Better late than never

From 28th Birthday

Me and Angela

I'm always so slow writing my blogs!  This one is about my awesome 28th birthday a couple of weeks ago.  We threw a little dinner party at the house in Ruffia.  I made hummus with vegetable crudites for the cocktail hour and bought like 8 bottles of prosecco.  Anna and Claudio kindly brought what I call Alba Salad, but has a different name at every restaurant that serves it.  Anyway, it's a yummy bite with celery, toma cheese and walnuts served with some sort of vinaigrette dressing.  So I served that as our first appetizer and then Maryland steamed shrimp with Old Bay.  The shrimp is always a crowd pleaser and I think I owe every guest a can of Old Bay now...

From 28th Birthday

Fabri and Antonio

The main course was pizza cooked in the wood oven by Maria Pia.  That made the party.  Everyone got in on the action and helped cook the pizzas.  It was all soooo good, especially the vegetable pizzas!

From 28th Birthday

Making pizzas!!

For dessert, I made black bottom cupcakes.  They're from my healthy meals cookbook Laura gave me a few years ago.  Here's the recipe:
1/2 of an 8 ounce package fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 and 1/3 cups sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Line 18 muffin cups with paper cupcake cups; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add 1/3 cup of the sugar and the egg.  Beat on medium speed for 1 minute or until smooth.  Stir in the semisweet chocolate pieces; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine remaining 1 cup sugar, the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping side of bowl occasionally.  Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each half full.  Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture over each.

Bake in a 350° oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.  Cool cupcakes in pan or on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove cupcakes from pan and cool thoroughly.  Makes 18 cupcakes.

Bon apetit!

From 28th Birthday