Halibut with Lemon Butter and Crispy Shallots

(Adapted from Giada Di Laurentis)


Ingredients:

Lemon Butter:

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Zest of 1 large lemon
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

Halibut and Crispy Shallots:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 halibut fillets (each 4 to 5 ounces)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 large shallot, cut into rounds, separated into rings
• Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions:

For the lemon butter: 

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, salt, pepper, lemon zest and butter in a deep medium bowl until well blended (mixture will be like a thick sauce). Set aside until ready to use.

For the halibut and crispy shallots:  

1. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and garlic in an 8-by-8-by-2-inch glass dish. 
2. Whisk the marinade to blend. 
3. Add the halibut and turn several times to coat evenly. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Combine the canola oil and shallots in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. 
5. Cook, stirring often, until the oil heats up and the shallots turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. 
6. Transfer the shallots with a slotted spoon to several layers of paper towels to drain and crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper just before using.
7. Heat a large dry nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 
8. Lift the halibut from the marinade, letting the excess drain off. 
9. Add the halibut to the hot skillet and sear 3 minutes. 
10. Turn the fish over using a flexible metal spatula. Sear until still slightly pink in the center, about 3 minutes longer, depending on thickness. 
11. Transfer the halibut to plates. Top with a generous dollop of lemon-butter and pile the shallots alongside or scatter around the fish. Garnish with the lemon wedges and serve.

Orange Chicken

(Adapted from flume027)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• white pepper
• canola oil (for frying)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch, plus
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon gingerroot, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red chili pepper
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Orange Sauce for Stir Fry

• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 orange, zest of

Directions:

1. Place chicken pieces in large bowl.
2. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well.
3. Stir cornstarch and flour together.
4. Dredge chicken pieces with cornstarch mixture, dip in egg mixture, and then coat with cornstarch mixture a second time. Set aside.
5. Heat oil for deep-frying in wok or deep-fryer to 375 degrees.
6. Add chicken, small batches at a time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden crisp.
7. Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set aside.
8. Clean wok (or a regular skillet!) and heat 15 seconds over high heat.
9. Add 1 tablespoon oil.
10. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant; about 10 seconds.
11. Add and stir-fry crushed chiles and green onions.
12. Add rice wine and stir 3 seconds.
13. Add Orange Sauce and bring to boil.
14. Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed.
15. Stir 1/4 cup water into remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth and add to chicken.
16. Heat until sauce is thickened.
17. Stir in sesame oil if desired.
18. Serve over jasmine rice.

Bourbon Pickled Jalapeños

Boyfriend absolutely loves jalapeños and absolutely loves bourbon. This recipe was a must! They're great on sandwiches, or just to eat by themselves!**


**Note: These pickles are EXTREMELY spicy if you don't remove the seeds just before eating them. We learned this the hard way!




(Adapted from Country Living)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Jalapeño Peppers, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 1/4 cup Distilled White Vinegar
• 1 cup Bourbon
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 2 teaspoons Coriander Seeds
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon
• Yellow Mustard Seeds
• 2 Bay Leaves

Directions:

1. Transfer sliced jalapeños into one or two screw-top jars.
2. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, bourbon, honey, coriander seeds, salt, mustard seeds, and bay leaves.
3. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Pour hot liquid over jalapeños and seal jar with tight-fitting lid.
5. Let cool to room temperature; then refrigerate for 3 days before serving. (Jalapeño pickles can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)

Chicken Breast with Artichoke Olive Sauce

Greek-inspired, healthy-ish, boyfriend-approved, delicious as fuck. You will not be disappointed.


(Adapted from Marcie Turney)


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
• One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered
• 12 pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. 
2. In a bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic and oregano. Fold in the artichokes, olives and feta; season the sauce with salt and pepper.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. 
4. Add the chicken, skinned side down, and cook over moderately high heat until browned, 3 minutes; turn and transfer the skillet to the oven. 
5. Roast the chicken for 10 minutes, until white throughout. 
6. Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon the sauce on top. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

Summer Balsamic Peach Pie

My cooking philosophy starts with the Three B's: 

Booze. Balsamic. Beyonce.

These three things are often my secret to deliciousness, particularly when it comes to baking (Another of my favorite B words!).

Booze takes on two roles in my kitchen. I use it to cook and I also use it for cooking. Most of the time, I just get tipsy and the magic happens on its own. Other times, I add a bottle of beer or a splash of wine or a cup of Bailey's Irish Cream to my food and somehow it works out. I'm not an alcoholic! I'm a chef, dammnit!

Balsamic is one of my favorite flavors in the entire world. I love that it goes with both savory and sweet things. I love that you can reduce it and drizzle it over just about anything. I love that a splash of it can completely change the direction of a dish and give it that little something extra.

Beyonce is my Kitchenaid Artisan Series Stand Mixer. I got her as a gift from Boyfriend and I use her two to four times a week for all kinds of things. I named her Beyonce because she's fierce and because the sound she makes kneading bread or mixing cupcake batter or whipping butter is like music to my ears. Cheesy? Maybe. But who doesn't love cheese?

The following recipe uses all Three B's AND is a testament to my own self-development.

I used to hate summer. I hated it with a passion. I hated the sun, I hated the heat, I hated wearing a bathing suit, and I hated sand. While I still hate sand, and while the heat is still not my favorite, I've found it more bearable over that last couple of years. I've developed a love for the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables and I've found the love of my life, who loves every part of me, even when I hate how I look in a bathing suit. 

Boyfriend and I have gone swimming almost every day this summer, I've got a kick-ass tan, and now instead of seeing the sun as a problem, I see it as an advantage. When I walked into the grocery store today, I saw an enormous display of fresh, peak-season, ripe-as-fuck peaches. Of course I decided to make a peach pie....

...with a little BabyBakes twist, of course!

(Adapted from Food Network)




Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for bench and cutters
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
• coarse white sugar (for topping!)

Filling:

• 6 ripe but firm peaches
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon or pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg

Directions:


For the crust: 

1. In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cold butter.
2. Beat with flat beater attachment until mixture forms pea-sized balls. 
3. Add the ice water to the mixture. Beat just until the mixture rolls itself into a little ball. If the mixture is a bit dry, add more ice water by the tablespoonful until it comes together. 
4. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the mixture evenly in half. 
5. Shape each half into a disk. Do NOT overwork.
6. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. At this point you can keep the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for later use.

For the filling: 

1. Peel and cut the peaches into 1/4-inch thick slices and toss with the lemon juice, balsamic, and sugar in a large bowl. 
2. Allow it to marinate (macerate)  for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in another bowl, making sure there are no lumps. 
4. Add the dry mixture to the peaches and mix until well incorporated.

Putting it all together!

1. Flour your rolling pin and roll out 1 pie crust to about a 12-inch round and drape over a 9 1/2-inch fluted pie plate. Roll out the other pie crust to about a 10-inch round, and cut this into 1-inch strips with a fluted pizza cutter.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
3. Stir the flour mixture into the peaches and mix well. Pour the peaches into the pie crust. 
4. Scatter with the pieces of butter. Top with the lattice strips. 
5. Brush away any flour underneath the lattice to make sure it seals well. 
6. Crimp the edges to seal. 
7. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush the lattice and edges with the egg wash.
8. Pop in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, and then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake until the crust gets brown, about 50 minutes more. 
9. If the edges brown too fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. 
10. Turn oven off and allow pie to sit in the cooling oven for ten minutes. This will bake off some of the liquid to combat any soupiness!
11. Top with coarse white sugar and cool about 30 minutes before serving.

Chicken Caesar Wrap

Since we've moved to Redlands, it's been an amazing culinary adventure in some aspects, and a total pain in the ass in other aspects. While we've been able to try a lot of new things, it's been a challenge to find cheap/quick/easy food when we're busy. One place we have found is a place called Citrus Deli, which happens to be right across the street from our apartment complex. I'll admit, I've only ever had one item from their menu: the Chicken Caesar Wrap. And while I know that this is super boring and I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, I can't help myself. It is just...so...good. I've had many chicken caesar wraps, and theirs is by far the best. At $5, it's also a really good size. However, at $5, I can't have it for lunch three times a week like I've been doing, because $15 a week adds up. So I decided to create my own! This ended up costing me just around $3 per wrap, AND I can be lazy and don't have to leave the house to get it!


(Yields One Chicken Caesar Wrap)

Ingredients:

• Garlic butter, softened
• One large, whole-wheat tortilla or wrap
• 1 heaping cup romaine lettuce, chopped
• Shredded rotisserie chicken, as desired
• 1 small handfull of croutons
• 2-3 tbsp caesar salad dressing
• 1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spread a thin later of garlic butter on one side of the wrap and bake it for 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add romaine, chicken, croutons, dressing, and cheese in a  container with a lid (A ziplock bag will also work). Lid container and shake vigorously to combine.

1. Lay wrap, butter side up, on a plate.
2. Pile salad mixture on the center of the wrap, fold the ends, and then roll it up!
3. Enjoy!

Simple Garlic Butter

It's a really good idea to have a solid and easy garlic butter recipe in your back pocket. Garlic butter is so versatile; You can use it on bread, steaks, wraps, and more. And the best part is that it lasts in the fridge or freezer for a long time (One month after the sell by date in the fridge, or 6-9 months in the freezer)!!


Ingredients:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

• 3-6 cloves of garlic, finely minced

• salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

Directions:

1. Mash ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
2. Store in refrigerator until you're ready to use it!

Note: If you have a food processor, you can skip mincing the garlic and throw all of the ingredients in there!

Cajun Chicken Alfredo

This is probably in my top ten favorite meals. It's so good, I made it twice in one week. Sun-dried tomatoes can be  bit pricey, but don't leave them out! They really make this dish!

(Adapted from Guy Fieri)


Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• Two 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Blackening Spice Rub, recipe follows
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 pound fettuccine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high heat.
4. Dredge the chicken breasts in the Blackening Spice Rub.
5. Place in the cast-iron skillet. Blacken both sides of the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
6. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and place in the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and slice the chicken into strips on the bias.
8. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. 
9. Add the garlic and lightly brown it, 2 to 3 minutes. 
10. Stir in the wine. Pour in the heavy cream, bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by half. 
11. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chicken slices.
12. Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine al dente, according to the package directions. Drain.
13. When the cream sauce is at the desired consistency, stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the sea salt, pepper and pasta.
14. To serve, toss the pasta with the cream sauce and serve on large rimmed plates. Garnish with the green onions and the remaining parmesan.

Blackening Spice Rub:

• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons granulated onion
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Combine the garlic, black pepper, salt cumin, onion, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika and chili powder in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

PUPdate #1

I know everyone is just DYING to know what the latest news is on our baby Basset! (And by "everyone," I mean my Mamma! It's just easier to post pics on a webpage than to email them!)

So almost two weeks ago, we took the dogs on a short walk and Eleanor had a breathing attack. She was choking, couldn't breathe, foaming at the mouth, and dry heaving. She'd always had a bit of a breathing issue, but we had chalked it up to her being so small and thought nothing of it. This time was different. Boyfriend ran home and got the car while I waited in front of the grocery store across the street. The nearest emergency room was 15 minutes away-- the longest 15 minutes of my life. She sat in my lap, struggling to breathe, while we raced down the freeway. I thought she was going to die.

When we got to the ER, they took her back immediately and put her on oxygen. Long story short, we had to leave her there overnight, I didn't get to sleep until 2am, we had to cough up $300 bucks, and they couldn't tell us anything concrete.

A few vet visits later, and we still know nothing. It's looking like we'll have to take her to a cardiologist in orange county, but we'll know for sure after her check up and bloodwork on Monday. Poor little Bassie.

Oddly enough, she's been back to her normal self, ever since. She's still having a few issues when she over-exherts herself, but overall, it hasn't affected her at all. She's still a little pain in the ass, she eats like a pig, and after all of the time and money spent, we still love her to death and I feel like she's the best decision I've made in a long time.

At three months old, Ellie weighs 16 pounds and her earspan is now at 21 inches!

As for Toby, he turned four years old and he's been the best big brother a baby basset could have!

Our little freckle-bellied sunbather in action!

Good weather = lounging weather!

"Do I HAVE to use the doggie door? Cant you just open the people door?"

 AUNT KINNY IS FINALLY HERE! It was love at first sight!

Nappin' buddies!!

Nap time at the Murphaliel's!

The border at Ellie's vet has a picture of her on it!

Patio-ing!

Dogsitting the notorious Charlie Ryan/Rousseau!

"Oh, hiiiii guyyys!!"

On the way to dad's for his birthday dinner. They both just had to be in my lap...simultaneously.

My favorite furry brown pibby!

Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

I'm a stress baker. This quarter at school is killing me and my personal life has not been going great.

After a 4 AM shift at work, a 3-hour dentist visit, and an intense/frustrating heart-to-heart with my roomie/best friend, I couldn't wait for Boyfriend to come home. Unfortunately he's a busy man and he wouldn't be home until 9:30. To fill the void that he left while he was at work and school, I decided to make bourbon-infused cupcakes since he's a huge bourbon fan.

Interestingly enough, the recipe I got from allisoneats* was a play on the Smitten Kitchen's chocolate stout cupcakes which I've made many times before! I tweaked it a bit, of course, but it worked out beautifully!

*If you like a denser cupcake, like I do, use my recipe. If you prefer a fluffier, lighter cake, follow Alison's recipe!

Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Make caramel sauce FIRST (recipe below) and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for one hour, or at room temperature for four hours. You can also make it a day in advance.

For The Caramel Sauce (using Ina Garten’s Caramel Sauce recipe):

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, warm (Believe it or not, one of the biggest mistakes people make in the art of caramel sauce is adding cold cream to hot sugar-- it's dangerous and it can affect the chemistry of the recipe. You can heat it in the microwave or over the stove.)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Mix the water and granulated sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. DO NOT STIR. 
2. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350°F on a candy thermometer), about 5 to 7 minutes. Again, DO NOT STIR. Stirring causes crystals to form and your caramel will come out grainy. (The first time I tried caramel, I made 9 attempts before I realized this. Be careful – the mixture is extremely hot! )
3. Watch the mixture very carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly.
4. Turn off the heat. Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and ½ tsp of vanilla. The cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify.
5. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. 
6. Allow to cool at room temperature for four hour or in the fridge for one hour. It will thicken as it sits.

For The Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

1 cup bourbon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons milk

coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two muffin pans with paper liners.
2. Bring the bourbon and butter to a simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. 
4. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. 
5. Add bourbon-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. 
6. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. 
7. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
8. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake 20-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For The Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks-softened)
• 3-4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce (using recipe above!)
• coarsely chopped chocolate
• Coarse sea salt

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter. Beat in the confectioners sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.
2. Mix in the caramel sauce. (If too thin, add more sugar or a little flour to keep it from getting too sweet.)
3. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and use remaining caramel to drizzle on top.
4. Sprinkle lightly with chopped chocolate and sea salt.