Buffalo sauce

2 cups of dry cayenne peppers (50 grams)
1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of chopped onion
1 chopped garlic
1/3 cup of chopped tomato
1/2 cup of white vinegar
1 stick of butter
1 bottle of Lousiana Hot Sauce
1/2 of the juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of honey
1/4 cup of ketchup

Start by roasting the cayenne peppers on a pan over a medium high flame. Toss them around inside the pan for a couple of minutes and make sure you don't let these get burned. Add enough water to cover the peppers and bring water to a boil. Let them cook for ten minutes. Drain water and place them in blender. Add 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of vinegar and salt. Blend on high and allow to percolate.Place butter stick on a pan over a medium flame so that it melts. Add onion, garlic, tomato and the whole bottle of Lousiana Hot Sauce.
Let all cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour into blender and add the percolated cayenne pepper sauce. Blend on high for two minutes. Add the lemon juice, honey and ketchup, and blend again for a few seconds. Pour back into the pan where you melted the butter, and let it simmer for a good 20 minutes.

How to make fondant

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin
1/4 Cup of water
1/2 cup glucose or corn syrup
2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon of glycerine
8 cups  (2 pounds) of powdered sugar sifted

add gelatin in to cold water let it sit for 2 minutes
place in a double boiler to melt the gelatin and  once melted add glucose and shortening melt these together  take off of the heat and add glycerine. Next you will place 1 pound of powdered sugar in a large bowl  make a well and pour mix in and mix until it creates a large lump it will be a mess don't worry keep mixing, when most of your powdered sugar is mixed in place the remaining powdered sugar on your counter and knead it in the fondant if it is too stiff at any point you can add a couple of drops of water but use sparingly.

36 ounces of fondant which is enough to cover a 10 inch round cake
Fondant should be 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch thick on your cakes

French Coconut Macarons

Coconut Macarons
Makes about 24 macarons

Coconut Macarons:

2/3 cup almond flour or meal (available at health food stores)

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut (available at health food stores)

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut Buttercream:

1 cup milk

¼ cup unsweetened coconut

4 large egg yolks

½ cup granulated sugar

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the macarons:

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

2. In a food processor, process the almonds with the confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Sift the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the coconut and set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Very gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Add the vanilla and beat until blended.

4. Add half of the sifted almond mixture and fold it in with a spatula. Add the remaining almond mixture and mix it in a light circular motion. Press and spread out the batter against the side of the bowl. Scoop the batter from the bottom of the bowl and turn it upside down. Repeat this motion about 15 times (no more, no less). When the batter becomes nicely firm and drips slowly as you scoop it with the spatula, it is ready to be piped.

5. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Fit a pastry bag with a .4-inch plain tip (Ateco #4). Scrape the batter into the bag. Pipe out 1-inch rounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them ½ inch apart. Rap the baking sheet firmly against the counter. Dry the batter at room temperature, uncovered, for 15 minutes. The batter circles should not stick to your finger when you touch them. If they do, let them dry a little longer.

6. Stack the baking sheet with the macarons on it on another baking sheet. Place both sheets, stacked, in the oven and bake the macarons for 15-18 minutes, until slightly crisp (they will crisp more upon cooling). Cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the buttercream:

7. Put milk and coconut in small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover pot and let stand for 10 minutes.

8. In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks with the sugar until well blended. Add the warm milk and coconut and whisk until smooth. Strain the mixture back into the pot, pressing down on the coconut to extract the flavor. Discard the coconut. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and reaches 175°F.

9. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix, using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until cool. Increase the speed to medium and beat in the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Change to the whisk attachment and beat at high speed until the buttercream is smooth, 1-2 minutes.

Assemble the macarons:

10. Scrape the buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a .4 inch plain tip (about the same size as you used to pipe the macarons). Pipe a grape-sized dollop of buttercream onto the underside of a macaron. Gently press the underside of another macaron against the buttercream until it spreads almost to the edge. Repeat with the remaining macarons and buttercream. Store the macarons in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 5 days. (Yes, 5 days!)
Original recipe from tish boyle

Bun Thit Nuong / Bun Nem Nuong (Vermicelli with Grilled Pork Patties)

So as of late I am pretty obsessed with Vietnamese food spicy salty limey a little sweet ah! Here are a couple of recipes that I have found and will try them out here's to Vinh, Cindy, Ben and Ashley and our lunches together! xoxo

Nuoc Mam Cham (Dipping Fish Sauce)

• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon rice or plain vinegar (optional)
• 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 hot chile pepper or Jalapeno (at least)
• 3 clove of garlic, use more or less according to taste
• ~1/8 cup fish sauce, adjust to taste
• pickled carrots and daikon, optional.
• Rooster brand chile garlic sauce (optional)

Add water and sugar to mix well to dissolve. You can heat the water up before hand to make it dissolve quickly. Add lime juice and vinegar (optional). It should taste like a very very bland lime-ade. If you have a morter, crush the garlic and chiles (if not, finely mince them) together and add to the mixture. Finally, slowly add the fish sauce a few tablespoons at a time instead of all at once. Taste frequently and stop when you feel it’s just right. It’s much easier to adjust the flavor of the dipping sauce by adding the fish sauce at the end bit by bit, adjusting to your personal taste. For a deeper red color, add some chile garlic sauce. You can also add pickled carrots and daikon into the nuoc mam cham as well.

Nem Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Patties)

* 2 lbs. ground pork (you may mix ground turkey or chicken to reduce fat)
* 2 head of garlic (cloves, peeled; we love the intense garlic flavor but use more or less according to taste)
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/2 tbs salt
* 1/2 tbs pepper
* 4 tsp or 1 small package of Alsa baking powder prefered
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 drop red food coloring or 1 tsp caramel syrup (optional and found in most Asian groceries

Using food processor, process garlic until fine puree. Combine pork, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in mixing bowl and mix well. In separate bowl, combine baking powder and water and stir. Mixture will fluff and foam. Add drop of food coloring or caramel syrup (this adds a very nice color to the pork when grilled).

Fold the baking powder into mixture and allow meat to chill for about 30 min to 1 hr or longer. The baking powder adds more bouncier texture. Now you’re ready to form the patties. Keep meat mixture in the fridge for a few hours to let it set and easier to handle when forming patties, balls or what I prefer, mini sausages.

Bun Nem Nuong (Vermicelli with Vietnamese Grilled Pork Patties)

• 1 (14 oz) bag of vermicelli noodles (serves about 4)
• Grilled nem nuong (above)
• Any combination of a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables such as fresh mint (rau thom), basil (rau que), perilla (rau tia to), coriander (rau ram), cucumber (julienned)
• Pickled carrots and daikon
• Fried Shallots
• Roasted Peanuts
• Dipping fish sauce (nuoc mam cham)

Place vermicelli in boiling water for about 6-8 min, stirring regularly so it won’t stick to the bottom of the pot. To check for doneness, take a strand and taste. Should be still slightly firm but easily breaks apart. Drain and flush with cold water to stop cooking process.

Combine in bowl with nem nuong, lots fresh herbs, pickled carrots and daikon, fried shallots, crushed roasted peanuts and dress with fish sauce vinaigrette. So easy to put together and so so delicious!

Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Lemongrass-Thit Nuong

• 1.5 lb pork butt or shoulder, thinly sliced just under 1/4 inch or so (not too thin as you do not want it to dry out when grilled. Ask your butcher to do this for you. Also, do not use lean pork as it will become dry.)
• 1/4 cup minced Lemongrass (xa bam). Many Asian markets will sell minced lemongrass in the freezer section.
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 1 tbs ground pepper
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (use more according to taste)
• 2-3 shallots, minced.
• 3 tbs sesame oil
• 1 tbs thick soy sauce (not regular soy sauce–has molasses, making it thicker and adding great color. If not available, can use caramel sauce. Both can be found at Asian groceries)
• 3 tbs roasted sesame
• flexible grilling basket or indoor grill

Cut any large pieces of sliced pork into roughly 2-3 inch strips. Again, not too small as you do not want it to dry out and also so that it doesn’t fall through the grilling basket. For best results grill outdoors using a flexible grilling basket. Grilling on an indoor grill however, is perfectly acceptable.

For the marinade, combine in large mixing bowl the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, pepper, dark soy sauce, sesame oil. Add pork and mix well and marinade for at least 1-2 hrs.

Dr Pepper Cupcakes

Dr Pepper Cupcakes
1/2 C butter
2 1/2 C brown sugar
3 eggs
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1/2 C buttermilk
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 C cake flour
2 tsp vanilla
1 C boiling Dr. Pepper

Cream the butter and add the brown sugar.
When well blended, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well.
Add the chocolate, slightly cooled.
In a small bowl, add one teaspoon of baking soda to the buttermilk.
Mix your remaining dry ingredients in another bowl.
Add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture alternately.
Add the vanilla, and finally mix in the Dr. Pepper.
Pour into cupcake molds
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Dr Pepper Cupcake Frosting
1/3 C soft butter
3 C confectioner's sugar
1/2 C dark cocoa
4 Tbs heavy cream
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 can cherries in syrup (or in liqueur)

Cream the butter, cocoa and sugar together and stir in the cream.
Add the ginger and enough cherry syrup to create the desired consistency.
Refrigerate if necessary, and spread over the cupcakes when they have cooled.
Top each cupcake with half a cherry.

Joel Robuchon pomme puree

These are not low calorie but they are DELICIOUS!

2 lbs. yellow-fleshed potatoes, 

   such as yukon gold, unpeeledKosher salt, to taste1⁄4 cup milk1 lb. unsalted butter,    cubed and chilled

1. Boil potatoes in an 8-qt. pot of salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside to let cool slightly. Meanwhile, bring milk to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan; remove from heat, cover, and set aside.

2. Peel potatoes and pass them through a food mill into a 4-qt. saucepan set over medium-low heat. Using a rubber spatula, turn potatoes frequently until they take on a drier, fluffier consistency, 2–3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Working in batches, vigorously stir in the butter until mixture is creamy. Whisk in warmed milk, season potatoes with salt, and transfer them to a warm serving bowl.

SERVES 6 – 8

Cloud Frosting

2.5 Cups white Sugar
6 egg white brought to room temp
.5 cup h20 room temp
.5 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tblsp vanilla
Combine sugar egg water cream of tartar in kitchen aid with whisk attachment beat just until slightly foamy.
Take off mixer and place of bain marie ( small sauce pot with simmering water) continue to whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch or 100 degrees if you like to use a thermometer.
Place back on the mixer and beat on high 12 -16 mins until stiff add vanilla mix thoroughly.