Pink Lemonade Cupcakes I found this recipe at Daisycake's blog, and just had to try them. I baked up the cupcakes Thursday night, which I am very glad I did (more on that in another post). Such a pretty pale pink cake, only a pretty-princess-pink lemonade buttercream would do for frosting them. They taste wonderful too: the cake is moist, with a lovely bright lemonade flavor. Pink Lemonade Cupcakes Ingredients: 1 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda Pinch salt 1/2 c. granulated sugar 1/4 c. vegetable oil 2 egg whites 1/3 c. thawed frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate 1/4 c. buttermilk 2 or more drops red food coloring Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites and lemonade concentrate. Scoop batter into liners (fill about three-fourths full). Lemonade Buttercream: 3 c. + 3 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature 1/8 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. pink lemonade concentrate
Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes So… this whole sprinkles thing. It’s kind of getting annoying, right? Look at me! I’m obsessed with sprinkles! So sprinkles it is. They are sort of like trashy gossip tabloids. And making homemade funfetti cupcakes. Don’t mind my crumbs. Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes makes 12 cupcakes 1/2 cup butter 1 cup sugar 2 whole eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/3 cup milk 1/3 cup assorted brightly colored sprinkles + more for top of frosting Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Vanilla Buttercream 2 sticks of butter, softened 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon of milk, if needed Cream butter in the bowl of an electric mixture until completely smooth and creamy. If you come vacuum the trillions of sprinkles off my floors, I’ll love you forever.
Pan Fried Zucchini with Lemon and Parmesan There’s just something about this time of year. Right after the holidays, I always crave fresh, light, bright foods. I’m sure it’s a bodily reaction to all the rich, indulgent eating that goes on around Christmas. I mean, really, we just spent way over a month eating turkey, dressing, homemade cakes, pies, candies, prime rib, roasted buttery vegetables, and loaded mashed potatoes. I can’t imagine why I’d crave something fresh, can you? When I want something fresh, light, and easy, this is one of the recipes that I often turn to. All you need to do is slice your zucchini into about 1/4″ rounds, then salt and pepper it on both sides. Heat a good, heavy skillet over medium heat and add some olive oil to the pan. Be sure to add the zucchini in a single layer to the pan so the slices don’t overlap and make good contact with the pan. When you’re finished, arrange the zucchini in a serving plate, squeeze on a little lemon juice and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Last step – enjoy! Ingredients
Warm Toasted Marshmallow S'more Bars German Style Soft Pretzels Maybe it is my German background… or maybe my love of all things salty, but I think nothing is better than a hot pretzel. Soft pretzels are great, but they are only good fresh. Luckily they are not too tough to make at home. The following recipe may look long, but it is easier than making bread. We made a batch for a Octoberfest party we threw and they were a huge hit. In order to give the pretzels a dunk in boiling water gives them their chewy skin. Ingredients:1 teaspoon instant yeast1 tablespoon malt powder or brown sugar2 to 3 cups all-purpose unbleached or bread flour1 teaspoon salt1 cup warm milk (approximately 110 degrees, which is 1 minute in my microwave)Directions:Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together until it forms a ball.
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Red Onion, Lemon and Pecorino recipe from Food52 Author Notes: A few weeks ago while having dinner at one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants, Stone Park Cafe, my husband and I shared one of those rare and wonderful dishes that grabs hold of your taste buds and doesn't let go. It was simplicity itself: delicately shaved raw Brussels sprouts with wisps of red onion, a light, lemony dressing spiked generously with whole grain mustard, and a generous hit of tangy Pecorino. I immediately declared that I would try and replicate it at home, and this was met with great enthusiasm by my husband. Serves 6 1/2 small red onion Juice of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 cups Brussels sprouts (use larger sprouts if possible) 1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano Soak the onion slices in a small bowl of cold water for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This recipe is a Community Pick!
Banana Split Bites Banana Split Bites ~ A classic ice cream dessert gets mini for some bite size fun. And yes, there is actually a tiny scoop of ice cream tucked inside and underneath the whip cream of those little darlings. Banana Split Mini Bites For once I made something mini for portion control and not just for the cute factor. Keeping all things in mind what I served is what you see here. Here’s what wasn’t a hit and what I learned. Impromptu play dates with four kid’s ages 3-5 year olds after a full work day –not a good idea.Know in advance what other kids will and won’t eat. Luckily, dessert made all things right. No recipe just a few notes: Use firm bananas and cut into 1 inch sections. Leave a Comment
Hasselback Garlic Cheesy Bread Hasselback Garlic Cheesy Bread First thing: this Calphalon Giveaway ends on Friday! Enter enter enter! Second thing: this bread is the bomb. Last week, I got some evil Kerrygold Samples in the mail. Aw, shucks. What is a girl to do? To prevent myself from inhaling it all in a 24 hour period, I put some in the freezer, but then immediately thought of this bread I’ve been wanting to make. They hang out in my booty. {TMI? This bread is the very reason why I run. And believe it or not, this is super simple to make! So, that’s all the info you need to know, m’kay? First thing you’re going to want to do is grab all your ingredients. Into a mixer bowl, add in your water, yeast and honey. Once your yeast has gotten foamy, stir in the salt and the flour in 1/4 cup increments. Once the dough starts pulling away from the sides and the bowl is looking pretty clean, then it’s time to set the timer and walk away. 5 minutes later your dough should be tacky and smooth. And melt it down. Hello, lover. See?
Baked Breaded Cauliflower Recipe at Epicurious photo by Jason Wyche yield Makes 6 Servings If there's a way to bake a vegetable, trust a Southerner to find it. Who else, pray tell, would steam a head of cauliflower, sauce it, bread it, and bake it? Preparation 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.