Grilled Five-Spice Chicken Thighs with a Soy-Vinegar Sauce and Cilantro

I don't cook with chicken thighs much, but this recipe opened my eyes to the great flavor of the thighs, combined with the right spices.  This is now one of my go-to grilling recipes, and never fails to get compliments (thighs are cheaper too, always a plus!).  I love it because it is simple but the flavors are complex, and also because you can make the spice mix and the sauce up in advance, making for an effortless dinner with friends.

This weekend I served it over rice and alongside Asian Cucumber Salad.  I tend to double the sauce recipe to make sure I have enough to pass it at the table.

I find the Chinese five-spice powder at most grocery stores, but not all.  You may have to look around a bit. (But it will be worth it!)

Grilled Five-Spice Chicken Thighs with a Soy-Vinegar Sauce and Cilantro

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 large, 10 medium, or 12 small), trimmed of excess fat
• 2 Tbs. vegetable oil; more for the grill
• 3 Tbs. chopped cilantro

Directions:

Mix the five-spice powder, the 1 Tbs. sugar, the garlic powder, and the salt in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1 tsp. sugar.
Put the chicken in a shallow pan, drizzle with the vegetable oil, and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken; toss and rub to coat thoroughly.

Prepare a hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill with all burners on medium high for 10 min. Clean the hot grate with a wire brush and then lubricate it with an oil-soaked paper towel. Put the chicken on the grate and grill (covered on a gas grill or uncovered over a charcoal fire) until one side has dark grill marks, 5 to 6 min. for large thighs or 4 to 5 min. for medium and small thighs. Turn and continue to grill until well marked on the other sides and cooked through, 5 to 6 min. longer for large thighs or 4 to 5 min. for medium and small thighs.

Move the thighs to a serving dish. Drizzle with about half of the soy mixture, sprinkle with the cilantro, and toss to coat. Let rest 4 to 5 min., tossing once or twice. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, with the remaining soy mixture passed at the table.

Mexican Egg & Cheese Puff

I love this breakfast recipe.  It is great for when you have guests visiting and need something that suits all tastes, or need to bring something for a brunch.  I have made it up the night before to save time, and it works great.  It also reheats well in the micro if you don't finish it all.  And besides the flour its nearly carb free, and super YUM!




Mexican Egg & Cheese Puff


Ingredients:

• 10 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup flour
• 4 cups jack cheese, shredded
• 1 pint (2 cups) cottage cheese
• 8oz- 2 small cans, diced green chilis (or, I like to use 1 small can green chilis and 1 small can jalapenos)
• 1 stick butter (or less, to be healthier :) )

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Beat 10 eggs with whisk until light and fluffy
• Add baking powder and flour to eggs, stir in
• Then add jack and cottage cheese, beat well
• Stir in green chilis and butter
• Pour into 9x13 greased pan
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min or until top is browned

Stuffed Bells

This recipe was adapted from Suzanne Somers' Cookbook, "Fast & Easy".  A while back, my mom followed her "Somersize" program and lost a lot of weight.  The basis for her program is that you separate your carbs from your proteins, and your body processes the food more efficiently.  I love many of her recipes because they are healthy and easy.  This one provides a lot of options--on cooking method, meat, ingredients, and cheese.  I just use whatever I have on hand.  And it's always delicious!

Stuffed Bells


Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey, chicken or beef
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Pinch (I use more!) of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1-8oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 6 oz. mushrooms, sliced (or 1 can)
• 1- 4oz. can, diced green chilis
• 1 pkg. Onion Soup Mix or 1 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning---optional
• 4 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow are best but green work too.), tops sliced off, membranes and seeds removed
• 1 cup shredded jack, mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Optional:  Saute onions and mushrooms in olive oil until caramelized 
• In a medium bowl combine ground meat, and all other ingredients above, except cheese
• Stuff bell peppers with meat mixture
• Cook in slow cooker for 7 hours on low or 3 1/2 hours on high; Or bake in a glass dish for 1 hour at 350
• Thirty minutes before serving, sprinkle each one with cheese
• They come out juicy so are best served in a bowl :)

Smoked Chicken- Stuffed Yellow Peppers

Another make-ahead appetizer!  I used a rotisserie chicken instead of smoked but either should work fine.  

This makes a perfect hand-held appetizer. The sweetness of the yellow pepper contrasts with the smoked chicken beautifully. For this recipe, your hands are your best tools to arrange the ingredients on the pepper strips.

Smoked Chicken-Stuffed Yellow Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 cup coarsely chopped smoked chicken
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped, drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomato
• 1 Tbsp. finely diced red onion
• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 8 strips
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

In a bowl, combine chicken, sun-dried tomato, onion, mayonnaise and mustard and mix well to combine. Place pepper strips on a platter with natural curve facing up. Arrange chicken mixture on top, dividing equally. Garnish with parsley and serve. To make ahead, assemble, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours ahead and garnish with parsley just before serving. 
Taken from 750 Best Appetizers by Judith Finlayson and Jordan Wagman © 2011 

Favorite. Dinner. Ever. (a.k.a. Mom's Chicken Broccoli Casserole)

Since I was a kid, this has been my favorite dinner.  When I got to request a dinner from my mom, this was it.  It sounds so simple, but there is something about the lemon and the curry powder together that make this so craveable.  I could eat it every day.  It makes enough to last for 2-3 dinners (for two) but I usually eat it for lunch and dinner 'til it's gone (and sometimes cold for breakfast too).  I can't say it's super healthy but it's soooo good.  I also like to make double batches or, like tonight, split it into two and freeze them for future meals.  


I would say it was paid the highest compliment when my hubby told me it was better than his moms :)  


Chicken Broccoli Casserole


Ingredients:

• 3 Chicken Breasts (on bone) or 2 Boneless, boiled and shredded
• 1 large bag of frozen broccoli florets
• 2 cans Campbell's cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. curry powder
• 1 pkg. stuffing mix (Pepperidge Farms or Stovetop is best)
• 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

• Steam broccoli and place in bottom of 9x13 pan
• Place chicken on top of broccoli
• Season with salt and pepper
• Mix soup, mayo, curry powder and lemon juice 
• Pour soup mixture over top of chicken and broccoli and spread with spatula
• Sprinkle cheese on top
• Top with breadcrumbs (mix first with 1 Tbsp melted butter, opt.)
• Cover and Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
• Remove cover and bake 10-15 minutes until top is brown and sauce is bubbling

Caramelized Peach and Brie Quesadillas with Honey

This is supposed to be an appetizer but one of these days I think I'm just going to eat these for dinner....they are sweet, savory and sumptuous!  The peaches, brie and onions can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance and then refrigerated, making for quick and easy assembly.  This recipe inspires me to think outside the box on quesadillas.....the fruit & cheese combinations may be endless.

Caramelized Peach & Brie Quesadillas with Honey


Ingredients:

• 12 Flour Tortillas (I like the "uncooked" from Costco, but any will work)
• 2 peaches sliced and sauteed briefly in a hot pan with chopped thyme, until slightly brown
• one small (or 1/4 of a large) Brie wheel, rind removed, and cut into very thin slices
• 1 red onion, sliced thin and sauteed in butter until caramelized
• 1/4 cup of honey

Directions:

• For the Costco "uncooked" tortillas, start by briefly heating each one on both sides, about 30 secs per side to par cook
• Place 2 tortillas on a flat surface
• Evenly distribute 1/4 of the peaches, brie and onion
• Season with salt and pepper
• Stack the tortillas on top of each other, top with a plain tortilla, pressing down firmly to secure the layers
• Repeat with remaining ingredients
• To cook, place on BBQ grill or in hot pan with very little oil
• Heat until grill marks show, flip, heat other side, and then remove from pan
• Cut each stack into 8 slices (more or less if desired) and once on serving platter, drizzle tops with honey
• Garnish with chopped thyme leaves if desired

Shrimp and Avocado Rounds

So......I hate Shrimp, AND Avocado.  You won't find many recipes here featuring those items.  But, I saw this one on a website and thought, "I can do that", and many others will enjoy it.  So, I managed to make them and they were beautiful, and (so I am told) delicious.  I loved that you didn't have to cook anything, and with the cucumber being the "plate" they were portable and super healthy too.  

Shrimp and Avocado Rounds


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup reduced-calorie (or reg.) mayo
• 1 tsp wasabi powder or paste
• 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 large (I use English) cucumber cut into 24- 1/2" thick slices
• 1/2 medium avocado, quartered and then cut into 24 slices
• 8oz cooked shrimp (about 24 small)- peeled and deveigned (I used Costco shrimp and also cut the tails off to make eating them easier)
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped radish
• 1/4 cup mint (approx 24 leaves), left whole for garnish

Directions:

• To make Wasabi Mayo, stir together first three items until smooth
• To make appetizers, spread cucumber slices on platter, top each with 1/2 tsp. of wasabi mayo, then shrimp, avocado and sprinkle radish on top.  Finish with a mint leaf.