Because I'm a planning-type person, I had my list ready to go Wednesday night for our grocery shopping endeavor. (Score 1, Laura).
Of course, I forgot the list. (Score 1, Cupcakes)
However, because I have a good memory, I remembered everything I needed and didn't forget anything. (Score 2, Laura).
I also raided our cupboards to see if we had a cupcake pan. Couldn't find one--although, I really thought we had one. Oh well, couldn't find it anywhere--guess I was thinking of the cookie sheets mom gave me for Christmas.
So, Friday night, we went shopping and I got a cupcake pan at Kohl's (with the gift cards I had and 15% off coupon [Score 3, Laura]) and then went to Target to get a vessel in which to transport the cupcakes to Durham.
Saturday morning, I was up and at'em and decided to make an omelet for breakfast. It was an awesome omelet! I sauteed up some peppers, onions, and mushrooms and combined that with some EggBeaters and a little bit of cheese. SO, SO, SO Yummy. [Score 4, Laura]
After I ate my omelet, I started peeling a grapefruit (thanks, Laura, for teaching me that you can eat a grapefruit like an orange!!!!!). And, then, it dawned on me that I had to zest a lemon for my cupcakes. However, we had no microplane, cheese grater, or anything. Looks like I'm going back to Bed, Bath, and Beyond!!! [Score 1, Grater]
Not a huge deal because I had plenty of time. To be smart, I completely read through the recipe to make sure I understood it all and had everything I needed. "Hmm, wire cooling racks. Yes, we have those." OK, actually, we have one because the second one broke during a Christmas cookie baking expedition. [Score 1, Wire Cooling Rack] "No biggie! I've got to go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond for the microplane, so I'll just get more cooling racks." [Score 5, Laura]
"Hmm...what's that buried near our one cooling rack? Oh look, it's the cupcake pan that I knew I had that mom gave to me at Christmas." [Score 2, Cupcakes]
So, at this point we have three cupcake pans (because the cupcake transport vessel also came with a cupcake pan). Good thing, Kohl's is right by Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I'll just pop-in and return it.
So, I hop in the car and head over to the shopping strip in Knightdale and head to Kohl's. I return my cupcake pan; however, I get $3.57 on a gift card back that expires Sunday. (Remember, those handy dandy coupons. Well, they expired Sunday as well, so my gift card also expired.) (Score 1, Kohl's)
So, since I was there, I scoured the sales racks and found a cute pair of capris and some running shorts and only paid like $6 total. (Score 6, Laura)
Then, I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and got my microplane and cheese grater with a 20% off coupon (Score 7, Laura).
Hop back in the car and I'm navigating the millions of sales-tax-less shoppers in the parking lot.
"Ah crap--I forgot the wire cooling rack." (Score 2, Wire Cooling Rack) So, I whip it into a parking space and go into Target and get a nifty cooling rack three-piece combo.
Head home and start baking. I'm really taking my time to make sure I don't mess up. Reading stuff over and over, measuring twice, and I decide to premeasure out the stuff that I have to add. (Score 8, Laura)
Time to zest!!
No problem. I've got an awesome microplane and a lemon.
I am the ZESTING QUEEN. (Score 9, Laura)
Lemon is completely zested. "Hmm, I wonder if that's enough?"
Ah, yes, I've got about 1/2 tablespoon of zest.
Because I'm making 2 batches, I need 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest.
Crap.
Yep, no more lemons. All gone. (Score 1, Citrus)
My dry ingredients are mixed.
My oven is preheated.
My ingredients are nicely set out.
I'm covered in flour and sticky with lemon zest. (Score 3, Cupcakes)
So, back to the car I go to head to Lowe's Foods to purchase 4 jumbo lemons. I get my lemons and head back home. I think I rang up the lemons wrong at the U-SCAN. It had said 89cents/lemon, but I only paid 50cents/lemon. (Score 10, Laura)
Get back home and I'm back on my throne as the Zesting Queen.
"When life gives you lemons, you zest them!"
I get my wet ingredients churning in the Kitchen Aid. Delicately adding them as it says, in the perfect order, and it's looking darn good. Nice and pretty and tastes AWESOME. (Score 11, Laura)
OK, yes, the mixer did throw some buttermilk and lemon juice all over me, but I guess that's the price one must pay. (Score 4, Cupcakes)
Batter is done and ready to rock and time to put them in the little cups.
This is very stressful for me.
My type A personality wants them to be perfect and not get batter all over the pan.
It pretty much takes for-freaking-ever and I still get some on the pan that I have to wipe off and I can't get all the cupcakes proportioned correctly. However, because it's pretty much taken me 4 hours to do the "30 minute prep," I'm definitely over it and what it is, is what it is. (Score 5, Cupcakes--Laura surrenders)
So, pop them into the oven and I make the icing, which also tastes awesome.
While the cupcakes are cooling on the New Wire Rack 6000 that I got at Kohl's, I was even able to sneak upstairs and do the elliptical for 45 minutes. (Score 12, Laura)
Came back down and iced the cupcakes (which also took about as long as it takes me to put the batter in the cups [Score 6, Cupcakes]) and I garnish with lavender.
The cupcakes get to "set" before packing while I get ready and off I go to Durham after trying one.
Very, very, very good and only 152 calories/cupcake!! (Although, mine definitely aren't proportionate.)
Proof of my labor:
Up close and personal:
I scanned in the recipe and put it online at http://tinyurl.com/lemon-lavender-cupcakes. I highly recommend them and I'm sure that it will be far less an ordeal for you than for me.
They were well received at the party and all the extras got gone today at work. YAY! (Score 13, Laura)
Final tally: Laura 13, World 11
The party itself was AWESOME. The hosts brew and bottle their own beer and it was fantastic!! We also had tons of great food. Three highlights:
- Mini-pies on a lollipop sticks (they had blackberry, peach, and banana)
- Small toast things covered in gouda cheese and figs (OMG. These things were to die for.)
- A brie cheesewheel baked in some type of doughy bread with a blueberry compote. (Also phenomenal!!)
Quickly, I also have to tell you about the yummy veggie stirfry I made tonight. Red and yellow peppers with onion and sugar snap peas, a little bit of a super spicy chile garlic puree, teeny bit of olive oil, smidgen of honey, some black pepper, and roasted red pepper flakes. It was hot and spicy, but the honey provided a nice cooling after effect. SO yummy.
I like cooking more than baking because it's far easier to just throw stuff in.
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