I love this recipe. It is so easy and so tasty! And I loved impressing you all in Colorado. =)

Balsamic Chicken Drumettes 4-6 servings

Courtesy: Giada de Laurentis

1/2 c Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 c honey

1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce

5 sprigs rosemary

5 garlic cloves

10-12 chicken drumsticks

2 T sesame seeds

1/2 fresh flat leaf parsley

Combine the balsamic, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves in a large, re-sealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and brown sugar. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bag and seal with as little air as possible in the bag. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place chicken drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, about 30-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, place marinate in a small saucepan. Bring marinade to a boil (in order to kil bacteria). Reduce heat to simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes. Reserve.

Use pastry and brush some of cooked marinate on cooked chicken. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the chopped parsley.

Cafe Rio Salad Dressing

Cafe Rio Salad Dressing

1 cup mayo
1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 of a bunch of cilantro with stems chopped off
1 small jalapeno (if you don’t like it spicy, remove the seeds)
1+ tsp lime juice
2 tomatillos (remove outer papery skin and cut up)
1 garlic clove
Blend all ingredients in food processor or blender. Enjoy with burritos, taco salad, taquitos, etc

Quick Chicken a la King

I needed a quick meal using cooked chicken and found this recipe in the Lion House Cookbook.

1/2 C diced green pepper
1/2 TBSP butter
1 can cream of mushroom/chicken soup
1 1/4 C milk (I just used powdered milk)
3 C chicken, cooked and cubed
1 TBSP pimiento, chopped
dash of pepper

Cook green pepper in butter until tender. Add soup; stir to blend. Gradually add milk; gently stir in remaining ingredients. Heat until sauce is bubbling and flavors are blended. Serve in patty shells (I have no idea what that is), or on toast, rice, Chinese noodles, or biscuits (we had potatoes.

I also added frozen peas when it was finished and let them cook in the dish.

This is such a fun idea; I can't wait to try more recipes. I added this blog to my GoogleReader, so I will always know when something new is posted.
Melanie, can you suggest a good quinoa recipe?

Mozzarella, Raspberry and Brown Sugar Panini

I started recording Giada on the Food Network because I love her recipes. She usually uses ingredients I have on hand and the recipes are easy. This recipe is so different from anything I would normally go for that I just had to try it. The result was a fabulous sandwich. You have to try it!

Mozzarella Raspberry and Brown Sugar Panini

8 (1/2 inch thick) slices bakery style white bread (I used French Bread)
1/4 c extra virgin oil
1/2 c raspberry jam
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
8 oz (2 balls) fresh mozarella, drained (I just used store brand mozzarella)
kosher salt, optional
2 Tbsp light brown sugar

Preheat panini press (I used my George Foreman Grill)
Using a pastry brush, brush the bread on both sides with olive oil. Spread one side of each slice of bread with raspberry jam and sprinkle rosemary over the jam. Slice mozzarella about 1/8" thick, and place on bread. Season cheese with a pinch of salt, if using. Place remaining slices of bread on top, jam side down. Sprinkle the tops with brown sugar. Press in the panini press for 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is golden and crispy.

So yummy!

Hello!

I was talking to Melanie this morning about a fabulous recipe Trevor and I tried last night and she suggested we start sharing recipes regularly. I thought that was a great idea. I've been trying to meal plan, and that would be so helpful. So here is a database we can all use to share our recipes and when we want something new or we are totally stumped as to what to do for dinner, this will be a good place to go. Love you!