Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Buttercream

I'm super sad that I'm not home today. This is my first St. Patrick's day away from home. This is growing up I guess. We always do a big, traditional Irish dinner: corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, green beer, shamrock cookies. I wasn't tempted to do the whole feast for myself... but I knew I had to celebrate somehow. Enter cupcake! ...ok I MIGHT have had a shot of Jameson last night. Shame on me. These turned out delicious and I feel like they are the perfect Irish cupcake culmination, definitely celebratory. I'm working tonight, hence my early holiday celebration last night... but I'm taking them into work. Hopefully they will be well received. I miss you Dad! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Buttercream via the Culinary Chronicles:

http://theculinarychronicles.com/2011/03/09/chocolate-stout-cupcakes-with-irish-cream-buttercream-slainte/

Oven Beer Can Chicken

I've been doing this diet recently that requires me to consume a ridiculous amount of protein, so I've been forced to scope out some new creative means of consuming protein products over, and over, and over again. Beer can chicken = winner! Normally this is done on a grill, which I don't have, and won't use... because grilling is a man's job, and I don't enjoy my evenly shaped eyebrows being in such close proximity to open flames. This however, is an oven variety, which works quite nicely, contained heat. I used a tall can of High Life for the beer, I really don't think it matters what kind. This recipe is nice too because it gives you the cooking times for various different sized chickens. Make sure you use your meat thermometer!

Oven Beer Can Chicken via e-rcps:

http://www.e-rcps.com/pasta/main/fowl/chick_brcan_ovn.shtml