Red Velvet Baked Donuts...and Pad Thai Gone Awry

Do you remember my baking disaster last week?

You can read about that here.

Mr. Goo Shoes just shook his head...

he's pretty used to my kitchen mishaps. 

Take the other night, for instance.
I got it in my head that I had to make Pad Thai noodles with shrimp.

I didn't have a recipe...

which in and of itself is a recipe...for disaster, that is.

I figured, how hard can this be?

I bought frozen stir-fry veggies, and stir-fry sauce at Trader Joes;

some shrimp, and a box of rice noodles.

The instructions on the noodle box said that if they are being used for stir-fry, 

don't boil them; soak them in hot water for 8-10 minutes.

OK, sounded weird, but I did it, and they were not at all soft 
after 10...15...20 minutes.

In the meantime, I stir-fried the veggies and the shrimp. 

I added the noodles, figuring...uh, hoping...they would soften up in the pan.

Before I go on, I have to tell you that every night when I set the table,

I always put knives out, whether we need them or not.

And every night, Mr. Goo Shoes says,

 "we don't need knives," as if it costs money to use them.

It's kind of a running joke in our house. 

On Pad Thai night, I left the knives in the drawer, just to humor him. 
I thought he was just perpetuating the joke when he asked,

"Do we have any steak knives?

Huh?

"Are these noodles or rubber bands?"
 

They were completely un-chewable.

And by completely, I mean COM-PLETE-LY.

Another kitchen calamity by yours truly.

Other than the fact that we had to cut the noodles into tiny bits 
so they could be swallowed, it actually tasted pretty good...
said me, and only me.
The rest of them wanted to know what my back-up plan was.

I made up for the chewy dinner by offering them red velvet donuts for dessert.
After two bites, the Pad Thai fiasco was forgiven...
but not forgotten.
Don't think they didn't rib me about it for days afterwards.

 

Last week's red velvet blunder was not because I didn't know what I was doing.
I've made it dozens of times, and in fact, it's always a hit, and often requested.

That time, it was just a case of mistaken cocoa powder identity. 

I've used the same recipe to make red velvet cake, cupcakes, mini-cupcakes, 
and now...donuts.
It's from McCormick...the vanilla and food coloring folks
(I'm not being sponsored, I just like the recipe).

I've tried other red velvet recipes, and they were not as good.

This is dense, moist, and just the right amount of sweetness. 

And look how beautifully red they are this time! 

 I usually use a cream cheese frosting when I make red velvet cake or cupcakes,

I decided to try something different for the donuts, and made a simple, thick glaze out of confectioners sugar and heavy cream. 
I found I had better control filling a small zip-top bag, and cutting a small hole in the corner to pipe it on. 

Is that bee-yoo-tiful, or what???
(Looks a little like rice noodles, doesn't it, heh-heh?) 

I was in the supermarket yesterday, and I looked at a box of red velvet cake mix.
Feh! 
All kinds of creepy ingredients.
Go natural, and make it from scratch. 

RED VELVET DONUTS 

(Recipe adapted from McCormick)

Yield: Approximately 24 donuts

For Donuts:

2 1/2 cups flour 

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 bottle (1 oz.) red food color  

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Glaze:

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time. 

Mix sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla.

Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed, just until blended. Do not overbeat.

Spoon batter into donut pans greased with cooking spray.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until donuts spring back to touch. NOTE: Oven times vary; times are approximate.

Let cool and remove from donut pans.

To Glaze:

Combine confectioners sugar and cream; mix until smooth.

Transfer to a small zip-top bag.

Cut small piece of corner off bag (about 1/8 inch).

Pipe icing onto cooled donuts and let set.  

*****************************************    

And now...for the big finish:

Take this recipe for a spinner...
 I guarantee it's a winner and a pinner...
One bite will make folks grinner...

unlike my beginner Pad Thai dinner.

Hope you all are having better weather than we are here in NJ.
We've got freezing rain, with snow coming later.

Only six more weeks till spring!

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