Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Don't you want to just sink your teeth in?

This absolutely delicious vanilla bean cupcake is brought to you by cupcakeproject.com and is noted as the ultimate vanilla cupcake.

I will agree about the cake part. It was out of this world! For the icing, I went with the recommended vanilla bean buttercream frosting. It's good, but I'm not sold. With a cupcake that tastes that unbelievable, I was expecting something else. I have a feeling, if I made my strawberry frosting from earlier this year, strawberry or vanilla flavored, it would have been heaven.

One last photo just for fun!

And with that, I hope 2011 was just as sweet for you, as it was for me.

Happy New Year!

The Dish: Thai Red Curry Mussels

I know I took a little hiatus from blogging, but there have been other priorities lately...family and myself. This time of year, I always find to be a good time to recharge my batteries. So, that's just what I've been doing with a little retail and cooking therapy.

And, if you're looking for something to spice up your everyday go-to-meals, then check out this recipe for Thai Red Curry Mussels on the Food Network.

My only deviations from the recipe were the following:

• Crushing a lemongrass stalk seemed a little agressive (maybe if you've had a bad day, this would be an option). Instead, I sliced the stalk lengthwise into 4 strips and then chopped the stalk. I placed the chopped lemongrass in cheesecloth, tied it up and threw it in with the liquid. (See the big white looking ball in the photo below.)
• I added about 2 garlic cloves crushed (literaly smashed with the back of a sturdy knife, and skins removed) to the liquid.
• I actually mixed and whisked all the liquid in a separate bowl before placing in the pot to heat. The coconut milk is really thick, so I recommend this part, especially if using an enameled pot to cook your mussels.

Ingredients prepped.

Mussels, debearded and washed.

I purchased from Whole Foods, and for the most part, they were ready to go, but a few still needed debearding, which is literally tearing out this fiberous little tuft from the side of the mussel. After this, I let the little guys sit in cold water for about 30 minutes to flush out any remaining sand. After 30 minutes, lift the mussels out of the water. Don't poor into a strainer, because all the sand will just end up back on the mussels. Also, be sure to ditch any mussels that are cracked or wide open, or don't close when tapping/pushing on them. And if they don't smell like the beach, the word is they're not fresh.

Check out Allrecipes.com for a step-by-step "how to" on cleaning and prepping mussels.

For a short demo on debearding, check out this video:

And the best part....enjoy. Oh, one more thing, I highly recommend eating this with a baguette to soak up the yummy juices!

Happy cooking and yummy eating.

The Dish: Scallops Provencal

So, tonight's dish was so good that we forgot to take a photo before we scarfed it all up.

So what could have been so finger lickin' good? Scallops Provencal, by none other than one of my favorites...Barefoot Contessa. And yes, this recipe has butter, so be prepared, or go for a run. Because you just can't make this right without butter.

Click below for the full recipe...get a nice baguette to soak up all the yummy goodness!

Scallops Provencal on the Food Network

Even Juno loves scallops ;-)

I might be in love...

I have just experienced Modcloth.com, and I might be in love.

If not for this t-shirt alone. Excited to read the blog too.

History of the Cupcake

Today, while celebrating a colleagues birthday, with cupcakes of course, they asked, "where do cupcakes originate, they are definitely American." Let me note, the individual lives in France and it's possible the cupcake craze might be a little more evident here in the US. Anyway, this really got me thinking...(as I pretty much think about cupcakes everyday...by the fact that last night, I started researching what it was going to take to make the ultimate vanilla cupcake per cupcakeproject.com's recipe)...i digress as usual....anyway, it got me thinking, where do these personal, pint-sized joy's come from. Who invented them???

With a little internet research, information can be found.

There actually seems to be two theories of the origination of the name cupcake:

1. by the measurement of ingredients in the cake...cup of flour, cup of sugar, etc.

2. by the fact that they were originally baked in cups.

The first reference can be traced back to 1796 in a recipe written by Amelia Simms, the American Cookery, with a notation about a cake to be baked in small cups.

So was it America or somewhere else?

Well there are other references to Queen Cake that was apparently a lighter version of fruitcake that was popular in the 18th century in England.

It's possible we may never know, but America has a close tie and history with Great Britain, so...

it's food for thought.

24 Days of Thanks in Review

During the month of November, I set out on a mission to capture 24 things I'm thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving. The assignment was very thought provoking and made me realize that I have so much to be truly thankful for...and there are way more than 24 things, people, places, etc. that I'm thankful for. And I should remember to be thankful everyday, not just the 24 days I have been concentrating on doing so.

And with that in mind, I have one more thank you to write for the moment...a thank you to all of you, who have been reading my blog for the last 11 months, and for those who have continued to encourage me. Thank you for stopping by The June bug Theory blog and letting me share just a few of my thoughts.

And in case you missed the list, here it is in it's entirety...24 Days of Thanks:

24. My birthday
23. My house
22. Good luck charms
21. Built-in Dishwashers
20. The ability to travel
19. Caffeine
18. Laughter
17. Music
16. Health
15. Wine
14. The Internet & Wikipedia
13. The little things in life
12. Nature & Animals
11. Friends
10. Technology
09. Freedom
08. Sweets
07. Great Neighbors
06. Grandmother
05. Mom
04. Dad
03. Juno
02. Hubby
01. Family

Be sure to check out my next assignment...the 12 days of Christmas...coming soon.

24 Days of Thanks #6-#1

So, I'm a little late in writing this, but better late than never. You see, I've actually spent the last 3 plus days with some of the individuals that are rounding out my 24 Days of Thanks. And without these top 6, I'm not sure that I would have anything else to be thankful for.

#'s 6-2: Mom, Dad, Grandmother, Husband, Juno.

#1: My family.

You might say that #'s 6-2, are the same as family. Well they are...but I'm thankful for each one of them individually in my life, and I've been blessed to spend this Thanksgiving with them. Also, my family is more than just them - it includes my mother and father in-law, my aunt, uncle and cousins, my brother in-law, and my soon-to-be sister in-law.

I love them all, and am thankful for them beyond any point of measurement.

I'm thankful that my grandmother who is 80, can travel and visit us (my mom, dad and me).

I'm thankful that my mom and dad are my parents but also my friends. I can always talk to them, laugh with them and cry with them.

I'm thankful that I decided to work at Garden Ridge one lovely summer, and met my best friend, partner and love of my life, my husband, who makes me laugh and smile everyday, and is my modern day renaissance man - I would truly be lost without him.

And of course...I'm thankful for our little juno, (a.k.a. the june bug) who brings so much life and laughter into our home. She has quite the personality and everyday is that much more interesting with her around.

I'm thankful that I have wonderful parents in-law, who have welcomed me into their family and opened my eyes to new foods, culture and customs.

I'm thankful for my brother-in-law and soon to be sister-in-law; they are the brother/sister I never had.

I'm thankful for my aunt, uncle and cousins and baby grayson, whom my aunt and uncle are amazingly devoted to raising this little gent in the making.

So...happy belated thanksgiving to you and yours, and wishing you a fun-filled, thankful holiday season that is upon us.

-Mo (a.k.a Mel)

24 Days of Thanks: #8 - #7

And the countdown continues....

#8. Sweets

Cakes, fruits, candy galore. Bless the person who transformed sugar into pure delight. I love sweets. If I was stranded on a dessert island, and I had to choose, it would probably be the sweets category. There's something very comforting about warm, homemade chocolate chip cookies, hot chocolate, cupcakes, chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, rasberries and strawberries with whipped cream...and so on. When I have a bad day, a little something sweet, always seems to be the cure. And this is not something new in my life (you know they say your taste buds change, but some things remain consistent). When I was probably 3 or 4, I fell at my grandmothers house, knocked my head, or something like that, and my Mom asked me, as I'm whailing like an infant, "what will make it better?" My reply, "grapes." How sweet are those?! And grapes really do make everything better. Along with chocolate cake, etc.

#7. Great Neighbors

My husband and I moved into our house 5 years ago, which is hard to believe. And we've been so lucky to have great neighbors and now friends that live on our street. We actually found our house due to our now-across-the-street neighbors after talking with them at a party one night. We were actually both looking in the same area, and they tipped us off to the house across the street from one they were looking at. Then, it just seemed that our street kept popping up with young couples all in about our age group. It's been a blast, we've had block parties, cookouts, walked to our local town square for various events, and even sledded down driveways when we were barricaded from the snow storm earlier this year. It's sort of like a built-in safety net too. You know if you need help, there's always someone close by. It's really nice to have that sense of community in our fast paced lives. And I'm thankful we've made great friends too.

24 Days of Thanks: #10 - #9

#10. Technology

Duh, right. This might sound cliche, but there are actually a lot of things in this category that I'm thankful for, so I decided to just group it all together. Overall though, what I'm most thankful for about technology is that in general it usually makes our lives better in some way, shape or form.

Examples:

• indoor plumbing. if you've ever been camping, then you can really appreciate this one.
• smart phones. navigation included might be enough said despite all the other apps and things these gadgets can do. i'm directionally challenged, so the day I got my smart phone, I was able to find my way, at least to my destination.
• trains, planes & automobiles. think how easy it is to get to where you need to go, when you need and rather quickly (especially if you combine it with navigation). you can travel across the world in just 24 hours or zip to the grocery store in 5 minutes. that wasn't so easy 100 years ago.
• reusable bags for shopping, electric cars, plastic containers made of algae! all these inventions are helping us to be more sustainable as people.
• medical advancements from pacemakers, artificial joints, to organ transplants and antibiotics. it's crazy what can be done to extend/save lives and make us more comfortable and healthier. and there's people who devote their lives to this.
• ipod/pandora. the advancement of listening to your music has gone from boom boxes to walkmans to the ipod and pandora. i can travel with my ipod on the plane or in my car and listen to my choice of music; or i can play pandora and create a station of artists that are similar - so easy! so enjoyable!

The above are just a few things technology brings us, but it's for sure revolutionizing our lives (think about the use of social media during the uprisings in Egypt, Libya); it's connecting us and moving us forward. Hopefully, for the better.

#9. Freedom

Always living in a country where freedom has really not been an issue, at least not in my lifetime, this is something so easily taken for granted. But, as I get older and travel to different places, watch the news and learn more about struggles that are happening around the world, I'm reminded of how easy I have it. I've never had to fight for my freedom, and most of us haven't. Maybe my generation doesn't understand this so well. Most of us take for granted that things are the way they are. It's our right. Well...it may be, but someone has, so many have, fought for that...and many are fighting for that today around the world.

When I went to China last year, I knew that social network sites like facebook were banned, but it was still hard to fathom not being able to use facebook, because, I just can in the US. It wasn't until I tried to log in and load some photos I had taken in Shanghai to share with my family and friends that I truly grasped censorship. So what happened? Of course, the site was blocked (I knew this, but it wasn't a reality for me until I tried). I couldn't even access Picasa, so I had to send the photos in an email. No big deal, but I was frustrated because I wasn't able to do something very minor like sharing photos.

Can you imagine what that's like with something on a much larger scale? And if I answer this truthfully...I can't imagine it, because in the US, we are founded on the principles of freedom...speech, voting, etc. (I'm not saying there isn't some censorship or manipulation of the truth, but it could be a lot different.)

So, I'm extremely thankful that I live in a country that is founded on this principle...where I can choose to do, believe, think, share and say what I want (of course without harm to others), when I want.

24 Days of Thanks: #13 - #11

Ok...so the countdown is on, and I've got a lot of being thankful for over the next few days! (And I do have a lot to be thankful for.)

But before I begin on my continued countdown of thanks, I wanted to share a little thought I had today...one I have quite often, and I'm not sure that it is something to be thankful for, but it makes me smile every time.

Have you ever seen the movie Love Actually? (If you haven't, you should.) Anyway, the last two minutes or so, are all the individuals you've been following through out the movie, somehow or another culminating into greetings and reunions at the airport. This always gets me...in the movie, and in real-life. Every time I walk through the airport (just like today), I love seeing those signs, and knowing that they and someone else are about to be reunited with loved ones/friends/family.

I guess it is something to be thankful for...so #13. The little things in life. Like being greeted at the airport.

#12. Nature & Animals.

It's so diverse, and we have so much to learn about it and from it. I love the seasons - summer, fall, winter, spring. It's like a restorative cycle. We spring into life when the weather starts getting warmer, we soak in the sun as the days get longer, we feel somehow refreshed at the first crisp fall breeze, and we retreat into cozy comforts during those winter months, just to do it all over again. And, the little creatures within their natural habitats aren't just cute, or sometimes scary, but tend to serve a purpose. For example, did you know that it's good to have ladybugs...there does seem to be a tale that they bring good luck, but that aside...they eat mosquitos and other pesty little insects. And garden snakes....well they eat mice and other little rodents, that believe me, you don't want in your yard, let alone your house! It's all about keeping things in check.

And of course, some of these creatures are just so darn cute!

#11. Friends

Good friends can be few and far between...and they are definitely worth cherishing.

24 Days of Thanks: #16 - #14

#16. Health

On saturday, my family got together and we ran/walk a 5k to promote awareness and help find a cure for colon cancer. I haven't always been a runner, and I'm still working at it, but running and participating in 5k's particularly this one (to honor my grandfather), reminds me of how lucky I am and to be thankful everyday for my health and the ability to do physical activities. It's easy to take that for granted. And, as much as I struggle some days when I run, I'm truly inspired by those individuals who have overcome illness/all odds and are running (and kicking my arse at it too!).

Undy 5000 Atlanta, GA 11/12/11

A special congrats to Draga (my mother-in-law), who two years to the day (11/12/09) broke her leg (femur); and she finished the walk in under 1 hour!

15. Wine

I love wine. White or Red. And I'm thankful, someone, somewhere, along the way figured out that fermenting fruits made great beverages. I actually did a quick search....and what do you know, the French did not invent wine. The earliest traces of wine production from fermenting grapes has been traced back 8,000 years ago to Georgia (the one located between Western Asia and Eastern Europe, not here in the good 'ole south). Which, if you look at a map, this makes sense. Subtropical; not too hot, not too cold. And a decent amount of rain.

So how did the grapes get to France? The Romans of course! Ok...enough history.

If you're in Napa/Sonoma, I highly recommend a visit to Lava Vine. It's the only place we joined as case club members last year on our trip to Napa. It's amazing wine. You'll be thankful you tried it. I promise! In vino veritas.

14. The Internet & Wikipedia

The internet is a virtual encyclopedia. Anything and everything you want to know, you can pretty much find here. And I love wikipedia; this has been an amazing little tool and provides some educational value on long road trips for looking up random facts and info about my favorite bands, places to visit, food, etc. I've been able to expand my knowledge, and at a moment's notice, look up anything that peaks my interest, or that I want to learn more about. (Like where wine has been traced back to!)

24 Days of Thanks: #17

#17. Music

So you could ask, why am I thankful for Music. Well, because there are so many genre's of music, and they all have their own amazing qualities regarding of your preference.

For me, I love all music. It's really the mood that I'm in that dictates my preference - soulful, upbeat, melancholy, or those beats that just get you dancing. But, the fact that I have the ability to listen to the music of my choice whenever I want, and that someone had the innate ability to create it, is what I'm most thankful for.

A few samplings.....

Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D

Enya

M. Ward:

Morgan Page

Ferry Corsten

Coldplay

The Beatles

Rolling Stones

Patsy Cline

Fleet Foxes:

Mozart

Beethoven

Mumford & Sons

Florence & the Machine

Radiohead

Iron & Wine

Goldfrapp:

Shiny Toy Guns

Faithless

Gustav Holst - The Planets

Simon & Garfunkel

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Feist

Nero

BT

Foster the People:

and the list goes on......

24 Days of Thanks: #20 - 18

Ok...so I fell behind a little. I've been thinking a lot about the things I'm thankful for, but just haven't had the time to sit and write them down. I was banned on Saturday because it was date night (I guess that is pretty important); and then it was off to NY for non-stop work.

So, here's #'s 20 - 18 (I will catch up and get back on track over the next few days):

20. For the ability to travel

I love to travel and have been blessed to be able to do so, and therefore extremely grateful to my parents, hubby and job, which have literally taken me around the world.

My parents had one child - me, so I was lucky enough to tag along with them to places like Hawaii and Colorado before the age of 10. Then, they were brave enough to let me travel across the world when I was only 14 for a Scandinavian field trip through Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Before heading off to college, we jetted across on a family adventure to Paris - full of cheese, baguettes and amazing views from the Eifel Tower and Sacre Coeur. Then, we headed to Italy via high-speed train on an unexpected adventure. Our wonderful train was not halted by the routine strikes often occurring in France, rather it broke down in the middle of the Alps. So, we hopped on to the only passing train, which landed us in the baggage cart sitting on our luggage to then find ourselves on a local train stopping routinely every 2 minutes, before ending up 8-hours later in Milan buying new tickets to Rome. When we got to Rome, it was nothing less than amazing...drenched with sun and rich with history, art and architecture. Then, a short stop in Pompeii (including the sight of the former Apian Way) and Naples - the true home of pizza...get the margherita. Since that memorable adventure, I've had the opportunity to check out a few other places....California (from San Diego to Napa), New York, Canada, Mexico, The French Polynesia-Tahiti, Morea, Bora Bora; Bordeaux, Shanghai, Holland, and most recently - Serbia.

It's been amazing to meet so many people, try to speak different languages and enjoy so many different types of food, and for this, I'm extremely thankful for travel and other cultures opening my eyes beyond my comfortable little bubble called home.

Just a few highligts:

19. Caffeine

Coffee, tea, diet coke. They all provide that little kick-in-the-pants that is needed. But for my go-to-every-day caffeine choice, it's the coffee. It's that little extra jolt I need in the morning...ok, maybe a lot of extra jolt, since I drink a large cup at home (which is really a ritual) and a large 16 - 20 oz to-go-cup at the office. So thank you to the inventors and pioneers of coffee and caffeine!!

Factoid: Ethiopian ancestors are believed to be the first to discover and recognize the energizing effect from the coffee bean plant.

18. Laughter

Ok, so maybe it's not laughter itself, but the things and people that make me laugh that I'm most thankful for. It's the best medicine, and it really makes you feel better!

Today, I saw this shirt on the guy who took my lunch order (obviously this photo is not that guy), and it was the unexpected humor that got a little giggle out of me:

And this guys....he makes me laugh all the time:

And Juno...well she's her own comedy act:

24 Days of Thanks: #21

21. Built-in dishwasher (s)

I have a love hate relationship with our kitchen. I love cooking, but I hate doing dishes.

So I'm really thankful for my built-in dishwasher(s).....all three of them.

Salmon..yummy. I promise,

we cleaned the heck out

of this dish afterwards!

24 Days of Thanks: #22

In case you're just tuning in...

This month, I will be reviewing all things I'm thankful for, leading up to the most thankful day of the year...Thanksgiving of course.

(Just a reminder, I'm counting down, but in no particular order of importance.)

#22. Good luck charms.

When I was little (maybe 5 or 6 or somewhere around then, my memory isn't so good and those years blur together a little), my Mom had surgery. Before she had that surgery, I decided to craft her a ring made of the prettiest plastics beads I had ever seen. I gave the ring to her and told her it would bring her good luck during her surgery and of course that I loved her. (Again, maybe my exact words were something slightly different, but that's the gist.) Anyway, she came through the surgery fine and dandy and made a full recovery.

Years later, I came to find out that my Mom still had that ring. It was when I had to take my first business trip ever, and I-had-to-fly...by-myself. **News flash...Melissa is afraid of flying...a little less today, but I still do harbor the ridiculous fear.**

Anyway, this was just a few years after 9/11. I had not flown since before the horrendous attack on the world trade center, let alone, now I would be flying across the country to Portland by myself. I was utterly petrified and a ball of nerves. That's when my Mom said...I have a little something for you. It brought me good luck once. I think you'll remember it, and now it can bring you good luck. And she handed me the ring. I think I burst into tears. From delight that my Mom still had the ring, and like the great Mom she is, was willing to loan me her personal good luck charm. So, I tucked the ring into my wallet, and carried it all the way to Portland and back, and then some. And, I was fine. I actually ended up holding on to that ring for a little longer, and over the last several years, it's been passed back and forth between my Mom, Grandmother and I, on occasions where it was most needed.

Along the way, I've picked up a few more of my own good luck charms - a gem stone from my Mom and two locket necklaces from my husband and his family. I carry them every time I travel now. My fear of flying has lessened...maybe because it's just more frequent, but I always have my good luck charms, and my family close at hand. And if you ask me, that's what it really is...it's not the item itself, but the meaning behind it, and knowing there is someone always there if you need them.