Wednesday, December 29, 2010

What's on your Menu??

I found this link party at "I'm an Organizing Junkie" to share your menu for the week! Since today is Wednesday and I have yet to cook a meal at home in December... not really, but pretty close...
I thought I should join the recipe sharing!

Tonight I am actually cooking at home! I am making a roast with potatoes and carrot ts in the Dutch Oven! I am also baking Dulce de Leche Blondie Bars... OMG, I cannot wait for this!


EASY CHUCK ROAST
4 tbsp. oil

1 (2-3 lb.) chuck roast
1 can mushroom soup undiluted
1 env. dry onion soup
12 oz. water
1 c. red wine (opt.)
Salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste

Add oil to Dutch oven pot. Brown chuck on top of stove in Dutch oven pot. Brown roast on both sides, seasoning well with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix soups, water and wine and add to roast and cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Turn at least 2 to 3 times while baking.

(cooks.com)


photo: foodnetwork.com


Dulce De Lech Blondie Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2teaspoons vanilla
1 (14-ounce) package caramels
1/2cup evaporated milk



PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 13X9-inch baking pan. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl; set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Spread half of batter in prepared pan. Bake about 8 minutes; cool 5 minutes on wire rack.
Meanwhile, melt caramels with evaporated milk in nonstick saucepan over very low heat; reserve 2 tablespoons. Pour remaining caramel mixture over baked bottom layer. Drop tablespoonfuls of remaining batter over caramel layer; swirl slightly with knife. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares. Reheat reserved caramel, if necessary; drizzle over bars.


( tlc.com)


On Friday, I am hoping that Taylor and I will just go out to a nice dinner and come home before the madness of NYE starts! I want to make the DC Cupcake girl's champagne cupcake recipe that was on Oprah yesterday!



Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes

1/2 cup fresh strawberries , diced
1/2 Tbsp. good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)
2 1/2 cups flour , sifted
1/2 tsp. baking powder , sifted
1/4 Tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs , at room temperature
2 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract + seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1 1/4 cups whole milk , at room temperature
Champagne Butter cream Frosting
16 Tbsp. (8 ounces) unsalted butter
4 cups confectioner's sugar , sifted
1 tsp. whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)
Strawberry Layer
24 fresh strawberries
1 cup good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)
Chocolate Ganache
2 cups high-quality semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
Directions
For Serving: 12 glass Champagne flutes 12 long spoons 12 indoor-safe sparkler candles Step 1: Baking the Mini Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 mini cupcake pans with 36 mini baking cups or grease pans with butter if not using baking cups. Dice up 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries and soak in 1/2 cup of Champagne. Set aside.Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Combine the vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds and milk in a large liquid measuring cup. Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined. Gently fold in the diced Champagne-soaked strawberries, just until incorporated. Scoop batter into baking cups and bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. If using paper baking cups, peel off all of the paper baking cups from the cupcakes at this time.Step 2: Making the Champagne Buttercream FrostingPlace the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the confectioner's sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract, milk, salt and Champagne, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Place frosting in a disposable piping bag with a large round tip.Step 3: Preparing the StrawberriesSlice 24 strawberries lengthwise and soak in 1 cup of Champagne for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Step 4: Making the Chocolate GanacheFill a medium saucepan with an inch or 2 of water and place over medium-low heat. Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a medium glass bowl over the saucepan and melt the chocolate chips. Stir occasionally until the chips are completely melted. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the saucepan. Pour the ganache into a plastic squeeze bottle. (If a squeeze bottle is not available, you can drizzle with a spoon.)Step 5: Assembling Layers in Champagne Flutes Line up 12 glass Champagne flutes. Insert 1 mini strawberry Champagne cupcake in the bottom of each glass. Next, pipe a swirl of Champagne buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake. Add several slices of Champagne-soaked strawberries, and a drizzle of chocolate ganache. Repeat layers. Finally, place a third mini strawberry Champagne cupcake at the top of each glass, pipe with a final "Georgetown Cupcake signature swirl" of Champagne buttercream frosting, and top with a final drizzle of chocolate ganache.Step 6: ServingInsert 1 indoor-safe sparkler candle in the top of each glass. Light the candles at midnight, serve with spoons, and enjoy!


(Oprah.com)





ENJOY!

1 comment:

  1. Your blog is so cute, and I love the photos with the recipes, that's what got me hooked on thepioneerwoman.com! Thanks for sharing your recipes, I think I'll try the blondies next week!

    ReplyDelete