20something cupcakes: a blog about discovering the passions of your quarter-life and beyond

“mangria” = blue moon sangria.

January 26, 2012 in Cocktails, Dinner Party Worthy with 5 Comments

It’s not a secret that I love sangria.

It’s not a secret, and it’s really not that exciting. Us ladies, we like sangria. Not rocket science. Heck, most dudes I know will polish off a glass (pitcher?) or two if it’s put in front of them. Daniel certainly will, and that’s because of more than the fact that I make it so damn often, in every flavor combination I can dream up to go with every season, every type of menu, every type of, well, everything.

Yes, Daniel will polish off a pitcher of sangria because he likes it – quite possibly as much as I do.

But don’t get it twisted…he likes beer even better. You’d be disgusted to know how many beers he can throw back in a sitting. Let’s just say we don’t have enough pitchers in the house to make a fair comparison. So what happens when I concoct a beverage that combines the the best of both worlds?

Other than the obvious result – a super-crunk Daniel – “mangria” is born.

Ladies, don’t be fooled by the name – I think you’ll love this cocktail, too. Even if you don’t like beer, I think you’ll be into this. I mean, why didn’t we think of it sooner? The beer is a perfect vehicle to get a good sangria going. Blue Moon and citrus, as we all know, are already pretty much going steady, and the pear-vibe adds another crispy-sweet dimension. I used the Winter Abbey Ale – because hey, it is winter after all, and why not get totally seasonal here, what with the citrus and the pears? I’ve made it with the regular version as well, which is a bit lighter and less caramel-ly and just begging to be made on a hot summer day.

super bowl {party} menu.

January 24, 2012 in Complete Menus with 5 Comments

Now that we know who’s playing in the Super Bowl, we can move on to more important matters. Like what we’re eating.

I mean, duh. Everyone knows that football feeds are far more important than the game itself. I like football and everything, but what I live for is the food. Give me cheesy dips, give me chicken wings – extra-hot, hi – give me pizza, sliders, nachos…I could go on and on…but I won’t. I won’t, because that’s not what we’re really doing here today.

Today, we’re doing something a little healthier, a bit more modern, and just a tad – well, sexier.

Without further ado, meet your inspiration for this year’s Super Bowl shindig.

It’s about taking our favorites, and elevating them – you know, taking them up a notch. You guys know this is my thing by now, right?!

herbed quinoa with bacon + nuts.

January 20, 2012 in Healthy Eats, On the Side with 5 Comments

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions – but on that note, how about a life resolution?

I resolve to share with you more of the things that I eat, like, all the time. Delicious things. Healthy things. Things you should eat.

Things like quinoa.

Have we not discussed quinoa? I don’t believe we have. Let’s see, where do I begin? For those of you who are quinoa-virgins, quinoa is a grain that contains protein. Not only does it contain protein, it’s actually a complete protein, meaning it includes all nine essential amino acids. Most importantly, it’s super-easy to cook, and super-tasty. It’s a great alternative to whole-wheat pasta for fast weeknight meals, because it’s got the protein already included. And did I mention it tastes good? It has a nutty flavor and a unique, almost crunchy texture.

apple-blackberry banana bread.

January 18, 2012 in Healthy Eats, Sweets + Treats with 2 Comments

Now is the time for banana bread.

Why? Well, because what else does one bake when the holidays have just passed, so you can’t bear the thought of another cake or – gasp! – cookie…but you’re still in the mood to bake?

{Is now a bad time to mention that double mocha-fudge brownies are on next week’s menu?}

Banana bread is the answer to our post-holiday, January baking cravings. This banana bread in particular is super, super-healthy. Whole wheat? Check. Low in sugar? Check. Three different fruits and the addition of applesauce to replace half the butter? Healthy fats in the form of crunchy walnuts? Check, check, and check.

how-to: espresso crème brûlée.

January 15, 2012 in Project Pastry Queen, Sassy in the Kitchen, Sweets + Treats with 8 Comments

You’re only as good as your last crème brûlée.

So says Rebecca Rather. It’s one of her mottos as a pastry chef.

Well, I don’t know about you – but I’m not a pastry chef. And guess what? My crème brûlée was – in a word – AWESOME.

Make that two words: EFF-ing AWESOME.

Yours can be, too. It’s super-easy. Guys, crème brûlée is just not something to be afraid of. You’re making a custard, baking it in a water bath, and blow-torching sugar to caramelize it into a crispy layer of deliciousness.

Yes – breaking out the blow-torch makes this dessert doubly amazing. You can use your broiler if you’re torch-less, sure…but why? Why live a torch-less life? There’s no reason for it.

Making custard is so easy, in fact, it pains me to write about it. Watch the video. You’ll see. And to make matters ~~worse~~ better, you probably have all of these ingredients in your fridge/pantry right now. Meaning you’re mere hours away from taking the creamiest, crunchiest espresso-and-vanilla-filled bite of your life. How many bites can you say that about?

{baked} truffle fries.

January 12, 2012 in Fabulously Simple, On the Side with 7 Comments

1 gi-normous Idaho potato = $1. Truffle-infused olive oil = $17. Truffle salt = $15.

Truffle fries you can feel good about eating? Priceless.

Seriously – who doesn’t D.I.E. for truffle fries? Give me the name of one person. I guarantee it’s only because they’ve never had them. Truffles and potatoes were made for each other – heck, truffles plus {fill-in-the-blank-here} were made for each other, when I think about it…eggs, mac and cheese, garlic bread…

seared scallops + beurre blanc.

January 10, 2012 in Fabulously Simple, Main Dishes with 0 Comments

One of the very first recipes I ever posted was for seared scallops.

Not just any seared scallops…seared scallops to die for.

But, in reality, all seared scallops are to die for – as long as you’re working with deliciously plump, fresh sea scallops and you know how to get a good sear going. When you get a good sear on a good scallop, it’s heavenly.

And the best part of it is…it’s so. freaking. simple. It makes me wonder why I haven’t made these since, um, Valentine’s Day – that’s two years ago, hi – to be precise. Special thanks to my dear friends Zan and Scott for reminding me of how great these are (they wrote to tell me they enjoyed them, along with this chive pasta and mushroom dish, for New Year’s Eve – which makes me really, really happy…it’s like you’re somehow with your friends, a part of their night, even though they’re thousands of miles away).

I do need to be reminded sometimes, because as much as I obsess over so many different dishes I make, I’m always looking to try something new. It’s rare that I repeat a dish, and I can only hope that soon I’ll become a good enough cook that I’ll start repeating – because repeating dishes is what makes you really good, it’s what makes you learn the dish inside and out. I think, maybe, I’m getting there.

kale + white bean stew.

January 6, 2012 in Healthy Eats, Main Dishes with 1 Comment

Greens ‘n beans…get ‘em while they’re hot.

That’s right – greens ‘n beans are totally hot. But you knew that, right? They’re super-healthy, and they taste really good if you know how to cook them. Though Dan might argue with you on the whole kale situation. What does he know!? He spent 95% of his life hating mushrooms and refusing tomatoes. He’s not exactly one to trust in the vegetable domain, if you ask me.

I have a slight obsession with kale, and an even bigger crush on white beans. Kale chips? Yes, please. Raw kale salad? You know it. White bean dip, white bean soup, puréed white beans in just about anything? Get. In. My. Belly.

So me and this soup – stew, soup – whatevs…we get along.

tomatillo chicken soup.

January 4, 2012 in Healthy Eats, Main Dishes with 4 Comments

Let’s talk soup.

‘Tis the season, right? I know it is, even if only for a day, for all of my fellow warm-blooded brethren. It was 40 degrees this morning in sunny South Florida!

Even when it warms back up to the 70s this weekend (don’t be jeal) – it will still be soup season. Why? Because we’re talking healthy soups. And no matter where you live or what the weather, healthy soups should be on the menu.

{homemade} confetti cake pops.

January 2, 2012 in Celebrate, Sweets + Treats with 4 Comments

January 2nd – it’s totes the new January 1st, don’t you think?

Let’s be real: I was an alien yesterday. Today marks the official start of my 2012. In fact, it should be mandatory that everyone receive this day off in addition to the 1st. Doesn’t matter what day of the week the holiday falls on. Aliens need rest.

{Also: Copious amounts of water. Breakfast casseroles made of bacon, cheese, bread, and eggs. Grape soda. And, chili dog nachos. True story. Look away…I’m hideous}

My intention was to share these cake pops with you yesterday. You know, confetti on New Year’s Day – it made sense. But yesterday, nothing made sense. So today I bring you these ridiculously adorable confetti cake pops. My guess is that today, you’re probably feeling more human too, and let’s face it – yesterday you were not about to consider embarking upon a three-day project to make cake pops.