Grilled Hawaiian Chicken with Tropical Salad

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken
adapted from the Ungormet

6 boneless chicken breasts
2 cups pineapple juice
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp fresh minced ginger

Combine all the ingredients except the chicken. Pour marinade over chicken, cover and refrigerate at least overnight. Grill until done.  I made this during the winter however, and last minute, so I just cut up two chicken breasts and sauteed them in a skillet with worcestershire, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and a tiny dash of Cayenne pepper.
 
Tropical Salad
1 bag of arugula
3 green onions, thinly sliced
6 sliced of turkey bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 can pineapple tidbits, drain and reserve juice for dressing
1/2 cup slivered toasted almonds
1/4 cup toasted coconut
I wished I had all these ingredients on hand, but unfortunately did not.  I made this with a bunch of romaine, some orange segments, almonds, sunflower seeds, chopped green and yellow peppers.  I think red onion would have been a good addition too.

Dressing
1/4 cup pineapple juice
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
I didn't have pineapple juice so I substituted a little lemon and orange juice.

Cinnamon Pecan Crusted Salmon

Finally I have found a new fun way to switch up my salmon!  We generally try to eat pretty healthy most nights of the work week so it was nice to find a new way to cook a type of fish that graces my kitchen table at least once every other week.  This creation comes from Mrs. How Sweet.  We served this on a salad.

Cinnamon Pecan Crusted Salmon
serves 3-4
1 pound of salmon, cut into 4 pieces, or 4 salmon filets
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (or glaze)
2/3 cup pecans, finely ground in a food processor
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add ground pecans to a large plate and stir in cinnamon. Brush salmon pieces with BBQ sauce/glaze. Coat with pecan mixture, pressing so the mixture sticks.
Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Brown salmon on each side until pecan crust is golden. Remove and put on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork.

Picture courtesy of How Sweet Eats blog.  Check her out!!

Lime Meltaways

OK, OK, I said I would slow down with the baking...but this was the last one I had been eyeing that I wanted to make!  And they were worth it.  And I will stop after this...maybe.

These lime meltaways are basically a shortbread cookie with a fresh lime hint.  I think next time I would add a little more lime.  And I wish I knew a trick to make the powdered sugar stick more to the cookies!

Lime Meltaways

Ingredients:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 limes (zest)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Cream the butter with the 1/3 cup powdered sugar.
2. Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla.
3. Mix the flour, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl.
4. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet.
5. Roll the dough out into a 1-2 inch log.
6. Wrap in plastic and let chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
7. Slice the dough into 1/4 to 1/2 in thick slices and place them on a baking sheet, 1 inch apart from each other.
8. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until just lightly golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
9. Let cool on a wire rack for 4 minutes.
10. Dredge cookies in powdered sugar to coat.

Philly Cheesesteaks

Alright, I have to admit, half of my inspiration comes for my husband.  All I have to do is ask him if there is anything he would like this week for dinner and he will come up with a great idea that I can't wait to tackle.  Today we were strolling through Sam's club and he mentioned "mmmm philly cheesesteaks sound so good."  Quick internet search on the way to the grocery is all it took, these were so easy to make!  Did you know you could ask the meat counter at the local grocery to slice up the meat any way you like it?  I grabbed the pre-packaged steak I wanted and brought it over to the counter and they sliced it really thin for me.

Philly Cheesesteaks - adapted from Emeril Legasse

1/2 lb rib-eye steak sliced very thin
1 onion
1/2 green pepper
banana peppers
mushrooms
provolone or motzerella cheese
italian bread or other hoagie rolls

Carmelize the onions and peppers in butter and sugar.  I usually use a few tablespoons butter and sprinkle sugar over the top.  Let this simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until they start getting brown.  Then add mushrooms and cook for a couple more minutes.

Slide the veggies over on your griddle or use another pan.  Season the steak with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and cook the until no longer pink.

Add the banana peppers and mix everything together move over to one side of the griddle.  Butter your bread and put them butter side down on the griddle to toast them.  (Did you know you can get day old bread from Jimmy John's for 50 cents a loaf - thats what we used.  brought back good memories of my college days with Katie.)  Once you are toasted up you can make up your cheesesteaks.  We put mayo and mustard on one side and pizza sauce on the other side before piling up some steak and veggies on the sandwhiches then of course you can't forget your cheese!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've made chocolate chip cookies a number of times but there is always something I have wanted to change in the recipe.  My biggest complaint is that they spread out and get to thin and I like a thicker chewier cookie.  I finally found the recipe that works!

1/2 cup butter (melted)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (12 oz) bag of semi sweet chocolate chips (or less if you wish)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda

Evenly position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or just lightly butter them.  Melt the butter in the microwave and cool slightly. Whisk the sugars, eggs, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.  Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Scoop tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared pans.  Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the pans. Bake, until golden, but still soft in the center, 12 to 16 minutes (12 minutes was plenty for mine).  Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool.  Perfection!

Spinach & Feta Quinoa

I had never has Quinoa, much less heard of it until probably a few months ago.  If you are unfamiliar as well you need to give it a shot!  Its a grain and is packed with a ton of protein and a lot of other goodness.  To someone like me who had never tried it, I would compare its taste to rice.  Really great!  Especially this dish, who doesn't love the combination of spinach and feta?  So easy and it was an awesome side dish for chicken or fish.  I also got this one from Closet Cooking ... I know I know, recently it seems like I only get recipes from this blog, but I can't help myself!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 bunch spinach (roughly chopped)
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth or water)
1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
1/4 cup dill (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon (juice and zest)
1/4 cup feta (crumbled)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts.
5. Add the quinoa, vegetable broth, parsley, dill and season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and hit it with a splash lemon juice and mix in the feta.

Cinnamon Bread

I have been on a bit of a baking kick lately I'm beginning to notice.  Which is not so good for my diabetic husband!  Don't worry, he is surviving, and I am going to chill it out soon!

Yum, this Cinnamon Bread was sort of like a banana bread...something you can get away with eating for breakfast, even though it should really be classified as a desert.  The cinnamon sugary crust of this bread was absolutely no exception.  I think I wish you could somehow coat all edged of each piece with that stuff!  I had intended on bringing this into work so we didn't end up eating it...but just couldn't do it.  Too edible...

Warning: don't get nervous about this recipe, I got a little confused with all the steps when reading over it, but if you follow along as you go it makes sense!

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup brown sugar
2 heaping tablespoons ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl.
3. Beat in the eggs, salt, vanilla and lemon zest.
4. Mix 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. Mix 1/2 of the buttermilk into the wet ingredients.
6. Mix 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
7. Mix the remaining buttermilk into the wet ingredients.
8. Mix 1/3 the remaining dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
9. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
10. Pour 1/3 of the batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
11. Pour 1/3 of the cinnamon mixture on top.
12. Pour 1/3 of the batter on top.
13. Pour 1/3 of the cinnamon mixture on top.
14. Pour the remaining batter on top.
15. Pour the remaining cinnamon mixture on top.
16. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, about an hour.