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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups finely grated fresh carrots
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fluffy Cream-Cheese Frosting (Recipe Below)
Sugared carrots for Garnish (Recipe Below)

Fluffy Cream-Cheese Frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 (8-ounce) container Coolwhip, thawed

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth.  Add whipped topping and beat to combine.

Sugared Carrots:

Finely shred carrots, wrap them in paper towels, and squeeze them completely dry.  Toss in sugar to coat.  The carrots must be COMPLETELY dry so that the sugar won't liquify.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with paper liners.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil and eggs.  Add oil mixture to flour mixture.  Beat at medium speech with an electric mixer until combined.  Add carrots, pecans, sour cream, and vanilla, beating to combine.


Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.

Bake about 16 to 18 minutes until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.  Frost tops of cupcakes with Fluffy Cream-Cheese Frosting and garnish with sugared carrots.

Lemon Dreams

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel

Lemon Cream Frosting (Recipe Below)

Lemon Cream Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup butter

¼ cup lemon curd (Recipe Below)

6 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Allow cream cheese and butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, butter, and lemon curd. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth. Gradually add 3 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in the 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in enough additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make frosting spreading consistency.

Lemon Curd:

3 lemons

1 ½ cups sugar

¼ pound unsalted butter, room temperature

4 extra large eggs

½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Zest three lemons.  Put the lemon zest and sugar in a food processor and pulse until the zest is very finely minced with the sugar.  Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt.  Mix until combined.  Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly.  The lemon curd will start to thicken at just below a simmer.  When thick enough that the curd sticks to a wooden spoon, remove from the heat and let cool.  It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line twenty to twenty-four muffin cups with paper bake cups or lightly coat with nonstick spray for baking; set aside.  In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, beating until combined. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.  Stir in lemon peel.  Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Remove cupcakes from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Prepare Lemon Cream Frosting; set aside.  Spoon lemon curd into a decorating bag fitted with a large round or open star tip.  Push tip into the top of each cupcake and force some of the lemon curd inside cake.  Generously pipe or spread the frosting onto tops of cupcakes.  If desired, sprinkle cupcakes with more lemon zest.

Portobello and Arugul Sandwiches with Basil Aioli

Ingredients:

4 large Portobello caps, sliced into strips, stems removed

Olive Oil

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 large bunch basil

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 red peppers, sliced in large strips

½ onion, sliced

2 slices havarti cheese

4 Kaiser Rolls, split and toasted

2 cups arugula

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions:

Season Portobello caps with salt, pepper, and dried thyme.  Drizzle with olive oil.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. 

Add Portobello strips to pan and sauté until soft about 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and keep warm.  Add onion and pepper strips and sauté until soft and onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and keep warm with the Portobello’s.

In a small food processor add mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, and basil.  Gradually add about 1 tablespoon olive oil as you blend the mixture until combined.

To assemble the sandwiches spread a thin layer of the basil aioli on the top and bottom halves of the rolls.  Layer the mushrooms, pepper and onions, and arugula.  Top with remaining half of bun.

Corned Beef Tacos

Ingredients:

Stone ground corn tortillas

Corned beef, cooked and chopped

Cilantro, chopped cabbage, and Cotija cheese to garnish

Cilantro Sour-Cream Sauce:

½ cup Sour cream

1 lime, juiced

1 cup cilantro

Assemble however you like!

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients:

Flat cut corned beef (any size)

1 ½ bottles Stout

¼ cup dried thyme

¼ cup whole peppercorns

1 teaspoon ground allspice

Directions:

Salt and pepper the corned beef.  Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven on Medium-high heat and sear both sides of corned beef until it has a nice browned crust.  Add stout to pan and deglaze.  Add thyme, peppercorns, and allspice to the pan.  Bring liquid to a boil then reduce to simmering and cook for 3-4 hours until tender. 

Enjoy with boiled potatoes and steamed cabbage for a festive Irish meal!