Happy Valentine’s Day NSU Sharks. Today is the day of “love.” Today is also an excuse to whip out your cooking skills and make a few delicious desserts and drinks. Here are a few ideas:
Red Velvet Cupcakes (courtesy of www.annies-eats.com)
Yield: 24 servings
2 ½ cups cake flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth.
Divide the batter evenly into the liners and bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool for about 5-10 minutes. Then, take them out of the pan to let them cool completely and frost them.
Southern Pink Flamingo (www.drinksmixer.com)
Yield: 6 servings
3 oz. Southern Comfort peach liqueur
3 oz. Malibu coconut rum
6 splashes of pineapple juice
6 dashes of grenadine syrup
6 dashes of lemon juice
Mix ingredients in a shaker half filled with ice. Strain into a glass.
Strawberry Shortcake (courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com)
Yield: 6 servings
1 ½ pounds strawberries, stemmed and quartered
5 tbsp. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp. sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Whipped cream
Mix strawberries with 3 tablespoons of sugar and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Next, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Then, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 tbsp. sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Place the mixture in an ungreased 8 in. square pan and bake until golden — about 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove the shortcake from pan and place on a rock to cool slightly. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally. Spoon some of the strawberries onto each shortcake bottom and top with as much whip cream as you want. Put the shortcake top back on and serve with more strawberries and whip cream.
Bubbly Pink Valentine Potion (courtesy of eisforexplore.blogspot.com)
Yield: 4-6 servings
1 12-ounce can of pink lemonade concentrate
4 c. raspberry sherbet
1 12-ounce can of Sprite
In a pitcher, mix the lemonade concentrate with the recommended amount of water. In a blender, combine the sherbet with 4 cups of the lemonade mixture and mix until combined. Pour into individual glasses. Add the soda and stir gently. Mix ingredients together and enjoy.
Whether this Valentine’s Day has you baking a dessert, mixing a drink or buying goodies from Publix, I hope you enjoy some delicious desserts today.
