Hi! I’m Laurie from Gallamore West and I’m thrilled to be guest posting here at Kuzak’s Closet! I love being called Mommy by my three little cuties and I love celebrating all of life’s little moments. Birthday parties, first days of school celebrations, sweet recipes, DIY crafting projects, and just finding joy in everyday life are what you’ll find at Gallamore West. And yes… that includes football!
Laurie and her family…
While I wasn’t a huge fan of football before getting married, my die-hard Redskins fan husband has converted me. Too bad for him I turned out to love to Chargers {being a San Diego girl, after all it’s the right thing to do!} but regardless of who’s playing, I love having friends over to watch the game and bringing out little details that make a big impact. To kick off the Redskins season opener last year, we hosted this fun get-together complete with a REDskins potato bar, RED velvet cupcakes, and more all on an astroturf runner. I loved using this set of paper printables from paperandcake.com to create a customized party look without spending a fortune. If your husband’s a football fan like mine, he will LOVE having a football party too!
Here is a recipe that I love… it’s the recipe for the Red Velvet Cupcakes that I used at our Redskins Party! And a baking tip that I use ALL the time since I never have buttermilk on hand, but it makes baked goods soooo moist and delicious… I add about a tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill the cup the rest of the way full with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes and you’ve just made “buttermilk!”
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
From Martha Stewart Cupcakes Book
Makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
Cream cheese frosting
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers. Frost with Cream Cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.
Thanks for checking out our Redskin’s party… I hope you’ll stop by Gallamore West. I’d love to “see” you there!
-LaurieThank you all for stopping by, all week long there will be a different guest blogger sharing their tailgate traditions and a recipe so subscribe to Kuzak’s Closet and stay in touch via Facebook so you don’t miss a thing! If you are interested in participating in my next themed week let me know, I am looking for guest blogging for Holiday Decor Week in December.
Natalie says
Love it, Laurie!!! I didn't realize before that you had a REDskins potato bar! That's completely awesome!
Jen says
Laurie – have I mentioned lately how GORGEOUS your family is?! And as always, this party is so cute – I love the idea of having personalized cupcakes for each player (guest) at the party!
Magical Mystical Teacher says
You certainly know how to throw a great celebration!
SOME CALL IT RED
“I don’t have time,” my grandfather said,
“to dither around and stand on my head,
pretending that crimson is blue, not red—
just tell me the truth, if you please.
“I’m much too old for being lied to,
so tell me the truth about the rose hue
that colors the sky when the day is through
and adds a bright blush to the trees.
“Some call it red and some call it pink,
some call it strawberry wine-colored ink;
I call it rubicund, that’s what I think—
now leave me alone, if you please.”
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Featherless Pomegranate
❀~Myrna~❀ says
Great celebration,wonderful pics !
Ann says
Love when the girls get into football—I'm a hugh fan too. You did one fabulous job coordinating all the reds in the top photo and a gorgeous family.
Ann