Dinner-5/26

Here is dinner from last night
The flavors sound weird, but worked together really well. Paul said this is a definite must make again...

Jalapeno Chicken

Ingredients: For 6 servings
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian dressing
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese6 slices bacon-I used turkey bacon, and that worked really good.
toothpicks

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in a dish with the Italian dressing. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
Preheat the grill for high heat.
Stuff each jalapeno half with cream cheese.
Roll chicken breasts around jalapeno peppers.
Wrap each chicken breast with a slice of bacon. Secure with toothpicks.-I took another piece and wrapped it the opposite way so that i closed the hole that the rolling created, and so the cream cheese wouldn't come spilling out.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange wrapped chicken breasts on the prepared grill. Cook for 20 minutes, turning frequently, or until bacon is browned and the chicken juices run clear.-I cooked it on all 4 sides and then top and bottom, and it worked well.

Day 4: Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps

These were a little bit of a pain to make, but so worth it.


Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon milk
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar two times, letting them sit in sugar between coatings. Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Day 3: Nutella Cookies

Nutella Cookies

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
7 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp.
2/3 cup granulated sugar


1/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted & skinned hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside dry ingredients.
Cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in Nutella and vanilla extract. Mix in egg.
Add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add chocolate chips and hazelnuts.
Drop tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for about 11 minutes until the edges look set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then carefully remove to cooling racks.

Day 2: Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark

Crushed candy canes, to yield 1 cup
2 pounds chocolate-Whatever kind you like.
Peppermint flavorings, optional (i did not do this step)

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

Day 1: Thumbprint Kiss Cookies

Hershey's Kiss Cookies

1/4 c  Brown sugar, packed
1/4 c  Margarine; softened
1/4 c  Shortening
1    Egg; separated
1/2 ts Vanilla
1 c  All-purpose flour
1/4 ts Salt
3/4 c  Finely chopped nuts
3    Hershey's kisses

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
Mix brown sugar, shortening,
margarine, egg
yolk, and vanilla.  Mix in flour and salt untl dough holds together. Shape
dough into 1 inch balls. Beat egg whites lightly. Dip each ball into egg
white; roll in nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Press thumb deeply in center of each.
Bake until light brown, about 8 to 9 minutes. Immediately remove from
cookie sheet.  Place a Hershey Kiss in the center of each cookie.
Kiss will melt slightly from warmth of cookie. Let them
cool thoroughly and the Kiss harden again before storing.  Makes
about 3 dozen cookies.If you prefer, you can make
peanut butter cookies instead with the thumbprint and Hershey Kiss.

Tomorrow starts the baking spree!

I have decided to make a different cookies for the next 12 days, which brings me to Christmas Eve.

Stay tuned for new recipes!

I am a horrible blogger.

I've been MIA for a while now, because my life has been consumed with ELD, but i wanted to post some of the recipes that i have tried recently that were all a hit in my home. Hope they will be in yours as well. I will be back on at least a weekly basis, i swear!

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, orange juice and peel. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and grated chocolate; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fill paper-lined muffin cusp three-fourths full.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Angel Hair Pasta with Peppers and Chicken

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large red bell pepper, julienned
3/4 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
1 cup sugar snap pea pods
6 thick slices smoked deli chicken
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch salt
1 cup chicken broth
2 (8 ounce) packages angel hair pasta

DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Add the garlic, bell pepper, water chestnuts and pea pods. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 5 minutes.
Cut chicken into strips, approximately 1/4 inch wide. Add the chicken, onion powder, ground black pepper and salt to the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.
In a separate small saucepan, heat the chicken broth to a near boil. Pour the hot broth into the vegetable/chicken skillet. Toss and serve mixture over cooked angel hair pasta immediately.

Stuffed Strawberries

INGREDIENTS
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur, or to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cut the tops off of the strawberries and stand upright on the cut side. Make a cut 3/4 of the way down from the tip of the strawberry towards the bottom.
Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and liqueur until smooth in a mixer or a food processor. Place into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe into each strawberry and arrange on a serving platter.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 skinless chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.