champagne

Champagne Cupcakes

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

The 3rd (and final) installment of my champagne week is definitely a dessert. There isn’t really any getting around it. These cupcakes do not qualify for breakfast. 

“But you could try…” as my son says when he asks me to sing a song I don’t know any of the words to. Sorry, kid, it’s just not gonna happen!

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I’ve always found that the flavor of champagne doesn’t always come through in baking. That is not the case with these cupcakes! These cupcakes, literally, taste like a glass of champagne. There’s even reduced champagne in the frosting to really boost the flavor.

These cupcakes are perfect for celebrating an anniversary, birthday, or holiday.

This recipe makes 12-15 cupcakes.

Champagne Cupcakes

Ingredients for cupcakes:

  • 1 stick butter, at room temperature
  • 1 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 3/4 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 C sour cream
  • 1/2 C champagne

Ingredients for frosting:

  • 1 C + 1 tbsp champagne
  • 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 C powdered sugar
  • pinch of salt

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tray with liners.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the sour cream and champagne. Alternating, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the stand mixer, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
  4. Divide batter among prepared cupcake tray. Bake 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack.
  5. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer the 1 C of champagne until it reduces down to 2 tbsp. Cool completely.
  6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the reduced champagne and the 1 tbsp champagne.
  7. Frost cooled cupcakes.

*This recipe is adapted from Haley at http://www.ifyougiveablondeakitchen.com/2014/12/29/cocktail-cupcakes-champagne-cupcakes/*

Champagne Cupcakes | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Champagne Chicken

~ lk529 ~ 3 Comments

Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a special dinner in less than 30 minutes.

This champagne chicken is exactly that. In fact, we’ve enjoyed it twice already!

The chicken is pounded thin making it quick to cook.

In fact, the longest part of the cooking process is boiling water for the accompanying angel hair pasta. The lightly breaded and fried chicken is topped with a champagne mushroom sauce.

Yes, I said mushrooms! I actually quite enjoyed the mushrooms in this dish. (Same with the Marsala ravioli… maybe I’m coming around!)

Champagne Chicken | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Champagne Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded to 1/4″ thickness
  • 1/4 C + 2 tbsp flour, divided use
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 C champagne
  • 3/4 C heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • cooked angel hair pasta, for serving

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
  2. In a wide shallow bowl, combine 1/4 C flour, Parmesan, S+P.
  3. Season the pounded chicken with S+P. Dredge in the flour.
  4. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook chicken 3 minutes on each side. Place chicken in the preheated oven to keep warm.
  5. Add the mushrooms to the same skillet and sprinkle with the remaining flour. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the champagne, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce by half. Add in the heavy cream and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with S+P, and cook until thickened.
  6. Serve chicken over angel hair pasta and top with the champagne-mushroom sauce.
  7. Option to garnish with parsley or tarragon.

*This recipe is adapted from Tara at http://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/champagne-chicken/*

Champagne Chicken | Sew You Think You Can Cook (2) | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

 

Champagne Poached Pear Crepes

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

You’ll find a theme this week on the blog. A bubbly theme perfect for that lovebird holiday coming up next week.

Of course, I’m talking champagne and Valentine’s Day.

I’ll start with a recipe that’s borderline brunch and dessert. Crepes!

Champagne Poached Pear Crepes | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Pears are poached in champagne for an elegant filling. That poaching liquid then becomes a stunning sauce for the delicate pancakes. For extra decadence, serve with vanilla ice cream!

If you’re particularly prepared, you can make the pears and accompanying champagne sauce ahead of time.

Champagne Poached Pear Crepes

Ingredients for pears:

  • 3 C champagne
  • 2 C water
  • 1 C sugar
  • 1/2 vanilla bean
  • 5 pears, peeled

Ingredients for crepes:

  • 1 1/3 C milk
  • 1 C flour
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • pinch of salt

Steps:

  1. In a large pot, combine champagne, water, and sugar. Slice the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds and put them in the pot along with the pod. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the pears. Cook 30-40 minutes, until the pears are fork tender. Remove the pears and set aside. Reduce the poaching liquid to 2 C worth. Remove the vanilla bean pod.
  2. Place the crepe ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Allow batter to reset 15 minutes.
  3. Pour 1/4 C batter into a small greased skillet. (I used non-stick cooking spray between each pancake) Swirl the pan around to create an even pancake. Once the pancake browns flip and cook another minute.
  4. To serve, slice the pears and arrange them in the center of the crepes. Fold the crepe over the fruit and top with the sauce. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.

This recipe is adapted from Tara at http://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/champagne-pear-crepes/*

Champagne Poached Pear Crepes | Sew You Think You Can Cook (2) | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Countdown to 2017: Beverages

~ lk529 ~ 5 Comments

unnamedHappy New Year! The countdown to 2017 is over and 2017 is here!

This blogging countdown party is hosted by Sarah at Fantastical Sharing of Recipes and today Sarah leaves it wide open for us to decide what category of recipes we want to highlight from last year.

In 2015 I looked at all of my Mexican Monday posts and last year I looked at my favorite Sunday Supper submissions.

For a while now smoothies have been the go-to when Firecracker won’t eat dinner. I always use yogurt (typically Greek) to provide protein and add a generous handful of spinach to add some bonus nutrition. Treat is also a big fan of smoothies.

With all that smoothie practice I end up successful on my ratios more often than not. (Seriously, I used to struggle immensely with getting the proper thickness.) Every now and then I decide to measure things and generate a recipe.

To add to the trio of smoothies below, I’ve got two lovely champagne cocktails to share.

Cranberry Oat Smoothie

Felix Felices

Roshambo

Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie

Triple Berry Spinach Smoothie

Best Beverages of 2016 | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Find out what other bloggers are highlighting today here: An InLinkz Link-up

Felix Felices

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

Harry Potter Halloween week continues with something for the adult witch and wizard!

I found a Buzzfeed article on cocktails inspired by my favorite books and excitedly found one that looked like something I’d enjoy. A champagne based beverage!

For those of you unfamiliar with Harry Potter, Felix Felices is a potion mentioned in The Half Blood Prince. It is commonly referred to as “liquid luck.” The drinker can be expected to have a day in which all his endeavors come easily and successfully. (How was that for zero spoiler alerts!)

Felix Felices | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.comAfter making the cocktail, I ran into a problem. Felix Felices is supposed to be the color of molten gold. Mine was essentially clear. I thought about simply naming it as a different potion, but then my mom had the idea to add a splash of orange juice. The OJ gave it a nice golden hue and didn’t much alter the taste of the drink.

No joke – I think I’ve discovered my new favorite cocktail! My husband has been on a Moscow Mule kick so we always have ginger beer in the house, and with affordable mini bottles of champagne available in the grocery store, I know I’ll be making this time and time again!

Felix Felices

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 oz simple syrup (1/4 C sugar disovled in 1/4 C water over low heat)
  • 1/4 oz lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 oz ginger beer
  • champagne
  • orange juice

Steps:

  1. Pour simple syrup, lemon juice, and ginger beer in a champagne flute. Top with champagne. Add just a splash of orange juice to create a light golden color.

Felix Felices | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

#FreshTastyValentines: Roshambo

~ lk529 ~ 24 Comments

LogoWelcome to day one of #FreshTastyValentines, a blogging event headed up by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. To kick off the week I’ve made a cocktail perfect for your Valentine’s Day brunch (and a bonus recipe for pancakes).

When UncommonGoods signed on as one of our event sponsors I knew I wanted to make a cocktail because they have an incredible selection of gifts to keep any home bar and kitchen uniquely equipped (here). UncommonGoods (www.uncommongoods.com) is a web-based marketplace offering creatively designed, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. One of the incredible prizes to win during this week’s event is a $150 gift certificate at their site. With your shopping spree you can find incredible glassware in which to enjoy my Roshambo cocktail or your favorite bottle of wine (here) or discover ways keep your drinks cool without watering them down (here).

Because we’re celebrating Valentine’s Day this week I limited my cocktail recipe search to red or pink beverages. With a big move approaching in the Spring I also added another restriction so as to not buy any new liquor. The discovery of the Roshambo couldn’t have been more perfect. It is a sparkling wine based cocktail which fits in beautifully with Valentine’s Day. This cocktail is a beautiful accompaniment to your Valentine’s breakfast.

This recipe makes two servings.

Roshambo

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/2 C water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 C apple juice
  • 1/2 C cranberry juice
  • prosecco or champagne

Steps:

  1. Place sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Allow simple syrup to cool completely. Remove cinnamon stick.
  2. In a small pitcher combine 1/4 C cinnamon simply syrup with the juices. Keep cold until ready to serve.
  3. Pour juice mixture into glasses and top with prosecco.

*This recipe is adapted from Eva at http://1bigbite.com/2013/11/roshambo/*

Roshambo for #FreshTastyValentines from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more Valentine’s recipes today:

Thank you to #FreshTastyValentines sponsors for providing bloggers with samples and products to use for #FreshTastyValentines recipe development without additional compensation. All opinions stated are those of the bloggers.

This blog post also comes with a bonus recipe for pancakes!

Cinnamon Sour Cream Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1 C all-purpose flour
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 1 C milk
  • 1/2 stick butter, melted

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl whisk together the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  2. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, and melted butter.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry.
  4. On a hot buttered griddle drop 1/2 C of batter into pancakes. Flip pancakes when batter starts to set and bubble form in the center of the pancake. Cook until both sides are golden brown.

*This recipe is modified from Kelley at http://www.mountainmamacooks.com/2015/11/creme-fraiche-pancakes/*

 

#SundaySupper: Mother’s Day

~ lk529 ~ 40 Comments

It’s only fitting that today’s #SundaySupper is celebrating Mother’s Day. A big thank you to Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla for “working” on this holiday to make sure the rest of us have our act together. Looking at the list of offerings today, most of us think of sweets when it comes to celebrating Mom. Be sure to scroll past my recipe to check them all out!

IMG_2338Today is my first Mother’s Day! I’ve always known I wanted to be a mom and so far it’s been everything I could have dreamed of and more! Everyday I am thankful to have the opportunity to stay home with my little man and watch him grow and learn.

When I tried to decide on what to make for today my mom told me to simply make something I like. Well that wasn’t very helpful – pizza, pasta, breakfast, Mexican? I decided on breakfast (I could eat breakfast any and every meal of the day) because when I think Mother’s Day, I think brunch.

When I think brunch, I think mimosas. I won’t be partaking in that alcoholic breakfast drink this year though because I am thrilled to finally announce that next year I’ll be celebrating today as a mother of two! That’s right, my little man will become a big brother in early November!

To celebrate the occasion I decided to turn the classic mimosa into a waffle!

Mimosa Waffles

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C flour
  • 1 C white whole wheat flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 C vegetable oil
  • 3/4 C prosecco
  • 1 3/4 C milk
  • 1 1/4 tsp orange extract

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients.
  3. Combine wet and dry ingredients and pour into a hot waffle iron and cook until golden. Serve with whipped cream and fresh orange slices, if desired.

*This recipe is modified from my gingerbread man waffles*

mimosa waffles | sew you think you can cook

Celebratory Sips

Starters and Salads

Hearty Mains

Treats and Sweets

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Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

#SundaySupper: Red Carpet Party

~ lk529 ~ 29 Comments

Today #SundaySupper is having a party perfect for any red carpet event! There’s an awards show on tonight. I think it’s the “big one.” I wouldn’t really know because I’m not all up to snuff on my Hollywood trivia. I do like Neil Patrick Harris though, so I will be watching. Or rather, I’ll have it playing on the TV screen. I don’t know how much I’ll be paying attention. (I’ll be participating in a Twitter chat after all! – See end of post for details.) I haven’t seen any of the movies up for nomination and I don’t know the who’s-who of actors.

Katie of Ruffles and Truffles is hosting this star-studded gathering so be sure to scroll past my recipe for a list of party worthy drinks and eats!

Thank You Peary Much | Sew You Think You Can Cook

I decided to create a very simple signature cocktail for the event. Because what party for the stars wouldn’t be complete with an original concoction involving champagne? I wanted to go with something gold in honor of The Oscar. It’s a gold award! Hey, at least I knew that!

This cocktail would be welcome at any brunch table.

An Original Recipe

Thank You Peary Much

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/2 C water
  • 1 2″ piece ginger root
  • pear nectar
  • champagne
  • crystalized ginger (optional)

Steps:

  1. Make ginger simple syrup: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat combine sugar, water, and ginger until sugar completely disolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  2. Assemble cocktails: Put a little ginger simple syrup in the bottom of a champagne glass. Top it with pear nectar and champagne. (The ratios are completely up to you – do you like it mostly bubbly with a touch of juice or are you a juice fan with a hint of bubbly?) Drop some crystalized ginger into the glass and watch it fizz!

Thank You Peary Much | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Nominees for Best Supporting Appetizers:

Nominees for Best Course in a Leading Role:

Nominees for Best Supporting Sips:

Nominees for Best Delectable Desserts:

Nominees for Best Dressed Table:

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

#10DaysofTailgate: War Eagle Sangria

~ lk529 ~ 19 Comments

Tailgate Logo

Today marks the beginning of #10DaysofTailgate! If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you might have noticed some sneak peaks of things coming your way. I was really honored when Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla invited me to be a part of this great adventure.

To kick off #10DaysofTailgate, I wanted to pick a recipe that would highlight my favorite team – the Auburn Tigers. My husband and I both graduated from Auburn University – and our combined three siblings also graduated from or are currently attending Auburn.

I decided to make a sangria using blueberries and oranges – complete with AU ice cubes! I followed the recipe for my Red, White, and Blue Sangria that I dish out on the Fourth of July. I used a little bit of my blueberry syrup in place of simple syrup too.

War Eagle Sangria 2

An Original Recipe

War Eagle Sangria

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle white moscato wine
  • 2 tbsp blueberry syrup
  • 2 oranges sliced into rings
  • 3/4 C frozen blueberries
  • 1 bottle champagne

Steps:

  1. In a pitcher combine wine and syrup. Add orange slices, leaving some for garnish, and blueberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
  2. Before serving add the bottle of champagne. Garnish with orange slices.

War Eagle Sangria 1

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more tailgating recipes today:


Starters
Loaded Baked Nacho Supreme by Cheese Curd In Paradise
Baked Blueberry Pork Egg Rolls by The Pajama Chef
Gazpacho Shooters with Spicy Shrimp by OnTheMove-In the Galley
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sliders with BlueCheese Aioli by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventure
Dips
Soft Pretzels and Buffalo Cheese Dip by Things I Make (for Dinner)
Cheesy Bean Dip by Making Miracles
Garden Fresh Salsa by Eliot’s Eats
Pineapple Salsa by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Devilish 7-Layer Dip by Miss Laura’s Kitchen
Sips
Spicy Strawberry Bourbon Shooters by CafeTerraBlog
Iowa Sunrise by From Gate to Plate
Sides
Deviled Egg Potato Salad by Cooking In Stilettos
Mains
El Diablo’d Lamb Lollipops by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Ginger Chicken Kabobs by Summer Scraps
Chili by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Spiced Fig and Garlic Chicken Wings by girlichef
Baked Mac and Cheese  with Bacon Pretzel Topping by Debbi Does Dinner Healthy
Asian Duck Sliders  by Curious Cuisiniere
Pineapple Chile Lime Wings by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Love and Confections
Sweets
Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies by The Spiffy Cookie

#BundtBakers: Breakfast

~ lk529 ~ 26 Comments
BundtBakers

I had fun with this month’s #bundtbaker’s recipe. #BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. This month’s theme is breakfast and our lovely host is Kelly from Passion Kneaded.

Even though our post comes the week after Mother’s Day, I used Mother’s Day brunch as my inspiration. I thought it would be fun to do a take on the classic brunch cocktail – the mimosa. I may have been a little liberal with the assignment as I wouldn’t actually eat this cake at breakfast.

IMG_8767My plan was to do an orange upside down cake with champagne cake batter and an orange glaze. I had visions in my head of how beautiful my cake would be when I pulled it out of the pan. Turns out a bundt pan isn’t the best vessel for an upside down orange cake – the cake batter puddled underneath the orange slices so I didn’t have the beautiful caramelized oranges on top. And even more curious, the oranges floated to the top of the batter – aka the bottom of the bundt. But hey, I tried!

Mimosa Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 orange, peeled and sliced in half moons
  • 2 C + 1 tbsp sugar, divided
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 6 egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 C cake flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 C champagne, at room temperature
  • 3 tbsp orange juice
  • 1/2 C powdered sugar

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bundt pan.
  2. Layer half of the tbsp sugar in bottom of bundt pan, place orange slices on top of sugar, and top with remaining tbsp sugar.
  3. In a large bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. In a stand mixer, cream together remaining 2 C sugar with butter.
  5. Slowly incorporate the egg whites into the creamed butter. Add the vanilla.
  6. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the champagne, ending with the dry ingredients.
  7. Pour batter over orange slices and bake 40-50 minutes, or until a knife come out clean. Let cool ten minutes before removing from bundt pan.
  8. Make the glaze: whisk together the orange juice and powdered sugar. Add more powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency.

*This cake recipe is adapted from Joanne at http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2013/01/recipe-pink-champagne-cake.html*

Stuart took the cake to work and returned home with an empty tray!

Mimosa Bundt Cake

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. All recipes and photographs can be found on our individual blogs, on our Pinterest board, and the #bundtbakers homepage.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Banana Breakfast Bundt Cake by Varada at Varada’s Kitchen

Blackberry Chocolate Coffee Cake by Lauren at From Gate to Plate

Breakfast Bundt by Jane at Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Callaloo & Saltfish Mini Bundt by Kelly at Passion Kneaded

Cheesy Bacon Sausage Brioche Bundt by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands

Cheesy Breakfast Sausage Bundt by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Feta Cheese and Sundried Tomato Breakfast Bundt by Maria at Box of Stolen Socks

French Toast Bundt Cake with Maple-Bacon Glaze by Felice at All That’s Left Are The Crumbs

Granola Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days

Individual Breakfast Banana & Ginger Oatmeal Nutella Glazed Bundt Cakes by Laura at Baking in Pyjamas

Maple Bacon Bundt Cake with Bacon Pecan Streusel Swirl by Tux at Brooklyn Homemaker

Orange Blueberry Bundt Cake by Kathya at Basic N Delicious

Sausage and Potato Bundt by Margaret at Tea and Scones

Whole Grain Mini Blueberry Breakfast Bundts by Laura at The Spiced Life