New cupcake shop

I was out with a friend for lunch today when I noticed a new business had moved in next door to the Mexican restaurant.  My eyes lit up when I saw just what that new business was: a cupcake shop!  I love cupcakes, and just this last week had been craving a coconut cupcake strangely enough. Small Cakes: A Cupcakery is the name of the shop and I guess this is their second location, but I had never heard of them before they moved next to my favorite Mexican and favorite pizza place.  What a deadly combo!  They even have punch cards so if you buy a dozen you get one free.  Cupcakes are $3 each or $33 for a dozen.  You can find a list of their flavors here.  The cupcakes are on display so you can decide what looks good, I would definitely recommend ordering with a side of milk!!

I bought a box of four: coconut, decadant fudge, lemon, and the pink vanilla.  The coconut hit the spot and the fudge was crazy rich.  I only ate half of one and couldn’t finish, the fudgey frosting was the kicker, wow!  The lemon cupcake had a tart filling, which paired nicely with the sweet frosting.  However, my favorite was actually the white cupcake with the pink (vanilla) frosting.  Boring, huh?  I liked the simplicity, the white cake is just SO good.  Plus I love all things pink, so it is no surprise I loved it!

I’d love to see more filled cupcakes added to their menu, as well as some more fruity flavors, like chocolate raspberry.  I really wasn’t impressed by Baby Cakes cupcake shop down at the river market, the cupcakes were small and the frosting just didn’t do it for me.  My favorite cupcake shop is probably Kara’s Cupcakes in San Francisco, obviously not local.   I never tried Georgetown Cupcake when I lived in D.C., maybe I will have to try it out on my upcoming trip!  I am always up for trying cupcakes!

as is Boopers!

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Cookie Dough Dip

This was the one and only dessert dip at cooking club this month, I had never made it before but it was simple and very delicious!  We ate most of it at cooking club and Tyler polished it off when I got home.  I served it with mini vanilla wafers and chocolate teddy grahams.  Yum!  Just make sure you let it sit out for awhile as it hardens while in the fridge.

(don’t the bears look like they are in the BEST HOT TUB EVER?!)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip (from Brown Eyed Baker)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously, until the brown sugar dissolves. (You can also do this in the microwave but watch it closely. The butter/sugar mixture will boil over fast. Stir every 30 seconds or so.)

2. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla extract and set aside to cool.

3. Beat the cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar for 1 minute.

4. Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips.

6. Pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate.

7. Garnish with additional chips, if you choose.

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Cooking Club: Dips

Oh man, what a fabulous idea!  Nothing is better than a great dip, and this month we sampled a bunch of them (plus some pretty great wine!)  Ashley hosted (and showed off her beautiful house to all of us nosy folks) and we had a great time.  Check out some of the dips we enjoyed (at least the ones I got good pictures of!)

spinach artichoke dip

beer dip

baked brie

Reuben Dip

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A new fondue

This was the appetizer course for the Valentine’s Day meal that Tyler made for us.  We love fondue and are always excited to find new recipes.  Tyler looked at a bunch of different recipes and then put this one together, it is fab!  This one is definitely a keeper!

Gruyere and Fontina Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup Riesling

3/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese

3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese

1 T flour

1/4 t ground cinnamon

dash of pepper

Directions:

Toss flour with shredded cheese (this prevents clumping).  Rub fondue pot with a garlic clove, then pour in wine and heat until bubbles rise, add cheese mixture a handful at a time, stirring constantly.  Once cheese is fully melted, stir in cinnamon and pepper. Enjoy!  We eat ours with bread and granny smith apples!

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Pulled Pork Sandwiches

God bless my husband, he has been cooking regularly since I went back to grad school and is all about trying new recipes, which is great.  He wanted to make pulled pork sandwiches for the superbowl (we had our own little watch party with the pugs).  He found a recipe, shopped for the ingredients, did all the prep, and then put it in the oven…at 2:30 pm.  Friends, this was an EIGHT POUND PORK SHOULDER.  God love him, but the roast wasn’t done until 10pm.  I ordered a pizza a halftime, I just couldn’t wait any longer!  So we had the pork on Monday night, and froze the many many many many leftovers in little baggies so whenever we are in the mood for a sandwich we can quickly make one.  This recipe was great though, it just takes a long long time to slow roast a pork shoulder in the oven!

Slow Roasted Pulled Pork (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

• PORK:
• 2  tablespoons  dark brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon  smoked paprika
• 1  tablespoon  chili powder
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  dry mustard
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground chipotle chile pepper
• 1  (5-pound) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed
• Cooking spray
• 2  cups  water, divided
• 1/2  cup  apple cider vinegar
• 1/3  cup  ketchup
• SAUCE:
• 3/4  cup  apple cider vinegar
• 1/2  cup  ketchup
• 3  tablespoons  dark brown sugar
• 2  teaspoons  smoked paprika
• 1  teaspoon  chili powder

Preparation

1. To prepare pork, combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub sugar mixture evenly over pork. Let pork stand at room temperature 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 225°.

3. Place pork on the rack of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Pour 1 cup water in bottom of roasting pan. Place rack in pan. Bake at 225° for 1 hour.

4. Combine 1/2 cup vinegar and ketchup in a medium bowl; brush pork with ketchup mixture (do not remove from oven). Bake an additional 3 hours, basting every hour with ketchup mixture.

5. Pour remaining 1 cup water in bottom of roasting pan. Cover pork and pan tightly with foil. Bake an additional 3 3/4 hours or until a thermometer registers 190°. Remove from oven; let stand, covered, 45 minutes.

6. To prepare sauce, combine 3/4 cup vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk. Boil 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Shred pork with 2 forks. Serve with sauce. Serve shredded pork on hamburger buns with pickle chips, if desired.

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Happy Valentine’s Day

I baked up a batch of these sugar cookies, but since I didn’t have time to frost them, I dipped half of them in pink candy melt (with a vanilla flavor).  They turned  out super cute!  I shared them with my classmates and the nursing staff at my internship and they were a hit.  I am hoping to scrounge up some more time to bake another batch and try royal icing for the first time but I am short on time so we shall see!

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Almond Crusted Tilapia

Here’s a fast and healthy meal, and a great use for tilapia, an inexpensive fish you can find in the freezer section at the grocery store.  I think nuts and fish are a great combo (like our favorite pecan crusted salmon).

Almond Crusted Tilapia (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  whole natural almonds
• 2  tablespoons  dry breadcrumbs
• 1  teaspoon  salt-free garlic and herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 1  tablespoon  Dijon mustard
• 2  (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Place first 4 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process 45 seconds or until finely ground. Transfer crumb mixture to a shallow dish.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush mustard over both sides of fillets; dredge in crumb mixture. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Approximately 8 WW pts per serving

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