Tonight was our last gathering of the Ethnic Supper Club as we know it. This month, our buddies Sara and Philip (and Marion) are moving to Santa Cruz (and we're trying hard not to be too jealous). To celebrate their departure from the south (not that we are happy to see them go, obviously, but happy for them in their opportunity to move home and start a new career), we held a Mississippi Feast!
The kids passed the prep time by coloring and "cooking" at the table.
When Cora got fussy, Sandy placated her with tamales (this girl will seriously eat anything!) because the way to Cora's heart is most definitely through her stomach!
The spread included tamales, fried catfish, hushpuppies, greens, black-eyed peas, creamed corn, coleslaw, and biscuits. You may drool now.
Somehow, we managed to save room for desert. And with 5 adults and 2 kids enjoying my red velvet cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting (recipe posted at the bottom), we managed to go through over half the cake! We're dedicated like that.
After dinner, the kids ran off some energy (and sugar high), played nicely together, and read a book with "Aunt" Sandy. James is quite the fan of her. (He was pretending to eat the fish in his marine animals book...)
Ah, Hendrix family, we will miss you! Thank you for all the delicious meals and good conversation. Hopefully we'll meet again someday on the left coast.
Goodnight!
Red Velvet Cupcakes
24 paper liners for cupcake pans (or 2 8-9" round cake pans)
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners (or spray/grease the cake pans). Set the pans aside.
Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.
Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes (or 30 minutes for 9" cake pans). Remove the pans from the oven and place them on
wire racks to cool before frosting.
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners (or spray/grease the cake pans). Set the pans aside.
Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.
Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes (or 30 minutes for 9" cake pans). Remove the pans from the oven and place them on
wire racks to cool before frosting.
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
(I usually double this recipe because I like to have plenty of frosting)
7-8 ounces white chocolate chips
4 ounces (half an 8-ounce package) cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 and 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
Place the white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the oven and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until it is smooth (or leave it a little chunky if you like - texture is fun). Set the chocolate aside to cool.
Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the melted white chocolate and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Add the confectioners' sugar and blend on low until the sugar is incorporated, 30 seconds more. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more, adding up to 1/2 cup more sugar if needed to make a spreadable consistency.
4 ounces (half an 8-ounce package) cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 and 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
Place the white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the oven and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until it is smooth (or leave it a little chunky if you like - texture is fun). Set the chocolate aside to cool.
Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the melted white chocolate and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Add the confectioners' sugar and blend on low until the sugar is incorporated, 30 seconds more. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more, adding up to 1/2 cup more sugar if needed to make a spreadable consistency.
Enjoy!
(Also, we now have a big space to fill at our Ethnic Supper Club table, so if your family would like to join us once every month or two to explore the cuisines of the world with us, please let us know!)
(Also, we now have a big space to fill at our Ethnic Supper Club table, so if your family would like to join us once every month or two to explore the cuisines of the world with us, please let us know!)
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