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Recipes, Television

Boyle’s Meatball Subs from Brooklyn 99

I have a few shows I re-watch whenever I need a pick-me-up, and Brooklyn 99 has started to become one of those. And while I’m an Amy all the way, I often feel for Boyle and his ridiculous food obsession. In the episode “The Negotiation” Boyle decides to open a food truck called “The One Thing”, where he will create and sell only one thing and do it perfectly. He decides to use Nana Boyle’s meatball sub recipe. I decided to emulate it using a classic meatball and sauce recipe, but add a few details (like fennel and fresh mozzarella) that I think Boyle would approve of.

Just be careful when you cut the bread. You don’t want it to slope.


Boyle's Meatball Subs from Brooklyn 99
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • SAUCE
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup red wine
  • ¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbs fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • A pinch of red pepper flakes
  • MEATBALLS
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • ¾ cups bread crumbs
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbs fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp ground fennel
  • A pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • SANDWICH
  • 8 hoagie rolls
  • 8 oz Fresh mozzarella
  • 8 leaves of Fresh basil
Instructions
  1. SAUCE:
  2. Place olive oil in a large pot on medium-high heat and add onions. Saute until the onions are transparent, and then add the minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add tomato paste, 6 oz of water, crushed tomatoes, wine, cheese, sugar, and seasonings. Let simmer.
  4. MEATBALLS:
  5. Place all ingredients except olive oil into a large bowl and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
  6. Form the meat mixture into 2-inch balls, or about the size of the inside of your palm. (Don’t fondle them too much or the balls will get tough.)
  7. Put the olive oil in a heated pan and when hot, add the meatballs. Brown on all sides, and then place in the sauce. Simmer for 2 hours.
  8. SANDWICH:
  9. Slice the hoagie rolls down the middle
  10. Place 3 meatballs and a bit of sauce in the hoagie roll
  11. Top with thin slices of fresh mozzarella
  12. Chiffonade the basil leaves (roll them tightly and cut the roll into strips, creating ribbons of basil) and sprinkle on top
  13. Serve exactly 70 seconds after saucing (Boyle's orders) and enjoy!

 

Recipes, Television

Rebetzel’s Pretzel Recipe from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Tonight is the series finale of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the most amazing musical comedy that deals with super important conversations about mental health and relationships. And pretzels. Rebecca, the main character, loves soft pretzels (as everyone should) and ends up owning her own pretzel shop in season 4 titled “Rebetzel’s”. In one of the episodes, I was able to catch a glimpse of the full Rebetzel’s menu, and holy cow. I want ALL of these pretzels. So, I decided to make them.

As a heads up, pretzels might take you a try or two until they’re pretty. The batch I made for this recipe were UGLY. So so delicious and ugly in the “mess of food that I want to eat right now” way, but still too ugly to post. So, instead, I leave you with this video of pretzels from the show. But believe me: this recipe is legit.

(Did you catch all of the puns in there?)

I’ve been a fan of this show from the beginning, and I was so thrilled to get tickets to the taping of their “Yes, It’s Really Us Singing” concert special that will be airing after the final episode tonight. Cosplay was encouraged, so my friend Makenzie and I did our best Heavy Boobs impression. (Check out my Instagram post to see how we did!)

We were seated smack in the middle of the balcony. I’m hoping one of the sweeping audience shots got us–look for the two ladies in white! Anyway, I look forward to celebrating the final episode and the concert special while emotionally eating ALL of these delicious pretzels. Use the base recipe and then top it with any of Rebecca’s signature flavors below. Which one is your fave? (I loved the pizza pretzel and the lemon poppy seed, and you can never go wrong with the classic Rebetzel with sea salt!)

Rebetzel's Pretzel Recipe from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 1½ cups warm water
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 TBS melted butter
  • 3¾ cups flour
  • 12 cups water
  • ⅔ cup baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 TBS water
  • Toppings (see below the recipe)
Instructions
  1. Place the yeast, warm water, and sugar in a mixer bowl. Let dissolve together for 10 minutes.
  2. Add the kosher salt and melted butter to the mixture.
  3. Add flour, one cup at a time, into the bowl, mixing with a bread hook attachment between each addition. Continue to add until the dough is not sticky.
  4. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, and cover for 30 minutes.
  5. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  6. Boil the 12 cups of water and baking soda together in a large pot.
  7. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out into a long rope, and then twist to make a pretzel shape.
  8. Drop each pretzel into boiling water for 20 seconds.
  9. Place the boiled pretzels on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet.
  10. Mix the egg and 1 TBS water together and spread over the pretzels.
  11. Sprinkle with kosher salt or other optional toppings.
  12. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until browned.
  13. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

Rebetzel’s Flavors:

  • Classic Rebetzel with Salt: Sprinkle chunks of sea salt on the pretzels before baking.
  • Garlic Salt: Sprinkle garlic salt on the pretzels before baking.
  • Honey Bacon: After baking, drizzle with honey and sprinkle crumbled up bacon on the pretzels.
  • Salted Caramel: After baking, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle salt on the pretzels.
  • Jalapeno Cheddar: Sprinkle shredded cheddar all over the pretzel and top with 3-4 canned jalapeno slices before baking.
  • Coconut: Sprinkle with shredded coconut before baking.
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter: Place 1 TBS of chocolate chips, 1 TBS peanut butter, and 1 TBS butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and then microwave another 30 seconds if it needs it. Stir until fully mixed. After baking, drizzle the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the pretzels.
  • Pizza Pretzel: Lightly cover the top of an unbaked pretzel with pizza sauce, and then top with shredded mozzarella cheese and slices of pepperoni. Bake.
  • Pecan Vanilla: Make a glaze with 2 TBS powdered sugar, 1 tsp milk, and a dash of vanilla. After baking, drizzle the glaze on the pretzels and top with pecan chunks.
  • Caramel Popcorn: After baking, drizzle with caramel sauce and place caramel popcorn pieces on the pretzels.
  • Lemon Poppy Seed: Make a glaze with 2 TBS powdered sugar and 1 tsp lemon juice. After baking, drizzle the glaze on the pretzels and sprinkle poppy seeds on top.
  • Cereal Glaze: Let a bowl of sugary cereal sit in its milk until the milk changes color. Make a glaze with 2 TBS powdered sugar and 1 tsp of the cereal milk. After baking, drizzle the cereal glaze over the pretzels.

 

 

Blog, Recipes

Life is Strange 2’s “Home Alone Pasta Delight”

The second episode of Life is Strange 2 launched today, so I thought I’d celebrate by remembering the one part of the first episode that didn’t make me cry–the dad’s delightful pasta recipe.

This recipe was found on the side of the fridge–it’s meant to be an easy recipe for the kids to make on days they’re on their own for dinner. I love that the recipe has a casual, humorous feel. It’s very much the voice of their dad. …and, I’m crying again.

If you’re looking for a fast and delicious meal that doesn’t take much skill, this is for you. If you want to amp it up a bit, I’d recommend sauteing the tomatoes with some garlic and other veggies (I do onions and zucchini) and then mixing it with the olive oil, Parmesan, and black pepper.

As a heads up–this “recipe” tells you to boil the pasta for 5 minutes. My pasta bag recommended 10-11. Stick with the instructions your pasta gives you!

Have you played the first episode of Life is Strange 2 yet? Do you also need to drown yourself in a giant bowl of pasta and tears before continuing? (The game is fantastic, I swear! I just cry easy.)

Blog

My Go-To Healthy Recipes

The start of a new year is the perfect time to evaluate your life: what do you love and want to keep doing, and what do you want to stop or start doing?

If cooking, meal prep, or eating healthier are things you want to start, you might enjoy some of these recipes. These are my tried-and-true favorite meals when I’m looking for something high in protein and low in carbs and calories. They taste better than takeout and most can be made in 30 minutes or less.

Click through and give some a try! Then let me know some of your healthy standbys in the comments!

Healthy Beef and Broccoli

Better than takeout beef and broccoli and you can make it at home before delivery would arrive! Serve with some rice or quinoa.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These are based on the PF Changs chicken lettuce wraps, and I like them even better than the real thing. They’re surprisingly easy to make–the toughest thing is not eating the whole thing by myself! (Also, Damn Delicious is one of my fave food blogs. It is accurately named.)

Greek Stuffed Peppers

This is a great meatless option that’s also extremely flexible. I usually use veggies I have around (swapping the sun-dried tomatoes for cherry tomatoes, for instance) and I use Israeli couscous instead of millet.

Pesto Banza Pasta

Ok, this one is barely a recipe. Cook up some Banza pasta. While it’s cooking, sautee some veggies and/or grill up some chicken sausages. Mix it all together with pesto and top it with parmesan or feta. This is the lazy-too-tired-to-cook meal of choice in our house. It lets me give into the pasta cravings with something a bit better for me. If you haven’t had it before, Banza is amazing. It’s pasta made from chickpeas, so it’s high in protein and fiber, low in carbs, and gluten free. It’s available in most stores, and they’ve also just launched some mac and cheese boxes. I always keep some of their pasta in the pantry!

Sauteed Chicken with Olives, Capers, and Roasted Lemons

I don’t know if it’s the recipe itself or if it’s because it’s from Food and Wine, but I feel so fancy when I make this recipe. It’s so tasty! I use kalamata olives instead of Sicilian, and I usually make kale or broccoli instead of the spinach. Serve with some rice pilaf and greens!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Turkey Chili

This recipe is super hearty and delicious. I make a batch at the beginning of the week for easy lunches I can take to work.

Thai Chicken Wraps and Peanut-Coconut Sauce

Instead of having this as a wrap, I add a couple cups of shredded cabbage into the mixture and eat it as a salad. This keeps super well, so it’s another one I’ll prep for weekday lunches.

Now it’s your turn! What are your go-to healthy recipes? I’d love to add a few more into my rotating list!

 

Recipes

Ice Plains Biome Bark from The Minecrafter’s Cookbook

Today is the day! It’s The Minecrafter’s Cookbook‘s birthday! I’m beyond excited.

I’m celebrating with one more recipe from the book. This white chocolate bark is extremely simple to make and can be customized any way you choose–add sprinkles, different fruits, or even some peppermint extract. This one is based on the Ice Plains Biome in Minecraft. I think it perfectly captures the white, blue, jagged landscape, and it’s super delicious! Plus, it’s a great treat or host gift for upcoming holiday parties.

Want to check out some other Minecraft recipes? Try:

Ice Plains Biome Bark from The Minecrafter's Cookbook
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • ½ cup blueberries
  • ½ cup blackberries
  • 16 oz white chocolate chips
  • Blue food coloring
Instructions
  1. Cover the 13x9 casserole dish with wax paper, letting some extra wax paper hang off the edges.
  2. Rinse the blueberries and blackberries and pat dry.
  3. Place the white chocolate chips in a microwave bowl, and heat in a microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Continue heating and stirring until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
  4. Pour the melted white chocolate on top of the wax paper in the casserole dish. Slowly move the casserole dish around until the white chocolate is evenly covering the whole bottom.
  5. Put a few drops of blue food coloring in various spots of the white chocolate. Drag a toothpick through the blue food coloring, swirling it around to make a cool design.
  6. Place the blueberries and blackberries in the white chocolate, lightly pressing on them to make sure they'll stick.
  7. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more, until it is fully hardened.
  8. Remove the mixture from the casserole dish by picking up the edges of the wax paper. Place on a counter.
  9. Carefully break off pieces of the bark with your hands. It will break into different sizes and shapes, including ones similar to jagged ice spikes!

Ready to grab a copy of the book for yourself? You can find it at the following stores:

 

Recipes

Not-So-Rotten Flesh from The Minecrafter’s Cookbook

We’re one week away from the launch of The Minecrafter’s Cookbook! I still haven’t seen the book in person, it should arrive any day. I can’t wait! In the meantime, I wanted to share another recipe from the book with you.

Today I’m sharing a recipe that sounds gross, but is actually quite delicious. This “not-so-rotten-flesh” is homemade beef jerky, and I promise you won’t take any damage eating it. This is great to make before a long gaming or Netflix session, to bring on a hike, or just to have on hand as a nice protein snack. I thought beef jerky would be super intimidating, but this is actually fairly easy! Just takes a bit of time and patience. Give it a try, and then check out the other Minecraft recipes:

(Want your own copy of the book? You can pre-order it at SkyHorsePublishing.com.)

5.0 from 1 reviews
Not-So-Rotten Flesh from The Minecrafter's Cookbook
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 lb flank steak (as lean as you can get it)
  • ⅔ cups soy sauce
  • ⅔ cups Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 TBS brown sugar
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
Instructions
  1. To cut your steak into strips, freeze it for an hour and then have an adult with a large, sharp knife, cut it into as thin of strips as you can manage, less than ¼ inch thick. Cut with the grain is you want traditional chewy jerky, and against the grain if you want the jerky to be a bit more tender and brittle. Cut off any large pieces of fat you see on the slices. (A butcher may be able to do this slicing for you when you initially purchase the steak. Just ask!)
  2. Place the steak slices into a large, resealable freezer bag.
  3. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
  4. Pour the contents of the bowl into the bag, seal, and move around the steak so it's fully covered.
  5. Let the steak marinade in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 3 hours).
  6. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F (or as low as your oven will go) and cover two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack over each baking sheet.
  7. Remove the steak from the marinade and gently pat with a paper towel to remove extra marinade.
  8. Lay the steak out on the wire racks and place into the oven.
  9. Cook for 4 hours.
  10. Check on the meat. Is it dry and leathery? It should crack when you bend it, but not completely break. If it's not dry enough for you, place back in the oven and continue to check every 30 minutes. (The time it takes to fully dry will depend on the thickness of your meat, temperature of your oven, and your personal preferences. It may take a couple more hours!)
  11. Let cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

 

Recipes

Grass Block Brownies from The Minecrafter’s Cookbook

My very first book, The Minecrafter’s Cookbook comes out on November 27th, and to celebrate, I’m sharing some recipes from the book for the next few weeks!

The book is for kids and families that want to learn how to cook the items they see in Minecraft. There are recipes for all of the food items you see, including steak, salmon, porkchops, baked potatoes, and more, and there are plenty of fun recipes to make food that looks like your favorite non-edible items. This is one of those. This delicious brownie recipe includes semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips and is topped with some bright green frosting. They look like the grass blocks you find everywhere in the game. Not a frosting fan? Keep it off for some more simple dirt block brownies. Whether or not you’re a Minecraft fan, I can guarantee you’ll enjoy these treats!

(Get all the details on the book and pre-order it at SkyHorsePublishing.com.)

Grass Block Brownies from The Minecrafter's Cookbook
 
Author:
Ingredients
Brownies:
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1¼ cups flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
Frosting:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • Green food coloring
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.
  3. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. Stir until smooth and then remove from heat. Let cool for 2 minutes.
  4. Stir the sugar into the chocolate butter mixture.
  5. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, stirring between each egg.
  6. Stir in the vanilla.
  7. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix gently.
  8. Stir in the milk chocolate chips.
  9. Pour the brownie batter into the greased baking pan.
  10. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (just a few crumbs).
  11. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
  12. While cooling, make the frosting: beat 1 cup of unsalted butter in a mixer until light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, mixing fully each time. Add the salt and vanilla, and mix for 2 minutes or until everything is light, fluffy, and the texture of a thick buttercream frosting. Add a few drops of green food coloring and mix until the color is even. Add more food coloring until you get the color of green you wish.
  13. Place the frosting into a piping bag with a grass or star-shaped pastry tip on the bottom. Pipe the frosting onto the top of the brownies. (Don't have pastry tips? You can also frost the brownies with a butter knife or spatula!)
  14. Slice the brownies into square shapes and enjoy!

Try the other Minecraft recipes here:

Books, Recipes

Hungry Ghosts’ Saffron Risotto

It’s October, and I am ready for spooky stories and rich, warm comfort food. I was able to get both at the same time with Hungry Ghosts, a new horror graphic novel written by Joel Rose and Anthony Bourdain before his death. The graphic novel centers around a version of the Japanese Edo period game of Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai–where warriors would gather in a room with 100 candles. Taking turns, they will each tell a scary story and then blow out a candle, until all of the candles are out or they’re too scared to continue. (Think of it as the orginal, much more bad-ass “Are You Afraid of the Dark”.) The stories in Hungry Ghosts focus around food and Japanese spirits and demons and they’re as dark and gory as you’d hope.

The novel includes a guide to the spirits mentioned in the stories and includes five new recipes by Anthony Bourdain inspired by the tales, and many you can enjoy by going to their blog. I’ve been allowed to share one of them, a recipe for delicious, creamy saffron risotto. I always assumed risotto would be difficult to make, but it’s actually fairly simple. It is a bit laborious, as you’re stirring the rice almost constantly throughout, but it’s worth the effort. This risotto warms up your insides and makes you feel ready to take on anything spooky that may come your way. Check out the recipe below:

Hungry Ghosts' Saffron Risotto
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1½ quarts chicken stock
  • 6-8 saffron threads
  • ¼ cup Italian extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small white onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 1½ cups carnaroli rice
  • ½ cup dry Italian white wine
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into chunks
  • ⅓ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Combine half the chicken stock and the saffron threads in a small pan and bring to a simmer to draw the flavor, color, and aroma from the threads into the stock.
  2. In a medium-sized pot, gently heat the oil and stir in the onion, taking care to get each piece coated with oil. Cook gently, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent; do not let it brown. Add the rice, stirring carefully so that it’s well distributed with the onions. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, to gently toast the rice. Stir in the wine and take the heat back down to medium-low. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, as the rice eventually absorbs all the wine and the alcohol smell can no longer be detected.
  3. To this mixture, add a ladleful of the warm saffron-infused stock. Continue to stir and add more stock as it becomes absorbed, eventually also adding the reserved, non-infused chicken stock, a ladleful at a time. Once or twice before all of the stock is absorbed, check the rice for its state of doneness: at the end, it should yield to the bite and be cooked all the way through, but still maintain its structural integrity.
  4. Now, assess the texture of the risotto. Is it runny enough to cover the bottom of a bowl without coaxing? If not, stir in a little more stock until it’s the correct consistency.
  5. Now, add the butter chunks and the cheese and beat it with a light hand into the hot rice, incorporating some air and lightening the consistency somewhat as you go. Taste the risotto and season with salt if necessary. Serve immediately with the osso buco (see recipe in book).
  6. Serves 6 as a side dish.

Are you a fan of creepy stories? Which ones are your go-tos in October?

 

Blog, Board Games, Lifestyle

Your New Fave Subscription Box: UnboxBoardom

I’m a huge fan of game nights, but have gotten stuck in a rut. I’ve been playing a lot of legacy games with my friends, and while I love SeaFall and Time Stories, I wouldn’t mind changing up the game and the group I’m playing with occasionally. That’s where UnboxBoardom comes in. It’s a board game subscription box that delivers a new game to you monthly. You can choose to be surprised with a random game (with an average value of $35 or more) or you can choose between three options, allowing you to pick the type of game you want–something more strategic, family friendly, or more party-focused.

UnboxBoardom signed me up for a month of their service so I could check it out. I loved the email I received showing me my options: Each title includes the number of players, the average play time, and how family friendly, strategic, and party ready the game is. Each game has been vetted by the UnboxBoardom staff and includes their recommendations. Here are the titles I got to choose from:

I don’t know a whole lot about football and have played (and enjoyed) King of Tokyo before, so I chose Prowler’s Passage, a game I hadn’t heard of. It’s a strategic two player game, which made for a perfect game night with my husband. You should consider a SEO reseller program if you really want to maximize your sales using UnboxBoardom.

In Prowler’s Passage, you and your opponent are rival thieves, claiming underground passages for yourself and stealing goods while bending the districts to your will. It’s highly strategic and math focused: Do you focus on making your passage the longest? Stealing all of the statues? Focusing on just one color district or all of them, or do what the additional achievement cards encourage you to do? It’s quick to learn the basics of the game, but I’m still learning all of the strategy. Each game only takes 25 minutes, so it’s something you can play multiple times in an evening.

I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to learn a new game and love the idea of getting the gift of gaming at my door each month. Wanna give it a try? Head to UnboxBoardom.com and sign up for a new game every one, two, or three months. Prices are between $29.99-31.99 a package and UnboxBoardom donates a board game to kids who can’t afford them for every 10 they sell. You can’t go wrong!

Have you been playing any new games lately? Let me know in the comments!

 

Blog, Recipes, Video Games

Fallout 76 Nuka Cola Cupcakes

While working at Xbox, I’ve started a tradition where I bring in cupcakes after we do an event. I pick one of my favorite aspects of the event and let that be inspiration for the flavor. At PAX West, we had a super cool area for Fallout 76 where people could guess the amount of bottle caps in an atom bomb and put their guesses into a replica Fallout computer. Those who completed this task were rewarded with Xbox and Fallout-branded bottle caps. I instantly knew I’d have to do a Nuke Cola cupcake!

For those not in the know, Nuka Cola is a blue cola available in the Fallout universe. It claims to be made with a variety of fruit flavors, but come on, it’s called a cola. So I ignored the fruit and made Coke-flavored cupcakes. I don’t think anyone minded. 🙂

I used blue cupcake liners and made a cupcake with a Coca-Cola reduction, but you could use cola flavoring or a cola concentrate/syrup you might have for your Soda Stream instead. I also brush the tops of the cupcakes with some Coke and incorporate a bit of the reduction into the buttercream frosting as well. The flavor is still fairly mild, but you get a good cola aftertaste.

Fallout 76 Nuka Cola Cupcakes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Cupcakes
Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Coca-Cola, separated
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsps. baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt (plus an additional pinch)
  • 5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, separated
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tsps vanilla, separated
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • gummy cola bottles
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 cup of Coca-Cola in a small pan until boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until it's reduced between ½ to ¼ its original amount. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Place cupcake liners in the cupcake tins (I recommend blue liners for Nuka Cola).
  4. Mix the flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Set aside.
  5. Beat 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar together in a mixer until light and fluffy.
  6. Add eggs to the butter mixture, mixing fully between each egg. Mix in the vanilla and 3 tbs of the cola reduction.
  7. Mix in half of the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Add half of the milk and mix. Continue with the rest of the dry ingredients and milk. Make sure everything is fully mixed.
  8. Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, put one "scoop" of batter in each cupcake liner. They should be ¾ full.
  9. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  10. Brush the tops of each cupcake with Coca-Cola.
  11. Remove cupcakes from the tins and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  12. Make the frosting: Beat 4 cups of unsalted butter in a mixer until it's fully smooth and light colored, making a "slapping" sound.
  13. Mix in 4 cups of powdered sugar, adding 1 cup at a time until fully mixed.
  14. Add in 1 tsp of vanilla, 1 tbs of Coca-Cola reduction, and a pinch of salt.
  15. Mix everything together on high until frosting is super fluffy.
  16. Place frosting into a piping bag and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a gummy cola bottle.

Are you a Fallout fan? Will you be playing Fallout 76? Let me know in the comments!