Category: Party Ideas

Crispy Potato Roast

Pic from fishfoodblog shows recipe doubled – that means there’s more for me!

Serves 8

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 shallots, thickly sliced lengthwise
Coarse salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
8 sprigs thyme

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise.

2. Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and red-pepper flakes (if using); brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 1/4 hours. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more.

Too Easy Key Lime Cupcakes

Betty Crocker Cake Mix and Frosting and Yoplait Key Lime Yogurt

Betty Crocker lemon cake mix is the base for our cupcakes. And the frosting and yogurt — well, just wait’ll you see what we do with those.

Here’s the secret weapon: A 6″ store-bought cheesecake! NOT KIDDING! Get out your 1-1/4″ cookie scoop (or a spoon) and scoop out 24 little cheesecake balls.

Cheesecake Balls

Now make the batter: cake mix, lime-flavored gelatin, Key lime juice, water, oil, eggs and a couple-a drops-a green food coloring.

Green Batter for Key Lime Cupcakes

Now we’re going to make that batter gobble up the cheesecake balls like this:

Key Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes

Do that for all 24 cupcakes and they’ll be ready to bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or so — just until your touch springs back on top. You don’t want to over-bake them because, remember, you have a baked cheesecake center already there!

Then, voila! Lookie what’s inside!

Cheesecake Centers of Key Lime Cupcakes

The icing is a thin mixture of the ready-to-spread frosting, Key lime juice, Key lime yogurt and a bit o’ powdered sugar. Since it’s a fresh and fluid, it’s easiest to invert the cupcakes and dip the tops into the frosting mixture (rather than trying to frost ‘em with a knife).

Read rest of recipe at quick-dish!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

via about.com

It’s difficult to beat the appeal of fried chicken – especially when it’s tenderized with a nice buttermilk bath first. Note that letting the chicken soak overnight in the buttermilk helps tenderize it.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken cut into 8 pieces (or 8 pieces of chicken – quarter breasts, thighs, and drumsticks work best)
  • About 2 cups buttermilk
  • About 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne
  • Oil for frying

Preparation:

  1. Put chicken in a large bowl or seal-able plastic bag. Pour buttermilk over the chicken, cover or seal, and let sit in the fridge at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
  2. Drain chicken and discard buttermilk.
  3. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Dredge chicken in the flour, patting off any excess.
  4. Heat about an inch of oil (or lard) to 350 degrees in a large, heavy frying pan or pot. Add chicken pieces to the oil. Don’t crowd the pieces, you don’t want them to touch – depending on your pan you may need to work in batches.
  5. Fry until brown and crispy on one side, about 12 minutes. Turn pieces over and continue cooking until brown all over and the chicken is cooked through, about another 12 minutes.
  6. Drain chicken on paper towels or a cooling rack. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes

yield: 20 cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 20 chocolate sandwich cookies
  • 20 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 20 muffin cups with paper liners.  Place an oreo in the bottom of each liner.
  2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.  Stir in the chopped chocolate.
  3. In a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk and allow to incorporate for 30 seconds.
  4. Pour in the flour mixture and beat on medium until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.  Divide the batter evenly among the paper liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
  5. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from oven and press a peanut butter cup into the center of each cupcake.  Allow to bake for 10 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes from the muffin tin to cool completely on a wire rack.  Frost with oreo peanut butter buttercream (recipe below).  Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Oreo Peanut Butter Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 2-3 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 tablespoons oreo cookie crumbs

Directions

  1. Separate ~8 oreo cookies and discard the cream filling.  In a food processor or plastic bag, crush the cookies into fine crumbs.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening on high until fully combined.  Beat in peanut butter.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 2 cups of the confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and a pinch of salt.  Start the mixer on slow, then eventually crank it up to high and beat for 2 minutes.  Add more confectioner’s sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency (more sugar = thicker buttercream).
  4. Add the cookie crumbs and beat on high for 2 minutes.

reblogged via thesweetlife