Instant Pot Potato Soup

Potato soup from start to finish in under an hour? It's totally possible. It took as long to peel and cut the potatoes as it did to cook. Do again? Absolutely. 

Instant Pot Potato Soup

Serves 8-10

4-5 lbs potatoes; peeled and cut into similar sized pieces

5-6 cups chicken broth

1 onion chopped or a couple tablespoons dried onion

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 c. sour cream

4 T. butter

2 cups shredded cheese

1 1/2-2 cups milk

1 pkg bacon cooked and crumbled

1. put potatoes, onion and enough chicken broth to just cover the potatoes in the instant pot. Cook on manual for 9-10 minutes (If you're using red potatoes do 8). When timer is done release pressure

2. mash potatoes in pot. I like it more chunky but if you would like it smooth that works too.

3. add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, cheese and mix. Add milk until soup is the consistency you prefer. 

4. Stir in bacon. You can reserve some for topping

*if you are cooking in the crock pot cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Lemon Pomegranate Cupcakes with Pomegranate Buttercream

Cupcake Palooza 2016 Day 7

One of my most requested cupcakes is Raspberry Lemon. I think that no matter what the weather is outside people like to have that little taste of summer. However, in the winter raspberries are hideously expensive and when you are doing 10 dozen cupcakes at a time that makes a hit on the wallet. Enter pomegranates. I love them, I remember eating them at recess in elementary school with my friends and taking turns picking out the seeds. It was a fun treat and always brings fun memories of my childhood. An added bonus is some enterprising soul decided to make pomegranate juice and sell it at every grocery store on the planet. Well thank you very much, that makes my frosting so much easier!

Things I learned.

1. Pomegranates aren't that hard to seed once you get the hang of it.
2. Pomegranate juice makes lovely purple stains on your apron...wear one.
3. Pomegranate syrup would be delicious on waffles
4. Lemon curd should be eaten with a spoon. Always. 
5. Your microwave has an automatic sensor that can suddenly decide that what you are doing on the stove is too hot and will turn on the fan all by itself. Who knew? I just thought the microwave was possessed.

Cupcakes
1 lemon cake mix
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 c. flour
2 1/2 c. lemon curd

1. Mix cake mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in mixer until combined. Mix on med-high speed for 2 minutes
2. Put 1/4 c. batter in cupcake liners
3. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes
4. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks
5. Core cupcakes and set aside
6. Fill with lemon curd and replace cupcake cores
7. Squish down to distribute the lemon curd.

Frosting
1 cup butter
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
2 lbs Powdered sugar
Pomegranate seeds

1. Make pomegranate syrup by boiling pomegranate juice until reduced by half. Let cool until at least room temperature. Longer if possible
2. Cream butter, vanilla and salt. 
3. Add powdered sugar and syrup. You can add additional pomegranate juice if the frosting is too thick.
4. Add a couple of drop of red food coloring to make the frosting more pink
5. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. 
6. Decorate with pomegranate seeds

Banana Caramel Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Cupcake Palooza 2016 day 6

Banana Caramel Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
24 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 white cake mix
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 c. flour
1 cup mashed banana
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Mix cake mix, milk, bananas, oil, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla in mixer until combined. Mix on med-high speed for 2 minutes
2. Put 1/4 c. batter in cupcake liners
3. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes
4. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks

Frosting
1 cup room temp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 T milk
3/4 c. caramel ice cream topping (I like Mrs. Richardson's)
2 lbs approximately powdered sugar

1. Cream butter, vanilla and salt together. 
2. Add most of the caramel topping and beat again
3. Slowly alternate adding powdered sugar and milk until everything is mixed in. Beat on high speed 2 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
4. Pipe onto cupcakes.
5. Drizzle remaining caramel over frosted cupcakes. You can also add a caramel to the top if desired. 

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream

Cupcake Palooza day 5

Right about now I'm asking myself how the heck I got roped into doing this. Surely there is an easier way to win friends and influence people....and this frosting kind of reminds me of those buttercream mints you get at wedding receptions. Just for the record...

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream
24 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 Devils Food Cake Mix
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 bag Andes mint chips
1 tsp mint extract

1. Mix cake mix, milk, oil, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and mint extract in mixer until combined. Mix on med-high speed for 2 minutes
2. Fold in Andes mint chips
3. Put 1/4 c. batter in cupcake liners
4. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes
5. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks

Frosting
1 cup room temp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1-2 tsp mint extract
1/2 tsp salt
6 T. milk
2 lbs approximately powdered sugar

1. Cream butter, vanilla and salt together. 
2. Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk until the frosting is the desired consistency. 
3. Add mint extract until the frosting is as "minty" as you want. Mine was pretty minty.
4. Add a couple of drops of green food coloring if you want green frosting. It's totally not necessary if you choose to cut it out.
5. Pipe onto cupcakes.
6. Decorate with leftover Andes mint chips, a full Andes mint or chocolate sprinkles