St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

My sister used to make this as a cake with pistachio frosting.  It's moist, delicious and very green, making it perfect for St. Paddy's day.  I decided on cupcakes since I had several people I wanted to grace with this treat.  I also tweaked the frosting a bit, but the result is just as delicious.

Here's what you'll need:
Frosting:
1 c milk
4 TBSP flour
1 stick butter, at room temp
1/2 c shortening
1 tsp vanilla
2 c powder sugar
5 drops green food coloring, optional

Cake:
1 white cake mix
1 Sm. package pistachio pudding
3 egg whites
1 c oil
1 c 7-up or sprite
1/2 c pistachios, chopped and divided
1/2 c coconut (optional)

The frosting needs time to cool, so start with that.

Combine the cold milk and the flour in a small sauce pan.  Whisk to blend.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon.

Pour into a shallow bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the surface so it doesn't form a skin as it cools.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

To make the cake combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil and 7-up in a mixing bowl.  Beat for 4 minutes.  Fold in half of the pistachios and all the coconut.

Preheat oven to 350.

Divide the batter between 20-24 paper-lined cupcake pans.  Only fill them HALF FULL.  I used a scoop, and it was too much.  They overflowed and I had trouble getting them out of the pan.

Bake for 18-24 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely.

To finish the frosting, beat the softened butter and shortening with a mixer until well-blended.

Add the vanilla and powder sugar, beating well.

Add the milk paste from the fridge and beat for 2 minutes.

Add the food coloring, if using.  Frost the cooled cupcakes.  Sprinkle with the remaining chopped pistachios.
Refrigerate any left-overs, if you have any.

Enjoy!

Pork Loin with Apples and Pistachios

We're having a snow emergency here in the Northeast, so it seemed liked the perfect day to try some new recipes.  I was digging around in my freezer looking for a beef roast when I came across  a pork loin fillet. Nothing goes better with pork than apples, and so this recipe was born.

Here's what you'll need:
2 1/2-3 pound pork loin fillet (you can also use a pork loin roast and fillet it open)
salt and pepper
1 apple, peeled and chopped (I used golden delicious because it's what I had.  I think Granny Smith would      be better.)
1/2 c dried cranberries
3 TBSP smoked blue cheese
1/4 c chopped pistachios

Heat oven to 325.

Combine apple, cranberries, blue cheese and pistachios in a bowl; set aside.

Place pork fillet on a piece of waxed paper or plastic warp.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.

Cover with another piece of plastic wrap, making sure it overhangs by several inches all around.  Use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the fillet to a uniform 1/2-inch  thickness.

Remove top piece of plastic; spread the apple mixture in an even layer over the pork.

Cut a section of butcher twine that's roughly 2 arm's lengths.

Carefully roll the pork into a log.  Place one end of the twine under the meat.  Pull the meat tight, and make a knot.

Continue wrapping and tying, making a knot every inch or so, until the roll is completely trussed.  Place the meat log in a baking dish.  Put any of the filling that fell out on top of the roll.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake, uncovered & without adding and liquid,  at 325 for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from the oven and tent with foil.  Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.  This will allow the juices to redistribute, making moister meat.

Using kitchen shears (or clean scissors) to cut through the butcher twine.  Make sure you remove it all.

Cut the meat into 1 1/2-inch thick slices for serving.

Enjoy!