Made-up Island Chicken

I made up a new chicken recipe today w/ stuff I had around the house:

Ingredients:
Chicken breast
10 oz. can of guava juice
Ginger
Garlic
Bay leaves
Salt & pepper
Cilantro

Marinate chicken breast in 1 can of guava juice w/ ginger & garlic to taste, plus 2-3 bay leaves. (I used 1/2 chicken breast, marinated for the next day - this probably makes enough marinade for a whole breast).

Salt & pepper the chicken & brown each side for a couple of minutes at medium heat. Remove chicken from heat. Turn up the burner to medium high or high. Pour in the marinade, add fresh cilantro & bring to a simmer. Add the chicken back in (I slowly turned the heat down to medium to keep the juice at a simmer). Cook about 5 minutes on each side or until done.

We ate it w/ rice but didn't have any exotic veges to add.

Here are some things I might try mixing in next time:
sauteed onions/scallions (something sour to go w/ the sweet flavor)
pineapple
rum extract

I'll gladly take any suggestions of what else to eat with made-up island chicken.

Mini's Cupcakes

Okay, this is not really a recipe. But I wanted you all to know about this cutest new cupcake shop on 800 South, a block or two west of State Street in SLC. It's called Mini's. The owner makes little tiny cupcakes with all these creative different toppings, homemade marshmallows, and rice krispie treats that are really just homemade marshmallows rolled in rice krispies (reaaally good if you really like marshmallow). I tried a coffee flavored cupcake and it was tasty! They are a little spendy (I paid about $10 for half a dozen) but the presentation is really nice so they make a fancy fun little gift.

Here's the contact info:

800 S 14 E
Salt Lake City, UT 84111

(801) 363-0608

www.mini-cupcakes.com

Basic Buttercream Frosting

I used this recipe to top Alicia's DELISH sugar cookies below. It can be thick or thin- just change the amount of milk until you have the desired consistency. I also used almond extract in the cookies, so I put a dash in the frosting too.

1/2 c. Butter
3 c. Powdered Sugar
3 tbsp. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla

Cream butter until smooth and slowly add in the sugar, milk and vanilla alternatively until well blended.

Strawberry Salad

1 bag of spring salad mix (I used one head of leaf lettuce and one head of romaine lettuce)
4 slices bacon, cooked till crisp, then crumbled
1/4 c. cashew or almond pieces (roasted and salted)
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2 T. chopped, red onion
8 oz. fresh strawberries, sliced
1 large avocado, diced
1 large can mandarin oranges, drained

Place all ingredients into a salad bowl. Pour dressing over the top and toss. Serve.

Dressing:

1 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. milk (I used a little more milk so the consistency was thinner)
1/8 c. balsamic vinegar
1/8 c. sugar
3 T. strawberry jam or preserves

Mix all ingredients in blender or in a shaker and shake well. You can add more jam to taste and you can make the dressing ahead of time. Also, this makes more dressing than you will need for the salad. Refrigerate and save the rest.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

1 corned beef brisket, 3-5 pounds
4 potatoes (more if you have more people)
6-8 carrots
1 onion (more if you like onion)


Peel and cut potatoes and carrots into 1" chunks. Place into crock pot. Peel onion and cut into quarters, place into crock pot. Place brisket, the liquid from the package, and the spice packet into the crock pot. Pour about 6 cups of water into the crock pot and turn pot to high. Cook for 6 hours or until done.

Judy's Chicken

This is a chicken that my mother-in-law Judy always makes. I think that she got the recipe from a cookbook called, Mormon Essentials, or something like that. She always makes it in the oven, I usually make it in the slow-cooker. It is delicious with rice.

6 - 8 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 cup apricot preserves
1 cup or 8 oz Russian dressing (Judy recommends Wishbone brand)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix soup mix, preserves, and dressing. Place chicken in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour other ingredients over the top of the chicken. Bake for one hour or until chicken is done. I cook this in the slow-cooker for 3 hours on low or until the chicken is done.

Chicken Enchiladas

4 c. cooked, shredded chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 small can, diced, green chili's
1 c. sour cream (I usually use the low-fat kind)
1 can green enchilada sauce
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
8 - 12 flour tortillas, soft taco size

Mix chicken, soup, chili's, and sour cream. You can add diced onion or any other ingredient that sounds good to you to this. Place some of this mixture into a tortilla, sprinkle on a little cheese, and roll up, place into a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Make as many enchiladas as you would like. You can make them smaller or larger depending on your taste. Pour sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees until hot and bubbly. I make these different every time I make them but this is my basic recipe. They are very comforting and creamy.

French Toast Bake

4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 a package)
any flavor of jam or preserves that you like
12 slices of thick, white bread (can be day old)
8 eggs
1 c. milk, warmed
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
3 T. melted butter

Spread cream cheese onto 6 pieces of the bread. Spread jam on the other 6 pieces. Put them together like sandwiches and place into a 9 x 13 inch pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Whip eggs, milk, sugar, salt, and melted butter together. Pour this over the sandwiches. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with syrup and fresh fruit.

I made this last weekend for breakfast and forgot to post it. I actually made it with only 4 eggs but that wasn't nearly enough. I think that 8 eggs will be perfect.

Bacon & Cheese Strata

6 slices good white bread, can be day old
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked till crisp and crumbled
8 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
fresh ground pepper
a little hot sauce
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
a bit of dried parsley

Place bread into a 9 x 13 inch pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle bacon over the top. Whip eggs, milk, salt, ground pepper, and hot sauce together. Pour over bread and bacon. Sprinkle cheese and parsley on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand for 5 or 10 minutes and serve.

Rozanne's Pretzel Salad

From Rozanne Huff, my neighbor

First Layer:

2 c. crushed pretzels
3 T. sugar
3/4 c. melted butter

Mix ingredients and press into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool.

Second Layer:

8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip

Mix cream cheese & sugar; add pineapple and fold in Cool Whip. Spread onto cooled crust.

Third Layer:

2 small pkgs. raspberry gelatin
2 c. boiling water
20 oz. frozen raspberries

Mix gelatin and water until dissolved. Add frozen raspberries. This will set up really quickly. When it is thickened, pour over cream cheese layer in pan. Refrigerate until set.

I made this today for a baby shower that is tomorrow. It looks really, really yummy and it is a quick jello salad to prepare because the jello part sets up so quickly from the frozen berries.

Banana Pudding Cake

Use a white cake mix but use one stick of melted butter for the oil, use milk instead of water for the liquid and use whole eggs. Bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Make a large box of vanilla pudding, regular. Add 4 T. butter and a capful of vanilla to the pudding and let the pudding cool a bit. When the cake is out of the oven, poke holes in the cake with a drinking straw. Add 3 or 4 sliced bananas to the pudding and pour over the cake. Place in fridge and chill. Top with one regular package of whipped topping or 2 c. of cream, whipped until stiff.

Sugar Cookies

2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
3 eggs
1 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. lemon extract
6 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
3 1/2 t. baking powder

Spray cookie sheet with Pam. In a large mixer bowl, cream sugar, butter, and eggs. Add milk, vanilla, lemon extract; mix at low speed. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add to sugar mixture until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes. Roll out between 1/8" and 1/4" thick, depending on your taste and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes, being careful not to overbake. Cookies should be light, golden brown around the edges. Frost with butter cream icing.

Lemon Chiffon Cake with Lemon Curd Filling

Lemon Chiffon Cake

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
7 lg. eggs, 2 whole, 5 separated, at room temperature
2/3 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
2 lg. lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 c. heavy whipping cream
powdered sugar
vanilla & lemon extract

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325°. Whisk the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk in the 2 whole eggs, 5 egg yolks, water, oil, extracts, lemon zest, and 2 T. lemon juice. Pour the reserved egg whites into the bowl of a standing mixer; beat at low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add the cream of tartar, gradually increase the speed to medium-high, and beat the whites until very thick and stiff, just short of dry (about 7 or 8 minutes). With a large rubber spatula, stir about 1 cup of whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then fold the rest of the whites into the yolk mixture. Pour the batter into an ungreased large tube pan. Rap the pan on the counter 5 times to rupture any air pockets. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Immediately turn the cake upside down to cool. Let the cake cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Carefully, unmold the cake and split into 4 or 5 horizontal layers with a serrated knife. Divide the lemon curd between each of the layers. Whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla and lemon extract to taste until stiff. Frost the cake with the whipped cream and place in fridge until ready to serve.

Lemon Curd

2 lg. lemons
3/4 c. sugar

2 lg. eggs
6 T. butter, melted and cooled

Scrub the lemons well with soap and water, then dry them. Grate the zest; you should have about 1 tablespoon. Cut the lemons in half and juice them, removing the seeds; you should have about 1/4 c. juice. Place the juice in a medium-size mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugar and eggs, and beat until well combined, 2 minutes. Strain this mixture into a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in the melted butter and zest until incorporated. Over medium heat, whisk the mixture constantly until it gradually thickens and comes to a boil, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Continue to whisk the lemon curd off the heat until it cools down, 4 to 5 minutes. This lemon curd will keep up to one week in the fridge if not using for the cake.

Asian Chicken Salad

(adapted from the Dinner Doctor)

Asian Chicken Salad

1 bag broccoli slaw

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

¾ c. canola oil

5 T. red wine vinegar

4 ½ T. sugar

1 package Oriental flavor ramen noodles, broken up

½ c. sliced almonds

2 T. sliced green onions

1 T. chopped cilantro

Combine canola oil, vinegar, sugar, and the seasoning packet from the ramen noodles. Pour mixture over broccoli slaw, green onions, and cilantro. Toast almonds and noodles in a 350 degree oven for 6 minutes or until golden brown. Top salad with noodle/almond mixture and serve.

I also added 2 shredded, peeled cucumbers and 2 shredded, peeled carrots. I also doubled the amount of Top Ramen and made double the dressing but I don't think that I needed that much dressing, even with the extra ingredients.

Oven Fried Chicken

Coating from cooks.com

8 chicken breasts, bone-in
1 c. sugar
1 c. table salt
4 qts. cold water

Dissolve salt & sugar in a large pot with the cold water. Add chicken. Cover and place in fridge for one hour. Remove chicken and dry with a paper towel. Discard brine.

2 c. flour
2 t. Lawry's seasoned salt
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. celery salt
1 t. dried parsley
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. dried thyme

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with vegetable oil (enough to cover the bottom of the entire pan). Shake the chicken pieces with the flour mixture. Place skin side down in the pan (you can also remove the skin before coating). Bake for 35 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and bake for 15 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

I baked some small potatoes along with the chicken and they came out just right. The chicken is seasoned all the way through when you use a brine and it is really moist. My mom always used Oven Fry for oven baked chicken but I like the flavor of this coating better. We had broccoli with this dinner but corn would probably go better (I've just been trying to eat more fresh vegi's).

Quick Chicken Marbella from the Dinner Doctor cookbook

1/2 c. balsamic or red wine vinaigrette (see note)
1/4 c. olive salad or 1/4 c. green olives w/ pimento & 1 T. capers
2 cloves crushed garlic (or the equivalent in garlic powder)
1 t. oregano
3 bay leaves
1/2 c. pitted prunes
1 1/4 lbs. chicken tenders or chicken breasts that have been sliced into tender sized pieces
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. dry white wine (see note)

Note: I made my own vinaigrette by combining 3 T. balsamic vinegar, 5 T. olive oil, a little sugar, a little salt, and a little black pepper. I used chicken broth instead of wine because that is what I had on hand.

Mix everything except brown sugar together. Place into a 9 x 13 inch pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Serve with Jasmine rice.

I made this for dinner and it was so yummy! I think this would be a good dish for a dinner party because it is easy and a little fancy. It would also be a good meal to bring to someone.

Welcome to a recipe bonanza....hopefully :)

Okay, I have been thinking about doing this but with a little encouragement, I have decided to proceed with a recipe blog. There are several contributors so hopefully there will be lots of variety. If you make a post, it can be just the recipe, a recipe plus a description, a picture of something that you made with the recipe (this would be way cool), maybe just a quick tip about cooking in general or any kind of food related news that you would like to share. Be sure that if you post a recipe and it is from a regular, published cookbook that you note which cookbook it is from (just in case there could be copyright issues). I made this blog searchable on the Internet but if we start to get weird comments or something, then I will change that. If you have any ideas of how to improve this blog, just let me know. Hope you enjoy!