Crunchy Honey Chicken

I’ve been a bad, bad blogger!  I’m SO sorry for the unintentional hiatus.  Ever since Thanksgiving life has been go-go-go and I haven’t had 2 seconds to myself to blog.

That changes today.

So, today we’re talking chicken.  I’m always looking for a new way to prepare chicken and was so excited when I saw this recipe on How Sweet It Is.  And, it definitely did not disappoint.  The chicken was nice and crunchy, but not too sweet and the veggies were nicely cooked.

Give this a try, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed either.

INGREDIENTS
1lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
2 Egg whites
1/3C. Cornstarch (or flour – for dredging)
1C. Broccoli florets
1/2 Red pepper, thinly sliced
3/4C. Sugar snap peas
1 clove garlic, minced
3T. Olive oil
1T. Soy sauce
1/4C. Honey
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Prepare and slice all veggies – feel free to add whatever you would like. In 2 separate bowls, add the egg whites (lightly beaten) and the cornstarch or flour. (The cornstarch will yield a “crispier” chicken). Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add veggies with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in soy sauce and garlic and stir so veggies are coated, about 60 seconds. Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat the same skillet (or you can use a different one, I just use the same to make it easier) over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. Dip chicken pieces in egg whites and then lightly dredge in cornstarch. Add to the skillet and let brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip. Continue with remaining chicken pieces, and do so in batches if needed.

Once chicken is cooked, add veggies back in the skillet. Add honey and thoroughly mix to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper, additional honey or soy sauce. Serve with rice.

Husband Rating – 4 out of 5 – “Delicious!”

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Honey Wheat Cookies

Every Friday someone in my office brings breakfast – we have about 50 employees so it works out well that everyone does it about once a year.  This past Friday was my turn.  Usually I bring my Grandmother’s hash brown casserole – everyone loves it and actually asks for it!  But, earlier this week we had a presentation all about wellness and I felt like bringing a casserole full of potatoes, cheese, butter, creamy soup and bread crumbs might not mesh well with the wellness presentation.

So, I went in search of things I could make that were healthier.  I came across these cookies on Stylish Cuisine.  The original recipe is from Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking from My Home to Yours.

I managed to substitute margarine and Splenda for the butter and sugar in this recipe and it still turned out fantastically!  I can only imagine how great they are with butter and real sugar!

Don’t be scared of the wheat germ.  We usually have it in the house and will put it on oatmeal or in smoothies – it’s really quite good and you can barely taste it in the cookie (to me, the biggest flavors in these cookies were the lemon and honey).  So tasty!

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4C. All purpose flour
1C. Wheat germ
1t. Baking powder
1/4t. Salt
1/2C. Sugar
2t. Grated lemon zest
1 stick (8T.) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2C. Honey
1 Large egg

DIRECTIONS
Whisk together the flour, 1/2C. of the wheat germ, the baking powder and salt.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl, run the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until the sugar is moist.  Add the butter and, using the paddle or whisk attachment of a hand mixer, beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until creamy or smooth.  Add the honey and beat for another minute or two.  Add the egg and beat for about 2 minutes more, until you have a smooth, light , fluffy mixture.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 2 portions, mixing only until each addition disappears.  Scrape the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap well.  Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

Getting ready to Bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the remaining 1/2C. wheat germ into a bowl.  Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and, working with a spoonful of it at a time, roll the dough between your palms into 1-inch balls.

Drop each ball into the wheat germ and turn to coat, then place the balls on one of the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between them(these don’t spread).  Use your palm or the bottom of a glass to gently flatten each cookie.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are just firm to the touch.  Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Storing: The cookies will keep at room temperature for about 3 days or wrapped airtight in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Husband Rating – 4 out of 5 – “Surprisingly delicious!!”

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Honey Garlic Chops

These pork chops were really tasty! I’m sure they’d be better grilled (living in an apartment means no grill – but my stove top grill pan is a pretty good substitute). Hubs thought the chops were a little too sweet…so next time I might cut the honey in half.

I served these with broccoli and my favorite Bread Du Jour rolls (sprinkled with garlic salt before baking).

INGREDIENTS
2 bone-in Pork Chops
1/4 C honey
1/4 C lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
2T Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS
Combine honey, lemon juice, garlic and worcestershire sauce in a large Ziploc bag. Add chops and marinade at least 2 hours (overnight is best).

Grill chops for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness, turning once and basting with the remaining marinade while cooking.

Remove when chops reach 155 degrees F. Rest chops for 5 minutes and serve.

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