Tag: easy recipes

Bite-Sized Vasilopita (Vasilopita Mini-Cupcakes)

It is almost New Year’s Eve!! Like many, I am looking forward to 2021 and what it may bring (and more importantly, the end of 2020). One Greek tradition on New Year’s Day is a Vasilopita.

Vasilopita is associated with the legend of Saint Basil and the Vasilopita is a New Year’s Day bread or cake where a coin is hidden inside. It is believed that whoever receives the piece with the coin inside will be blessed with good fortune for that year. Considering how 2020 has went, I am sure we are all hoping to receive the piece with that coin.

I have seen a few takes on the traditional Vasilopita and was inspired by 54thirty’s recent Instagram post where they made Vasilopita cookies. Here is my modern take on the traditional recipe.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature

1 1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

4 cups flour

2 tablespoons baking soda

powdered sugar (to sprinkle on top after cooking)

almonds (optional)

Other:

coin & aluminum foil

mini-cupcake liners & cupcake tray

Instructions:

Wash and dry your coin and cover in a small piece of aluminum foil. You will need this to add into one of the mini-cupcakes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place cupcake liners in your tray to prepare.

In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy smooth consistency.

Add the vanilla extract, orange juice and orange zest. Beat all together until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat your eggs and then add them into the large bowl of wet mixture/batter. Beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, add your flour and baking powder together. Slowly add this into the wet mixture/batter. You will only want to beat until it is mixed together.

Pour your batter into the mini-cupcake liners. You will only fill them about 1/2 to 3/4 full. This is when you will add the coin to one of the cupcakes. Optional: If you would like, top each cupcake with an almond.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until you can poke them with a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Allow them to cool and then sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Frozen Margaritas

It’s National Cocktail Day!

Although it’s still pretty chilly (38* F) in Connecticut, I want to share my easy to make Frozen Margaritas. They are so simple, great to make ahead for a large party and sure are a crowd-pleaser.

We discovered this idea years ago at my college graduation party when we wanted to serve margaritas, but realized that they were not ideal for a large crowd since we only owned one blender, and it would require the host to make several pitchers (and sit inside missing out on all the fun). The solution was to make the Margaritas ahead of time and freeze them until the party!

You can make these Margaritas several days before your get- together. Just fill up a glass mason jar halfway with the Margaritas, freeze and serve! The mason jars serve as glasses and you can leave the lids on and display them in a galvanized bucket or tub. Just have your guests add seltzer water, a slice of fresh lime and a straw!

What you will need:

  • A blender
  • Triple Sec
  • Tequila
  • Frozen Limeade (concentrate)
  • Ice
  • Pitcher, glasses or mason jars to serve in
  • Seltzer water (unflavored)
  • Straws
  • Fresh limes (for garnish)

Empty the limeade concentrate into your blender. I prefer the Minute Maid Limeade, but any brand will do. You will use the empty container as a measuring cup for your alcoholic ingredients. Add one container full of tequila and 1/2 container full of triple sec to the blender. Fill to the top with ice and blend until smooth.

Pour HALF serving into a glass (mason jar, or pitcher) and MAKE SURE to add seltzer water into them (otherwise these Margaritas will knock you on your behind- they will be STRONG).

I love serving them in mason jars with paper straws and a slice of lime. They freeze well to make in advance for parties and get-togethers (summer parties anyone?)

Blender Salsa

Today is National Chip and Dip day! The first thing that comes to my mind is salsa! My favorite salsa is smooth, has a little kick to it, and best of all is quick and easy to make, right at home!

I love making this salsa for any gathering, or just to have at home to snack on some chips with. This salsa is so easy to make, and it can be made the night before a party and stored overnight. I love storing mine in a large mason jar. This salsa is my favorite because it is so smooth that all the flavors blend together. It’s great with chips, or to add to your favorite tacos!

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium red onion
  • Juice from 2 limes
  • 2 jalapeños (optional: a roasted habanero)
  • 2 handfuls of cilantro (to taste/preference)
  • 1 large can (28 oz) of whole peeled tomatoes
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin spice
  • Up to 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar (sounds weird, but believe me, it makes a difference in taste)

I literally do no prep work to make this salsa. Once everything is peeled, cleaned, or measured out, I pour it all right into the blender/food processor. It’s as easy as 1-2-3 processing it until everything is finely chopped and looks smooth.

I would recommend chilling the salsa overnight so that all the flavors have a chance to blend together and serving the next day!