Sunday, September 7, 2008

Cinnamon Toast Pecans

Oy! I am so far behind on blogging. Let me first say, with the busy month we had in August, I was unable to submit a recipe for the first Iron Cupcake Challenge. I was bummed, but I simply had way too many commitments already.
Now, on to the good news! The new challenge has been announced, and this month's secret ingredient is...BASIL!! I am really excited to see what I can come up with. Don't forget to check out No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner between September 28 and October 1 to vote for me!

More good news...even though I wasn't able to submit to ICE last month, I still have been busy baking! Tonight I am testing a recipe that I will give as Christmas gifts. I found this yummy sounding delicacy created by Paula Deen.

Cinnamon Toast Pecans
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups (about 1 pound) pecan halves

(Please note: I forgot to include the butter in the shot above, but it is required in the recipe. Oops!)


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.


Stir together first 5 ingredients. Add pecans, tossing to coat. Spread coated nuts in a single layer on a large jellyroll pan. Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool; store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.


Tips:
**I used only half the pecan halves called for, and substituted cashews (my favorite) for the other half.
**I also used salted nuts and omitted the salt called for in the recipe.


Sounds simple, doesn't it? And you will not believe the smells coming from my oven right now! Give them a try, and let me know what you think!

*S*

To learn more about me, visit Cupcake Toujours' sister blog, Confessions of a PRG. To satisfy your sweet tooth, keep reading!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Iron Cupcake: Earth


I am officially a participant of Iron Cupcake: Earth! It's a competition where members are given an ingredient and have to create a cupcake recipe using said ingredient. This month's ingredient is chile peppers!

Prizes are awarded each month to the winners. This month, prizes are provided by Cakespy, Jessie Steele Aprons, Cupcake Courier, and Taste of Home.
To find out more about the challenge, check out http://www.ironcupcake.blogspot.com/ . Tell the Cupcake Queen that Cupcake Toujours sent you!

*S*

To learn more about me, visit Cupcake Toujours' sister blog, Confessions of a PRG
To satisfy your sweet tooth, keep reading!

Welcome to Cupcake Toujours!

Cupcake Toujours is my Franglais (French/English) interpretation of "Always Cupcakes."

As my poor husband knows, I am drawn to all things miniature. And there is no petite interpretation more dear to me than the beloved cupcake. I find it rather amusing that in a "Super-size Me" nation such as ours, the tiny cupcake is the hottest trend. Whether the question is "What should I make for my sweetheart's birthday?" or "What should we serve at our wedding?" or even "What should I eat with this coffee?" the answer is...Always Cupcakes!

And so it is with great excitement that I embark upon this journey to bring you ever more delightful, delicious, and surprising cupcake combinations. Enjoy!

*S*

To learn more about me, visit Cupcake Toujours' sister blog, Confessions of a PRG
To satisfy your sweet tooth, keep reading!