Quests & Challenges

@jaxstronomy [b]Username:[/b] MarinaQuakenbush [b]Entry Title:[/b] Super Charged Lemon Cupcakes [b]Entry Category:[/b] Dessert [b]Entry Photo:[/b][img]http://i.imgur.com/T6Y46uM.jpg[/img] [b]Description with Recipe:[/b] So I thought about what a Lightning themed beach potluck/party would look like, especially in terms of flavor profile and colors. Lightning colors reminds me of white, yellow, teal, and black. To get the spark of lightning, what better than lemons with their sour zing. With these in mind, I decided to make a lemon cupcake with lemon buttercream. To get the teal color in, I used a Wilton 1M tip with a two-tone technique and colored them with natural food coloring. These cupcakes are all vegan, I modified them from my [u]Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World[/u] cookbook which I highly recommend as the cupcakes usually taste better than non-vegan ones and I'm not even vegan! I also modified the Lemon Buttercream recipe because the texture wasn't right and I wanted more of a lemon pop. [b]Lemon Cupcake [/b]- modified from Golden Vanilla Cupcakes 1 cup soy milk 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 1/4 cup flour 2 Tbsp cornstarch 3/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup canola oil 3/4 cup sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 tsp lemon extract zest of 1 lemon 1. Preheat oven to 350F and line cupcake pan. 2. Combine the soy milk & vinegar and set aside so it curdles. 3. Beat soy milk, oil, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract in a large bowl. 4. Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pour it into the wet bowl. 5. After the mixture is well combined, add lemon zest. 6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3-3/4 full and bake for 20 mins. [b]Lemon Buttercream[/b] - modified from Lemon Buttercream 1/4 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 cup softened margarine 3 cups powdered sugar fresh squeezed juice of 1 lemon - strain to get out the seeds/pulp 1. Cream shortening and margarine until homogenous with a beater. 2. Alternate adding powdered sugar (~1/2 cups at a time) and some lemon juice. 3. Beat for 3 mins until smooth and fluffy. 4. For two-toned piping - get the food coloring and line the inside of a piping bag. Add the buttercream and pipe in a swirl :) BONUS PHOTOS [img]http://i.imgur.com/iGJlqA3.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/5JBRRI1.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/DnKj2PU.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/EyQF126.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/m0W8Eu5.jpg[/img]

@Ithric Thank you for your entry! I'm not a peanut butter fan, unfortunately - I'll have to pass along that recipe to my partner, who eats my share of the peanut butter and more. (he's also the one who does most of the baking these days, I'm a lazy cook.)

@wolfiso - Thank you for your entry as well - that looks delicious! Can you define "berry goop" for me? I'm not familiar and would like to know how to make it myself.

@Shellhead - I would love to see a ridiculous dessert from you!

Also since you haven't posted in a while and asked for a ping - @M00nKnight @Niathria @Dandydots

Recipes look great so far and I'm hoping for more!

Username: Niathria
Entry title: Slow-cooked BBQ meatballs
Entry Catagory: Entree/Snack

This is actually a nice set and forget kind of cooking ;) Not only good for the beach but summer cookouts as well :3 I could eat these almost every meal they are SO good!
Oh and I forgot to mention; it is only 3 ingredients :3



Ingredients:

1 (32-ounce) bag frozen fully cooked meatballs (about 50)
1 (18-ounce) jar grape jelly (Welsh's Grape Jelly)
1 (18-ounce) BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's normal sauce is what I used)

Directions:

Combine the grape jelly and BBQ sauce in a small bowl or in the base of your slow cooker. Add meatballs and stir until they are coated with the sauce. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours.
Enjoy as an appetizer or serve over rice for a main dish. (We put ours in steak rolls as little subs.)

To half this recipe, use 25 meatballs, 1 cup grape jelly and 1 cup BBQ sauce.

@Jaxstronomy Berry Goop is what happens when this one sends the permanent golden-ring-bound roommate to the store for groceries and they return with a jar. They meant to be helpful, they know this one enjoys baking. They also do not have a coherent concept of what it takes to fill a pie. The jar is labelled "Oregon Triple Berry Fruit Filling" and recommends being used to fill doughnuts. As I was not interested in allowing the invasion of the deep-fat fryer to occupy my counter-space for a week, nor did I wish to discourage he one who shoves the covers off the bed from being helpful, I improvised. I knew that somehow, there would be pie.

[center][img]https://m.popkey.co/b3fe01/Rw8MG.gif[/img] So many tasty recipes! Can't wait to try them all![/center]

Yes! I'm eyeing that crab toast for tonight's dinner, and I want to try making the lemon cupcakes and the whipped-cream/berry pie for sure.

Just a note, no one's submitted a drink yet... that's an uncontested category, hint-hint! I mayyyy just go mix up a summery drink for myself tonight in interest of getting one into the thread!

Added my recipe :3 made the meatballs for dinner tonight actually :3 yum yum yum

As promised, a drink recipe for you all! (obviously not eligible for prizes) [b]Username:[/b] jaxstronomy [b]Entry Title:[/b] Midsummer's Peach Fizz [b]Entry Category:[/b] Drink [b]Entry Photo:[/b] [img]https://s19.postimg.org/v0s9o3dcz/Screen_Shot_2017-07-27_at_7.15.38_PM.png[/img] [b]Description with Recipe:[/b] A quick, refreshing drink for when you can't resist buying two pounds of local peaches and your mint plant is going berserk! The cocktail and mocktail versions are both very good. 1 peach 10-12 mint leaves 1.5 oz bourbon (optional) seltzer/sparkling water ice 1. Dice the peach, removing the peel. (Cut a decorative slice out of it beforehand if you feel fancy.) 2. Muddle the mint leaves and peach flesh in the bottom of a glass. 3. Add either enough seltzer to cover or the bourbon and stir to combine. 4. Fill the glass with ice then top off with seltzer. (For the fancy among you: garnish with reserved peach slice.)