Slow Cooker Thai Chicken

This recipe is one that came together by accident. I used a recipe for slow cooker chicken and E and I just weren't wowed by it. It was just okay. However, I had leftovers and didn't want to waste them. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I added some different ingredients and managed to salvage the recipe.

The second night it was way better. You know what they say, don't ever give up. You never know when a few additional ingredients can completely transform a recipe.

Lesson of the day: don't be afraid to experiment - you just may stumble upon a winner!

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Slow Cooker Thai Chicken
serves 6

6 skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup peanut butter
4 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs lime juice
2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp minced ginger
15oz can coconut milk
2 tbs red curry paste
1 tbs curry powder
sliced green onion for garnish, if desired

Place chicken in slow cooker. Stir together everything else and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve over rice and top with green onions.

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Gluten-Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust

if you have been reading my blog for a while, you know i have been making my way back towards clean eating. i have been making an effort to eat real food, not our of a package and less processed carbs.

that means no sugar or white flour. i have actually been cutting way back on whole wheat too. in fact i did 30 days of completely clean eating. 100% free of sugar, flour, dairy, and alcohol. it wasn't nearly as hard as i thought it would be and truthfully, besides losing five pounds, another positive side affect was feeling great and greatly reducing my migraines!

one thing i realized i could never 100% give up is wine, cheese, and chocolate. i knew that going in but after 30 days, i was sure. other than that, i could give up most carbs. chips, bread, pasta, rice . . . surprisingly, i didn't really miss them. i did miss pizza though.

i have seen this absolutely crazy and purely absurd recipe around pinterest recently for a carb free pizza dough - made out of cauliflower. eople swear up and down its good - and no one knew it was cauliflower. i know, crazy, right?!? no way it doesn't taste like cauliflower!

i actually happen to like cauliflower, but i thought no way would it be the same dough-like consistency. hand over my heart, it was. it was good. it held up like pizza crust. i could pick it up like a piece of pizza. the edges even got crispy like pizza crust. it must be some sort of miracle. even my husband liked it. (i didn't tell him what it was. he hates when i do that. i hope he doesn't hate me now because he is probably reading this. sorry babe. you didn't ask, so i didn't say. i hope you forgive me!)

let me say, i fully understand if you don't believe me. heck i didn't believe anyone either. i fully intended to throw the pizza away after one bite but i loved it and have even made it again since.

i only ask one thing, try it. i'm seriously so glad i did. just try it. if you hate it, you never have to make it again. on the other hand - if, like me, you happen to like it just think about it - guilt-free pizza!

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Cauliflower Pizza Dough

1 head of raw cauliflower (you won't use it all but you can freeze it for the next time a pizza craving strikes)
1 cup shredded parmesan
1 egg
1/2 tsp garlic
1 tsp mrs. dash garlic and herb
pizza sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings

remove stem from head of cauliflower and cut off florets. place in food processor and pulse until it looks like rice or grain. (do not puree!) place 1 cup of riced cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cook on high 2-3 minutes. remove and let cool. (you can cook all the cauliflower and freeze it in 1 cup portions for the next time you make pizza.)

preheat oven to 450 degrees F. line a cookie sheet with foil and spray well with cooking spray.

in a medium bowl combine 1 cup cooked cauliflower with parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, and mrs. dash. transfer mixture to cookie sheet and pat into a large, thin, round. make sure it is pressed together well. it should be about 1/4" thick. bake for about 15 minutes but keep an eye on it. you want it to be browned all over and the edges to be really brown. let it cool for at least 15 minutes (this helps it become more solid).

peel back foil from crust and then place the crust on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. top with sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings and bake just until cheese is bubbly (4-5 minutes).

Bleu Cheese and Tomato Stuffed Fish

there is just one more friday left in lent and i have saved one of the best fish recipes for you. i am posting to now so you have time to get the ingredients for good friday. it's a no fuss, easy, weeknight dinner recipe. if you like fish and bleu cheese, you will love this recipe.

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i know fish and cheese don't often go together, but this recipe just works. (for the record, so does this parmesan and horseradish crusted fish recipe.) the richness of the bleu cheese pairs so well with the sun-dried tomato pesto. you can use either store bought sun-dried tomato pesto or you can use this recipe - i used the first 5 ingredients and 1/4 cup parmesan and it was delicious!

this dish came together quickly and only took 20 minutes in the oven - just enough time to saute up some garlic green beans. i used fluke, but flounder would be great as would any other thin, mild white fish.

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Bleu Cheese and Tomato Stuffed Fish
serves 2

2 fluke, flounder or other thin fish filets
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbs sun-dried tomato pesto
1 tbs panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese (i used buttermilk bleu)
salt and pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup white wine

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. add shallot and garlic and saute 2-3 minutes, until tender. remove from heat and stir in pesto, panko, and bleu cheese. spoon half mixture onto each fish filet and wrap fish around stuffing, securing with a toothpick.

place each filet on a foil-lined and greased baking sheet and squeeze lemon juice over each piece and season with salt and pepper. pour wine into bottom of dish and bake 15-20 minutes until fish is cooked through. serve immediately.

Chicken with White Wine Clam Sauce

one of E's favorite dishes is linguini with clam sauce. i make it for him occasionally as a treat but truthfully, i am always hungry an hour or so later because there just isn't enough protein in it for me.

so why not take the clam sauce, and smother it over chicken breasts? sure, the pasta is wonderful, but this makes for a great, low carb, weeknight meal (i don't know about you, but i like to save my cheat meals for the weekends). while this dish isn't exactly healthy because of the fat content, it is low carb and packed with protein. i didn't even have my intense sweet craving an hour after dinner like i usually do.

oh, and for those of you keeping track, there is only 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoons of oil, and 1/4 light cream in the whole recipe (serves 4) - so it's really not that bad. most of the sauce comes from the white wine and clam juice. of course i did sprinkle parmesan cheese on top . . . oh well. i served it with a big helping of broccoli, happy??

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Chicken with White Wine Clam Sauce
serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tbs unsalted butter
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs flour
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup light cream
3 - 6 1/2 oz can minced clams, drained, juice reserved
4 tbs shredded parmesan

preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

heat oil in large oven proof skillet. pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. add chicken to skillet and sear both sides about 2-3 minutes - until browned. remove from pan and set aside. add butter to skillet and when melted, add shallots and garlic. saute until tender, 3-4 minutes. sprinkle in flour and stir well. cook 1 minute. add white wine and stir well. add light cream and stir being sure there are no clumps. add clam juice a little at a time until desired consistency is reached (i used about 1 cup clam juice), you want the sauce to be thick but it will continue to thicken a bit more. add clams and stir. let simmer for 2 minutes. add chicken back into pan with any juices. spoon sauce over chicken breasts and sprinkle 1 tbs of parmesan on each breast.

bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and chicken is cooked through. spoon a little sauce on each plate and top with chicken breasts. serve immediately.

Stuffed Irish Burgers

happy st. patrick's day everyone!

two summers ago i discovered stuffing things inside my hamburger. maybe i'm behind in the times, but it seems to work better than toppings on top in my opinion. i have had success mainly with onions and cheese, but zucchini and squash seem to work well too.

i decided to celebrate st. patricks day with stuffed irish burgers. a little irish whiskey cheddar and caramelized whiskey onions inside some ground bison, and we had a green-worthy treat. these flavor-packed burgers were perfectly complimented by caesar salad.

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Stuffed Irish Burgers
makes 4 burgers

1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
garlic salt and pepper
1/4 cup irish whiskey
1 lb ground bison (or beef, turkey, elk, etc.)
1/2 cup grated irish whiskey cheddar
more cheddar for topping, if desired
4 whole wheat slider rolls

heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. add onions and stir well. season with salt and pepper and stir. continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and starting to brown. add whiskey and stir until liquid is reduced to nearly nothing. remove from heat and let cool.

form 8 equal-sized, very flat patties with the ground meat. spoon, 1 tbs cheese and 1 tbs onions onto center of one patty and press another patty on top. seal edges and fold edges over slightly to ensure burger is sealed. repeat with remaining patties.

heat grill or grill pan to medium high heat and cook according to taste - i like mine medium - just a little pink in the center. serve with extra whiskey cheddar grate on top, if desired, on whole wheat slider buns.

St. Patrick's Day Ideas

i have some fun new st. patrick's day recipe ideas in the works, but in the meantime, i wanted to give you some irish inspiration in case you are needing some.

what? of course i'm qualified . . . my husband is 1/4 irish (or so he says:)

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these Irish Carbomb Cupcakes were a huge hit when i made them last year. they are seriously good.

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Bangers and Mash are classic irish pub fare. i uped the flavor with wine a cheese sausage, tons of onions, and super creamy potatoes with dijon and creme fraiche.

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if you have a mad chocolate addiction (as i do), you can still incorporate chocolate into your celebrations with my Chocolate Baileys Pie.

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and finally, who needs someone named bailey when you can make your own Irish Cream. i made a batch at christmastime but it's worth the extra effort for st. patty's day too. plus, it will impress your friends.

Shrimp Fried Rice

i have never really been a fan of plain rice. it just doesn't do it for me. now fried rice, that is something i can get excited about. day old rice with vegetables and sauce re-cooked is the best use of rice i can think of.

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it's also super easy to make. i usually just use whatever vegetables i have in the fridge to throw together some delicious goodness.

i prefer to use celery, carrots, lots of onions, bean sprouts, and broccoli (E doesn't like peas so i have to leave them out) but i didn't have any broccoli on hand, so i just left it out. truth be told i had some frozen edamame i was going to throw in there but i just forgot. oh well, fried rice is easy going. it didn't care. it was still good.

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Shrimp Fried Rice
makes 2 servings

1 tbs vegetable oil, divided
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups cooked rice (i prefer brown)
1/2 cup mirpoix (chopped carrots, celery, and onions)
additional 1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 cup broccoli (if you have it) 
2 scallions, thinly sliced 
1/2 cup bean sprouts
3 tbs tamari or soy sauce  
1 tbs rice wine vinegar 
1 tbs honey 
2 tsp siracha hot sauce


in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, and hot sauce. heat wok over high heat. add 1/2 tbs oil and add shimp. cook 1-2 minutes until just pink and add sauce. stir well to combine and cook until shrimp is just cooked through. remove shrimp and set aside. boil sauce until thickened and reduced slightly. pour sauce into separate bowl.


do not wipe out wok. add remaining 1/2 tbs oil and then add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. saute until tender. crack eggs into wok and stir until scrambled. add broccoli, rice, and reserved sauce. stir well to combine and let cook, untouched for 1 minute. stir and let cook for another minute. continue until rice is starting to brown. add scallions and bean sprouts. cook 1 more minute and spoon onto plates. top with cooked shrimp.

Dijon Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms over Soba Noodles

i saw this recipe on pinterest a while ago and have already made it for a personal chef client. but tonight, i finally made it for myself. of course i couldn't leave well enough alone and i had to change the recipe a bit.

i couldn't quite see myself pouring 2 cups of whipping cream over a relatively healthy chicken dish. instead i used plain greek yogurt and 1 tbs light cream.

the original recipe calls also calls for regular pasta but i prefer whole wheat or soba noodles for their increased nutritional value. soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour. soba contains all eight essential amino acids, including lysine, which is lacking in wheat and is high in magnesium. studies show diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure and buckwheat is gluten-free! of course, you don't have to use soba noodles. you can use whole wheat or regular pasta too.

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i have to admit i over-did it on the dijon. because i substituted greek yogurt for some of the heavy cream, it ended up being too spicy. while thick, greek yogurt works as a substitute, it doesn't cut the spiciness of things like cream or mayonnaise does. the flavor was good, but it definitely cleared out our sinuses. for that reason, i scaled back the dijon by half in the recipe below.

it's worth noting cupcake vineyards chardonnay pairs well with this dish. i am not a big chardonnay fan but this one is dry enough that it was delightful both in the dish and sipped while eating the dish.

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Dijon Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms over Soba Noodles
serves 4
adapted from rock recipes

5 oz soba noodles, cooked
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbs unsalted butter
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered (canned and drained or frozen)
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbs plain greek yogurt
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tbs light cream

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. pat chicken breasts dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. add chicken breasts to skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side - until golden brown. remove from pan and transfer to a greased baking dish and bake for 10-20 minutes until cooked through.

in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, mustard and light cream. set aside.

wipe skillet leaving roughly 1 tbs oil. add shallots and mushrooms and saute 2-3 minutes. season with salt and pepper (i used approximately 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper and 1/2 tsp kosher salt). add artichoke hearts and cook until slightly browned. remove from pan and set aside. add wine and simmer until reduced by half. add shallots and mushrooms back to the pan. add garlic and continue to cook until mushrooms and artichokes are tender and liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup (mushrooms will give off additional liquid). remove from heat and stir in dijon mixture.

serve chicken breasts over cooked soba noodles and spoon mushroom mixture over chicken breasts. serve immediately.

Salmon Cakes

this is a perfect friday dish for those observing lent with meatless fridays. not only does it fit the meatless requirement, but it also falls under the super quick, crazy easy, and cheap category.

2 months ago, i threw a wild salmon filet into the freezer when i realized i wouldn't be able to cook it before it passed its freshness peak (my rule of thumb is the day after i bought it fresh). usually this crushes me because there are few things as wonderful as a fresh, pink, wild piece of salmon. something happens to it once it's frozen. it loses it's raw, just out of the ocean smell and taste. for some reason, i just don't like previously salmon as much as fresh.

however, these salmon cakes are the perfect solution to previously frozen salmon, but i have also made them with canned, boneless, skinless, wild salmon with great results. the recipe is really versatile too. since i am on a bit of a balsamic kick, i drizzled thick, rich reduced balsamic vinegar over the salmon cakes, but i have also topped them with lemon yogurt sauce, wasabi aioli, and lemon dill beurre blanc.

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i served these with a simple salad but serving these over a bed of baby spinach with sweet potatoes fries would be perfection!

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Salmon Cakes
makes 4 small cakes - 2 servings

1 (6oz) salmon filet
1 tbs plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup panko (or whole wheat) breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 scallions, chopped
garlic salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tbs olive oil

chop salmon into small 1/2" dice or pulse in a food processor until desired consistency. in a large mixing bowl, whisk egg, and add yogurt, bread crumbs, scallions, salt and pepper. whisk together. add salmon and combine using your hands.

in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. form salmon mixture into 4 equal sized cakes making sure they aren't too thick. once oil is heated, add cakes to pan and sear approximately 2 minutes per side until cooked to your liking.

serve immediately drizzled with glaze or wasabi aioli.

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Balsamic Glaze

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp unsalted butter

in a small saucepan, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium heat. reduce to medium-low and let simmer until thickened and reduced by half. turn off heat and whisk in butter until smooth. drizzle over salmon cakes just before serving.

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Wasabi Aioli

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp wasabi powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fresh lime juice
pinch salt

whisk all ingredients together. store in air tight container in fridge.

Mongolian Beef with Broccoli

mongolian beef with added steamed broccoli and brown rice is my go-to dish at one of my favorite asian restaurants - pei wei. the sauce is rich and the perfect mix of sweet and spicy and the brown rice is the perfect vehicle to soak up every last bit of said decadent sauce.

i have tried to re-create mongolian beef with little success at home. i had all but given up hope until pinterest came along. this is my third recipe i tried and it is the closest one yet. it may not be enough to end my quest for the perfect mongolian beef all together but it's close enough to hold me over for now. plus, it probably has half the sodium and significantly less fat because i didn't fry the beef.

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Mongolian Beef with Broccoli 
makes 4 servings 
adapted from blogchef.net

3/4 lb flank steak
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1 tsp ginger, grated or minced
4 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
4 tbs water
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tbs dry sherry
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbs corn starch
1 bunch scallions, chopped into 1" pieces
3 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen

3 cups cooked brown rice

thinly slice flank steak (i pop mine into the freezer 10-15 minutes before - it makes it easier to slice) and place in bowl with 1/4 cup soy sauce. toss well to cover and set aside.

in a small sauce pan, heat 1 tsp vegetable oil over medium heat. once hot, add ginger and garlic and saute for 1 minutes, until fragrant. add tamari, water, vinegar, sherry, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. whisk to combine and bring to a boil. reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 2-3 minutes. remove from heat and set aside.

heat wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. add 1 tsp vegetable oil and once hot, add sliced flank steak in batches. sear quickly on both sides and set aside. add sesame oil and broccoli. toss to combine and cook 1-2 minutes. add scallions and cook an additional minute. add beef back into wok and whisk corn starch into cooled sauce. add sauce to wok and toss well to combine.

continue to cook until sauce has thickened. serve over brown rice.

Balsamic Shrimp, Spinach, and Gorgonzola Quesadillas

quesadillas are a classic staple on kids menus. usually just cheese melted in a folded over tortilla. not quite what i would call a gourmet meal.

but move over little ones, these quesadillas are all grown up! these shrimp quesadillas get a tasty twist with the addition of gorgonzola, caramelized onions, baby spinach and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

i really only need two words to aptly describe this concoction - crazy good!

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the bleu cheese melts perfectly into the shrimp and onions and the baby spinach wilts just enough. the balsamic reduction drizzled over the quesadilla really is the icing on the cake. it adds a richness and tang and sends this dish over the top.

this is perfect for lunch or add a side salad or roasted broccoli for a tasty dinner treat.

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Balsamic Shrimp, Spinach, and Gorgonzola Quesadillas
serves 2

2 tbs olive oil, divided
1 tsp minced garlic
12 extra-large shrimp
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola
2 cup baby spinach
2 whole wheat tortillas
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp unsalted butter

heat balsamic vinegar in small saucepan over medium heat. bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. let simmer until thick and reduced. when thick and syrupy, add butter and stir to combine.

meanwhile, heat 1 tbs olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. add garlic and shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes a side until just cooked through. remove shrimp from pan and set aside. add remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet and add sliced onion. sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium and cook onion, stirring often, until softened and golden brown. remove onion from pan and set aside.

place tortilla on skillet and place 6 shrimp on half of tortilla. top with half of the onions and sprinkle with half of gorgonzola. top with 1 cup of spinach and fold tortilla in half. when underside is browned, flip tortilla and brown on other side. repeat with second tortilla and remaining shrimp, onions, gorgonzola, and spinach.

remove from skillet and cut into 4 pieces with a pizza cutter. plate and drizzle with balsamic reduction. serve immediately.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

the chicken lettuce wraps are my favorite appetizer at p.f. changs. me along with the rest of america i am guessing. there is something about the dark, rich flavor of the warm chicken in the cool, crisp lettuce that is simply irresistible.

here's the thing though - i'm a little weird. i don't like how messy they are to eat. i seem to end up with sauce running down my arms after the first bite of the wrap. i also prefer romaine over iceberg because iceberg has the nutritional value of a glass of water. the other thing i don't really love is the crispy rice noodle-things. yes, that's the technical term. maybe i'm the only one, but i don't love the flavor. they taste like styrofoam-y to me.

so i made a couple of changes to the dish. i added brown rice to the actual mixture and omitted the crispy bedding. plus, i chopped lettuce and served the chicken mixture on top of the chopped lettuce.


i still served it in the lettuce cups for E, but i enjoyed not making a mess all over myself. hoisin is the key ingredient here but i think the chili garlic sauce is just as important. it adds just enough spice to the chicken.

this recipe is actually my third attempt at replicating p.f. changs wraps. the first two just weren't quite right so i kept tweaking it until it tasted right. this version is the best yet. E even requested them again.

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Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
makes 8 lettuce wraps

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced small
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup shiitake mushrooms
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
2 cups cooked brown basmati rice
romaine lettuce leaves, washed and taken off the head (whole or chopped)


sauce ingredients:
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry wine or red wine
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 tsp chinese chili garlic sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch

heat wok over medium-high heat. add 2 tbs vegetable oil and add chopped chicken. saute until cooked through and remove from wok. set aside on plate.

meanwhile, whisk together ingredients for sauce in a medium bowl and set aside.

add remaining oil, ginger, and garlic. cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute. add green onions and mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes. add water chestnuts, rice, and chicken back to the wok. stir well to combine. pour sauce over mixture and cook, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens.

serve immediately by spooning into lettuce cups or over chopped lettuce.

Almond Brie Chicken

i made this chicken a while ago using the same ingredients but a different method. the first time i made this, i layered the layered the chicken breast with apricot preserves, brie, and almonds. it was good. the flavor was amazing. but the brie melted all over the place.

this time i wised up. i stuffed the chicken with the brie, brushed it with the apricot and rolled it in chopped almonds. and dang, it was good. and i mean good.

this dish is going into the regular rotation. that is if i actually had a regular rotation. being a food blogger will do that to you. i feel like i am always trying something new. but seriously, i will be making this again.

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p.s. i served this with roasted garlic broccoli. it was an excellent pairing.

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Almond Brie Chicken
serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 cup sliced almonds, finely ground
2 tbs apricot preserves
1 tsp dijon mustard
4 slices brie cheese
2 tbs olive oil

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

in a small bowl, combine apricot and dijon. set aside. roll thin chicken around slice of brie cheese. secure with toothpicks. brush outside of chicken with apricot dijon mixture. roll chicken in ground almonds. repeat with all 4 chicken breasts.

heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. sear chicken on all sides and transfer to a foil lined baking pan. remove toothpicks and bake for 20 minutes until chicken has cooked through.

serve immediately.

Honey Bourbon Pork

i realize i was kind of hard on february yesterday. it is certainly not february's fault that it's boring, cold, and despite being the shortest month, it seems to drag by s-l-o-w-l-y.

i think the best remedy for february is to make as much chocolate as possible. it also helps to push it along by planning some fun weekend activities. this past weekend our supper club had a wonderful valentine-esq dinner. it's certain that good company, delicious food, some wine, and a little chocolate will make even the worst month seem infinitely better.

part of the fun of our dinners is planning the menu. this past weekend the stars aligned and we had a homerun of a menu.

honey bourbon pork tenderloin

twice baked potatoes

garlic haricot verts with caramelized shallots

vanilla ice cream crêpes with chocolate sauce, strawberries, and whipped cream

i'll be sharing one recipe at a time, but first up - honey bourbon pork tenderloin. i actually first made this with chicken and it was so good i knew it would be just as amazing on pork. they key here is to marinate the tenderloin for at least 2 hours (overnight is best), but don't toss the marinade. on a whim, i decided to reduce the marinade down until is was a thick sauce and drizzle it over the meat.

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best. decision. ever. this increased the flavor tenfold and had us wanting to lick the platter. again, if you aren't a pork fan, use chicken breasts of thighs. your mouth will thank you. make this now. seriously. 

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Honey Bourbon Pork Tenderloin
serves 4

1 pork tenderloin (roughly 1 lb)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup bourbon
2 tbs dried minced onion
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger

combine all ingredients in a large ziploc bag and let marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.

preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
 
remove pork from marinade. heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. quickly sear on all sides of pork and transfer to a foil-lined baking dish. bake until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.

meanwhile, pour marinade into medium pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. continue to boil until mixture has reduced down to 1/3 to 1/4 its original volume. the mixture should have thickened significantly. reduce to low to keep warm.

remove pork from oven, cover loosely with foil and let sit at least 5 minutes before cutting. serve pork drizzled with reduced sauce.