JUNE- Grilled Chicken Wraps

Chicken Marinade
1/4 C  soy sauce  (used western family brand)
3 TBS honey
2 TBS distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 C vegetable or canola oil
2 chopped green onions
1 tsp course ground pepper

Mix ingredients.  Add chicken.  Marinate at least 4 hours.

Grill chicken and then cut into thin strips.

-Take wrap or tortilla and put desired dressing on.  (We all love ranch the most. :) )
-Add any of the following or your own ideas:
                - spinach, romaine lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes, jalepano peppers, sliced cucumbers, mozzeralla       cheese, feta cheese.

Bombay Chicken

3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2 or 3 pieces each
1-1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 Tbsp chile powder
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Combine marinade ingredients and add chicken.  Marinade at least overnight.  Grill, broil, bake or crockpot to cook.  If baking or crock pot I like to cook it in the marinade (350 for 1 hour or all day on low).  If grilling or broiling just toss the marinade (180 degrees is done).  We usually serve with rice and a green salad.

Pineapple Pork Chops

8 pork chops
1 can pineapple
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Mix nutmeg and brown sugar with pineapple (including juice).  Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes more.  Occasionally spoon sauce over pork.  You could also cook in a crock pot. 

Spicy Honey Chicken

 Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (Yes, Thighs!!)
everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I’m tellin’
you right now it’s better with thighs.

2 tsp. vegetable oil
                           
Rub
2 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. coriander
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp.  chipotle chili powder

Glaze
½ cup Honey
1Tbl. Cider Vinegar

Instructions:
Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.
Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.
I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.
If you don’t have a B.B.Q., try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!
Remember how I had you reserve that extra couple tablespoons of glaze? Ya, drizzle that on top now. Your taste buds will thank you.

Serve with  rice pilaf  or some kind of potatoes, a salad and grilled vegetables. Our Best Bites has a salad that they like to serve it on. I have not tried it as a salad yet.

Teryaki Ginger Chicken

7up
Soy Sauce
oil
Salt/Pepper
Lemon juice
ginger powder

I just mix these ingredients to however I like and pour over cut up chicken to marinate, then grill.

I like to cut up veggies and throw them on the grill with this, and have some cut up watermelon.

Ham & Cheese Braided Loaf

4 tsp. yeast (1 heaping Tbsp.)
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup mustard or sour cream (I used mustard, but if you don't have it, or don't like it, sour cream works)
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cups flour + 2 additional cups flour
2 Tbsp. dry ranch dressing mix (I've used regular ranch dressing with a little less mustard or sour cream if you don't have the mix on hand)
deli meat (ham, turkey, or whatever you prefer)
cheese (the recipe calls for Swiss, but I used a colby-cheddar mix)
1 egg, whisked

Mix yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tsp. sugar together.  Let sit a few minutes.  Add 3/4 cup warm water, mustard, sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups flour.  Mix.  Add additional 2 cups flour.  Roll into a rectangle directly on greased cookie sheet.  Add meat and cheese down the center.  Cut edges into 1-inch strips up to the meat and cheese.  Roll in ends and "braid" strips.  (Don't worry - sometimes it looks really pretty, and sometimes it just doesn't; the girl the recipe came from says sometimes she just cuts the strips and kind of slops them together for a random look.)    Brush with egg.  Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.

**For your frozen loaf:  Make sure you begin thawing it first thing in the morning!

Walking Tacos

Walking Tacos

Seasoned taco meat
Single serving size bags of doritos or fritos
cheese
tomatoes
lettuce
sour cream
salsa
ranch dressing

This is like a taco salad in a bag.  My kids love this and it is so easy for summer.  Just reheat the meat and then let everyone make their own right in the bag.  It is easier to eat it out of the bag if you cut the bag open on the side rather than the top.  We crunch the chips a bit before adding everything else.  All you need is a fork. 

I like to serve this with watermelon or a fruit salad.  Great for picnics and camping!

June - Turkey Marinade 

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1 cup Sprite
1 tsp.  prepared horseradish
1 clove garlic minced

Put the above ingredients in blender and pour over Turkey Tenders (or chicken) pounded thin. Grill until cooked. Great in salads, tortilla wraps, we like to make shish-ka-bob with the turkey, red potatoes (boiled to just tender), zucchini, peppers and onions.

JUNE- TERESA

If it's ok with everyone, I am going to do my Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos again this month.  We have been craving it!  I hope that's ok.  Let me know if you have any special concerns or  needs with the meal.  Jen, can your family use regular tortillas?  :)
Teresa

Almond / Grape Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Sounds like Jen and I had the same idea.  OK, I really had a hard time deciding what to do this month. I have been craving SUMMER food.  I found this recipe (Grand Prize Winner) in Taste of Home Magazine a few years ago, but I have modified it A LOT over the years and combined it with another recipe I have.  Here is the all new original version of Almond / Grape Chicken Salad Sandwiches:

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 2 to 3 cups seedless red grapes, halved
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions 
• 1/2 cup Neufatel cream cheese and a scoop of plain yogurt
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• Optional Chow Mein Noodles
• Add salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine chicken, grapes, celery, onions. In another bowl, combine the next five ingredients; stir until smooth.
• Pour over the chicken mixture and toss gently. Stir in almonds and serve immediately, or refrigerate and add the almonds just before serving.  Yield: 6-8 servings.
   
• FOR FREEZER MEAL GROUP:   I have frozen the chicken mixture for you. Set out to thaw.  I have also included the celery, grapes, almonds and chow mein noodles.  YOU WILL NEED CROISSANTS OR ROLLS OR PITA Sandwiches. In a bowl mix Chicken Mixture with the other ingredients. Stir well.  Put mixture on rolls or croissants and serve immediately.  We also like to put on the bread spinach or lettuce before adding the chicken mixture.  
• NOTE:  If after you thaw your chicken and it too dry you can add a spoon of plain yogurt.  (Sour cream, or miracle whip would work as well)
• AS A SIDE DISH:  A fun summer salad (fruit, pasta, or even potato salad is fun to serve with these sandwiches.) or a big slice of watermelon!

June 2012 Oriental Chicken Salad

So, Tisha's spinach salad was so good and with summer coming, I thought I'd do one of our favorite dinner salads for June.  We usually serve fresh rolls with the salad. 

Oriental Chicken Salad—Yield 8 servings

½ c. soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp sesame oil

4-5 green onions, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 ½ -2  lb chicken breasts, cut in tender size pieces

Large bowl of mixed salad greens (½ spinach/½ dark leaf lettuce is good)

½ c. red onion, diced

1 tsp rice vinegar

22 oz mandarin oranges, drained

½ c. sunflower seeds

½ c. chow mien noodles

Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Combine first 6 and marinate chicken for 2-8 hours.  Boil for 15 minutes and then grill or broil.  Cut into strips.  Combine remaining ingredients on a platter.  Top with sliced chicken.  Serve with dressing.  

For the freezer meal, I will have the chicken par-boiled and then frozen.  You will either need to grill it or broil it until it is completely cooked and then thinly slice it for the salad.  We put it on the salad warm, but you can do it early and chill it if you prefer.  I will supply everything but the greens.  If anyone wants fresh spinach for their salad, call me, we are eating it as fast as we can from the garden and it is getting away from us already!   

Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette—Yield 2 c.

3 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger

¾ c. rice vinegar

3 Tbsp soy sauce

¾ c. oil

3 Tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp orange zest

Combine and refrigerate until serving.

I was hoping to make the Marinated Turkey Breast for the month of June. We are leaving for California tomorrow morning but will check when we get back if that work for everyone. I think Rebecca made this recipe with chicken in February. Let me know if that will work.

Also I want everyone to know how much we are enjoying all of your meals. Thanks!
Darla McCoy