Camouflage Cupcakes

Today is my little brother's 30th birthday. We are now the same age, since I have no idea how he keeps getting older when I stopped aging at 30. We celebrated with a wonderful party thrown by his girlfriend. I immediately knew that I needed to make a camo cupcake for this occasion. He loves to hunt and spend his time in the outdoors. I scoured Google to find the perfect cupcake and frosting method. It is crazy how many different camo cupcake options are out there! Thanks to Pinterest, I decided to use the tutorial on Crafty Mama. This post is not a recipe, but more of a how-to. You can use the cake and frosting you'd prefer. These are simple to make. All you need is a bit of time.

To make the cupcakes, you will need: 

*your favorite white cake batter

*your favorite chocolate cake batter

*green food coloring

1. Preheat the oven according to your cake recipe. (Most likely around 350) Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.

2. You are going to make 4 bowls of different colored batter. In one bowl, mix some of the white cake batter with green food coloring and a drop of chocolate batter until you reach your desired camo green. In another bowl, mix some white and chocolate batter to make a light brown. You will then use the remaining white batter, and chocolate batter, as is. 

3. Using a spoon, drop the various colored batters into cupcake tins. You want to spread out and layer the colors so that they bake with a camo look. (You could swirl the batter for a more tie-dyed finish). Layer the batters until the tins are 3/4 of the way full.

4. Bake according to your cake recipe. Once fully baked, allow the cupcakes to sit for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

For the frosting, you will need:
*white frosting recipe (I made a buttercream but a cream cheese frosting could work too)
*cocoa powder
*green food coloring

1. Split the icing into 3 separate bowls. One bowl will remain white. In another bowl, combine the green food coloring. In the final bowl, add cocoa powder to make the brown color.

2. Using a flat spatula, try your best to section the 3 colors into a pastry/frosting bag. There are many other online versions of using different bags, piping different levels, etc. I found this one-bag-trick to be quick and efficient. Pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan with Quinoa

Life slowed down in the Boston area last week. I can't seem to write a post without at least referencing the marathon tragedy. Marathon Monday is one of my favorite days of the year.We were spectating with friends on Boylston Street.  We were lucky we weren't hurt but I am still wrapping my head around how many were not that fortunate. I'm incredibly thankful for all those working hard to keep the city safe. "Boston strong" is a short but true statement that I think I will never tire of seeing everywhere. I am feeling wicked proud of the accent these days.

Comfort food is perfect in these times when we're grateful and hurting at the same time. This dish combines the protein of quinoa with the indulgence of chicken parmesan. This recipe comes from Elly Says Opa. I recommend that you make this soon and enjoy it with loved ones.

You will need:
*1 tablespoon olive oil

*1 yellow onion, diced

*3 cloves garlic, minced

*2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

*1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
*
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

*1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

*basil and oregano, to taste

*1 cup quinoa, rinsed
*
2 cups water or broth

*1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and chopped
*
2/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

*2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

*2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
*2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional for serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and oil a 2-quart baking dish.

2. Place the quinoa and water/broth in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. The quinoa is finished when the liquid is mostly absorbed.

3. While the quinoa is cooking, make your sauce:

Place the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently. This should take about 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the balsamic vinegar, scraping anything cooked on the bottom of the pan, and cook until the vinegar is almost fully absorbed. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil, and then simmer until needed.

4. 
Combine the cooked quinoa and cooked chicken with the sauce. Place half the mixture in the baking dish, top with about 1/3 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Then add the remaining quinoa mixture. Layer with the remaining mozzarella cheese, and the Parmesan. Top with breadcrumbs.
Cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake about 10 more minutes, or until the cheese is lightly brown and bubbling.

5. Optional: sprinkle with parsley and/or grated Parmesan before serving.

Chicken Caesar Burgers

Spring is here and I'm absolutely loving the daylight when I leave work. The temps may still be a bit chilly, but I can feel the shift coming. Grilling nights and dinners on the deck aren't too far off! Although I haven't been blogging much, we've been adhering to our goal to try at least one new recipe a week. This leaves me with tons to share on here. These chicken caesar burgers are from last summer. I'm looking forward to trying them again soon. I found this recipe on Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life.

You will need:
*1 pound ground chicken
*1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
*3 tablespoons light Caesar dressing
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 tablespoon dried parsley
*1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
*1 tablespoon lemon juice

Optional toppings:
*freshly grated Parmesan cheese
*extra Caesar dressing
*Romaine lettuce
*red onion, sliced


1. In a bowl, combine all the needed ingredients (not toppings!) and mix well. Form the mixture into four patties, slightly indenting each center. Refrigerate the now formed burgers on a plate for about 30 minutes.

2. Grill chilled burgers over medium-high heat, 6-8 minutes on each side. Top cooked chicken burgers with desired toppings. Serve atop a salad or on hamburger buns.

Chicken Marsala Casserole

Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite dishes to order out at a restaurant. Dave's mushroom phobia often prevents me from making it at home, but I'm starting to incorporate some mushrooms into cooking. He is often able to eat around them or doesn't mind them as much when they take on another flavor. This casserole is an easy shortcut to a Marsala dinner. I look forward to trying this again soon! This is another recipe discovered on Stephanie Cooks.

You will need:
*2 tablespoons butter
*10 ounces sliced mushrooms
*1 1/2 tablespoons flour
*1/2 cup Marsala wine
*1/2 cup heavy cream
*2 cups chicken broth
*1teaspoon dried parsley
*salt and pepper
*1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
*2 cups cooked chicken breast
*2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir well to coat. Stir in the Marsala wine and cream for about 3 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Stir in the broth, parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

3. In a 9x13 dish, spread the rice in an even layer over the bottom of the dish. Top with the chicken. Pour the mushroom mixture on top. Cover tightly with foil.

4. Bake 35 minutes, until bubbling. Remove foil, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and bake 5 minutes uncovered.

Sausage Wonton Cups

It's Super Bowl Sunday. While my beloved Patriots are not playing, we'll still tune in for the big game to watch the end of the NFL season. This also concludes our weekly Sunday potluck style afternoons with friends. This appetizer comes from a football get together. A coworker of mine makes these regularly, and I finally tried making them myself. These are creamy, cheesy, and delicious!

You will need:
*16oz frozen sausage
*24 wonton wrappers
*1 cup cheddar jack shredded cheese
*1 cup ranch dressing

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat, crumbling with a spoon or spatula.  Once sausage has browned, place onto a paper towel lined plate to drain the grease.

3. While sausage is cooking, place the wonton wrappers into muffin tin wells. Heat wonton cups in preheated oven for about 5 minutes.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked sausage, ranch, and cheese. Spoon mixture into wonton cups and cook for about 10 minutes.

Serve warm.

Peanut Butter Frosted Whole Wheat Banana Donuts

I've previously mentioned my recipe hoarding tendencies. Pinterest might just be encouraging that habit at the moment. This recipe, however, was made back when I first saw it posted on Prevention RD. I love banana bread, Dave loves when I break out the donut pan, so I knew we'd have a winner. I decided to change the frosting on these to highlight the amazing combination of peanut butter and banana. These are a perfect treat for a weekend morning.

For the donuts, you will need:
*6 tablespoons sugar

*1 egg
*
1/2 cup over-ripe banana, mashed (about 1 1/2-2 small bananas)
*
3 tablespoons canola oil 

*1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*1 tablespoon nonfat Greek yogurt

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/4 teaspoon baking powder

*3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour

For the peanut butter frosting, you will need:
*3 tablespoons peanut butter
*2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
*about 1/4 cup powdered sugar
*splash of milk

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Spray doughnut pan with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is light and pale. Stir in the banana, oil, vanilla, and yogurt.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Add to the egg mixture; stir together until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling wells 1/2 way, and bake for 10-12 minutes.

3. Make the frosting topping by combining all ingredients and mixing well. You can add more powdered sugar or milk to help reach desired consistency. Spread on cooled donuts using a flat spatula.

Mexican Quinoa

Do you participate in Meatless Monday?  Dave and I started this about a year and a half ago. It began by eliminating meat for one day a week. I would have never guessed how much less meat we would eat over time. We are not vegetarians by any means, but I find we now only cook meat about 2-3 times a week. This  has also helped to lower our weekly grocery bills. If you are looking for a diet change this new year, I suggest giving Meatless Mondays a try.

It seems that quinoa is everywhere lately. The good news about that is how much easier it is to locate and afford quinoa here now compared to when I first started cooking with it. This has the elements of a perfect weeknight dish. It uses one pot, cooks quick, fills you up, and is delicious. We enjoyed this dish warm which I think is perfect for this time of year. It reheated well for lunches the next day. I think it would also make a great cold salad dish in the summer. I found this recipe on Annie's Eats.

You will need:
*2 teaspoons olive oil

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*2-3 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
*
1 cup uncooked quinoa (don't forget to rinse well before cooking!)
*
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

*1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

*1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

*1 cup frozen corn
*1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
*
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

*half of lime, juiced
*Desired toppings-some ideas: shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, salsa, avocado

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and jalapenos and saute  for about 1 minute.  Next, stir in the the quinoa, veggie broth, beans, diced tomatoes with juices, corn, and salt.  Allow the mixture to reach a boil.

2. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.  Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove pan from the heat; stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Serve with any toppings you'd like. We enjoyed cheese, Greek yogurt, and some tortilla chips.

Honey Mustard Pork Roast with Bacon

It seems appropriate to end 2012 by posting the first meal we had to start the year. This is an indication of how many photos and recipes I've tried that have yet to make the blog. Add keeping up with blogging to my 2013 resolutions list.

Pork is one of the foods that you can eat on New Year's Day to bring you luck for the coming year. We figured a little extra luck never hurts, so we chose a pork roast wrapped in bacon. This was simple to put together and delicious to enjoy with some prosecco. The arugula salad base added a nice peppery citrus flavor as well. I found this Giada recipe on The Way to his Heart.

I wish you a fabulous celebration to end 2012 and welcome 2013!

For the pork, you will need:
*1/4 cup Dijon mustard
*2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
*2 tablespoons honey
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1 center-cut, boneless, pork loin roast, about 3 1/2 pounds
*12 slices bacon, about 1 pound
**kitchen twine



For the arugula salad base, you will need:
*3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
*3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
*Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
*about 5 cups baby arugula

1. Align an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven; preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, add the Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey, garlic, and rosemary; mix together until smooth.

3. Arrange the pork in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan and spread the mustard mixture evenly over the roast. Once coated, start on 1 side and lay a piece of bacon, lengthwise, on top of the pork. Lay another slice of bacon on the pork making sure to slightly overlap the first piece. Continue with the remaining bacon until the pork roast is fully covered in bacon. Secure the bacon in place using kitchen twine. Roast for 1 hour.

4. After an hour, loosely cover the pan with foil and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 160 degrees. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the roast to rest under the foil for 20 minutes. (You could prep the salad now-see step 5) Carefully transfer the roast to a cutting board. Remove the kitchen twine and slice the pork into 1/2-inch thick slices.

5. While the pork is resting, you can start the salad. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and oil until smooth; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the arugula on a large platter, or individual serving plates, and drizzle with the dressing. Arrange the pork slices on top and serve.

Enchilada Stuffed Mushrooms

Here's another appetizer that I test drove at our weekly football potluck get together. I love mushrooms and Dave can't stand them. The taste of these was good enough for him to overlook the texture and enjoy the flavor. This is a quick stuffed mushroom recipe. I look forward to trying these again soon.I found this recipe on Lauren's Latest.

You will need:

*20-24 baby bella mushrooms
*
6 oz. softened cream cheese

*1/4 cup grated parmigianno regianno cheese

*1 teaspoon taco seasoning

*1 green onion, sliced-white and green parts 

*1 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided

*salt & pepper, to taste

*1 cup red enchilada sauce

*any desired toppings: sour cream, salsa, cilantro, etc. (We enjoyed them as is)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish.

2. Remove stems from mushrooms and wipe caps with damp cloth. Place clean caps into greased baking dish.

3. In a bowl, stir cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add parmigianno regianno cheese, taco seasoning, green onion, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to the cream cheese. Mix well. Spoon filling into mushroom caps. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Bake 20 minutes until browned and bubbly. Serve hot.

Cranberry, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Dip

I am currently finalizing my Thanksgiving menu. I have approximately 50 different recipes I'd like to make. Most of them are appetizers and desserts. The problem with this is that I only have about 8 people coming to dinner so I must cut back. This recipe is a simple appetizer that I have made the past couple of Thanksgivings. I've also brought it to football games and holiday parties. There are rarely any leftovers! I think this recipe pairs best with buttery Ritz crackers. If you're also currently hoarding seasonal recipes, I highly recommend you add this to the list. I first discovered this recipe on Beantown Baker.

You will need:
*8oz. cream cheese, softened
*4 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
*1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, room temperature
     (I often forget the room temp step on the cheddar and it still works)
*2 teaspoons vegetable oil
*1 medium sweet onion, diced
*1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
*1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
*1/4 cup water
*1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
*1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional-I've made with and without)

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese together until smooth; add the cheddar cheese and mix until well incorporated. Use a flat spatula to spread into the bottom of a baking dish. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced onions and saute until softened. Add teaspoon of sugar and mix well. Continue cooking to caramelize the onions. Lower the heat slightly and stir every few minutes. This process should take about 10 minutes. Once the onions are caramelized remove them from the skillet and set aside.

3. Add the cranberries, sugar, and water into the warm skillet. Stir to dissolve sugar. Turn heat up to medium and cook until cranberries pop open and are softened. (about 5 minutes) Once mixture thickens, add the balsamic vinegar and return the onions to the skillet. Stir well, then cool.

4. Just prior to serving dip, spoon the cranberry mixture on top of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with pecans if desired.