Beer Can Chicken

My mother found this recipe while perusing on the internet one day. She told me that I would love it. However, she did warn me that the recipe does seem and look a little odd, but that is doesn't make a different and the chicken turns out amazing. My littler step sister, who is a picky eater at times, ate two whole chicken breasts because she liked it so much. I completely agree with my mom. I made it tonight and it was delicious. This recipe is for 2 pounds of chicken breasts but I used it all on 1 pound and it worked great and was not over seasoned. Most of the beer will evaporate, but the chicken is so juicy and tender. Skeptical? I was too. Give it a try, you'll love it!

Beer Can Chicken

*In a bowl mix:
1/2 Tbs Paprika
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

*Sprinkle the mixture on both side of the uncooked chicken and smother into chicken.
*Place chicken breasts in pan or glass dish.
*Pour beer (I used Bud Light) over the top of the chicken until the pan has about 1/4 inch of beer in it.
*Place in oven at 450 degrees for about 35 minutes of until chicken if fully cooked.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe on popularcookierecipes.com. I just made them tonight and they are really nice and moist! Not much else to say with this post, simple and good.

Ingredients:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs,beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Mix sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and softened butter. Add in baking soda, salt, and flour, mix well. Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely and enjoy!

Chicken Fajitas

I first had this recipe for fajitas when Tessa made them for dinner a few years ago when I went up for a visit. She got it at her bridal shower. I really like the flavor and it's such an easy recipe to make. Supper easy and yummy dish! My changes are in purple.

Chicken Fajitas:

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion (cut into strips)
2 large bell peppers (cut into strips) (I used 1 red and 1 green this time.)
1 packet Italian dressing
Lemon pepper
Tortilla (whole wheat)

Preparation:
Cube chicken and fry in pan with Italian Seasoning with a little oil (I use canola oil). When chicken is done add veggies and saute until desired texture. Add lemon pepper to taste. Serve on tortilla with toppings of choice.

Orange Chicken Stir Fry

I always love trying one of the recipe's from my friend Tessa's blog. She and her husband like to change it up quite a bit. The other night I was really craving Chinese food, but wanted to make it at home, didn't much feel like going out to eat. Of course, I also love to cook, so it worked out great.

It's a really simple recipe when it gets down to it and does not take long to make at all, once you have become good and rapid veggie chopping. :) I made a few modifications, which I wrote in a different color. I did them based on preference, although next time I think I will double the amount of carrots that I put in, there is definitely enough sauce for it.

For such a simple meal, I really did love it. It has a lot of flavor. Here is a link to Tessa's original recipe in case you case to see it. Tessa mentioned a problem with her coated chicken sticking to her pan really bad. However, I didn't seem to have this problem.

Orange Chicken Stir Fry.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 c. uncooked instant rice
1 Tbsp. plus 1/3 cup cornstarch, divided
1 c. orange juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-in cubes
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided (I used canola oil)
1-1/2 c. fresh carrots, sliced (I used 1/2 cup)
1 c. chopped red pepper (I put this in instead of the all the carrots b/c I LOVE red pepper)
1 c. chopped green pepper
½ c. chopped onion

Preparation:

Prepare rice according to package towards the end of the stir fry process.

In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, orange juice, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and pepper; set aside.

Place remaining cornstarch in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken and shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in 2 Tbsp. oil until done. Remove and place in microwave to keep warm

In the same skillet, sauté carrots in remaining oil for 2-4 minutes. Add green pepper and onion; sauté for around 5 minutes (until vegetables are crisp-tender).

Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened. Add chicken; heat through. Serve with rice.

Southwestern Pasta Salad

My friend and fellow recipe blogger Tessa added this recipe to her blog over the summer and I have been wanting to try it. So, with the labor day festivities and a big BBQ with friends tomorrow I decided that now was the time. I am sure that it will be a success! I tried a bite after I was done making it (so the tomatoes were not in it yet) and it is AMAZING! It has so much flavor. Nice work Tessa! I did add one extra ingredient (onions) because I just really like them. Here is a link to Tessa's original post on her Cookin' Chemist Blog.

This is one of the most flavorful salads I have ever had and I will definitely be making it again soon! I, like Tessa, always use whole-wheat pasta. Not only is it healthier but I think it has SO much more flavor than normal pasta. Plus it does not seem to get mushy like other pasta does. At first it does seem like there is a LOT of veggies and such when compared to the amount of pasta, but it makes the PERFECT ratio and blend.

Southwestern Pasta Salad

1/2 pkg. (box) whole wheat rotini pasta (About 8 oz)

1/4 c. canola oil

1/3 c. lime juice

1-1/2 Tbsp. chili powder, or to taste

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, rinsed

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can green chiles

1/2 c. diced green bell pepper

1/2 c. diced red bell pepper

1 small bunch cilantro, chopped (about 1/2 cup or to taste)
1/4-1/3 cup chopped vadalia onions (I added this due to preference)

1 c. chopped roma tomatoes

Preparation:

-Cook pasta according to package directions.
-In a large bowl, combine canola oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and garlic.
-Stir in pasta and set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (I sometimes just run my pasta under cold water to chill it faster).

-Stir in corn, beans, green pepper, red pepper, chillies, and the cilantro.
-Cover and chill overnight or until ready to serve. Add chopped tomatoes just before serving.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

My friend Rachel gave me this recipe and told me that they were to die for, healthy muffins. She was right! They have a very good flavor to them and were super yummy! I made them last week right after she e-mailed me the recipe and I will definitely be making them again, once this batch has been gone for a while. I usually end up sharing stuff like this with my lab-mates because it's a lot for one person!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

4 very ripe bananas
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar splenda (or 1 c. reg. sugar)
4 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
2 handfuls of Dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli are the best)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350º. Smash bananas to a pulp. In a small dish whisk egg. Add all ingredients together, except for the chocolate. Mix together with a big spoon. Add chocolate, and mix. Place in muffin tins (makes around 16) Cook for about 20 min. Be careful not to overcook them. They are a little hard to tell when done due to the bananas and chocolate chips. Cook and enjoy!

Cornflake Chews

I absolutely love this recipe. It is a favorite in our house back home. My mother has been making it for a long time. It's so easy to make, I just made these in less than 10 minutes. I love having one with a glass of milk.

Cornflake Chews

Ingredients:
1 cup light karo syrup
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 cups cornflakes

Directions:

Add karo syrup and sugar to a large pot, mix, and bring to a rapid boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until melted and soft. Add cornflakes and stir until well mixes and flakes are covered. Spoon onto wax paper and let cool until solid. ENJOY!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I have made this bread twice now. It's my favorite out of any of the banana breads that I have ever had, and I have had a lot of different kinds. I love the peanut butter touch in this recipe. It's also the most moist banana bread that I have ever had. I also really like to put apple butter on top of it, just adds to the amazing flavor.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup peanut butter
2-3 over ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I leave these out based on preference)

Directions:

Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Then add eggs and beat well. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until thoroughly mixed. Pour mix into 5x9in greased loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 70 minutes or until knife comes out clean. (Usually takes about 1.5 hours to bake)

Thai Chicken Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza?! I was looking for pizza recipes at work yesterday and stumbled across several recipes for Thai Chicken Pizza. However, I didn't like everything that was in any of them. So, I decided to make my own recipe. I must admit that when I looked at the pizza right as I was getting ready to put it in the oven I was not sure how it was going to turn out. However, once it was done and I tried it...I LOVED it! It has so much flavor and it pretty healthy with all of the fresh veggies that it has, and minimal sauce.

Once your veggies are all cut and your dough is ready, it only takes about 15-20 minutes to cook. I highly suggest that if you are looking at leaving out some of the ingredients that you don't. The sprouts and snow peas make is amazing! It was perfect and so flavorful. For those of you who know me, you know that I salt and pepper EVERYTHING. I did not need to add either to this meal.

Thai Chicken Pizza
Pizza Crust (for 12" pizza)
2 chicken breasts (cut into small pieces)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root (cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup peanut sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup fresh snow peas
1/4 cup red bell pepper (chopped)
1/4 cup carrots (thinly sliced)
2 green onions (sliced)
1/4 cup (or more if you like) peanuts (crushed)
1/4 cup fresh bean sprouts (more if you like them like I do)


Cut fresh veggies while dough is rising.


Cook diced chicken in pan with oil and ginger root until chicken is done.

Flatten dough for crust on pan and spread peanut sauce over crust. Add the chicken and ginger mixture to the top

Spread pepper, carrots, snow peas, onion, and sprouts on top.

Then add the crushed peanuts and cover with the shredded cheese.

Place in the oven on the lowest rack and bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cheese in melted and crust appears done.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe online and thought that is looked delicious! So, I decided to give it a try and see if I liked it. As it turns out, I absolutely love it, and it is now one of my favorite recipes. I cut the batch in half because I did not want to eat if for a week. Beware, I told a friend about it and she made a full batch and said there was enough pasta for 10 people. After chopping up the veggies, it only takes about 20 minutes to cook. I modified the recipe by leaving out the mushrooms (didn't feel like buying them) and doubling the cajun seasoning.


Cajun Chicken Pasta
12 ounces uncooked linguine
2 pounds chicken breast strips
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 cup butter
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced*
1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced*
1 (8-oz.) package fresh mushrooms
2 green onions (white and light green parts only), sliced*
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Garnish: chopped green onions

Prepare pasta according to package to the package

Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning and salt over the chopped chicken and cook in 1/4 cup of butter on medium-high for 5 or 6 minutes (until chicken is cooked). Then remove the chicken from the pan

Add the sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, and green onions to skillet, and sauté 9 to 10 minutes (or until vegetables are tender and liquid evaporates)

Return chicken to skillet; stir in half-and-half, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Add the pasta, stir until heated through and ENJOY!!!