Spicy Honey Chicken

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2 lbs.

2 tsp. vegetable oil

Rub:

2 tsp. granulated garlic

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder

Glaze:

1/2 cup honey

1 Tblsp. cider vinegar

Combine the rub spices in a bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands to get them coated well. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 Tblsp. honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on both sides of chicken in the final moments of grilling. This will make a mess because it will drip, but it is worth it! Leave the grill on for a few minutes after to burn off any excess glaze. (You can also do this on an indoor grill if you prefer)

Once chicken is finished cooking, drizzle the 2 Tblsp. of reserved glaze over top.

Serve over rice or on a salad...delicious!

Rice Pudding

This is the best rice pudding recipe EVER!! If you cool it in the fridge before eating it, it tastes almost exactly like Kozy Shack rice pudding that you can buy in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. I could seriously eat a whole batch. The recipe is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

3/4 cup Arborio rice, rinsed

6 cups whole milk

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

In a medium saucepan, combine rice, milk, vanilla, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until rice is tender and liquid has absorbed, about 40-45 minutes. (It took mine between 1 hour and 1 hour 15 minutes: I didn't cover it while it simmered because her recipe didn't say to, but I wonder if I would have covered it if it would have been done in 40-45 minutes...maybe next time I'll try that)

Stir in heavy cream and serve warm, or chill it and then serve.

Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This recipe is off of Mel's Kitchen Cafe, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite recipe blogs!!

1 Tblsp. canola oil

1 large red pepper, diced small

1 (10 oz.) package baby portebello mushrooms, diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp. minced garlic out of the jar)

2 average sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small

1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained, diced small

2 tsp. teriyaki sauce (located by the soy sauce)

4 Tblsp. hoisin sauce

3 cups of hot cooked rice

romaine lettuce leaves

sesame seeds

scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Add red pepper and mushrooms and saute for 5-6 minutes until tender. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Add chicken to pan and cook for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. Stir chicken and red pepper mixture occasionally while it cooks. Add water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce and hoisin sauce and stir to coat the chicken and vegetables. Continue cooking until heated through.

To serve top pieces of romaine lettuce with a scoop of rice, some of the hoisin chicken, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and scallions, and (this is my addition) some soy sauce mixed with a few drops of La Yu chili sauce. Wrap it up and eat it.

Chicken Fajita Pita

This recipe came from the Platinum Wives Recipe blog, we loved it! I did make a couple of changes in measurements, but it's pretty much the same.

2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1+ tsp. minced garlic out of the jar)

3 Tblsp. oil

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips

1 1/2 cups green, red, and yellow peppers, cut into strips

1 small onion, diced

2 Tblsp. freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)

4 whole wheat pitas, cut in half

Toppings:

shredded cheese

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes, or salsa

sour cream

diced avacados, or guacamole

In a large skillet heat oil, garlic, and cumin over medium heat. Add chicken; saute on each side 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add pepper strips, onion, and lime juice; saute 4 minutes. Spread chicken mixture on pita bread. Add desired toppings.

Copycat Spaghetti Factory's Mizithra Pasta with Browned Butter

This is the meal I used to order EVERY time I went to the Old Spaghetti Factory...I love it, but I don't think anyone else in my family really likes it, so I don't make it super often.

1 cup butter

1 cup Mizithra Cheese, grated

Spaghetti noodles (or pasta of your choice)

Cook the pasta as directed on package. I can't remember exactly how much I used, but my guess is about 1 lb. (I think I may have halved the recipe, so only 1/2 lb. pasta)

Meanwhile, cut 2 sticks of butter into 8 pieces, and place in a 2 quart saucepan. Place on burner on medium heat. Bring butter to a slow boil.

Once the butter begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. Continue stirring (about 5 minutes), otherwise the butter foam could overflow and catch fire.

Once the butter stops foaming and rising, cook until amber in color (about 1 to 2 minutes). It will have a pleasant caramel aroma.

Turn off the heat and remove pan from burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes.

Pour the brown butter through a strainer into a small bowl. Do not disturb the sediment at the bottom of the pan.

The brown butter can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in a microwave as needed.

Divide the cooked pasta and put a very small amount of browned butter and mizithra cheese over each serving. (A little sauce goes a long way in this a long way in this recipe...it will be ruined easily by putting too much sauce or mizithra on top).

Caramel Chex Mix

I got this from the Crazy Daisy Blog and made a batch for neighbors/visiting teachees for Christmas...it was delicious and I was just glad that most of it was given away before I ate it all!!

1 pound butter

3 cups brown sugar

1 cup white corn syrup

2 (14 oz.) boxes of Chex cereal (I used one corn and one rice)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

2 brown paper bags from your grocer's checkstand

First, open paper bags and place one inside of the other. Set aside. Cover table or counter top with wax paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bring the first three ingredients to a boil on the stove in a large kettle, stirring frequently so as not to burn. When everything is all melted and incorporated, take off of heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir until foamy. Pour over the double bagged Chex. Roll down top and shake well. microwave for 2 minutes and shake well. Microwave for 2 more minutes and shake again. Make sure to turn the bag on all sides each time you shake to spread the caramel. Open bag and check to make sure the caramel is spread evenly throughout the Chex. If not, shake it up again. However, you should be able to dump the Chex onto the sprayed wax paper. Gently spread the Chex a little. Give it a stir every once in a while as it cools, so that it doesn't dry in one huge clump.

Summer Rotini Salad

This recipe is from Favorite Family Recipes, and great to take to a summer barbeque!

1 pkg. tri-colored Rotini pasta (cooked to al dente...rinse with cold water)

1/2 bottle Italian dressing, or to taste (the recommended dressing is Kraft Light Zesty Italian with extra-virgin olive oil, 16 oz.)

1 Tblsp. lemon pepper (or to taste)

1-2 avocados, diced

2 tomatoes, diced (or 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained well OR sun-dried tomatoes)

2 small cans sliced olives

5 sticks of string cheese, cut into circles

1 jar quartered artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (NOT grated)

Other things you could add:

cooked chicken, seasoned and diced

chopped broccoli

green or red bell pepper

onion

mushrooms

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl until pasta is evenly coated in dressing. For best results, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours before serving.