Grecian Chicken

Another friend brought me this yummy chicken dish when I was recovering from my surgery and it was a favorite for sure!  Even my boys were asking me to get the recipe!  The friend who made it is one of those people who doesn't measure anything, so she gave me the ingredients and I had to wing it from there.  When I made it, it was a bit too lemony for my kids, but my husband and I loved it!  I'll guesstimate on the amounts and you can play with it to your liking!  The chicken falls off the bone and it's so juicy and delicious!  You're going to love it!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

GRECIAN CHICKEN

5-6 chicken thighs (skin on)
1 large yellow or sweet onion, cut into wedges
10-12 whole mini potatoes, washed (unpeeled)
Chicken broth
Basil
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
Lemon

1)  Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2)  Place chicken thighs in the pan.

3)  Add onion wedges and potatoes around the chicken.

4)  Pour chicken broth into the pan, about half way up the chicken thighs, make sure the tops are showing!

5)  Add the juice of 1 lemon to the broth, or 1/2 a lemon if you want it less lemony.

6)  Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder and basil.

7)  Bake at 350F for about 1 1/2 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and top is crusty and brown.

NOTES:

~  Of course you can use skinless chicken thighs if you want less calories or just don't like the skin.

~  The friend who made this for me did not put onions in it, so you can leave them out if you don't like them.  I thought it made a nice addition to the dish.

~ She told me to cook it for 2 hours, but I believe it was looking done a little before the hour and a half mark, so check on it after an hour and then watch it closely so the tops don't burn.

Cinnamon Apple Sauce

I had surgery recently and a friend brought me this delicious apple sauce!!  I had to get the recipe!  She used sweet apples so it didn't even need any added sugar - awesome!  Perfect for fall!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

CINNAMON APPLE SAUCE

5 pounds of sweet apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon

1)  Peel apples, slice and place in a pot with 1/8 inch of water in the bottom.

2)  Stir cinnamon into 1/4 cup of water until well combined, then pour over the apples.

3)  Cook on medium heat until the water starts to boil, then reduce to low and cook for about 30-45 minutes, until soft and mushy.

4)  Mash with a potato masher and serve warm or store in fridge until ready to eat.

NOTES:

~I used McIntosh apples that were a little on the mealy side to begin with and they worked great, except they were a little tart for my taste, so I did add about 1/4 cup of sugar.  If you use a sweeter apple, you won't need to add any sugar!

~I did not have to cook it for the full 30 minutes, maybe because my apples were very soft.  Also, they practically mashed themselves!  I did mash it a little, but I like to leave it a little on the chunky side so it's not like baby food.

~This is a great gift and looks beautiful in a mason jar with a circle of pretty fabric cut out for the lid!

Paleo Coconut Pecan Breakfast Bars

I made these for a dessert actually, and I thought they were delicious!  They aren't overly sweet, so as a breakfast bar, they would be awesome.  You can really taste the banana and the coconut behind that.  I love the texture.  I will definitely make these again!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from mommayoungathome.com via Pinterest.


PALEO COCONUT PECAN BREAKFAST BARS

Coconut Oil
2 eggs
1 banana
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
4 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  Use the coconut oil to grease an 8x8 pan.

2)  Crack the eggs into a medium size bowl and quickly whisk them up.

3)  Mash the banana and add to the bowl with the eggs, along with the honey and vanilla.

4)  Measure and add your coconut flour, making sure to combine everything well and ensuring there are no clumps.

5)  Measure and add the unsweetened shredded coconut and coconut milk and mix to ensure the batter is well combined.

6)  Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth it out.  Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top.

7)  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Keep an eye on them - when the edges are golden brown and the center is firm, they are done!

NOTES:

~Freezing these is a cinch!  Simply wait for them to cool, cut them to the desired size and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Easy-Breezy Bread & Butters

I got this recipe from my friend Carolyn.  I can't believe how easy it is and how delicious these taste!  I've never even been a big bread and butter pickle fan, but these have changed my mind!

Enjoy!
Kirsten


EASY-BREEZY BREAD & BUTTERS

1 pound small cucumbers (such as Kirby or Persian), ends trimmed, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 large shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup distilled white vinegar
6 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup water

1)  In a large bowl, toss the cucumbers and shallot; pack tightly into 2 pint size canning jars.

2)  In a small sauce pan, bring the white vinegar, honey, salt and 1 cup water to a boil, stirring until the honey and salt dissolve.

3)  Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and shallot, making sure the vegetables are completely submerged.  Screw on the lids.  Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

4)  Refrigerate at least 3 days before eating. (The pickles are best eaten within 3 weeks.)

Bacon Chicken Bites

I have NEVER done this before.  I haven't made this recipe yet!!  I am making it for dinner tonight, but I am 100% confident that it is going to be delicious, and since I am sitting down posting other recipes, I am posting it ahead of time!

I mean, we're talking chicken and bacon!  What could be bad, right!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS:  The recipe comes from one of my new favorite cook books, The Wellness Mama Cook Book, by Katie, the Wellness Mama.


BACON CHICKEN BITES

1 pound chicken breast (pastured)
1 package of nitrate free, gluten free bacon
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1)  Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.

2)  Cut the bacon slices into thirds.

3)  Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

4)  Wrap each chicken piece with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick if needed.

5)  Place in an oven safe dish. (Preferably with a rack to keep them off the bottom, but this is not required.)

6)  Mix mustard, honey and spices and pour/rub on top of each piece of bacon/chicken.

7)  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bacon is browned and chicken is completely cooked.

8)  Cool slightly and serve.

9)  TIP: For extra flavor, garnish with a little goat cheese.

NOTES:

~They were AMAZING!!!

~One thing to note, I would definitely recommend putting them on a rack!  Otherwise, the bacon doesn't get crispy, it sits in the bacon grease and water from the chicken and says soft.  I think some of the sauce gets washed away as well, so next time I make these, I'll be putting them on a rack for sure!

~These make a fun dinner for kids, or a tasty appetizer for your next party!

Cranberry Orange Bread

I was looking to make some bread the other day when I stumbled upon this recipe.  I changed it to make it gluten-free and it was delicious!  Perfect for upcoming holidays and for fall!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: The original recipe (not gluten-free) is on Pinterest (via deliciouslysprinkled.com)


CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD

2 cups gluten-free flour blend
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup orange juice
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped

1)  Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2)  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.

3)  Using a fork or just your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly.

4)  Add egg and orange juice to crumble mixture and mix until combined.

5)  Fold in cranberries.

6)  Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool completely on wire rack.

NOTES:

~I used the gluten-free flour blend from the "Gluten Free Recipes for Kids" cookbook, on my blog, under Gluten-Free Flour Blends.

~About half way through the cooking time, I put a piece of tin foil with a rectangle cut out of the middle, over the bread to prevent the top edges from over browning.

Scrambled Egg Muffins

I had a brunch at my house recently and I tried this recipe.  They were quick, easy, healthy and delicious!!  Not to mention gluten-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from Allrecipes.com


SCRAMBLED EGG MUFFINS

1/2 pound gluten-free bulk pork sausage
12 eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1)  Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

2)  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in sausage; cook and stir until sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes; drain.

3)  Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Stir in onion, green pepper, salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Mix in sausage and cheddar cheese.  Spoon into muffin cups about 2/3 full.

4)  Bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

NOTES:

~I used grass-fed Chorizo instead of the pork sausage.  I am making them again today and I am using bacon.  You can use whatever type of gluten-free meat you want.  Just cook the meat ahead of time, then add to the mix.

~I used onion powder instead of garlic, since I am allergic to garlic.

~I omitted the cheese, since I cannot have dairy anymore, but you could use Daiya cheese or if you are lucky enough to be able to eat dairy, use whatever cheese you like!  It might be delicious with some pepper jack, to spice it up a bit!

~You can also play with the veggies and use whatever you like!  Some other ideas are mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, spinach and broccoli!

~Of course you can make this meatless too by leaving out the meat and replacing it with more veggies!