Chicken with Peach Bourbon Sauce

A couple of weeks ago, my hunny and I had a little trip to Bastrop, Tx to witness his granddaughter graduate. I tell myself that was the reason for going, but in reality it was the thought of a real grocery store, a Walmart, Target and of course Specs... the liquor warehouse. We also made a stop at this cute tourist trap that sold local peaches and pecans. We had been planning on stopping there for a while just had never gotten around to it.

I found this great little jar of Peach & Jalapeno preserves that I bought for my honey since he loves spicy foods. It was a flavor combination I thought would make a great sauce for grilling. Instead, I cooked it down into this wonderful baked chicken that fell apart when I used tongs to get it out of the pot. DELISH! I also used a Hot and Spicy pre bottled BBQ sauce to add to the kick. Unfortunately, the sugars in the preserves over powered the spicy. So if you want it hot, make sure to add some more peppers!

This serves 2-3 people. The original recipe I found calls for a lot more chicken than what I had so I cut it down.

6 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs
1 tb Butter
1 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tbsp Minced Garlic
1 cup Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon
6oz Bar B Que Sauce
4 oz Peach Preserves
1/2 cup Water
1 tbsp Worechestershire Sauce

Oven to 300

1) Melt butter with oil in heavy pot. Lay thighs in butter and let brown on both sides; remove to platter.

2) Add garlic to the pot and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes and add the bourbon. Stir, scaping the bottom for a couple of minutes to let the liquid reduce down. Pour in BBQ Sauce, peach preserves, water and worechestershire sauce, whisk to incorporate.

Return chicken to pot, draining juices off platter, cover and place in oven.

3) Bake 1 1/2 hours.

4) Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

Cheesy BBQ Chicken Braid

A while back I was scrolling through the TV Guide and came across a show called "From the Kitchens of:" and figured why not? This particular show was filmed at the Pillsbury Bake Off competition and held some great ideas for me. This Chicken Braid is one of them. It feeds about 4 depending on appetite and can be improvised to fit all sorts of cravings. I think next time it will be a Pizza Braid!

1 cup BBQ Sauce, divided
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, divided
1 cup Chicken, precooked and shredded
Garlic Powder
Parsley
1 roll Crescents

1) Preheat oven to 400. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with oil.

2) Roll out crescents in one rectangle. Press edges of individual rolls together to form one sheet about 12x8" (use rolling pin if needed).

3) Spread 3-4 tbs BBQ sauce down the middle. Sprinkle evenly 1/2 the cheese, then all the chicken. Top with cheese and rest of BBQ sauce. Use as much or as little of the sauce as you prefer. I used only 3/4 cup and found even that was too much for my family.

4) Using sisscors, cut strips along the long sides of the dough at 1" intervals. Starting from one end, lay over one strip, then the other on the opposit side. Once you get the first two stips finished, pull up the end to close. Continue "braiding" the dough to the bottom and once again, pull the bottom to close.

5) Optional: Lightly sprinkle garlic powder (I do not reccomend garlic salt) and dried parsley over the top.

6) Bake for 11-14 minutes until the top begins to brown. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing.

Italian Chicken Crescent Casserole

We've all done it. Go to the store after viewing a recipe online thinking you only need just a couple of ingredients to make this dreamy new recipe. So sure of your self you just KNOW you don't need to check your cupboards to verify the list. Nope, you just trot on down (in my case its an eighty mile round trip trot) to the grocery store and run back home... only to learn how wrong you are!

That's just what happened when I tried making this dish I found over on Taste Book's site. I stood in my kitchen realizing I didn't have two of the three cheeses it called for as well as the main liquid ingredient, the Cream of Chicken soup. Never fear my brave followers! I simply improvised! The dish below serves about 6... about 1 roll per person.

PS... if you cut back this recipe to feed less folks, click here to see what I did with my leftover rolls!

1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated Crescent Rolls

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of Tomato soup, undiluted

3/4 cup grated Mozzerella cheese 

1/2 cup Half & Half Cream

1/4-1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

FILLING

4oz Cream Cheese, soft

4 tbsp Butter, soft

1 tsp Garlic Powder

2 cups Chicken, cooked and diced

1 cup Spinach, fresh and chopped

3/4 cup Colby Cheese, shredded

2-4 tbsp Mayonaise

1 cup Colby Cheese, shredded

1/2-1 cup Mozzerella, shredded

Paprika (Optional)

Basil (Optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350. Butter casserole dish large enough to hold 6 rolls.

2) In a saucepan, mix half & half with the 3/4 cup of mozzerella and heat over medium low until the cheese begins to melt. DO NOT boil. Add soup and cayenne, stir to incorporate.

Filling

3) In a medium bowl and using hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the garlic and stir. Add chicken, spinach and 3/4 cup Colby cheese and stir together to combine. Depending on how "dry" your mix is, add a tbsp at a time of the mayo. At this point you can season with salt and pepper to taste.

4) Drizzle enough of your soup mixture to cover the bottom of your casserole dish.

5) Unroll the crescents. Place 1 heaping tbsp of chicken mixture on the thick end of each roll. Starting from same end, roll up. Place seam side down in casserole dish and continue with remaining rolls.

6) Evenly our the remaining of the soup mixture over the rolls bring soup level about 3/4 of the way up the rolls. Top with remaining cheeses. Dust top with paprika and basil.

7) Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting into it.

Grilled Chicken 3 Ways

A few of you know that I spent yesterday over the grill. You might think I'm nuts to do this in the winter, but here in West Texas, the weather changes quicker than a woman changes her mind. The local lore is "If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes!" And their not joking! A couple weeks ago it went from a full blown blizzard (that's about an inch in 4 hours here) that lasted 5 hours to not a speck of snow 15 minutes after the snow stopped. Yep, that's my home. And yesterday was a nice, spring day, sun shinning, not a cloud in the sky and about 66 degrees! You bet I was out grilling!

In my family, we like to grill up as much meat as possible at once. In the long run it saves time and gas. I've mentioned before how expensive things are out here, propane isn't any better. So we hit a sale on chicken and sausage and went to town on several different types of flavors. Below you will find three different marinades that have a party in your mouth with every bite!

(The sun wasn't working with the camera, so sorry)

This first one I found on a web search and was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful it was. The ladies who posted this one on About.com did a wonderful job. Click the recipe name to see how it was originally.

Hebrewed Marinade

2 pounds boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs (pargiot in Hebrew)
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Mustard
1 tbsp Parsley, fresh and chopped
2 tsp Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

1) In a bowl, mix all marinade ingredients.

2) Rinse under cold water and pat dry the chicken. Place the chicken on a zip lock bag and pour in marinade. Place in refrigerator over night.

3) Preheat grill (medium) to 325°F (170°C).

4) Remove chicken thighs from marinade, but don't discard marinade. Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over, brush them with marinade, and grill until they test done (about another 3-6 minutes).

The next one I found again on About.com (they have some really good cooks on this site!) and fell in love. Well, if you know me, you know how much I LOVE Asian foods! Give the name a click to check them out!

Asian Ginger Marinade 

1 1/2 pounds Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
4 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
4 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Ground Ginger
2 tsp Garlic, minced
2 Scallions (green onions, spring onions), finely chopped
2 tsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper, or to taste

1) Rinse the chicken thighs under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Whisk in the ginger, garlic, scallions, brown sugar and crushed red pepper.

3) Place the chicken thighs in 1 large resealable plastic bag and place in a bowl. Add the marinade, reseal the bag and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator over night, turning occasionally. (If needed, use 2 small resealable bags and divide the chicken and marinade between them).

4) Preheat grill (medium) to 325°F (170°C). Remove the chicken thighs from the bag, reserving the marinade. Lay flat on the cooking surface and grill for 5-8 minutes then flip over and baste. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the thighs are cooked through and the juices run clear.

If you remember my Dilly of a Lemon Chicken dish a while back (and loved it) then you might recognize this marinade. I used the main flavors from it to create this following marinade. A light, dilled flavor to tickle the taste buds!

Dilly Lemon Grill 

6 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
3 tbsp Lemon Juice
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 tsp Dill, dried 
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes


1) In large bowl whisk together marinade.

2) Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. Place in a zip lock bag and pour in marinade. Let sit over night.

3) Preheat grill (medium) to 325°F (170°C). Remove the chicken thighs from the bag, reserving the marinade. Lay flat on the cooking surface and grill for 5-8 minutes then flip over and baste. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the thighs are cooked through and the juices run clear.

Unfried Chicken Chimmies!

Campbell's has many interesting recipes that one can normally whip up with whatever you have on hand. Granted, we sometimes have to improvise here and there when it comes to certain ingredients we have on hand. When I came across this dish, it practically screamed my name. It was something I could work around my allergies as well as something my hunny would like.

This recipe serves between 4 and 6 and can easily be stretched by adding more rice to feed a larger family.

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 pkt Taco Seasoning
1 cup Chicken Broth (Low-Sodium)
1 Cup Water
1 cup uncooked Instant White Rice
10 Green Olives, diced
2 cups cubed cooked Chicken
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
4-6 Flour Tortillas (10-inch)
1 cup Spinach, fresh and chopped
1/2 cup Tomato, diced (Optional Garnish)
Sour Cream (Optional Garnish)

1) In pot with lid, cook the rice in the water and chicken broth.

2) In a large saucepan, heat the soup and taco seasoning over medium heat to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the rice, olives and chicken and stir to incorporate. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, spray large skillet with olive oil spray and bring to a medium heat.

4) Sprinkle cheese on tortilla then layer with spinach and chicken mixture. Roll the tortillas around the chicken mixture. Place in skillet, edge side down first, and grill about 3 minutes on each side, making sure not to let it burn.

5) Move to platter and let sit 3-4 minutes before slicing them in half. Serve garnished with diced tomato and sour cream.

Almost Ina's Wedding Soup

A couple of weeks ago one of the only good places to eat at in my area closed it's doors. Not for lack of customers, the owners were just tired and had no buyers (it had been up for sale a couple of years). Now, I do not often eat out but when I do, I always loved going there just for their Wedding Soup. It was simply delish!

You know what I had to do then... hit the internet for a recipe to make this soup at home. I finally found something that came close when I was watching Food Networks Barefoot Contessa last week. Of course, I was unable to purchase the chicken sausage in my neck of the woods, as well as decent fresh herbs. But I think it still came out really well. It must be nice to have a butcher near by. Since I was unable to buy my meats in the amount she called for, I had to improvise just a bit. Same with the cheese. Although I was able to find the cheese, I was not about to pay their asking price. Remember, things out here cost 2-3 times as much as in a big city. But it came out great with all the extras after all!

The recipe below serves about 8 but with the extra meatballs, you will have your next Italian meal half way finished!

12 oz Pork Sausage
12 oz Ground Chicken
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
2 tsp Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Parsley, dried
4 tbsp Parmesan, freshly grated
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4-1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 cup White Onion, chopped
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
5 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup White Wine
1/2 cup small Pasta (stars, orzo or any other type of small/tiny pastas)
3 tsp Dill, dried
2 cup Spinach, fresh

1) Preheat oven to 350. Line  two cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2) In large bowl using a fork, mix together the pork and chicken. Add bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and parmesan; mix well. Next, add the egg, salt and pepper and mix to incorporate all.

3) Using melon baller or teaspoon measuring spoon, make small, rounded meatballs and place on prepared cookie sheets.

(Make 1 sheet small and the second sheet half small and half use a tablespoon measure to make larger meatballs to freeze for later speghetti dishes.) Bake for 30 minutes. Check larger meatballs at 30 minutes to make sure they are cooked in the middle.

4) Meanwhile, In soup pot add oil and heat over medium. Add onion, celery and carrots and saute for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently until crisp tender. Add broth, wine and pasta and stir to combine. Let cook until meatballs come out of oven, then add about 30-40 meatballs to soup. Let simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add dill and simmer another 5 minutes. Add spinach, stir and serve.

Dilly of a Lemon Chicken

Remember way back when... back when sitting down at the table each night was a common practice among families? I can almost smell my grandma's Lemon Chicken baking away in the oven. Those memories came flooding back when Eating Well posted a picture and recipe a while back that had me drooling over my key board.

Here is my own version of theirs, with a slight West Texan kick to it. This makes about 4-5 servings.

6 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
3 tsp Olive Oil, spereated
3 Garlic CLoves, minced
1 cup Chicken Broth
2 tsp Flour
3 tsp Dill, dried and divided
Dash Red Pepper Flakes
1 tbsp Lemon Juice


Bed (Optional)
1 cup Spinach, fresh
12 Grape Tomatoes, sliced
Parmesan, grated fresh

1) Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in large heavy skillet (cast iron is good) over medium-high heat (if using electric, turn it down to just medium). Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and sear it a golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken to a warmed plate and cover with tin foil to keep hot.

2) Reduce the heat to medium (med-low for electric). Add the remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil to pan. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minutes. In medium bowl, whisk together the broth, flour, dill, red pepper and lemon juice then add it to the pan. Continue whisking about 3 minutes.

3) Return the chicken to the pan as well as any juices on the plate. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.

4) OPTIONAL: PLace about a 1/4 cup of the spinach on each plate in a s mall bed, slightly larger than the chicken pieces. Top with the equivilent of 3 grape tomatoes and grate some fresh parmesan cheese on top.

5) Transfer chicken to top of the spinach (or right to the plate). Taste sauce and season with salt and peppers to taste. Spoon over the chicken and garnish with a sprinkling of the reserved dill.

Huli Huli Chicken

A friend of mine had mentioned this wonderful dish she and her husband had tried when they lived in Kentucky. Now that they have moved to Washington, they are unable to find it or the sauce it was made with. Well, you all know me, I went on a web hunt. I finally found the recipe on Disney's site of all places! But the day I was to try it out for myself, we had one of our rare occurances of snow falling. Normally I would grill ANY time of the year, but it was just a might too cold to be outside every few minutes to marinate meat.

The recipe that follows is my version of a Hawaiian dish called Huli Huli Chicken. It is typically grilled on traditional Hawaiian drums and comes out a marvelous flavor. Mine isn't quite like that, although it DOES use the traditional sauce, mine is made in the oven. I hope you all give it a try!

2 lb Chicken (boneless)
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Milk
1/4 cup Pineapple Puree
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1" Ginger Root, minced or grated
2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

1) Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet in foil and spray with non-stick spray.

2) Mix ingredients in bowl. Coat chicken and place on prepared baking sheet.

3) Bake 20-30 minutes, flipping over half way through and coating in sauce every 7 minutes.

Chicken Salad Salad

Confusing name, but oh so good for you AND it tastes great! I came up with this recipe after having a turkey sandwich here in Fort Davis that had cranberries in it. Wow... my taste buds stood up and saluted Miss Nell over at Nell's Coffee Shop. So, while scrounging around in my cupboards for something quick, easy and healthy, I created this dish.

I used Flax Seed in this and it can be omitted, but why? It really has no flavor and it blends well. It also helps to thicken it up in case you put in too much liquid. The best part, its super healthy for you. The chicken salad is wet enough to not need any extra dressing.

This recipe makes 1 1/2 servings.

1 can Chicken
2 tbsp Miracle Whip (or generic Whipped Salad Dressing is fine)
1 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard
1 tbsp Flax Seed
1/4 - 1/2 cup Cranberries, dried
1 cup Spinach, fresh
4 Grape Tomatoes, cut in half
3-4 Strawberries, quartered
Mozzarella, shredded

1) In small bowl blend together first 5 ingredients, set aside.

2) On salad plate place spinach in center. Put chicken salad right in the middle. Surround it with tomatoes and strawberries, then sprinkle entire salad with cheese.

Friday's Happy Hour Foods 1/13/12

One thing I miss about living in the city is Friday Happy Hours across the bay. Every bar you come across is offering free appetizers and half price drinks. Some places has out of the box munchies anyone can heat up at home. But other places offers something a little bit more in the way of food.

In my search online for some great grub ideas, I came across this link you all might be interested in. Instead of making these dishes at home, try out this link for your city to find Happy Hour Specials and coupons for your favorite bars! Daily Happy Hour

Soy Glazed Chicken Yakitori
From Food & Wine

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, cut into 1-inch lengths
6 shiitake mushroom caps, quartered
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet Indonesian soy sauce)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Sriracha chile sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Vegetable oil, for brushing

1) Thread each of 8 metal skewers with 3 pieces of chicken and 3 pieces each of scallion and shiitake.
In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, kecap manis, sugar, ginger, Sriracha and garlic; bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, 8 minutes.

2) Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the skewers with oil and grill over high heat, turning, until nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Brush the skewers with the sauce and grill, turning, until the chicken is cooked through and nicely glazed, about 3 minutes longer. Serve at once.

Anchor Bar Authentic Buffalo Wings
From About.com

36 chicken wing pieces (one wing makes 2 pieces - the "flat" and the "drum")
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce (Frank's is the brand used in Buffalo)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
celery sticks
blue cheese dressing

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2) If necessary, cut whole wings into two pieces. In a bowl toss the wings with the oil, and salt. Place into a large plastic shopping bag, and add the flour. Shake to coat evenly. Remove wings from the bag, shaking off excess flour, and spread out evenly on oiled foil-lined baking pan(s). Do not crowd. Bake for about 20 minutes, turn the wings over, and cook another 20 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and browned.

3) While the wings are baking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a pan, and over low heat bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then turn off.

4) After the wings are cooked, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the hot wings and toss with a spoon or spatula to completely coat.

***These are always served with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing on the side.***


Marinated Shrimp
From Cooking Light

• 1/4 cup dry vermouth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 36 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 3/4 pounds)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 
  
• 1) Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.
• 2) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of shrimp; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Repeat with remaining olive oil and remaining shrimp.

Cowboy Cacciatore

While I was surfing the web yesterday morning I came across a recipe for Chicken Cacciatore that had my mouth salivating. So off I ran to the kitchen to whip it up to have it in time for my dinner. But of course I wouldn't have all the required ingredients in my cupboard! After all, this was two days before market day. Why would I have the things I needed? 

Oh, not to fear! I whipped up this dish instead! It tastes like a cross between a chunky red sauce and chili. It is great being creative! 

Thanks to the Crock Pot site! This recipe makes about 6 servings. Don't forget to see what recipe I started with and how it ended up!

(I used Ziti Pasta in this)

6 Chicken Thighs, boneless & skinless (breasts will work too)
2 tbsp Olive OIl
24oz Jar Spaghetti Sauce (any variety)
8oz can Tomato Sauce
1 can Tomato Soup
1 tsp Basil, Oregano, thyme, dried
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Garlic, minced
1 White Onion, diced fine
1 can Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilis (chili starter)
30 Pepperoni slices, quartered
6oz Sliced Mushrooms
1/4 cup Red Wine

1) In large skillet heat oil and brown chicken on both sides.

2) In large Crock Pot lay chicken on bottom and fill with remaining ingredients. There is no order to this, You can even mix it all in a seperate bowl before pouring over the chicken.

3) Cook for:
Low 5-7 hours
High 2-3 Hours
Best served over hot cooked pasta.

Honey Ginger Chicken

While making this dish, my dear love kept looking over my shoulder, saying "There's CEREAL on it!" In his mind ALL meats really should be made on the grill with a ton of BBQ sauce. He has no idea that the breading used on his Grandma's Fried Catfish is Corn Flakes. I have soooo much work ahead of me to fix his taste buds! At least I was able to get him to eat some veggies!

Boneless, skinless CHicken Breasts (4) or Thighs 1 1/2-2 per person)
1 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Orange Juice
1/4 ts Ginger, freshly grated
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Dash Cinnamon
3/4 cup Corn Flakes, slightly crushed
1/2 tsp Parsley, dried

1) Preheat oven to 350. Spray a shallow foil lined pan and place chicken on it. Set aside.

2) In small bowl, combine the honey, orange juice, ginger, red pepper and cinnamon until well incorporated.

3) Brush honey mixture over chicken (making sure to get all the good little ginger bits on each piece of chicken) then top with corn flakes and a sprinkle of parsley.

4) Bake for about 20 minutes, until no longer pink in thickest part of the chicken.

Monterey Grilled Chicken

Here is a super easy recipe for a grilled chicken. Yes, even with snow falling we get out on the grill around here... its a Texas thing. But for this one, I would brave sleet, blizzards or hurricanes to have this melting in my mouth!

Chicken Thighs, boneless & skinless (2 per person)
Stubbs Spicy BBQ Sauce
Bacon, 1 strip per thigh, crisp and cut up
Tomato, 1 tbsp chopped per thigh
Cheddar Cheese, 2 tbsp shredded per thigh
Parsley or chopped Green Onion


1) Grill thighs 6-8 minutes per side until no longer pink on the inside.

2) Line a casserole dish with foil and place thighs. Top with bacon pieces, BBQ and cheese. Broil just until cheese is melted and put on plate.

3) Top with chopped tomato and either the onion or dried parsley.

Cumin Chicken with Apples & Mushrooms

Trying to change up meal plans can be hard when living way out here in the West Texas frontier. Not being able to purchase many things I would have back home makes this a big challenge... but one I happily except. This dish is something I came up with after researching many different recipes on line and not being able to come up with all the right ingredients. I've never been a big fan of Cumin, but found it really works well with the different ingredients I was able to throw together. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

3 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, cut in small pieces

2 tbs Butter

1 tbs Olive Oil

2 Apples, peeled and diced

2 Green Onion, chopped or 1 tb Garlic, minced

2 Carrots, grated

1 cup sliced Mushrooms

1 tbs Baking Mix (Jiffy or Bisquick)

1 10.5oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 cup Water

1 tbs Ground Cumin

1 tsp Worechestershire Sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 tbs Bread Crumbs, plain

3 tbs Parmesan Cheese

1/4 tsp Chili Powder

*Hot Brown Rice 

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) In large skillet, drop butter in oil to melt. Brown chicken and place in 13x9x2" baking dish. Sprinkle grated carrot on top of chicken. 

3) Using the drippings in the skillet, saute up the onion/garlic, apples and mushrooms until apples are crisp-tender. Add baking mix and stir to combine. Add soup, water, worechestershire sauce, salt and pepper. mix well to incorporate soup. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs. Cover baking dish and bake for about an hour, until the chicken juices run clear. 

4) After 45 minutes, sprinkle top with grated Parmesan and return to oven without cover.

5) When finished, ladle chicken dish over hot rice, sprinkle with chili powder and serve.

Hearty Italian Chicken & Veggie Soup

Here's another soup recipe made just for snowy weather. I was so surprised to find such pretty veggies here in West Texas that I had to through them all together in one pot! As it is, this recipe makes a thin broth. But if you like it to be a bit thicker all you have to do is mix 2 tsp corn starch in about 1/4 cup of water and pour it into the soup about 10 minutes before you serve it.

2 tbsp Olive OIl
1 lb Chicken breast, cut up
1 cup Fresh Green Beans, cut into 1" pieces
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced
2 Celery Stalks, sliced
1 cup Broccoli Florretts
1 Zucchini, halved then sliced into half moons
4-6 Mushrooms, sliced
1 can Itallian DIced Tomatoes (with garlic and olive oil)
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Parsley, dried
1 tbsp Oregano, dried
1 tsp Basil, dried
2 tbsp Chalula Sauce (or Tabasco)
1 box (32oz) Chicken Broth
2 Chicken Boullion Cubes
Water

1) Heat oil in large pot. Add chicken and brown pieces on all sides.

2) Add in remaining ingredients except water. Stir well.

3) Fill empty broth box with water, shake to get all flavor out and pour in pot to cover veggies.

4) Cook for 30 - 40 minutes until veggies are crisp-tender.

Chicken Parcels

Here we go again... found a great sounding recipe at My Delicious Recipe and couldn't get all the ingredients at our local grocery store. So we had to improvise. If you check out theirs along with mine below you will see how far away I went to get something to come out tasting great with what we could get our hands on.

This recipe will make 6 parcels. If serving this with cheesy rice and sauteed vegetables, you will probably only need one per plate.

3 tbs Butter
1 tbsp Peanut Oil (or Olive)
2 tbsp Garlic, minced
1/4 tsp Chicken Season Salt
6 large Basil Leaves
1/2 cup Muenster, grated
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1 tbsp Parsley, dried
1 tsp Oregano, dried
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
6 slices Jalapeno (in a jar is fine)
6 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
2 pks Ham, thin slice lunch meat (Budding)

1) In small skillet melt butter in oil and saute garlic with chicken seasoning. Strain into bowl, reserving liquid for basting later. Let cool at least 10 minutes.

2) Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet in foil and spray a roasting pan with oil, set on top of foil.

3) In large bowl, mix together cheese, egg, parsley, oregano and pepper. Set aside.

4) Place individual breasts in plastic bag layed out flat. Using hammer, skillet bottom or rolling pin flatten thigh by half thickness.

5) Lay out chicken on flat surface. Place a basil leaf, a spoonful of cheese mixture and a jalapeno slice near the edge. Roll up chicken, then wrap it in a couple of ham slices and use toothpicks to hold it together. Repeat to finish off all thighs.

6) Roll parcels in reserved butter and place on roasting pan. Bake for 20 minutes and baste one more time. Finish baking another 10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting into them.

Chicken and Portabella Mushroom

Unlike in the big city, finding pre-made items at the local grocery store is almost impossible. Take ravioli for instance... if I like Chef Boy Ar Dee, I wouldn't have a problem. Unfortunately, my taste buds would go on strike for eating something like that out of a can. So what's a girl to do??? Hunt down some great recipes and twist them up to make her own dish that screams West Texas!

This turned out so well that one of our birds, Greedy Gut (yes, that really is what I call him), had to have some too. He paced on the bottom of his cage, squeaking to get our attention. When that didn't work, he climbed to his perch and began pacing again. I felt so bad for him I finally brought him a part of the dough. Want to see what a bird looks like after eating this? Just scroll on down to the bottom.

For the Dough:


2 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Hot Water


For the Filling:


1/2 large Portabella, diced small
1/2 cup Mozzerella, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Basil, dried
1/2 tsp Oregano, dried
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 cup Chicken, cook (such as Rotisseri)
2 Eggs, seperated

1) In large bowl mix flour, salt and water with a spoon. The batter will be crumbly. Transfer to a floured surface and knead with your hands until it begins to form a ball. Wrap in plastic and let rest in fridge for about 20-30 minutes.

2) While dough rests, shred chicken and place in large bowl with remaining ingredients, except one egg. Mix thoroughly.

3) In small bowl, beat remaining egg and 1 tbs of water to make a wash.

4) When dough is ready, Pull off a small amount and roll out flat until it is about 1/16th" thick, and in a rectangle about 12x4". Brush with egg wash.

5)  Place a spoonful of mixture in three seperate heaps, gently pull dough to cover them, and press down around mounds to seal. Trim off excess dough and set aside. Finish with the dough and mixture.

6) In a large pot of boiling salted water drop the ravioli in a few pieces at a time and boil about 5 minutes. I like to let mine float to the top and leave them about another minute, just to make sure the inside is heated through. Remove ravioli to plate and keep warm.

7) Now all you have to do it smother it in your favorite sauce or eat it plain!