Grilled Chicken with Fresh Grape Glaze

Serves 4

Glaze:
3 cups seedless red grapes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Chicken:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
cooking spray

1. To prepare glaze, place grapes in a blender; process until smooth. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cover and cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in pureed grapes, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and 1 teaspoon rosemary; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Cool slightly. Place grape mixture in blender; process until smooth. Set aside.
2. Prepare grill.
3. To prepare chicken, brush 1 tablespoon oil over chicken; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons rosemary, pepper, and salt. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 25 minutes or until done, turning and basting frequently with grape glaze.

Served with rice and salad with broccoli.

Results: This is now one of my favorite chicken recipes: it was amazingly good! Henry not only requested seconds, but dug in for thirds! Steven wouldn't touch it, even though he picked the recipe out. I thought for sure the grapes would tempt him, but alas...NO! A definite keeper!

Pasta Primavera with Chicken Nuggets

4 servings

1 12-ounce package frozen cooked chicken nuggets
8 ounces dried wagon wheel pasta
4 cups chopped or sliced assorted vegetables (I used broccoli, yellow squash & peppers)
1/2 of an 8-ounce tub cream cheese with chives and onion
1/2 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Heat chicken nuggets according to package direction.
2. Meanwhile, in a pot, heat a large amount of lightly salted water to boiling. Add pasta; cook for 4 minutes. Add vegetables; cook for 5 minutes more or until pasta is tender. Drain and return to pan.
3. Add cream cheese spread to pasta mixture. Heat through. Add enough milk to thin to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving. Serve with baked chicken nuggets.

Results: I had high hopes for this one, but it was disgusting! No amount of Parmesan cheese could improve this dish! Neither boy would eat it, Chris and I suffered through it to set an example. The inventor of this recipe should be forced to eat this every day for the rest of their life. Gross!

Monster Mouths

Serves 6

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb ground beef
2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices American cheese, chopped
1/2 package (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells (about 18 shells), cooked and drained
baby carrots, olives, red bell pepper, small pickles and cheese slices for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 13x9-inch baking dish. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bacon; cook until onion is tender. Add beef; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, salt and black pepper. Stir in cheese. Spoon mixture into cooked shells; place in prepared baking dish.
2. Cut carrots into very thin strips to use to hold olive “eyes”. Cut other “decorations” as desired.
3. Bake shells 3 to 5 minutes or until hot; remove from oven. Decorate as desired with olive and carrot eyes, bell pepper fangs, pickle tongue and cheese teeth.

Served with salad.

Results: This was a pain in the ass to make and it was very greasy. But, I will admit the meat filling was pretty tasty. Henry ate all the meat, but said the pasta shells were "yucky". Steven wouldn't touch it.

Fishcakes & Cucumber Chips

Serves 4

1/3 cup crushed cornflakes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons milk
¾ teaspoon dried dill weed
1 (14 ½ oz) can salmon, drained and skin and bones removed
¾ cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
tarter sauce

1. Stir together cornflake crumbs, eggs, milk, dill weed and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add salmon; mix well.
2. Pour Panko into a shallow dish.
3. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
4. Shape salmon mixture into 4 large egg-shaped balls. Flatten each into ¾ inch thick oval. Pinch one end of each oval into tail shape for fish. Carefully dredge both sides of fish in Panko.
5. Place fish into skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Carefully turn over and continue to cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Place small drop tartar sauce on each fish for “eye”.

Served with cucumber chips (cucumber & basil salad for the adults)

Results: Fun to make and actually pretty tasty. I have never used canned salmon before and although it tasted fine, I’m not sure I would use it again. Removing the bones was a pain! I think you could substitute grilled salmon very easily. Henry ate about half of his, Steven ate about a third (but said he didn’t like it.)

Octo-dogs with veggies and sea shells

Serves 4

4 hot dogs
1 ½ cups uncooked small shell posta
1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
yellow mustand in squeeze bottle (for “eyes”)
goldfish crackers

1. Lay hot dog on side with end facing you. Starting 1 inch from one end of hot dog, slice hot dog vertically in half. Roll hot dog ¼ turn. Starting 1 inch from same end, slice in half vertically again, making 4 segments connected at the top. Slice each segment in half vertically, creating total of 8 “legs”. Repeat with remaining hot dogs.
2. Place hot dogs in medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; set aside.
3. Prepare pasta according to package directions, stirring in vegetables during last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain; return to pan. Stir in Alfredo sauce. Heat over low heat until heated through. Divide pasta mixture between 4 plates. Drain octo-dogs. Arrange one octo-dog on top of pasta mixture on each plate. Draw faces on “heads” of octo-dogs with mustard. Sprinkle crackers over pasta.

Results: this was an easy meal to make and looked very fun, but didn't taste good to anyone. Would not repeat!

Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken

(thanks to Fatim for trying the recipe and sending a picture!)

Serves 4

juice of one lime
1 (14-oz) can light coconut milk
4 chicken thighs, skinned
4 chicken drumsticks, skinned
¾ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
½ cup flaked sweetened coconut
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray

1. Combine lime juice and coconut milk in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 ½ hours, turning bag occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 400°.
3. Combine panko, flaked coconut, salt and black pepper in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Dredge chicken, 1 piece at a time, in panko mixture. Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn chicken over; bake an additional 30 minutes or until done.

Served with jasmine rice and snow peas.

Results: No complaints from anyone! I would make this one again in an instant!

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken

Serves 4

1 cup cornflakes, lightly crushed
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
3 large eggs, beaten
Four skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflakes, parmesan and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place the eggs in another shallow bowl. Coat each chicken breast with the cornflake mixture, then the egs, then again with the cornflake mixture; transfer to a wax-paper-lined baking sheet.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean baking sheet. Bake the chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Served with egg noodles (with peas and parmesan cheese) and salad.

Results: I cut the chicken breast in half length-wise so they were very thin: quicker to cook and more kid-friendly. These were very good, and everyone ate everything on their plate!

Slow-cooker Macaroni & Cheese

Serves 6

8 oz elbow macaroni
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 ½ cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
4 slices American cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain. Mix the cooked pasta, 3 cups cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a greased slow cooker. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar cheese and arrange American cheese slices on top. Cook, covered, on low for 3 to 4 hours. Do not remove lid or stir while cooking.

Results: Use a crock pot liner for this one…it makes clean up super easy! We all liked this one, and Steven even requested leftovers for lunch the next day.