We do a lot of things to amuse our children.  This frivolity is no exception.  I saw this cool looking cupcake on the Disney family site and thought it would be a great Saint Patrick’s Day party food… and that it would amuse the children.

I worked as predicted; the kids and even some of the parents loved it.  One thing I didn’t expect though, it was more labor-intensive than I expected.

I was up until 1:30am (starting at 10:30pm cleaning dinner dishes after getting kids to bed and waking from a mini-nap myself) making a white cake batter from scratch so that I could make it with mostly spelt flour and less sugar. 

Using spelt gives it a nuttier flavor and makes it more dense, so it doesn’t rise quite like white flour.  Even though it was probably flatter than a white flour cupcake would be, I’d use spelt again because the affect turned out well anyway and it is a little more nutritious.  White flour and sugar for kids is a “recipe” for blood sugar spikes and kids bouncing off the walls possibly into temper tantrums.  I’m not opposed to sugar for children in limited amounts especially if it is tempered with wheat, spelt, oat or some flour other than white flour.

All in all, I might make this recipe again if the occasion calls for it.

Anything to amuse the children, right?

Here’s the original recipe (below is the cake batter recipe that I altered with spelt:

Rainbow Cupcakes

Instructions

1. Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among six small bowls. Following the chart below, dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color.
   

   RAINBOW COLOR	DROPS OF FOOD COLORING
   Purple	9 red and 6 blue drops
   Blue	12 drops
   Green	12 drops
   Yellow	12 drops
   Orange	12 yellow and 4 red drops
   Red	18 drops

2. Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on, following the order shown. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.
3. Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Before serving, remove the paper wrapping, and if you like, top each cupcake with a whipped-cream cloud.

(I used many more drops of red and blue to make a darker purple)

Spelt Flour Cupcakes

(Original Cupcake Recipe courtesy Cheryl Day/Foodnewtwork.com)

Ingredients

• 2 cups spelt flour
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 & 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk (I used goat milk)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.

Combine in a bowl both flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until combined for about 3 minutes. Add in cubed butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

Add eggs 1 at a time until combined. Slowly add milk and vanilla to batter until completely mixed scraping down the bowl as you mix.

(Here is where I divided the batter into six bowls and added food coloring, then layered in rainbow colors)

Scoop batter into baking cups filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Cool and top with whipped cream and sprinkles, Yum!

Enjoy and hope you find that pot of gold at the end of your rainbow,

Your Sensible Girlfriend

I grew up celebrating Chinese New Year with my family by watching the lion dances in streets of L.A.’s Chinatown and eating a huge feast at our “family association” (this was a meeting place for four lineage families where they handed down martial arts and cultural traditions to the younger generations).  The amount of food that came out of the kitchen was not only impressive, it was mind blowing.  You would eat one delicious dish after another and when you thought that was it, there was more!  And then when you thought, this must really be the end, there was still more!  I always staggered away from the table so sickeningly full, but not sorry that I tasted everything there was to be tasted.

When I had a family of my own, I decided to create that same tradition of the big feast with loved ones gathered around the table with dish after dish coming steaming hot off the stove filling up those eager bellies.  Every year, I serve a steamed whole fish because the fish is a symbol for prosperity and abundance.   Also, eating a fish served whole is supposed to make your wishes for the year come true.

I used two recipe books to come up with my way of making Chinese New Year Steamed Fish.  (Martin Yan’s Chinatown Cooking and Essentials of Asian Cusine by Corrine Trang)  I typically cook a 3 to 5 pound fish, so instead of steaming in a wok, I staple the fish into parchment paper.  I use a temperature probe with an alarm so that my fish is perfectly cooked and doesn’t get too dry– that’s if I take the fish out promptly and have the garlic oil hot and ready to be drizzled on top.   The fish is beautiful and impressive brought to the table stuffed with ginger, scallions and shiitake mushrooms.  It’s really simple to make, so you really don’t have to wait around for Chinese New Year to feast on it.

Steamed Whole Fish Stuffed With Scallions, Ginger and Shiitakes

One whole fish scaled and gutted (I like to use Onaga because of the  good luck red color; you can use sea bass or snapper)

1/2 cup White wine or sake

For the stuffing:

3/4 c thinly sliced ginger

6 scallions cut into one inch long strips

a large handful of sliced shiitake mushrooms

For the sauce:

3/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tablespoons sugar

3/4 c vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 clove smashed garlic

For the garnish:

A handful of sliced scallions

A handful of cilantro

1. Prepare fish for steaming: Cut diagonal slashes 3/4 inch deep into both sides of fish.

2. Place parchment paper on oven-proof serving dish.  Place fish on top of parchment paper.

3. Stuff the slits in the fish and the cavity with the ginger, scallions and shiitakes.

4. Staple 3 sides of parchment paper shut.  Insert temperature probe and pour in wine or sake.  Staple closed remaining open side of parchment paper.

5. Place fish in preheated 350 degree oven.  Take fish out when internal temperature registers 140 degrees.

6. Stir soy sauce and sugar together in a small bowl and pour over steamed fish.

7. Heat sesame oil and vegetable oil on high heat.  Add smashed garlic and swirl around pan.  Pour hot oil over steamed fish and garnish with cilantro and scallions.

Serve with steamed rice.

Chow down!