Honey Balsamic Chicken

I got this idea from an Italian restaurant.  But I think this recipe has a little more spice to it!  I served this with some couscous and grilled zucchini.

Honey Balsamic Chicken

2 chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness

Marinade:

•  1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (for a subtle spice - add more if you want something hot)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Pound the chicken to an even thickness, ~1/2 inch. Place the chicken in a large freezer bag.
2. In a bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients.  Pour the ingredients into the bag with the chicken.  Make sure all of the chicken is coated and squeeze out all the air from the bag before zipping it closed.  Let it marinate in the fridge 30 min to overnight.
3. When you're ready to cook, heat a pan over medium heat.  You can put the chicken directly on the pan (since there's oil in the marinade).  Cook the chicken (~7 min. per side).  Once it's done, move the chicken to serving plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
4. In the same pan, pour the white wine and scrape the brown bits from the pan, mixing in with the wine.  Pour in the 2 tbsp balsamic and honey and mix together.  Simmer over medium heat until reduced to a thickened glaze.
5. Pour over chicken and serve!

Berry Patriotic Cupcakes

These colorful cupcakes are always a hit, and the bright pink cake color is fun and unexpected. I garnished with strawberries and blueberries for the 4th of July :)


1 box white cake mix
2 tbsp flour
1 small box strawberry jello
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup blueberries
1 box powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter (room temperature)
4 oz. cream cheese
strawberries/blueberries for garnish.

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix cake mix, flour and jello in a bowl with a wooden spoon.  Make sure all the little clumps of cake mix get all broken up.
3. Throw in the water, oil and eggs.  Mix all that together.
4. Fold in the blueberries gently.
5. Distribute into lined cupcake pan.  (I was able to make 26)  Bake for 12-15 minutes.
6. Cool completely.
7. Meanwhile, mix the powdered sugar, butter, and cream cheese in a bowl. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with berries!

Peach Cocktail

Person who can come up with the best name wins!  Jon came up with "Son of a Peach"

Either way, it's amazingly delicious. 

Peach Cocktail

For two drinks:

1 can Kerns Peach Nectar
~2 shots honey, microwaved in a small bowl for 20 seconds (until liquidy)
2-3 shots vodka (must be room temperature or the honey will congeal)
Ice
[Peach slice for garnish]

Tip: Best to use a martini shaker.

1. In a martini shaker, combine room temperature vodka and microwaved honey and swirl it around.  Add ice and peach Kerns and shake.
2. If you're ambitious, swirl honey straight onto the sides of the glass.  (It'll look pretty)  Add some ice cubes to both glasses.
3. Pour the drink into two glasses and serve with a peach slice!

Meaty Baked Ziti!

I've been bad about posting recipes.  But I'm proud of this one I made this week! (Plus, I'm waiting for my iPhone to finish syncing before I can go buy the ingredients for my 4th of July cupcakes.  More on that if they turn out...)

Not exactly a light summer meal, but a great dish. Serves about 4 and can take up to 2 hours of simmering and baking to make, but it's well worth it.

Meaty Baked Ziti

• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
• ~2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 8 oz cans of tomato sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine (Cabernet works - I used Merlot but it turned out a little sweet)
• ~1 tbsp each of:  oregano, rosemary, marjoram, basil (fresh is always better (double the quantity), but I'm cheap and dried works too)
• salt/pepper
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 lb ziti
• 1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute onion and garlic until they start to get translucent.  Add beef and brown it.  Drain the fat if you'd like. 
2. Add the tomato sauce, herbs, a healthy dose of salt/pepper, wine, sugar and lemon juice.  Stir everything together and simmer together, mixing occasionally, for 30-45 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.  (As the sauce is cooking and melding, give it a taste.  Adjust salt, sugar, spices to your taste.)
3. While the sauce is thickening, boil/cook/drain the pasta.  Put the cooked pasta in a rectangular baking dish.
4. Preheat oven to 325.
5. When the sauce is ready, mix in 1/2 cup mozzarella and melt together.  Pour everything into the baking dish with the pasta and stir to distribute.  Top with remaining cheese, cover with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.
6. Before serving, remove the foil, turn on the broiler, and broil for ~3-5 minutes until the top is browned.
7. Enjoy!!!