Caribbean Jerk Chicken

Linking up to my sisters blog, go check it out for good recipes

This is spicy! If you don't like hot, cut back on the hot sauce and cayenne.
I got this recipe from Blogchef, an excellent blog for recipes.

Caribbean Jerk Chicken
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons green onion (minced)
1 cup water
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoons nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon sage
1/8 teaspoon thyme
In a small saucepan sauté onion in butter over medium heat. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.


Boneless Chicken Wing recipe that we put the sauce on:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” chunks)
Oil (for deep frying)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
1 egg
1 cup milk
Step 1: Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. In a small bowl whisk together egg and milk. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, and then roll in the flour mixture. Repeat so that each piece of chicken is double coated. Refrigerate the breaded chicken for 20minutes.
Step 2: Fry chicken in the hot oil in batches until the outside is nicely browned and the juices run clear (about 5 minutes per batch). Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all of the chicken is gone.

We were pretty skeptical about this recipe as we made it--nutmeg? Allspice? Weird. But it looked so good! We even made some BBQ sauce in case it was gross and we couldn't eat it. But it was really good! It was too hot for me, so the 2nd time we made it I cut back on the hot stuff, and liked it better. When it comes to making the chicken, I felt like the double breading and refrigerating were pointless, so left that out the second time, and they were exacly the same. So make it easier on yourself and leave out the extra steps.

I think I'm back

I have to say I'm really glad these last couple months are over with. We moved to a new, less crappy, bigger and cheaper apartment. We're really happy about the move, we always despised that apartment, we never wanted to live there in the first place, but it was really our only choice. It probably wasn't that bad, but we moved there from a brand new house that we LOVED, and I think we just never forgave the apartment for being what it was.
Moving sucks, though.
Our new place is still a disaster zone in some areas. It stresses me out, but I'm really low on energy at the moment.
I am pregnant, too. I think I'm at 10 weeks now, due at the end of July. I'm not too sick, just really tired, and very cranky/impatient/hormonal. It has made the move difficult, and put my preparations for Christmas on hold, which I hate, because then I don't really enjoy christmas that much.
But I'm really enjoying this vacation--sleeping in, the kids being home all day, relaxing. And I can't wait for my family to get here on christmas day!!

And Jared finished a semester! One down, three to go. Life is good :)

Dang It It's 5:30 Already and we're All Starving Black Bean Quesadillas

As the name suggests, this is a last-minute meal idea.

Black Bean Quesadillas


Ingredients:
2 teaspoons oil
3 tablespoons onion (finely chopped)
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn (drained) (I don't use this much, it makes them too corny, I just add a handful of frozen corn)
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (or more)
butter

Step 1: In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened (about 2 minutes). Stir in beans and corn. Mix well. Cook until heated through. (I add garlic at this step)
Step 2: Heat large skillet to medium heat. Butter one side of each tortilla. Place a tortilla flat into the skillet. Spread cheese all over the top. Place some of the bean mixture over the cheese. Place another tortilla on top of the bean mixture. Cook until the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown.
Step 3: Repeat until all tortillas and bean mixture are gone.

Top with salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, whatever you want.

Jason's Pizza Cake or "I Love this Cake"

I don't know if you read my post "I hate this cake" back in January when I made an R2D2 cake for Tyler's birthday. I thought I was just in a foul disposition that day, and things just didn't work out, but in August this year I made Joey a Lego cake, and I realized I've been biting off more than I can chew when it comes to cake decorating. Not the cake eating part. I can bite off a lot of that. But the decorating part. I want to be the Cake Boss, but I'm no Buddy Valastro, I guess. While making the cursed Lego cake I told the boys they have to have easy cakes from now on. No more hard ones. So Jason picked a pizza cake, and I thought it looked fairly simple, but I thought that about the *#!@ lego cake, too. So I was really, really happy when I made it, because it was SO EASY, and also super awesome at the same time. Can't beat easy and also awesome.
The Lego Cake that the boys loved, but was the last straw for me and which I was so bitter about that it didn't get a post:

The beloved pizza cake. Even in a real pizza box. Even with real pizza grease on it. You want to know why? Because if you go to Little Caesars and buy 2 pizzas and ask for an extra box for your pizza cake, they will tell you the box costs the same as a pizza. So you will go home with your 2 pizzas and no extra box because that's s rip off, and take one of the pizzas out quickly, but not before there is already grease on it, of course. That's why.


The pepperoni are Fruit Rollups, don't they look like real pepperonis? The cheese is white icing and also grated white chocolate.
And Jason loved it. Which was the whole point, anyway. Joey loved his Lego cake, too, by the way. And it really was worth it to see them so happy.

Crispy Potato Wedges -- Share a Meal Monday

It looks like I need to update my blog more often. These meals on Monday might just take over.

I got this recipe from my friend Katie, and we've changed it a little over the years. It's a really great side-dish, like with hamburgers. But I usually just make them by themselves, for an easy dinner night.
There are different seasonings you can use. If you want more mild ones, just use salt, pepper and garlic. My husband invented the seasoning below. My favorite is KC Mastepiece BBQ seasoning (find it in the spice section). I just add a generous amount to the oil (maybe a tablespoon or so).

Crispy Potato Wedges
4 medium potatoes cut into large wedges
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Seasoning:
2 teaspoons paprika
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Place potatoes in a large bowl; add cold
water to cover. Let stand 15 min.
Preheat oven to 425. Spray baking sheet
with cooking spray. Set aside. Drain
potatoes, then spread on paper towels.
Cover with more paper towels and press to
dry potatoes. Place potatoes in bowl with oil
and seasoning to taste. Bake in oven for 25
min. then flip fries over with spatula and
bake for another 25 min.

Share a Meal Monday

My friend Michelle came up with this awesome idea for a linky party to share recipes we've made during the week. Here's one of my favorites that we recently discovered and that we make all the time. You really should try it.



Lime Chicken Tacos

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into small pieces)
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
½ lime (juiced, or 1/8 c. lime juice)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (I never use this much. Doesn't it seem like a lot of pepper?)
2 green onions (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
10 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 tomato (diced)
¼ cup shredded lettuce
¼ cup Monterey jack cheese
¼ cup salsa
Sour cream (optional)

Add a little oil to the pan and sauté chicken pieces in the pan for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onions, garlic and oregano. Simmer for another 10 minutes (just until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is not quite so thin)

Warm tortillas and add chicken mixture to each one evenly. Top with cheese, tomato, lettuce and salsa. (Makes 4 servings). I actually like to take the chicken out of the pan, leaving a little of the sauce, and warm the tortillas in it on the stove. It makes them so yummy! But the sauce burns quickly, and I've only ever been able to do 3 tortillas before the pan is a burnt mess.


They are seriously yummy, and an easy, quick meal. Love them! And aren't I a great photographer? Don't you love my black dishes?
I really got the picture off the internet.

Porn Hog

They get a big kick out of nonsense words. This time we got a kick out of it, too:

Jason: Dad, you're a CORN DOG! (Ha ha ha, so funny, they can't stop laughing)
Jared (AKA Dad): Well you're a Corn HOG! (Hysterical laughing, rolling on the floor)
Tyler: Oh yeah? You're a PORN HOG! (Having no idea what it means they still think it's hilarious, but we're now the ones that can't stop laughing)

Geez, Jared, quit hogging all the porn! Share the love, will ya!