Rob had to bring something "Irish" to a St. Patrick's Day thing at work. What better than beer cupcakes? I found this recipe for Guinness cupcakes. I added some mini chocolate chips to give it a little more flavor. I also used plain canned frosting the second time I made them, as I thought the cream cheese frosting wasn't "right" for this recipe.
Guinness Cupcakes recipe copied from: http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/dessert/cakes/choc_guinness_cupcakes.html and originally found in Dave's Dinners -- A Fresh Approach to Home-Cooked Meals by Dave Lieberman (2006 Hyperion Books).
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Makes 24 Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the sour cream. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet Guinness mixture. Butter 24 muffin tins and divide the batter among the muffin tins. Bake 25 minutes until risen and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out of the tins. Make the frosting: Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa. |
My Nana used to make Easter bread every Easter. It had powdered sugar frosting and the multi-colored ball sprinkles. It defines Easter for me.
My aunts still make the bread every year, and it's a flashback to my childhood.
I would halve this recipe, because it makes a TON of bread. I tried adding a little orange zest and orange oil (just a few drops) and some golden raisins, which I really like. But it's not Nana's recipe. (Thogh I thought I remembered raisins when I was a kid.)
With out further adieu...
Easter Bread
by Nana Antoinette (aka Toni)
1 c milk, scalded
2 sticks margarine
3 c sugar
4 t salt
4 packages yeast
6 beaten eggs
3 1/2 c water
~5 lbs flour
Scald milk. Stir in sugar, salt, and margarine. Dissolve yeast in water, add milk mixture and beaten eggs. Then flour until dough feels it's the "right" consistency. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Roll out and shape. (We braid it and sometimes put colored eggs beneath the braids.) Place on baking sheet until double in size, then bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
When cooled, frost with frosting (powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk) and sprinkles.
I know I've been quiet lately. I was traveling for work this week, and just not in the mood to cook. But I did attend a brownie swap today -- Joelen was gracious enough to coordinate and host, AND blog about it!
http://joelens.blogspot.com/2008/02/bountiful-brownies-blondies.html
Mine are the Samoas brownies, which I've blogged about previously.
I delicious'ed this recipe a while ago and have been dying to make it. I finally did today, and it was really good! Too much for me to eat alone, so I hope my co-workers like it! (Recipe below copied and pasted directly from http://workingwomanfood.blogspot.com/2008/01/cookbook-of-month-recipe-lemon.html)
Hers was so much thicker than mine, I'm jealous! But my crust was thicker, and the crust is always my favorite part. (On pizza, pies, etc.) I did think it was a bit heavy though. Definitely not refreshing like I was imagining. But still tasty.
Lemon Cheesecake
from The New Best Recipe
CRUST
5 ounces Nabisco's Barnum's Animal Crackers
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
FILLING
1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 oz.) sugar
1 tablespoon grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 1-2 lemons
1 1/2 pounds (3 8-oz. packages) cream cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
LEMON CURD
1/3 cup juice (from about 2 lemons)
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz.) sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
FOR THE CRUST
Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325F. In a food processor, process the animal crackers until you have fine crumbs. You should have about 1 cup. Add in the sugar and pulse. In a steady stream, add the butter while pulsing, about 10 1-second pulses. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly into the bottom. Bake until fragrant and golden brown. The instructions say 15 to 18 minutes, but mine was done at about 12 minutes, so keep an eye on it. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. When cool, wrap the pan with 2 18-inch square pieces of foil. Set the pan in a roasting pan.
FOR THE FILLING
Process 1/4 cup of the sugar and the lemon zest in a food processor until the zest is broken down and the sugar turns yellow. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the rest of the sugar.
In a bow of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese to break it up and soften it slightly, about 5 seconds. With the machine is running, add the sugar mixture in a slow stream; increase the speed to medium and beat until combined, creamy and smooth - about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to medium low and add the eggs, 2 at a time. Beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl before each addition. Add the lemon juice, vanilla and salt and mix to combine. Add the cream and mix until incorporated, about another 5 seconds. Give the bowl a final scrape and pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan. Fill the roasting pan with enough water to make it about halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake until the center jiggles slightly, the sides start to puff, and the surface is no longer shiny, about 55 to 60 minutes. The center should read about 150 degrees F. Turn off the oven and prop the door of the oven open with a potholder or wooden spoon. Allow the cake to cool in the water bath in the oven for about an hour. Transfer the springform pan to a wire rack and run a small paring knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Let it sit to room temperature for 2 hours.
FOR THE CURD
While the cheesecake is baking, heat the lemon juice in a small non-reactive pan on medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then gradually whisk in the sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot lemon juice into the egg/sugar mixture, then return the mixture to the saucepan and continue to heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 170 F and is thick enough to cling to the spoon, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add in the cold butter and mix until incorporated. Stir in the cream, vanilla and salt, then pour through a strainer into a small nonreactive bowl. Cover the surface of the curd directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
TO ASSEMBLE
When the cheesecake is cook, top it with the lemon curd while still in the springform pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, but 24 hours is better. To serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and cut into wedges.
I found this recipe on a fellow blogger's site, who borrowed from this site. I did not cook mine in a crock pot. Instead, I broke in my brand new Le Creuset French oven. I don't think this turned out quite how I expected, but it was good. DH doesn't like chicken, but he does like garlic. Even with 40 cloves, he said it wasn't garlicy enough for him. But thank you fellow WC foodie! I never thought I could make a whole chicken and now I can say that I have!
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40 cloves garlic (about 3 heads of garlic)
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2 sprigs rosemary (I used dried)
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2 sprigs thyme (I used dried)
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2 sprigs sage (I didn't have any)
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2 sprigs Italian parsley (I used dried)
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Ground pepper to taste
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3 pounds roasting or fryer chicken
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3 stalks celery - I'm ashamed to say I didn't have any and instead used 1 t celery salt
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4 red potatoes, quartered
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2 t kosher salt
Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. Rub the chicken with olive oil inside and out, then sprinkled with the dried herbs. Put 1 sprig of each herb into the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken in baking dish. Add potatoes around chicken. Cut up the rest of the herbs and sprinkle on top of the chicken. Add ground pepper to taste. Peel garlic, and place on top and around chicken. Cook in 425 oven for 2 hours or until juices run clear.
And is it just me? I felt really bad for the little chicken. I'm far from a vegetarian, but I hate working with whole animals. :(
Pretty much the only candy Rob likes are peanut butter cups. (Anything with peanut butter, really.) It was Valentine's Day, I got my Martha Stewart Food magazine, and opened the back cover. (I read magazines back to front.) The featured "cookie" recipe was pb cups. I happened to have all of the ingredients (except chopped peanuts, for garnish). They were SO good! Definitely something I'd make for others.
From March 2008 issue of Everyday Food.
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
1/2 c smooth peanut butter
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used chocolate chips)
2 T unsalted peanuts, chopped (I omitted these)
Line 2 12-mini-cup muffin tins with paper liners, set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate and peanut butter. Microwave until almost melted, 1-1 1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, place semisweet chocolate in another microwave safe bowl. Microwave about 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute, until melted.
Dividing evenly, use a spoon to layer chocolate and peanut butter mixture into liners, beginning and ending with semisweet chocolate. Sprinkle with peanuts and freeze for 15 minutes. Bring to room temperature before serving.
**To make the filling easier, I used a skinny spatula. I found it easier to line the cups in a more consistent way, rather than a spoon, or worse, a makeshift pastry bag (for me, a baggie with the corner cut off). I also found I ran out of chocolate sooner than I thought, so I might either just melt more, or use less on the bottoms.
These were much better the night I made them than the next day. Granted, I didn't refrigerate like MS suggests. It's PB and chocolate -- should I have?
I usually make feta chicken with crispy potato pieces. I like them very browned. Not sure how I thought of this recipe, but it's one of the few chicken dishes my husband will actually eat.
Feta Chicken:
1 whole breast (2 servings)
1/2 package feta with sun dried tomatoes and basil
1/4 c breadcrumbs
1 t basil
1 t oregano
4 cloves garlic, sliced
olive oil
Drizzle oven-safe dish with olive oil. Mix bread crumbs, garlic cloves, basil oregano in a small bowl. Coat outsides of chicken with breadcrumb mixture and lay flat in baking dish. Spoon feta on one side of chicken (smaller one, if possible) and fold over other side of the breast.
Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 45 minutes, or until juices run clear.
Rosemary crispy potatoes:
1 large baking potato
1 T dried rosemary
1 T olive oil
1 t onion powder
1 t garlic salt
Slice potato into small pieces (I like the skins on). Coat with olive oil, onion powder, garlic salt, and rosemary. Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender with fork (or blackened, like I like it).
Dough
½ cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus 1 tbsp for greasing baking dish
½ cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 package (about 2 ¼ teaspoons rapid-rise or instant yeast
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg plus 2 large yolks
1 ½ teaspoons salt
4 - 4 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface ( I used regular all- purpose flour that’s all I have)
Icing
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
Filling
¾ cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
For the dough:
- Heat the milk and 8 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until the mixture is warm (about 100 degrees).
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the water, yeast, sugar, egg, and yolks on low speed until well mixed. Add the salt, warm milk mixture and 2 cups flour and mix on medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Switch to the hook attachment, add 2 cups flour, and knead on medium speed (adding more flour 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary) until the dough is smooth and freely clears the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a round, place it in a lightly greased large mixing bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave in a draft-free, warm spot until doubled in bulk, 1 ½ to 2 hours.
For the icing:
- While the dough rises, combine all of the icing ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend together on low speed until roughly combines, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and mix until the icing is uniformly smooth and free of cream cheese lumps, about 2 minutes. Transfer the icing to a small bowl and refrigerate.
- After the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it out on to a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle, with a long side facing you. Mix together the filling ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, except for the top ½ inch of the dough. Roll the dough, beginning with the long edge closest to you and using both hands to pinch the dough with your fingertips as you roll. Moisten the top border with water and seal the roll. Lightly dust the roll with flour and press the ends if necessary to make a uniform 16-inch tube. Use the softened butter to grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cut the roll into 12 pieces using unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife and evenly distribute the rolls, cut-side up, in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a draft-free warm spot until doubled in bulk, 1 ½ to 2 hours.
5. When the rolls are almost fully risen, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Invert the rolls onto a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Turn the rolls upright on a large serving plate and use rubber spatula to spread with icing. Serve immediately.
So the lovely ladies on The Nest's What's Cooking board have sufficiently raved about the pizza dough at Trader Joe's to convince me to get it. I got one blob of the regular dough ($0.99) and one of the Garlic and Herb ($1.69). I also grabbed a jar of pizza sauce. (I don't know why, since I made pasta sauce earlier this week, and that would have been fine.) But I digress...
I was hoping to surprise Rob with this tonight, he's a pizza maniac, but he ended up going out with some buddies. I made it anyway. I don't think I baked it long enough, the crust was a bit too doughy for me. But it was very good! I didn't season the sauce at all, and I wondered if I should -- I'm glad I didn't. The garlic and herb crust and TJ sauce was plenty o' seasoning. I added some spicy pepperoni from my butcher. Yum! Forgive my pizza stone. It's well loved.
I was at the grocery store earlier this week and saw mini Reese's peanut butter cups for cookies. They're bite-sized Reese's cups. I've been eyeing them in the cabinet ever since, not wanting to waste them. I decided to make brownies with them.
Based on a Nestle brownie recipe:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 bag Reese's cup chip things
Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, & salt. In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, and butter until well blended. Slowly add flour mixture and mix well. Fold in Reese's chips.
Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
I thought about adding a smidge of peanut butter instead of butter to the dough, but after tasting the "dough", I'm glad I didn't. I think it's tasty and peanut-buttery enough. Maybe next time!
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