Grilled Peach BBQ Chicken Wings

I subscribe to several cooking magazines, such as Cooking Light and Taste of Home.  I especially love Taste of Home because most of the recipes are so simple and delicious, a combination that I love!  For this recipe, my husband, who loves to grill, picked out this recipe.  I'll admit, I wasn't sure about pureeing peaches in barbecue sauce, but the end result was great.  It gave the sauce a wonderful sweetness.  I also really enjoyed the dipping sauce, which surprised me.  I'll admit, heating apple cider vinegar over the stove smells terrible, but the smell goes away and when the sauce cools, it produces a fabulous result. 

In other cooking blog news, I have an exciting little announcement to make in the next couple of days.  For the next 40+ days, my blog is going to take an interesting turn...stay tuned!

Source:  Taste of Home magazine, October & November 2010 issue

Ingredients:

2 cups store-bought barbecue sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
2 peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
Salt
Pepper
24 chicken wings, separated at the joint and tips discarded
1 cup peach jam
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp hot sauce, such as Frank's RedHot, or to taste
Scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced, for topping (I omitted this)

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the barbecue sauce and half of the garlic.  Add the peaches and process until finely chopped; season with about 1-1/2 tsp. salt and about 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Reserve 1/2 cup for basting.  In a resealable plastic bag, toss together the chicken wings and remaining peach barbecue sauce; refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the peach jam, vinegar, remaining garlic, hot sauce, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes; let cool.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to low.  Grill the chicken wings with the grill cover down, turning and basting occasionally with the reserved barbecue sauce, until cooked through, about 30 minutes.  Top with the scallions and serve with the peach jam dipping sauce.

Italian Spiced Chicken Bites

This recipe took so little time to make, it almost seems wrong on how amazing it tasted.  The chicken marinade was wonderful with a little extra heat that I always enjoy.  As I was eating these for dinner, all I could do was think about when I was going to make these next.  They can make an excellent appetizer for parties or even Sunday afternoon football games.  This recipe is a must-make!

Source:  Adapted from Jaime Cooks:  Endevours in Eating & Entertaining

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into roughly 1″ cubes
1 tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ cup Panko Italian Bread Crumbs (I used plain)
½ cup Plain Bread Crumbs  (I used Italian)

Directions:
 
Rinse and pat dry the chicken breast cubes.

In a bowl combine garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and olive oil in a bowl. Sprinkle over the chicken pieces and toss to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

After the chicken pieces have marinated, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix panko and plain dry bread crumbs in a bowl. Press marinated chicken pieces into the bread crumbs to coat completely.

Place on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and bread crumbs are golden brown. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Spicy Rotini and Shrimp

I was having dinner by myself one night so I decided to try something I would like probably a little more than my husband would.  I love spicy food, but he doesn't like it as nearly as much as I do so I usually avoid it.  This dish was yummy with a LOT of heat.  I added nearly a tablespoon of red pepper flakes and it was almost a little too much for me.  For a touch of hotness, just stick with adding only a teaspoon!

Source:  Kelly's Kreative Kitchen, adapted from Homemade by Holman

Ingredients:

1/4 lb uncooked shrimp, deveined
1/2 box rotini pasta (or similar)
1 cup diced tomatoes w/ liquid
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup dry red wine (I used a zinfandel)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes (can add more depending on taste)
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat a pot of water to boiling for pasta. When it comes to a boil, add salt and pasta. Cook until al dente and drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter and add olive oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they turn pink. Don't overcook them, once they are opaque, they are done. Set them aside on a cutting board and cut into thirds.

In the same large skillet saute garlic and onions for 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the wine and saute another 3 minutes, or until no longer liquidy. Then add diced tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream, simmer another 5 minutes. Add herbs, cooked shrimp, pasta, and salt & pepper, to taste. Toss and serve warm.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I've been spending a lot of time on The Pioneer Woman website.  If you've never visited it before, it's a great site for cooks of all abilities.  If you're unsure about how she does a recipe, she offers wonderful step-by-step instructions with pictures.  When I found this recipe I knew I needed to try it!  I cooked this with my good friend, Stacy for a Saturday night dinner.  The overall taste was wonderful, and the leftovers were outstanding but next time I will make a few adjustments.  First, if you love heat and spiciness, add more of the Cajun spice.  A few extra teaspoons really kicks this up a notch.  Also, use a little less pasta and simmer the cream and chicken broth until it thickens up a lot more.  We felt that the sauce was a little too liquidy and we were getting it all over our clothes.  All in all, though, a great recipe that I will definitely try again for my husband with some minor adjustments.

Source:  The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
1 pound Fettuccine
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups White Wine
1 cup Heavy Cream
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste
Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Chocolate Cobbler

I love making (and eating!) fruit cobblers, but when I found this chocolate recipe, I knew I needed to try it!  This was pretty tasty and paired with the vanilla ice cream, it was like eating a combination of a fudge brownie and a chocolate lava cake.  Make sure you eat it while it is warm!

Source:  Pioneer Woman, A Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 cup All-purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
7 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder, Divided
1-¼ cup Sugar, Divided
½ cups Milk
⅓ cups Melted Butter
1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ cups Light Brown Sugar, Packed
1-½ cup Hot Tap Water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons of the cocoa, and 3/4 cup of the white sugar. Reserve the remaining cocoa and sugar.

Stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Pour the mixture into an ungreased 8-inch baking dish. I prefer my small oval Corning Ware glass dish.

In a separate small bowl, mix the remaining white sugar (it should be 1/2 cup), the brown sugar, and remaining 4 tablespoons of cocoa. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter.

Pour the hot tap water over all. DO NOT STIR!

Bake for about 40 minutes or until the center is set.

Let stand for a few minutes if you can hold yourself back. Serve with homemade ice cream using the gooey sauce to spoon over all.

Chicken and Veggie Tortellini Stew

Crock Pot day!  This was an exhausting weekend full of good times with friends so I wanted to make something that would not take much time out of my only relaxing day.  Although it's still summer, I felt like making a stew since I was only cooking for myself tonight.  My husband is out of town and isn't crazy for stews or casseroles so these next few days are for making those sorts of dishes!  This was a tasty meal and makes wonderful leftovers for later.  A must-try recipe for this upcoming cold season!

Source:  Pillsbury, 2009 Casserole Book

Ingredients:

2 medium carrots, sliced (about 3/4 cup)
2 cloves of garlic finely chipped
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 can (19 ounces) of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 3/4  cups chicken broth
2 cups of water
1 package (9 ounces) of refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon of dried basil leaves
2 tablespoons of shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
 
Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, layer carrots, garlic, chicken, and beans. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour broth and water over top; stir to combine.

Cover; cook on low heat setting for 6 to 8 hours.

Stir in tortellini, onions and basil. Increase heat setting to hight. Cover; cook 15 to 20 minutes longer or until tortellini are tender. Sprinkle servings with Parmesan cheese.

Raspberry Cream Pie

I have to admit, if I had to choose between a chocolate or fruit dessert, I would most likely choose a fruit one.  Most of my friends would have to disagree with me on that one, but I'm still a sucker for fruit.  When Pioneer Woman posted this recipe, I knew I had to try it.  It was so easy!  From start to finish, the recipe took a total of 20 minutes and the results were incredible.  I brought the pie to work and people were cutting pieces before I could even take a picture!

Source:  Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

25 whole Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
1 cup (generous) Raspberries
3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 containers (6 Ounce Each) Raspberry Yogurt
1 package (3.4 Ounch) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Extra Raspberries For Garnish

Directions:

To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crust cookies in a food processor (or smash in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin). Stir in melted butter until all combined. Pour into a regular pie pan and press crumbs all over the pan and up the sides. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes—just long enough for it to set. Cool crust completely.

Place raspberries on a plate or in an empty pan. Smash them with a fork, then sprinkle on 3 tablespoons of sugar. Stir together and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine raspberry yogurt with the instant vanilla pudding mix (just the powder itself.) Beat on low until combined, about 1 minute. Pour in heavy cream and whip on low for 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn mixer on medium-high speed and beat for two minutes, or until mixture is thick.

Turn off mixer, then fold in raspberries until just combined. Pour into cooled pie pan and spread evenly. Freeze for two hours, or until very firm. Cut into slices and top each slice with cookie crumbs, dollops of whipped cream, and extra raspberries. Keep in freezer, allowing time to thaw before serving.