E-A-G-L-E-S...EAGLES!!!!

The Eagles first regular season game was today, and Matt invited his dad and brother over to watch the game.  After searching through some magazines, cookbooks, and blogs, we came up with a menu that sounded delicious but simple.  I'm really enjoying trying out new recipes lately, but Matt also made a request for something I only made a week ago....Cream of Mango Soup.  I didn't snap a pic, but I'm sure you remember it from last week...

Next, Matt found a recipe for Parmesan Potato Skin Chips on Eatingwell.com.  He had me at Parmesan...These were really delicious.  Much lighter than traditional potato skins.

What is a football game without wings?  We decided to try to switch it up a little, and found a recipe for Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine.  Matt said that these were pretty good...I'll take his word for it.

We also wanted to make something as a "main" dish.  Flipping through my cookbooks, I found a recipe for Individual Chicken Potpies from my Newlyweds Cookbook (give to me by our friends, Maureen & Andy, for our engagement.  Funny enough, they had their second little girl today, Hadley Ann!)  The recipe suggests cutting out monograms for the potpies, but I found a cookie cutter in the shape of an Eagle...usually, I make the desserts themed, but today, even the main course was themed!  I was suprised at how easy this was to make.  The recipe actually yeilded six of these, but I froze two for a future dinner for Matt and I...

For dessert, I wanted to use up the Hazelnuts that I had bought the previous week for the Gooey Chocolate Hazelnut cupcakes.  Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook had a recipe for Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti.  My father is the king of biscotti making, and I've been nervous to try making my own because I knew they wouldn't be as good as his.   I figured this recipe might be the way to go since they are a different flavor than he usually makes.  As good as these were, they weren't my dad's....

Overall, the meal was delicious, and the Eagles won. 

Finally, I want to say thank you to all of those who serve and have served our country and protect us on a daily basis, epecially...

My brother, Jimmy

My sister-in-law, Abby

My brother-in-law, Louis

My cousin-in-law, Jon

My friend, Mike

Also, to all of the firemen who run in burning buildings when everyone else is running out, especially my father, Chief John McGrath.

We will never forget...9.11.01

Gooey Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes and Orange Cupcakes

This weekend, we went from having no plans at all to being booked!  We were invited to a BBQ at a friend's house, and I was asked to bring cupcakes.  I wanted to make something different but delicious.  I recieved two new cupcake cookbooks from my godmother for my birthday, and I thought I'd flip through them looking for something interesting. 

I have been craving freshly squeezed and zested citrus lately (if you couldn't tell from my previous post), and when I saw a recipe for Orange Cupcakes with Orange Blossom Buttercream Frosting, I knew I hit the jackpot. 

Yum!

For some reason the batter seemed to have exploded in the oven.  Not sure why they came out looking so funky.

I used my new Cricut Cutter to cut out little flowers and leaves.  So easy, and I think they came out adorable.  Can you see the little specs of orange zest in the frosting? 

The next recipe jumped off the page when I read the word hazelnut.  I have been craving Nutella lately! 

I wasn't sure where to find hazelnuts, but the very nice guy in Whole Foods helped me find them.  Gotta love the service there, even if the parking lot is ALWAYS a nightmare!

After making the simple batter, you add a dollop of Nutella in the center of the cupcake.

The icing was basically a hazelnut ganache.  So.Freaking.Delicious. I decorated them simply with some chopped hazelnuts. 

The center was very fudgy.  Yum.

I wanted to make a cute presentation for my friends, so I grabbed two Janie & Jack boxes.  They have adorable gift boxes that I try to swipe every time I'm in that store.

I wrapped the boxes with a simple ribbon and added one of my personalized seals.



Mike and Dave's daughter, Abby, enjoyed hers...well at least one bite before she was off to play!

Look at those curls!!

Thanks, Mike and Dave, for a wonderful afternoon!

p.s.  We are also heading up to see Matt's aunt, and Luke's godmother, tomorrow in Long Island, and we are taking the other half a batch.  Two birds...one stone :)