds try this heavenly cupcake, use the recipe below to make it yourself!

Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcake Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

Sift 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.

Place graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

Place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping.

Place 2 teaspoons chocolate in each muffin cup. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining chocolate and graham cracker mixture.

Return to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.


Marshmallow Chocolate Swirl Frosting Ingredients:

8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-2oz of dark chocolate

Directions:
Bring water in a double boiler to a simmer (a metal bowl on top of a pot works too). Break chocolate into pieces and place in the top of a double boiler. (Don't let any water get in the chocolate). Stir constantly until evenly melted. Set aside to cool.


Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined.

Immediately spoon the marshmallow frosting into the left side and the melted chocolate in the right side of the piping bag. The result should be a swirl of marshmallow frosting and melted chocolate on each cupcake.


Enjoy!

Inspiration: End of Summer

Summer 2012 is unfortunately almost over and Fall 2012 is quickly approaching. The next two weeks will be my last effort to experience as much NYC summer festivities as I can.

 I hope you will do the same!