Tiramisu Cupcakes

I wanted to make Tiramisu for the Easter long weekend but my not planning ahead left me stranded without the necessary ingredients on Friday morning. I assumed the grocery store would be open on Friday but alas, it was not. It was, however, open on Monday so I picked up some more mascarpone cheese, ladyfingers and heavy cream and got to work on crafting a delicious tiramisu!

I already posted the recipe that I used so if you want to make one of your own follow that. It didn't take as long as I was anticipating it to AND I had leftover mascarpone.

Rather than let it go to waste I decided I would use it to make tiramisu cupcakes!

I used a Martha recipe but put my own spin on it as once again I did not plan ahead. I was missing some ingredients and had to sort of improvise a bit but it turned out pretty good in the end.

Tiramisu Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together 1 1/4 cupcake flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Heat 1/4 cup milk and 2 tsp vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles appear around the edge. Remove from heat. Whisk in 4 tbsp butter until melted, and let stand 15 minutes.

2. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together 3 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks, and 1 cup sugar. Set mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, and whisk by hand until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm, about 6 minutes. Remove bowl from heat. With an electric mixer on high speed, whisk until mixture is fluffy, pale yellow, and thick enough to hold a ribbon on the surface for several seconds when whisk is lifted.



3. Gently but thoroughly fold flour mixture into the egg mixture in three batches; stir 1/2 cup batter into the strained milk mixture to thicken, then fold milk mixture into the remaining batter until just combined.
 4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until centers are completely set and edges are light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
 5. To finish, brush tops of cupcakes evenly with cooled coffee and repeat several times until the tops are soaked with coffee. Allow cupcakes to absorb liquid 30 minutes. Dollop frosting onto cupcakes; refrigerate up to overnight in airtight containers. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving.

Mascarpone Frosting

1. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk 1 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form (be careful not to overbeat, or cream will be grainy). In another bowl, whisk together 1 cup mascarpone and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated. Use immediately.

I brought these in to work yesterday and they were a hit. I'm bringing the tiramisu in tomorrow and I think it'll be even better than the cupcakes. I'll need to get some bowls and spoons though cause it's not the kind of thing you can eat with your hands.

Now back to Dexter!

I'm alllllllmost done season 5 and it's getting sooooo good.

I'm attending a focus group for my nursing program later on this evening - I think it's about whether there's a need to incorporate more on family violence into the curriculum.

Running Playlist

For your exercising pleasure, may I present:

Jamie's 10 K Running Playlist

* Denotes a slower song.

• Foo Fighters - The Pretender
• Sam Roberts - Them Kids
• Britney Spears - Toxic
• *Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day
• Metric - Gold, Guns, Girls
• Rihanna - S & M
• Drake - Forever
• *John Mayer - 3x5
• Rage Against the Machine - How I Could Just Kill a Man
• Adele - Set Fire to the Rain
• Kanye West - All of the Lights
• Kelly Rowland - Commander
• Foo Fighters - Let it Die

This should last you through 10 k and hopefully through a nice cool down walk.

And this is also just a sampling of the many many songs I listen to!

Let me know if you have any good ones you like to run to - I need to make a biiiiiig one for the half marathon I'm doing at the end of May!

Sporting Life 10 K: Round 3 for Camp Oochigeas

It's that time of year again...

I'm running the Sporting Life 10k for the third year in a row and not only am I looking to beat my time from last year, I'm also looking to raise some money for Camp Oochigeas.

As the picture implies, Camp Oochigeas is a camp for children with cancer.

Instead of having to stay in the hospital, children are provided with the treatments they need while spending their summer outside with friends.

What a wonderful cause!

This year I'm running with a bunch of friends from work and we've created a team - Team Wolf Pack! Cause Wolves run together....or....you know, .....the real reason I suggested it.

Anyway, please donate what you can, if you can!

https://www.ooch.org/Page.aspx?pid=720&frsid=2869

and just in case that doesn't work.....click HERE!

I've also had to make a running playlist for this year. I was also asked to come up with a running playlist for a new friend of mine and since she's pretty cool (and cause she reads the blog - hurray!) I'm going to put one up on here!

I like to have a mix of upbeat songs with good running rhythms and some stop-and-appreciate-your-surroundings songs. I will indicate which are which so you can avoid the slow ones if desired.

Also don't hate on my songs. I'm eclectic and listen to literally everything and anything. Even country. And even Josh Groban (he's kind of dreamy in an opera kind of way). What? You don't think so?

See Below for the Playlist....this blog is acting the fool and I'm having trouble even typing.....SEE BELOW!

Easter Recap

Easter weekend has been wonderful.

4 days off...can't complain!

I drove to Ottawa with my mom and John on Saturday morning and had a lovely BBQ dinner courtesy of Mike & Andrea.

There was also a cheese dip served that I could not stop eating no matter how far away from it I tried to move myself. I would like the recipe for that one....

I got to play with two little cutie pies and catch up with my family.

On Sunday we all headed over to my Aunt Wendy & Uncle Bob's place and decorated the aptly named Easter Branch, formerly known as the Christmas Branch. We decorated it on boxing day with bird food and pinecones.

The beautiful Easter decorations - hand painted by Wendy.

 There were also delicious cookies, mud cake, and lots of chocolate, ham and pork tenderloin, chips and dip, and more food than my stomach could handle! It was a delicious meal.

Add on top of that that we also got great weather! Finally. I went sleeveless and tried to tan my poor white arms. The sun was very much appreciated, especially since it's supposed to rain now for the entire week!

And, of course, we brought some props to make the family photo that much more embarassing.

*** The picture is too big to fit entirely on the screen so just click on it to see the whole fam!

Hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend!

P.S. I'm running the Sporting Life 10 k next Sunday so I will be soliciting donations in the next few days!

P.P.S. I finally made the tiramisu. Pictures to be posted asap.

Tiramisu

I bought some mascarpone cheese about a week ago because I found it for cheaper than I normally would have paid for it. I made tiramisu once or twice before and it really is worth the little bit of time it takes to put together. I might make this on Friday...I have the day off so I'll have time. I also might bring this to Ottawa with me for the Easter weekend...

Fam Jam!

Williams-Sonoma Tiramisu

1. In a mixing bowl set over but not touching a pan of simmering water, beat the 6 egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick ribbons fall from the whisk (4 to 5 minutes). Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer.

2. Add 1 pound mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth and creamy (2 to 3 minutes). In a chilled large mixing bowl, beat 2 cups heavy cream to stiff peaks. Add 2 tbsp rum, 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tablespoons of espresso and beat until smooth.


3. In a clean mixing bowl, beat 5 egg whites to stiff peaks (when the whisk is lifted straight out of the bowl and inverted, the whites should hold their shape).


4. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the cream until blended and smooth. Add about 1 cup of the beaten egg whites and fold gently until blended. Add the remaining egg whites and fold gently until the mixture is smooth and blended.


5. One at a time, submerge each of 40 to 50 ladyfingers into the remaining espresso, then it on the bottom of a 6-quart glass or ceramic baking or serving dish (about 2 inches deep). Continue to form a complete layer.


6. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the soaked ladyfingers until evenly covered.  Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers over the mascarpone cream, then spread the remaining mascarpone cream evenly over the top.

7. Dust the Tiramisu with cocoa powder to create a rich, dark topping. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 1 day before serving

Definitely worth it.

 

Introducing the Biggie Sandwich

...Or more appropriately, the "Biggie Sammidge".

I realize I haven't posted a recipe in awhile so I'll make up for my lack of food appreciation in the next few days.

BECAUSE I'M DONE SCHOOL!!!

Not a lot of people liked 3rd year and I was feeling incredibly overwhelmed around the Christmas holidays, but in hindsight (everything challenging looks better when it's behind you) this year was so much fun.

I've come to see just how important community/public health is and it's more or less solidified my desire to get into it. Prevention and promotion. Let's not treat the symptoms of illness, let's get down to the roots of health disparities and promote equity. Socialist parents, gotta love 'em.

I also loved my placement and was actually kind of sad to not have it to go to this morning. One of the guys there who I became pretty good friends with sent me a message last night saying how bummed he was I wasn't going to be there tomorrow. Made me feel appreciated even if it was because I brought in baked goods and kept him entertained for hours rather than because of my incredible nursing skills.

The exam yesterday went well, or at least it went exactly as I was expecting it to go. I was so bad about studying for it but in the end I was right and it was an exam that you studied for throughout the year. If you hadn't learned anything about community health principles (the Ottawa Charter of Health's health promotion strategies became my go to name-dropper in all of my papers) you weren't going to be able to learn them the day before the exam.

Regardless, I'm done. Finito. Finis.

FREEEEEDOOMMMM !

When I go to work in a few hours the aforementioned sandwich will hopefully be waiting for me. As far as I know, it is the brain child of one of the maintenance guys and it is amazing. Plus you make enough for several people so it's a social event too.

And bread/sandwiches are my biggest vice. I cannot say no to bread.

Restaurants without bread baskets should not exist.

Pete's Biggie Sandwich

You will need:

• 1 French Baguette
• 1 jar sundried tomotoes
• 1 jar eggplant in oil
• Genoa salami
• provalone cheese
• Hot peppers

1. Cut the baguette lengthwise. On the bottom piece drizzle some of the oil from the sundried tomoatoes. Pat excess oil off of the sundried tomatoes and place along the bottom piece of bread. Top with eggplant, again patting off excess oil, and with hot peppers.

2.  Layer the salami on top and then the cheese. Put the sandwich together and enjoy!

I'll be off to enjoy this sandwich in a few minutes.

Tomorrow: Tiramisu!

At some point this week: A running playlist for my new girl-crush

P.S. My mom fractured her ankle :( Poor Queenie.

FEEL BETTER!

And start thinking of songs for our drive to Ottawa. I'll be over possibly tomorrow to make some CDs....



OMG, Shoes!

In case the title of this post doesn't make sense to you....click here.

So...I don't want to brag or anything...but I was finally able to wear big heels! My feet/ankles generally don't want to cooperate but I think the trick is to have a few glasses of wine right before hand.

Oh man these shoes... they made my legs look so long!

They cost $40 but they look like they cost a lot more.

I'm in love with them.

My baby toe may or may not have been throbbing and covered in dried blood this morning but I could have been from being stepped on by people. My best friend was trampled and had the top of her foot shanked by another woman's heels.

Fashion and dancing are dangerous.

I kind of want to try these Alexander McQueen shoes on....just once. Then I can prance around pretending to be Lady Gaga.

I had my first exam yesterday and my last exam tomorrow!

Every assignment is finished and handed in, now it's just one more day of studying!

This time tomorrow I will be a free woman!

Last weekend I bought the new Adele CD (21) and I'm officially obsessed with it. It's the only thing I've been listening to for the past week. It's so good.

If you're looking for some new music GO GET THIS CD.

Here are some choice songs from the CD for your snowy Sunday (if you're in Toronto).

Also - why is it snowing!? It's now mid April. This is nonsense.

I don't want to have to write Mother Nature another letter....

I'LL BE WAITING: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeN_zMDm5bk&feature=related

SOMEONE LIKE YOU: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qemWRToNYJY

And the one I sing at the top of my lungs with the volume cranked as loud as I can get it: SET FIRE TO THE RAIN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlsBObg-1BQ