What’s the difference between a cupcake and a muffin?

Cupcakes have a finer crumb (from using cake flour versus all-purpose flour), a bit more sugar and are iced, adding even more sugar.

While muffins do have somewhat less sugar, don’t let the name lull you into a sense of “better for you”: They are cake rather than bread.

The line between cupcakes and muffins can be thin indeed, as you can see in these “breakfast cupcakes” from the blog Lovely Little Kitchen (photo at right; here’s the recipe).

Both the frosting and the cupcake batter contain Greek yogurt, which delivers more protein and less fat. They cupcakes contain two cups of zucchini and are garnished with heart-healthy almonds.

After you make the first batch, you can decide to lower the sugar, substitute agave or honey, use whole wheat flour, etc. (Look online for how to substitute—slight adjustments are necessary.)

Here’s a fun breakfast idea:

Buy or bake carrot or zucchini muffins made with whole wheat or other whole grain flour (brown rice flour, cornmeal, whole oats, blends, etc.) Both the flour and the vegetables provide added fiber. Let everyone ice and garnish their own.

 
While you can’t call these cupcakes health food, the are a better alternative to conventional muffins and breakfast pastries—not to mention cupcakes.

And they help you get some nutrition into the breakfast-resistant.

[1] Creamy blue cheese dressing (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

[2] Buy the best blue cheese you can afford, and crumble it yourself (photo © Frigo Cheese).

But it isn’t sold near us, so if we haven’t gotten around to ordering it online, we need to make our own.

Our first tip: Buy a decent blue cheese: Gorgonzola, Roquefort, whatever.

It’s the major flavor component. You don’t need to buy the very finest; but don’t go for the cheapest unless you can taste it first, to see that it’s up to par.
 
 
RECIPE: HOMEMADE CREAMY BLUE CHEESE
DRESSING

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. BLEND all ingredients until smooth, except the final ounce of crumbled blue cheese. Stir in the crumbles. Season with salt and pepper.

2. CHILL for at least 1 hour before serving; taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

WAYS TO USE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

[3] There are many different blue cheeses at different price points. The better-tasting the cheese, the better-tasting the dressing (photo © Jasper Hill Farm).

After you taste this recipe, you’ll know how you want to adapt it for next time, to achieve your ideal blue cheese dressing.

 
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEESE

> THE HISTORY OF CHEESE

These are a real treat with a cold beer. Photo
courtesy Cooking Planit.

Alas, as with so many artisan products, your only access to them may to be to order them online. But if you like to fry, you can make your own.
Here’s a recipe created by Emily Wilson for Cooking Planit. Crisp, hot and spicy, you’ll want to make a double or triple batch if you’re having guests—they’ll disappear quickly.

Buy the largest jalapeños you can find for bigger chips.
RECIPE: JALAPEÑO CHIPS

Ingredients

Preparation

1. CUT the stem ends off the jalapeños. Avoid touching your face when handling peppers; you may wish to wear protective latex gloves. For the hottest jalapeños, leave the seeds and white ribs inside. To reduce the heat, use a paring knife to gently cut inside each jalapeño and remove the seeds and ribs. A thin object such as a skewer or a chopstick can also help to scrape out the seeds.

2. SLICE each jalapeño crosswise into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Wash hands thoroughly—or remove and wash gloves—immediately after handling chiles. This removes the chemical capsaicin, which will cause unpleasant stinging should your fingers connect with your eyes.

3. POUR flour into a shallow, wide bowl. Pour panko bread crumbs into another shallow, wide bowl.

4. CRACK the eggs into a third shallow, wide bowl and whisk to combine well. Line up the 3 bowls: flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs. Set a clean plate at the end near the panko.

5. DREDGE a few of the jalapeño slices in the flour, coating both sides. Shake off excess, then dip in the egg mixture. Coat both sides again, shake off excess, then dredge in the panko. Coat both sides, shake off excess, then transfer to the clean plate. Repeat with remaining slices.

6. PREPARE a plate with layers of paper towels. Set plate near the stove for the cooked jalapeños.

7. POUR the canola oil into a large pot, about 2 inches deep (about 3 cups of oil, depending on the size of your pot). Heat the oil over medium heat to 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the oil until it looks shiny, about 5-8 minutes.

8. USE one jalapeño slice as a tester. Gently place it in the oil. If bubbles form quickly and it floats to the surface, the oil is ready. Add more pieces but do not crowd them in the oil—work in batches as necessary. If the tester sinks to the bottom and bubbles don’t form, the oil is not ready. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tester and wait a few more minutes.

9. FRY the jalapeños until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to flip them so they fry evenly and turn golden on both sides. Transfer them to the plate lined with paper towels. Season with salt as soon as they come out of the oil.

10. As the jalapeños cook, the oil temperature rises. So remove the oil from the heat for at least 3 minutes to cool it down between batches. Repeat the tester drill before each new batch.

11. TRANSFER the jalapeño chips to a serving dish. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Extras will keep in an airtight container for a few days.
 
OPTIONAL DIPS

As with any chips, no dip is needed; but you can serve the jalapeño chips with: