Luck of the Irish cupcakes.

I'm not sure what's more exciting... watching the city of Syracuse come alive in a mass of green or the fact that the minute Peter Coleman rolls out the green beer we all know that spring is around the corner. Tipperary Hill, or Tipp Hill to us Syracuse natives, is a majestic place, especially this time of year. A couple weeks ago was green beer Sunday, which marks the beginning of the St. Patrick's Day celebration. 


Following a small parade of Irish dancers and bagpipers, the truck of green beer arrives at Coleman's.  Once the keg is tapped you can hear the roar of the crowd. Despite the fact that the day is centered around green beer, it really is a family celebration. Amidst the college students that call Tipp Hill home, you'll find the outside tent lined with strollers and bundled up children wearing green.  It's a chance for people to come together and celebrate their heritage with co-workers, family and friends.... even if you are not Irish, you are on St. Patrick's Day. 

Anyone reading this is in the Syracuse area, don't forget that the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day parade is this Saturday, March 13th!


In honor of St. Patrick's Day I decided to make Guinness cupcakes with Bailey's cream cheese frosting. This dark, rich cupcakes are positively sinful.... Yum!


Guinness Cupcakes~


Ingredients:
12 ounces Guinness 
1 stick unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups flour 
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup dutch cocoa powder
4 ounces chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs


Directions:
In a small saucepan melt butter over a low heat. Then add Guinness and whisk, Guinness cans are 14.9 ounces so you're just going to have to drink the rest (ha ha ha). Add cocoa powder to the saucepan, whisk until mixed. Remove from heat. In a large bowl combine sugar, sour cream, vanilla, eggs and mix well. Fold Guinness mixture into the bowl. Mix salt and baking soda. Whisk flour into bowl 1/2 cup at a time. You can use a mixer but I found it just as easy to whisk the flour in. Lastly fold in your chocolate chips. Don't worry if the mixture seems very "liquidy", it turns out perfect. Fill muffin tin 3/4 full and bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Mine were ready in 16 minutes.  


Frosting:
2-3 tablespoons of Bailey's Irish Cream
(or Irish cream coffee creamer if you would like to avoid using alcohol in your frosting)
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick unsalted butter

These are delicious and the smell of the rich chocolate will be permeating through your house when you bake them. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!!!

Macaroons

I have no business making cookies right now. My house is loaded with girl scout cookies! They're in the cupboard, in the freezer, and in the pantry. Nevertheless, I was craving something different than thin mints. Macaroons! 


This recipe is melt in your mouth and not in your hands scrumptious.  My original plan was to make enough to share especially since I am trying to establish myself and a business through word of mouth. But they were just too good to give up, I guess I'll just have to make more. 

I made macaroons for Christmas and I followed a recipe from the Food Network magazine. They were good but they had more of a meringue feel to them.  I guess I prefer a more coconut forward macaroon because the taste was good but I didn't care for the consistency of them at all. 


INGREDIENTS:


7-8 ounces of sweetened coconut flakes
2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 cup of Ocean Spray craisins
3/4 cup of crushed Kellogg's Special K Vanilla Almond cereal
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:


In a large miing bowl place eggs whites, whisk. Add sugar, salt and almond extract, whisk again until mixed well. Fold in chopped craisins and cereal. Add coconut. Before mixing coconut into the egg and sugar mixture add about 1/2 teaspoon of corn syrup right on of the coconut. This will help the batter stay together. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. I used my brand new cookie dropper birthday present to scoop the batter onto the cookie sheets. It was awesome. It kept me from getting super messy because as you may have guessed the batter is sticky! Before shaping the macaroons however you want dip your finger tips in cold water, like I recommended for the biscotti, and you can avoid getting sticky completely! After shaping the macaroons, they are ready for baking. Bake for about 10-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Mine were ready around 10 minutes but I let them bake a big longer to get a nice rich brown color at the peak. I recommend to check if they're done around 10 minutes and then go from there. While I let them cool I melted the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Mmmmm. When they chocolate was ready I dipped only the bottom in the chocolate and then I lightly drizzled some over the peak of the macaroon. I placed them in the refrigerator to set. Eat immediately after, because they are great, and they'll be gone fast. I am my very own macaroon cookie monster, I just can't resist coconut and chocolate. Ever.


Enjoy!


~CNY Dessert Muse

Tomato Bisque

In my refrigerator sits a container of heavy cream. I was going to use it  in my cake last week, but I chose not to. So what to do with the heavy cream before it expires.... my eureka moment = tomato bisque! I've never made it, I've never had it, I don't even like tomato soup. According to my mom I like tomato soup , or at least I used to when I was younger, now I can't even make it past the smell. 


The only bisque I've ever known is lobster bisque from a restaurant I used to work, and people loved this soup. I was tempted to make lobster bisque,  but I was nervous we wouldn't like the soup so I didn't buy the lobster. Bisque as defined by wikopedia is a "is a thick, creamy, highly-seasoned soup of French origin, classically of puréed crustaceans. It can be made from lobster, crab, shrimp or crayfish. Also, some people sometimes call creamy soups made from vegetables bisques."


For my first attempt I chose to make a simple tomato bisque. While the ingredients and execution were simple, nothing about the taste was simple. This hearty soup was full of flavor!  The majority of ingredients I had right in the cupboard, but I chose to splurge on some cheese. Ah Gruyère... this is the cheese typically used in French onion soup. It's the cheese that gives French onion soup that oooey, gooey appeal. If ooey, gooey isn't an official word or phrase found in Webster's Dictionary... it should be.  I like Gruyère because I feel like it enhances food that has an abundant garlic flavor without overpowering it, and it melts on warm food almost immediately without getting lost.


The only downfall of this dinner was that despite being full, I kept wanting to eat because it tastes so good. Thankfully, I was smart enough to know when enough is enough and now we have leftovers!!!! To anyone trying this recipe I recommend trying it with lobster, or as my mom suggested brown rice. Yum!


Tomato Bisque Recipe ~


INGREDIENTS:
medium size Spanish onion
3- 5 TBSP butter
pint of heavy cream
Gruyère cheese
basil
2 sprigs fresh parsley cut, 1 TBSP dried
1 whole sprig of rosemary (removed at the end) or 1 tsp dried 
28 oz tomato puree
28 oz crushed tomatoes
bay leaf
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
3 celery stalks 
2 big carrots, or an abundant handful of baby carrots
3 TBSP flour
5 cups of vegetable broth
baguette bread to serve with soup

DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot melt butter. Of course instead of the medium amount of butter I used 4 TBSP. I think it's because I just watched Julie & Julia again and who doesn't have a love for butter. Add diced onion, celery, carrots salt, pepper and garlic to the melted butter stirring lightly and then cover and cook for 8-10 minutes on medium. (Wait until you take the cover off the smell is amazing!) After 8-10 minutes add flour and whisk until it's mixed throughly. I didn't do this well enough so I had to go back through and remove some clumps. Oops. I always thought adding vegetables, butter and flour means you are making a roux but I don't think I am right... I will have to look it up and see. Next add the vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. Bring this to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and rosemary, bay leaf, parsley and basil. I love basil. The smell is so refreshing and crisp. It's almost better than the smell of fresh cut grass or cucumbers. So, I probably added more than a normal person would. I recommend adding enough for your personal preference starting with 5-6  leaves, cut. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and take out bay lea and rosemary. Add heavy cream. You can use the whole pint of heavy cream. I used slightly less,just enough to turn the soup a rich orangey-red color. Finish by grating about a TBSP of the Gruyère right into the pot. Ladle soup into a serving bowl and add more cheese of course! I wanted to toast the bread with garlic and some of the Gruyère, but I decided to keep it simple and served the sliced bread as it was not toasted and with no butter. 


I look forward to making this again and playing with this recipe more. Thank you for reading! Enjoy.




~CNY Dessert Muse

Refreshing Lemon Cake

I don't know about you, but after Valentine's Day I am in chocolate overload! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would turn down chocolate. When it came time to make my birthday cake there was no way I was going to make the flourless chocolate cake I had my eye on. If anyone tried my truffle recipe you know just how delicious and rich they are.  So for my birthday cake I was thinking LEMON!! After researching some recipes online I came up with a combination of what I thought would work. I like lemon, I just don't like it to be overpowering. Mission complete because it turned out very well. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of flour

2 tsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups of sour cream

1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 tsp of coconut milk

1 TBSP vanilla

2 sticks of butter, sliced or cut for easier mixing 

2 cups of sugar

1 tsp of lemon zest

5 egss (crazy I know-but this is the average from all the recipes I found)

1 pint of raspberries

fresh mint

DIRECTIONS:


OK, this recipe starts off with a lot of bowls. By a lot I mean, three. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, coconut milk and lemon juice (looks kinda gross but trust me) then set aside for the final step. In a large bowl beat the butter until light and creamy. This is where those amazing Kitchen Aid mixers come in handy, I however, do not have one so I was trying to balance my handheld mixer while adding the ingredients. (If anyone reading this is interested in getting me a belated birthday present I am more than happy to email you my address !!!!) Continue mixing the butter while you add the sugar, until it's light and fluffy. Add vanilla and lemon zest, mix well, be sure to scrape the side of the bowl. Add in eggs, one at a time. In the third bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream mixture, ending with the flour in the large bowl.  This recipe fills three 9 inch cake pans, making for one tall deliciously moist cake! Butter and lightly flour the cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. In my oven it was done around 30 minutes. While that is baking or cooling, make the filling. Take a pint of raspberries and wash them, leaving a few out for decorating. Start by adding about a tablespoon of lemon juice and a half cup of sugar to the saucepan. When the sugar is dissolved add a couple leaves of mint,  finally adding the raspberries stir gently and try to avoid breaking up the raspberries as much as possible. The whole process takes a minute or two. Now that I am thinking about it, it was probably pointless to add the mint because the impact wasn't even evident. I will use the mint and raspberries for a "salsa" at a later point in time. I will use lime next time, and the thought of it makes my mouth water. The idea of cooking the raspberries is to make them slightly syrup-y but so they are still pretty much whole because if you cook them too long the syrup is going to drip out of your cake. The frosting is the easiest and in my opinion the most delicious part. The ingredients are: 16 ounces of confectionary sugar, 1 stick of room temperature butter, 16 ounces of reduced fat cream cheese, lemon zest and coconut milk. I'd like to say that I measured the lemon zest and coconut milk, but I just "eyeballed" it. I aimed for about a tsp of coconut milk and a bit more than a tsp of lemon zest. If you're hesitant to try the frosting with coconut milk then substitute vanilla. It will be equally as good.  


I wish that I could say that I was a cake decorator or that I had any idea how to be as good as the Cake Boss or the decorators on Ace of Cakes. I am trying to learn. I know my first experience with fondant made me never want to go near the stuff again!  It's a good thing that I am stubborn. I definitely am not looking to make a cake that looks like a car or a volcano that smokes and  shoots red frosting I just want to learn how to make beautifully decorated cakes, with fondant gosh darn it.  I did take one cake decorating class and I learned some techniques and soon I plan on taking more. I will conquer fondant mark my words.  

A note from yours truly...... if you noticed my cake is "crooked" it's because I didn't wait long enough for my cake to cool before I tried to frost it. The Olympics were on and I had to see the snowboarding. Ok, so it's my fault entirely for not waiting long enough. I told you I wasn't a cake decorator, I can bake my little heart out but the actual decorating part needs some work.  

Valentine's Day Truffles!!

Happy February!!! I think February is one of my favorite months. I'm surrounded by a sea of reds, pinks and purples (my favorite colors) and even for a single girl like me, you can't help but feel the love in the air. Is it love that I feel or just the euphoria from getting to indulge in chocolate? Just kidding. Not only is it the "month of love" but my birthday is in February! I'll be 28 (for the 5th time) this year.  After boycotting my "old" age and spotting a few grey hairs I decided the hell with that, I'm going to celebrate my life, accomplishments and the love of my amazing family and friends!!

Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching, in 2 days if anyone reading this has let it slip their mind. I know it's difficult to forget right now because everywhere you go you're surrounded by millions of balloons, roses and strawberries. Ah yes the gifts of love. While these gifts are great, how about something homemade? I have a delicious and easy truffle recipe to share!! This recipe is so easy, time consuming yes, but very easy and there are so many variations available.

My delicious truffle recipe......

INGREDIENTS

3 cups powdered sugar

8 oz cream cheese

3 cups melted chocolate (I use semi-sweet chocolate chips)

your choice of flavoring.

DIRECTIONS

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl until it's smooth. Add powdered sugar and blend again. Melt chocolate in a separate bowl. Add the flavoring you choose to the melted chocolate before you add the chocolate to the cream cheese mixture. If you're using flavoring such as vanilla, anise or almond use 1 1/2 teaspoons. If you're using liqueur to flavor your truffles start with 2 tablespoons, then I recommend tasting it (torture I know). You should be able to just taste the liqueur, it shouldn't be overpowering the chocolate. When it tastes perfect add the chocolate to the cream cheese mixture. Then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling it for an hour is recommended. While this is chilling you can begin tempering the chocolate for dipping. Since I am a "self taught" baker, I don't know the proper lingo so here's a link to wikopedia that describes the process and here is one from Ghirardelli that also describes the process. For the outside of my truffles I use dark chocolate. What I've found out is that if you're working with a limited budget it is best to use the better quality chocolate for the outside of the truffle.  The long and short of tempering chocolate is heat it over a double boiler until it's melted (about 110 degrees) chocolate will burn around 200 degrees so once the chocolate is melted and looks glossy remove it from the heat and stir while it cools, until just below your body temperature. I normally put my finger in the chocolate to test it as it cools. Take the truffle mixture out of the refrigerator, roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Dip the rolled truffles into the melted chocolate and place back on the cookie sheets. If you want a super thick outside coating dip the truffles twice. Return to the refrigerator when you are done dipping the chocolate, so they can cool and set. You  can also chose not to dip the truffles in chocolate but you can roll them in nuts, coconut or cocoa powdered, all are equally yummy. 

In case anyone is wondering I made 3 different flavors of truffles: Baileys's, cherry and Kahlua. They are fun to make, a bit messy and time consuming but when they are all done they look amazing. Your Valentine will love them. 

Happy Valentine's Day to you and your loved ones! 

And remember if you're single like me.... like the Beatles said "all you need is love", spend Valentine's Day with your family and your closest friends.

TGIF!

Hello Central New Yorkers! I don't know what it's doing in your neck of the woods, but where I am the sun is shining! My goodness, 2 days in a row!! How can you not be happy when the sun is shining? It almost makes the snow and cold temperatures bearable. The funny thing about when the sun is shining in the middle of winter... you walk outside thinking it's 40 - 50 degrees, when in fact it's 20(ish). That was me yesterday. I was so excited to see the sun that off to work I went, wearing only a hoodie. Yikes. So then what do you do? Run back inside and put on more layers or be brave and run to the car? I decided to be brave and wear only the hoodie. Not that smart, but I survived. I'll be smarter today, I'll wear a hoodie AND a scarf. 


In case you were wondering (which I know you weren't) I was wearing my Georgetown Hoya sweatshirt. Fresh off a Wednesday night win versus Pitt- I had to! I know... a Syracuse girl rooting for Georgetown? I may get kicked out of Syracuse for saying such things! For the record I am all about Syracuse Orangemen, until it's basketball season and they are playing Georgetown. More on this Monday after my early birthday present from my Mom- SU vs Georgetown tickets! GREATEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!


So on this glorious sunny day what am I doing with my time? Taking a walk? Catching up on household chores? Packing for the move I am making at the end of February? Nope. Here I sit catching up on an article that my mom called me about.  Of all the things I should be getting done today I am reading and blogging. Sorry Mom, I guess this means I am not blowing you off for laundry but for my computer. Oops.

When I was younger my family called me the "recycling queen." I'm pretty sure that I attempted to recycle everything. I was, and still am proud of the title. Imagine my excitement with all the talk about everything becoming or being "green." No more plastic water bottles for me, I feel like I have every reusable grocery bag known to man, I'm in the process of changing all my batteries to recycled batteries, I'm a vegetarian, I even found cat litter that's made purely of pine and I am a huge advocate for buying local products. The list goes on from there. I was ecstatic when my Mom called me on Monday to tell me about an article in the Post Standard (Syracuse's daily paper- if anyone reading this is not from here) that featured Red Tail Ridge Winery.


Red Tail Ridge is located on Seneca Lake. The winery is owned by Nancy Irelan and her husband, Michael Schnelle. Red Tail Ridge Winery has gone green! They are seeking certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The featured article was written by Don Cazentre, food and drink editor for The Post Standard.  Don also has his own featured blog called "Drinks Blog" on syracuse.com.  Very cool. 

When it comes to sustainability, I would by lying if I didn't tell you that some of the terminology is over my head.  What is easy enough to understand is Red Tail Ridge tries to purchase their goods and services within 500 miles of their winery - reducing their carbon footprint AND contributing to economic growth in Central New York, they also made the wine processing building with front wall consisting of almost nothing but windows. Nancy Irelan works in the natural light from the windows instead of turning the lights on. She is quoted in the article saying, “I can work all day without turning them on." "That lowers energy use.” 


The most stunning piece of information I read was that it cost less to buy 34 acres on Seneca Lake (with enough left over to start building) then it does to buy 3 acres in California. Not surprising that California is more expensive than Central New York, but wow 34 acres?! Red Tail Ridge was at the Pride of New York Harvest Festival this year. I did get to sample their wine and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I suggest anyone reading this blog to try their wine we need to keep businesses like this alive in Central New York!

Cheers!
~CNY Dessert Muse


PS as I finish writing this I just realized, this past weekend I bought "green" toilet paper. 100% recycled toilet paper. $3.99 for 12 rolls. Not as thick as some, but it is soft. I told ya, "recycling queen"!


For more information:


* Red Tail Ridge Winery's green efforts, click here.
* Don Cazentre's blog, click here.
* "A Greener Approach to Reds and Whites", original article, click here.




Photography credits:


* Cover art featured on Green CNY, a section of The Post Standard, published 1/19/2010 
* Nancy Irelan standing outside of the wine processing buiding 
photgrahed by Steven Cannerelli for The Post Standard
* Red Tail Ridge's vineyard 
photgraphed by David Lassman for The Post Standard

Mango Salsa Glazed Pork

Ok, it's official, I am now a "foodie." I went from failing miserably at Jell-O to dreaming up food ideas. I will admit listening to people "ooh and ahhh" over what I cooked or baked is wonderful!!!!!

From a young age I would dream up ideas for paintings or sculptures in my head and then bring them to life. Apparently my creative outlet is now shifting gears towards food. Is it possible that I could go from studio art > graphic design > food? Hmm I don't know. Only time will tell I suppose. I do know that  when I have watched Cake Boss or Ace of Cakes that some of the cake decorators have no formal bakery training. They do seem to have an art background..... Interesting. I think my mom is right, I have to look into a baker who is willing to offer some sort of apprenticeship. 

The following recipe is a recipe that has been going through my head for days until I could put it all together. The mango salsa is the real star of this recipe. I was skeptical of trusting myself but I will admit, it was delicious.

Ingredients:
2 boneless pork chops
dark brown sugar
butter or margarine
green onions
canned pineapple rings
mint
cilantro
vinegar
extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
fresh ground black pepper
salt
cayenne pepper
ginger
red pepper
mango
brown rice


Directions:
1. Place 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar in a mixing bowl add salt and pepper along with 1 tsp of pineapple juice. Lightly sprinkle some ginger.  Snip a few green parts of the onion and add to mixture**.
** My daughter did not like the taste of the onion with the sweet. I thought it helped add some flavor to the pork and balance out the sweetness. According to your individual tastes, it is possible to leave this ingredient out.
2. Brush glaze on pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
3. Dice mango, red pepper, and white part of the green onion. Then salt and pepper to taste. Add cayenne pepper sparingly. You want just a touch of heat. Enough to know it's there without being overpowering.
4. Add 1 tsp of cilantro.
5. Sprinkle evoo, about a teaspoon. Mix well. Then add a couple dashes of white or apple vinegar. 
6. Lastly, add 2 leaves of mint. Yum!
7. Cook your rice according to the directions. The butter or margarine in the ingredient  list is to add to the water before adding the rice. 
8. Bake the pork chops at 350 degrees for about half an hour. I put a pineapple wheel and some mango salsa on top while baking. But you can do whatever works for you. The idea is for the mango salsa to enhance the dish.


All ingredients were purchased at Wegmans. 
Wine pairing for this meal: Dr. Frank's Semi-Dry Reisling. (So delicious!!!)

Enjoy!!


 ps all pictures were taken by my daughter!! I think she did a fabulous job!