Another Sunday Breakfast

Yesterday I was looking through my baking binder trying to find my favorite recipe for rolled sugar cookies.  The well-worn page was exactly as I remembered...a black and white sheet printed from a magazine, small hand-written notes in the margin and the mandatory butter stains from being handled with buttery fingers.

After I got out the ingredients for the cookies, I flipped through other pages in the binder and found a recipe I had forgotten!  Baked eggs.  My senses instantly took over and I knew I would be making baked eggs for Sunday breakfast.

I should mention here that I am not a big breakfast eater.  This seems contrary to the fact that I am a morning person, but I've never been much of a breakfast "fan".  I'm sure all the nutritionists/fitness enthusiasts out there are cringing.  But, I bring it up only to point out that on a Saturday night, I was actually craving breakfast...and wanted to share this particular Sunday morning with you.

The recipe is so easy and totally delicious.  It is a basic, 5-ingredient recipe (and that's including salt and pepper!) that you will want to make again and again.  Baked eggs are the perfect companion to a loaf of crusty french bread and strawberry jam and fruit salad.  If you choose to bake the eggs in white ramekins, they make a beautiful presentation...looking far more difficult than they are.  I'm sure you could add veggies or meat to the cup, but I'm a purist so today you get the eggs-only version!!

Baked Eggs

Ingredients:  eggs, salt & pepper to taste, half & half, butter

Directions:  Butter each ramekin.  Break 2 eggs into the greased egg cup.  Sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper.  Top with 1 Tablespoon half & half and 1 teaspoon butter.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until the whites are set.  Bake a little longer if you want a solid yolk.


Here are the baked eggs out of the ramekin.  I'm sure you could plop them on an English muffin or croissant for an on-the-go sandwich.  It's quick and easy enough for every day, not just Sunday.

Enjoy!  And let me know if you try this recipe and especially if you modify it and have success.

As for me, I think I'll move the baked eggs recipe to the front of my binder so I won't forget them again.

Out On The Town

Last night, city girl cupcakes was part of a wonderful evening sponsored by a local theatre company, Actor's Express.  Held at The Solarium in Decatur, AE hosted an evening of food and entertainment for their loyal patrons.  How lucky that we were invited!

It was difficult deciding which cupcake flavors to take, but after some deliberation the cupcake artists agreed on orange carrot cake, caramel, triple chocolate and key lime.  As actors and their "groupies" love a sense of drama, we knew that vanilla-vanilla would not get the desired response!

Our cupcakes arrived in their trademark pink and white wrappers and were a total hit!  The caramel cupcakes were topped with a chocolate "AE" monogram to the delight of the crowd.

Throughout the evening we had a great time talking with patrons and especially enjoyed those that confessed they had eaten one of each flavor!  Everyone had a favorite, though I think the key lime was the most refreshing on a hot Atlanta night.  The triple chocolate found favor with the late night crowd accompanied by a glass of wine!

Actor's Express did a fantastic job in creating an intimate evening for those that mean so much to their success.  Thanks to them for letting us be a part of a truly wonderful evening.




All of us at city girl cupcakes are having a great time as we learn the ins and outs of the biz!  It's all about fun for us...and we hope our cupcakes bring a smile to all who sample them!

5 Dollar Check-In

So how are you doing?  I hope your 5-dollar bill collection is growing and growing!

I had made some progress this week, but my husband raided the jar this morning on his way out the door.  He was running late for an appointment and didn't have time to stop at the ATM.  I wanted to give you an update on my progress, but now I don't know my total!  I'll just add it all up on the 31st when I award the prize for the challenge!  I have to admit that I've "spent" (in my mind) my collection over and over.

Three more days until our give-away!  Add up your $5 bills and remember to comment on the 31st and let all our followers know what you're saving for!  If you win the prize, you'll have a great place to continue to store your $5 bills!!

You will love, love, love the next give-away, so tell your friends to become followers too.  The next one is all about friends...things that go well together.  I can't wait to tell you all about it!

The 5 Dollar Challenge Prize

Everyone needs a pretty cookie jar or box or piggy bank to store their 5 dollar bills for the challenge.  Here are the details for our new contest:

From July 21 to July 31, save all the $5 bills you can.  On the 31st, comment on your total dollars saved and the reason you're saving.  I won't judge based on the total or the reason, I just thought everyone would like to hear your success and your story!  Your comment will be your entry, and once again, there will be a blind drawing for the prize.

This beautiful blue jar was a gift from a dear friend.  Over the years it has held everything from cotton balls to candy bars.  I decided to use it as my container for the $5 challenge.  Each time I see it and drop money inside I think of my friend and my ultimate goal!

Over the next 10 days I will be saving right along with you.  But I will also be on the lookout for a special container that will be the prize on the 31st.  I'm not sure exactly what it will be, but it will be functional and pretty.  This gives me a good reason to duck into antique shops along with other favorite stores...maybe HomeGoods or Pottery Barn...I'm going to have a great time looking for something wonderful just for you!!

So, keep saving and let me know how you're doing!  The prize will be awarded on July 31st.

By the way, I put another $5 in the jar today!

The 5 Dollar Challenge

A friend of mine has dreams of traveling to Australia.  She is a world traveler and is adding Australia to her long list of places to see.  In order to "pad" her wallet for the journey, she invented a little game to help her save...not pennies...but five dollar bills!!

Here's how it goes...

Each time you have a five dollar bill, remove it from your purse or pocket.  Find a place to keep the money, one you will not be tempted to raid, and tuck the money away.  It's that simple!  I've been playing the game for 2 weeks and have banked $45 so far.  I never ask for five dollar bills when I get change back from a purchase, but it's kinda' fun now when I get one because I know where it's going!

Last week I was eating dinner out with friends and got THREE five dollar bills back with my change.  (I think my server was looking for a big tip!  Sorry random waiter-guy, my check was less than twelve bucks!)  Even though I could have used an extra ten dollars in my wallet, I stuck with the challenge and saved all three fives.  I guess I never really paid that much attention to five dollar bills, but when you're saving them, the money adds up quickly!!

Your goal might not be to go to Australia but I'll bet there's something else you're saving for.  I'm going to use mine to finance my Christmas shopping this year.  I've already told you how much I love Christmas and since I have a tendency to go a little overboard, my five dollar stash will be a big help.

You probably have something planned that's far more glamorous and I can't wait to hear about it.  So, why not play The 5 Dollar Challenge with me?  Who knows?  There might be a PRIZE (hint, hint) involved in accepting the challenge.  Think about it today and check back with me tomorrow!

Favorites

Although I love cupcakes and have started a cupcake business, city girl cupcakes, I truly love to bake.  Anything with a combination of sugar, butter and flour is fair game.  Add coconut, chocolate chips, nuts and fruit and watch out...I'm probably in the kitchen with my mixer whirring!!

I also enjoy writing, so this blog is a great opportunity for me to share my favorite things with you.  Today's entry is about chocolate chip cookies!

Over my lifetime of baking, I have tried many, many chocolate chip cookie recipes.  The cookies that get the highest "rating" for me must have a mix of sweet and salt, crunch and chew.  My daughter and I judge our cupcakes on guessing how many glasses of milk you would need with each one.  I believe a good chocolate chip cookie needs at least one glass of cold, cold milk by its side.

My favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.  She is a wonderful cook and an equally wonderful baker and I am totally in love with her chocolate chip cookies.

Two basic differences in her recipes over others are the following.  One, she always uses extra large eggs.  On a recent Barefoot Contessa TV episode (you can catch her on the Food Network), I heard her say that she became a better baker when she started using extra large eggs.  Mmmm...I may have to try that one!  And two, she uses kosher salt.  This one little change adds the hit of salt that I look for in something sweet.  It's fantastic.

So, here is her recipe and at the bottom is a link for her cookbook containing the original.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Makes 36 to 40 Cookies

1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 1/4 pounds semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter with the mixer on low speed, mixing only until combined.  Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chunks.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch-diameter ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon.  Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly.  Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone).  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe comes from Ina Garten's book, Barefoot Contessa Parties!  Be sure to try the chocolate batter version.  I use chocolate chunks instead of white chocolate and add walnuts.  It tastes just like a brownie...so yummy.

I hope you find things in your life that make you happy and are easy to accomplish.  Making chocolate chip cookies is one of those things for me.  It fills my kitchen with activity and my house with wonderful, warm aromas.  What could be better?

Have a great Sunday!  I'm off to have coffee with family visiting me from Florida.  Because Ina loves all things French, I think I'm going to indulge in a chocolate croissant.  I'll have to channel her energy and bake something later this afternoon!

Not exactly apple pie

Tomorrow is the 4th of July.  What a wonderful day to be thankful and celebrate all things American!!

If you're having a picnic or firing up the grill (again), here's a dessert suggestion that you will LOVE if you're a fan of peach cobbler...I know, not the all-American apple pie, but it's super easy to make, foolproof in fact, and is absolutely delicious!!

While the origin of the apple is unknown, some scholars believe the first cultivated apple trees were in Rome.  The peach is believed to have its origin in China or Persia.  There are hundreds of types of apples and only 2 types of peaches.  Cobbler, however, quite possibly began in the British American colonies.  Stewed fruit was covered with scone or biscuit dough and once cooked, reminded the colonists of cobbled streets.  Ahhhh...so this is an American dessert!!

We are supposed to have the most delicious peaches in the world here in Georgia, so I am making peach cobbler for the holiday.  I have used this recipe for more than 25 years and haven't changed a single step or ingredient.  A friend brought dinner over for Mike and me after our daughter was born and she was gracious enough to share her "secret" to the perfect cobbler.

Peach Cobbler

Sift together 3/4 cup flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and a pinch of salt.

Whisk in 1 cup sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Put one stick of butter in a baking dish (almost any size will do...I use an oval dish that's about 8" x 12") and put it in the oven so the butter will melt.

While the butter is melting, peel and slice 2 cups of peaches.  Set aside.  Mix 3/4 cup milk into the flour mixture.  When the butter has melted, take the baking dish out of the oven and pour the batter over the melted butter...do not stir!  The edges of the batter will start to curl...it's already baking!

Add the 2 cups of sliced peaches on top of the
batter...do not stir!!  Put the dish back into the oven.  Bake for an hour or until the crust is golden brown.

I like my crust to get brown so that it's a little crunchy.  The photo below shows the inside of the cobbler where it's warm and buttery.  Though there is rarely any leftover, it is yummy when it's cold too.  I promise, it won't stay in the fridge for long!

Add vanilla ice cream if you dare!!

While I was in the kitchen making cobbler, my curious cat joined in the festivities.  He kept jumping up on the table, trying to get in on the photo shoot.  I thought you might like seeing a picture of him.  Simon is the friendliest, sweetest cat I know.  He doesn't particularly like peach cobbler (good, that's more for me!) but he is all about attention.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!  Thanks to all those who serve our country.  God bless!!