Happy Pi Day!

I have been home sick with an awful cough.  Which means I spend my days drinking tea, watching re-runs of Friends and turning everything into a soup.  But then I remembered that today is March 14.  March 14 = 3.14 = Pi = PIE.  There is no better way to celebrate a mathematical constant than with sugar and crust.

March 14 Mini Pies
(Recipe adapted from ZoomYummy and Not Martha)

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Assorted fruit (apple, blueberries, raspberries, mixed berry)
Pillsbury pie crusts (unless you're not lazy like me, and then you can make it yo'self)
Eggwash

Chop the apples, set aside. Mash the berries by type and drain the excess liquid, set aside.

Add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt and cornstarch in a medium bowl until combined. Then, stir the butter into the mixture.

Combine 1/4 of the pie mixture with each type of fruit. Stir to mix.

Cut circles from the dough with the top of a glass. Spray a muffin tray with baking spray, and push a circle of dough into each tin. Fill with fruit mixture. Cover with another circle (or lattice top), making sure to include slits for air. Brush eggwash over top the crust.

Bake at 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown. Let the pies cool for 30 minutes, impatiently tapping your fingers on the counter until they're ready.

Hum "sec tan cos sin 3.14159." Oh, math.

Peaches & Cheese

peaches, sunflower seeds, goat cheese, basil and champagne vinaigrette

I am a repetitive eater.  I find something delicious, and I eat it everyday for a week.  (Unless we're talking about cottage cheese, which I ate every day for an entire year of high school.)

When I tasted SweetGreen's incredible July salad, I was hooked.  It's the basil.  You think you're stabbing lettuce and then BAM.  Basil.

I have made it 4 days in a row.  Huzzah for salad hacks.

Guinness Cupcakes

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day (and a fine excuse to use my newly painted cake stand!) I bring you:

Guinness Cupcakes

    •    3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

    •    2 cups sugar
    •    2 cups all-purpose flour
    •    1 teaspoon baking soda
    •    1 dash of salt
    •    1 bottle of Guinness
    •    1 stick unsalted butter, melted
    •    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    •    3 large eggs
    •    3/4 cup sour cream
    •    1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
    •    1 cup heavy cream
    •    1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt together.

In another bowl, combine the Guinness and vanilla. Add the melted butter once it has cooled, and stir.  Beat in eggs, one at time.  Beat in the sour cream until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, and beat.

Grease 24 muffin tins lightly. Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full of batter. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. A toothpick inserted should come out clean, with no crumbs.  The cupcake should be set in the middle, but still soft.

Immediately remove the tins and cool on a cooling rack.  Once to room temperature, place cupcakes in the refrigerator.

Icing:
With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy.  Gradually add the heavy cream and mix.  Slowly add in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate.

Once the cupcakes are chilled, frost.  Add sprinkles or other festive Irish accessories.  Attempt to eat only one.

[A belated Happy Birthday to my sweet, sweet boyfriend Andrew.  You are my very favorite person.]