Raspberry Vanilla Birthday Cupcakes

On June 8, Monica turned one! She started walking the day before she turned 11 months old, so turning one sealed the deal of her becoming a toddler (sniff).

 

While I had a secret Pinterest board filled with birthday party ideas, I didn't go over the top crafting elaborate decorations. I ran a half marathon the day before her birthday, so we decided to keep things simple. We catered Buona Beef, served food on pink plates with pink silverware, bought a canopy for the backyard which we decorated with pink paper lanterns, and had several coolers of chilled beverages. 

 

One thing I didn't want to skimp on was the dessert. I had pinned several mini layer cakes as inspiration, but ultimately decided to bake cupcakes. Since the loose party theme was pink, the cupcakes had to be pink. In addition to baking exactly what I Monica wanted, I could avoid hard to pronounce food additives and artificial food colors.

 

Monica has been enjoying berries lately, so I decided to bake vanilla cupcakes with raspberry buttercream (strawberry being a close runner up). These weren't organic by any stretch, but I felt a little better knowing exactly what was in the cupcakes.

 

In addition to Monica's current love of raspberries, these cupcakes were inspired by The Cup's Raspberry Beret cupcakes. I don't think I ever had this flavor, but The Cup can do no wrong, in my opinion. Monica's birthday cupcakes are also reminiscent of the first recipe I shared on this blog, raspberry champagne cupcakes. Obviously there wasn't champagne in these cupcakes.

 

This may be one of my favorite pictures of Monica eating her birthday cupcake. Yes, there are other pictures of us singing to her and her enjoying her cupcake, but I love the expression on her face in this photo. It's like she's thinking, "Oh no! Cupcake down!"

 

One last minute (and extremely playful) detail I loved from the party was using one of Monica's bath toys as a paperweight. I just grabbed the purple walrus and it just went perfectly with the pink napkins. The napkins and walrus might still be sitting on the buffet.

 

 

Raspberry Vanilla Cupcakes
Vanilla cupcakes adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction
Raspberry buttercream adapted from Eat Live Run (where she shared strawberry buttercream)

Vanilla Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes (I tripled the recipe, which made 45)

Ingredients
1 and 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 egg

1/4 cup yogurt (The original recipe called for vanilla greek yogurt. I used strawberry greek yogurt since that's what we had.)

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350*. Line muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.

 

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Melt butter in a small saucepan on the stovetop or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Transfer this to the bowl of your mixer. Using the paddle attachment, stir in sugar (the mixture will be gritty). Add in the egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.

 

Slowly mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no lumps remain. Batter will be thick.

 

Divide batter among 12 cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.

Raspberry Buttercream
Note: I was able to frost all 45 cupcakes using one batch of this recipe

Ingredients
4 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 pound)
1/2 cup pureed raspberries (about 1 cup whole raspberries, optional: strain out the seeds for a smoother frosting)
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
8 cups powdered sugar (from two 1-lb boxes or one 2-lb bag)

Directions
Beat the butter using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer until creamy.

Add in the pureed raspberries.

Slowly add the powdered sugar, about one cup at a time.

Finally, add the lemon juice and sea salt. Continue beating until very light and fluffy.

Pipe* or spread frosting on each cupcake. Enjoy!

*I bought the Bake it Pretty Best-Ever Cupcake Icing Kit (5 jumbo pastry tips and 1 pastry bag) just for these cupcakes and it was fantastic! You can currently save 10% off your order using coupon code "BALLOONS".
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Baby Broccoli and Cheese Egg Souffles

 

 

Heeeey! You know it's time to get back into blogging when the baby is back asleep at 2am and you can't fall back asleep because you're thinking about blogging.

What's new with all of you? It's been a busy few months at work for me, but I'm slowly starting to get my groove back. John's sister convinced me to run a half marathon with her this summer, so I've been hitting the trails and treadmill. I've also started to get back into the kitchen (thank goodness for a husband that cooks!). One of my recent forays included these mini egg soufflés.

My Mom had visited for the weekend and left a bag of broccoli florets with us. I figured they would be a good addition to Monica's lunches, but wasn't exactly sure how until I saw this recipe for broccoli, cheddar and wild rice casserole on Smitten Kitchen. That reminded me of the baby soufflé of spinach I saw on Wholesome Baby Food. After a little more research, I found a third recipe for broccoli and cheese mini egg omelets on Skinny Taste.

I realize that introducing eggs to babies can be a little controversial, so talk with your pediatrician before introducing any foods that may pose allergy risks for your baby. Additionally, it's important to wait three or four days before introducing a new food. Monica was nine months old when I made these mini soufflés and she had already eaten scrambled eggs (and all of the other ingredients) without any reactions.

But these baby soufflés aren't just for babies! I enjoyed them more than Monica because she was teething and didn't want much to do with solids at the time. You could easily make these for brunch or on a Sunday night to eat for breakfast during the work week. The recipe is also extremely versatile, so feel free to use up whatever odds and ends are in your fridge. 

Baby Broccoli and Cheese Egg Soufflés
Yield: About 15 or 16

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 eggs
2 cups broccoli florets, steamed and crumbled into smaller pieces
Cooked rice, maybe a few tablespoons
Salt (omit if cooking just for baby)
Pepper
Shredded cheese, such as Parmesan, Romano, or cheddar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350*. Grease a mini muffin tin and set aside.

Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until softened.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Add in onion, garlic, crumbled broccoli, cooked rice, and shredded cheese. (I just eyeballed the amount of rice and cheese.) Season with salt (if using) and pepper. Mix well.

Spoon egg mixture into mini muffin tins until a little more than 3/4 full. Top with additional grated cheese.

Bake in the oven until cooked, about 15 minutes.
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Thanksgiving Turkey Burger with Cranberry Aioli

 

Hi, friends! I've been waiting to share this recipe with you since the summer. John enjoyed the "Thankful" burger at Grange Hall Burger Bar in July and we recreated it a weekend or so later. While the burger was tasty enough to share then, the flavors are a little more appropriate for this week of Thanksgiving.

 

 

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I'm extremely thankful for my family this year. Yes, being a parent is hard work, but Monica's smiles, giggles, and overall happiness makes it worth it. I'm also thankful for John and his cooking skills. I often joke that he feeds me (and himself) and I feed Monica, so things are even in the kitchen.

 

 

Back to the kitchen...if you'd rather use this burger as a way to give leftovers a new life, have at it! You could easily use a few slices of roasted turkey in place of ground turkey. If you go that route, I would suggest adding some fresh sage leaves to your sandwich.

 

As for the cranberry aioli, it was super easy to make using the food processor. And I felt very Julia Child in the process.

 

If you're not feeling that brave (yes, there is a raw egg yolk in there), you can take some leftover cranberry sauce and mix it with mayonnaise and a little minced garlic.

 

Top your burger (or leftover turkey sandwich) with some muenster cheese, arugula, a healthy slathering of cranberry aoili, and serve it on a pretzel bun. If you are going the leftover turkey sandwich route, I highly recommend melting the cheese under the broiler. 

Thanksgiving Turkey Burger with Cranberry Aioli
Inspired by Grange Hall Burger Bar
Yields 6 burgers

Ingredients

For the burgers:
2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 medium sweet onion, minced
~12 sage leaves, rough chopped
Salt and pepper

For the cranberry aioli:
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
1 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh cranberries*, roughly chopped
1 T sugar

6 slices muenster cheese
Arugula
6 pretzel buns

Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the ground turkey, onion, sage, salt, and pepper. Divide the ground turkey mixture into six patties.

Pulse the garlic, salt, and egg yolk in the food processor or blender.

Slowly pour the olive oil into the food processor or blender on "stir." As the aioli thickens, keep pouring in the olive oil until it's all incorporated. Taste and add more garlic or salt, as necessary.

Add the cranberries and sugar to the aioli and pulse a few times in the food processor or blender. Taste again.

Grill your burgers to desired doneness, adding the cheese at the very end to melt.

Serve on pretzel buns with arugula and cranberry aioli.

*I used fresh cranberries that were previously frozen. Roughly chop, add sugar, and microwave in a bowl for about 15 seconds to thaw.
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Cinnamon Sugar Buttermilk Donuts

I don't know how it is for the other new mamas out there, but I've had more cravings after Monica was born than while pregnant with her. My cravings of choice include ice cream, milkshakes, donuts, cookies, and a myriad of other sweets. I chalk it up to breastfeeding and running.

A few weeks back, I decided to indulge in my donut craving. The weather was starting to turn fall-ish and I associate fall with cinnamon and baking. OK, I fried the donuts, but you get my point.

The great thing about these donuts is that I already had everything I needed on hand. The original recipe called for sour cream and buttermilk, but there are easy substitutions for those. We usually have yogurt in the fridge, so I swapped out the sour cream for Chobani honey ginger Greek yogurt. And you can "make" buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting sit until it curdles, about 10 minutes.

As for special tools, you really only need a candy thermometer since it's important to keep the oil between 165 - 170*. Nobody wants a burnt donut! I used a plastic cup and old spice jar to cut out the donuts and donut holes.

A bench scraper is helpful, but you can also use a spatula to lift the donuts off your counter. And a slotted spoon, as opposed to a spider strainer/skimmer, can be used to take the donuts out of the hot oil. 

Since I didn't want to indulge too much, I only made half of the original recipe, which was plenty for John and I. The ingredients and measurements below are for the half batch and yielded about 6 big donuts and at least a dozen donut holes.

 

 

While these donuts are delicious dipped in cinnamon sugar, they're also pretty fantastic on their own because cinnamon and nutmeg is in the donut itself.

Cinnamon Sugar Buttermilk Donuts
Adapted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented

Note: This recipe is for a half batch, which makes about 6 large donuts and a dozen-ish donut holes

Ingredients

For the Donuts:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/8 cup (or 6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I made this a heaping 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I made this a heaping 1/2 teaspoon)
1 large egg
3/8 cup buttermilk (or 1 1/8 teaspoon lemon juice and 3/8 cup milk, mixed together and let sit until curdled)
2 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream or yogurt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Vegetable oil for frying

For the Cinnamon Sugar:
5/8 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preparation
Line one baking sheet with parchment paper and another with paper towels.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

In another bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, and sour cream/yogurt until combined. Add the melted butter and whisk again. The butter might harden once it hits the cold buttermilk mixture, so be sure to whisk the mixture well.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the egg mixture into the center. Gently fold the flour into the liquid until the mixture forms a sticky dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Pat the dough out until it is about 1/2 inch thick.

Use two round cutters (2 1/2 inch and 1 inch). Dip the larger cutter in flour and cut out the donuts. Dip the smaller cutter in flour and cut the donut holes. Arrange the donuts and donut holes onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Continue to pat together the remaining scraps and repeat cutting as many donuts as possible ( I got about 6 big donuts and a dozen donut holes). Chill the dough while you heat the oil.

Pour oil into a deep skillet or dutch oven until it is about 1 – 1 1/2 inch deep. Slowly heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 165-170 degrees.

Mix the cinnamon sugar while the oil heats.

To Fry the Doughnuts
Once the oil reaches the appropriate temperature, gently place the doughnuts into the hot oil. Be sure to only fry about three at time so you don’t over crowd the pot.

Be careful to keep the oil temperature even. Adjust the burner to keep temperature between 165-170 degrees!

Once they have browned on one side, carefully flip them over in the oil. These should take about 2-3 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, transfer the donuts to the paper towel lined baking sheet.

Continue with the rest of the donuts and the donut holes. The donut holes will take less time, about 1 minute per side.

Assemble Doughnuts
Once you have finished frying the doughnuts, quickly dip them in the cinnamon sugar. Or just enjoy them au naturel!
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Herbed Grilled Chicken

 

John and I don't have a huge list of must-watch TV shows, but once Fox's MasterChef rolls around, we record and watch every episode. And just like past summers, we're inspired by MasterChef to get in the kitchen and try new recipes! In a recent episode, the contestants were assigned different types of poultry to cook: pheasant, pigeon, quail, duck, turkey, and of course chicken.

 

After seeing the turkey, John declared that he wanted to grill some giant turkey legs. Think state fair-sized. Since the only turkey legs at the grocery store were frozen, we settled for chicken legs. They actually looked pretty comparable with the attached drumsticks and thighs.

 

Using ingredients picked fresh from our garden and on-hand in our spice cabinet and fridge, John assembled quite the tasty rub: sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, and pepper.

 

 

We liked the chicken so much we made it again this past weekend. This time, the rub included sage, rosemary, thyme, 3 Serrano peppers, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Mince everything up and mix in a bowl. 

 

Next, peel back the skin of the chicken. Using a knife made things a little faster and easier.

 

Take a big dollop of your rub and place it on your chicken.

 

Fold the skin back over, tucking in the rub for a little marinating nap. Placing the rub in between the skin and meat helps more flavor get into the meat and the prevents the herbs from burning on the grill. We let our chicken marinate in the fridge for 4 to 5 hours.

Grill it up! We prefer our charcoal grill, but propane or even a skillet on the stovetop will do!

And I don't usually eat chicken skin, but it gets so herby and crispy on the grill that I couldn't help but indulge in the fatty goodness.
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Inspired by Tomatoes

Earrings, Tomato Tote, Sandals, Lace Top, Shorts

Friends....we have a situation on our hands. And that would be the obscene amount of tomatoes coming from our garden. Yes, we partially brought it on ourselves with the four cherry tomato plants. Between those and the plants that randomly popped up from last year's tomatoes and the compost we have more tomato plants than I'd care to count.

In addition to sharing our bumper crop, we've been preparing all sorts of tomato-heavy dishes: caprese salad (I'd also love to try this version with peaches), caprese burgers, roasted veggie pasta, and Mediterranean quinoa. Also on the list of recipes to try are Portillo's chopped salad (so what if the tomato is more of a garnish?), linguine with clams and blistered tomatoes, and a tomato tart.

Help a girl out. Do you have a favorite tomato recipe to share?

see more Friday's Fancies at {long distance loving}

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Lemon-Sage Marinated Chicken

 

In typical new mom fashion, I can't believe that Monica is already one month old! Seriously. The time is flying by.

 

While our "new" normal includes diapers (so many diapers), nursing, and trying to sleep, we're trying to keep up with some of our "old" normal. And that includes cooking healthy dinners with enough for planned-overs. Fortunately, the abundant summer produce makes doing this a little easier. It also helps that John is a great cook and can help put dinner on the table.

 

One such tag-teamed dinner of late was this lemon-sage marinated chicken. I started to marinate the chicken during nap time and John took care of cooking the chicken once he got home from work.

The chicken tasted like summer with the lemon juice and zest. And you can get away with using smooth mustard, but the mustard seeds in whole grain mustard add a nice little pop when you bite into them.

We kept the rest of the meal light and fresh by having some French bread and caprese salad on the side. You could also pair the chicken with a green salad or couscous.

Do you have a favorite quick and healthy weeknight dinner?

Lemon-Sage Marinated Chicken
Adapted from Weber's Charcoal Grilling: The Art of Cooking with Live Fire by Jamie Purviance

Marinade
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (or smooth mustard with mustard seeds added separately)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper

4 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Garnish
Fresh lemon slices
Fresh sage leaves

Directions
In a large, resealable plastic bag or airtight container combine the marinade ingredients.

Place the chicken in the bag or airtight container. Press the air out and seal tightly.

Turn the bag/container to mix the ingredients and distribute the marinade.

Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours, turning occasionally.

Season the chicken with the salt.

Grill and garnish with lemon slices and fresh sage.
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Ham and Cheddar Cheese Strata

 

Phew! I finally feel like I've recovered from Easter weekend in Cleveland! Between the traveling, eating, socializing, eating, sleeping in a different bed, more eating, and being pregnant, I was feeling a little off kilter. Though it was totally worth it to spend time with my family and celebrate Easter together.

 

My Mom made this strata with Canadian bacon and cheddar cheese for brunch on Easter. I think the first (and maybe last) time I made strata was in college for a women's swim team brunch. I'd love to make it more often, but we don't usually have a big group at our house for breakfast or brunch on the weekends. And I don't trust myself with having such a large pan of goodness sitting around.

 

In addition to being in Cleveland for Easter, we also had our first baby shower! Which had me feeling a little emotional and anxious because we're now less than two months away from the due date and there's still so much to do! After our second baby shower, I anticipate going into full-fledged nesting mode.

 

Maybe I should make another strata to keep my strength up ;)

 

Ham and Cheddar Cheese Strata

 

Ingredients

6 slices Texas toast (or other thick bread)

2 cups cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound total of any combination of diced Canadian bacon, ham, or cooked bacon

6 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup diced fresh onion (or 2 to 3 tablespoons dried onion)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350*.

 

Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking pan.

 

Place the bread at the bottom of the glass baking pan.

 

Layer with 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and the meat.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, onion, salt, dill weed, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.

 

Pour the egg mixture over the bread.

 

Top with the remaining cheese.

 

Bake for 45 - 55 minutes, or until the strata is puffed and set in the center. Let stand 5 - 10 minutes before cutting.

 

Note: The strata can be prepared the night before and baked in the morning. Simply prepare the whole dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. You will probably have to increase the baking time.

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Scallops and Wild Mushroom Risotto

Scallops are one of my favorite things to order at a restaurant. Mostly because haven't been able to figure out how to cook them properly. I remember some particularly delicious dinners: scallops ordered from the Scottish Arms in St. Louis on Valentine's Day with John; scallops served in their shells with truffles and asparagus at a restaurant in Paris with my Mom, sister, and aunt; and parmesan crusted scallops from Petterino's this past winter with my Mom and John.

Parisian scallops

But things might be changing because we finally figured out how to properly cook scallops this weekend! After attending a day-long childbirth class at the hospital, we swung by Whole Foods to pick up something for dinner. We didn't have any plans for the night, so making an epic dinner became our plan. John was taken in by the scallops' siren song and we resolved to master the art of cooking scallops that night.

We found Tyler Florence's recipe for risotto with scallops and wild mushrooms and never turned back. The recipe had all of my favorites: scallops, mushrooms, and a cheesy risotto.

Back home, we read up on cooking scallops, vowing to follow the instructions to a T. Turns out, we had it all wrong in the past. You need a hot pan to sear and carmelize the scallops. Plus, we were impatient while cooking them. Scallops need to be left alone in the pan until they're ready to flip. And once flipped, they can overcook pretty fast. Finally, scallops need room to cook. Crowding the scallops in the pan will cause them to steam instead of sear. Oops.

I'm happy to report that the scallops were a success! When my friend Kati asked for dinner recipes and tips on how to cook seafood last week, I didn't expect to share a recipe for scallops. Maybe I'll share the tilapia recipe we cooked last night next.

Scallops and Wild Mushroom Risotto

Adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, minced

5 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound assorted mushrooms (Portobello, crimini, and shiitake), cleaned, stemmed, and rough chopped
Leaves from handful fresh thyme sprigs (or ~1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
8 cups chicken stock, heated
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops (with the foot (crescent-shaped muscle) removed and discarded)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions

Place a dutch oven (or other large, deep pan) over medium heat. Drizzle in a 2-count of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until soft. Toss in the chopped mushrooms, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves and cook until the mushrooms lose their liquid and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir 2 minutes to coat with the oil; the grains will turn opaque. Season again with salt and pepper. Stir in the wine and cook 1 minute to cook off the alcohol.

Now pour in 1 cup of the warm stock and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. Add another cup of stock. Continue in this way, stirring constantly and adding the stock 1 cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. (You may not need all of the stock; the risotto is done when it is slightly firm but creamy.) Take it slow and steady, this could be 30 to 45 minutes.

When the risotto is almost done, it's time to prep and cook the scallops. Place a large pan over high heat and drizzle with a 2-count of oil. While the oil is heating, rinse the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.

When the oil is hot (there may be a tiny bit of smoke), place the scallops in the pan. Give them room (we cooked 5 at a time). Cook for 2 minutes and don't touch them until the 2 minutes are up! After the 2 minutes, you can check to see if the scallops are carmelizing (getting brown). If so, flip them over. If not, give them another 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook. (Note: Cooking times will differ depending on the size/thickness of your scallops, pan temperatures, etc.)

Cook for 1 minute on the other side. Since the scallops will continue to cook after being removed from the pan, take them off when the centers are still slightly translucent (you can see by looking from the side). Another way to check for doneness is to press the top of the scallops with your thumb. If they're still springy, they're properly cooked. If they're firm or stiff, they're already overcooked.

At this point, the risotto should have absorbed the last of the chicken broth and be ready. Fold in the butter and cheese, and drizzle with a little more olive oil.

Dish some risotto on a plate and place 3 or 4 hot scallops on top. Garnish with parsley.

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Peppermint Mocha Cake

Happy New Year! After a little holiday break from blogging, it's nice to be back here. I have a growing list of blog post ideas, so let's get 2013 started!

I know early January is a time for resolutions and plans to become a better person during the coming year, but most resolutions are broken before the year is over. So why not indulge a few days early in the peppermint mocha cake I baked for Christmas with John's siblings? We can always go to the gym afterwards ;)

Instead of messing with a good thing, I used my now favorite chocolate cake recipe as the base and added some minty goodness in the frosting. It turns out John and my brother-in-law have quite the affinity for candy canes, preferrably those "seasoned" on a Christmas tree (even for a few hours), so this cake was a big hit.

Peppermint Mocha Cake
Cake adapted from The Brooklyn Kitchen
Frosting adapted from Eat Live Run

Cake

Ingredients
1 cup flavorful dark beer – I used Stone Brewing Co. Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean. You can also use something like Rogue Mocha Porter, Lagunitas Cappucino Stout, or Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder)
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (I used Medaglia D'Oro)
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions
Preheat oven to 350*. Grease two 9-inch cake pans and set aside.

Combine the beer and butter in a large sauce pan and heat to melt.

Remove from heat; whisk in the cocoa, sugar, and espresso.

In your mixer, beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla. Add the beer mixture a little at a time. It'll still be warm (or hot) and you don't want scrambled eggs.

Sift together the flour and baking soda, and fold into the batter. Mix until combined.

Divide evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 35 minutes. Test with a toothpick to be sure they're baked through.

Cool completely on a rack.


Peppermint Frosting
Note: Make more frosting if you want to frost the sides of the cake too.

Ingredients
1 stick butter, softened
3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp peppermint extract
Crushed candy canes (about 2)

Directions
Beat the butter in a mixer with the whisk attachment until soft.

Add the milk, peppermint extract, and the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) to the butter and continue to beat for 10 minutes until very light and fluffy.  

Frost liberally and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes.
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Inspired by Lasagna

Madewell scallop lace top, Free People party plaid skirt, Urbanite Jewelry Chicago, IL earrings,
Tilly Maison confetti lucite tray, J. Crew Lula glitter ballet flats

It's been a while since I shared a Friday's Fancies outfit, so why not do it up right with some sparkle? This outfit is perfect for a personal or work Christmas party. And that gorgeous tray? Fill it with Christmas cookies, of course! I just baked these peppermint mocha cookies for a work birthday and will definitely bake them again.

As for savory baking, I recently made a batch of lasagna, which partially inspired this outfit. The ruffled edges of lasagna noodles hint at the scallops in the lace top. And red is an obvious choice with the pasta sauce.

 

This ingredient picture is a little misleading because I ended up using the better portion of three bags (about 5 cups) of shredded mozzarella and about 1.5 jars of pasta sauce (about 48 oz. total). The more cheese and sauce, the merrier!

 

Classic Lasagna

 

Ingredients

Lasagna noodles (9), cooked.

• Keep in water until you use them or they'll stick together. Dry with paper towel before assembly.

40 to 48 oz. jar of pasta sauce (Prego is one of my favorites)

1.5 to 2 pounds of lean ground beef, cooked and drained

16 oz. container of ricotta cheese

Mozzarella cheese (at least 1 pound, I used about 5 cups shredded)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350*

Mix the cooked ground beef with the ricotta cheese.

In a glass 9x13 dish, start layering your ingredients:

• Sauce. Not too much, this is so the noodles don't burn.
• Noodles (3 strips/layer).
• Half of the ground beef and ricotta cheese mixture.
• Mozzarella cheese (don't be skimpy).
• Sauce.
• Noodles.
• The other half of the ground beef and ricotta cheese mixture.
• Mozzarella cheese.
• Sauce.
• Noodles.
• Sauce.
• Mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It's best to place a cookie sheet below the lasagna to catch any drips.

The lasagna is ready when the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and browned a little on the top.

Voila!

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