Kentucky Derby Pie

Run for the Roses Pie This delicious pie recipe is courtesy of Brad and John Hennegan.
Ingredients Makes one 9-inch pie. 1/2 recipe Pate Brisee 2 large eggs 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey	Directions On a lightly floured work surface, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off the excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing it into the edges. Trim to a 1-inch overhang all around. Crimp edge as desired. Cover with plastic wrap; chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Line with parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges of the crust are just beginning to turn golden, about 25 minutes. Remove parchment and pie weights. Return crust to oven and continue baking until golden all over, about 5 minutes more. Transfer pie shell to a wire rack; let cool slightly. In a large bowl, mix together eggs and butter. Add sugar and flour; mix until well combined. Stir in pecans, chocolate chips, and bourbon. Pour into prepared pie shell. Transfer pie to oven and bake until filling is set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack; let cool before serving. First published May 2008

Copyright 2011 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved. I made this pie for the "Pie theme" night at Cathy & Rich's house last month. Didn't take any pictures.  But it was wonderful. I was very pleased that Erik, who is not a dessert fan, had a piece & took one home!  I'm not a real fan of traditional pecan pie, so I was a bit skeptical.  But it exceeded my expectations. I made bourbon whipped cream to serve on time, which was absolutely divine!

We had an Irish Themed Dinner at our house in honor of St. Patrick's Day & I made a traditional Irish Stew.  It turned out wonderfully & was pretty easy to  make. The hardest part was that I had to cube the lamb roast, but that was pretty straight forward. Even the kids liked it!

Irish Stew The ingredients for Irish Stew are layered in a heavy pot and slow-cooked in the oven, allowing the lamb and potatoes to tenderize and the flavors to deepen and meld. The best part is that you can walk away from the simmering pot and return two hours later to a mouthwatering meal.
Ingredients Serves 4 to 6. 3 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled 2 medium onions, (about 1 pound), halved lengthwise and cut into thin half-moons 2 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt Freshly ground pepper 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme 3 cups homemade lamb stock, or low -sodium store-bought chicken stock 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh curly- or flat-leaf parsley	Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 1 pound of the potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; spread them out in a large (5- to 6-quart) heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven. Layer half the onions on top of the potatoes. Place lamb cubes on top of onions. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; season with pepper. Add the thyme. Place remaining onions on top of lamb. Add the stock and 1 cup water. Place whole potatoes on top of onions. Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Cover with a tight-fitting lid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Transfer to oven; cook, without stirring, 2 hours. Sprinkle with parsley. First published

Copyright 2011 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

From Annie's Eats

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the Guinness chocolate cupcakes:
1 cup stout (Guinness)
16 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream 

For the Bailey's ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. Bailey's Irish cream 

For the Bailey's buttercream frosting:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
4-8 tbsp. Bailey's Irish cream 

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend.  Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine.  Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated.  Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate.  Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth.  If the chocolate is not completely melted, place the bowl over a double boiler or give it a very short burst in the microwave (15-20 seconds).  Add the butter and Bailey's and stir until combined.

Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped.  (You can use the refrigerator to speed the cooling process, but be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooling.)  Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake using the cone method (a small paring knife works best for this).  Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes.

To make the frosting, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated.  Mix in the Bailey's until smooth.  Add more if necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading.  Frost the cupcakes as desired. 


From Annie's Eats

These were the most complicated cupcakes that I have ever made!  But they were so worth it!

Pre-ganache filling

with ganache filling

the final product!