Vanilla Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

I love cupcakes. Love them, love them, love them.

These were delicious! This recipe makes only 11 cupcakes, so it is perfect when you don't want too many cupcakes.

Moist Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
1 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda

Boil butter and water. Add sugar. Stir until dissolved. Let cool. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir. Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir until combined. Pour into lined muffin tins and bake at 350 for 18 minutes. Enjoy!

Marshmallow Frosting

2 egg whites
1/4 t. cream of tartar
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

In a double boiler (or using a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water) combine the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Whisk the mixture frequently until it is very frothy and measures approximately 160 degrees. Carefully add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the egg mixture holds stiff peaks and is a light texture (several minutes). Carefully fold the vanilla into the egg whites mixture.

Pasta Carbonara

Inspired by a magazine article and our Italian friends Sarah and Emilio, I set out to make Pasta Carbonara on Sunday evening. Upon googling "Pasta Carbonara", Pioneer Woman's version surfaced quickly. I usually trust her recipes, so I thought at first I would make hers, until I remembered Emilio's insistence that Carbonara have as few ingredients as possible. So, I did a little more research and came up with my own method/recipe that turned out wonderfully! 

Serves 2.

Ingredients 

1/2 lb. pasta

6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch square pieces

1 clove garlic

3 eggs

3/4 c. shredded pecorino-romano cheese

freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Boil a large pot of heavily salted water. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a large bowl (can be the same bowl you plan to serve the pasta in), whisk eggs and 1/2 c. cheese, along with some freshly ground pepper. Put pasta into boiling water. Cook bacon pieces in the skillet for about 4 minutes, until crisp. Add 1 clove garlic near the end. When bacon is cooked, remove it from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. When pasta is al dente, reserve 1 c. of the pasta water and drain. Stirring constantly, add the pasta slowly to the egg and cheese mixture. A nice sauce will form over the pasta. Add a tablespoon or so of pasta water if desired for a creamier sauce. Stir in bacon and garlic, and top with pecorino-romano. Enjoy!