Spicy Strawberry Sriracha Chicken

Thank you Linda from the TOH board for posting this Recipe



I deboned the thighs. The rest of the chicken Gabe grilled. He doesn't like anything with a sweet/sour taste and wasn't sure how this would turn out.

scant 1/3 of a cup strawberry jam  added a little more than a 1/3 cup
2 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce used the chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 chicken breast  deboned 2 thighs

In a small saucepan combine jam, sriracha and vinegar. Over medium heat, cook until just bubbling. Set aside.

In a frying pan sauté the thin chicken breast until cooked through. Add glaze and cook until reduced. You can add whatever glaze is left in the pan to the chicken once you have the chicken plated.

I liked it but not sure if Gabe and Gregory would. I added more chili garlic sauce- added 1 tablespoon. It was spicy but still could get a taste of the strawberry. 

Christmas Thyme at Oak Hill Farms (Indiana) Cookies

Another cookbook from the library.  I wanted to make cookies for Jake before his family takes off for the summer. I should make Luna something but she prefers  pigs ears, and I bought her a nice big one. Wonder if she will miss Max.

I was concerned about the amount of oil in this recipe. I cut it to 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup water.


1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup salad oil (Wesson,Puritan -see my note above)
1 cup quick rolled oats
1 cup crushed cornflakes( measure after crushing)
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coconut- didn't use
1 cup pecans, chopped fine--didn't use
Red or green glazed cherries for decorations- didn't use


Cream butter and sugars

Add egg and the oil and mix well

Add oats, cornflakes,flour,soda,salt, and vanilla, mix well

Stir in the coconut and nuts.

Roll into 1 inch balls of dough and place on a greased cookie sheet

Flatten the balls with a fork in a crisscross pattern.

Dip fork in water between cookies

If you want to add the cherry half, place it in the center of the cookie

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 mins or until light brown.

Do not overbake

Makes 8-10 dozen cookies

Since I didn't add the coconut and pecans the batter was thin. I put the dough in the fridge for about an hour. The cookies didn't spread out and when I took them out of the oven I let them sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes. Easier to take off.

Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Quinoa Cakes

I made a huge pot of red beans and rice for Gabe and had a bowl the first night but then Gabe had his red beans to himself.

While he was on the boat I made THESE. Adapted the recipe and loved them! Didn't need a topping, they were so good on their own.

2 large sweet potatoes

6 oz. canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup rinsed quinoa- I used red quinoa from Traders Joe's

1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs - used 4C spicy hot chipotle panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese - used Kraft parmesan

2 cloves diced garlic

1/4 cup diced walnuts- didn't add

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary-didn't add

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt- didn't add

2 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup milk

Topping-

1/3 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes. Dry and prick the skin with a fork or knife to make little holes to help release pressure so when you cook them in the microwave they don't explode and you have a huge mess to clean up. You could cook the sweet potatoes in the oven but the microwave was 5 mins for each one.

When both potatoes are cooked, scoop out and add to a deep bowl.

Add the butter and milk, cumin, pepper to the hot sweet potatoes that are in the bowl. I used an old fashion potato masher to mix it up.

I added the quinoa which was cooked in 1 cup of water. I boiled the water added the quinoa cooked it on a low simmer for about 15-20 minutes and stir. You know it is done when it  has "popped". I fluffed it and let it cool before I added to the sweet potato mixture.

Added the drained black beans to the sweet potato mixture and the cooled quinoa. Then added the parm, garlic and breadcrumbs. You might want to add more breadcrumbs to thicken it.

Make your little cakes and place them on the cookie sheet lined with parchment. I sprayed the parchment with pam. Used about a tablespoon of the sweet potato mixture to make a cake.

Cook 15 minutes on one side them flip and another 15 for the other side for an even tan.

I didn't make the topping. Didn't have sour cream and knew I could use my Greek yogurt but want it for breakfast the next day. No topping but these are so good they didn't need it.

MM 49 weeks

Our home became the happy house when Gregory came for a short visit.

Max heard the bike and bolted out of the door, he knew his buddy was out there and couldn't wait to see him.

                                                           Think Max is happy?

                          Shout out to Ms. Sharon! Come see us this winter.

                   Poor puppy, so tired after all that play time, needs a lap to rest on.

Pass it on!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

My plan was to make this with chicken I had left over but I didn't have enough so ended up going to Winn- Dixie to pick up additional meat.

Ground turkey was on sale, buy one get one free and since I interchange turkey/chicken I didn't have a problem with this and I saved some money.



Easy to prepare and I did change two ingredients, I subbed blue cheese for ranch and Franks hot sauce for Louisiana hot sauce.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground chicken ( used ground turkey)

1 egg- beaten

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 carrot

1 stalk celery

2 green onions (used small yellow onion)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 ounce crumbled blue cheese ( used ranch)

1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce (or your favorite), divided

1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with foil or  parchment paper.

In your food processor toss in the celery, onion and carrot.

Pulse into small pieces.

In a large bowl add the egg, which was beaten. To that add the chopped vegetables from the food processor. Then add the panko, chicken, garlic powder, 1/2 of the hot sauce. I did not add salt.

Fold together but don't over mix.

Form into meatballs and place on sheet.

Bake for 20 mins.

While the meatballs are cooking melt butter and rest of the hot sauce.

When you take the meatballs out of the oven, plate them and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Pour hot sauce over the meatballs.

                         Recipe found on pinterest. Adapted from here

Andy's Birthday Cookies

Andy is Gabe's diving buddy and good friend. When I found out it was his birthday I asked what kind of cookies he wanted and said chocolate chip.

My printed favorite's are in Florida so I just went with the original
Toll House Cookies recipe.

Happy Birthday Andy!

Short little story Andy told us which actually happened.

Andy is a contractor and was working in a customers house. The guy told him his partner died in the house and it was haunted. Andy blew it off and never thought about while working in the house.

One day he was working on the plumbing and a fitting just didn't want to go on and he was frustrated and said a few "choice" words. As he was venting a door slammed. No one in the house but Andy. It sort of creeper him out.

He finished and his customer was extremely pleased with his work and asked him if he ever needed anything could he call Andy. You don't say no to work and he said to call anytime.

 People who own luxury homes in this area only use them on the weekends. There was a problem and Andy was called.

The house was empty and Andy remembered the door incident and wasn't crazy about going back into an empty house so he took his little dog, Hazel.

Hazel was a mix breed and completely devoted to Andy. While Andy worked downstairs Hazel was right by Andy's side.

No choice words this time but the door slammed again. Hazel shot upstairs where the door had closed. There's a loaf so Andy could see Hazel upstairs.

What he saw was Hazel backing up while still looking forward barking in a tone she never used.

Once he got her down he got in his truck and hasn't been back to that house.


Now, you may think this was a story told around a few drinks. Andy doesn't drink. He was picking up cookies and told us about what happened the night Sandy hit when he had to go to another home in the area where a man was murdered.

Diane Mott Davidson's SONORA CHICKEN STRUDEL

Diane Mott's books are always a fun read but the reason I take them out is the recipes! Linda the recipe hoarder!

The recipe is from Newsday. If you use to watch Everyone Loves Raymond,  Raymond was the sports reporter for Newsday.  Long Island paper!


I went to Walbaum's this morning to pick up  canned chili's for this recipe and NO canned chili's! Picked up a few jalapenos to sub for the chili's.

2 Tbl. EVOO( called for veg. oil but I wanted to use olive oil)
3 cups seeded & chopped tomatoes( used a large can of Red Pack diced tomatoes)
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 small cans chopped green chili's( sautéed jalapenos and habaneros- used 3 large jalapenos and 2 small habaneros)
11/2 cups chopped onion( used a red onion)
2 cups shredded chicken-cooked( chicken thighs)
1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1/2  (about) phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Add the olive oil to a large pan and sautéed the onion, drained the tomatoes and added to the onion once the onions were cooked. Added the garlic, peppers and cumin and simmered for about 30 minutes.

The chicken thighs were deboned and skinned and I cooked them on a cookie sheet. Once done I shredded the chicken and placed in a large bowl. Added the sour cream and the cheese.
Note- next time I'm going to use Monterey Jack Cheese.

When the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin  simmered 30 minutes I added to the chicken mixture and mixed well.

Sprayed a 9X 13 baking dish and added the above mixture.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add the layer of phyllo and brush with butter or spray with butter Pam. Cut into 9 evenly square pieces.

Bake for 20- 30 minutes.

Gabe and I really liked the filling. I added the seeds from the peppers so it was spicy. I'll make it again but would not add the phyllo . It didn't add to the taste. I might add crushed Doritos, they have so many flavors that I'm sure one of them would be a perfect topping for this dish. 



 

MM 48 weeks

Not many nice days to play outside. When he did finally get out it was play hard time.

They ran and ran and when Luna had enough she headed to the back yard to get away from Mad Max! He's to big to fit in the little opening to the pool so when she wants to get away from him she heads to the "spa". Smart girl.

Father's Day

This photo was taken in our first house in Hampton Bays. Not sure how old Gregory was.

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.

- Jim Valvano

 

                                                                          Happy Father's Day!

Oh SO Good Potatoes!

My Divingabe  LOVES potatoes, 50 pound bag from the farmer to our basement where they stay cool. I don't know what Gabe is going to do when we move to Florida! No basement :-(

A week before we left Florida Hitchcock's had potatoes on sale- 10 pounds for 2.99. I thought about it and wondered if I could sneak them in the truck for the ride home. Well, I really thought I was going to get one of those " we don't HAVE potatoes at home" speeches but you know there's always room for his favorite.


The recipe came from one of my local community cookbooks. Elizabeth Doll was the poster and was known as a excellent cook.

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced

     1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 cups Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubes

   1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 can (10.5-ounce) cream of chicken soup( used low salt soup)

      1/2 cup butter, melted

1 pint sour cream

1 teaspoon salt( used 1/4 tsp.)

2 cups corn flakes, crushed

1/4 cup butter, melted

 

 

 

1. Cook the potatoes until almost soft. Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Mix together the onion, Velveeta cheese, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cream of chicken soup, ½ cup butter, sour cream and salt 
4. Add to the potatoes and pour mixture into a buttered baking dish.
5. Mix together the corn flakes, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, 1/4 cup of melted butter and cover the mixture.
6. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

      

Sue's Potato Au Gratin - From Mrs. Wilkes Cookbook

Linda, a member of the TOH recipe board added a post - Mrs. Wilkes Recipes. I saw a few that I knew I wanted to try and didn't have the cookbook thus took it out from my local
library.

The cookbook was a interlibrary lone and came from the Harborfields Public Library in Greenlawn, NY.

I've been  to Savannah and ate at Mrs. Wilkes restaurant. There's always a long wait to get in and then seated family style around a large round table. I don't have a problem socializing and it was nice to meet people from different parts of the country.



The cookbook noted that this recipe is a signature dish of Susie Mae Kennell, who developed it.

6 cups potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup mayo
2 tablespoon prepared mustard( Gabe only likes Gulden's Spicy Brown ,so I used that)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 medium onion, grated
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese.

Add the potatoes to the water and boil until tender, drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash potatoes until all lumps are gone.

Add mayo, mustard,  vinegar, and onion.

Place in a casserole dish and top with cheese.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until mixture bubbles and the cheese had melted

I halved the recipe since I knew Gabe would be the only one eating it. I'm not a fan of potatoes but you know what? These are really good! I'll be making them again.

Maple Ginger Glazed Chicken

This is a recipe that Carol reviewed on TOH. Her hubby takes photos of her creations and if you check out the link you can see Bob's fantastic photo.


It's such an easy and quick recipe that I know I'll be making it again and again.

1/4 c. pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp. lite soy sauce

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 lb.)

Salt and pepper

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

 

Add maple syrup, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and cayenne in a small bowl and mix well.

 

 With paper towels pat the chicken dry and  season with salt and pepper.

 

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add the chicken; cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.

 

Reduce heat to medium-low; add syrup mixture to pan.  Thicken the sauce with some cornstarch/water mixture till it was a nice consistancy. Simmer, turning chicken until glaze is slightly thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 2-4 minutes.  

MM 47 Weeks

The little chicken will not go down the cellar stairs. He gets to the third step down and hangs out there till I or Gabe come back up.

Chickpea & Carrot Fritters with Feta

I found this recipe on TLT ( the little things).  I had carrots left from the huge bag I bought at BJ's. There were a few cans of chickpeas in the cabinet and I all needed to pick up was feta. Adapted the recipe. 

Ingredients:

3 2/3 cups  canned chickpeas ( used 2 cans- rinsed them off before adding to recipe

4 carrots, peeled and grated ( shredded in Cuisinart)

2 handfuls chopped cilantro ( used parsley)

2 cups  feta, crumbled

4 eggs

2/3 cup  rice flour  ( used regular flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Vegetable oil, for frying ( used EVOO with a small amount of butter added to the EVOO)

some lemon, yogurt with mint and spinach leaves, to serve( didn't use)

Directions:

 Rinse and drain the chickpeas and give them a short pulse in the Cuisinart.

Add the chickpeas to a large bowl.

Shredded the carrots in the Cuisinart till they were a consistency I wanted, then add to the chickpeas.

I added the parsley which I cut fine and the feta to the chickpea and carrots.

 Beat the 4 eggs before  adding  them to the above mixture.

Combined the flour and the baking powder and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl and then added to chickpea/carrot mixture and mix well.

Pour a small amount of EVOO into a fry pan and also add a pat of butter to the EVOO. When the oil started to sizzle, added formed fritters and cook until brown on each side.

Crispy Parmesan Chicken

Every morning I have a set routine and visit my favorite sites to see what's new and always on the look out for recipes that Gabe and I would enjoy.

One of the sites I frequent is Taste Of Home. I've been a member since 2001. When I joined the board was full of recipes which made my printer work overtime.

This recipe is one I printed out and noted that a man that posted the recipe on the board was Foodguy. Foodguy was one of the few men who posted.

He used chicken breast. I had chicken thighs that I bought on sale at Walbaum's  for 99 cents a pound. I removed the skin and deboned them. Saved the bones to make chicken stock.


Unfortunately I can't source the recipe. It came from my bin of printed recipes. I don't know if it was Foodguy's original recipe or where he found it. He passed away over a year ago and I know the recipes he posted will be enjoyed for many years.

1/2 cup Butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 boneless skinless Chicken halves( I used 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs which I boned and saved bones to use to make chicken stock later)

1 cup plain dry bread crumbs( used seasoned panko)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese( Kraft parmesan cheese)
1 can (6 oz.) original French fried onions, crushed
I crushed the can of fried onion in the Cuisinart, added the Parmesan and then the panko and when the consistency I wanted emptied the crumbs onto a plate.

Melted the butter in a small saucepan, added the garlic powder, ground mustard, pepper and  Worcestershire.

Placed the pan with the melted butter mixture next to the plate with the bread crumb mixture.

Sprayed my baking dish with pam and dipped one chicken thigh in the butter and made sure it was coated then covered the thigh with the crumbs and placed in dish sprayed with Pam.

Continue until all the chicken is coated.

Place in preheated 350 degree oven for 50- 60 minutes

Vinegar Slaw with Cucumbers and Dill

In Florida I put Smitten Kitchen's book on reserve. I was number 228 on the list. I checked before we left and I was 187.

Back home I added the cookbook to my local library reserve list and I had it in two days.

Difference in libraries, in Florida you can keep a book out for a month. Home- new books 2 weeks. I also use interlibrary loan at home and I can get books from all over the Island where in Florida the interlibrary range is very limited.

I'm not a fan of mayo-sogged Cole Slaw. I never make it and usually make my favorite which is Crack Cole Slaw. I saw this recipe in The Smitten Kitchen cookbook and I had cabbage in the fridge which I brought back from Florida and wanted to give it a try.

1 medium head green cabbage, cored and shredded

1 large seedless cucumber ( about a pound) sliced thin( used a seeded cucumber)

2 Tbl. chopped fresh dill( used dried)

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

2 Tbl. Kosher Salt( used 1 Tbl. salt)

4 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup cold water( didn't add, I don't like my slaw watery)

I also added one carrot for color and my personal taste.

I shredded the cabbage and carrot in the Cuisinart. I added the cabbage and carrot to a large bowl and added the sliced cucumber and the dill and gave it a good toss to make sure everything was combined.

In another bowl I added the vinegar, salt and sugar and used my whisk to mix until the salt and sugar was dissolved.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the salad.

Left it in the fridge and tossed a few times and picked on it to see how it tasted.