Flint Hill Public House

This weekend Dan and I went on a wine tour with friends from our VA Wine Mafia group. Since we were running a little late, we caught up with them for lunch at the Flint Hill Public House. If you are ever out in the Flint Hill/Washington/Sperryville area, this is a great place to have lunch!

Before we could even get up to the entrance, Dan and I were snapping pictures of us out on the grounds.

The restaurant had a nice clean, classic décor. I especially liked the chairs and booths, which were very comfortable and covered in a white, soft leather-like material.

Since we were on a wine tour, Dan and I started with the wine list, which contained dozens of local Virginia wines. Dan chose a Fox Meadow red, and I chose a Gadino Cellars rose. The food menu was equally enticing with a mixture of salads, sandwiches, and entrees. Because so many items sounded delicious, most of our party decided to try lunch combinations. The food did not disappoint, and we were quite full by the time our plates were emptied.

When the waitress came with the dessert menus, we changed our statements of “I’m too full” to “That looks too good not to try”. :) Dan and I shared the pumpkin crème brulee, which was delightfully creamy and delicious. Mmm…

We were a happy, full group as we left the Flint Hill Public House. I can say for a surety that Dan and I will be returning to the restaurant on our next journey to the area.

Coffee Beer and Hard Cider Cupcakes!

I began experimenting with cupcakes earlier this year, and I have been getting very enthusiastic responses from friends and family who have tried them. Because of this, I have decided to share my little secret with everyone! Some people might keep their secrets to themselves. However, I would rather share it with the world, so everyone can enjoy something delicious. :)

My secret ingredient is not a special homemade cake/cupcake mix. Seriously, I usually pick out a Pillsbury mix. It is not from-scratch frosting – though I have considered experimenting with this as well. My secret ingredient is alcohol!

Really, it is. Instead of putting the required amount of water into the cake mix, I substitute the water for some kind of beer or hard cider.

Now, an important thing to note about doing this is that not just any kind of beer or hard cider will work. Sometimes you have to experiment with a couple different kinds until you find one that turns that regular old cake mix into something extraordinary.

Winning Matches of Cake Mix/Beer:
Coffee-flavored beers (not just stouts. They HAVE to have a strong coffee flavor) work very well in Pillsbury Devil’s Food cake mix. With this mixture, I usually pair it with a white buttercream frosting.

Hard Cider works very well with Pillsbury Classic White cake mix. The flavor is very slight, so I have learned that adding about a tablespoon or so of cinnamon to the mixture enhances the flavor of the cupcake.

One of the hard ciders I have used
Why Beer or Hard Cider Make Such a Difference:
As much as I love nerdy things, I am not a scientist, so I cannot specifically say what causes the beer or hard cider to make the cupcake mix so much better. From an everyday person’s perspective, however, I have observed the following:

• That the carbonation makes the cupcakes much lighter, while still retaining moisture
• That the flavor (if it is a good match) hides the over-sweetness that many cake mixes have
• That the not-so-sweet flavor pairs nicely with the frosting, creating a treat that is not as sickly sweet.

So, there you have it – the secret to my success with cupcake making.

The only other thing that might help you make the cupcakes even better is getting a little creative with the decoration of the cupcake. For instance, look at the liners you are using for the cupcakes. Are they boring and drab, or are they bright and fun?

Also, don’t just slap the frosting on top! Smooth it on. Decorate it with sprinkles at least. If you are a little more creative, try making animal faces on them. Owl and Cat faces are soooo easy to make, and they look awesome!

Most importantly, have fun! If you mess up, don’t stress. Pillsbury cake mix is cheap, so you won’t break the bank by trying again or experimenting with new beers or ciders.

Happy Cupcake Baking!!

Ice Cream Sandwich Casserole – Another Easy Dessert!

With the crazy hot weather on the east coast this weekend, I remembered another one of my favorite, super-easy summer desserts. I do not know if this dessert has an official name, so I have named it the delicious Ice Cream Sandwich Casserole!

I have had great success with this dish. It only takes minutes to prepare, and everyone loves it. What’s really funny is to see your friends’ faces when they learn that it is made from ice cream sandwiches. :) They always think it is more complicated than that. lol

Here’s what you need:

• 13X9 casserole freezer-friendly casserole dish
• A box of ice cream sandwiches
• A container of Cool Whip
• A bottle of Hersey’s Chocolate Syrup

Here’s how to make it:

• In the bottom of the casserole dish, pour in a thin layer of chocolate syrup. I like to give it a zigzag effect, but that is up to you.
• On top of the chocolate syrup, place a layer of unwrapped (that should be obvious, but just in case) ice cream sandwiches. You may have to cut a few sandwiches in half to finish filling the dish.
• Cover the ice cream sandwiches with a nice layer of thawed Cool Whip.
• Finally, take the bottle of chocolate syrup and make a cool design on top of the Cool Whip. The design can be as fancy or as simple as you want. You can also add other small toppings, such as M&Ms, graham cracker crumbles, etc…

Let your delicious ice cream sandwich casserole sit in the freezer for 4-8 hours, so it gets nice and cold!

When you’re ready to serve, bring it out with a big serving spoon, because I guarantee you that everyone is going to want a nice big piece!

For more cold dessert ideas, see my earlier post.

Cool Semi-Healthy Summer Desserts

What to Avoid!
Now that it is finally warm outside (*crosses fingers*), I have begun to crave cooler desserts. While most of us love cold desserts like ice cream and/or popsicles, the brands you can find in the store are usually not healthy and filled with sugar. Luckily, my mom taught me some nice alternatives!

Homemade Jello:
JELL-O brand snacks usually contain a good bit of sugar and very little nutritional value. When I was a kid, my mom avoided JELL-O brand snacks by making homemade jello. Our homemade jello was made from fruit juices (whatever kind caught our fancy for the week) and Knox unflavored gelatin. Not only were we able to cut back on bad sugar, we got be creative with our juice choices and enjoy a fun activity!

Frozen fruit:
Some store bought popsicles are better for you than the Fireworks popsicles I loved getting on the 4th of July. However, if you are not able locate them or make your own popsicles, a nice alternative is munching on frozen fruit.

As a kid, my favorite fruit to freeze were grapes. They were automatically bite sized and were just plain fun to eat. I also enjoyed eating frozen peas – which most people find weird, but it was normal in my family. LOL Frozen fruit is delicious, and even if you do not eat it by itself, they can make many other delicious snacks, like smoothies.

Frozen Yogurt Pie:
This is one of my favorite recipes from my mom, and it is also one of the easiest to make! The resulting pie is light, creamy, and refreshing. It’s also easy to decorate it with fresh fruit and bring it to a party or cookout.

All you need are the following ingredients:

Filling

• 2 16oz containers of Cool Whip (get the low fat kind to save a few extra calories)
• 2 8oz yogurt containers (any flavor, or mix and match! My favorite is usually the Yoplait low-fat strawberry.)

Graham Cracker Crust

• One package of crushed graham crackers
• 2 tablespoons of sugar (you really do not have to add this)
• 1/3 cup of melted butter (you can use margin, but real butter is the best)

Mix the crust ingredients together thoroughly and form into the bottom of a pie pan. Mix the filling ingredients together and pour them into the pie crust, smoothing out the top. Put the pie in the freezer for about 8 hours and serve cold. This pie never disappoints, so be sure to try it out!

Hope you all enjoy the warm weather and sunshine!

Carytown Cupcakes

One of my favorite things to do in Richmond is walk around Carytown. Not only is it filled with tons of fun shops, you can always find something or someone of interest there. Nestled on a side street is an audacious little shop called Carytown Cupcakes.

This gourmet bakery makes some of the best cupcakes I have ever had, and I am not a big cupcake or cake enthusiast. I will not gush over how every cupcake is delicious, because there are a few that I do not like. However, their red velvet cupcake is truly to-die-for.

Here is a list of the other Carytown Cupcake flavors that I love:
- Hummingbird
- Carrot
- Dirt
- Apple
- Oreo
- Samoa
- Raspberry Champagne

If you live in, or are traveling through, Richmond, you simply must visit this shop. If you are on a tight budget, keep your eyes open on Living Social, because they post half-off coupons from time to time. Then you can bring home a box of goodies, like the ones below:


(left to right cupcake flavors: first row - dirt, hummingbird, and apple. second row - chocolate, smores, and carrot.)