Mardi Gras Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:



2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
purple, green, and yellow food coloring
purple, green, and yellow sanding sugars

For the Buttercream Frosting:

20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups Confectioners’ sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

In a 2-cup glass measure, combine milk, egg whites, and extracts and mix with fork until blended.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed combine cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed for 1½ minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium speed and beat 20 seconds longer.

Pour a scant cup of the cake mix into three separate mixing bowls. Mix in food colorings and place the colored batter into three individual Ziploc bags.

Squeeze cake batter into each cupcake well, alternating colors. (I did purple first, followed by green…)


Then yellow on top.


Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer muffin pan to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cool completely prior to frosting.


To make buttercream frosting, in standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.


Place frosting into a large decorators decorating bag fitted with the 1M decorating tip and approximately 1/4″ above cupcake top at a 90° angle to cupcake surface, pipe a spiral of icing, beginning at the outer edge and working inward. Sprinkle with sanding sugars.

Source: cupcakes adapted from Bean Town Baker, frosting Crumbly Cookie

Red Beans and Rice

ingredients

1 pound dried red kidney beans, picked over
1 pound smoked link sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, chopped
2 pale-green inner celery ribs (with leaves), chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced, or to taste
6 cups water
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon Tabasco
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

In a bowl soak beans in water to cover by 2 inches overnight. In a 6-quart heavy kettle combine all ingredients except 1/2 pound sausage. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, covered, over moderate heat 1 1/2 hours. Remove lid and cook mixture at a bare simmer 1 hour more, adding more water if mixture is too thick.
Remove 1 cup bean mixture and mash to a paste. Stir bean paste and remaining 1/2 pound sausage into bean mixture and simmer 5 minutes. Serve bean mixture with rice.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/New-Orleans-Style-Red-Beans-and-Rice-with-Sausage-Fulcher-11359#ixzz1mhGQyW2E


Accompaniment: white rice
print a shopping list for this recipeview wine pairings


Read More http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/New-Orleans-Style-Red-Beans-and-Rice-with-Sausage-Fulcher-11359#ixzz1mhFtnrgU

Polenta Primavera

This cheese-enriched polenta makes a great side to chicken and pork dishes or as part of a vegetarian meal.

This sounds so good just like this. An addition i would make is to add stips of roasted bell peppers.

Ingredients


2 cups Water
2/3 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) primavera pasta-ready chunky tomatoes, undrained


Preparation

GREASE 9-inch pie plate.

BRING water to a boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add corn meal, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

STIR in fontina cheese, cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 2 minutes or until very thick.

SPREAD into prepared pie plate; cool for 1 hour or until firm. Cut into wedges. Heat tomatoes and juice; serve over wedges.


http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/16301
Contributed By: stacyw


meals.com

Lamb's Ears

if you are a fan of Italian cooking shows  like i am, you've been introduced to a type of pasta called orecchiette. )ō-ˌrā-kˈe-te)


orecchiette is a small piece of pasta that looks like small shell or bowl.  It comes from another word that means ear. in Italian.

Well, orecchiette is fun little pasta to cook and eat. It's little bowl is perfect for holding sauce and cheese.

So here it is. This was the voted the best dish in San Francisco in 2004.





INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons salt
3 bunches broccoli rabe, about 1 1/2 pounds, coarsely chopped
10 ounces orecchiette (preferably Rustichella brand)
3 hot Italian sausage links, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons very crunchy toasted breadcrumbs (optional)



INSTRUCTIONS:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Return the same pot of water to a boil, add the orecchiette and cook for 10 minutes, or until slightly undercooked. Drain, reserving the cooking water.

Split the sausages lengthwise down the middle and remove from their casings.

Heat the olive oil in a high-rimmed skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up as finely as possible. Add the broccoli and continue cooking and stirring until the broccoli breaks down to a saucelike texture.

Add the chicken stock and orecchiette. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, being careful it doesn't stick. You may have to keep adding a little pasta water, additional stock or tap water until the pasta is soft yet chewy (al dente), making sure not to overcook it.

Finish the pasta by folding in the cheese, a few squeezes of lemon juice and the optional breadcrumbs.

Serves 4-6

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/04/FDG83LGQE41.DTL#ixzz1mTf4HsrM

Heart Shaped Pizza

Want to make something different for Valentines?  How about a heart shaped pizza?

Igredients:

3 cups bread flour

1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 (14 ounce) can pizza sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
15 slices pepperoni
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives

Directions

1.Place bread flour, yeast, water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil into the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Dough setting. Press Start. When the dough is finished, knead rosemary into the dough.

2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3.Divide the dough into three portions. Shape each piece into a heart shape about 1/2 inch thick. Brush with remaining olive oil, and spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on each pizza. Sprinkle cheese over pizza sauce, and arrange tomatoes, zucchini, pepperoni, and sliced olives on top.

4.Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese has melted and crust is browned.

http://allrecipes.com/