Grilled Swordfish with a Basil Butter Sauce

We just got our new grill and for the past week we have been BBQ-ing every night. 

3 cheeseburgers, 4 hot dogs and 5 pounds later, I wanted to grill something a little more figure friendly. 

I decided on swordfish. It's meaty texture holds up perfectly on the grill.

Ingredients

Four 8-ounce swordfish steaks, cut about 1 inch thick

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but not melted

2 teaspoons chopped basil

2 teaspoons capers, chopped finely

2 tablespoons lemon juice plus wedges for garnish

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Mix the olive oil with 1tablespoon of lemon juice. Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides and marinate for 15 minutes.

In a bowl mix the butter with the basil and capers, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Grill the swordfish until nicely charred on the outside and cooked within.

This should take about 4-5 minutes per side.

Transfer to a plate and put a nice dollop of the basil butter on each fish immediately.

Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

Enjoy!

It's a Girl!

This weekend was one of my best friends baby shower. She is having a girl and I was so excited to make her pretty cupcakes for the occasion. I wanted to do something sweet and girly. 

I created two different designs. 

For the first cupcake design I made a peachy pink frosting using  Wilton Rose Petal Pink coloring. 

            

Using a closed star tip I made the frosting look like a rose. I topped them with white sugar pearls and 

"It's a Girl" cupcake toppers.

 For the second cupcake design I used plain white frosting. 

I topped these with pink fondant roses and used crushed pistachio's to look like rose leaves.

 For both cupcakes I used these Wave Cupcake Liners

I think they really added to the flower design I was trying to achieve.

It was such a fun day of celebrating.
I can't wait for Baby B's arrival! She is going to be one lucky little baby having such a fab mamma!

Easy Weeknight Dinners

This Chicken Piccata recipe tastes like it comes straight from a 4-star restaurant and is super simple to whip up. Try to find thin cut chicken breasts if you can. If not, use a tenderizer (or any hammer like object you may own in the kitchen) and pound them yourself. 

While the Brussels sprouts are roasting in the oven, cook the chicken and you have yourself a delicious meal! This recipe is delicious enough to impress company and easy enough for a quick weeknight dinner.

Chicken Piccata

adapted from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe

Ingredients

1 pound skinless and boneless chicken breasts (purchase thin cut if you can)

Salt and pepper

All purpose flour

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup capers

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

If you can find thin sliced chicken breasts, get them. It will save you the time of pounding them. If you can't find them thin sliced-

 put the cutlet in between two pieces of plastic or saran (I used a ziplock bag). 

Using a meat tenderizer, pound chicken into thin cutlets.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In skillet over medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter & 3 tablespoons olive oil. 

When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. (chicken will finish cooking in the sauce later on)

Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add next 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the same pan (do not clean) add the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to a boil, scraping bits from the bottom of the pan. The bits will add to the flavor. Check for seasoning to see if it needs salt or pepper. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk. 

Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons good olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut of the hard ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35-40 minutes. 

Spring it on!

What better way to end the weekend then with some fabulous cocktail recipes. 

Below are some Spring drinks to get you through the work week ahead.

Spring it on!

The Paloma

recipe via bsinthekitchen

Ingredients

1/4 cup tequila

1/4 cup club soda

1/4 cup grapefruit juice

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp sugar

small plate with sugar

grapefruit wedge

Instructions

Sprinkle sugar on a small plate. Cut grapefruit in half rubbing outer edge along rim of glass. Dip glass in plate of sugar to coat the rim. 

In your cocktail glass combine grapefruit juice, lime juice and sugar. Mix until sugar dissolves. Add tequila, club soda. Garnish with a wedge of grapefruit and enjoy!

Basil Prosecco and Limoncello

recipe via Limn and lovely

Ingredients

1 ounce of limoncello

Prosecco to fill

1 palmful of fresh basil

Instructions

Pour chilled limoncello into a champagne glass and muddle with fresh basil.

Pour prosecco over the top and stir.

Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria

recipe via how sweet it is

Ingredients

1 bottle Riesling

1 bottle prosecco

1 cup grapefruit juice

1/2 cup simple syrup

1/2 cup club soda

1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

1 grapefruit, cut into chunks

Instructions

Fill a large pitcher with the fruit. Combine remaining ingredients except club soda, and pour on top of fruit. Refrigerate an hour or more. Right before serving pour cold club soda on top so it's nice and bubbly.

Shabou Creations Sounds Off!

Check out Shabou Creations on the front page of the Scarsdale Patch today!

Happy Birthday Jaymie

I made cupcakes for my (almost) sister-in-law's birthday this weekend.

I wanted to make something fun and springy and bright.

I decided to do orange and pink frosting.

Starting off with white frosting I added yellow and red food coloring to one bowl, to make orange. 

To the other bowl of white frosting I added red food coloring.

To keep the pink and orange theme going, I added pink and orange sprinkle bits to the batter.

When you take a bite you can see the pretty color bits throughout the cupcake.

 I topped each cupcake with glimmery gold sprinkles. 

 Some hot pink candles for the finishing Birthday touch!

Boxed up and ready to go.

Happy Birthday Jaymie!