March 14, 2011

My Take On A Few Irish Classics and A Few New Ideas Thrown in for Fun!

This Thursday is Saint Patrick's Day! One of my favorite all time holidays. I am a big fan of all things Irish: food, tradition, the whole country itself. As strange as it may seem I am drawn to Ireland in a big way. My one planned trip to the Emerald Isle came to a screeching halt before I ever set out on the adventure, but I still hope to make it across the pond to dear old Ireland within the next few years. Another plan is forming, but it isn't complete yet. I'll tell you more as it happens, but for now let's talk some Irish inspired food!

A few years ago I had an Irish feast filled with my take on several Irish Classics and a few Irish inspired dishes. With Saint Patrick's knocking on our door, today I am going to share some of those recipes with you, for those of you who are looking for Irish recipes for later this week.

First up what's an Irish meal without a little Irish Brown Bread also called Irish Soda Bread?

This is one of my all time favorite breads! It's soft, delicious and just perfect warm with a little Irish Butter!

Another Irish favorite is Dingle Pies, which are small meat filled pies served at fairs and on special occasions and holidays. For my take on this dish I actually made a vegetarian version stuffed full of potatoes, carrots and button mushrooms:

These turned out really good! The little pies are savory, warm and really hit the spot. You could always add meat in to these little bites. It's just a matter of taste.

Speaking of vegetarian, how about a nice vegetarian version of Irish Stew?

I am really a stew/soup kind of person and this was really, really good. It's hearty enough to make a meal of its own. Pair it with a salad and/or Irish Brown Bread and you'll be set! If you wanted a meatier version why not throw in some beef?

A popular Irish side dish in many places is called Champ, which is basically a kicked up mashed potato dish.

Potatoes? Check! Heavy cream? Check! Butter? Check! Scallions? Check! Seriously what's not to like about this dish?

Another potato side dish is called Boxty, which is basically a type of potato pancake.

There is an old Irish proverb that says if you can make a decent Boxty then you will have no problem getting a man. I guess it's the same as the old saying "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach"! Regardless it's a potato pancake...I'm not a man and it still had me at potato!

For a bit more of a fancy Irish dish why not try Dublin Lawyer, which is a creamy lobster dish made with a bit of Irish Whiskey.

Not only is this delicious, but the fun part? You get to set it on fire!

What's a celebration without a little flaming food? ;oP

And what would an Irish Dinner be without something made with Guinness? How about Beef with Guinness?

This is really hearty, tender and filling. It would be fabulous paired with a salad and that good old Irish Brown Bread.

And now let's jump in to dessert!

I am a big fan of Irish Cream and when I discovered the caramel variety I decided I wanted to try my hand at a variation of Irish Cream cheesecake and these little Mini Caramel Irish Cream Cheesecakes were born!

You know me and cheesecake! It should be a food group in an of itself I'm telling you. These little gems are just the perfect bite of fabulousness in a small little package.

Another dessert if you're a fan of apples is Irish Apple Duff.

From the moment I saw the term "Irish Apple Duff" I was always intrigued. I don't know why, but it just rolls off the tongue. Try it....Irish Apple Duff...See! My take on this isn't quite as wrapped as the original, but sugary puff pastry is good no matter where it slides, even if down the side of the apple!

Another regional apple dessert is Kerry Apple Cake, which I paired with a Caramel Irish Cream Sauce and Whipped Cream.

You can't go wrong with apples and caramel and I couldn't resist adding in the Caramel Bailey's to accompany this cake. This cake is good at room temperature, but it's even better served a bit warm! You could also served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

And last but not least, my favorite perhaps, how about some Chocolate Guinness Cake With Ganache And Cherries?

It's no secret I love chocolate and I'm a big fan of cherries as well. This modern dessert may not be considered completely Irish by some, but trust me you can't go wrong with this cake!

So how many of you out there celebrate Saint Patrick's day? Have you ever had, or will you have an Irish Feast? Do you have Irish heritage? Or perhaps a favorite Irish Recipe of your own? Talk to me...I'm curious.

Posted by Dianne at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 10, 2011

Glorious Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcakes

First off before we dive into these cupcakes, though I may end up regretting this, I'm going to start sharing pictures of Alexis again. Why? Because so many people ask me what she looks like and she really is my sous chef so you will be seeing more of her in the future.

Meet my sous chef...Alexis:

That's her, my little mini-me! My favorite 7 year old on the planet! ;oP

She likes to do things like make silly poses:

Laugh and smile:

And of course the most important task...Lick beaters!

Not to mention stir, mix, shake, roll, etc. Luckily she is cheap too. All she asks? To eat what we make! My kind of kid! ;oP

And now that is out of the way, let's talk some Glorious Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcakes! Why glorious you ask? Alexis thought it was an apt title and who am I to stifle creativity?

As a kid I remember buying cream filled cupcakes. I mean what's not to like? Chocolate? Check! Cream filling? Check! Chocolate icing on top? Check! Lately I started thinking about this type of cupcake and decided to give some theories a try and they more than worked out! The result is a fabulous little cupcake with a creamy surprise! I'll take two! ;oP

What You'll Need for the Cupcakes:
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of baking powder
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 cups or organic cane sugar
3 eggs
1 cup of sour cream OR buttermilk
Cream Filling (see below)
Frosting (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, sea salt, baking powder and baking soda until well mixed:

Set aside.

In another large bowl cream together butter, sugar, eggs and sour cream OR buttermilk until relatively smooth:

Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture 1/3 a cup at a time until completely blended:

The "batter" will be slightly thick and fudgy. This is not a runny "batter".

Scoop in to muffin pans that have been lined with cupcake liners and fill each cup 3/4ths of the way full:

Bake in a preheated oven 25-30 minutes or until cupcakes still done with a toothpick

Let cool for at least 30 minutes before filling and frosting:

Makes 24 cupcakes.

While the cupcakes are baking make your filling and frosting.

What You'll Need for the Cream Filling:
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 of a 13 ounce jar of marshmallow cream

Now don't blink or you'll miss it...This is that easy!

Place butter and marshmallow cream in a bowl and mix together on medium until completely blended.

Set aside. You'll use this when you're putting the cupcakes together after they cool. (See below.)

What You'll Need for the Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting:
2 sticks of butter, softened
1/2 cup of a 13 ounce jar of marshmallow cream
1/2 cup of cocoa
1 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of heavy cream

Again this is so simple....

In another bowl cream together butter and marshmallow cream until smooth.

Next add cocoa and beat until incorporated.

Next add powdered sugar and repeat the step for the cocoa. Don't worry if it looks a little crumbly at this point. The heavy cream will sort it out.

And last add the heavy cream and beat until smooth.

Set aside. Frosting will be used when the cupcakes are put together.

To Put Together the Cupcakes:

First cut out a round cork out of the top of the cupcake:

Next use a spoon to dig out about 1/2 an inch to make the hole slightly bigger:

Fill the hole with the cream filling:

Place the cork you cut out back on top of the filling:

Frost the cupcake:

And voila...Glorious Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcakes! Eat and enjoy!

Notes: If you wanted to flavor the Cream Filling you could. You could add 1/4 of a cup of cocoa to make a chocolate version, or how about 1 teaspoon of mint extract for a chocolate/mint combo. You could also use regular buttercream icing in place of the Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting.

Posted by Dianne at 8:13 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

March 2, 2011

White Chocolate Cashew Cookies

First before we jump into some really fabulous cookies I have a confession to make...My attempt to go meat free for the month of February failed horribly! I've gone a month's time before without meat, but I just couldn't do it this time as hard as I tried. I kept craving chicken and not matter what proteins I ate to take away the chicken craving, it just didn't work! So it's time to own up to that! I did however cut back on meat, which is where I ultimately wanted to go anyway.

Now let's talk some cookies!

I used to detest white chocolate. When I was a kid I avoided the stuff like the plague! I have no idea when I got over this aversion, I don't quite remember, and perhaps it's because I now like really good white chocolate and not the cheap stuff with no cocoa butter, but now I'm quite fond of "vanilla chocolate" as Alexis likes to call it.

And now the other element of the cookie that I've always adored...Cashews! For this cookie you'll want to look for a roasted variety that uses sea salt. The flavor of this, coupled with the white chocolate chips, gives the cookie a really nice taste. It just all melds together so well.

This is another one of those recipes where you could switch out ingredients easily. You could add chocolate chips in place of the white chocolate variety or you could replace the cashews with another nut of your choosing. But trust me you most likely won't want too, they're fabulous as is!

What You'll Need:
3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 cup of natural brown sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 sticks of butter, softened
4 eggs
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1/3 cup of half and half
2 cups of roasted sea salt cashews, chopped
1 - 11.5 package of white chocolate chips or chunks (Note: I usually use Ghirardelli chips or chop up a few Green & Black's white chocolate bars.)

In a large bowl stir together flour, sugars, salt and baking soda until completely mixed. Set aside.

In a separate bowl mix together butter, eggs, vanilla and half and half.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until dough forms. Then stir in cashews and white chocolate chips or chunks until completely incorporated. Put mixed dough in a container with a cover. Refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and place on a baking sheet that has been lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper:

Place cookie sheet(s) in a preheated oven and bake for 10-14 minutes until cookies are lightly golden:

Let cookies cool and store in an airtight container.

And now you're ready to enjoy the yummy goodness!

Grab a glass of milk or a steaming cup of hot chocolate (or hot white chocolate) and dig in!

Notes: Sometimes when I make these cookies I like to add whole cashews instead of chopping them for a bit of a chunkier texture.

Posted by Dianne at 10:33 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack