Category: MISC

A little bit of normalcy goes a long way…

1. Up is always the best way to look.
2. There’s a flu going around going around.
3. Coats and scarves, mittens and boots: are all necessary winter items.
4. Hubby gives a really nice back rub.
5. I’m thinking about today is the last day of tests and blood draws before the big day.
6. I’ll be fine after Tuesday.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a visit to the zoo and date night with hubby, tomorrow my plans include moving my aunt into her new care home and a family meeting and Sunday, I want to relax and get caught up on some google reading !

Fire Day Friday: Sweet & Sticky Grilled Chicken

 

I’m sure that most of you have had this happen:  you find a recipe that you really want to try, so you print it out or bookmark it or whatever you do to save it, and than put it away with all the other recipes you want to try.  One day, you are scouring through those said recipes and all of a sudden, the one (you know the one…. the one you wanted to try so bad so long ago) is right there in your hand and you know this time you aren’t letting it go! 

That is this recipe for me.  I saw the original recipe for this on Comfort of Cooking.  If you have not seen Georgia’s site, I suggest heading over there as soon as you are done here (no, don’t go now…finish mine first, than go see hers…..thank you!!)…not only are her recipes fantastic but her pictures will leave your mouth watering!!

Anyway, this chicken turned out perfectly…it lived up to it’s name…it was sweet, it was sticky….it was FANTASTIC! 

Sweet and Sticky Grilled Chicken
Adapted from Comfort of Cooking
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1/3 cup red wine (I used Chianti)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Wondra (you can use cornstarch)
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
Bring wine, brown sugar, Wondra, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan.   Reduce heat and stir occasionally, until sauce becomes thicker. (it should not take long)  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sauce and set aside.

Place the chicken in a shallow dish or Ziploc bag and pour the remaining sauce mixture over the chicken, making sure to coat all sides.  Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees.  Remove the chicken from the dish or bag; discard the marinade.  Place the chicken directly on grill grates that have been rubbed down with oil.  Grill for 8-10 minutes per side, making sure to brush with the reserved sauce mixture, or until the chicken is cooked through, 165 degrees.  Enjoy!

 

CHICKEN COUNTRY CASSOULET

CHICKEN COUNTRY CASSOULET
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, diced
1 pound fat sausages of choice, cut into bite sized pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, sliced
1/2 pound snap peas, washed and deveined
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
1 14-ounce can petit diced tomatoes, basil, garlic & oregano
1 tablespoon Classico sun-dried tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
2 +/- cups chicken stock
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs**
salt and ground black pepper

  •  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Brown the bacon until browned and crumbly in Dutch oven casserole dish.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  • Add chicken and sausages and brown on all sides. Remove from fat and set aside. 
  • Add the onions and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. 
  • Add the carrots, snap peas and parsley, sauteing 3-4 more minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, tomato puree, spices and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add meat back in.
  • Add enough of the stock to just cover the meat and veggies, you don’t want things swimming around too much.  You can always add more stock during the cooking if needed. 
  • Cover dish and cook 1 hour.
  • Add more stock if necessary. Spread crumbs over the top and cook uncovered for 40 more minutes or until browned. 

**Try adding other vegetables such as broccoli or white beans for variety.   I used crushed Ritz crackers today and they worked reallllllllllllllly well as a substitute!

BAKED WHITE FISH

2 teaspoons peanut oil    
1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 small kiwis, cleaned and sliced thin
2-4 white fish, cleaned and scaled, 2 pounds each
salt & pepper to taste   
3 tablespoons white wine    
3 tablespoons CHAMPAGNE DRESSING (or substitute fish or chicken stock)  
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 lemon, sliced

  • This will work with other whole lean fish and cuts or ‘roasts’ of halibut or pink salmon.
  • Adjust the cooking time according to the thickness and density of the fish.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Spray baking dish well with PURE.
  • Rinse the fish well inside and out, pat dry, season lightly with salt, pepper and paprika and lay side by side in a shallow baking dish.
  • Layer lemon slices loosely over fish and season again.
  • Pour  the stock, dressing and ending with the butter over each filet.
  • Make a loose tent of foil over the tail of the fish and place in the oven.
  • Bake, rotating the pan once halfway through the cooking time, until a skewer easily enters the thickest part of the fish, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

    CHICKEN STROGANOFF

    CHICKEN STROGANOFF
    2-3 slices bacon, diced
    2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
    1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
    1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    1/4 teaspoon white pepper
    1/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    3/4 cup chicken broth
    1/3+ cup sour cream
    1 tablespoon flour
    egg noodles

    • In a large skillet brown bacon.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
    • Add onions and garlic, saute for a few minutes.
    • Add Chicken pieces.
    • Saute’ 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Add spices and blend well.
    • Add chicken broth and bring JUST to a boil.
    • Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes JUST until liquid is absorbed.  Boil your noodles at this point.
    • In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream and flour.
    • Add sour cream mixture to chicken mixture along with the bacon pieces. Blend well and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until heated through.  Sauce will become creamier and thicken at this time.
    • Serve over hot noodles.
    To make this meal quicker for a weeknight you can use rotisserie chicken and save time.

      The Journey … Ovarian Cancer and What YOU need to know

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 1. Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic cancer deaths among American women.

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 2. Only 24 percent of ovarian cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, when the cancer is confined to the ovary. Most cases are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, making it difficult to treat successfully.

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 3. One woman out of every 55 (approximately 1.8 percent) will develop ovarian cancer at some point in her lifetime.

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 4. Ovarian cancer is most common in women who have already gone through menopause. The average age for developing ovarian cancer is 61 years old.

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 5. For the small number of women who are fortunate enough to have their cancer diagnosed before it has spread beyond the ovary, the chance for recovery is 85 to 90 percent.

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 6. For the majority of women in whom the disease has spread beyond the ovary, the chance of living for five years after the diagnosis is 20 to 25 percent.

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 7. A major risk factor for getting ovarian cancer is a personal history of breast, endometrial or colon cancer.

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 8. The only sure way to diagnose ovarian cancer is through microscopic examination of abnormal fluid or tissue, obtained by needle aspiration (withdrawal of fluid or tissue from a suspicious area though a special, wide needle) or surgery.

      Ovarian Cancer Fact 9. Hycamtin is one of the first of a new kind of anti-cancer drugs that kills cancer cells by inhibiting an enzyme essential to the replication of human DNA.

      Copyright 2003 National Women’s Health Resource Center Inc. (NWHRC)