Sorry for my Slackness

I'm so slack! I have made these amazing sausage meatloaf muffins, and stuffed steak rolls, and more but i don't have a camera!!! So i refuse to post it!~! I'm so upset about this but hopefully i'll fix this soon. Sorry about the delay in yumminess!

Strawberry Margarita Cup Cakes!

Oh Yum! Who doesn't love something a little special and different. Well I had a work function to cook for and I thought a great summer desert would be these amazing cupcake from Katie's blog. I was right, especially when I also made the Pina Colada Cup Cakes!
So without further ado, here's the cup cakes!

Here's Katie's ingredients: I was lazy and use white cake mix and followed the directions on the box except instead of water i used strawberry Daiquiri mix. Turned out great, I topped it with her icing and then a little slice of lime~

Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp instant milk powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 c. strawberry margarita/daquari mix (or strawberry puree, strained removing seeds)
1/3 c. water
5 egg whites, at room temperature

3 c. confectioners’ sugar
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 Tbsp milk, plus more, if needed, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 that lime, at room temperature


Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcake pans.
-In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, instant milk, baking powder and salt and set aside.
-In small bowl, combine strawberry puree and water and set aside.
-In bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high until light (about 3 mins).
-Beat in the vanilla extract.
-Reduce the speed to low and, dividing the flour mixture into 3 batches, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the strawberry mixture just until combined.
-In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters and set on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
-Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten whites into the batter just until incorporated.
-Divide the batter between the cupcake molds.
-Bake about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
-Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute.
-Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-Add lime zest and lime juice and quickly beat on high until whipped (adding more milk if needed), about 30 seconds.
-Remove from oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
-Let cool on racks until completely cool.

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Everyone loves a cupcake that taste like your favorite drink! And what a GREAT summer treat. I made these for a work potluck so i didn't try to make them with liquor but i'm sure that would be taste too! So here's my Pina Colada Cupcakes that is taken from the Coconut Cup Cakes on Katie's Blog.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. sifted cake flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 (13.5-ounce) milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2ish tsp coconut extract, i did it to taste so not sure how much.
Most of a small can of drained crushed pineapple.

Whipped vanilla frosting
1/2 bag of shredded coconut

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Coat cupcake pan with cooking spray with flour for baking
-Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
-Place sugar and butter in mixer and mix until well blended (for about 5 minutes).
-Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
-Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
-Stir in vanilla and coconut extract.
-Stir in pineapple
-Pour batter into prepared pans.
-Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles.
-Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

-When cupcakes are completely cool, frost with whipped vanilla frosting and roll tops in shredded coconut.
Top with a Cherry and Serve!

Potty Etiquette

So the other evening I was having dinner with some local Nesties and the topic came up of talking in the potty and what is acceptable and since i'm being the "KNOW ALL" on southern etiquette i'm here to inform ya'll of the rules. Now the rules change on the type/size of restroom you're in and how intoxicated you are... but...

1. NEVER speak to people while you are or they are in a stall... UNLESS you need toilet paper or a tampon.
2. If someone random is doing this and you want to contribute to their conversation DON'T... it's not classy and YOU DON'T KNOW THEM... it's an unwritten rule that conversations that take place in the restroom are private and are not meant for others to join in.
3. Try not to have any kind of conversation in the restroom unless A. There is a sitting area where you walk away from the toilets, B. You have to discuss something before you get back to the table/ where ever you are.

These rules are important because the restroom is a private place and should be kept as such, do your thing and get out.
Also most ladies do not want to think about what you might be wiping while they are discussing something profound with you.
And you are only keeping everyone else in your party waiting while you lallygag in the restroom.

Now these rules do get a little more lax if one is intoxicated (but that's not terribly classy to begin with), at a club, in a long line.

Now enjoy your potty trip!

Flowers

I don't care that this isn't food, I still made it! My ROSES! It took me two and a half years to get this plant to bloom and it was worth every minute!

Good Food With Good Friends

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Chicken Marsala with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sugar Snap Peas with Bacon

Sugar Snap Peas with Bacon
Very Easy... my local grocer did not have fresh sugar snaps so I bought a frozen bag and steamed them. While that was steaming I cooked five strips of bacon. When both were finished I broke up the bacon and combined it in a bowl with the sugar snaps, a tablespoon of butter, and a little salt and pepper to taste.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Skin your russet potatoes (around 6-7) and cut into small cubes and put in boiling water. Boil until tender with the poke of a fork. Then drain the water and add a stick of butter. After butter has melted begin mashing the potatoes and while mashing add some garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste, and around 1/4 a cup of milk (you can add a little more milk if you want to keep mashing the potatoes and get a creamier texture).

Chicken Marsala
From: America's Test Kitchens

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (5-7 oz each), fat trimmed
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp oil
2 1/2oz (a/b 3 slices) pancetta, cut into 1 by 1/8 in. pieces
8oz white mushrooms, sliced (a/b 2 c.)
1 med. garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tsp tomato paste
1 1/2 c. Sweet Marsala
1 1/2 Tbsp juice from lemon
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
-Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position on the oven, place a heatproof plate on the rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees.
-Pat the chicken breast dry
-Place flour in a shallow baking dish or pie plate
-Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper
-Working with one at a time, coat both sides of chicken with flour.
-Lift the breast from the tapered end and shake to remove excess flour and set aside.
-Meanwhile, heat oil in a large 12in heavy bottom skillet over med-high heat until shimmering
-Place the floured chicken in a single layer in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 5 mins.
-Using tongs, turn the cutlets and cook on the second side until golden brown and the meat feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 5 mins longer
-Transfer chicken to the heated plate and return plate to oven... (I had VERY thick chicken breast, larger then 5-6oz and found turning the oven up to 350 and letting them bake until the sauce was done cook them through).
-Return the skillet to low heat and add the pancetta.
-Saute', stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits, until the pancetta is browned and crisp, about 4mins.
-With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain.
-Add the mushrooms to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.
-Saute', stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until the liduid released by the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 8-10mins
-Add the garlic, tomato paste, and cooked pancetta and cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 min.
-Off the heat, add marsala.
-Return the pan to high heat and simmer vigorously, scraping browned bits from the pan bottom, until the sauce is slightly syrupy and reduce, about 5mins
-Off the heat, add the lemon juice and accumulated juices from the chicken.
-Whisk in butter, one Tbsp at a time, until incorporated.
-Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pout the suce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Ravioli With Katie

For all directions, etc on this please go to Katie's blog, as she is the one who was making this with me and walking me through it. We eventually became very frustrated with this dough (since it was hot in the kitchen) and gave up to drink Cherry Mojitos!

Cherry Mojitos

This is the drink of choice for Katie and I, we hope ya'll have as much fun drinking it with your girlfriends as we do!
Cherry Mojitos
From: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice, about 9 limes
* 3 pounds Bing cherries
* 18 ounces best-quality black cherry or plain vodka (www.beekmanliquors.com)
* 1 bottle sparkling water (750 mL)

Directions
1. Bring sugar and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool completely. (Makes about 2 cups syrup.) Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month.
2. Put lime juice into a medium nonreactive bowl. Halve and pit cherries; add to lime juice. Stir in syrup. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to overnight).
3. Stir cherry mixture and vodka in a large serving bowl. Fill 12 glasses with ice. Spoon 1/2 cup cherry-vodka mixture into each glass. Top off with sparkling water. Serve immediately.




Katie and I actually let our cherries soak up the vodka instead of the lime juice and we used half the the sugar mixture it says to use... this is such an amazing drink!

Bread Machine Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread
From: All Recipes

Ingredients
1/2 c margarine, softened
2/3 c milk
2 eggs
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c white sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 c mashed banana
1/2 c chopped walnuts.

Directions
-spray bread machine pan with veg. oil spray
-premix ingredients in order listed. Place mixture in breach machine pan.
-select the quick bread/cake cycle (on my bread machine it was the hour cycle) Press Start. Check after one minute to see if mixture is well blended.
-cook until cycle stops. Remove pan, and cool completely before removing bread from pan.

Cheesy Chicken Mexican Corn

Cheesy Mex-Rice Casserole (I added in chicken too)
From: All recipes

Ingredients
* 1 quart water
* 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
* 2 tablespoons chicken broth
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 1 small yellow onion, chopped
* 1 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn
* 1 (11 ounce) can Mexican-style corn, drained
* 1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
* 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, with liquid
* 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained
* 1 (8 ounce) package Mexican-style processed cheese food, cubed
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
(I used 2 large chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces and cooked on a skillet)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 3 1/2 quart casserole dish.
2. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in rice, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. In a wok or large skillet, heat the broth and saute the garlic, bell pepper and onion until tender, about 5 minutes. (Add in chicken too)Stir in cooked rice, cream-style corn, Mexican-style corn, whole kernel corn, diced tomatoes with chiles, green chiles, Mexican-style processed cheese, salt, pepper and chili powder. Spoon into prepared casserole dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Top with shredded Cheddar, cover and bake 5 minutes more. Remove from oven, uncover and let stand 10 minutes.





Chris Really Loved this meal!