Baked Pineapple Chicken

Wow! You are going to love this recipe. Not only is it easy and tasty but virtually fat free. It's sweet, sour and spicy! Serve over steamed or baked rice*. Yummy! Be sure to buy pineapple chunks packed in juice, not syrup, or the sauce will be too sweet!
--------------------------
Baked Pineapple Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained, reserve juice
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoons curry powder
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon water
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish coated lightly with vegetable oil spray.

Drain the pineapple chunks, reserving juice. Add enough water to juice, if needed, to equal 1 cup. Whisk the pineapple juice, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, curry powder, and Tabasco together in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer, whisking often, until the mixture has thickened, about 8 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water, then whisk into the honey mixture. Stir in the pineapple chunks. Pour the pineapple sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the almonds. Bake until the chicken registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 18 minutes.

* Baked White Rice
1 cup white rice

2 cups boiling water

dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 1-1/2 qt. casserole with vegetable spray. Add rice and salt to casserole, pour boiling water over rice. Stir with a fork until evenly combined. Cover and bake for 25- 30 minutes until water is all soaked up. Remove from oven and place aside to cool slightly, leaving cover on. Fluff with a fork and serve!

Good Ol' Chicken N Dumplings

Nothing like comfort food to soothe the soul. Try this soup and soothed you'll be! This recipe calls for dry sherry. NOT cooking sherry. There is a difference! You can find dry sherry in the liquor dept. of your local super market. It's worth getting as it affordable and lasts forever in your cupboard.

Chicken and Dumplings
Serve 6 to 8

Stew:
5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (I used half breasts and half thighs)
salt and ground black pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large onion, minced
6 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen green peas
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Dumplings:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat (or unsalted butter)

For the Stew:
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the browned skin. Pour off the chicken fat and reserve. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Pour off and reserve any chicken fat.

Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Nestle the chicken, with any accumulated juices, into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 1 hour.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, then return it to the stew.

For the Dumplings:
Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not over-heat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth.

Return the stew to a simmer, stir in the peas and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

Drop golf-ball-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, about 1/4 inch apart. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve.

Marinated Chicken Wings, Baked or Grilled

Heres' a tasty one that I've been making for years. You can either bake them or grill them.

Marinated Chicken Wings, Baked or Grilled
3 lbs. chicken wings
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. molho sauce or chili sauce
4 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. hot sauce (like Tobasco)

Put the chicken wings in a ziplock bag (or a bowl with a tight seal). Mix remaining ingredients and pour over wings. Marinate about 8 hours or over night.

Place wings in large baking pan, reserving the marinade. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes, then turn wings and paint liberally with reserved marinade. Bake 20-30 minutes longer, removing the wings from the oven before they begin to char.
Serve hot, warm, or cold. Serves: 4

To grill:
Place wings about 6 inches above glowing coals and follow the same procedure above except that it's better to paint them several times with the marinade instead of putting it all on at once.
Enjoy!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

I combined a few recipes I have and came up with this concoction. It came out very tasty! Let me know what you think.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

For the filling:
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed, drained
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh lime juice from 1 lime
2 heaping cups diced cooked sweet potatoes
2 or more tablespoons chopped roasted green chiles, fresh or canned
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
4 -6 tablespoons canola oil, as needed
12 corn tortillas (homemade are best!)
shredded Monterey Jack cheese,optional

For the Enchilada Chile Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 large green chiles (such as Anaheim), roasted, seeded, peeled, chopped coarsely
OR 1 can 4 oz. roasted green chiles
2–3 teaspoons chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon marjoram or Mexican oregano (epazote)
2 cans (14.5 oz. ea) Hunts Fire Roasted diced tomatoes
1 teaspoons sugar
1 tsp. salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Make your Roasted Chili Sauce: In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions in oil until softened, about 4-7 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer, and remove from the heat. When the mixture has cooled enough to handle, taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Puree in a blender until the mixture is smooth and even. Let cool then pour into a dish big enough that you'll be able to dip the tortillas in.

In a small bowl combine the drained black beans with minced garlic and lime juice. Toss to coat and set aside.

In a medium bowl lightly smash sweet potatoes, you'll want them to still be chunky. Add the chopped green chiles and spices. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Pour about 1/4 cup of the Roasted Chili Sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet. Lightly cook the corn tortillas to soften - one at a time - as you stuff each one.
Dip hot tortilla into Roasted Chili sauce then lay into your 9x13 baking dish. Spoon 1/12 of the sweet potato mixture down the center. Top with 1/12 of the black beans. Wrap and roll the tortilla to the end of the baking dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Top with the rest of the sauce. If you like, top with a sprinkle of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chili sauce is hot and bubbling.

Serves 4-6

Neapolitan Pizza Dough

This dough takes 6-8 hours but it's the real deal. This is the most requested "dinner" from my kids and kids friends. I think you too will enjoy. Makes four 8" pizzas. If you don't have a pizza stone you really should invest in one as a cookie sheet or pizza tin just won't cut it in this recipe. (Complete printable recipe is below. Just highlight, right click, and print.)

You will need:

1-1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F.)
1 tsp. active dry yeast (half of a 1/4-oz. package)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 Tbsp. sea salt
cornmeal for dusting
pizza stone
pizza peel

Combine water and yeast in a small bowl.
Proof until foamy, 5-8 minutes.

Mix flours and salt in a bowl of a heavy duty
stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Add yeast mixture to flour and knead at low
speed (speed 2) 30 minutes until smooth.

Lightly oil a large bowl.

Shape dough into a round, place in a
lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let dough rise 4 hours in a warm place.

Punch down dough. On a ligthly floured board divide dough into 4 pieces, and shape into balls.
Brush lightly with oil cover completely with plastic wrap, and let rise another 2-4 hours.

Remove one rack from oven and lower other rack to lowest part of oven.
Preheat oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees F.

Shape by pressing fingertips into dough, leaving edge puffy to create a rim.
Grasp rim with hands, working your way around the circle.
As dough dangles, it stretches while edges stay plump.
For thick crust, press and stretch to a 10-12 inch round.
For thinner crust, roll stretched dough to a 14 inch round.

Transfer to a pizza peel that's been dusted with cornmeal or flour.
Assemble pizza with sauce and your favorite toppings.
Slide onto preheated pizza stone.
Bake pizza 5-8 minutes or until the edges and cheese are golden brown. Enjoy!
__________________________

Neapolitan Pizza Dough

1-1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F.)
1 tsp. active dry yeast (half of a 1/4-oz. package)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 Tbsp. sea salt
cornmeal for dusting
Pizza Stone
Pizza Peel

Combine water and yeast in a small bowl. Proof until foamy, 5-8 minutes.
Mix flours and salt in a bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Add yeast mixture to flour and knead at low speed (speed 2) 30 minutes.
Shape dough into a round, place in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let dough rise 4 hours in a warm place. Punch down dough. On a ligthly floured board divide dough into 4 pieces, and shape into balls. Brush lightly with oil cover completely with plastic wrap, and let rise another 2-4 hours.
Preheat Remove one rack from oven and lower other rack to lowest part of oven. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees F.
Shape by pressing fingertips into dough, leaving edge puffy to create a rim. Grasp rim with hands, working your way around the circle. As dough dangles, it stretches while edges stay plump. For thick crust, press and stretch to a 10-12 inch round. For thinner crust, roll stretched dough to a 14 inch round.
Transfer to a pizza peel that's been dusted with cornmeal or flour.
Assemble pizza with sauce and your favorite toppings. Slide onto preheated pizza stone.
Bake pizza 5-8 minutes or until the edges and cheese are golden brown.enjoy!

Light Chicken Tortilla Soup

Nothing fancy here but a good tasting tortilla soup. Add more hot stuff to taste if you wish. Dress it up or dress it down. I like simple myself. This recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

Lite Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 10 ounces)
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans no-salt-added chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat reduced-sodium tomato soup, undiluted
1 can low salt black beans, drained
1 1/4 cups crushed unsalted baked tortilla chips (about 16)
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Stir in chicken and next 10 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or more. Ladle soup into bowls; top with tortilla chips and sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup, 2 tablespoons chips, and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

NUTRITION PER SERVING:
CALORIES 185(18% from fat); FAT 3.7g (sat 0.8g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 15.3g; CHOLESTEROL 30mg; CALCIUM 32mg; SODIUM 409mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.2g

Bierocks/Runzas

A bierock or runza is a yeast dough bread pocket with a filling consisting of beef, cabbage or sauerkraut, onions, and seasonings. They are baked in various shapes such as a half-moon, rectangle, round (bun), square, or triangle. In Nebraska, the runza is usually baked in a rectangular shape. The bierocks of Kansas, on the other hand, are generally baked in the shape of a bun. I usually shape mine in squares or rectangles.

Bierocks

Dough:
2 pkgs. active dry yeast (4 -1/2 tsp.)
2-1/4 cups warm water
6 Tbsp. vegetable oil
5 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
6 cups all purpose flour ( plus more if needed)

Filling:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup head of cabbge, shredded thinly
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup water to cook down filling

Dough:
Add yeast and sugar to warm water to dissolve and proof.
In a large bowl add flour and salt. (I use my standup mixer to make the dough using the dough hook)
Add vegetable oil to water then pour into bowl with flour and salt. Mix well.
Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead adding as much flour as needed to make a soft elastic dough. (again I use my standup mixer instead of placing on a floured board.)
Place dough in a clean large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise to about twice its size. Punch dough down and rise for a second time.

While the dough is making its second rise you can prepare and cook the filling.

Filling:
Cook ground beef in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Make sure to break up large pieces of meat as it cooks.
Add onion and cabbage to meat stirring together to combine. Add a cup of water and continue cooking, uncovered, until cabbage and onion are tender and cooked through. (15-20 min.). Cool.

Shape:
Divide dough in half. (makes it easier to work with)
Roll out into a square. Cut dough into 4x8 inch rectangles. Place filling on one half of the dough. Fold dough over filling to make a square. Press sides together and seal well.

Place sealed runzas on a cookie sheet. (you need to leave at least an inch or two between runzas since they will rise. I get 6 runzas on one cookie sheet) Continue process until all dough is used.

Allow the runzas to rise 15- 30 minutes. Brush with melted butter and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until runzas are golden brown.

Remove from oven and serve with mustard on the side. Or you may cool on a rack then freeze for future use. These are great reheated in the microwave.