Sweet Chipotle Chicken

Awhile back our local Albertsons had a killer sale on bone in chicken breasts- so guess what our freezer is stocked full of? This then begs the questions: Does bone in chicken breast cook the same as a boneless chicken breast? Am I supposed to remove the bone before cooking the chicken? I created something today that left the bones in- but wasn't similar to a recipe I'd typically use boneless chicken breast in. In this recipe I get to use Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. This is my favorite ingredient to cook with!

Sweet Chipotle Chicken

3 Chicken breast on the bone

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup cranberry juice (or another type you have on hand- I used grape today.)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

1 tablespoon oil

Marinate chicken in all ingredients except for the oil for at least 30 minutes. Today, I let the chicken marinate while we attended church and then came home to prepare a quick dinner.

Cook chicken in marinade stove-top until chicken is just cooked through. Heat oil in a skillet and transfer the chicken breasts, but reserve the marinade. Brown chicken on both sides. Then, return chicken to marinade and continue to cook on low heat for 20 more minutes.

We served ours on quinoa and beside a spinach salad tonight.

Corn Bread

What I love about this corn bread is that it holds together well enough to pick up and eat as finger food. It's also a good combination of salty and sweet and turns out great with a cup of corn kernels added to the batter.

1 Cup gluten free flour
3/4 Cup corn meal
2 Table spoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 Cup milk
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven, with cast iron skillet in it, to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, add vinegar to milk and set aside.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter. Stir in the milk mixture and the eggs.
When oven in preheated, drop a tablespoon or two of butter onto the pan and allow to melt. Pour bread batter into the buttered pan and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until top begins to brown.

Chicken Thighs

All you need are chicken thighs and salt and pepper and a tablespoon of oil.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in cast iron skillet on the stove, then add chicken thighs skin side down. Salt and Pepper as desired. Move them around every couple of minutes to prevent them from sticking to the pan. After about eight minutes, when the skin is nice and brown, transfer the skillet to the oven. Three minutes into cooking, flip the thighs over and continue to cook until done. Maybe about ten minutes.

These would go great with roasted vegetables.

Steak and Pepper Tacos

1 pound flank or hanger steak
Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
1 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon mild chili powder
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange) thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
8 small corn tortillas, warmed

Topping ideas:
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup grated low fat Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup salsa verde
Reduced fat sour cream

Marinate the steak in the lime juice, salt, garlic and chili powder in a sealed plastic bag for 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil to the pan. Add the red onion and bell peppers; cook, tossing frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the corn and continue to cook until the peppers are charred and soft, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and keep warm.

Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and heat for another minute. Add the remaining teaspoon of vegetable oil. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the steak in the pan, reduce heat to medium high, and cook about 8 minutes for medium rare, turning once halfway though. Transfer to a board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Slice the steak across the grain and arrange on a platter with the peppers and lime wedges. Make tacos with the warm tortillas and whatever toppings are desired.

Serves 4. 416 calories, 32 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat (4.3 saturated) 7 g fiber

Giant Cookie Sundae

Link to the giant, gluten free, cookie in a skillet recipe