Confession time: I quit my (stable-ish well-paying, super fun) job a couple of weeks ago to go to culinary school for baking next year. Was this an awesome decision or a terrible one? The jury’s still out, but the way I think about it, the more time I have to devote to desserts, the better. So I’m leaning toward awesome.

To celebrate my decision, I’m using this week’s DIY to share an incredible buttercream frosting recipe with all of you. You can use it to frost a cake, cupcakes, cookies . . . or to eat it straight out of the Tupperware with some pretzels when you’re dealing with a breakup. Stop buying this stuff and make it yourself.

Ingredients
(Makes enough buttercream for one standard-size cake with 12-16 servings)

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy cream Read More »

We’ve all heard about aphrodisiacs and the supposed boost they can give to our sex lives. I hate to burst your bubble, but most sources say that there is no such thing as an aphrodisiac. Regardless, I decided to go through some of the most notorious aphrodisiacs and anaphrodisiacs to let you decide for yourself. Hey, it couldn’t hurt…

Oysters – Most sources deem this one as pure myth, but there are a few that find some truth in the claim. According to MSN Health and Fitness, an American and Italian study found a compound in oysters that may increase testosterone and estrogen production. A professor from Harvard, however, denounced this as complete poppycock. And we all know, what Harvard says, goes.

Chocolate – Every source I have looked at have attributed the chocolate/love connection to the Aztecs, so I thought I would give them the credit as well. Chocolate increases levels of serotonin and phenylethylamine, neurotransmitters in the brain that are known for their feel-good properties. Many liken this effect to the feeling of being in love, which I can say with confidence, is entirely true. Like most women, I love chocolate and transfer that love to anybody who will supply me with my daily (okay, hourly) dose.

Alcohol – This is the only one that has been attributed to being an aphrodisiac and an anaphrodisiac at the exact same time. Let’s break it down.
Pros: Reduces inhibition and increases confidence, making it feel like a boost in sex drive. Add that to the beer goggle effect and you’re ready to go.
Cons: Alcohol actually makes it harder for you and your partner to achieve orgasm. Plus, you run the risk of being a victim of the I-think-I’m-sexy-but-I-actually-look-terribly-sloshed look. Read More »

100-Calorie Packs are the new Starbucks Skinny Latte. They are taking over the world, one grocery store shelf at a time. Though these snacks are making bank for Kraft Foods, Nabisco, Frito Lay, and every other conglomerate on the single-serving bandwagon, there has been some recent media backlash, which brings to light the fact that:

a) The 100-calorie packs are often more than twice as expensive per ounce as the products they mimic.

b) In meeting the 100-calorie limit, the snacks or sweets inside the packs are sometimes pale imitations of the originals. The 100-calorie Oreos, for example, are 20 mini “chocolate thin crisps.”

c) Smaller portions don’t make snacks good for you, especially when they are as highly-processed as 100-Cal Packs.

Still, as Americans, we have issues with self-control. I can go through a box of Cheez-Its in three days and think nothing of it, until I look at the box and realize I averaged about 5 servings of Cheez-Its a day. So, when a small package helps me know when to stop, I dig it. I do agree with above comment on the 100-calorie Oreos: these are a waste of money. So, friends, what follows is a list of my top five picks. All of these are so tasty, I thank my lucky stars that they are measured out for me in 100 calorie intervals. Read More »

The next time you want to drown your boy problems in a half gallon of Ben and Jerry’s, you might want to read the nutritional info.

Newsweek recently uncovered the six most fattening ice cream flavors (Personal note: there wasn’t any real news to cover, Newsweek? Like the upcoming elections, the crumbling economy, or the War on Iraq?). Here are the results of the study, with my personal opinions on whether 6 hours at the gym is worth a scoop or two.

1.Haagen Dazs Chocolate Peanut Butter: 360 calories, 24 grams of fat

This should really come as no surprise. Chocolate+Peanut Butter= guaranteed muffin top. But it’s sooo good! Still, 360 calories will take about half an hour of vigorous cardio on a CrossTrainer, and can you really trust yourself to stop at the teensy half-cup serving?

Fight this craving with: two frozen peanut butter cups.

2.Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby: 330 calories, 20 grams of fat

Umm, did anyone EXPECT fudge-covered, peanut-butter-filled pretzels, swirled in vanilla malt ice cream and rippled with even more fudge and peanut butter to be healthy??? Sure, Ben and Jerry might be a perfect rebound after you spied your ex at the bar with the dorm sleaze, but you won’t be able to fit into your skinny jeans after more than a bite or two.

Fight this craving with: a 100 calorie pack of Mr. Salty chocolate-covered pretzels. Read More »

The quintessential dessert of summer is the strawberry shortcake, and for good reason. There’s even a licensed character named after the dessert, for crying out loud. So when you make one, you want to make it good—and no, that does not involve picking up a four-pack of preservative-loaded, Twinkie-like “shortcakes” from Walmart.

What, you’ve never made your own shortcake before? Then you, my friend, are seriously missing out. Allow me to be your guide for your first foray into the world of better-tasting shortcakes—once you’ve entered, you’ll never look back.

For two nice-sized shortcakes (a little bigger than those store-bought lumps), you need:

• 2/3 cup flour

• a generous sprinkle (about 1/8 tsp) salt

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 1 ½ tablespoons sugar Read More »

It was my brother’s birthday earlier this week. Even though he’s thousands of miles away from where I am right now, I wasn’t about to pass up a chance to make and eat cupcakes.

He requested marble, so I improvised. These may not be as beautiful as the marble cupcakes you see in stores (OK, so they’re kind of globby, to be honest), but they taste better, and the melted chocolate is the finishing touch of magic that no store can give you.

To make 6 small cupcakes, here’s what you need: ½ cup flour, ¼ cup plus one tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, ¼ cup very hot water, 1/8 tsp baking soda, 1/8 tsp salt, ½ tsp vanilla, 1 egg yolk, 2 tablespoons sour cream, about 1 ½ ounces of chocolate, and a tiny bit of milk or cream. Read More »

Cookie or cupcake? Cookie or cupcake?? Ahhh life is full of tough decisions. And since I am the world’s worst decision maker (I swear it’s the Libra in me), I just couldn’t make up my mind the other day. So I chose both.

No, I didn’t spent all day baking various desserts. I just made one and got both my treats. That’s right. I made Martha Stewart’s Chocolate Chunk Cookie Cupcakes.

What you’ll need to make 2 dozen:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

How to make these cookie cupcakes: Read More »

About a month ago, a bright and shiny new Pinkberry shop opened up on St. Mark’s, a Hipstered-out street that’s only a few blocks from where I work. The first time I tried the mystery confection, I wasn’t sold. It kinda tastes like cold yogurt, I thought. Cold yogurt…but not.

But the second time, after eating an entire medium cup filled with the “original” flavor (don’t call it vanilla, they get oddly pissed) and a few scoops of fruit, I thought, it kinda tastes like cold yogurt. Cold yogurt…but better!

Since then, I’ve been a regular customer at this low fat, low calorie chain. So regular, in fact, that I actually felt sad when the New York Times recently confirmed my suspicious that things which seem too good to be true — are.

Seems that even though Pinkberry totes itself as all natural, it really, really isn’t.

“The list [of ingrediants] includes at least five additives defined by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as emulsifiers (propylene glycol esters, lactoglycerides, sodium acid pyrophosphate, mono- and diglycerides); four acidifiers (magnesium oxide, calcium fumarate, citric acid, sodium citrate); tocopherol, a natural preservative; and two ingredients — starch and maltodextrin — that were characterized as fillers by Dr. Gary A. Reineccius, a professor in the department of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota and an expert in food additives.”

Damn you, Pinkberry! Damn you for letting me think I was eating a natural, low calorie snack when what I was really doing was stuffing myself with low calorie chemicals that will most likely cause my liver to shrivel and heart to explode in like 8 years.

Why didn’t you just stay in LA?!

Amy Sedaris is a funny, funny lady. If you don’t know her, just YouTube some of her Strangers with Candy episodes. She’ll do and say anything, and isn’t afraid to be the definition of “wacky”. She’s weird. She’s absurd. She’s well spoken. I love her.

As if I needed a reason to add another candle to my Sedaris shrine, Amy has also got the best recipe for cupcakes, ever. The directions are easy, the cupcakes taste good, and the way the recipe is written is pure Sedaris.

Amy Sedaris’ Cupcakes

1 1⁄2 sticks of unsalted butter

1 3⁄4 cups of sugar

Beat well, then add:

2 large eggs

2 Teaspoons of pure vanilla

1⁄2 teaspoon of salt

2 1⁄2 teaspoons of baking powder

2 1⁄2 cups of flour

1 1⁄4 cups of milk

Beat well, fill cups, and bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. You should get 24. I get 18, ’cause I’m doing something wrong. Read More »

The other day, a friend of mine started digging on one of her biggest pet peeves. “I HATE products that make you smell like food,” she complained. “I mean, who wants to go around smelling like a chocolate bar? It’s something you eat, not something you wear.”

She made it sound like such a clear-cut issue that I kept nodding and agreeing all through her diatribe—but then, as she reached the end, I realized that my bathroom cabinet is stocked with a lot of products that smell like food. I like those products.

The reason I didn’t voice (or even realize) my disagreement until she had gone on about the subject for several minutes was that I don’t even consider a vanilla-scented lotion or a mango shampoo to be food-like products. They’re made of chemicals, after all, so they don’t smell exactly like real vanilla or real mangoes. Even if they did, though, I still don’t think I would have a problem with them. Read More »