Spicy Honey Chicken

This is one of my most favorite meals.  I copied the recipe right from Our Best Bites, so this is all their instructions and pictures.  The first night I made this our grill ran out of propane, so I had to do it all inside.  I did not use an indoor grill pan or a broiler like they suggest.  I prepared the chicken with the rub and then I put the chicken pieces in a baking dish.  I then just poured the glaze(all of it) over the chicken and cooked it for 45 minutes or so on 350F, turning the chicken over every 15 minutes or so.  I am positive that this would taste better grilled, but we still don't have propane so I still just bake it.  It is soooo yummy! And I have to agree, it is best with thighs.

Spicy Honey Chicken

 Recipe by Our Best Bites

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (Yes, Thighs!!)
everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I’m tellin’
ya right now it’s better with thighs.

 2 t vegetable oil
Rub

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces.Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

If you don’t have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

Remember how I had you reserve that extra couple tablespoons of glaze? Ya, drizzle that on top now. Your taste buds will thank you.

 

Chicken & Spinach Pesto Lasagna

I love lasagna!  Love, love, love it.  I also really love pesto, so when I found this recipe on the back of my shredded cheese bag, I knew I had to try it.  We all liked it a lot!  I will make it again, but must record the recipe or it will be in the garbage with the empty cheese bag.  If you don't like pesto, you won't like this.  If you don't like spinach, you really won't like this.

Ingredients:
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 c onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 packages (12 oz each) frozen chopped spinach
3 c cooked diced chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 c ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese.  I ALWAYS use cottage cheese in my lasagna.)
1 large egg
1 1/2 c prepared pesto sauce,
   plus 2 Tbsp
3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2.  Spray 13x9-inch casserole or lasagna pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3.  Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat.  Cook and stir onions and garlic until transparent.  Add spinach, cook and stir about 5 minutes.  Add chicken and stir about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
4.  In large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, egg, pesto, and parmesan cheese until thoroughly blended.  Add chicken and spinach mixture to bowl and stir to combine.
5.  Spread 2 Tbsps pesto in bottom of prepared pan.
6.  Layer 4 lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping.  Top with one third of spinach ricotta mixture and on third of mozzarella.  Repeat layers twice.
7.  Bake about 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Chicken Marinade

This is very similar to Joe's worcestershire marinade and can be tweeked however you like.

1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp finely minced parsley

I made this marinade on the fly and it was only able to marinade for about an hour and still had a lot of flavor (I was marinating chicken tenders not full chicken breasts).

Sugar Cookie Bars

Another Pinterest recipe. From this website that looks really yummy.

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flower
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time mixing well after each addition. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add the vanilla to the creamed mixture and then slowly add the dry ingredients.

Press into a greased 13X18 inch pan and bake at 375 for 10-15 min. (Warning the dough will be sticky add a little flour to your hands when pressing into the pan. I added way too much flour to the dough to try to unstick it, don't do that)

Cool and frost.

Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons milk

In a mixing bowl beat the shortening and the butter until creamy. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Gradually add the 5 tbsp of milk until you reach your desired consistency.

Chill and cut.

Cinnasticks

I got this recipe from Pinterest it is super yummy!!! The original recipe suggests getting the pre-made pizza dough from Papa Murphy's. I just used a pillsbury pizza dough though and I am sure that any homemade pizza dough recipe would work just fine. It also suggests using a butter flavored oil like the kind meant for popcorn, I just melted some butter and added it to my oil and it tasted just fine.

dough rolled out into a square or circle
buttered flavored oil
2 tsp cinnamon (more if you are a cinnamon fan)
1/2 c. sugar

Icing:
several cups of powdered sugar (I did like 3 and had plenty of icing)
small splash of milk (just keep adding milk until it is the consistency you like)
1 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into strips. Brush the dough with the flavored oil. Bake for about 15 min until cooked through, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn't over bake. Remove from oven. Wile the dough is baking prepare the icing and set aside.
3. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir together well. Sprinkle the mixture over the warm dough. Drizzle with the prepared icing. Serve warm

I did let my refrigerated dough rise a little bit before baking. But these were so delicious!!!

Penne Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

I found this recipe on Pinterest it is soooo yummy and super easy!

2 cups dry penne pasta
8 sun dried tomatoes chopped, about 1/3 cup
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
2 cups (8oz package) shredded Italian style cheese blend
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black powder

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Add the chopped sun dried tomatoes for the last two minutes of cooking time. Drain.

Meanwhile combine evaporated milk, cheese, basil, garlic powder, and pepper in a medium saucepan on medium low heat, stirring occasionally until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat.

Add pasta and tomatoes to the cheese sauce, stir until combined

You can add chicken to this dish which would be super yummy but it was delicious without it too.

| Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie Cups |

- 1 can of reduced fat biscuits (10 count)
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
- 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
- 2/3 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of frozen mixed veggies (I use broccoli, cauliflower, corn, peas...anything)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Separate biscuits and place each biscuit in a cup of a lightly greased 12-hole muffin pan, pressing dough up sides to edge of cup.

3. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, chicken soup, veggies, cheddar cheese, parsley flakes, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.

4. Evenly spoon chicken mixture into prepared biscuit cups.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Remove from oven. Place muffin pan on a wire rack and let set for 2-3 minutes. Serve at once.

I doubled this recipe. We like leftovers. It was really yummy, and fairly quick too.

One-pot Chicken & Penne Parmesan

I couldn't figure out what to make for dinner last night so I pulled out a bag of penne, and found this recipe. It was SO good. I altered it a bit since I didn't have the veggies it called for. Seriously SO SO SO GOOD! Bryan couldn't stop telling me how good it was ;) (maybe that is because he rarely gets a made from scratch meal these days)

1 T Butter or margarine
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless ckn breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1-3/4 cups (14 oz can) chicken broth
1/2 package (8 oz) Penne Rigate, uncooked
1 pkg (16 oz.) frozen broccoli, carrot and cauliflower mix (I used fresh cut carrots and frozen green beans)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

In 5 qt saucepan over medium heat, cook chicken till no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add broth; heat to boiling. Add uncooked pasta, veggies, and pepper, stirring to coat pasta with liquid. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 13 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or till pasta is barely tender and most liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together soup, milk, and 1/2 C cheese till smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Heat till mixture just comes to a boil; sprinkle with remaining cheese.


Serves 8. Or 2 if you are hungry :)

Italian Sodas

These were at the Move Over Martha dinner too and were so yummy and a lot of fun!

2 TBSP Torani Syrup
Deli Ice
Club Soda
Half and Half
Whip Cream

Fill 16 ounce glass with ice. Add the syrup, then fill glass 3/4 the way full with club soda. Followed by Half and Half. Top with whipped cream and stir a little with your straw. You can get the syrup at Harmons or any Italian market. We had raspberry, peach, and strawberry all were very yummy! Pics here.

Peasant Bread

I belong to a group in our neighborhood called Move Over Martha. It is a cooking group more on the gourmet side. We had a dinner last Friday and this bread was part of it. It was delicious. So delicious that I attempted bread making yesterday. This recipe is so easy that even I didn't mess it up! Perfect with any Italian entree. YUM YUM!

1 package quick rise yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 TBSP sugar
2 cups warm water
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 TBSP melted butter

In bowl mix yeast and sugar. Add water and let the yeast dissolve (about 3 min). In mixing bowl add flour, seasoning, and salt. Then add yeast mixture. Mix for about 5 minutes. Spray hands and cookie sheet with cooking spray. Divide dough into two balls and form into balls. Cover with towel and let raise for 30 minutes. Reshape dough, and brush with 3 TBSP melted butter. Sprinkle with a little more Italian seasoning and a little sea salt. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes then lower temperature to 375 and cook for 15 more minutes. Serve as is, or dip in olive oil and balsamic. Click here for pictures.