This dish was obtained from www.disneyfamily.com and was submitted by Alison Needham. It is a very tasty chicken dish that is perfect for summer entertaining. Serve it right off the grill or eat it cold, sliced and tossed into a salad. Just make sure you use fresh lime juice, which has a better flavor than the bottled kind.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Zest of 1 lime
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped) - optional if you don't care for the flavor
2 cloves garlic (mashed)
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Place all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a gallon-sized zip top plastic bag. Squish to combine. Add chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for one hour or overnight.
Coat pan (or grill) with oil or cooking spray ( I usually do not do this step and wait until the chicken releases from the grill - if it does not move it is not ready to flip). Heat pan (or grill) to medium-high (I will cook chicken over indirect heat after cross-hatch mark is completed so that it does not overcook). Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, turning breast a quarter turn after two minutes if cross-hatch marks are desired. Serve immediately.
Grill a few ears of fresh corn-on-the-cob (just shuck and throw on the grill) and you have one awesome combination. And don't forget the Margaritas...for the adults only.
Buon Appetito!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sweet and Sour Chicken with Sweet and Sour Pineapple Ginger Sauce (Soy-Free)
Coming up with different ways to make chicken and having it taste good can be challenging especially when you have a family member that is allergic to or has food sensitivities to a lot of different foods/ingredients. Simple take-out food is not so simple...or is it?
Well, I finally found a recipe from Simply Recipes: http://simplyrecipes.com for Sweet and Sour Chicken that is allergy-free and tasty. There is also a Sweet and Sour Pineapple Ginger Sauce recipe that I found from R.W. Knudsen, www.godairyfree.com. They are both easy to make and taste great. For a fun take-out idea: pick up "to-go" containers from the dollar store to make this a special take-out treat for the kids.
Ingredients:
1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 egg white (or egg substitute)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
2 teaspoons cornstarch (or flour alternative)
1 10-ounce can pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Sauce:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
Preparation:
Step 1: In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white (or egg substitute), salt and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 2: In the meantime, stir together the brown sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in the pineapple juice, balsamic vinegar, ginger and salt. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly (makes about 1 1/2 cups).
Step 3: Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the chicken out in one layer. Let the chicken fry, untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side the same for 1 minute. The chicken should be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.
Step 4: Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up and then add the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple chunks and 1/2 of the sweet and sour sauce (reserve the rest for dipping). Turn the heat to high and when the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking time.
Buon Appetito!
Well, I finally found a recipe from Simply Recipes: http://simplyrecipes.com for Sweet and Sour Chicken that is allergy-free and tasty. There is also a Sweet and Sour Pineapple Ginger Sauce recipe that I found from R.W. Knudsen, www.godairyfree.com. They are both easy to make and taste great. For a fun take-out idea: pick up "to-go" containers from the dollar store to make this a special take-out treat for the kids.
Ingredients:
1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 egg white (or egg substitute)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
2 teaspoons cornstarch (or flour alternative)
1 10-ounce can pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Sauce:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
Preparation:
Step 1: In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white (or egg substitute), salt and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 2: In the meantime, stir together the brown sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in the pineapple juice, balsamic vinegar, ginger and salt. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly (makes about 1 1/2 cups).
Step 3: Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the chicken out in one layer. Let the chicken fry, untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side the same for 1 minute. The chicken should be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.
Step 4: Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up and then add the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple chunks and 1/2 of the sweet and sour sauce (reserve the rest for dipping). Turn the heat to high and when the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking time.
Buon Appetito!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Annie's Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks
Even a child with food allergies has to have some fun with food and this product does just that. It does not have any of the controversial ingredients or preservatives you might find in other brands of fruit snacks.
Annie's are made with real fruit juice and have no artificial colors or preservatives. They are USDA Organic and really yummy. While the other kids are eating gummy whatever, Nick is able to have the same type of treat without the worry of getting sick.
When I find a tasty product that I don't have to make and that is handy to have in a pinch, especially when traveling, I make sure to mention it. Hopefully others will do the same.
When I find a tasty product that I don't have to make and that is handy to have in a pinch, especially when traveling, I make sure to mention it. Hopefully others will do the same.
Blueberry Pops
Summer is here and so are the sugary treats. Personally, I was tired of reading labels on sorbet, Italian ice, and other seemingly harmless treats for kids only to find that the amount of sugar or sugar substitute and dyes (red 40,etc.) in them are incredible. High fructose corn syrup, natural and artificial flavors, and others round out the list of controversial ingredients.
Why not make your own? It's not hard and it doesn't take any time to make them. You can add your own berries, substitute honey or agave for the sugar, and add yogurt and 100% juice (freshly squeezed even) to bump up the nutritional value of these cool summer treats.
To make these tasty cool pops:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup blueberries (or whatever berry you prefer)
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice (fresh squeeze perhaps or other juice of choice that complements the berries)
3 Tbsp Honey or Agave (can use sugar if you want)
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt (soy, rice, etc if dairy is a problem)
Popsicle molds (can use dixie cups and Popsicle sticks or ice cube trays)
Preparations:
In a medium saucepan, simmer 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice, and 3 tablespoons of honey for 10 minutes.
Let the mixture cool for 20 minutes, then blend in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth (I even used a blender).
Stir in 1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt.
Pour the mixture in to Popsicle molds and freeze.
Makes approx. 8 (3 oz) pops.
Buon Appetito!
Fun Fact:
Popsicle - The History of the Popsicle By Mary Bellis
In 1905, the Popsicle was invented by an eleven-year-old Frank Epperson. Frank Epperson was only 11 years old when he invented the originally named Epsicle. He had left his fruit flavored soda outside on the porch with a stir stick in it. The drink froze to the stick and tasted good. It took 18 more years in 1923 for Epperson toapply for a patent for a "frozen ice on a stick" called the Epsicle ice pop, which his children re-named the Popsicle.
In 1925, Frank Epperson sold his famous Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company of New York. Good Humor now owns the rights to the Popsicle.
Why not make your own? It's not hard and it doesn't take any time to make them. You can add your own berries, substitute honey or agave for the sugar, and add yogurt and 100% juice (freshly squeezed even) to bump up the nutritional value of these cool summer treats.
To make these tasty cool pops:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup blueberries (or whatever berry you prefer)
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice (fresh squeeze perhaps or other juice of choice that complements the berries)
3 Tbsp Honey or Agave (can use sugar if you want)
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt (soy, rice, etc if dairy is a problem)
Popsicle molds (can use dixie cups and Popsicle sticks or ice cube trays)
Preparations:
In a medium saucepan, simmer 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice, and 3 tablespoons of honey for 10 minutes.
Let the mixture cool for 20 minutes, then blend in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth (I even used a blender).
Stir in 1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt.
Pour the mixture in to Popsicle molds and freeze.
Makes approx. 8 (3 oz) pops.
Buon Appetito!
Fun Fact:
Popsicle - The History of the Popsicle By Mary Bellis
In 1905, the Popsicle was invented by an eleven-year-old Frank Epperson. Frank Epperson was only 11 years old when he invented the originally named Epsicle. He had left his fruit flavored soda outside on the porch with a stir stick in it. The drink froze to the stick and tasted good. It took 18 more years in 1923 for Epperson to
In 1925, Frank Epperson sold his famous Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company of New York. Good Humor now owns the rights to the Popsicle.
- Twin Popsicles (two popsicles sticks together) were invented during the Great
Depression . - Popsicle sticks were first made from Birch wood.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
King Authur Flour Glutenfree cookie mix - Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies
While we were in Colorado on vacation my son wanted his favorite rice yogurt. We managed to find a Whole Foods Grocery Store that was more than 30 miles away from where we were staying. Unfortunately they did not carry the Ricera Yogurt like they do in Arizona. My son was sad but asked if we could make chocolate chip cookies instead. He really wanted them. I wasn't sure what to do since we did not have all the ingredients or the recipe we needed in order to make the cookies.
We searched the isles, and with the help of a friend that was with us that day, we managed to find a pre-packaged glutenfree cookie mix. It did not come with the chocolate chips but we did find the Enjoy Life Allergy-friendly Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips to add in.
Later we made the cookies and OH MY GOSH were they the BEST ever chocolate chip cookies that I have ever tasted, especially for being very allergy friendly. Toll House cookies watch out! When these puppies came out of the oven you would never have known that they were allergy-friendly. This cookie mix is so wonderful that I have to give it a blog all it's own: Say hello to King Authur Flour Glutenfree cookie mix. You can make it special with your own add-ins. And we did!
It was just amazing to be able to find a mix that was so good. I usually make my own baked goods but after having used this ready made cookie mix - why bother. It saves money by not having to have all the ingredients, and that can be a lot, that can go bad in a short period of time. I was really impressed. Everyone, including Nick, loved the cookies.
Homemade Microwave Popcorn
Move over Rachael Ray. We have been making this homemade version of microwave popcorn for my son Nick for some time now. And we use EVOO (extra vergin olive oil), NOT butter.
Since starting this blog I have been reading other blogs as well and ran across one by Rachael Ray about her version of microwave popcorn and that she never realized that you did not have to buy microwave popcorn to make popcorn in the microwave. All you need is a paper lunch bag (even the old wine bottle bags you get will do in a pinch and you get to recycle too), some regular popcorn, EVOO and some salt to taste.
Since my husband is Mr. Microwave I usually let him do the honors as he is a much bigger popcorn fan than I am, being from the corn state of Nebraska. My son seems to share this interest as well and corn is NOT one of the food allergies that he has.
To Make Your Own Mircrowave Popcorn:
Ingredients:
1 brown paper bag (lunch size)
1/4 cup popcorn
EVOO
salt to taste
Preparation:
Place popcorn in the bag, fold over the top and lay on it's side in the microwave like you would a regualr store-bought version. Microwave on high for up to 2 minutes (or you can use the popcorn setting) or until the popping slows down. Pour the popped corn in a bowl and drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with salt to taste.
Since starting this blog I have been reading other blogs as well and ran across one by Rachael Ray about her version of microwave popcorn and that she never realized that you did not have to buy microwave popcorn to make popcorn in the microwave. All you need is a paper lunch bag (even the old wine bottle bags you get will do in a pinch and you get to recycle too), some regular popcorn, EVOO and some salt to taste.
Since my husband is Mr. Microwave I usually let him do the honors as he is a much bigger popcorn fan than I am, being from the corn state of Nebraska. My son seems to share this interest as well and corn is NOT one of the food allergies that he has.
To Make Your Own Mircrowave Popcorn:
Ingredients:
1 brown paper bag (lunch size)
1/4 cup popcorn
EVOO
salt to taste
Preparation:
Place popcorn in the bag, fold over the top and lay on it's side in the microwave like you would a regualr store-bought version. Microwave on high for up to 2 minutes (or you can use the popcorn setting) or until the popping slows down. Pour the popped corn in a bowl and drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with salt to taste.
Buon Appetito!
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