A couple of weeks ago, I decided (for who knows what reason) that I needed to put cranberry chicken on our upcoming dinner menu. I made it a couple of years ago and felt it was time to give it another go. And cranberries just sounded really good.
From what I remembered, the past recipe basically combined a can of cranberry sauce with a bunch of barbecue sauce. Somewhere in the mixture, the cranberry flavor was lost and the chicken tasted like plain ol' barbecue chicken. I was determined that this time, my cranberry chicken would taste like cranberries. (I know. Who would expect that?) So, I set off on the search for the perfect cranberry chicken.
And, whaddya know. I hit the jackpot on the very first recipe I tried! Whoa boy. This chicken was plate-lickin' good. Not that I actually did that. *ahem* On to the recipe!
Cranberry Glazed Chicken Breasts
Adapted from Cully's Kitchen (Which has fantastic pics of the recipe!)
Servings: 6-8
1 Tbls butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped (optional)
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups fresh cranberries **See NOTES**
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup water
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbls apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butter, onion, and shallot to 9x13 glass baking dish and bake in preheated oven until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
While onions are softening, combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Remove dish from oven, push onions to either end. Place chicken into baking dish and return to oven. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
In small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and mustard. Add to warm cranberry mixture. Remove chicken from oven, scoop onions into cranberry mixture; stir to combine. Pour cranberry mixture over chicken and return to oven. Bake until cranberry mixture is slightly caramelized, which should be about 20 minutes, (or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 degrees on thermometer).
NOTES: The shallot is completely optional. I happened to have one on hand, so I tossed it in.
I only used 4 chicken breasts, but there was plenty of sauce for much more. I served rice with ours--and the sauce is just as incredible over steamed rice as it is over the chicken.
Speaking of sauce--you can substitute canned "whole berry" cranberry sauce instead of making your own, but I wouldn't recommend it. My original plan was to do just that. When I opened the can and saw that mound of gelatinous goop glowering back at me, I wondered if I could go through with it. Since when does "whole berry cranberry sauce" on the outside of the can translate into "cranberry jelly with a few whole berries tossed in" on the inside? I've apparently been very spoiled at Thanksgiving in recent years. Thank goodness I remembered the fresh cranberries waiting in my freezer. Immediately, the canned gel was ziplocked and stashed in the freezer for some other application. You could use it in this recipe, but it will certainly change the fresh flavor of the dish. And, tossing your own fresh sauce together is so easy, why would you opt to go the canned route anyway?
In all honesty, I don't really know how long I baked my chicken. I used our meat thermometer, instead of the timer as a guide. I did watch the clock, though, and think that my approximate times are fairly close.
April 9, 2011
November 21, 2010
Butternut Squash Bake
With Thanksgiving approaching, my mind is spinning with all of the recipe possibilities. This year, our Thanksgiving celebration will be a smaller affair with my family and my in-laws. And I'm OK with that. While it can seem like a lot of work for so few people, it's nice to know that it will be comfortable and I don't have to worry about impressing anyone. Because of this, I'm still deciding what I'm going to do with the sweet potatoes this year. Should I go savory or sweet? Should I make a casserole or keep them in a recognizable form? So many decisions to make.
One thing I have already decided, however, is that this Butternut Squash Bake will be making appearances on our table in the future. I recently triend another similar casserole to see how they matched up--and this one is the knock-out champion at our house. Even my husband, (who doesn't normally approve of winter squash), liked this version! AND, he took seconds. That's huge over here.
So, if you're like me and not sure what direction you're heading with a Thanksgiving side (or two), try adding this one to your menu. You (and your guests) can thank me later.
(Sorry about the lack of pic AGAIN. You'll just have to go with your gut on this one. It should be growling by now.)
Butternut Squash Bake
Adapted from Taste of Home
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. oil
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crushed saltines (about 8 crackers)
2 Tbls. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbls. butter, melted
Place squash in saucepan. Cover with water and bring to boil. Boil 20(ish) minutes until squash can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain well and place in large bowl. Mash until squash is nearly smooth. Set aside to cool a bit.
While squash is boiling, heat oil in small skillet. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent.
In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, sauteed onion, egg, sugar, salt and pepper. Add cooled squash; mix well. Pour into greased casserole dish.
Mix saltines, Parmesan, and butter. Sprinkle over squash mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through and top is golden.
NOTES: The original recipe doesn't have you sautee the onions. I didn't. If you're a fan of crunchy onions, then feel free to leave that step out.
As for the Parmesan, I use the pulverized Kraft Parmesan. I'm sure it would look fancier if I shredded some myself, but it still tastes fantastic!
One thing I have already decided, however, is that this Butternut Squash Bake will be making appearances on our table in the future. I recently triend another similar casserole to see how they matched up--and this one is the knock-out champion at our house. Even my husband, (who doesn't normally approve of winter squash), liked this version! AND, he took seconds. That's huge over here.
So, if you're like me and not sure what direction you're heading with a Thanksgiving side (or two), try adding this one to your menu. You (and your guests) can thank me later.
(Sorry about the lack of pic AGAIN. You'll just have to go with your gut on this one. It should be growling by now.)
Butternut Squash Bake
Adapted from Taste of Home
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. oil
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crushed saltines (about 8 crackers)
2 Tbls. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbls. butter, melted
Place squash in saucepan. Cover with water and bring to boil. Boil 20(ish) minutes until squash can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain well and place in large bowl. Mash until squash is nearly smooth. Set aside to cool a bit.
While squash is boiling, heat oil in small skillet. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent.
In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, sauteed onion, egg, sugar, salt and pepper. Add cooled squash; mix well. Pour into greased casserole dish.
Mix saltines, Parmesan, and butter. Sprinkle over squash mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through and top is golden.
NOTES: The original recipe doesn't have you sautee the onions. I didn't. If you're a fan of crunchy onions, then feel free to leave that step out.
As for the Parmesan, I use the pulverized Kraft Parmesan. I'm sure it would look fancier if I shredded some myself, but it still tastes fantastic!
November 15, 2010
Philly Chicken and Pasta
I will admit right now that there was a point at which the scale and I were friends. After I got pregnant with my third baby, our relationship became somewhat strained. And now, as I visit every day, I usually leave in a bit of a huff. I fondly remember our happy times together--the scale and me--and I am looking forward to having a great relationship once again. Therefore, my current challenge, as it relates to this blog, is to find amazing low-fat, calorie-counter's-dream recipes. And, I will admit, this task does seem a little on the big deal side of things. (I would say big FAT deal, but that's what we're trying to get away from...) So, it's with this new goal in mind that I created tonight's recipe. I know that I'm not the first person to combine these ingredients in this manner. But, since I made it up tonight, sans recipe, I'm going to call it an original.
(Now, imagine a great pic here. OK--well, mediocre. Oh wait--that's what WOULD have been here if my camera battery hadn't died yesterday.)
Philly Chicken and Pasta
Servings: 4
2 large bell peppers
1 large onion
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (or pressed)
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
4 oz. neufatchel cheese (lite cream cheese)
1 cp. chicken stock
salt and pepper
8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti, prepared according to package directions
Chop bell peppers into thin slices. Cut onion in half, then into thin slices (half-moons). Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in large skillet; add peppers and onions; saute until soft. Add garlic; saute for about a minute. Slice chicken into very thin bite-sized pieces and add to pepper mixture. Cook until no pink is left on chicken. Add cream cheese and about 1/4 cup of stock. Stir for a minute. Add stock, about 1/4 cup at a time and stir until cream cheese is completely melted and incorporated into stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. If a thinner sauce is desired, add more stock about 2 Tbls. at a time until desired consistenct is reached. Serve over hot spaghetti.
NOTES: I used both a red and a yellow bell pepper. I prefer their sweetness over the bitterness of the green.
In the end, I probably used a little over 1 cup of stock. I wanted a little more sauce and figured it was a lower-calorie way to cut the cream cheese a little more.
(Now, imagine a great pic here. OK--well, mediocre. Oh wait--that's what WOULD have been here if my camera battery hadn't died yesterday.)
Philly Chicken and Pasta
Servings: 4
2 large bell peppers
1 large onion
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (or pressed)
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
4 oz. neufatchel cheese (lite cream cheese)
1 cp. chicken stock
salt and pepper
8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti, prepared according to package directions
Chop bell peppers into thin slices. Cut onion in half, then into thin slices (half-moons). Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in large skillet; add peppers and onions; saute until soft. Add garlic; saute for about a minute. Slice chicken into very thin bite-sized pieces and add to pepper mixture. Cook until no pink is left on chicken. Add cream cheese and about 1/4 cup of stock. Stir for a minute. Add stock, about 1/4 cup at a time and stir until cream cheese is completely melted and incorporated into stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. If a thinner sauce is desired, add more stock about 2 Tbls. at a time until desired consistenct is reached. Serve over hot spaghetti.
NOTES: I used both a red and a yellow bell pepper. I prefer their sweetness over the bitterness of the green.
In the end, I probably used a little over 1 cup of stock. I wanted a little more sauce and figured it was a lower-calorie way to cut the cream cheese a little more.
November 10, 2010
Black Beans and Rice
What kind of lame food blog is this anyway? Doesn't she know she's supposed to actually POST recipes? Not just collect them. Not just prepare them and never talk about it. Ahh, well, we can't all be terrific food bloggers, right?
I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I last posted! I guess that's what I get for involving myself in a musical and then starting to work with the Young Women at church. But finally, FINALLY, life is slowing down a little. And I'm hoping that will mean a little more posting. I'm sure that most of what I post for the next few weeks will be something we tried out long, long ago. And, therefore, I'll be able to offer a slightly tempered review of each recipe. Is this a benefit? Not sure. As for pictures, some have them, most don't. Oh well. I'll take what I can get at this point. Lucky for you, this one has a picture!
I love beans. I believe I have said that before on this blog, and I'll probably say it again. When I found this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe, I couldn't wait to give it a try! And, Oh. Boy. This recipe truly stands out in my mind. Of the many I have in the queue, this one was definitely a favorite. It was full of flavor and incredibly satisfying--but completely simple to make. Thus, it has already gone into the "Favorites" folder. Oh, and I should also mention that Mel at My Kitchen Cafe adapted it from the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook. So it's completely calorie friendly--which we all need around the holiday season!
Black Beans and Rice
Yield: 4-6 servings
4 tsp. olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup water
2 Tbls. finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic; saute, stirring often, until vegetables are soft and tender. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, oregano and water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick, add 1-2 Tbls. hot water to thin to desired consistency.
Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper; discard bay leaf. Serve over hot rice.
NOTES: I didn't use low-sodium chicken broth. Just used less salt at the end. And, I can't find anything but ground thyme anywhere, so I'm usually light-handed when I add the thyme. Plus, I think ground thyme tastes a little like dust. And no one likes the taste of dust in their food.
I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I last posted! I guess that's what I get for involving myself in a musical and then starting to work with the Young Women at church. But finally, FINALLY, life is slowing down a little. And I'm hoping that will mean a little more posting. I'm sure that most of what I post for the next few weeks will be something we tried out long, long ago. And, therefore, I'll be able to offer a slightly tempered review of each recipe. Is this a benefit? Not sure. As for pictures, some have them, most don't. Oh well. I'll take what I can get at this point. Lucky for you, this one has a picture!
Black Beans and Rice
Yield: 4-6 servings
4 tsp. olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup water
2 Tbls. finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic; saute, stirring often, until vegetables are soft and tender. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, oregano and water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick, add 1-2 Tbls. hot water to thin to desired consistency.
Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper; discard bay leaf. Serve over hot rice.
NOTES: I didn't use low-sodium chicken broth. Just used less salt at the end. And, I can't find anything but ground thyme anywhere, so I'm usually light-handed when I add the thyme. Plus, I think ground thyme tastes a little like dust. And no one likes the taste of dust in their food.
September 22, 2010
S'mores Bars
Should I start off by saying that the past 2+ months have been insanely busy? Nah. That's too cliche after not blogging for a while. And, really, all that's important is that I'm making an effort now.
Let me tell you. These S'mores Bars are worth the effort. I took them to a potluck dinner tonight and everyone who had a chance to taste them absolutely raved. And I mean begged-for-the-recipe raved. So, in response to popular demand, here is the recipe. (Which I got from Real Mom Kitchen and she got from Cooking With My Kid.) Well, the recipe with a few changes...because I'm the Queen of Substitutions.
(Sorry there's no pic. Remember the BYU Brownie post? Same problem. Just follow the links to the other blogs for a pic.)
S'mores Bars
(Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen)
Yield: 16 bars
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6-7 full sized graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 regular sized Hershey's bars, or 2 King-sized Hershey bars, or 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-in. square baking pan
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well mixed.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, a little at a time, until combined.
Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on bottom of prepared pan. Lay chocolate bars over dough. You will have to break some of them to get them to fit. Sprinkle marshmallows over chocolate. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of marshmallows.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely and cut into 16 bars.
NOTES: The original recipe calls for king-sized Hershey bars and 7 oz. jar of marshmallow fluff. I had regular Hershey bars and 1/2 of a jar of marshmallow fluff. And then I saw that the fluff expired in June of 2009. Who knew that actually expired? I would have grouped marshmallow fluff into the same group as Twinkies. And we all know those will withstand a nuclear blast. So, into the trash that went.
I also thought about melting the marshmallows before layering them on top of the chocolate, but who needs the extra work? And, we all know that once you melt the marshmallows, everything somehow ends up sticky for days on end. Or maybe that's just me. So, I simplified my life and didn't melt them.
Also, adding that top layer of graham dough can get a little sticky. I had to butter my hands and pull of small pieces of dough, flatten them, put them on top of the marshmallows, and then kind of press them together. The top of my bars looked a lot bumpier than the pics on the other blogs, but they still tasted great!
Let me tell you. These S'mores Bars are worth the effort. I took them to a potluck dinner tonight and everyone who had a chance to taste them absolutely raved. And I mean begged-for-the-recipe raved. So, in response to popular demand, here is the recipe. (Which I got from Real Mom Kitchen and she got from Cooking With My Kid.) Well, the recipe with a few changes...because I'm the Queen of Substitutions.
(Sorry there's no pic. Remember the BYU Brownie post? Same problem. Just follow the links to the other blogs for a pic.)
S'mores Bars
(Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen)
Yield: 16 bars
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6-7 full sized graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 regular sized Hershey's bars, or 2 King-sized Hershey bars, or 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-in. square baking pan
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well mixed.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, a little at a time, until combined.
Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on bottom of prepared pan. Lay chocolate bars over dough. You will have to break some of them to get them to fit. Sprinkle marshmallows over chocolate. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of marshmallows.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely and cut into 16 bars.
NOTES: The original recipe calls for king-sized Hershey bars and 7 oz. jar of marshmallow fluff. I had regular Hershey bars and 1/2 of a jar of marshmallow fluff. And then I saw that the fluff expired in June of 2009. Who knew that actually expired? I would have grouped marshmallow fluff into the same group as Twinkies. And we all know those will withstand a nuclear blast. So, into the trash that went.
I also thought about melting the marshmallows before layering them on top of the chocolate, but who needs the extra work? And, we all know that once you melt the marshmallows, everything somehow ends up sticky for days on end. Or maybe that's just me. So, I simplified my life and didn't melt them.
Also, adding that top layer of graham dough can get a little sticky. I had to butter my hands and pull of small pieces of dough, flatten them, put them on top of the marshmallows, and then kind of press them together. The top of my bars looked a lot bumpier than the pics on the other blogs, but they still tasted great!
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