Honey Ginger Soy Chicken

Awhile back, I ordered a book called The Mom 100 Cookbook from Scholastic.  I read good reviews on Amazon and decided to buy it without knowing much about the book or the author.  Come to find out, Katie Workman is pretty well known in the cooking world.  She runs a website that shares famous chefs' recipes.  She lives in New York City and has two sons.  The main reason I decided to order the cookbook was because it was supposed to be for real moms and contained recipes for real food.  I was not disappointed when I received this book.  First of all, it has reviews from famous chefs such as Ina Garten and Bobby Flay on the back cover.   Next, it reads like a book.  The layout is fabulous.  She gives you 20 situations and gives you 5 recipes for each situation, everything from breakfast to bake sale to potluck.  Another thing I like is all her tips.  She has tips throughout the book on everything from getting kids to try food to cooking tips to different variations of the recipes.  Finally, there are a ton of delicious looking recipes.  I put a post it flag on each recipe I want to try and my book has more blue flags than empty white pages.  Most of the recipes are healthier and contain fresher ingredients.  Some are in my comfort zone and some aren't.  For example, there is a chicken strip recipe I plan on trying later this week but tonight's dish is something that I wouldn't typically make.  This Honey Ginger Soy Chicken recipe is found in the Potluck chapter.

The case:
Honey Ginger Soy Chicken
Adapted from The Mom 100 Cookbook by: Katie Workman
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup honey, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/8 cup grated peeled fresh ginger
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 package skin on chicken thighs (5 pieces)

Directions:

1. Place the honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic cloves in a bowl and whisk until blended.  
2. Arrange the chicken in a foil-lined baking dish skin side down.  Pour the honey mixture over the chicken and stir so mixture evenly coats chicken.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and marinate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Bake covered for 30 minutes.  Uncover the pan , turn the chicken skin side up, and increase oven temperature to 375.  Continue baking for 35 minutes.  Serve the chicken with the pan sauce.

The ruling:
Absolutely loved this!!!  This chicken had so much flavor.  The pan sauce was perfect over the brown rice.  I can't wait to try more recipes in Katie's cookbook.
Rating: 6
Make again? Yes and soon!

Monterey Chicken

I love eating chicken breasts cooked in the oven.   They can be so easy to prepare and cook and are relatively healthy, and there are so many different marinade combinations and toppings to choose from.  I'm always excited to try a new way.  I found this recipe on The Recipe Critic.  The addition of BBQ sauce is a new one for me that I couldn't wait to try!

The case:
Monterey Chicken adapted slightly from The Recipe Critic
Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons Honey
• 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Worchestershire Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• 8 slices thick bacon, crumbled
• Barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. Mix the honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and salt together. I cut my chicken breasts in half making them tenders. Marinate your chicken breasts in this sauce for at least an hour but can be marinated overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I poured a little of the sauce along the bottom of the pan and placed the chicken on top. I covered with aluminum foil and cooked for about 30 minutes. Make sure center is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. While chicken is cooking, fry up the bacon and set aside.
4. When chicken is cooked, spread with barbecue sauce (, top with bacon and cheese. Put back in oven and broil until chicken in bubbly.

The ruling:
I absolutely loved this chicken.  It is so simple to make!  I only marinated the chicken for an hour.  I'm sure it would have been even better if it would have been marinated longer.  I dumped the whole zip loc bag of chicken and sauce in a foil lined 9 x 13.   I used Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. The hardest part was frying the bacon.  Make sure to spoon some of the sauce over the chicken before serving.
Rating: 5 Stars
Make again? Yes!

Thai Peanut Noodles

To be completely honest, I'm not a huge peanut fan.  I'm not really sure why I'm so intrigued with this recipe, but I am.  I have only been to a Thai restaurant once for a friend's birthday in Nashville.  (Shout out Mandi P) I guess technically the restaurant was in Franklin, but anyway I loved the chicken and noodle dish I got.  I was pregnant- and I mean very pregnant, about 2 weeks away from giving birth.  And even though it made my feet and ankles swell (sodium anyone?)  I have been thinking about it ever since.  This is the first Thai recipe I've come upon since then.  I guess that's why I'm so intrigued.

The case:

Thai Peanut Noodles from Picky Palate 

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles
• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled
• ½ Cup smooth peanut butter
• ¼ Cup soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Cup hot water
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ Cup finely chopped white onion
• ½ Cup finely chopped red or orange bell pepper
• 1 Cup cooked, shredded chicken breast
• ¼ Cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ¼ Cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1.  Cook noodles according to package. Drain, rinse with cold water, place in large pasta bowl and toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
2. Place garlic and ginger in food processor until well chopped. Add peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Pulse until well combined and slowly add hot water. Set aside.
3. Place olive oil in hot skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in chicken breast, cilantro and salt. Stir until heated through.
4. Add sauce and chicken mixture to noodles. Toss to coat and garnish with peanuts and sesame seeds if desired.

 

The ruling:
Okay, this wasn't bad by any means, but the taste wasn't exactly my thing. It was VERY peanuty.  But I can see some people enjoying these flavors. 
Rating: 3 Stars
Make Again? Probably not but possibly

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken & Saffron Rice

I'm sure most of you have seen this recipe on Pinterest.  I've actually seen it recreated on several blogs.  I've been meaning to make it forever and am excited to finally be trying it.  The original recipe is from 365 Days of Slow Cooking.  I have altered it slightly below.

While I was looking up Arti's recipe for Basmati rice, I saw Sunny Anderson's Saffron Basmati rice recipe on Food Network.  I decided to try it for something new. 

The case:
Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 4 Tbsp ketchup
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup cashews
  

Directions:

1. Combine flour and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
3. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. 
4. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir.  Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.

Saffron Basmati Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 3 to 4 threads saffron
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse the rice in a colander under cold water until it runs clear, picking out any little pieces of grit or debris. Shake off the excess water. 
2. Heat a pot over medium heat, and then add the rice, oil, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper. Stir and toast the rice until the cayenne and saffron are fragrant, about 4 minutes. 
3. Shake the pot to level out the rice, and then add the chicken stock to fill about 1/2-inch over the rice. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer and cover to cook for 15 minutes. 
4. Remove from the heat and let the rice stand another 5 minutes, covered. Fluff with a fork. Stir in the lemon zest, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Sorry for the quality of the picture.  I left my camera at my parent's and had to take thus using my IPad.

The ruling:
This is a great alternative to getting Asian takeout.  I really liked it.  The cashews make the dish for me!  I loved the texture of the chicken.  Coating the chicken in flour and cooking it slightly in the skillet gave it an authentic fried Asian chicken consistency.   The rice put this dish over the top. Not only did we enjoy the flavors from each dish individually, but they melded perfectly together. 
Rating: 4 Stars
Make again? Absolutely!

Cheesy Honey Mustard Chicken

This was recommended to me by a friend, Lindsey Spencer.  It is similar to the Alice Springs chicken I've made several times before, which is one of our favorite meals.  

The case:
Cheesy Honey Mustard Chicken from Plain Chicken
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breast
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• lemon pepper to taste
• 4 Tbsp bacon, cooked and chopped (You may use Oscar Meyer bacon bits)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Combine honey, mustard, lemon juice and paprika.  Pour over chicken in a Zip Loc bag.  Refrigerate for a few hours.  
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Pour all of sauce over chicken.  Season chicken breasts with lemon pepper.  Bake for 20-25 minutes. 
4. Top each chicken breast with 1 Tablespoon of bacon and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.  Continue to bake until cheese is starting to brown (about 10 minutes).

The ruling:
This was very good.  I loved the sauce!  I need to combine my favorite things about this recipe and the Alice Springs chicken recipe.  I especially want to add mushrooms, but I like the way this is cooked better.  The chicken is so flavorful and moist! And there is more sauce to pour over! Yum!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

For me, this is a play on an old favorite.  One of the first things I ever learned to make was chicken casserole.  You know, the one with the chicken, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup.  I have to thank my college roommate for teaching me how to make it- I had no idea how to even poach chicken!  I made that chicken casserole about once a week while Michael and I were in college.  We couldn't get enough of the stuff!  Needless to say, our palate has matured over the years.  But a couple of times a year, we take a walk down memory lane and have the plain and simple dish.

This Chicken Noodle Casserole was actually the recipe of the day on All Recipes.   I did make a few changes based on what I had on hand and some spices to make it more flavorful.  For years, I simply put boneless skinless chicken breasts in boiling water and let it simmer for 30 minutes.  Now I flavor my water with a few spices which really enriches the chicken flavor.

The case:
Ingredients:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Cayenne Pepper
• 2 cream of mushroom soups (I use light)
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 6 oz egg noodles (I use the whole wheat)
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
• 3 T butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Bring enough water to cover chicken to a bowl add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.  Poach chicken for 30-35 minutes.  Remove chicken and shred.
3.  Cook pasta according to directions in water that chicken was boiled in.  You'll want it al dente since it will be cooked more in the oven.
4. Meanwhile, combine mushroom soups and sour cream.
5. Drain pasta and gently mix in shredded chicken.  Gently stir in soup mixture.
6. Place in 2 quart baking dish.  Crush crackers and toss with butter.  Sprinkle over casserole and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Ruling:
This was definitely a step above our old favorite.  A yummy comfort food for a cold day.   Ryder kept saying cheese as I was taking pictures of this dish, so I had to snap a few of him too!

Crunchy Onion Chicken Tenders

One of my friends told me about this recipe probably 6 months ago. I recently found a good deal on French's French Fried Onions, I knew it was time to make it.

The case:
Crunchy Onion Chicken Tenders from  FRENCH'S®
Ingredients:  

• 2 cups (4 oz.) FRENCH'S® Original or Cheddar French Fried Onions 
• 2 tbsp. flour  
• 1 lb. chicken tenders  
• 1/2 cup honey mustard

Directions:

1. CRUSH French Fried Onions with flour in plastic bag. 
2. DIP chicken tenders into honey mustard; coat in onion crumbs.  
3. BAKE 15 min. at 400 °F until chicken is cooked.

The ruling:
We absolutely loved this chicken!  The flavor of the honey mustard with crispy onion flavor was wonderful.  I will be making this again, and soon!

Man Pleasing Chicken

I've been cooking a ton lately, but honestly haven't found anything even worth posting.  It seems to go in spurts like that. 10 in a row that I can't blog about soon enough, and then 10 I've wasted my time and money on.  I realize this blog's purpose is to share both the best and the okay.  That's why it's important to read my ruling at the end, but these have been just plain bad.  I found this recipe on Pinterest.  It came from a wonderful little blog called Witty in the City. Michael is actually the one who wanted me to make this.  He happened to be looking over my shoulder when I enlarged the picture. 

The case:
Ingredients:

• 1 package Chicken thighs (I used bone in)
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup Maple syrup- 1/4 cup
• 1 Tablespoon Rice wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Mix together mustard, syrup, and rice wine vinegar. 
3. Place chicken thighs into a small baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour mustard mixture over chicken.  Turn chicken so mixture completely covers chicken.
4. Bake for 40 minutes.  Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.  Serve chicken with extra sauce over top!  Sprinkle over fresh rosemary if desired.

The ruling:
This chicken was a lot better than I was expecting.  The tangyness in the flavoring was a good surprise.  Michael probably enjoyed it more than me, but I liked it well enough to make it again.

Balsamic Chicken, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta Salad

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of pasta salad, but I'm a huge fan of the ingredients in this.  I found this recipe on Pinterest a couple of days ago.  We're going to be moving in a few weeks and we're trying to clean out the freezer before we move.  We just happen to have some cheese tortellini in the freezer that I've been wanting to get rid of. 

The case:
Balsamic Chicken, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta Salad (adapted from Multiply Delicious)

Ingredients:

• 1 (20-ounce) package cheese tortellini 
• 1 pound  skinned and boned chicken breasts, diced 
•  1 ½  cup  Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (divided) 
• 1/2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
•  2 cups firmly packed fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 ½ cups fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1.  Place chicken in a zip-lock bag and pour 1 cup of balsamic vinaigrette in bag with chicken.  Marinate for at least 2 hour, but best if marinated overnight.  Take chicken out of zip-lock bag and discard marinade.  
2. In a grill pan, grill chicken breasts, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side until cooked through. Dice chicken into small bites.  Meanwhile boil tortellini according to package directions.
3. Whisk together remaining ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing and mustard in a small bowl.
4. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Toss together pasta, chicken, balsamic mixture, spinach, basil, tomatoes, and cheese. Serve immediately, or, if desired, cover and chill 1 hour before serving.

The ruling: 
This dish is out of this world wonderful!!!!!  Easily in the top 10 recipes I've ever made.  All the flavors mesh together in perfect harmony.  Okay, that sounds really corny but it really explains how I'm feeling.  Is it bad food sings to me?  Anyway, this recipe is perfect!  This recipe is the reason I blog and am so interested in trying new things.  How else would I ever find these little gems?  I'm going to use this chicken for a lot of pasta dishes to come.  

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

I know a lot of you have probably seen the Hellman's commercial for this Parmesan chicken.   I figured it had to be worth trying if the whole commercial was centered around it and it is featured on their homepage.

The case:
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
• 4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Combine Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise with cheese in medium bowl. Arrange chicken on baking sheet. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. 
3. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

The ruling:
This is some of the most moist baked chicken I've ever had.  I like how the mayo mixture and breadcrumbs are only on the top.  That way you aren't left with soggy wanna be crumbs on the bottom.  I used mayonnaise with olive oil and fresh, finely shred Parmesan cheese.  I can see this being a regular kid friendly meal in the future.  

Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) and Simple Basmati Rice

We've only had Indian food once at a wedding, but both Michael and I really like it.  We've been wanting to try it again ever since, but let's just say we're fresh out of Indian restaurants in our small town!  So, I figured I'd try to make it at home!  The rice recipe is from Aarti Sequeira, Food Network Star winner (love that show) and the second is a popular recipe from All Recipes.

The case:
Simple Basmati Rice from Aarti Sequeira
Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 3/4 cups water 
• Large pinch salt

Directions:

1. This is the most important part: Wash the rice! Place the rice in a large bowl and fill with fresh, room temperature water. Swirl your hand through the water and the rice; the water will go cloudy. That's all the starch that we're trying to remove in order to have individual grains of rice. Once you've swirled your hand around for a minute or so, pour off the water, taking care not to lose any rice. Repeat this washing process until the water runs clear. Usually, this takes 3 or 4 changes of water.
2. Fill up the bowl 1 more time and let the rice soak for 30 minutes. 
3. At the end of 30 minutes, drain the rice. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 3/4 cups water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. 
4. Add the rice, stir, and wait until the water comes back to a full boil. When it does, turn the heat down as low as it can go, and then cover. Cook for 15 minutes. 
5. At the end of 15 minutes, cut the heat. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; you should see that every grain of rice has grown a little longer and is separate from its brothers and sisters. 

Chicken Makhani Adapted from All Recipes
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil1/4 white onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup tomato puree (used diced tomatoes pureed in the food processor)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teasponnspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/3 cup pureed low salt cashews

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato puree, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in heavy cream and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.  Add cashews.
3. Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

The ruling:
This is different but in a good way. Michael said it was one of the most flavorful dishes he's ever had.  The more we ate, the more we liked it! 

Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs

The best thing about chicken legs are that they are cheap!  And easy to eat.  Ryder is almost a year old and I'm thinking more and more about quick dishes that he would enjoy eating one day.  I remember loving chicken legs as a child. I'm hoping these will be a yummy, healthier alternative to the classic fried version. 

The case:
Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs (Adapted from Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients:

• 12 whole Chicken Legs
• 1 stick of Butter
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic power
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup Lemon Juice

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan. Pour in lemon juice (fresh or bottled). Add your seasonings.
2. Rinse and pat your chicken legs dry. With metal tongs, transfer them one by one into the butter mixture and place on a baking sheet with a wired cooling rack. Once all of the chicken legs are coated and on the baking rack, take a pastry brush and give them one last coating of the butter mixture. Sprinkle them with some more of your seasonings. 
3. Place them into a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. If they need a bit more color, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes and watch them closely. Remove them when they are nice and golden brown. 

Roasted Chicken Legs Printable Version

The ruling:
Mission accomplished! These were perfect- quick, easy, kid friendly!  I was afraid they might be too spicy but they really weren't!  Next time I'm going to experiment with lemon pepper seasoning.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I wanted to have a final "tailgating" party for the biggest college football game of the year.  Michael grilled wings and I made pizza rolls, but I also wanted to try something new.   These seemed like the perfect missing piece, especially since I had all the ingredients.  Once again, they're from my favorite new cookbook- Our Best Bites!

The case:
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

Ingredients:
- 1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
- 1/4 C green salsa
- 1T fresh lime juice
- 1/2 t cumin
- 1 t chili powder
- 1/2 t onion powder
- 1/4 t granulated garlic
- 3 T chopped cilantro
- 2 T sliced green onions
- 2 C shredded cooked chicken
- 1 C grated pepperjack cheese
- small corn tortillas
- kosher salt
- cooking spray

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.  You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.
3. Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
4. Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. 
5. Then roll it up as tight as you can.
6. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. 
7. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.

The ruling:
Another winner!  I was surprised at how crisp these got baked in the oven.  Of course, taquitos are going to be better fried, but I will definitely continue to make these instead.  So easy!  And the filling was yummy!  I served them with sour cream and Pioneer Woman's Salsa.    

Mahogany Chicken Wings

I can't believe I've never posted this recipe!  When Michael and I first got married, I was obsessed with finding wing recipes.  We love ALL kinds of wings- spicy, sweet, and savory.  This was one of the first recipes I tried and has remained one of our favorites!  The recipe came from All Recipes.  I use dark Karo instead of molasses simply because I don't keep molasses on hand.

The Case:
Ingredients
3 pounds chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons chile sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions
1.  Place chicken in a shallow, medium dish.  I cover with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
2.  In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, honey, molasses, chile sauce, ground ginger and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate approximately 1 hour, turning occasionally.
3.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4.  In a large baking dish, arrange chicken in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven approximately 50 minutes, brushing with remaining soy sauce mixture often and turning once, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.

*I make extra sauce and boil it with a little cornstarch and pour it over the finished wings.  And of course serve with ranch!

Pioneer Woman's White Chicken Enchiladas

I can't tell you how long I've had this recipe in mind to make.  I've had it bookmarked, printed out, and pinned, but never got around to trying it.  Well, I'm finally getting around to it.  We love Mexican food around here and I'm always looking for a new recipe to try.  I've made sour cream enchiladas before and these look very similar, but add a few more flavors.

The case:

Ingredients
2-½ cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
2 cups Reserved Broth From Chicken
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
3 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Sour Cream
2-½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Picante Sauce (optional)
Cilantro, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside. 
3. In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. 
4. To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. 
5. Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro. Serve with picante sauce, if desired.

The ruling:
I shouldn't have waited so long.  I'm such a huge fan of these enchiladas!  I could go on and on.  They were bursting with flavor and had such a delicious creaminess.  They're like Mexican comfort food.  The only difference I made was that I only had enough filling for 8 enchiladas, which fit perfectly into a casserole dish.  

Slow Cooker Honey Chicken

I've got to start blogging my recipes again! I've been trying lots lately, mainly because of Pinterest!  And I've already started forgetting which ones I've made and if I did or didn't like about them!  

The case:
Ingredients:

3/4 pound chicken (of your choice)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup chopped onion (or 1/16 cup onion flakes)

1/8 cup ketchup

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high 1 1/2 hours. Chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve over rice or noodles.

To bake chicken as a 30 minute meal:

Dice chicken and season both sides with salt and pepper, place in 8x8 pan. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

The ruling:
I made this is the crock pot and served it over brown rice.  There was a funny aftertaste to this recipe that I wasn't a fan of.  I will not be making it again.

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole #32

I've been cooking a lot of old favorites recently.  In honor of Pioneer Woman's new show, I've decided to try several of her recipes I've had bookmarked for awhile.  Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole is the first one.  I changed it up slightly, but to see the original recipe and all of PW's fabulous photos go here.

The case: Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
2 heaping cups cooked and shredded chicken
1/2 Cup Butter
16 ounces sliced mushrooms
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chicken broth
Kosher Salt And Pepper
¼ cups Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth
1-½ cup Whole Milk
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Extra Cheese, For Sprinkling
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
1 pound Thin Spaghetti

Preparation Instructions:
1.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Throw in mushrooms, add 1/4 cup chicken broth, minced garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft, drain and set aside.
2.  Bring water to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (shorter pieces). Add spaghetti pieces to boiling water and cook. Drain when al dente.
3.  Return large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth and whisk to combine. Pour in milk,  salt and pepper to taste, then cook and bubble until thick. Turn off heat, add Parmesan cheese, and stir.
4.  Add mushrooms and chicken. Stir to combine and check seasonings. Add cooked spaghetti and stir. 5.  Turn into a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Sprinkle cheese and Panko over top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. or until golden brown and bubbly.

The ruling:
I am in L-O-V-E with this dish!  If you like mushrooms even the slightest bit, you must try this dish!

Hooters Style Hot Wings

These are pretty much my favorite hot wings of all time.  When Michael and I first got married I made a list of all of our favorite foods and set out to try and make them.  One of the first dishes I tried were these.  The original recipe is from All Recipes.  It is still one of the highest rated recipes on the whole site.  I've tweaked it a bit to what I call "The Ultimate Restaurant Style Hot Wings."

Ingredients:
Oil for frying
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce
10 chicken wings, cut into wing and drum

Breading: 
1/2 cup all purpose flour
dash pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus some to sprinkle over wings

Directions:
Mix breading ingredients.  Cover wings with breading and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Heat the oil to 375.  Fry wings in batches for 10 minutes.  Make sure to not over crowd pot.

 Heat butter, hot sauce, and garlic powder until combined over low heat.

Drain wings on a paper towel.  Sprinkle salt over hot wings.

 Put wings in another large bowl.  Pour sauce over top and shake bowl to cover.

Chicken with Herbed Goat Cheese #25

This is another Ina Garten recipe.  I've recently learned how much I love goat cheese, but essentially have no recipes to make with it.  I thought this recipe looked elegant, yet very simple when I saw it on Ina's show.  I got online and decided to make it after I saw all the glowing reviews.

The case:


Ingredients
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
12 ounces Montrachet goat cheese, with garlic and herbs
Fresh basil leaves
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side attached.. 
3. Cut 12 thick slices of the Montrachet and place 2 slices plus a large basil leaf under the skin of each chicken breast. Rub each piece with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. 
4. Bake the breasts for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked through. Serve hot or at room temperature.

The ruling:
After reading some of the reviews, I decided to sprinkle the herb mixture Herbs de Provience over the top.  We really enjoyed this chicken.  I couldn't believe how much flavor and how juicy the meat was. The star of this dish is definitely the herbed goat cheese. 

Outback's Alice Springs Chicken #23

I've eaten at Outback many times, but I've never had Alice Springs Chicken.  I found this recipe on food.com, and since I love the combination of chicken, mushrooms, and bacon and love honey mustard, I had to give it a try.

The case:
Ingredients
1 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 -6 boneless skinless chicken breasts 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
12 slices bacon, cooked
3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. With an electric mixer combine the mustard, honey, and 1 Tbsp oil, and lemon juice for 1 minute.
2. Pour 1/2 mixture over chicken in a gallon ziplock to marinate in fridge 2-24 hours.  Chill remaining marinade to serve with chicken.
3. After marinating chicken, preheat oven to 375°F Put remaining oil in frying pan. Heat and sear chicken on both sides.  Cook until chicken is cooked throughout.
4. Transfer chicken to oven safe pan and brush with marinade.
5. Meanwhile in frying pan add butter and saute mushrooms.
6. Season chicken breasts with salt and peppers.
7. Stack bacon across each breast, spoon mushrooms on each breast and then approx 1/3- 1/2 cup cheese on each.
8. Cover dish with foil and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

The ruling:
I don't know if I can come up with a word that truly describes how much I loved this chicken.  The sauce poured over it is the kicker.  This chicken would be really good cooked on the grill instead of the stove top.  Now, I want to go to Outback so I can compare the two!