Cupcakes...

We have been trying to eat most of our meals at home, and I kicked it up a notch by trying to cook with the food we already have, versus dreaming up fancy recipes and running to the store for ingredients we might or might not have at home. I jokingly called it "Recession Cooking" in the sense that we needed to use up all our canned and frozen goods before loading up on new stuff. But, we've been enjoying some pretty gourmet "Recession Meals" with our frozen and cupboard food.
In addition, I've had a pretty bad sweet tooth this pregnancy. The kind of sweet tooth that isn't satisfied by some junky candy bar. We're talking fancy baked goods, homemade chocolate chip cookies, cake, etc. I've been really trying to stay within my weight gain goals set by the doctor because I certainly don't want the blood pressure, swelling, etc. etc. I had to deal with last time. Some days I kick the exercise up a notch to make up for the extra calories (i.e. chocolate chip cookies) but I'm what 25-26 weeks along now and my exercise isn't quite what it used to be. I was practically immobile after two hours of what I considered "hard" tennis on Sunday. Bob informed me after that he didn't even consider it a workout. Gee, glad to hear you're suddenly Mr. Exercise but cut your pregnant wife some slack! Incidentally, I won the match.
So anyway, cupcakes, homemade ones, appear to be the perfect balance of homemade gourmet goodness and lighter on the calories assuming you eat only one! I have the greatest cookbook... it is called Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans. Some of the reviews I read complained that there weren't enough pictures of the finished products. I have plenty of experience cooking and baking to know how awesome these little cakes are going to come out just by reading the name of the cupcake and list of ingredients to follow. The best part of this cookbook is that every recipe make 12 cupcakes. That's it... a dozen, PERFECT! Enough for the family to have a couple each, and a couple left over to share with important people... the babysitter, tennis friends, gym friends, neighbors, etc.
Which brings me to today... Banana Butterscotch Cupcakes with Butterscotch Buttercream frosting... HOLY CRAP! Delicious! I didn't have butterscotch chips and sticking with my "Recession Cooking" motto I substituted chocolate chips. They look fantastic. I'll post a picture once they are frosted. I plan to take a few to tennis tonight to share with my friends at clinic, and the rest will stay home for Bob and Charlotte to enjoy.
I've neglected all my Monday chores to satisfy my inner sweet tooth so better get back to folding laundry and putting away a weekend's worth of mess!