Final exams. Holiday parties.  End-of-semester ragers. Shopping, shopping, and more shopping. That last chance to hook up with the dude from Middle Eastern History, or your eagerly awaited reunion with your hometown honey.  You get the picture: this time of year, there’s a lot on your plate. So if you’re looking for something to fill up your plate (literally), may I be the first to suggest: clementines! Not only are they portable, affordable, and in-season, they’re powerhouses of Vitamin C—quite necessary to combat your surely-tired immune system from supporting your hectic schedule.

Easy Meals:

1. They’re the poor-man’s Mandarin oranges. Peel apart the baby slices and toss in your salad (I like them with feta cheese, peppers, craisins, and walnuts, with a little oil and vinegar for kick).
2. Two clementines a day give you 120% of your daily Vitamin C. Feeling a little sniffly? Toss ‘em in your bag on your way to class to nibble on during your lecture. (You’ll be glad you didn’t skip!)
3. Peel apart the slices of three clementines and toss in a blender with some vanilla frozen yogurt and dash of cocoa powder for a light, refreshing smoothie

The Recipe:

Want to get fancy? If you’re preparing for a holiday shindig, you’ll be sure to impress with this torte from Joy of Baking, which will stand out among the heaps of gingerbread men and chocolates. (Bonus! It’s gluten-free!)

Ingredients

1 pound seedless clementines (4 to 6 depending on size)
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups almond meal or ground almonds

Instructions

Place the whole clementines (with skin) in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then simmer the clementines for about two hours. Drain and let the oranges cool completely. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Butter and line a 9 inch (23 cm) pan (springform, preferably) with parchment paper. Set aside.

Once the clementines are completely cooled, slice in half. Place the clementine halves (skins and all) in your blender, along with the eggs, and process until thoroughly blended. Add the vanilla extract and process until incorporated. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar, baking powder, salt and ground almonds. Add the orange mixture to the almond mixture and whisk or stir to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (cover the cake with foil about halfway through baking to prevent over browning). Remove from oven and let cool. Once it has done so completely, remove the sides of the springform pan.

This cake is best after it has been allowed to sit for a few days. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or garnish with almond slices.

The problem with veggie burgers is that they either a) don’t taste anything like burgers or b) are packed with a lot of preservative filler (meaning you get less nutrition at an already sub-par taste).  Neither of those conditions are the case with this week’s Intro to Cooking recipe, which will crush any other bun-filler contender. Ladies, I present to you the economical,(g)astronomical, pinto-bean veggie burger!

This Week’s Ingredient: Pinto Beans
Most beans are excellent sources of fiber and protein, and the same is true for pinto beans. The speckled legumes,which also deliver daily doses of folate and iron, are the ideal choice for these burgers because of their rich, moist texture.

The Recipe
If you don’t happen to follow the mouth-watering blog Kath Eats Real Food, I highly suggest an addition to your bookmarks menu. Today’s do-it-yourself veggie burger is just one of her well-photographed and scrumptious offerings.

The Ingredients

1 cup pinto beans
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp red curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Monterey Jack Cheese, sliced

Instructions

1) In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except cheese) together until they form an even-textured paste.
2) Break paste apart into three equal servings and form into patties with your hands.
3) Heat a greased skillet on high heat and place the patties in one at a time (unless you can fit them all simultaneously). Let sit for 3 minutes, then flip.
4) Placed sliced cheese on top of patty as the other side cooks. Serve on a toasted bun with ketchup!

So it’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and somehow you’re still noshing on leftovers (straight out of the fridge…late at night). The only question more prevalent right now than “what do you want for Christmas?” is “what am I gonna do with all this damn turkey?” Fortunately, CollegeCandy has your answer (don’t we always?) And that answer is: turkey soup!

The ingredient: Chicken Stock

There are two benefits to this soup, the first being that (more than likely), soup wasn’t one of the four billion side dishes you consumed last week, so it’ll be a change of pace for your taste buds. The second benefit is that the chicken stock used for the recipe is an immune booster that aids digestion and improves mineral absorption, all of which will be key to staying healthy for the end of the semester and that dreaded finals crunch.

The Recipe: modified from the Whatchagot Soup courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens (now college-student approved!)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces turkey leftovers
3 cups cut-up vegetables (such as chopped zucchini, small broccoli or cauliflower florets, chopped celery, chopped onion, chopped carrots, chopped potatoes, corn, peas, and/or chopped, seeded tomatoes. Basically, what you got lying around/like)
1 32-ounce carton chicken broth
1/2 of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) tomato paste
1 1-ounce envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (such as Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, or rosemary), crushed; or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or dried thyme, crushed
1 cup cooked rice
Salt
Ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a 4- or 5-quart pot heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add meat; cook and stir until meat is browned and cooked through. If necessary, drain off and discard fat. Remove meat from saucepan; set aside.

2. In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Return meat to pot.

3. Stir broth, tomato paste, onion soup mix, and herb into mixture in pot. Bring to boiling over high heat; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 (1-1/2 cup) servings.

Thanksgiving is a tricky holiday for college students. If you’re within commuting distance of home, you probably can’t wait to burst through your front door to wafting aromas of a decadent home-cooked meal. But if you’re one of the many students who opted to go to school out of state or far from Mom & Pops, you might find yourself stranded in College Town USA, especially if plane tickets home are too expensive to rationalize a short round-trip for Turkey Day when winter break is just around the corner. So don’t despair if you’re holding down the fort in your dorm with other grounded co-eds, here are some foolproof recipes that taste like home.

Cranberry Sauce (from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients: 1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, 1 cup water

Instructions: In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, lemon zest, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook until cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool to room temperature.

Lean, Green, Vegetarian Casserole Machine (from the Operation Beautiful side project Healthy Tipping Point)

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion
3 cups green beans
2 tablespoons garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package sliced portobello mushrooms
1 can large butter beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup soy milk
Pepper and salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare green beans by rinsing, trimming, and chopping into bite-sized pieces.  Place beans in pot of water and bring to boil for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile thinly slice 1/2 red onion.   Combine sliced onions, garlic, and olive oil in a hot wok and cook until browned.
4. Rinse mushrooms and combine mushrooms with onion mix in a large bowl.  Set aside.
5. Rinse and drain a can of large butter beans.  Use your hands to mash the beans thoroughly to create a paste.
6. Combine beans, soy milk, pepper, and salt with the onions and mushrooms.  Mix thoroughly.
7. Once green beans have boiled to the point of softness, drain and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
8. Grease a casserole dish and pour the mix in.
9. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
10. Remove and serve.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes (from All Recipes)

Ingredients: 2 lbs sweet potatoes (peeled & cubed), 2 tbsps. orange juice, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 2 tbsp. butter, 1 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large saucepan cook sweet potatoes in salted water over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and add orange juice, brown sugar, nutmeg and butter. Whip until smooth. Spread into a medium size casserole dish and top with marshmallows.
3. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until marshmallows are golden brown.

Beginner’s Fool-proof Turkey Tips (with more tips from How to Cook For Beginners)
I promise, it’s not that hard!

1. Defrost the turkey in the refrigerator. Make sure you start out 3-5 days in advance as it will take that long.

2. 24 hours before baking, remove the turkey from the package, discard the innards, towel off the turkey and dry it. Then leave it in the refrigerator so that the skin can get even dryer. Removing the moisture will allow the turkey to get a very even crust and golden color.

3. BUY A MEAT THERMOMETER! The little thing in the turkey that pops out is a piece of crap. When using the thermometer that you buy, make sure it is calibrated, and insert it in to the fleshy part of the turkey leg or breast, away from bone. 

4. When you are about to roast the turkey, slide pieces of butter underneath the breast skin, and rub butter or your favorite oil all over the skin and liberally season the cavity and skin with salt and fresh cracked pepper. This will make things nice and brown when roasted. Throw a few carrot pieces, celery, onions, bayleaf, and parsley stems into the cavity when roasting, it will help add flavor.

5. When roasting, start with a very high temp, I like 450. I will roast it for 30 minutes at that temperature, then drop it to 350 for the duration of roasting. The high temp helps get the turkey nice and golden. Check the meat thermometer. A done turkey will measure at 165 degrees.

6. Take that bad boy out, get a boy with a love of electric tools to carve it up and serve!

So, the new Harry Potter movie comes out this Friday, and if it’s as good as the trailer makes it seem, I may or may not be catching a midnight showing. (If any of you ladies go to Brown and are donning your wizard robes with Emma Watson, I am totes jealous. Major girl crush here.) And if that’s not enough to get you in a Harry Potter frenzy, the International Quidditch Association’s Quidditch World Cup is taking place right now in New York City.

If you’re planning on recreating some of the magic of either of these grand events at home, I’ve found some mouth-watering recreations of famous Potter treats. Cauldron cakes, butterbeer, licorice wands…all simple to make, and perfect for a dorm party!

Cauldron Cakes

Ingredients: Devil’s food cake baking mix, black licorice

Instructions: Bake devil’s food cake according to box instructions in a cupcake tin. Once the cupcakes have cooled significantly, pop the tops off the cakes, set those aside, and turn over the bottoms. Break apart licorice string and insert into the bottoms of the cakes so it makes a curved handle, forming a cauldron.

Cockroach clusters

Ingredients: 3 bars solid dark chocolate, crispy chow mein noodles, devil’s food cake tops

Instructions: Melt the chocolate in a stovetop pan on low. Mix in the chow mein noodles and let cool until semi-solid but malleable enough to be handled with a spoon. Scoop out spoonfulls of the chocolate and noodles and spread over the extra devil’s food cake pieces and place on wax paper in the refrigerator, letting it cool until solid.

Licorice Wands

Ingredients: Black licorice, 2 bars solid white chocolate.

Instructions: Melt the white chocolate in a stovetop pan on low. Spread over the ends of the licorice to form a handle, and let cool on wax paper in the refrigerator until solid.

Butterbeer

Ingredients: 1 cup Butterscotch schnapps, 7 cups cream soda (a 2-liter bottle is all you need to purchase)

Instructions: Pour the schnapps into the soda just before serving, gently, so as to preserve the “head” of the beer.

….and if you’re ready for something TRULY divine, and a little more fancy, you HAVE to check out these Butterbeer Cupcakes by AmyBites. Check out her website for step-by-step photos to guide you along the process, but this is the recipe:

For the cupcakes:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda

For the ganache:
1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream

For the buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup butterscotch ganache
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar
Splash of milk or cream (as needed)

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream your butter until light and fluffy. Add your sugars and beat until well-combined. Beat in your eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then beat in your vanilla and butter flavoring.

Alternate adding your buttermilk, cream soda, and dry ingredients in batches until all are well incorporated. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks.

For butterscotch filling: In a double boiler (heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove), combine butterscotch chips and heavy cream and stir until completely combined and smooth. Cool to room temperature. Fill a squeeze bottle with ganache and insert into the center of each cupcake, squeezing until filling begins to overflow.

For buttercream frosting: Cream butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt and mix until well combined. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until reaching desired consistency. Add milk or cream by the Tablespoon as needed. Frost cupcakes and top with a drizzle of butterscotch ganache.

There you have it. Harry Potter heaven.

However, tomorrow morning, reality will set in. It breaks my heart, but you will discover you are not actually Lady Gaga, and you do have a term paper due on Friday. And you probably will have a hangover. I don’t think I can help you with the first two crises, but I do have a comprehensive guide to putting that hangover to bed.

Do your morning-after woes make you curse the day you were born? Never fear, there’s a recipe for that, and it’s simple enough not to compound that throbbing headache. Whip up these recipes tonight before going out. Your aching body will thank you tomorrow.

Got a searing headache?
You’re probably dehydrated. All those shots and Four Lokos have a diuretic effect on the body, meaning you lose water. So think like an athlete and grab some electrolyte-replenishing sports drinks to clear up that fog!

The remedy: Buy a bottle of Gatorade and pour it into an ice cube tray. You can place popsicle sticks in the cubes for a treat in the morning (especially nice just to suck on if you’re feeling nauseous too), or use the cubes to make a slushie. Pour them into a blender with some fresh fruit (I like pineapple), and churn away!

Got an upset stomach?
All that drinking can make your digestive system go bananas–which is why you should have some! They’re a binding food that represses stomach acid.

The remedy: Who says you can’t have pudding for breakfast? With this healthy, vegan-friendly recipe you’ll forget your stomach troubles.

Ingredients:

1 banana, broken into chunks
1 (12 ounce) package soft silken tofu
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons soy milk
1 pinch ground cinnamon

Instructions: Blend all ingredients together until smooth, then refrigerate before serving.

Body aches galore?
It feels like you just went for a marathon tune-up at the gym, but the only weights you were carrying were twin 40s, you’re not alone. The combined effects of dehydration and very little sleep can leave your muscles feeling lethargic and sore. Get your strength back with a little protein and cysteine, a non-essential amino acid that some say counter-acts the byproducts of metabolized alcohol in the body. Get a healthy dose of both with some eggs!

The remedy: Even most college freshmen can make this recipe without access to a kitchen, if you have a hot-water boiler and a toaster in a common room. Perfect for those hangovers where you can’t even make it out of your dorm to the dining hall, make some poached eggs on toast for an alternative to the hum-drum fake-egg omelets in the caf.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• Dash of pepper
• Salsa
• Bread
• Hummus (optional)

Instructions:

Fill the hot water boiler about two thirds of the way and let it boil. Once it’s hot enough, turn the heat down so it’s no longer a “rolling boil” (i.e. bubbling madly). In a separate bowl, crack open the two eggs. Gently pour the contents of the bowl into the boiling water, being careful not to splash (try to gingerly slide the eggs in). Let the eggs cook about 5 minutes until they become solid and can be easily removed with a spoon. Serve on warm toast (prepared on the toaster) with salsa for dipping and garnish with a bit of pepper.  Get creative if you like and spread hummus on the toast for more protein.

You’re probably acquainted with the certain level of poverty that comes with being a student—let’s face it, as collegians, we’re not exactly whipping up filet mignon each night. The rice and beans diet is a rite of passage among us (which, I might add, I actually enjoy a lot).

And you might also be familiar with the it’s-fall-and-its-not-actually-very-cold-but-my-landlord-hasn’t-turned-on-my-heat-yet-so-it-seems-FREEZING charade, too. Which is why I found myself craving something rich and hearty this week, something low-cost but high-comfort. Since I’m also too cheap to buy a Snuggie (hi, Ma! My birthday is just around the corner!), chili is the only thing I can count on to warm me up from the inside out.

This week’s ingredient: Beef!

Cardiologists and calorie-counting health writers alike may seem to put the taboo on red meat, but when eaten in moderation it has enormous health benefits. Women especially need to be conscious of getting enough iron, which is plentiful in beef, and naturally you’ll be getting a protein punch with each serving (rule of thumb: no bigger than your fist). Look for lean beef—I like 97%–to make sure you’re getting more nutrients than fat.

Also, if you’re uneasy about cooking red meat, ground beef is a great way to start. The fat content in even the leanest cuts provides sufficient grease to avoid sticking to the pan when sautéed. So just plop it in the skillet, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until browned all the way through.

The Recipe: Five-Alarm Chili
I adapedt a recipe from my mother that is similar to this one found online.

Ingredients

3 lbs. ground beef
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon oregano
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 red peppers, chopped
2 sliced jalapeno peppers
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 heaping teaspoons flour (or corn starch)
Shredded cheddar cheese to taste

Instructions

1. Per directions above, brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain off the fat. It helps to break apart the beef with your hands before cooking (then wash those paws), and stirring with a wooden spoon.

2. In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients except the cheese, and bring to a simmer over low heat.

3. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours, or alternatively use a crock-pot for 4-6. Serve and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese.

P.S. For all you veggies out there, we’ve got a version for you too!

See what else Sara got on the burner (or in the oven/micro).

It may have been the vegetable non grata at your childhood dinner table, but now that you’re a super-chic college chick there’s no reason to balk at broccoli. Of all the greens with which to fill your plate, broccoli has a unique varied texture that soaks up yummy sauces, and is robust and filling, too. Now is the peak season for the veggie, so it’s a great time to stock up on its calcium and folate.

Snack Ideas:

• Awesome as a crispy, fresh vehicle for hummus spread or paired with Laughing Cow cheese.
• Steam in boiling water and serve drizzled with Thai peanut sauce (available in the ethnic foods section of your grocery store)
• Chop and scramble with eggs and ham for an omelet twist.

The Recipe: Sesame Broccoli Salad

By now, you’re probably tired of the caf salad bar and its endless iceberg lettuce. Whip up this salad at home and it will serve you for a week. Sometimes I add chunks of steamed chicken for a protein boost and to make it a complete meal. Crunchy, sweet, and savory!

Ingredients

• 2 heads broccoli, chopped (use the stalks too)
• 1 cup lightly packed cilanto, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

For sesame dressing:

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

Instructions

1. Toss dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then drizzle over the salad, mixing as you go. Set in a refrigerator for 30 minutes so flavors can absorb, and serve cold.

If you’re enjoying a three-day weekend right now, you have your favorite Italian to thank for that. No, not The Situation – Cristoforo Colombo! (Ok. It’s not St. Patrick’s Day or Cinco de Mayo, but for us real-life Italian Stallions, Columbus Day is as legit of a holiday as we’re going to get). So, besides an extra night of shots at the bar, why not celebrate with an easy twist on an Italian favorite–sausage and peppers!

The Ingredient: Sweet Peppers

These are one of the most versatile vegetables in any pantry. Sliced, they make a great pair with carrot sticks to dip in hummus or ranch for a snack. They’re spectacular when grilled with a lick of butter or olive oil and slapped on a sandwich. And toss ‘em in any stir fry or omelet for extra crunch. What makes the pepper so nutritious? With more than a full day’s worth of vitamins A and C, they’re poppin’ with free-radical fighting antioxidants.

The Recipe: Stuffed Peppers with Sausage

These stuffed peppers are loaded with flavor and will keep well in the fridge for a few days.

Ingredients

1  pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
4 pats of butter
4 small to medium-size red bell peppers, tops removed and seeded

Instructions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Mix first 8 ingredients in large bowl until well blended. Fill pepper with sausage mixture, dividing equally and mounding slightly.

2. Liberally rub the outside of each pepper with butter.

3. Sit each pepper on a piece of aluminum foil and push the sides in around the pepper, forming a base to keep the pepper upright and steady.

4. Place the peppers on a greased baking sheet. Cook until tops are browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the filling registers 165°F, about 1/2 an hour. Transfer peppers to platter, allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then sit yourself down for a family dinner, Jersey Shore style.

Or, you know, enjoy ‘em.

Though we’ve certainly celebrated our fair share of cupcake recipes here on Intro to Cooking, I hope the foodies out there can forgive me for serving up another cupcake creation. Hell, you should, because these babies combine the two most important culinary elements of college in one mind-blowing, gut-busting dessert:

BEER. CUPCAKES.

Did I know you could make cupcakes from beer? Would I have without-a-doubt gained the Freshman 500 had I known about this back then? I mean, is the freakin’ pope Catholic?

To be fair, the baking process will dilute the alcohol, so you won’t be able to get drunk off of these babies, but there are many health benefits to beer so these are basically like eating a vegetable.

Please consult the following recipe by Big City Little Kitchen, who recommends adding more Guinness to the icing for an extra kick, for the ultimate collegiate culinary bliss.

Ingredients

1 cup Guinness
1 stick, plus 1 tb, unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
8 oz cream cheese
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine the Guinness and the butter, chopped into 1-inch chunks, in a large sauce pan, and heat to melt the butter. Remove from heat, and whisk in the cocoa and sugar.

3. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs and vanilla, then add to the beer mixture. Then mix in the flour and baking soda.

4. Place cupcake liners into a cupcake tray and pour mixture into molds. Bake for 25 minutes, or until inserted cake tester comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from tray, and let cool.

5. Using a mixer, whip cream cheese until smooth, sift in sugar, and beat. Add milk, and beat until smooth. Spread glaze over cooled cupcakes.

6. Indulge. Then indulge in another one. With a nice, cold Guinness. Then maybe share the rest.