Boozy Cupcakes

I spent the last weekend puttering around the city checking out all the tourist attractions with my friend Damon who was visiting from Portland…we went to the Navy Pier and rode the Ferris Wheel, looked at the Millennium Park Bean Sculpture, enjoyed the beautiful harbor on Lake Michigan, and did a bit of shopping on Michigan Avenue, it was so much fun! Thank god the weather is finally getting warmer here so we could enjoy our time outside and not freeze.

We also spent a lot of time in the kitchen cooking up some yummy meals. My favorite recipe was for these Boozy Cupcakes they were absolutely amazing! I only had one cupcake pan so I made one batch of cupcakes and one 9-inch cake. Damon found this recipe which has excellent step by step instructions and pictures, so make sure to check it out. The only thing I would change would be to add Chopped Pecans to the top, which we did with the cake, it really added a perfect balance to the sweetness of the cake. Cheers!

Boozy Cupcakes

Cake:

1 Cup Guiness Beer

1 Stick + 1 Tablespoon Butter, cut into pieces

2 Cups Brown Sugar

¾ Cups Sour Cream

2 Eggs

¾ Cups Cocoa Powder

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

2 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners (or 12 cupcakes and one greased 8-9 inch cake pan).

Combine Guinness and butter in a large saucepan, heat to melt butter, remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa and sugar. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, then add Guinness mixture and whisk to combine. Next, add the baking soda, and flour and whisk to combine. Pour into cupcake pan and bake 25 minutes for cupcakes, or 35 minutes for cake, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Gnache Filling:

12 Ounce Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

½ Cup Heavy Cream

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Teaspoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

Place the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, place bowl over a double boiler. Add the butter and Bailey's and stir until combined. Set aside and cool until thick enough to be piped. Meanwhile, cut a portion from the center of each cupcake, pipe cooled gnache into cupcakes.

Frosting:

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

4 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

4-6 Tablespoons Irish Whiskey

Chopped Pecans (optional)

Place butter in a mixing bowl and beat at medium-high speed for a minute until light in color and fluffy. Add the Irish Cream and Whiskey and mix to combine. Next slowly add the powdered sugar and adjust with more to create a spreadable consistency. Ice filled cupcakes and top with chopped pecans (if desired).

Beach Shrimp

I braved my first blizzard here in Chicago! It was actually a ton of fun, and absolutely amazing. I got over two feet of snow where I live and it drifted to the top of cars in front of my house. I was up until about 3am watching the weather, we even had thunder and lightening during the storm, so strange! There were gusts up to 50 mph as well, so it was definitely a doozy of a storm ;)

No onto the food...this is another easy and delicious recipe from my friend Doug. We made this one night and then sat in the living room and watched a few movies and literally pigged out until we couldn't eat any more shrimp! This would also be great for parties as an appetizer, or even served over rice for a light dinner. We decided to make it easy and used bread as our side dish, which we dipped into the yummy sauce.

Beach Shrimp

4 lbs large raw shrimp (frozen actually works best but fresh is fine)
1 16 oz bottle zesty Italian dressing
1/2-1 t freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, halved
1/4 C chopped parsley
1/2 C butter, cut into small cubes

Place shrimp, dressing, pepper and garlic in 9x13 baking dish.
Juice 4 lemon halves over ingredients and stir.
Add lemon halves, sprinkle with parsley and dot with butter.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes (for frozen shrimp) or 20-25 minutes (for fresh shrimp, stirring halfway through.

Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Chessmen Banana Pudding

My good friend Doug made this yummy and very easy dessert when he was in town this last fall, and I finally got around to asking him for the recipe! I'm a huge fan of banana in desserts and this really is quite delightful and so easy to make. Thanks Doug for the recipe!

Chessmen Banana Pudding

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies
6 bananas sliced
2 cups whole milk
1 5-oz box instant French vanilla pudding
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz container whipped topping

Line bottom of 9x13 dish with one bag of cookies.
Layer bananas on top.

In a bowl combine milk and pudding and blend with an electric mixer.
In another bowl combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.
Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding and stir until well blended.
Pour the mixture over the bananas and cover with the second bag of cookies.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Turkey Meatball Soup

I’m sure you all think that I’ve fallen off the face of the earth, and I almost did! What actually happened is that I fell down the rabbit hole and ended up in the beautiful Windy City of Chicago! Yes, I’m officially a mid-westerner as of November. I got a really great job opportunity and decided to take the dive into a new adventure! I’ve been enjoying the City very much so far and am finally getting back into the kitchen, and what a beautiful kitchen it is, I feel so lucky! This time of year is always insane for me but I just wanted to send out a hello to all my internet friends and let you know that I miss blogging!

Now on to the food…This is a delicious and hearty soup that my friend Therese makes every year on Christmas Eve for her party. Well I’ve been cooking it up for several years and finally remembered to get out my camera last time I cooked and shoot some pictures to share. Cheers to a happy New Year and many bowls of warm comforting soup! Thanks Therese for this yummy recipe!

Turkey Meatball Soup

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

1 Large Carrot, chopped

2 Stalks Celery with leaves, chopped

4 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary

½ Cup Chopped Fresh Basil, tightly packed

¼ Cup Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley, tightly packed

4 Cloves Garlic, minced

½ Small Head Green Cabbage, chopped

4 Swiss Chard Leaves, washed dried and chopped

1 Parmesan Rind, about 3x3 inches

10 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Teaspoons Salt

2 Pounds Small Turkey Meatballs (I love the one’s from Trader Joe’s)

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add the onion, carrot, celery, herbs, garlic, and greens and cook, stirring, until the greens are beginning to wilt (5-10 minutes). Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes), reducing the heat if necessary.

Add the chicken stock, parmesan rind, and meatballs, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partly covered 30 minutes. Adjust flavor with salt.

Remove the rosemary sprig, ladle into warmed bowls and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a bit of olive oil and serve.

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

I was having my friend Patti over for dinner last week and wanted to make something really hearty and delicious and came up with this recipe. Portland has been getting quite cold lately and I thought a really yummy pasta and meat dish was in store. I was craving lamb, so I immediately thought of a lamb ragu and then decided to go all out and make my favorite pasta from scratch as well. I hope you enjoy!

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 carrots, finely diced

1 large sweet onion, finely diced

2 celery ribs, finely diced

2 pounds ground lamb

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 pound pappardelle pasta

8 ounces parmesan cheese, shaved

½ bunch parsley chopped

In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the carrot, onion and celery and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Add the lamb, coriander, cumin, rosemary and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the stock and bring to a boil. Cover partially and cook over moderately low heat until the liquid is reduced by 2/3rds, 3-4 hours.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, shaking well. Add pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Place in large serving bowls and top with shaved parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I know this isn't the best photo but, oh well, it's the best I have! I actually forgot to take pictures while making this dish and ran into the house to grab my camera just as everyone started eating to capture this one, LOL!
This is a favorite recipe of mine, because it is super easy to make and can be made a day in advance and tossed into the oven for dinner the next day. I was throwing a birthday party for my friend Susan which was mid-week so I chose an easy and delicious menu of Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Black Beans, Spanish Rice [except I substituted corn for the peas], and of course my home made Salsa and Guacamole! For dessert I made my famous Chocolate Cake Deluxe with a yummy Cream Cheese frosting instead of my traditional Chocolate Gnache. The nice thing about this menu was that I was able to make everything, except the rice, a day in advance so it literally took one hour to pull everything together!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

6 Chicken Breasts, skin on, bone in (or substitute 2 pre-cooked rotisserie chickens, skinned, meat removed from the bone and finely diced or shredded).
2 28-Ounce Cans Enchilada Sauce
24 Corn Tortillas, cut in half
1 Pound Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
8 Ounces Queso Fresco, shredded

First prepare the chicken: Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts, skin side up, on large baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake until just cooked through (or internal temperature reads 160 degrees farenheight), about 45 minutes. Let cool, remove skin and bones and chop or shred chicken into small pieces, set aside.
To assemble casserole: Coat the bottom of a very deep (3 inches or deeper) 9x13-inch baking dish with just enough enchilada sauce to coat. Next place 12 of the tortilla halves over the bottom of the dish to completely cover (they will overlap a bit). Coat the tortillas with a generous amount of enchilada sauce, 1/3 of the chicken 1/4 of the sharp cheddar and queso fresco cheeses. Now layer again with 12 tortilla halves, enchilada sauce, chicken, cheddar and queso fresco cheeses...repeat one more time finishing with a layer of tortillas on the very top with a thin layer of enchilada sauce (you may have a bit left over), and the remaining 1/4 cheddar and queso fresco cheese.
Bake casserole in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 45-60 minutes or until bubbling and cheese on top is lightly golden brown. Let rest for a few minutes to set up before serving. (serves 10)

Bee & Mason

I just wanted to give a shout out to my friend Francisca who just started her own blog Bee & Mason. She has just opened up a cute little shop in Portland, OR selling vintage and antique items that she finds. I know this is a food blog, but I'm sure you know how hard it is to be a blogger and not have any traffic at first. Go ahead and check it out, she tells great stories and has a great eye with her photography!
Cheers!

Braised Lamb Shanks

I love that my friends tell me that they are tired of looking at old recipes! My friend Francisca just told me on Saturday that she couldn't look at the tart recipe any longer, I love it. I dug through my archives and found this recipe and picture that I haven't posted and decided this would be my next post! I know it's not the best summer dish, but living in Portland you do have those cold days now and again, so here is the recipe to welcome the rain. I would recommend polenta or my delicious Mashed Potatoes for the side dish, enjoy!

Braised Lamb Shanks

6 lamb shanks, well trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
2 yellow onions, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups diced canned tomatoes, drained
2 1/2 cups beef stock
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Preheat an oven to 400ºF.

Generously season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In a large
oval Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the 1/4 cup vegetable oil.
Working in batches, brown the shanks on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes
total, adding more oil to the pan if needed. Transfer to a platter.
Pour off the excess fat from the pan.

Add the onions, celery and carrots to the pan and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the vegetables are golden and translucent, 5 to 8
minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from
the heat and add the wine. Return the pan to medium-high heat and
bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits.
Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the
tomatoes, stock, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and lamb shanks and bring
to a boil. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and cook until the meat
is almost falling off the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Using tongs,
transfer the shanks to a large serving bowl and cover loosely with
aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, remove the bay leaves from the cooking liquid and discard.
Skim off the fat. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Stir
in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pour some of the sauce
over the shanks and garnish with parsley. Transfer the remaining sauce
to a sauceboat.

*Recipe from Williams Sonoma

Raspberry & Peach Tart

This is one of my favorite Summer desserts, easy, fresh and delicious! I make many variations of this recipe depending on the season and what's fresh. My friend let me pick some raspberries from his garden and I thought they would go well in this dish. I did cheat and use canned peaches, but I actually prefer them to fresh because they don't brown and have a slightly firm texture compared to fresh.

Raspberry & Peach Tart

Tart Pastry
1/2 Cup Cold Butter, cubed
1 1/4 Cups Flour
1 Egg Yolk, beaten
2-3 Tablespoons Ice Water

In a mixing bowl cut butter into flour until pieces are pea sized. Stir together egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of the ice water. Gradually stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture. Add remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, till all the dough is moistened. Gently knead the dough just till a ball forms. Press into the bottom of a 12 inch tart pan. Poke all over with a fork and bake at 350 degrees until just lightly browned, about 12 minutes, set aside to cool.



Tart
2 Cups Fresh Raspberries (or any other berry that's in season)
1 28-Ounce Can Peaches in heavy syrup, drained and juice reserved
2 8-Ounce Packages Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Corn Starch

Start by making the filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar together with just enough peach juice to create a thick frosting consistency. Spread over bottom of cooled tart pastry.
Next cut peaches into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange along with berries to cover cream cheese.
To make the glaze, in a small sauce pan, combine remaining peach juice with 1 teaspoon corn starch over medium heat, cook until just thickened. Let cool slightly and then brush over entire pastry.
Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to set up.

Grilled Pork Loin

If you know me well, you know that I'm a huge pork fan. I just love the lean meat and the mild flavor as it allows you a lot of freedom to make it meld with any dish. I made this particular recipe to go with my Summer Succotash and it was a perfect match with the fresh vegetables. I also used a bit of chunky finishing salt at the end to really bring out the flavor of the pork and add a bit of crunch. So the crystals on the bottom picture are not snow!
I made this dish on my charcoal BBQ and used an indirect heat, slow cook method which was surprisingly easy, so make sure to give it a try!

Grilled Pork Loin

2.5 Pounds Pork Loin Roast
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Sweet Paprika
2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Oil
Finishing Salt, optional

Remove any excess fat off the pork roast. Mix all spices to create dry rub. Drizzle just enough oil over the roast to coat and cover with dry rub, cover and let sit at room temperature for one hour.
To create indirect heat on your grill, fill a chimney completely full of charcoal briquettes (do not use wood here it burns to hot and quickly). When charcoal is ready pour onto 1/2 of the grate and you are ready to BBQ.
Place pork roast directly over coals and cook just a few minutes on each side to brown the outside and create a crust. Next move the pork roast to the side of the grill without any coals, cover with lid and let cook without moving until it reaches 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 1 hour. Remove roast from grill and place on plate and tent with foil, let rest for 10 minutes (internal temperature will continue to increase to about 155 degrees).
Cut roast into desired thickness, sprinkle with finishing salt, and serve.