Recipe for Trouble (11 page)

At the cast after-party, everyone was raving about the fifth grade's “sweet new twist” on
Romeo
and
Juliet
.

“What a clever way to make it more relatable to the children,” Principal Fontina told Mr. Higgins.

“Yes, well, what can I say?” he boasted. “That's my job.”

“Modest as always, Rodney!” Juliette chuckled.

Everyone was gobbling up the pink “poison” cupcakes PLC had baked for the festivities. It was one of PLC's most impressive displays, and Juliette especially loved it. “What would Jean-Paul say?” she teased Lexi. “It's amazing!”

“There's the star of the show!” Aunt Dee cried, scooping Lexi up in a huge bear hug. “You were fantabulous, kiddo!”

Lexi shook her head. “I was awful. I couldn't move. I felt like my feet were nailed to the stage—like the cupcakes we toothpicked to the heart!”

“Well, nobody could tell,” Dee insisted. “You looked grief-stricken…just like Juliet. And the cupcake twist? Every Shakespeare play I've ever seen was really boring. But not this one!”

Lexi made her way over to her friends. “Thanks, guys. You saved me.”

“Actually, we
killed
you,” Kylie pointed out. “It was really cool!”

“Thanks for that too,” said Lexi. She spied Jeremy across the cafeteria, surrounded by his family.

“Jeremy must think I'm an idiot!” Lexi sighed. “I almost ruined the whole play!”

“I think you're about to find out,” said Jenna. “He's coming this way.”

“Hide me!” screamed Lexi. She ducked behind her friends.

“Lexi?” asked Jeremy. The girls stepped aside. “Can I talk to you?”

Lexi bit her lip. “Um, I guess.” They made their way over to a quiet table in the corner.

“Your cupcake display is amazing,” Jeremy began. “You're such a great artist.”

“Thanks,” Lexi replied, looking down at her feet.

“And you did a really great job in the play today.”

Lexi looked up. “Are you serious? I was terrible! I couldn't say my lines! I couldn't move!”

“Neither could I!” confided Jeremy. “I wanted to reach out and toss you the dagger, but I was so scared, I couldn't move either.”

“You were?” Lexi replied.

“Are you kidding? My teeth were chattering, I was so nervous. Especially for the kiss.”

Lexi giggled. “I just thought you were cold!”

“Anyway, I got you this.” Jeremy took a small box out of his pocket and handed it to her. It was tied with a purple ribbon—her favorite color.

“What's this?” Lexi asked.

“Open it!”

She tore off the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a silver charm bracelet with three charms dangling from it: a peace sign, a heart, and a cupcake.

“You get it? Peace, Love, and Cupcakes,” Jeremy said.

“I love it,” sighed Lexi. “It's beautiful!”

Jeremy smiled. “Happy Valentine's Day, Juliet.”

“Happy Valentine's Day, Romeo,” said Lexi, kissing him on the cheek.

“Yes!” screamed a voice from under their table. It was Kylie.

Lexi peered under the seat and saw her BFF hiding.

“Kylie? Really?” Lexi groaned.

Kylie covered her mouth. “Oopsies!”

“You're lucky to have friends who care about you,” said Jeremy. “Nice job in the nurse's office.”

Kylie climbed out from under the table. “How did you know?”

“I have my spies too,” Jeremy replied.

Suddenly, Jack Yu appeared from behind a column. “Yo!” he said.

Kylie looked impressed. “I never saw you there!” she told Jack.

“I've got serious detective skills,” he informed her. “You should see me on Spy Games on Wii. I've broken every high score.”

“Do you have Monster Hunter Four?” Kylie asked. She'd been dying to try that game.

“You bet! It's awesome. Wanna come over after school and play it?”

Before she could answer, Lexi accepted the invitation for her. “She'd love to!”

Kylie looked surprised…but happy. “What are friends for?” Lexi winked.

• • •

It was amazing, thought Lexi, how love truly was in the air at Blakely. She had Jeremy, Kylie had Jack, Juliette had Mr. Higgins, and now, even Aunt Dee seemed to have been struck by Cupid's arrow!

“Oh, Mr. Reidy, you're so smart!” she was cooing at Lexi's science teacher.

“You like science?” he asked Lexi's aunt.

“Oh, yes! I'm thinking of majoring in it next semester at NYU! Maybe you could help me with my homework?”

Lexi noticed that Mr. Higgins was dressed down for the occasion: no suit today, just a bright red T-shirt that said “Give My Regards to Broadway!”

“Juliette bought it for me,” he said, noting Lexi's stare. “I rather like it.”

“I rather like it too,” Juliette said, sneaking up behind him and giving him a hug.

Lexi smiled. Everyone got exactly what they wanted for Valentine's Day. And all it took was Shakespeare…and cupcakes.

Chocolate Cupcake

Makes 12

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into ¼ inch pieces

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup flour

cupcake liners

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place twelve cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.

2. Pour enough water into a four-quart saucepan so that it reaches a depth of one inch. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.

3. Combine butter and chocolate in a medium bowl.

4. Set bowl over saucepan. Cook, stirring until melted and smooth, for about five minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Whisk together eggs in a large bowl.

6. Add sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk to combine.

7. Stir in chocolate mixture and then fold in flour.

8. Pour batter into lined cupcake pans.

9. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cupcake comes out clean, about fifteen to twenty minutes.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Makes 1½ cups frosting

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups of confectioner's sugar

a pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions

1. Beat the butter until smooth by using an electric mixer if desired.

2. Add confectioner's sugar and salt. Beat until most of the sugar is moistened, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

3. When the mixture is fully combined, add vanilla, milk, and melted chocolate.

4. Increase speed and beat until light and fluffy, about four minutes.

Spaghetti Cupcakes

Makes 6

1 cup tomato sauce

4 ounces ricotta cheese

3 ounces Parmesan cheese

8 ounces shredded mozzarella

1 tablespoon milk

1 egg

1 package pre-cooked whole wheat spaghetti

1 package of turkey meatballs (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 1 egg.

3. Pour the cooked spaghetti into the bowl with the tomato sauce cheese mixture. Toss the spaghetti in the mixture, making sure to coat all of the noodles.

4. Add spoonfuls of the mixture into greased muffin tins. It can come up to just below the top of each opening. Press down so the noodles are packed into muffin tin—they will fall apart if not packed enough.

5. If desired, dip the turkey meatballs in tomato sauce and add to the top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake for eighteen to twenty-two minutes.

7. Let cool for a few minutes to set. Run a butter knife around each one to loosen.

Raspberry Cupcakes

Makes 12

1 pint of raspberries, reserve 12 for cupcakes

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

¾ cup + 3 tablespoons sugar

1 stick butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup cake flour

1½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the muffin pan.

2. In a small bowl, smash the raspberries with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar. Strain and set aside.

3. Mix the butter and remaining sugar together until light and fluffy. (If using an electric mixer, cream for three to four minutes and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.)

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

6. Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until combined after each addition.

7. Add in the raspberry mixture. Mix until combined.

8. Fill lined muffin pans
full with cupcake batter. Place a raspberry in the center of each cupcake.

9. Bake for twenty to twenty-five minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.

10. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool. It's very important not to leave warm cupcakes in the pan or the cupcakes will become soggy.

Pink Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

Makes 1½ cups frosting

½ pint of raspberries

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 cups + ½ tablespoon confectioner's sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

a pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

red food coloring

Directions

1. In a small bowl, smash the raspberries with the lemon juice and ½ tablespoon sugar. Strain and set aside.

2. Beat the butter until smooth using an electric mixer if desired.

3. Add the confectioner's sugar and salt. Beat until most of the sugar is moistened, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

4. When the mixture is fully combined, add the vanilla and the milk.

5. Add the raspberry mixture and a drop of food coloring.

6. Increase speed and beat until light and fluffy.

7. Frost Raspberry Cupcakes.

Recipes developed by Jessi Walter, CEO and Chief Bud at Taste Buds Kitchen (
www.tastebudskitchen.com
).