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Name: Strawberry Margarita Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 5 h 30 min
Yield: 8 pieces
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup heavy cream; 2 tbs powdered sugar; 2 tsp lime zest; 2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced; 1 tbs lime zest; 1/4 cup fresh lime juice; 14 oz sweetened condensed milk; 2 tbs tequila; 2 tbs fresh orange juice; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; 18 graham crackers; 2 tbs granulated sugar; 8 tbs unsalted butter, melted

Strawberry Margarita Pie

May 17, 2019 by laurenpacek 2 Comments

Strawberry margarita pie is a delicious, sweet way to cool off this summer.

Strawberry Margarita Pie. You heard right.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if a refreshing strawberry margarita and a pie got together and had a delicious baby? Well wonder no longer. Because THIS is what would happen.

Do I HAVE to use tequila in this pie?

Well, no. You don’t have to. I’ve made it with and without (without was so a pregnant co-worker could eat it). They’re both really good!

It’s still going to be sweet and cold and refreshing. But I guess it’s not technically a margarita pie when sans tequila. Ultimately, you do you!

Prefer your tequila in liquid form?

You know I’ve got you covered. Check out these delicious tequila-based drinks:

Ready for some tips and tricks?

I just picked up this lemon/lime squeezer, and am loving it. Even though you don’t have to do that much juicing for this recipe, it’s really helpful. Not sure how I’ve gone so long without buying one!

ALSO did you know that you can totally make “whipped cream” from coconut milk?? I did not until just the other day. I ran out of heavy cream to make the topping, but had a couple of cans of coconut milk in the pantry. This post from Minimalist Baker was a great guide.

Note that I’m not recommending that you use coconut whipped cream in place of the whipped cream in the pie filling. I haven’t tested that out yet. But still, pretty cool. It tasted great, too.

Where’d you get the inspiration for this pie?

This delicious creation comes from the always lovely Grandbaby Cakes. In addition to her blog being great, I’ve shared some cupcakes from her cookbook with you before. Check out these Arnold Palmer Cupcakes!

Strawberry Margarita Pie

Yield: 8 pieces

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

Ever wondered what would happen if a strawberry margarita and a frozen pie got together and had a baby? You'd get this pie!

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

18 graham crackers
2 tbs granulated sugar
8 tbs unsalted butter, melted

Pie Filling

2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tbs lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 tbs tequila
2 tbs fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
2 tbs powdered sugar
2 tsp lime zest

Instructions

To make the graham cracker crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a blender or food processor and process until the graham crackers are reduced to fine crumbs.
Add the granulated sugar and melted butter. Blitz again until everything is well combined.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan in an even layer.
Bake for 15 minutes, then allow to cool completely.

To make the pie filling

Add the strawberries, lime zest, lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, tequila, and orange juice to a blender or food processor. Process until completely smooth.
Pour this mixture into a large bowl and set aside.
Using either a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks appear.
Slowly fold half of the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture. Once the first half is combined, fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Pour the pie filling into the graham cracker crust. Freeze for at least 5 hours.

To make the whipped cream topping

Using either a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat for 30 seconds or so. Add the powdered sugar.
Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks appear.

Spoon onto the top of the frozen pie and sprinkle with lime zest.

Notes

You may need to allow this pie to thaw for a bit before slicing in. However, it can't really sit out for an extended period (i.e., > 1 hour) without melting.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 773 Total Fat: 48g Saturated Fat: 29g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 16g Cholesterol: 137mg Sodium: 263mg Carbohydrates: 78g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 57g Protein: 10g

Looking for other frozen pie recipes?

I’ve shared a couple in the past. Check out my:

Pin it for later! Sharing is caring 😉

Derby Cup Cocktail

May 2, 2019 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

The Derby Cup is a delicious cocktail to sip while celebrating Derby Day!

This post contains affiliate links.

So, what is a Derby Cup Cocktail?

Good question! Basically, Derby Cup is what you’d get if a Mint Julep and a Pimm’s Cup got together and had a baby.

For the uninitiated among us: Mint Juleps are the bourbon-heavy official drink of the Kentucky Derby. They’re basically all bourbon, with some simple syrup and fresh mint.

A Pimm’s Cup is made with Pimm’s No. 1 (a liqueur made from gin, spices, and fruit juice), fresh fruit (think strawberries), and lemon-lime soda or ginger ale.

The Derby Cup combines all of the elements of a Mint Julep with the Pimm’s and lemon of a Pimm’s Cup. Et voila. Boozy and refreshing.

How should you serve this drink?

While it’s not absolutely required, but I’d like to highly recommend serving this cocktail in some Julep cups. They’re a classic choice for a Julep-type cocktail. They’ll keep your drink frosty cold, too. Plus, they’re pretty!

If you don’t have Julep cups, or don’t want to use them, use a Collins glass. Regardless, lots of crushed ice and fresh, fragrant, mint are pretty much mandatory.

Where did the idea for this delicious concoction come from?

This cocktail recipe comes from the cookbook Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Pitcher Drinks for Every Occasion. Though the original recipe is, as the title of the cookbook might imply, for an entire pitcher of these drinks, I scaled it down to make a single cocktail.

Derby Cup Cocktail

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

A Derby Cup Cocktail is what you'd get if a Mint Julep and a Pimm's Cup got together and had a delicious baby!

Ingredients

Derby Cup Cocktail

1 1/4 oz bourbon
1 1/4 oz Pimm's No. 1
3/4 oz mint simple syrup
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
3 oz club soda
fresh mint, for garnish

Instructions

To make the Mint Simple Syrup

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water.
Stirring occasionally, heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the mint leaves.
Allow the simple syrup to cool for an hour before removing the mint leaves and allowing it to cool completely.

To make the Derby Cup Cocktail

Add the bourbon, Pimm's, mint simple syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Stir gently.
Add the club soda and stir again.
Strain into a Julep cup that is filled with crushed ice.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Notes

You've seen simple syrup here before!

Looking for more cocktails to sip while watching the Derby?

Try my Classic Mint Juleps!
Maybe a refreshing Pimm’s Cup is more your thing?

Crab Cake Eggs Florentine (Sous Vide)

April 24, 2019 by laurenpacek 2 Comments

Crab Cake Eggs Florentine is a delicious, decadent, and downright fancy brunch dish. Sous vide-ing the hollandaise sauce and eggs makes things so much easier!

Even though you might not immediately know what the difference between Eggs Benedict and Eggs Florentine is, you’re probably familiar with both of these popular brunch dishes. They both involve a toasty English Muffin, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. Florentine has spinach instead of Canadian bacon or ham (a la Benedict). Now you know.

Both options are so good. I opted for Eggs Florentine here. That spinach means it’s healthy, right? No? Okay.

I figured that pretty much the only thing that could make this dish better is the addition of a crab cake. And don’t forget the Old Bay. I professed my deep love of Old Bay here, in this post about Air Fryer Chicken Wings.

This post contains affiliate links.

This is the first sous vide recipe on this blog!

So, what is sous vide? Sous vide means “under vacuum”. Basically what you do is place uncooked plastic pouch (and vacuum all of the air out) or maybe a glass jar and cook the food in a water bath at a precise temperature. I know, it sounds kind of weird. But if you have more questions, I suggest that you head over to the blog A Duck’s Oven. She’s an expert!

After a little hemming and hawing, I ended up getting this Anova model. I’ve been really happy with it. So far, we’ve made steaks (several times), stuffed burgers, along with the hollandaise sauce and soft poached eggs in this post.

I’m pretty excited to share this first sous vide recipe with you all. Stay tuned for more in the future!

This is a fancy looking recipe, but don’t be daunted!

I know that there are kind of a lot of steps involved in making this recipe. Despite this, all of the steps are very easy. Even the hollandaise sauce is super easy. Basically, all you do is dump the ingredients in a jar, let them cook in the water bath, and blend! Easy peasy. And honestly, the payoff at the end of this recipe is sooo worth it.

Before we get to the recipe, I need to make a couple of plugs:

The beautiful plate in these photos was made by Matt Hallyburton. Please head over to Hallyburton Pottery and check out what he has to offer!

The recipe for the sous vide hollandaise sauce comes from Chelsea over at A Duck’s Oven. Go check her blog out for lots of tasty recipes (especially those involving sous vide)!

Crab Cake Eggs Florentine (Sous Vide)

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Crab Cake Eggs Florentine is a delicious, decadent, and downright fancy brunch dish. Making the hollandaise sauce and eggs using sous vide makes things so much easier!

Ingredients

Sous Vide Hollandaise Sauce

1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs shallot, minced
4 egg yolks
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbs water

4 large eggs

Garlicky Spinach

1 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
kosher salt

Everything Else

4 prepared crab cakes
4 English muffins
Old Bay Seasoning

Instructions

To make the Sous Vide Hollandaise Sauce

Using your immersion circulator, preheat the water bath to 167 degrees F.
Add all of the ingredients to a wide-mouthed Mason jar. Screw the on lid to just “finger-tight.”
Once the water has preheated, add the jar. Make sure all of the ingredients are completely submerged under the water line. You might have to stack a mug or something on top of the jar to keep it from floating up and around in the water bath. Cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the jar from water bath. Remove the lid. Insert the immersion blender into the jar and blend until the hollandaise is smooth and thick (should take about 2 minutes).
If you'd like to thin it out a bit, you can add some water and blend again.

To make the Sous Vide Soft Poached Egg

Using a slotted spoon, gently slide the eggs into the bottom of the preheated (167 degrees F) water bath.
Allow them to cook in the water bath for 12 minutes.
Again using the slotted spoon, remove the eggs to an ice bath (to stop the cooking) for a about 1 minute.

To make the Garlicky Spinach

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant.
Add the baby spinach, one handful at a time (and stirring occasionally), until wilted.

Season with kosher salt, to taste.

To assemble everything

Heat the prepared crab cakes according to package directions.
Toast the English muffins and place 1/4 of the cooked spinach on the bottom half of each English muffin. Reserve the tops for sopping up the egg yolks and hollandaise.
Place a crab cake on top of the spinach.
Place one soft poached egg on top of each crab cake. To remove the eggs from their shells, you want to gently crack into the bottom of each egg. Once you peel away the shell at the bottom of the egg, the soft poached eggs will slide right out.
Drizzle some hollandaise on top of the poached egg and dust with a little Old Bay seasoning.

Notes

If you prepare the crab cakes, spinach, and English muffins while the hollandaise sauce and eggs cook, you can have this fancy brunch on the table in about 30 minutes of active cooking time!
Hollandaise sauce cannot be reheated. Trust.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 665 Total Fat: 37g Saturated Fat: 7g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 27g Cholesterol: 529mg Sodium: 2131mg Carbohydrates: 45g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 4g Protein: 38g

Looking for other breakfast and brunch recipes?

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

April 19, 2019 by laurenpacek 5 Comments

Air fryer chicken wings are crispy and delicious, but don’t require you to use any oil! Your favorite bar snack just got a little bit healthier!

The air fryer is a game changer

When I received an air fryer for Christmas last year, there were quite a few things that I knew I’d have to make in it: fries, tater tots, pickle chips, and so on. But the number one item on my list was definitely chicken wings. I knew that I needed to make chicken wings.

As it turns out, chicken wings are stupidly easy to make using the air fryer. You start out by patting your fresh wings dry, seasoning them the seasoning(s) of your choice, toss them in the air fryer, and flip them around ever 5 minutes or so. Et voila: crispy, delicious chicken wings. AND they are a bit healthier than the traditional deep fried wings you’ll usually come across given that there is ZERO oil involved.

Flavor your wings however you’d like!

In addition to being less bad for you, the cool thing about making your own chicken wings is that you can season them in any way that you choose. I’d recommend always starting with salt and pepper, regardless of what seasoning route you take. But, from there, the sky is the limit.

In the past, we’ve used a variety of seasonings, both dry and wet. We’ve done buffalo wings, BBQ, and a pre-made Chipotle BBQ seasoning blend from Buffalo Wild Wings. But, hands down, our favorite way to season our chicken wings is with good old Old Bay Seasoning. Maybe it’s because we were indoctrinated into the Cult of Old Bay while living in Baltimore, or maybe we’ve just correctly recognized that it’s the world’s most versatile, delicious, seasoning blend. You decide. Either way Old Bay is so, so good on these chicken wings.

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Air fryer chicken wings are crispy and delicious, but don't use any oil! Your favorite bar snack just got a little bit healthier!

Ingredients

4 lbs fresh chicken wings, see notes
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
dry seasoning or wet sauce of choice, optional (see notes)

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with foil; top this with a layer of paper towels.
Set the chicken wings on the paper towels in a single layer; pat dry with additional paper towels.
Season both sides of the wings evenly with kosher salt and pepper (and any additional dry seasonings of choice).
Spray the basket of the air fryer with a bit of cooking spray.
Add the seasoned wings to the air fryer basket and cook for 25 minutes at 380 degrees F. Flip the wings over approximately every 5 minutes.
Turn the heat up to 400 degrees F for the last 5 minutes to really crisp the wings.

Notes

You can use whole wings (leave them whole or break them down into sections yourself) or wings that have already been broken down into sections. We've been getting our fresh wings from Costco. They're very conveniently broken down into the first and second sections (i.e., drumettes and flats).
We really like to season our wings with Old Bay seasoning (plus salt and pepper).
If you prefer a wet seasoning, put it in a large bowl and toss the crispy, cooked wings around in it.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 522

Looking for other snacky bites? I gotchu. Check these delicious recipes out!

Pickled Deviled Eggs

April 15, 2019 by laurenpacek 7 Comments

Pickled Deviled Eggs are as tasty as they are gorgeous. They’re the perfect way to use up leftover hard boiled eggs.

For those of you who observe it, the Easter holiday is right around the corner. That likely means lots of leftover hard boiled eggs. I mean, I really like hard boiled eggs, but one can only eat so many of them. It’s a shame to let them go to waste after the holiday celebration is over. I’d recommend making these deviled eggs as a great way to use them up!

Or, heck, go ahead and make a batch of eggs just to make these deviled eggs! That’s exactly what I did. Well, first I made some Homemade Beet Pickled Eggs. But, those pickled eggs were destined to be made into pickled deviled eggs, and I knew it all along.

These deviled eggs are savory and delicious, just like any good deviled egg should be. And thanks to the vinegar and beet juice bath that the hard boiled eggs took, they are also tangy, pickle-y (Is that a word? No?), and a beautiful vibrant purple color. They’re sure to be an impressive (and tasty!) addition to your table, no matter the occasion.

Do you love deviled eggs as much as I do?

Want more deviled egg recipes? You know you do. Check out:

Pickled Deviled Eggs

Yield: 12 egg halves; 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Pickled Deviled Eggs are as tasty as they are gorgeous. They're the perfect way to use up leftover hard boiled eggs.

Ingredients

6 beet pickled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/4 tsp kosher salt
black pepper, to taste
fresh chives, minced

Instructions

Slice the eggs in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and place them a fine mesh strainer set over a medium-sized bowl. Set the whites on a platter.
Push the yolks through the strainer with a spatula and into the bowl. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix to combine well.
Spoon or pipe the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle with minced chives.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 99 Total Fat: 8g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 6g Cholesterol: 35mg Sodium: 246mg Carbohydrates: 6g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 4g Protein: 2g

Homemade Beet Pickled Eggs

April 11, 2019 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

Homemade Beet Pickled Eggs are as tasty as they are pretty. Know what’s even better than that? They’re super easy to make, too!

What does making pickled eggs involve?

Truth be told: not much! After just a few easy steps, plus a little time stashed in the fridge, you too can have delicious beet pickled eggs. Just combine beet juice, vinegar, sugar, and spices in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool a bit before letting your eggs hang out in this liquid (after adding sliced beets and red onion) for at least 24 hours and voila! Pickled eggs.

What should I do with pickled eggs?

You may be wondering “what should I be doing with these beet pickled eggs?” Well, first of all… just eat them! I like to sprinkle them with a little kosher salt and go to town. Pickled eggs are a classic bar snack, so I’d also recommend enjoying them with a cold beer.

But really, pickled eggs also good in pretty much any case when a regular hard boiled egg is needed. They’d be good when sliced up and added to a salad. Or! Make pickled egg-egg salad! That could be really good.

Speaking from personal experience, they’re fabulous when made into deviled eggs. Stay tuned for that recipe!

Pickled eggs are often pegged exclusively as a bar snack. And there’s a good reason for that. However, with Easter right around the corner, these purple beauties would be a fab way to use up leftover hard boiled eggs. Orrrr a great excuse to make some hard boiled eggs specifically for the purpose of making beet pickled eggs. You choose.

Looking for other eggy recipes?

Classic Deviled Eggs are a classic for a reason
Buffalo Deviled Eggs are 10/10

Homemade Pickled Eggs

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Chill time

1 d

Total Time

15 mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 pickled eggs

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

12 hard boiled eggs, see notes
2-14.5 oz cans sliced beets
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs whole black peppercorns
4 tbs pickling spice
1 small red onion, sliced thinly

Instructions

Combine all of the liquid from canned beets (reserving the beets), apple cider vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, and pickling spice in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring everything to a slow simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally to combine. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool.
Once the liquid is cool enough to handle, add approximately half of the reserved sliced beets, sliced red onion, and peeled hard boiled eggs.
Transfer the entire mixture to a large container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 7 days.

Recipe Notes

Cook the hard boiled eggs using whatever method you like. However, if you have an electric pressure cooker, the method detailed in my recipe for Classic Deviled Eggs is particularly easy.

Grapefruit Rosemary Gimlet

April 8, 2019 by laurenpacek 5 Comments

This Grapefruit Rosemary Gimlet is so delicious. Bright, fresh grapefruit juice and herbaceous rosemary simple syrup and gin make for one seriously refreshing cocktail.

Gin is such a versatile spirit

Gin is so good during nearly every season! I like it during the Winter because I think that some varieties of gin taste like Christmas in a glass. However, some gins are also really herbaceous, making them perfect for Spring and Summery drinks!

The gin that I used for this cocktail has lots of coriander, caraway, and rosemary flavors, in addition to juniper (which is probably the flavor that most people associate with gin). Given this flavor profile, adding some rosemary simple syrup seemed like a no brainer. Fresh grapefruit juice is the perfect complement. And thus, the Grapefruit Rosemary Gimlet was born.

Want to try another gimlet? Or maybe another gin drink?

These Basil Vodka Gimlets are also super refreshing. If it’s more gin that you’re after, try a Holiday Gin Moscow Mule (it’s not just for the holidays, trust me!) or Cranberry Gin and Tonic.

5 from 5 votes

Grapefruit Rosemary Gimlet

Prep Time

5 mins

Course: Beverage, Cocktail

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 cocktail

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

For the rosemary simple syrup (makes more than needed)

1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary

For the gimlet

2 oz grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
1.75 oz gin
3/4 oz rosemary simple syrup
fresh grapefruit and rosemary, for garnish

Instructions

To make the rosemary simple syrup

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and granulated sugar. Stir to combine.
Stirring occasionally, heat the mixture until the sugar has dissolved entirely. Once it has dissolved, remove it from the heat.
Add the rosemary to the simple syrup. Allow it to cool completely. Remove the rosemary and stash the simple syrup in the fridge.

To make the gimlet

In a cocktail shaker over ice, add the fresh grapefruit juice, gin, and rosemary simple syrup. Shake until very cold and strain into a rocks glass over ice.
Garnish with a quarter moon of fresh grapefruit and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Really into grapefruit? Want to see more grapefruit-heavy recipes?

There’s the always refreshing Grapefruit Crush and Salty Dog cocktails. And don’t forget about the v healthy and tasty Broiled Grapefruit as a breakfast/brunch option!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

April 5, 2019 by laurenpacek 6 Comments

These Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes have tender yellow cake, zingy lemon curd, and sweet buttercream studded with poppy seeds. They are the perfect Springtime dessert!

What says “Springtime” more than lemon??

I know that Winter is citrus season, but I think that lemony desserts are pretty Springy. Especially these cupcakes. They get their lemony flavor from rich, tangy, homemade lemon curd. It’s the perfect complement to sweet cake and buttercream frosting.

These cupcakes may look complicated, but don’t be intimidated!

I know that there are quite a few steps involved assembling these cupcakes. But trust me, none of them are difficult. Plus, the payoff is more than worth it.

This recipe makes excellent use of the Homemade Lemon Curd that I shared with you earlier in the week. If you haven’t already eaten all of it with a spoon (no judgement), I highly recommend filling these cupcakes with it!

The yellow cake recipe comes directly from the cookbook Homemade Decadence, and the buttercream is a variation of the recipe in that book, too.

5 from 5 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Prep Time

35 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 36 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

4 cups cake flour, see notes
2 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
16 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbs vanilla extract
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk

For the lemon curd

1 recipe homemade lemon curd, see notes

For the buttercream (makes more than you will likely need)

32 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbs milk or heavy cream
2 tbs poppy seeds

Instructions

To make the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 muffin tins with liners (or use fewer muffin tins and work in batches) and set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt together. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to fully incorporate. Add the vanilla extract.
Add half of the flour mixture, and beat well. Add the buttermilk in a slow stream, and beat well. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the 36 cups of the muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick, when inserted into the center, comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin tins for 15 minutes before removing them to a wire rack and allowing them to cool completely.

To make the poppy seed buttercream

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for a couple of minutes, or until soft.
Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, along with the kosher salt and vanilla extract. Beat on low to combine. Add another 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat to combine along with 2 tbs of the milk/cream.
Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tbs of milk/cream to achieve the desired consistency of frosting.
Beat on medium speed for a few minutes until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

To assemble the cupcakes

Insert a paring knife into the top of a cupcake at a 45 degree angle. Insert the knife only about 2/3 of the way into the cupcake, so that the filling won't leak out of the bottom.
Cut a cone out of the top of the cupcake. Keep the tip of the knife inside the center of the cupcake. Rotate the cupcake while cutting around the top of the cupcake in a circle. Aim to make the hole about 1 inch wide. Pull the cone of cake out of the cupcake.
Cut the cone in half and discard (or eat!) the pointed part. You will use the top, flat part to plug the hole at the end.
Spoon the prepared (or store bought) lemon curd into the holes in the cupcake, filling not quite the whole way. Top with the reserved flat part of the cored out cupcake.
Frost as desired.

Recipe Notes

I've found that using cake flour (vs. all-purpose flour) really does make a difference here. When using all-purpose flour, the cupcakes can be a little dense.
The recipe for homemade lemon curd can be found here. You could also substitute your favorite store bought lemon curd.

Looking for more lemony desserts?

Try these Lemon White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies! These Whole Lemon Bars are pretty great, too.

Homemade Lemon Curd

April 1, 2019 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

This Homemade Lemon Curd is full of bright, sweet and tart flavor. You can use your lemon curd in dessert and cocktail recipes. Or, heck, eat it with a spoon!

What can you do with lemon curd?

Citrus season may be coming to a close, but let’s not let that stop us from whipping up a batch of sweet/tart homemade lemon curd! It’s really very easy to make, and can be used in a number of different ways.

Swirl it into a cheesecake, add it to ice cream, make a parfait… You could also use it as the base of a cocktail! I’m working on a boozy application right now.

I’ve incorporated this lemon curd into a crazy good cupcake. Stay tuned later this week for the recipe!

This recipe comes from Dishes Delish.

Homemade Lemon Curd

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Cooling time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

5 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
3 lemons, zested
4 lemons, juiced
8 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

Add the egg yolks to a sauce pan and whisk until combined. Add the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice and whisk to combine.
Turn the heat to medium and keep whisking until the lemon curd thickens (about 10 minutes). Do not let it boil. It is thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon.
Remove the lemon curd from heat. Add 2 pats of butter at a time and mix until melted. Continue adding the butter until it is all added and melted.
Pour the lemon curd into a glass container. Cover it with plastic wrap and let sit on counter for 30 minutes. Cover the jar and place in fridge and let it sit for at least an hour before eating or using.

Looking for more lemon-heavy recipes?

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies are bright and zingy.
These Whole Lemon Bars are incredibly good!
Grilled Mezcal Margaritas are made with grilled lemon juice!

Grilled Mezcal Margaritas

March 25, 2019 by laurenpacek 5 Comments

These Grilled Mezcal Margaritas are equal parts sweet, tart, and smoky. Honey syrup lends a pleasant sweetness, the grilled lemon juice is tart and complex, and the mezcal adds a boozy smokiness.

These margaritas are easy to make & require a handful of ingredients!

Our good friends gave us the book The One Bottle Cocktail: More than 80 Recipes with Fresh Ingredients and a Single Spirit as a Christmas gift. Let it be known that I am by no means averse to mixing up a somewhat complicated drink. However, it can be a little annoying when all you want is a quick cocktail and don’t want to have to drag out every bottle in your bar. This cookbook is great for that reason: you only need a single bottle of booze for every recipe.

Have you ever grilled fruit for a margarita?

One recipe that caught my eye when first flipping through the book was Grilled Margaritas. I love margaritas. You know that if you’ve spent some time on this blog. First, there were Apple Cider Margaritas (great for Fall!), then Pomegranate Margaritas, and most recently, I showed you Cara Cara Orange Margaritas. Anyway, I thought that a grilled marg could be a fun twist on this already tasty drink.

Mezcal can be an interesting substitute for tequila.

On top of that, I recently picked up a bottle of mezcal that I was eager to play with. If you aren’t familiar with it, mezcal is sort of similar to tequila in that they are both distilled from agave. However, mezcal is much smokier than tequila. I’ve seen the following comparison used to help highlight the difference: mezcal is to tequila as scotch it is to whiskey. Does that make sense?

Given its similarities to tequila, along with the already smoky grilled fruit, mezcal was a logical choice for this margarita. These mezcal margaritas are modified from a recipe found in the cookbook The One Bottle Cocktail.

5 from 4 votes

Grilled Mezcal Margaritas

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Course: Cocktail

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings: 2 cocktails

Ingredients

For the honey syrup (makes more than needed)

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup hot water

For the grilled lemon juice and lemon wheels

2 lemons, halved
2 lemon wheels

For the margaritas

sugar or kosher salt, for rimming the glasses
2.5 oz grilled lemon juice
4 oz mezcal
1 oz lime juice
1.5 oz honey syrup
2 sprigs rosemary, for garnish

Instructions

To make the honey syrup

Combine the honey and hot water. Whisk to combine.

To make the grilled lemon juice and lemon wheels

Place the lemon halves, cut side down, on either a grill or a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lemon wheels. Cook until the flesh of the lemons is browned. Set aside to cool.
Once cooled, juice the grilled lemon halves.

To make the margaritas

Rim two glasses with sugar or kosher salt, depending upon your preference. Add ice to the glasses. Set aside.
Add the grilled lemon juice, mezcal, lime juice, and honey syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until very cold. Strain into the prepared glasses.
Add a grilled lemon wheel to each glass. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Recipe Notes

Notes: Meyer lemons would be great in this cocktail, too.

Looking for more margarita recipes?

Of course you are. They’re delicious. Check out my Cara Cara Orange Margaritas, Pomegranate Margaritas, and Apple Cider Margaritas for more ideas!

And while they’re not margaritas… these Mexican Moscow Mules are made with tequila. And they’re pretty dang good, if I do say so myself.