Foto Friday: My (Surprising?) Weakness!

I'm linking in to Foto Friday, featured on my friend Christy O's blog (visit her here!) Feel free to join in on the fun yourself--just leave a link to your post in my comments and visit the other links, too! And visits to my FB page are always welcome, too!

True, I live in NYC with a worrrrrrrrld of dessert options around me: painstakingly-prepared pastries, luscious layer cakes, cookies and puddings and custards and ice creams-- you name it. And true, I can even bake my OWN damn cake and THAT will be sublime! These treats are all tasty and I enjoy every bite, but when it comes to the plain old sheet cake at D'Agostino's (yes, the grocery store chain in NYC), I am powerless to resist. There is something about the fluffiness of the cake and the killer frosting that sucks me in and has me craving it randomly all year long.

A friend of mine shares this obsession and often has these cakes for her birthday parties. When we worked together, we did our best to make THESE the cakes at office parties (mwah ha haaa). I love this friend and would come to the party anyway, but I won't lie--I definitely put the cake at motivating factor #2!

Damn you, D'Agostino's...why are your cakes so TASTY!?!?!?

Is there a weird, not-homemade dessert or snack that makes you weak in the knees/tastebuds??? Follow @Lkpnyc

Mini Shepherd's Pies

The mini Shepherd's pies from my St. Patty's day post are pretty simple to prepare, and they're an excellent way to use up any leftover veggies you might have in the fridge--mushrooms, diced peppers, you name it! This dish was one of the few ways my mother could get me to eat vegetables as a kid. It's not exactly the same as her dish, but definitely inspired by hers!

Forgive me, Mother, but I used pre-made potatoes from FreshDirect--this was all about keeping it easy-peasy!

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until potatoes start to brown on the peaks. Let cool 5 minutes (be careful! Insides are HOT!) and enjoy! This is pretty spectacular the next day, too.

Ingredients:
1/3 large onion (I used white, yellow could work,too)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
(any veggies you might have, I used 2 leftover carrots)
1 Tbs butter
1 lb ground beef
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups frozen baby peas (I thawed mine)
Mashed potatoes (pre-made or homemade), 3 cups
6 ramekins

Add butter to pan and start sauteing carrots over medium-low heat, cook 5 minutes or until tender (mine were leftover, already sautéed, so no pic).

Add the garlic and onions (and more butter if needed) until soft and clear, but not browned. Add the ground beef and cook through, adding 2-3 Tablespoons of the Worcestershire at the end. Mix it all together thoroughly and set aside. Spoon 1/4 cup (or a few spoonfuls) of the ground beef mixture into individual ramekins. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons (or just grab a handful) of baby peas, thawed OR still frozen, over the beef. Top it all off with a thick layer of potatoes, using a fork to make little 'peaks' in the potatoes--this will give you the crunchy bits later.

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Infuse This!

Behold my first attempt at infusing my own spirits! I heeded the advice of one CZ, a multitalented friend who knows her way around bartending. I wanted to infuse tequila for my Recession Recipes party, so I asked her advice and set out to make some magic.

Now, this is not the time to splurge on your alcohol. In fact, if ever there were a time to buy 'the cheap stuff,' this is it. My local liquor store doesn't have a huge selection of tequilas, but this was the cheapest one I found at about 20 dollars for the bottle. Not 'cheap' at first, but when you consider how many margaritas it makes, it definitely comes in as a super-saver.

Lesson #1 learned from this venture: do NOT attempt to pick up what is a 19-pound watermelon from a bin that is almost as tall as you are. I still have a stitch in my back, months later. Oy. Lesson #2, have towels on hand to sop up the extra liquid that will undoubtedly escape from your watermelon once you start hacking into it (also? This is FUN!)

Infusing couldn't be simpler. I chopped up the beautiful-looking watermelon, added a tablespoon or 2 of sugar (per CZ's suggestion), and poured the tequila over the chunks of fruit, which I'd put in a glass pitcher. I covered it with Saran wrap and left it out, at room temperature, for 2 days. I would have done it for longer, but 2 days before the party was my first chance to go get the watermelon.

The morning of the party, I removed the watermelon, reserved it in another container (for garnishes later), and strained the tequila.

This made such a difference! What a fruity, refreshing twist on tequila! We used it to make the margaritas at my party, and I had plenty leftover for the next week or two. I made myself a few more drinks over those weeks with the tequila, and it just kept getting better! Now that spring is here, I'll definitely be trying this with cantaloupe and other melons, and maybe I'll finally get around to that serrano tequila I've been meaning to make.

I highly recommend a fruit-infused liquor for your next shindig--or even if you have no company coming over at all! You're worth it! ;) Also, do pass along any other infusion suggestions!! Cheers!