Buffalo Bleu Cheese Cupcakes

IMG_2125Yea, you read that right.

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So, the Superbowl means parties to attend. And to be a good guest, I just HAD to bring cupcakes.

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But, who wants all that sweetness when you can have hot wings?!

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So, I got down to business, preheating the oven to 350 and staring blankly at the weird mix of ingredients in front of me.

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Few cupcakes start with “melt 1/4 cup butter with 1 cup buffalo sauce,” but mine do.

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Add 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese and stir until melted.

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When melted, turn off heat and mix in 1 cup brown sugar.

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Panic slightly.

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At this point, I wasn’t sure I was actually making cupcakes, but I soldiered on. Whisk 1 egg with 1/2 cup sour cream.

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Mix that into your buffalo mixture.

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FINALLY, cupcake like items. 2 cups flour and 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

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When they’re mixed, it’s super airy and strange. I still had my doubts.

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Scoop two tablespoons into each cupcake liner and pop them into the oven for 20 minutes.

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They look like cupcakes… Let them cool.

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The icing starts just as strangely as the cake, with 2 ounces of bleu cheese crumbles.

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So, we don’t own a hand mixer; Hopefully, you do. Mix the bleu cheese until it becomes smooth. Then, mix in 1/2 cup room temperature butter and continue to whip it. SLOWLY (learn from our mistakes) add in 2 cups of powdered sugar and keep mixing. Eventually, you’ll have icing.

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Pipe it onto the cupcakes and garnish them however you wish.

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These ended up being much tastier than I expected (and honestly, I didn’t know WHAT to expect). Perfect for a sports-centric get-together. I’ll update with the full report after the big game.

Recipe Time!

For the Cake:
1/2 cup hot suace
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

For the icing
2 ounces bleu cheese (crumbled)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.
Heat hot sauce and butter until melted, over medium heat.
Add the bleu cheese and mix until melted.
Remove from heat and mix in brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream and egg.
Mix the sour cream mixture into the buffalo mixture.
In a large bowl, mix flour and baking soda.
Fold in the buffalo mixture.
Fill cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes.

Start the icing by mixing bleu cheese on high until smooth.
Add the butter and mix until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
Slowly mix in powdered sugar until the consistency is correct.
When cupcakes are cooled, frost and garnish!

Buffalo + Chicken + Lasagna

buffalochickenlasagna

I’m not sure why that photo-equation was necessary, but it was.

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Chop 1/4 cup onions, while you wait for 2 tablespoons of butter to melt.

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and you might as well boil a BIG pot of water while you’re at it. You’re going to cook the lasagna  noodles in this once it’s boiling. 

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Sautee the onions, and add some garlic

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Cube an entire package of cream cheese. It sounds gross, but you’ll be thankful for it later.

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Now, melt the cream cheese into your butter/onion/garlic mix.

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Add 1 cup buffalo sauce (you can buy it in a jar at the grocery, no need to panic) and 1/2 cup of ranch dressing (or Bleu Cheese, if you’re feeling adventurous).

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Coat the bottom of a casserole dish with the buffalo mixture.

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Since I’m such a nice person, I constructed a meat-free mini-lasagna for Justin.

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Stir in 2 cups of shredded chicken. You can bake the chicken and shred it yourself of just take the easy way out and use canned chicken.

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Try to refrain from eating the entire thing with a spoon.

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Now, it’s time to start layering. Alternate noodles and buffalo chicken, then top with cheese.

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Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Eat it all.

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Melt butter in a large pan. Sautee onions and garlic.

Meanwhile, begin cooking lasagna noodles according to the package (Don’t use “no bake” noodles!)

Dice cream cheese and add to pan to melt. Stir in ranch dressing.

Coat dish with the sauce.

Add in chicken.

Layer noodles with buffalo chicken until it is used up or you run out of room. Top with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Viola!