Good food and Geeky games

I am kind of a geek, I have no problem admitting it. I read science fiction, I wait in long lines at midnight movie openings with teenage kids wearing Gryffindor robes and lightning bolts painted on their foreheads and I geek out over board games. Settlers of Catan is my main form of geekiness. It is a very strategic game that takes a couple of hours to play. I have heard it described as a cross between Risk and The Farming Game. The funny thing is, I am not very strategic so I rarely win but I always have a lot of fun.

Last night I mixed friends from different places, which is always kind of interesting, and we had a particularly fun game (even though I still didn't win). It got a little loud and competitive and on top of it we all were kind of riding on a sugar high due to an overabundance of cupcakes! I made yummy dinner and dessert so I will post the recipes for those who might want them.

Dinner was Chicken Alfredo Lasagna. It is sooooo creamy and rich. It is a great recipe and one I make a lot when I am expecting a crowd. You can either make one large pan or two small ones. It freezes really well too, so it can make two dinners, which is convenient. If you are looking for a "light and fit" option, however, keep looking because this is one of the most fattenings things you can eat! mmmm.....

 Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

1 (8 ounce) package lasagna noodles

3 cups heavy cream

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

5 mushrooms, diced

1 roasted chicken, shredded

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, and rinse with cold water.

In a saucepan over low heat, mix together heavy cream, cream of mushroom soup, Parmesan cheese, and butter. Simmer, stirring frequently, until well blended.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion in olive oil until tender, then add garlic and mushrooms. Mix in the chicken, and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Lightly coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with enough of the cream sauce mixture to coat. Layer with ⅓ of the lasagna noodles, ½ cup ricotta, ½ of the spinach, ½ the chicken mixture, and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with ½ the cream sauce mixture, and repeat the layers. Place the remaining noodles on top, and spread with remaining sauce. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until brown and bubbly. Top with the remaining mozzarella, and continue baking until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

I don't have a picture of the finished project because I was too busy with my company that I forgot!  But here is a Google Image one that shows what it should look like when all said and done.

For dessert I made Snickerdoodle Cupcakes. I am super into cupcakes lately because they are just so cute. I have tons of different flavors I want to try. The Snickerdoodle ones turned out pretty good. I made both mini cupcakes and regular sized ones. I think the bigger ones turned out a bit better. The small ones you have to watch carefully, I baked them for 10 minutes and they were a bit dry. They probably would have been great if a little moister but the big ones were perfect.  Cinnamony/sugary and definitely a keeper!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3/4 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon, mixed together for dipping cupcakes

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 stick of butter, softened

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 - 4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Make frosting:

In a medium bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time). Beat until smooth and creamy.

Pipe frosting on each cupcake. 

To finish, dip each frosted cupcake into a cinnamon/ sugar mixture. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

 Yummy!!!