Snixy Kitchen

Strawberry lemonade elephant cupcakes

04.08.13

Don’t let these little elephant cookie toppers deceive you. These cupcakes are a mouth-watering combination of sweet lemon and fresh strawberries made baby shower-appropriate with light blue sugar cookies. I first tried this cupcake out on my research group a few weeks ago; when I’m testing a new recipe, I use them as my guinea pigs. “Research group” makes it sound like I have a focus group dedicated to taste-testing my sweet confections. Really they’re a cool group of graduate students getting together to discuss STEM education issues, but I kind of like the sound of having my own personal baking test subjects. I should bake for them more often. I tested this particular recipe out with two future purposes in mind: 1) as a potential wedding cupcake contender, and 2) for my friend Corey’s baby shower I threw the following weekend. There was no denying that I’d found a winning recipe and also a fantastic way to use up the overflowing meyer lemon tree in our backyard.

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Spinach artichoke dip stuffed mushrooms

03.29.13

Despite attending two Pac 10 schools, I have very little interest in March Madness. I feel pretty much the same about it as I do about the Superbowl. If my friends are watching, I’m more than happy to make finger food all day and chat during commercial breaks. Except if there’s a game on my birthday (which usually happens during March Madness). In which case, you mention March Madness and I’ll shake my fist at you. This year, March has been a basketball-free month over here; even if my friends have gotten together for the occasion, I’ve been at home unpacking, sewing wedding banners, and stuffing invitations. Turns out wedding planning is a full-time job. Luckily it’s right up my alley – career shift, perhaps? For all of you with your eyes glued to college ball right now, I bring you the last dish from our anniversary day of cooking, spinach artichoke dip stuffed mushrooms, which just so happen to make a perfect game day party snack.

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Gluten-free tempura artichoke hearts with spiced aioli

03.21.13

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Lemon cream pavlova

03.12.13

A year ago, I told you about our anniversary day of cooking where Lucas and I each secretly and simultaneously prepared a dish to serve for our 2-year anniversary meal. I whipped up citrus tuna tartare with pear chips and lavender lemon cupcakes, while Lucas concocted tender chocolate stout braised short ribs, and we had such a blast that we decided to make this top-secret feast an annual tradition. To be continued when our anniversary changes after the June wedding. This time around we split up the courses to compensate for last year’s lack of oven coordination that sent me knocking on our landlords’ door begging to borrow their oven. Add to that the fact that this took place before we moved last week and two chefs in our previous pint-sized kitchen was one too many. So, Lucas on the entrée and I on appetizers and dessert. Dessert. My speciality. And arguably the most important meal of the day.

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Sweet potato and eggs breakfast hash

03.05.13

I’ve missed you! You know that raw excitement a dog feels when its human friend returns after being away FOREVER…or, say, 15 minutes? That’s how I feel about seeing you again. Amidst all the chaos over the past couple of weeks, I’ve paused several times to think about how I haven’t been very fair to you. I just disappeared without notice and without any indication of where I went or when I’d be back. A lot has happened since we last met (including this mouth-watering sweet potato hash, but we’ll get to that later). For starters, we drove to my parents’ house two weekends ago and spent the entire time crafting for the wedding. I sacrificed a pair of jeans to a can of paint to make wedding signs from old fence boards and brush color-coordinating chevrons on our corn hole game.

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