Spicy Honey Chicken Salad

Everybody MUST try this salad! We just had it for dinner with a baguette and it was so delicious!

1 head leaf lettuce
2 ripe mangoes, cut in chunks
2-3 ripe avocados, cut in chunks
1 small red onion, sliced thinly

And THIS chicken:
2 lbs chicken thighs or breasts
2 tsp oil
Glaze:
1/2 c honey
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
Rub:
2 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp coriander (I didn't have this)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub it in. Rub the spice rub into the chicken. Grill for 3-5 minutes. (I didn't grill the chicken this time - just cut it into chunks and mixed all the spices onto the chunks then cooked in a frying pan. Still delicious!) For the glaze, microwave honey for about 15 seconds. Whisk in vinegar. Reserve 2 Tbsp and brush the rest on the chicken the final moments of cooking. Remove chicken from grill. Allow to stand 3-5 minutes. Drizzle the 2 Tbsp glaze on the chicken while it's standing. (I didn't really do the glaze, but just put some honey on the chicken as it was finishing up cooking in the frying pan.)

And here's a dressing (or you can just use a poppyseed or some sweet dressing):
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp grated onion
1/3 c fresh orange juice
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp honey
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 c oil
Combine in a jar and shake well.

So, that seems like a lot, but it's really easy and VERY good!

Thai Chicken Crunch Wraps

I just made these for dinner... like 5 minutes ago, and I had to post the recipe. They were so good and easy! I didn't have any cilantro, but that would make it even better! The recipe did not make a ton (more than enough for me, but if Sam was here it would not have been enough for both of us - I guess I didn't really measure anything though) but it was so easy and so yummy.

INGREDIENTS

·         1/2 cup rice vinegar

·         1 tablespoons sugar

·         1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1 english cucumber, halved and cut into thin ribbons

·         1/3 cup light mayonnaise

·         2 tablespoons sweet Thai chili sauce

·         2-3 burrito-sized tortillas (white, wheat, spinach, or whatever you prefer)

·         4 leaves romaine or green lettuce

·         1-2 cups cooked, sliced chicken or turkey

·         3/4 cup thinly sliced or julienned carrots (1-2 large carrots)

·         1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS

1.   In a pie plate or other shallow dish, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and salt. Add the cucumbers, tossing to cover with the liquid. Let them stand for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients (they can be made several days in advance and covered in the refrigerator).

2.   In a small bowl, combine the mayo and chili sauce. Spread a couple tablespoons evenly on the tortillas. Top with lettuce, chicken, cucumbers (lightly patting dry, if needed), carrots and cilantro (just eyeball the amounts for each tortilla depending on how many wraps you are making). Roll the tortilla up tightly like a burrito so the ends are enclosed. Serve immediately.

Smoky Chicken and Greens Soup

This is a good soup! And pretty versatile, I think. It has a little kick to it so don't skip out on the sour cream (but my kids ate it so it couldn't have been too spicy!). 

12 oz greens (I used kale, but spinach, chard, or others would work, 1 small bunch)

2 tsp oil

1 lg onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)

2 carrots, diced (1 cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2-4 tsp minced seeded chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (I didn't have this so I cut up a different pepper and added 1/2 tsp of chipotle chili powder to give it the smokiness, but I'm sure the chiles are better)

1 tsp dried oregano

6 cups chicken-broth

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, browned and cubed (or shredded)

½ cup long-grain rice or quinoa

2 avocados, cubed

Lime wedges

Sour cream

Coarsely chop greens.

Heat oil in large pot over med-high heat until hot.  Cook onion, and carrots 5-7 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently.  Add garlic, chiles and oregano; cook and stir 20-30 seconds or until fragrant.  Add broth and rice; bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. 

Add chicken to pot.  Increase heat to medium and cook 2-3 minutes.  Add green leaves.  Cook uncovered 3-4 minutes or just until it is tender. 

Garnish each serving with avocado, lime wedges and sour cream (if desired).

Buster Bars

Becca asked for it! A Taylor tradition!

1 pkg. (15 oz.) Hydrox cookies, crushed  (That's Oreos)
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 gal. vanilla ice cream
1 c. Spanish peanuts
2 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. butter
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cookies and 1/2 c. melted butter; press into 9 x 13 pan. Slice ice cream and cover cookie mixture with slices. Smooth the ice cream with back of spoon. Place pan in freezer. In a saucepan, combine powdered sugar, chocolate chips, evaporated milk and 1/2 cup butter. Bring to boil and boil for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla, cool THOROUGHLY and spread over ice cream. Sprinkle with peanuts. Keep frozen until serving time.

I have made the chocolate sauce by itself and use it for hot fudge sauce over ice cream! Yum!

Molten Chocolate Cakes

Decadent! And so easy!

4 oz. Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 c. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
2eggs
2egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter 4 (3/4 cup) custard dishes. Place on baking sheet. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwave bowl on high 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour. Divide batter between prepared custard cups. Bake 13 to 14 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with ice cream if desired.
 
I just realized I used unsweetened chocolate. They were good. I wonder if chocolate chips would work since it's just semi-sweet chocolate.

Brazilian Lemonade

We had this drink with our "fancy" Valentine's dinner this year and it was SO delicious! You should definitely try it. It tastes just like the Brazilian Lemonade from Tucanos or restaurants like that. Try it. Buy some limes and sweetened condensed milk the next time you are at the store. You won't regret it.

4 juicy limes
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.
Wash limes thoroughly with soap; you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.
Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.
Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk. You may want to taste test it at this point; I used giant, thick-skinned limes tonight and didn’t test it and it came out a little bitter. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.
Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance).

Healthy Applesauce Cookies (somewhat healthy)

I got this recipe from a roommate and we love them! Becca asked for the recipe so I thought I would share with all!

Combine

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

3/4 t baking soda

3/4 t salt

3/4 t cinnamon

Cream

3 T butter

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

Add 

1 egg and 1 egg white

Add

1/4+1/8 c applesauce or mashed banana

3/4 t vanilla

Add

3 c oatmeal 

1 c choc chips

Flatten each cookie and bake at 350 for 10 to 12 min.

Enjoy :)