Chocolate Cupcakes & Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

I made this frosting for my daughter's birthday party last year, and liked it so much that I made it again this year. The quick cupcake recipe starts with cake mix, but you'd never guess it.

For the strawberry buttercream frosting (recipe from Tasty Kitchen):
1/2 cup frozen strawberries, slightly thawed
2 sticks unsalted butter—leave it out a little while but should still be firm
pinch of coarse salt
3 cups sifted powdered sugar, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Puree strawberries in a food processor. Beat the butter and salt until very fluffy. Add powdered sugar gradually to taste, then mix in vanilla and three tablespoons of the strawberry puree.

For the secret-ingredient cupcakes (trust me here—recipe from Real Simple):
3 large eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in muffin-tin cups. Beat eggs in a large bowl, then stir in mayo. Add cake mix, water and vanilla and stir until combined. Divide batter between cups and bake 20 minutes or so. Cool before frosting.

*Finish with sprinkles if you like, though the natural pale-pink frosting is pretty on its own. These would be festive for an Easter luncheon or a spring baby shower, wedding shower etc...

Sunday Beef Stew

A good recipe for St. Patrick's Day or a lazy Sunday afternoon. It takes a few hours, but the hands-on time is much shorter. Freeze the leftovers for another time. (from Real Simple)

3 tablespoons flour

kosher salt and black pepper

5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 16 large pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 oz can tomato paste

2 stalks celery, cut into 3" pieces

one medium onion, peeled and quartered

one bottle of red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Syrah

2 bay leaves

2 lbs medium carrots, cut into 3" pieces

1 lb parsnips, cut into 3" pieces (or peeled turnips)

two 12 oz. packages egg noodles, if serving all the stew—otherwise use one

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix the flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add beef pieces and toss them until well-coated. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe pot. Working in batches, brown the pieces of meat for 6-8 minutes, then transfer to a plate or platter. Add tomato paste, celery, onion, wine, bay leaves, 1/4 of the carrots, 2 cups water and browned meat to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover pot, place in oven, and bake for 2 hours. 

Remove cooked vegetables from the pot and discard, and skim any fat from the top. Add the rest of the carrots and the parsnips. Cover the pot, return to oven, and cook for another 45-60 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are both tender. (If it seems thin, simmer uncovered on the stove a bit until it thickens.) Before stew is finished, cook egg noodles and toss with butter. Spoon stew over and sprinkle with parsley before serving. 

*Chuck roast, top round, bottom round, brisket and short ribs would all work here. We've split a cow share with friends the last few years and this has been a good recipe for the cheaper cuts. 

Family-Friendly Cheese Fondue

No wine here, just a mild pot of cheesy goodness that your kids are sure to gobble up. Serve with chunks of bread, steamed veggies, cooked tortellini, fruit or whatever strikes your mood. (from Wondertime)

1 cup milk
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated
2 tablespoons flour

Heat the milk and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering, 2-3 minutes. Toss cheese and flour together in a bowl or large Ziploc bag until cheese is nicely coated. Whisk cheese into milk one handful at a time, stirring, until all the cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove the garlic clove and serve. Fondue pots work best, but in a pinch, you can serve a bit at a time in a warm bowl while keeping fondue on the lowest setting on the stove.

*Spread any leftovers on bread and then broil for fast open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches.