Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes with Swiss Buttercream Frosting

(makes about 20)

Strawberry Jelly Filling

• 2 c sliced strawberries
• 1/4 c water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp cold water

1. Cook the berries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan (uncovered) over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until berries are softened. Stir occassionally
2. Add cornstarch and water mixture and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.  Mixture will thicken considerably
3. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  Chill in refrigerator while making cupcakes (filling will continue to thicken as it cools)

Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 3/4 c canola oil
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 c milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F, line cupcake tins with liners.
2. Beat together the sugar and oil, then cream in eggs until light and fluffy.  Stir in milk and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet.  Stir until just combined- MAKE SURE NOT TO OVER-MIX!!
5. Fill each cupcake liner about half full of batter (about 1 1/2 tbsp).  Add about a tablespoon of jelly filling to each, then add about another tbsp of batter to cover the jelly.
6.  Bake for 20-22 mins or until light golden around edges and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool for 5 mins in baking tin, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling. Cool completely before icing.

Swiss Buttercream Frosting

• 3 large egg whites
• 1 c confectioner's sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Egg White/Sugar mixture before adding butter

1. In a double boiler, whisk together egg whites and sugar.  Heat until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm (about 140F), whisking frequently.  Should take about 3-5 mins.
2. Transfer egg and sugar mixture to a mixing bowl, with whisk attachment.  Add a pinch of salt and beat of high speed until the mixture is thick and glossy (5-7 mins).  Gradually add softened butter (about 1 tbsp at a time) while beating, then beat in vanilla.
3. Stop beating when buttercream is thick and smooth.
4. Frost cupcakes and ENJOY!!!

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

(makes about 18)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/3 c sugar
• 2/3 c creamy peanut butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and mix well.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
   
2. Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry (1/3 flour, then sour cream, another 1/3 flour, then vanilla, and, finally, the last 1/3 flour). Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
   
3. Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins for 5 minutes, then move to wire racks until completely cooled. 
   

   
   
   FROSTING
   • 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
   • 2 c confectioner's sugar
   • 1/2 c unsweetened baking cocoa (I use Ghirardelli)
   • 1/3 c milk
   • 1/2 tsp vanilla
   1. Beat butter until light and fluffy.
   2. In a separate bowl, mix confectioner's sugar with cocoa.
   3. Blend sugar mixture with butter, alternating milk and beating well after each addition.
   4. Beat until smooth.  Blend in vanilla.
   5. Frost cupcakes and ENJOY!!
   
   

Cupcakes

I've always had this fantasy of owning a cupcake shop (even before they were the "it" thing!).  But it wasn't until my bosses gave me a KitchenAid stand up mixer for my birthday last year that I really started making cupcakes.  Now I try to make them every Saturday! Here are the my creations from the past few weeks:

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting, recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes with Oreo Cookie Frosting

Cookies and Cream Cupcake Recipe

• 2 1/4 c flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 2/3 c sugar
• 1 c milk
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 egg whites
• 1 c (about 10) crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (I used Oreo's)

 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with paper baking cups.

2.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in large bowl.  Stir in sugar.  Add milk, butter and vanilla; beat with electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds until combined.  Beat at medium speed for 2 mins.  Add egg whites and beat for 2 mins.  Stir in crushed cookies.

3.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups (fill about 2/3 full).  Bake for 20-22 minutes.  Cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.  When cupcakes are completely cool, add frosting (recipe below)

Cookies and Cream Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, cold
• 5 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 c confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 c crushed cookie crumbs (about 5 oreos)

1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until combined
2. Gradually add 2 c sifted powder sugar (sift AFTER measuring).  Continue to add sugar until you reach the consistency and SWEETNESS that works for you! (careful... this frosting can get VERY SWEET if you use too much sugar!!)
3. Gently fold in cookie crumbs
4. Frost cupcakes and ENJOY!! :)

Our Garden!!!

Mike and I are new homeowners, which is overwhelming at times, but SOOO exciting at others. (Sometimes it's even overwhelmingly exciting- those are the good days!) We've been talking about putting a garden in for months.  With the warm weather finally here, we actually got around to plotting a space and getting some work done over the weekend.  Here's some pics....

Mike's Uncle Frank tilling the spot

The final product!

It's HUUUUGE!!! 24 x 26!!!!

Amazing Friday Night Dinner!

Linguine with Shrimp Cream Sauce

• 1 pound linguine
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 pound jumbo shrimp
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 tsp dried basil (if available, use about 1/2 cup fresh!)
• 1 cup white wine (I changed things up a bit, more about that below)
• 1 tbsp of clam juice
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• grated Parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.

2- In a large skillet, heat olive over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, about a teaspoon each of salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Remove the shrimp and set aside (you should have olive oil and garlic left in the skillet).

3- Add the tomatoes (and about 1/2 the juice) and basil (I really just eyeball this- at least a teaspoon). Cook for 2 minutes, allowing the flavors to marinate, stirring constantly.

4- This is where I would usually add the white wine.  But I had some left over white wine clam sauce in the freezer, so I substituted that. So, add wine (or white wine clam sauce) and heavy cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let reduce at a simmer for 10-12 minutes until the sauce thickens- you'll know when it's ready!

5- Add cooked shrimp and pasta. Grate parmesan cheese on top.  Toss all the ingredients together until coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

6- Enjoy with Italian bread and a glass of wine!

Welcome to the Sweet Life

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