Irish Kiss

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just about Green Beer. Korbel California Champagne created its own cocktail, the Irish Kiss. 

Irish Kiss

Ingreidents

• 4 oz Korbel California Brut Champagne
• 1 oz Midori Melon Liqueur
• Green food coloring
• 1/2 cup of sugar

1. First, add two drops of green food coloring to 1/2 cup of sugar and mix well.
2. Rub a champagne flute rim with lime and dip it in your green sugar mixture.
3. Fill with champagne and liqueur.
4. Garnish with a lime or a kiwi

 

It’s Not Easy Being Green

As Kermit the Frog has said, “It’s Not Easy Being Green.” It may not be easy but it can be tasty! We’ve made green pancakes and delicious cupcakes and other delicious things. Now it’s time to share some green drinks. I know a lot of people are going out and having a good time on this beautiful St. Patrick’s Day. (it’s beautiful in NY). Wherever you go today and whatever you do be responsible! Drink responsible! Act responsible! We can all have a good time without going overboard.

The Midori June Bug

It’s a girly drink which is fine because I am quite fond of very girly drinks. This recipe is for one drink so make according to how many people you are severing.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Midori melon liqueur
• 3/4 oz Malibu coconut rum (or a coconut rum that you prefer) 
• 3/4 oz banana liqueur
• 1 oz sweet and sour mix
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• Ice

Shake ingredients together and pour into a festive glass with some ice.

Next I found a recipe that has all the colors in the Irish flag!

Irish Flag

Ingredients

• 1/3 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1/3 oz green crème de menthe
• 1/3 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur

1. First, pour the crème de menthe into a glass.
2. Next, slowly pour the Bailey’s Irish cream over the back of a spoon so that it floats on top of the Creme de Menthe.
3. Finally, slowly pour the Grand Marnier over the back of the spoon so that it floats on top of the Bailey’s Irish creme

I hope everyone enjoys there St. Patrick’s Day. Remember ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY! Don’t go out by yourself! Have fun!

😀

Shamrock Milkshake Cupcakes

McDonald’s has the Shamrock Milkshake and now, you can have a Shamrock Milkshake Cupcake. Thanks to Better Homes and Gardens, this minty cake will have you smiling with each bite. I had to tweak a few parts to make it gluten free and dairy free (which unfortunately a Shamrock Milkshake is not) But it’s ok! This is going to be delicious!

Shamrock Milkshake Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour (Better Batter or Bob’s Red Mill or whatever you prefer – add xanthan gum accordingly if using a mix that does not have xanthan gum in it already)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk or buttermilk substitute: (make the substitute and then only use 1 cup of it)
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut or rice milk
  • 1/2 or 2/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter (Earth Balance)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup green creme de menthe**
• 1/2 cup vegan shortening (Earth Balance)
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 recipe White Chocolate Frosting
• Green food coloring

1. Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty to twenty-two 2-1/2-inch muffin cups tins with festive paper liners. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine the buttermilk and the creme de menthe. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until mixture is combined.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.
4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
5. Time to make your frosting while the cupcakes cool.

White Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan butter, softened (Earth Balance)
• 6 ounces white baking chocolate with cocoa butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup rice whipping cream
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar

1. Place white baking chocolate in a large mixing bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan heat whipping cream just until simmering. Pour over white baking chocolate; let stand, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth; let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Gradually beat butter into melted white chocolate mixture with an electric mixer on medium to high speed, beating until combined. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches piping or spreading consistency
3. Divide frosting between two bowls. Tint one portion with green food coloring. Spoon each frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe white and green frostings onto tops of completely cooled cupcakes to resemble four-leaf clovers or whatever decoration you’d like!

ENJOY!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone! I HAD to do a Green Velvet recipe because…well its GREEN! And you know you can never have too much green today!

Green Velvet Cupcakes

This recipe also works for cakes, mini cupcakes, whoopie pies! Do what you want to do!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour (Better Batter so that you don’t have to add any xanthan gum)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (Hershey’s is great)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk or a buttermilk substitute:
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut or rice milk
  • 1/2 or 2/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 oz green food coloring (yes a whole bottle! You’re going for a deep forest green color)

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
2. Line your muffin/cupcake tins with festive paper liners and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, lightly stir eggs with a whisk.  Then add in remaining liquid ingredients. Whisk until blended and set aside.
4. Place all dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together well.
5. Pour all of the green food coloring into the wet ingredients. (If you have little ones, have them do this part – it’s a lot of fun to make colored batter – it’s still fun for me and I’m 22. It will always be fun.)
6. Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix for about a minute or two until well combined and that nice deep forest green color.
7. Pour you batter into your cupcake tins about 2/3 full. They will puff up nicely.
8. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake and it comes out clean.
9. Let cook for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pans and transfer to a wire rack for them to cool completely. Cupcakes do not frost well when they are hot!

Frost with your favorite frosting – can or from scratch! Here is a scratch recipe that is great!

Vanilla Whipped “Cream”/Frosting Recipe 

mix:

• 1/2 cup vegan shortening (Spectrum Organic palm oil shortening or Earth Balance Shortening)
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Up to 1/8 cup water

Slowly add in water until consistency is thick, smooth, and spreadable

Frost your green creations and garnish with green sprinkles or green sprinkles and yellow sprinkles (to represent that pot of gold!) OR green, yellow and white sprinkles. Have fun with it!!

ENJOY!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Potato and Sage Fritters with Lemon Aioli

Potato and Sage Fritters with Lemon Aioli 

Light potato fritters with a lemony sauce perfect to serve for a St.Patrick’s Day party appetizer!

Ingredients

For the Fritters

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1 package regular active dry yeast
• 1 lb fresh russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
• Vegetable oil for frying

For the Lemon Aioli

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. In small bowl, mix warm water, 2 tablespoons flour and the yeast. Stir; let stand in warm place about 30 minutes or until small bubbles form.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix aioli ingredients. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. In 3-quart saucepan, cover potatoes with water; lightly salt. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook potatoes about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain; mash potatoes with fork. Cool about 10 minutes.
4. In small bowl, beat eggs and olive oil with whisk; stir in salt, pepper, lemon peel and sage. Set aside.
5. In large bowl, mix mashed potatoes with yeast mixture and 2 cups flour. Stir in egg mixture until well blended. Cover with towel and set in warm place about 1 1/2 hours or until potato mixture is double in size.
6. In deep fryer or 4-quart Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil (2 to 3 inches) to 350°F. Drop potato mixture by tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels; serve warm with aioli.

Love perfect party appetizers like this!

Fudge Mint Popcorn

Fudge Mint Popcorn is the perfect St. Patrick’s Day snack for any party you may be throwing!

Fudge Mint Popcorn

Ingredients

• 8 cups popped popcorn
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 3/4 cup regular chocolate M&Ms, divided
• 1 1/2 cup Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, chopped & divided – check out my recipe for Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies!
• 1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vegan shortening
• 1/4 cup green candy melts
• 3 tablespoons green St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles

1. Combine popcorn, marshmallows, 1/2 cup chocolate candies, and 1 cup mint chocolate chip cookies pieces in a large bowl. Crush the extra 1/2 cup cookies into crumbs and set aside with the extra chocolate candies.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the white chips and shortening. Heat slowly, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Pour over popcorn mixture and toss until everything is coated.
3. Spread out on a wax paper lined cookie tray. Sprinkle with the crushed cookies and the extra 1/4 cup chocolate candies. Let set.
4. Heat the green candy melts in a microwave safe bowl. Spoon into a plastic bag and cut the tip off one corner. Drizzle over the popcorn and top with sprinkles. Let set before eating.

 MMMM! If you want an EXTRA pop of green – color your popped popcorn with green food coloring before combining with marshmallows!

ENJOY!

Baked Basil Fries

We’ve got our sweets for St. Patrick’s Day. We have our Irish Soda Bread. But I feel like we are missing something. Maybe a potato recipe? Of course! These baked french fries have some basil for that touch of green that you can’t leave out on St. Patrick’s Day. Plus they are baked so they are better for you! Preheat that oven and let’s get to it!

Baked Basil Fries 

Ingredients

• 2 lb fresh russet potatoes (about 2 large)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with foil and set aside.
2. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
3. In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Toss potatoes with mixture.
4. Spray foil with cooking spray. Place potatoes on cookie sheet in single layer. Bake 15 minutes; turn potatoes, and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until tender.

French fries are so easy, delicious and the perfect lunch or dinner side. Eat by themselves or your favorite dipping sauce.

ENJOY! 😀

Irish Soda Bread

It’s the Eve of St. Patrick’s Day. Are you St. Patrick’s Day plans set? Hosting a party or heading to the parades? Whatever you decide to do, no St. Patrick’s Day is complete without Irish Soda Bread ( a gluten free version of course!)

Irish Soda Bread

Great for breakfast or a snack! Various forms of soda bread are popular throughout Ireland. Soda breads are made using either wholemeal or white flour. In Ulster, the wholemeal variety is usually known as wheaten bread and normally sweetened, while the term “soda bread” is restricted to the white savoury form. In more southern parts of Ireland, the wholemeal variety is usually known as brown soda and is almost identical to the Ulster wheaten (with a very slight difference).

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill or Better Batter)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum
 (only if using Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
 or buttermilk substitute
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Lightly oil an 8-inch cast-iron pot or 8-inch bread pan.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and xanthum gum in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Add the egg and buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened. The dough should be moist, but not so sticky that it is hard to handle. Fold in the raisins.
4. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. Mound the dough into a dome shape, about 6-8 inches across depending on the size of your pot. Place the dough into a seasoned cast-iron pot or bread pan. Score a cross in the batter approximately 1/2 inch deep.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.
6. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pot and allow to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in foil.

I hope you enjoy! This tasty bread can be made not just for St. Patrick’s Day but for any day you want to bake up a special sweet bread!
ENJOY!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

 

Black-and-White Irish Cream Cupcakes

Say what?!? These cupcakes just SCREAM St. Patrick’s Day – at least to me. They are like black-and-white cookies but cupcakes!! YUM!

Black-and-White Irish Cream Cupcakes 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk substitute
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut or rice milk
  • 1/2 or 2/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 recipe Irish Cream Ganache – In a small saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in liqueur until smooth. Cool about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  • 1/2 cup rice whipping cream
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Irish cream liqueur
• 1 recipe Irish Cream Icing – In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar, liqueur, and vanilla.
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Irish cream liqueur
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Cupcakes:

1. Allow vegan butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour twenty-eight 2-1/2-inch muffin cups (or line with paper bake cups).
2. In a medium bowl stir together gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
4. Add sugar, liqueur, and vanilla. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk substitute, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
5. Transfer 2-1/2 cups batter (about half) to a medium bowl; stir in melted chocolate. Fill each prepared muffin cup about two-thirds full, spooning chocolate batter into one side of cup and white batter into other side of cup.
6. Bake about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on racks.
7. Spread Irish Cream Ganache onto tops of cupcakes. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour (or chill in the refrigerator about 15 minutes) or until ganache is set. Spoon Irish Cream Icing onto centers of cupcakes. Let stand until icing sets.

YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! 😀

ENJOY!