Banana Fosters Cupcakes

One of my secret dreams is has always been to grow up and open a baker with my cousin and best friend Leah. Before “Cupcake Cousins” could ever become a reality, we need some serious baking practice. Cupcakes are fun! Last night, with a large group of my friends and I (while watching Jersey Shore) made Banana Fosters Cupcakes. I found a recipe online and slightly modified it and they turned out amazing!

Here’s the recipe I started with.

For the Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (my batter was very wet, so I added flour until it reached the desired consistency)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon dark rum
Banana mixture already prepared (see directions)
3/4 cup sour cream

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I like extra)
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted (modify for desired sweetness, I used less)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon dark rum

Directions:

Bananas Foster:
In a sauté pan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook until butter melts and sugar is dissolved (4 to 5 minutes). Add the banana slices (2-3 firm ripe bananas, cut in half and then length wise) and cook until tender, turning once for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Stir together rum and vanilla. Turn off the burner and add the rum to the pan.

Using a long match, light the alcohol by placing the flame just in the outer edge of the pan. Stand as far back as possible. The flame should extinguish in a few seconds. (I did not actually light them on fire for several reasons. A. electric stove, not gas…it ended up spontaneously combusting on its own anyways. B. you need a strong dark rum with a high alcohol content… we were working with Malibu Black 70 proof…delicious btw…and C. someone said the only reason they light it on fire is to quickly cook out the alcohol, and since we don’t mind getting drunk off cupcakes, we opted against.)

Gently shake the pan from side to side to coat the bananas with the sauce. Spoon the bananas into a bowl and set aside.

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl (preferably kitchen aid mixer if available), cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Then add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Next, add sour cream, eggs, vanilla, rum and the banana mixture. Mix well, but do not over mix.

Pour into prepared cupcake pans. (This is easier said than done. You want the tins about ½ to 2/3 full. If you spill batter on the pan, wipe it up before baking to make for an easier clean up.) Bake 16-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool completely before frosting. I found that it may be easier to refridgerate the frosting before frosting the completely cooled cupcakes. It allows the frosting to thicken and stiffen up, which looks prettier.

Frosting:
Beat together cream cheese, butter, cinnamon and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add about half the powdered sugar and beat until mixed well. Then gradually add the remaining powdered sugar until you reach a spreading consistency. You really don’t want a wet frosting, and it might spread easier if it were chilled.

I really wish that I could say we decorated them really cute! With a chocolate covered raisin and a banana chip, on top of our beautiful firm cool frosting. But the truth is that the frosting was too wet and the cupcakes were too warm. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a Ziploc and snip the corner.

All in all, these were a hit! I will definitely be making them again. They smelled amaaaazing. They were a little time consuming, but fancy cupcakes are worth it. It’s very satisfying to work hard for immediate delicious results.

Spicy Cajun Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

Last night, I tried something new. I had never made my own Alfredo sauce from scratch, usually go for the cheap easy jar, but I wanted a challenge! So last night, I made spicy Cajun chicken Alfredo.

I started with some chicken breast filets, cut them in half (width wise), and then sliced them into small strips. If you prefer chunks or cubes, go for it. In a large frying pan, I cooked the chicken with about a half a stick of butter (yum)! I heavily seasoned the chicken with Cajun spice, black and red pepper, garlic powder, and sweet basil. Cayenne is a slow heat at the back of your tongue. If you prefer a more frontal spice attack, you could add some jalapeños.

After the chicken was cooked, I added about a cup and a half of heavy whipping cream. I would suggest using more for a creamier sauce. I wanted my sauce to be SPICY and red, so I added a dash of Frank’s red hot. But by far, the best last minute addition to this dish was a stroke of sheer genius. BACON. That’s right. I grabbed my Costco (yes, I buy in bulk) bag of bacon bits and poured in a few heaping handfuls. I covered the sauce with tin foil and let it simmer for a few minutes. Stir or whisk frequently to thicken sauce.

The best part about cooking and recipes is the cook’s freedom of flavor and adaptation. I saw several recipes that called for other things like white wine, sundried tomatoes, or green onions. But, I opted not to use those.

While my sauce was thickening, I boiled a pot of water with oil and salt. Once it came to a rolling boil, I cooked half a box of fettuccini noodles. They take about 10-15 minutes to cook. I’m not sure if I under cooked them or over cooked them, but they were not as soft as they could have been. I would babysit the noodles closely.

I garnished the dish with fresh parmesan, and it was pretty delicious! Definitely going in the cook book scrap book to be remade for future occasions. J

Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast casserole (pizza, pie, whatever you want to call it) is definitely a people pleaser. This layered dish combines the best breakfast ingredients (in my opinion) into one awesome meal. This recipe is very adaptable to whatever you prefer.

My breakfast casserole included biscuits, cheese, eggs, bacon, tater tots and more cheese. You easily could add or substitute sausage, peppers/green chilies, spinach or whatever you prefer for breakfast. I used a small deep square casserole dish, and it only fed about six people. Next time, I know to use a larger dish. I’ve made this before, and learned to precook certain items, or they take forever to bake. Nobody wants to wait an hour for a casserole to bake.

First, I greased the pan and placed a layer of biscuits at the bottom. I used the Pillsbury brand canned dinner rolls, you could pick just about anything for a biscuit crust though. I prebaked the biscuits, by themselves, for about ten minutes at 375F. In hindsight, the biscuits took the longest to bake, so you might want to prebake them a little longer. (Still leave them a little uncooked because you will bake the whole thing together later). Also, a clear baking dish makes it easier to tell when the biscuits are done. Mine may or may not have come out a little crispy.

While the biscuits were precooking, I also put some tater tots in the oven to start crisping as well. Tater tots (if frozen) usually take about twenty minutes in the oven, and they taste better (in my opinion) crispier!

With the biscuits and tots prebaking in the oven, I started on the bacon. I used about a half a package of bacon. I cut the strips in half for convenience. I also precooked the bacon in the microwave, on a plate between two paper towels. I love bacon, but when cooking dishes like these, stove top bacon is unnecessary (and a hot mess), and the microwave works just fine.

In a small bowl, I mixed together about 5 eggs and some milk. I would use more eggs, maybe 8 or 9. A lot more eggs haha. And if you have a bigger dish, you may even need a dozen. Mix with milk and spices, and start to scramble in a pan. You don’t need to cook the eggs completely, but give them a head start, and they can finish baking.

Once all items are done prebaking, assemble the casserole. The bottom layer is biscuit, then I sprinkled some shredded cheese (probably unnecessary, but I love cheese). Then I placed the pre scrambled eggs on top of the biscuits and cheese. Next, I layered the bacon on top of the eggs. Then, I covered the bacon with tots. Finally, I smothered it in cheese!

Yes, this is the fat ass special. But, I am a firm believer that everything in moderation is acceptable. And like I said, this is really a people pleaser! Big hit! Everyone loved it! Wish I would have made more…

Soy Ginger Chili Citrus Salmon

My step brother Ian supplied me with some FRESH silver salmon (from the Kenai River, I believe). I honestly can’t remember the last time I cooked salmon in the oven. I’m so Alaskan, I just take it out of the river, wrap it in tin foil with a stick of butter, and throw it straight on the campfire. (uuuunnnnnnhhhh) I had two large filets that I cute into four pieces, which served about ten people. I marinated the salmon for about two hours before broiling it in the oven.

For the marinade, in a medium size bowl I mixed together: soy sauce, Worcestershire, olive oil, orange juice, honey, lime juice, minced garlic, minced ginger root, chili powder, black pepper, red pepper (cayenne), and lemon pepper. Quantities vary depending on the amount of fish you are marinating. I started with a third cup of soy sauce, orange juice and olive oil, and ended up needing to add more of each. Can’t mess up a marinade, so just throw whatever you want in there! Tip: I tried to remove as much air possible from the gallon Ziploc, and I also double bagged it in case of leakage.

I let the fish marinade for about two hours (in the refrigerator of course). I preheated the oven to broil. I placed tinfoil on a cookie sheet. In hindsight, I wish I would have used more foil and completely covered the cookie sheet, because the marinade leaked under and burned on the sheet, causing a more laborious clean up. I placed the filets skin side UP on the foiled cookie sheet. I broiled them for about three minutes and then removed from the oven. With a fork, tongs, or your fingers (whatever you prefer), remove the skin. It should peel away easily after being broiled for a few minutes. I poured some more marinade on the salmon after the skin was removed, and placed back in the oven for another three minutes. Remove the fish again, flip it, and broil for another five minutes. Babysit and watch closely, may not take as long depending on size of filets.

To round off this delicious meal, my friends made an amazing fruit salad with a lot of variety! Blackberries, pineapple, mandarins, strawberries, bananas, grapes, apples and more! Mixed with a tub of lite cool whip.

My other friend made an awesome green salad, too! Fresh spinach (from Costco, of course) and dark greens. Don’t forget the cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrots and walnuts.

This meal turned out absolutely wonderful. A great time for friends to gather for a nice fresh Alaskan salmon feed. I really love cooking, but the time we spend together eating is my favorite part. (I’m a HUGE advocate for family dinners btw.)

Spicy Spaghetti

Spaghetti is one of my favorite foods. A meal that frequently ended in fierce competition between my father and I, spaghetti has been in my family since childhood. I made spaghetti tonight, extra hot. However, I was in a rush, and only spent about an hour cooking time total. (Normal competition spaghetti in the Burr household would start around 3pm and be eaten around 6pm. THREE hour process, no thank you tonight.) The process usually takes so long because the Italian sausages are cooked from raw completely in the sauce. I precooked the hot Italian sausages in a pan to speed up the process a little bit.

Note: Unfortunately, I dropped the ball and did not take any pictures of this meal. But, use your imagination to create the most delicious spicy spaghetti imagery imaginable.

First I grabbed the largest pot I owned and poured in two starter spaghetti sauces. I used Classico, because they sell 3 packs at Costco, but you can use whichever you prefer. Then I put in one can of stewed basil and oregano tomatoes and one can of diced tomatoes. (Had I the resources for tomato paste, sauce or red wine…I would have added those ingredients as well.) I threw in two whole fresh jalapeños as “floaters”, which not only serve as a heat booster, but also adds esthetic appeal. I kept the heat on very low and let them simmer under a lid.

Meanwhile, I cleaned and minced (very tiny) a third jalapeño to add to the sauce. Then I added a healthy portion (you can’t really measure spices…) of oregano, some minced garlic, cumin, black and red pepper (cayenne). Cayenne is a very slow burning heat, hits the back of your tongue after you’ve swallowed. Jalapeño hits you more quickly, in the front of your pallet. The jalapeño / cayenne combo qualified one hell of a kick! I kept the heat on low, stirring frequently to prevent the tomatoes from burning to the bottom of the pan, and continued to simmer.

I used a five pack of hot Italian sausages from Fred Meyers, which were still slightly frozen when I began cooking. Obviously, I would recommend thawing your meat if time allows you to do so. I put the sausages in a large frying pan with about ¼ cup water (to create steam) and a lid. I babysat the sausages and flipped them frequently to prevent burning. They cooked for several minutes until almost completely cooked. They finished cooking in the tomato sauce for about another 40 minutes.

I boiled a large pot of water with salt and oil. I was out of spaghetti noodles, so I used my next favorite, bowties. I let the noodles cook for about 15 minutes until soft, drained the water in a strainer, and put the noodles back in the warm pot with a big chunk of butter.

Voila! Butter bowties, spicy spaghetti sauce, and hot Italian sausage….Parmesan cheese of course. It was excellent!

Beware: Tomatoes are very acidic, and tomato sauces do not stay good in the refrigerator for more than about three or four days I would say. Do not eat questionable spaghetti leftovers. You have been warned.  

Dark Chocolate Cherry Dr. Pepper Rum Cake

It’s Alex's birthday, and I wanted to make him a specialty birthday cake. I decided to make a *takes deep breath for long sentence*…dark chocolate cherry dr. pepper rum cake.  Mmmm!

I have made this cake once before, but this time I pretty much winged it. I got a box (yes, I don’t make eeeeeverything from scratch) of dark chocolate cake, and a box of INSTANT chocolate pudding. In my kitchen aid, I mixed both boxes, four eggs, about a cup of Bacardi torched cherry rum, a half a cup of dr. pepper, a quarter cup of oil, and a table spoon of cocoa powder. I mixed this until it was batter, but it still looked pretty thick. I took a jar of maraschino cherries, and poured about half of the cherry juice into the cake batter. I mixed until the batter looked about the right consistency, and then I added some whole cherries.

I greased the bundt pan and placed some extra cherries at the bottom (so they would be on top when I flip it out). I poured the cake mix over the cherries and into the bundt pan. I baked it in the oven at 350F for about an hour.

While it was baking, I tried to make a simple syrup reduction, but it never got very syrupy (probably because I used cherry rum instead of water). The “syrup” consisted of about a half cup of cherry rum, the rest of the cherry juice, and a few table spoons of sugar. Like I said, this never really thickened up, which is totally fine.

I let the bundt cake cook for ten minutes before I even attempted to remove it from the pan. Once cooled, I took a rubber spatula to loosen the sides (but careful to keep its shape intact). I lined a cookie sheet with foil, and placed it ON TOP of the bundt pan. Then, very carefully, I flipped the bundt pan over onto the cookie sheet, releasing the cake from the mold. It was beautiful!

Lastly, I used a plastic knife to poke a few slits in the top of the cake, and I poured the simple syrup all over the cake. The cake soaked it all up like a sponge! The bottom cherries are now on top and bright beautiful red! The cake is dark , chocolaty and moist! All in all, I would say the dark chocolate cherry dr. pepper rum cake was a great success!!

Halibut Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Dressing

The other night, I went over to have friends with my old roomies at their new place. My beautiful cousin Laura gets all the credit for this meal, but it was just so delicious, I had to blog about it.

I knew her family had just caught some fresh fish in the English Bay, but I was ecstatic to find out the menu: halibut tacos with pico de gallo and a chipotle-lime dressing!

(this is a modified recipe from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/grilled-fish-tacos-with-chipotle-lime-dressing/detail.aspx)

First, she made a marinade for the halibut to add some extra flavor: olive oil, white vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder and black pepper. She cut the halibut into chunks, placed in a bowl with the marinade, covered with plastic and kept refrigerated. (Quick Tip: I would also suggest gallon zip loc bags for marinades)

Next, (she actually had the salsa and dressing made before I even got there) is the chipotle lime dressing. This was so effing amazing, and simple! Just one 8oz container of sour cream, lime juice and zest, cumin, chili powder and chipotle. She also made a homemade pico de gallo salsa with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime juice ect…

After, she grilled the fish on the stove top, we warmed up some corn tortillas and assembled the tacos. Halibut, chipotle lime dressing, salsa and fresh jalapeños. So good.

Side note: I really like mango salsa with white fish. Just like a tomato salsa with onions, cilantro and lime, but chunks of jar or canned mangos in place of tomatoes. Carrs Safeway didn’t have any mangos, so I was going to improvise with a citrus salsa. Unfortunately, I spaced on making the salsa when I got there (because everything already looked so good), so we will never know the fate of the citrus salad.