Sweet Chili Glazed Chicken Breast with Pineapple

Sweet and sour chicken the most asked for meal in our house.  While perusing my newest cookbook Weight Watchers One Pot Cookbook - really who can say no to only one pot to clean? I found this recipe and thought hmm similar this could work  


 OXO Good Grips Pineapple Slicer (Google Affiliate Ad)

Usually I dread dealing with fresh pineapple but I just acquired one of these beauties and oh what fun! OXO Good Grips Pineapple Slicers.  Love it! 

Cut and marinate chicken in zip lock.

Cast iron is the best.

 

Sweet Chili-Glazed Chicken Breast with Pineapple

From Weight Watchers

Adapted

2T reduced sodium soy sauce

1T brown sugar

1T sweet chili sauce

3 5oz skinless boneless organic chicken breast cut into 1 inch strips

8 (1/2 inch) slices peeled pineapple, cored

1T chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in zip-lock bag
2. Squeeze out air and seal bag
3. Turn to coat chicken
4. Refrigerator at least 30 minutes up to an hour, turning occasionally
5. Oil and heat medium high cast iron pan
6. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade
7. Place chicken in pan turn after 5 minutes
8. Cook until chicken is cooked through about 10 minutes in all
9. Place pineapple on pan for 1 minutes per side only
10. Place chicken and pineapple on platter, sprinkle with cilantro

Beef Curry Pies - Hand Pies

 
Cold weather finally!  Easy comfort food is on the menu.  I don't know about you but the easiest organic meat to find is ground beef yet, recipes for ground meat seem to be chili, hamburger, meatballs - not again my kids scream! Although, their favorite dish is my sweet and sour meatballs . 
Epicurious to the rescue with this hand pies.  These would be great for a Super Bowl Party too.
FYI Costco has the best price on organic ground beef.

I cut potatoes too big.

Cupcake pans make it easy.

Choice - make more pies or make a covered top?  I choose more pies so I cut excesses into strips. 

Hand full of fun and tasty



Beef and Curry Pie 

from Epicurious

Adapted

3/4 pound organic ground beef

2 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 tablespoon curry powder (preferably Madras)
1 large organic russet (baking) potato, ¼ inch pieces (1 cup)
10 tablespoons water
¼ cup frozen peas, thawed
2 (17 ¼ ounce) packages frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
 

1. Mix together beef, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper and garlic with your hands until combined well
2. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, then add beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up beef into small pieces, until just browned, about 4 minutes
3. Drain beef in a colander set over a bowl (reserve skillet) and return beef drippings to uncleaned skillet
4. Heat drippings over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Add curry powder and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes more
6. Add water and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, until liquid is absorbed and potatoes are tender, about 1 minute
7. Return beef to skillet and stir in peas, then cool filling, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes
8. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F
9. Roll out one sheet of dough into a 12-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin and cut out 4 (5-inch) rounds with cutter.
10.  Spray cupcake pan with light oil
11.  Place round of pastry in each cupcake cup
12.  Mound filling onto each
13.  Cut excessive pasty and cover tops
14.  Bake until pies are deep golden brown and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes
15.  Cool pies to warm, about 10 minutes, or room temperature

Notes:
Reheat on a baking sheet in middle of a 350°F oven until filling is hot, about 15 minutes.

Original Recipe Beef and Curry Pie

 

Zucchini and Cranberry Muffins

Cry berry muffins - still in shock horror innocent babies and fabulous educators

Why Why Trader Joes do you print baking soda in the same colors as baking powder.  I now write on the lids because too many times I have mixed up the two.

I bring my eggs to room temperature by putting them in warm water.

A colorful mix

 

yummmm love the sour and sweet mix

Zucchini Cranberry Muffins

From Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

adapted

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs room tempature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sunflower oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup finely grated zucchini (1 - 2 medium)

3/4 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries divided 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup
course sugar for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line muffin pan with cupcake liners (I made 16 muffins in all)

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla.

4. Stir in the zucchini.

5. Add the flour mixture, and stir until just mixed

6. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the cranberries - reserve 1/4 cup to top with

7. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
8. Top with cranberries and course sugar

9. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the muffins are golden and a cake tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean, 25 - 30 minutes.

10. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

11. Turn the muffins on their sides in their cups, and cool. 

340 degrees in convention toaster oven for 27 minutes

How To Light A BBQ Without Lighter Fluid

So, I decided this year I would smoke my turkey.  After all we all love smoked turkey sandwiches and this would be perfect.  I had my fabulous brickets from Trader Joes, applewood, and some brown bags all ready to go  I crumbed the bags put the brickets on top stuck the match and almost died from smoke inhalation!  In fact I though my neighbors might call 911 with all of the billowing of white smoke!

Damn! half hour later still no luck but I smelled like a smoked turkey! What to do as I was getting furious and frustrated....go to the internet

It is just this easy -- load three napkins with canola or some other oil and place in the BBQ and surround with brickets - light a match.  I put the napkins in three areas and BOOM I was ready to go finally. BTW don't use paper towels they did not work.

Peach and Berry Croustades

 Last nights dinner an utter disaster, make up cooking time and words can not describe the goodness featured before you - just yum!

Freshly picked Desert Peaches with three sugars - cane, maple and coconut.
From our garden - desert peaches, black raspberries and boysenberries

 Hot out of the oven and the spillage has turned into a caramelized crunch surprise.

 mmmm looking forward to giving this recipe a try in a week when are apricots are ready!

Peach and Berry Croustades

by Shelly Register
adapted 

  

        2 sticks (1/2 pound) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

        1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

        1/2 teaspoon salt

        1/4 cup cold water

        4 large peaches—halved, pitted and sliced 1/4 inch thick ( I used more)

        1/8 cup cane sugar

        1/8 cup coconut sugar

        1/4 cup maple sugar

        2 tablespoons cornstarch (due to the juiciness of my peaches I added 1T more)

        pinch cinnamon

        Salt

        1/2 cup raspberries

        1/2 cup bosenberries

        All-purpose flour, for dusting

        4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

        any sugar for topping ( I used course sugar)

        Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1. In a food processor, pulse the butter with the flour and salt until it resembles coarse meal.
2. Add the water and pulse just until a dough forms.
3. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and flatten each into a disk.
4. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°.
6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
7. In a medium bowl, toss the peaches with 1/2 cup of the sugars, the cornstarch and cinnamon; add a pinch of salt.
8. Fold in the berries.
9. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each disk of dough to a 6-inch round about 1/8 inch thick.
10. Transfer 3 to each baking sheet.
11. Spread the fruit on the rounds and fold 1-inch of dough over the fruit to form a rim.
12. Top the fruit with a piece of butter and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
13. Sprinkle the crusts course sugar.
14. Bake the croustades for about 50 minutes, or until the crusts are golden, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking.
15. Transfer to racks to cool for 20 minutes.
16. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Korean Style Chicken Sandwiches

Summer time is here!  Yep 107 today...sizzling, so fresh, light and easy is in order.  I know I have a hit when they finish eating and shout out "I want the left-overs for lunch tomorrow!!!"

From our garden:
arugula, italian parsley and peach

Korean-Style Chicken Sandwich

By Grace Parisi

Adapted

 

     ¼ cup hoisin sauce

    ¼ cup low-sodium tamari soy sauce

    2 tablespoons honey

    1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    1 teaspoon Asian chili-garlic sauce

    1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

    Salt and freshly ground pepper

    3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of visible fat

    Vegetable oil, for brushing

    1 bunch arugula

    1 small bunch Italian parsley

    Mayonnaise

    Sourdough rolls

    

1.      Heat a cast iron grill pan over medium high heat.

2.       In a medium bowl, combine hoisin sauce with the soy sauce, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, chili-garlic sauce and sesame oil.

3.      Season the barbecue sauce with salt and pepper.

4.      Brush the grill lightly with vegetable oil

5.      Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

6.      Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until golden and almost cooked through, about 10 minutes.

7.      Brush with the barbecue sauce and grill, turning and brushing, until golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Reserve 1/3 of sauce

8.      Transfer the chicken to a work surface and let stand for 5 minutes, then cut it into 1/2-inch strips.

9.    Cut the rolls in half and brush with oil.

10.  Grill both sides until toasted.

11.  Mix mayonnaise and remaining barbeque sauce and spread on toasted roll.

12.   Add chicken, arugula and parsley

Raspberry-Swirl Sweet Rolls AND Cinnamon Swirl Sweet Rolls ~ Happy Mothers Day!

While looking for a carrot muffin recipe, I landed on the Food and Wine web site with their Mother's Day suggestions flashing at me and what more can I say but  raspberry sweet roll!
The most perfect jelly doughnut in the form of a roll.
 

Dough should be springy and smooth or soft and supple as per Food and Wine
by the way I suggest a nice mimosa while making and eating this delight.
 

 My own cinnamon concoction - need to double next time

Roll the roll tightly

Into the refrigerator over night
 

On to the raspberry - I add an extra 4 ounces.
 

Stuffed
 

Just out of the oven
 

 hmmmmmmm...
fabulous with or with out the glaze

beautiful

Raspberry-Swirl Sweet Rolls

and

Cinnamon Swirl Sweet Rolls

from Food and Wine

adapted

        1 cup milk

        2/3 cup sugar

        1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

        1 stick unsalted butter, softened

        2 large eggs

        1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

        1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

        4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

        10-ounce package (Individually Quick Frozen) raspberries, not thawed [I used 14 oz]

        1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

        1 teaspoon cornstarch

        1/2 cup dark brown sugar

        1/4 cup maple sugar

        1 Tablespoon or to taste cinnamon (I used True Ceylon Cinnamon]

        2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

               

        3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

        3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

        1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk over moderately low heat until it's 95°.
2. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and stir in the sugar and yeast.
3. Let stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the softened butter, eggs, grated lemon zest and sea salt.
5. Add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 10 minutes longer.
6. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands 2 or 3 times.
7. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly buttered bowl.
8. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
9. Line the bottom of two 9-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend up the short sides.
10. Butter the paper and sides of the pan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into 2 10-by-12-inch rectangle.
11. In a medium bowl, toss the frozen raspberries with the sugar and cornstarch.
12. Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the dough.
13. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 12-inch-long log. Working quickly, cut the log into quarters.
14. In a medium bowl mix the brown sugar, maple sugar, cinnamon and mayonnaise.
15. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough.
16. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 12-inch-long log. Cut the log into quarters.
17. Cut each quarter into 4 slices and arrange them in the baking pan, cut sides up.
18. Scrape any berries and juice from the work surface into the baking pan between the rolls.
19. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffy and have filled the baking pan, about 2 hours or cover the rolls, refrigerate overnight and then return to room temperature before baking.
20. Preheat the oven to 425°.
21. Bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, until they are golden and the berries are bubbling.
22. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 30 minutes.
23. In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the butter and heavy cream until the glaze is thick and spreadable.
24. Invert the rolls onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper. Invert the rolls onto a platter.
25. Dollop glaze over each roll and spread with an offset spatula.
26. Serve warm or at room temperature.