Beer and Pretzel cupcakes

These cupcakes were part of my Super Bowl Sunday fare~

You can't taste the beer. It simply adds texture to the cake.

                     Beer & Pretzel Cupcakes

Preparation: Makes 12 cupcakes | Preparation: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

Cupcake (adapted from Alice Medrich)

1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

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

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup Guinness Stout

Ganache Frosting

3/4 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil

14 oz. chocolate, chopped

Pretzel Topping

12 pretzel sticks

2 oz chocolate, melted

2 oz caramel, warmed

Instructions:

Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. Add in the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. Add 1/4 cup of the  beer into the mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add remaining beer. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool.

TIP: For light tender cupcakes, spoon flour and cocoa lightly into measuring cups (instead of dipping the cups into the flour or cocoa) and then sweep the measures level without tapping or shaking them.

To make ganache frosting

Bring heavy cream, butter and vegetable oil to a light boil. Pour hot heavy cream mixture over chocolate. Using a spatula gently fold chocolate through heavy cream until well combined. Set aside to cool for at least an two hours or until frosting consistency is acheived. Frosting will thicken as sits.

Assembly:Pipe frosting on top of cooled cupcake. Cut pretzels into shards and place on top of cupcakes. Drizzle chocolate and caramel on top.

Winter Blues

Gearing up this year for my WINTER BLUES menu was met with procrastination, procrastination, procrastination......

Finding the materials I've used in the past was a challenge. I thought I had it all so organized- the outdoor blue lights, the strings of blue lights and garland, candles, glasses....I found some things but not everything. But the key in having fun are the people, for sure.

 The menu came together nicely and it was fun. I opted not to do Blue Point Oysters this time. Instead I found some delicious ahi tuna recipes. My husband made some 'fun cocktails' that were served in blue barware.
We started with a warm and creamy cranberry, blue cheese wonton cups followed by Sesame Crusted Tuna with Papaya cream.
Trending this year is Gnudi- the popular kinds are spinach gnudi, and a squash gnudi. So easy and so delicious.

Gnudi

I got home from work a little late. Guests were coming at 6 and I was glad I opted to make a crockpot Salsa Chicken.

The dinner was finished off with Mango filled Cream Puffs with a Spiced Mango- Mojito Sauce- compliments January 2014 Bon Appetit!

Here is the recipe for the gnudi I made:

Ricotta Gnudi

Mix together:

1 cup whole milk ricotta

½ c grated pecorino Romano

1 egg

5-6 T fresh bread crumbs

½ tsp salt

grated nutmeg to taste

Then let this sit so the breadcrumbs can thicken the mixture, about 30 minutes.

Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Roll the dough into small balls with well floured hands and place them on a floured baking sheet.Add the gnudi in batches being careful not to crowd them-( the balls will get larger as they cook because they will absorb water).  If they break up in the water, you might need to add more flour to them.

Carefull slip them into the boiling water. After they bob to the surface, cook 2 minutes. Remove from pot and serve with more pecorino or a sauce of your choice.

You can also add 12 ounces fresh spinach to a pot of boiling water, squeeze dry and then chop in a food processor. Then add it to the ricotta mixture.

Butter and use it for more than just cooking!

And wax paper, and onions.....

1. Shine metals and leather goods. All it takes to bring luster back to your metal and leather goods is a dab of butter. Just rub it into surfaces with a cotton rag.

2. Remove ink stains from plastic. Rub any marks with butter and let the plastic items bleach in the sun for a few days.

3. Wipe out water marks from wood. Cover the area with butter and let it sit overnight; towel it off in the morning.

4. De-ice a snow shovel. Grease the shovel with butter — it’ll keep snow from sticking to it.

RELATED: 10 Things in Your House You’ve Been Cleaning the Wrong Way

5. Silence a squeaky door. Forget WD-40 — just work a little bit of butter onto the hinges of a squeaky door.

6. Clean sap or glue off your hands. Rub some butter onto sticky hands to remove stubborn sap or glue.

7. DIY nonstick knife. Thinly coat a knife with butter to help it slide more easily through sticky foods like toffee, marshmallows or pies.

8. Prevent mold. Stop mold from forming on the cut edges of semi-hard cheese by rubbing them with a bit of butter.

9. Remove fish odors. After handling fish, rub some butter over your hands to remove any residual smell.

10. Keep an onion fresh. Apply some butter to the cut edge of an onion before wrapping it in aluminum foil to keep it fresher longer.

11. Prevent boiling over. Add one or two tablespoons of butter to a pot of water to keep it from boiling over.

 RELATED: 12 Surprising Home Uses for Wax Paper

 12. Restore a wax candle. Give dinged and dusty candles a new glossy sheen by rubbing them with a little butter.

13. Help with pill taking. Coat a large pill in butter — it will help the medicine go down easier. Just be sure to take with a big glass of water.

14. Soothe tired feet. Massage sore tootsies with butter then wrap them in a damp, hot towel.

15. Double as a beauty treatment. Use butter as shaving cream, to nourish dry skin or brittle nails, soften hands, even condition hair (and remove gum from it!).

16. Untangle a necklace chain. Rub the knot with a little butter so the links slide apart easier. Use a small pointed item to work out the rest of the kink.

17. Remove a stuck ring. Coat your finger with enough butter to lubricate it, then gently wiggle the ring to remove.

RELATED: 16 Surprising Home Uses for Onions

18. Prevent bruising. Massage butter into the affected area right after the injury. The phosphates in the butter will help prevent a mark from appearing.

Ellen Sturm Niz is an editor and writer working, parenting, and living in New York City. Follow her on Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Google+.

WISCONSIN WINTER BLUES GETS HOT!

Another Winter Blues menu~
                            I did a party in Wisconsin a few years ago and here is what I made:

MENU FOR WISCONSIN WINTER BLUES GETS HOT

Blue cheese stuffed olives

                                                   Mexican rumaki                                                                       

Teriyaki/pineapple meatballs                 

Tenderloin sandwiches/pulled pork sandwiches

Peppered sushi tuna with soy dipping sauce

                             Chicken Empanadas with spicy salsa                                                

                         Thai Crabcakes with Cilantro peanut sauce                                   

Curried shrimp with cucumber dipping sauce

Asparagus, goat cheese and prosciutto

Gorgonzola with balsamic figs crostini

Minced chicken in lettuce cups

Mini blackened chicken tacos

                                                Brie and Mango Quesadillas                                                           

Mini cheese balls

Tart Tomato Chutney over cream cheese

Mini Cheeseburgers

Adobo Chips with Warm Goat Cheese and Cilantro salsa

During January and February I like to host dinner parties and what a better way than to come up with a theme- namely Winter Blues. I live in Winnetka, so my invitation says Winnetka Winter Blues.
Guests entered to a house darkened and lit with blue lights....the brighter light- it's from a curio cabinet.

Here is my menu:

Blue Point Oysters

Red Cabbage Empanadas

Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives

Beverages:

Blue Lagoon  -  Blue Hawaiin

Cream of Lettuce Soup with Blue Cheese Croutons

Green Bean Salad

Pork Medallions with a Potato and Goat Cheese Eggroll

Blue Cheese ice cream in a  phyllo nest with Blackberry and Apple Rosemary Compote

Chocolate Caramel Tart (!?!)

Lottie  + Doof- a Chicago based blogger shred this disgustingly delicious chocolate Caramel Tart- I have to try this! The original recipe came from Claudia Fleming's Marlow and Son recipe but it also appeared in Saveur- whatever, it's delish!

Chocolate Caramel Tart (!?!)

Winter Blues Menu

I try and do a Winter Blues theme either for clients or friends, each year at this time. This year, due to the terrible economy, my husband and I hosted our own Winter Blues Party but expanded the title to Winter Blues, Blown Away. The purpose was to introduce shades of pink/red into the menu and ambience.

Here was our menu:

Blue Hawaiin/Ernest Hemingway Cocktail

Blue Point Oysters

Sushi Tuna on Blue Platter

Olives stuffed with smoked Blue Cheese

Sesame Cones with Red Pepper

Blue Cheese, Walnut and Red Cabbage Empanadas

Salad with Blue Cheese Croutons with a side of

Shrimp Ceviche served in Blue Martini Glass

Cream of Lettuce Soup

(variety of blue colored soup bowls)

Boders Cherry Muffin

Green Beans laced with Black Truffle Oil

Pork Manhattan

Roasted Garlic mashed potato

Blueberry Ice Cream

Blue Cheese Ice Cream

Raspberry Sorbet

When guests arrived they saw blue candlestick lights in the windows and blue flood lights on the house. Once inside, it was a burst of various colors and lights illuminated on the spiral staircase. The dining room was illuminated with black lights, and once it was time to start the dinner the dining room was lit with reds, pinks and yellow lights/votives. Fortunately with several dishwashers, all dishes were loaded and cleaned the next day. It was the glasses......!