Food: Hamburger Cupcakes

As promised I'd like to share a fabulous summer treat perfect for the upcoming 4th of July weekend! I saw a picture of these while flipping through a magazine and was inspired to figure out how to make them at home. They turned out ridiculously cute and it screwed with a lot of my friend's minds. They come out looking like real mini slider burgers and are the perfect fun dessert for any picnic or your next bbq.

Hamburger Cupcakes
By Desiree Roughton

Ingredients:
*1 box store bought chocolate cake mix (prepare as directed)
*1 box store bought yellow cake mix (prepare as directed)
*1 can white frosting
*red, yellow, and green and food coloring
*8 oz. a bag of white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Fill 24 muffin tins 2/3 with yellow cake mix and bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Set aside and let cool.

Fill 24 muffin tins 1/3 of the way full with chocolate cake batter. (You can use the rest of the batter for regular sized cupcakes if you wish.) Bake 15-20 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

Mix half a can of frosting with red food coloring until the frosting turns red (NOT PINK). Make the other half of the can bright yellow.

Melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on high in 30 second increments until smooth. Fold in a few drops of green food coloring.

Allow the chocolate to re-harden as a small block in the refrigerator.

Assembly:

Cut each of the yellow cupcakes in half to create top and bottom "buns."

Lightly frost the bottom section with yellow frosting. Make sure there is enough frosting on the outer edges to slightly spill over.

Top with thin chocolate cupcake. (Depending on how the cakes bake up you may need to shave off the curved top for easier assembly and aesthetics.)

Lightly frost the "patty" with the red frosting, allowing spill over again.

Use a spoon or knife to create green shavings from the white chocolate. Sprinkle on the outer edges of your red frosting layer. This will look like lettuce.

Top with yellow cupcake top.

Enjoy!



sorry about the terrible picture quality. I tend to misplace things like my digital camera...a lot, so I had to use my cell phone.

Film: Killers Review

Last weekend's box office opened three new wide releases, and yes I saw them all. My latest review task was for Killers, which coincidentally was also my favorite of the lot. The film was kept from critics to supposedly run on the word of mouth from social media, I'm not sure how well it worked but I enjoyed it. I lost a little love for Katherine Heigl since hearing about all of her high maintenance episodes, but the women is adorable and so hard to hate.

Also, I know I've been a lot more Film than Food lately which tends to happen when I get busy (not to mention a move), but I have an amazingly cute cupcake recipe coming just in time for the 4th of July.

Killers: GotchaMovies Review
A new breed of romantic comedy

Enjoy!

Film: 1 Year, 100 Movies - May

It’s that time again! I’m a few days late, as usual :), but here is 1 Year, 100 Movies: May Edition.

5/1/10: Why Did I Get Married Too?
Thanks to my boyfriend I have a continuously growing love for Tyler Perry. How someone can put so much comedy and so much tragedy into one film is truly a talent. I never saw the first Why Did I Get Married movie, so I can’t compare the two but this one was thoroughly enjoyable. It explores every marital problem in the book, including the untalked about female emotional affair. The acting is good and the humor is entertaining.

Bottom line: As with any Tyler Perry movie, you are in for a roller coaster of emotions.

5/7/10: Babies
What more does a girl want than 1 and a half hours of adorably cute babies doing all the stuff adorably cute babies do? Not babies doing the weird things babies do. This documentary arguably as like all documentaries, is nothing spectacular. It is cute and keeps up the pace, but I’m not going to lie my American born and raised socialization made some of it a bit uncomfortable. I’m not really sure who this movie was made for, but if you’re interested more power to you.

Bottom line: I love babies, but I didn’t so much love Babies.

5/8/10: Iron Man 2
First and foremost, I was notsoimpressed by the original Iron Man movie, gasp I know. I really didn’t find it action packed or tech heavy enough for my liking. Iron Man 2 however, succeeds everywhere is original counterpart failed. Bad ass action, American soil setting, over the top technology…FTW. Robert Downey Jr. is amazing and the guy who replaced the greedy sidekick guy from the first one didn’t make me miss greedy original sidekick guy at all.

Bottom line: R Downs is a BAMF.

5/15/10: Letters to Juliet
You can read my official review here.

Bottom line: Cheesy central love story, cheap set, not worth your time.

5/16/10: Just Wright
I will start by saying I frickin’ love Queen Latifah. Unlike certain pro real women celebrities *cough* Tyra Banks *cough* Latifah is a true woman with curves making it in Hollywood. This story is fun, cute, and entertaining from start to finish. This is an ugly girl gets the guy story we can actually believe. Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah) is a strong women, who refuses to compromise herself for love. She’s neither desperate, nor lacking in self-esteem which creates a loveable character and enticing story.

Bottom line: Super enjoyable, deserves a lot more credit than it got.

5/18/10: Get Him to the Greek
Get Him to the Greek was just release this week (June 4th), but I saw the film at an advanced screening on campus. It’s no Forgetting Sarah Marshal (i.e. best R-rated comedy of all time, and yes I’ve seen the Hangover), but this one is funny. I think [insert what even P Diddy is going by these days] is pretty funny, Russel Brand does his things, and Jonah Hill plays his part really well. Of course the story is over the top and a lot the film relies on stupid comedy, but it does what it does.

Bottom line: Get Him to the Greek is what it is, an overindulgent comedy that provides laughs…but not much more.

5/23/10: Shrek Forever After
You can read my official review here.

Bottom line: I’ll miss Shrek, truly I will.

5/30/10: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Don’t go looking for the next Pirate’s saga and you will be in for a treat. It has a good story, good actors, good action. It’s plot is interesting and not something we have seen before. Prince of Persia deserves a viewing and enough of a following to warrant a sequel. I’m bummed it’s being swallowed up by other, much less worthy releases.

Bottom line: Keep the prince alive!

5/31/10: Sex in the City 2
Honestly, you can all guess what I’m going to say. This movie is ridiculous and it sucks. It’s not even good for what it is. SJP is hideous (granted this is no new news), Cattrall’s age is catching up to her, and by her I mean her boobs, and the other two are too good to be in a film like this. Move on ladies, move on. If rumors of a SATC 3 are true….omg. I don’t even care about the blatant offending of the Middle East, but it definitely doesn’t add any charm to this black hole.

Bottom line: No…just no.

Total count for 2010: 41

Film: Shrek Forever After Review

Hey All. Sorry I've been lagging it so much in my postings. The semseter just ended which meant finals and securing my summer schedule which now includes work, two internships, and two online summer school courses. Not to worry though! Enjoy my latest movie review for Shrek Forever After. You can also read up on the film's low box office predictions and promotions to help the environment by going green like Shrek.

I'll be posting a review for Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl's new release, Killers soon as well as my 1 Year, 100 Movies post for May.

Shrek Forever After: GotchaMovies Review
This goodbye brings joy and laughter.

Enjoy!

Film: Letters to Juliet Review

Here is my review for Letters to Juliet, it stars the adorable and talented Amanda Seyfried. Luckily, she's got enough talent to get out of a failure like this. Summit should have left this story wherever they found it.

Letters to Juliet: GotchaMovies Movie Review
Uncharmingly cheesy

Enjoy!

Film: 1 Year, 100 Movies - April

4/4/10: The Last Song
You can read my full review here.

Bottom line: This movie is good for what it is, worth a rental.

4/9/10: Date Night
Steve Carell and Tina Fey are ridiculously hilarious. They have great on screen chemistry and a believable relationship. This movie is hilarious without being over the top (often a turn off for me when it comes to Carell’s performances. You'll crack up the entire time.

Bottom line: Fun and entertaining and of course I have to say it, this movie would make for a great date night.

4/9/10: Clash of the Titans
It’s a rare day that I will pass up the 3D version of a film. Maybe I’m getting accustomed to it or will finally believe 3D isn’t that great unless stuff is literally popping out at your face (not usually the case with live action 3Ds). I enjoyed this film in plain old 2D. The action was good, the Avatar guy did a better job than he did in Avatar and you can’t go wrong with a good Greek mythology oriented plot. I’m not going to lie I enjoyed the modern twist on mythology that was Percy Jackson a little better but this film is no where near the atrocity a lot of people claim it is.

Bottom line: It was good. Worth it on the big screen, but I don’t think 3D would have done anything for me.

4/16/10: The Joneses
If you read/listen to one thing I say in your life make it this... This is a movie EVERY person should see. It tells the story of consumerism and debt in our culture. I’m no anti-materialist or crazy technology-is-killing-the-world activist, but this movie offers a real portrayal of today’s world. The plot is about us, right here, right now. It brilliantly meets you right where you are and forces us to think about how we live our lives. The acting is great. Luckily there are actors like Demi Moore and David Duchovny to read scripts and realize potential and substance worthy of putting their work into. Take your kids take your friends, you’ll be changed. Plus, it’s damn entertaining.

Bottom line: Every person should see this movie. Seriously, forget the rest of this post and go now.

4/18/10: Kick-Ass
You can read my full review here.

Bottom line: I wasn’t impressed, guys eat this shit up and I’m not sure why. Mind you, this is coming from the girl who is way down for guns and yelled “CUT IT OFF!!!” during Saw

4/19/10: Oceans
I love the Disney Nature series. Oceans is just as good as last year’s Earth. I’m not going to lie, I’m no green advocate, which is why I like how they do these movies. There’s a message but it’s not so PSA it’s annoying. I don’t like being told to save the earth but when I see the earth like this it definitely makes me think twice, which is exactly what the film makers are going for. The shots they got are unbelievably stunning.

Bottom line: See it and I’ll see you next year at African Cats.

4/23/10: The Back-Up Plan
Oh J Lo how far you have fallen. I long for the days of Maid in Manhattan and even Jenny from the Block. This movie is terrible, even for romcom standards. It relies on physical humor, which I want none of since this is about having babies. Her actions and decisions make no sense, even for a hormonal preggo and the relationship evolution is terrible. The onscreen chemistry between Lopez and the guy we’ve never heard of is nearly non-existent and her SPOILER ALERT ginger babies are disturbing and scientifically impossible.

Bottom line: NEXT!

4/25/10: The Losers
I love these kind of movies. I’m all for plans, heists, betrayal. I don’t care about the clichés or the predictability. The Losers is a great action flick. The acting is acceptable, the characters are fun, and the story is entertaining.

Bottom line: Solid action flick. Supposedly it’s based on a comic but I don’t know about all that.

4/30/10: A Nightmare on Elm Street
I’m too young to remember the original Nightmare on Elm Street, but I’m curious to add it to my Netflix queue and check out the differences. A Nightmare on Elm Street isn’t entirely bad. It’s pretty good for the scary movie genre. It takes a lot to scare me and I can’t say this movie accomplished that but it was entertaining. What saves this film is the underlying mystery and secrets you want to discover. It gives the plot a dynamic sense most horror films fail to accomplish.

Bottom line: I assume the original is better, but this one’s pretty good.

Total count for 2010: 32

Food: Farmer's Market Salsa

I spent last weekend back home in Riverside. I've been wanting to check out the wonderful and trendy world of Farmer's Markets for quite some time, so when my mom and I headed downtown to pick up some produce I was pretty stoked. We picked up 6 or 7 ripe tomatoes (only $1 a pound), an interesting hybrid of green onion and garlic (apparently called green garlic), fresh cilantro, and an avocado (it was bruised so it only cost us $.50) to make homemade salsa.


She recently got a new gadget from Pamered Chef called the salad chopper. It's basically a deadly weapon looking pair of double blade scissors that can chop your ingredients right in the bowl.

Photo courtesy of PamperedChef.com

We threw the tomatoes (simply cut in half), cilantro, green garlic, lime juice, canned jalapenos, and salt into a bowl and got chopping. As you can see it came out looking pretty good and tastes awesome. I apologize for the lack of pictures throughout the process, I think I got a little trigger happy with the choppers and lost focus :)


I have been convinced of the awesomeness of Farmer's Markets and may just get addicted. You can really find some great deals if you have uses for the produce right now, a lot of the vendors lower their prices to move their overabundance of ripe merchandise, which works for the consumer. Plus the regular priced produce is the best quality you can find.

Enjoy!