Arugula Pesto with Grilled Sausage

Pesto is awesome anyway you look at it, on pasta, on meat, on veggies, as a dip, you just can't go wrong.  Usually made with basil and pine nuts, this recipe is a little different.  Arugula, a peppery leafy green, replaces the basil for a tangy flavor.  No nuts in this one, lightening it up just a bit. 

I was surprised when the recipe suggested putting the pesto over grilled Italian sausage, but ended thinking it's the only way to go now! 

This easy, light main dish is great for a casual summer meal or a delicious appetizer when you have friends over.

Pesto:
1 large bunch arugula, washed and trimmed
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Toss arugula and garlic into a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.  Scrape down sides to get it all chopped up.

2. Add cheese, salt, pepper and start food processor. Slowly drizzle olive oil in a steady stream until all is incorporated.  Puree until smooth.

Sausage:
1 lb each of mild and hot Italian sausages

1. Grill the sausages until cooked through with a nice browning on the outside
2. Cut into 1 inch wide slices and place

Winter option: Bake sausages until almost cooked, slice and brown in a non-stick pan!

Serve hot sausages with pesto.  Toss together a salad and you've got a yummy meal!

Little Devil's Food Cakes - Impressive Cupcakes

Need to show off your baking skills? Try out these easy and great looking cupcakes!  They'll make people tell you that you should open a cupcake place...

Cupcakes
1 C all purpose flour
6 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 tblsp butter (1 whole stick) softened
1 C sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Beat butter in an electric mixer until smooth, slowly add sugar and beat until creamy.
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each one.  Add the yolk. Scrape bowl.
5. Slowly add 1 Cup of flour mix to the butter-egg mixture, alternating with a drizzle of boiling water until all the flour and water is gone.  Make sure it's well blended.
6.  Fill cupcake pans 2/3 of the way full, otherwise they'll over flow and burn on your pan.
7.  Bake for 20 minutes until spongey, don't be tempted to bake them longer, they'll dry out. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.


Ganache Frosting
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 C heavy cream

1. Pour chocolate into a heatproof bowl.
2. Heat cream in a sauce pan until hot.
3. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit 4-5 minutes.
4. Whisk together chocolate and cream until dark, shiny and liquidy, similar to hand lotion in consistency.
5. Dip cooled cupcakes upside down in the frosting, let excess drip off into bowl. 
6. Top with sprinkles, berries, chocolate covered espresso beans, whatever, just do it before the frosting cools off.

*Hint: If you dip straight up and down, you won't get weird drips.

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network Kitchens