Jerk Chicken

This is one fantastic way to do up some chicken if you ask me.  Now, I will be the first to admit that this is not 'real' Jerk Chicken.  I didn't cook it in the ground for days and I did not forage for my herbs, but it is still one delicious version of it.  It is spicey without being hot, but seasoned to the tee.  Paired up with some honey grilled-pineapples, grilled asparagus and plated with some steamed Jasmine rice, it is my kind of chicken dinner.

3 lbs. of skinless chicken (I sliced up boneless breasts into strips)
1/3 cup of Carribean Jerk Seasoning
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of orange juice
1/4 cup of pineapple juice (from the can of sliced pineapples)
1/4 cup of coconut milk
2 T. of lime juice
2 T. of extra virgin olive oil
2 T. of soy sauce
1 large can of sliced pineapple rings
honey
1 recipe of my Grilled Asparagus http://tonya-justcooking.blogspot.com/2011/03/grilled-asparagus.html


-Place your chicken in a large 1 gallon double zipper ziploc bag.  In a medium bowl, stir together the seasoning, vinegar, orange juice, pineapple juice, coconut milk, lime juice, e.v.o. adn the soy sauce; reserving a small amount in a sealed container for plating (about 4 T.'s or so).  Pour the marinade in with your chicken and seal it well; shake it to mix.  Refrigerate to marinate for up to 24 hours (the longer the better- I do 24 hrs).  When you are ready to cook it, preheat your grill to a medium flame.  Discard the marinade and grill the chicken strips until the juices run clear (mine were thin so about 5 minutes), turning often. Meanwhile, when you toss on your chicken, also toss on your pineapple rings with smear of honey on each side- grill them and turn them just like your chicken.  Plate it all up and drizzle that reserved marinade.  Serve with grilled asparagus and steamed Jasmine rice.  Serves 6.  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Crackers

I know that this is no rocket science recipe here and all, but I will tell you this, that it is tasty just the same. And being that I am compelled by some unknown force, I must share this little quickie snack.  Because it is just too good not to.  I also know that it sure does seem to be a strange combination, being that there is string cheese on a peanut butter cracker, but it works.  It works so well that I can guarantee you'll be making another dozen before you're done with your first.  It's a nice light and healthy lunch or in between snack that will leave you satisfied and guilt-free.  And that sure does work for me.

12 reduced fat Ritz crackers
some peanut butter (I only buy Jiff creamy)
1 mozzarella string cheese stick (sliced into 12 pieces)

-Simply smear some peanut butter across your crackers and top each one off with a piece of cheese.  Serves 1.  Enjoy!

Homemade Lavender Bubbles

With the price of things nowadays, homemade is the way to go with just about anything and everything, all the way down to the bubbles.  Yes, have you noticed that the bottles have gotten smaller since you were a kid and that their prices have gotten larger?  Because, I sure have.  It is pretty sad when you are going through the store and your child picks up a bottle of bubbles that is sold, of course, along with some bubble blowing contraption that takes like 5 batteries and costs $9.99, and you have to tell your child no.  Not that you don't want them to have classic backyard fun, but that you can't afford to buy them.  I do not want the contraption, just the dang bubbles.  It's a conspiracy I swear.  So, in protest, I now make my own.  And, not only do they smell absolutely amazing while you are playing with them, but they soften your hands as well.  And, now, we are never out of bubbles :)

1 gallon (16 cups) of tap water
1 cup of lavender dish soap (I used Palmolive)

1/2 cup of light corn syrup

-Combine all three ingredients in a large mixing bowl by slowly stirring together (making the least amount of suds as possible).  Allow this to sit for a few hours to 'merry' (otherwise your bubbles won't form if used too soon).  You can transfer it into a pitcher, empty gallon jug or what-have-you for storage (I saved the last 2 store-bought bubble containers and wands to re-use for this).  Then it is ready to use with bubble wands, plastic clothing hangers (which make huge bubbles) and more :)  Makes just over 1 gallon.  Enjoy!

Meatloafburger In Paradise

While this was baking away in my oven, I was washing up some dishes and boiling my potatoes.  And I was thinking.  Thinking of when my Step-Dad used to make this one for us when I was a little girl.  A little girl, who hated meatloaf.  Until, that is, that I had his.  How I could remember coming in from school to the sound of the hand-held mixer going and the aroma of this wafting through the door to greet me.  I had learned to love meatloaf.  But not just any one's meatloaf, only my Step-Dad, Mike's, meatloaf.  Otherwise, no way and no thank you.  Like it's not even gonna happen.  But, I will eat his meatloaf any day of the week.  Maybe it is because I grew up on it and we were to eat what we were given.  There wasn't much to go around and everything was stretched as far as it would go. Or maybe, just maybe, because it was good back then.  Just as it is still good now.  Just plain and simple good.

1 1/4 lbs. of 80/20 ground beef
1 small yellow onion (chopped)
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
2 shakes of lite soy sauce
3-4 T. of BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1 T. of steak sauce (I used A.1.)
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 a cup of plain bread crumbs
3 slices of American cheese

-Preheat your oven to 350*.  In a large mixing bowl, using your hands, knead to thoroughly combine all of the ingredients EXCEPT for the cheese slices.  Once it is good and mixed, place it into a loaf pan.  Shape it into a loaf, keeping it away from the edges (this way the grease can separate from it and be easily poured out).  Go ahead and do a big healthy smear of some extra BBQ sauce all across the top and down the sides.  Bake on the center rack of your oven at 350* for 1 hour.  Carefully remove it from the oven, using a spatula to hold the loaf in, pour out the grease (I save old pickle/ jam jars just for this stuff).  Once the grease has been discarded, using your spatula again, lift the loaf up and then flip it onto it's side while still in the loaf pan.  With a serrated knife, cut the loaf in half lengthwise (so you are cutting off the top).  Then use your spatula again to lift up the top half, wiggle your loaf pan around to let the bottom half fall back in place, layer the cheese slices over it and then replace the top half back on top (basically you are making a stuffed meatloaf here).  Place it back into the oven for about 3-5 more minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before slicing.  Serves 4.  Enjoy!

My Better Than Sex Cake

 Well, well, well.  Here you have it, the raunchiest named cake that I have ever heard of.  Oh, wait, except for the grooms men's cake in Steel Magnolias, the armadillo cake.  That one just may take the cake.  Alright, enough of that, let's get to the point. This cake is amazingly delicious.  If you are looking for the ultimate chocolate cake sweet fix, then look no further.  This puppy here is gonna be right up your alley.  It is beyond moist, beyond sweet without being overboard and is some serious eye candy for sure.  Not only will you wow your guests, but also your taste buds.  Never have I ever been a big fan of toffee, but this here cake has changed that.  I absolutely love it now.

1 box of devil's food chocolate cake mix (prepared as directed with room temperature eggs)
1/2 a jar of chocolate ice cream topping
1/2 a jar of caramel ice cream topping
1/2 a can of sweetened condensed milk
4 standard-sized toffee candy bars (chopped and separated in 1/2, I use Heath bars and have used Snicker's bars as well)
1 tub of Cool Whip (I used Lite this time, just cause I thought it was funny)

-Preheat your oven to 350*.  Grease the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish and pour your prepared devil's food cake batter into it.  Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted wooden toothpick pulls out clean.  Allow your cake to stand and cool completely before finishing.  Once your cake has completely cooled, take the wrong end of a wooden spoon and poke large holes all over the top of the cake (don't go too crazy or it will all fall apart, but there needs to be enough to allow all the goodies to sink into the cake).  Then drizzle the surface of the cake with 1/4 of a jar of chocolate topping, 1/4 of a jar of caramel topping and 1/2 of a can of sweetened condensed milk.  Sprinkle it with 1/2 of the chopped candy, spread out the Cool Whip on top, drizzle with another 1/4 of a jar of chocolate topping and 1/4 of a jar of caramel topping.  Then sprinkle on the remaining chopped candy.  Insert wooden toothpicks randomly over the top of the cake and cover with saran wrap (the toothpicks keep the saran wrap tented up so that the top of your cake does not get stuck to it).  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving (make sure to remove and discard the toothpicks too).  Serves 12.  Enjoy!

Homemade Minted-Lemon Scented Laundry Detergent

Here we are getting back to the basics.  Because frankly, going convenient is no longer healthy, due to harmful chemical ingredients that are now being said to cause cancer (fabric softeners), and truthfully, price-wise, just plain out of control.  I sat back and did the math and was shocked at how much I have been spending on 'household' items.  Using the 'proper' amount of detergent for my laundry, I have been spending about $150 a year, give-or-take.  That is ridiculous and that is just for detergent, not even counting fabric softeners, bleach and stain removers like Oxy-Clean (which is crazy expensive).  I am absolutely done with all of this money wasting and the standing open invitation that I am giving to unnecessary harmful chemicals.  I have always been all about being natural and doing these by scratch.  By growing my own ingredients for most of my cooking, like my own herbs, vegetables, fruits and more.  So, I figured, why stop there?  For my family's health and my own pocket book, I will now and forever make my own laundry detergent.

1- 5 1/2oz. bar of Fels-Naptha
4 cups of hot water
a few sprigs of fresh mint bundled and tied with a piece of hemp (my mint was from out in my garden)
a few slices of fresh lemon (I used 5)
1 1/2 cups of 20 Mule Team Borax
1 1/2 cups of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
more hot water

-Grate the entire bar of the Fels-Naptha soap (I just used a handheld cheese grater to do it) right into a large stockpot; set aside.  Place your fresh mint bundle and lemon slices in a medium saucepan with 4 cups of water and get it going on the stove to a boil.  Boil the fruit and herbs for a couple of minutes, then strain it to remove all the leaves and lemons.  Pour the strained scented 4 cups of hot water right into your large stockpot with the grated bar of soap.   Stir  this mixture continuously over medium-low heat until all of the soap flakes have all melted (takes about 10 minutes). It should be a little frothy with no lumps at all. Next, fill a 5-gallon bucket half way full with hot tap water, pour in the soap mixture and add in 1 1/2 cups of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda along with 1 1/2 cups of Borax. Stir this well to combine it all and continue stirring it as you fill the rest of the way up with more hot tap water until the bucket is just about full.  Cover and let it sit overnight (I used a large plastic bowl cover, you could use a lid or saran wrap as well).  The next day, go ahead and uncover it to see that it has thickened up some; stir well.  At this point you can transfer it into containers by pouring it through a funnel into either an old empty detergent bottle (I saved my last couple of 96 load dispenser bottles just for this), old milk jugs, old fabric softener jugs and so on.  Just make sure to give it a good shaking or stirring before each use (it will gel up some from sitting-but that is ok).  Makes 5 GALLONS!  Enjoy saving money and getting creative with scent enhancements!

Honey Buttermilk Pancakes With Toasted Coconut

Well, I just cannot seem to get my fill of toasted coconut lately.  I am finding that the more that I experiment around with it, the more that I am falling in love with it.  I love just everything about it from it's sweet toasty flavor to it's dainty little crunch.  From a cupcake topper to an oatmeal garnish, I love it all.  Especially on top of some pancakes as in this recipe.  It is such a beautiful compliment to their soft pillowy texture.

2 cups of pancake mix (I used Bisquick)
1 tsp. of baking powder
1 T. of lemon juice +enough milk to = 1 cup
1 T. of honey
2 eggs (at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then beaten)
1/4 cup of shredded sweetened baking coconut

-Preheat your oven to 350* (for toasting the coconut).  In a large mixing bowl, stir together the pancake mix and the baking powder.  Place 1 T. of lemon juice into a 1 cup liquid measuring cup, then fill with enough milk to equal 1 cup, this is a makeshift buttermilk.  Stir it well and allow it to stand for a few minutes (you will notice it slightly thicken).  Meanwhile for your coconut, spread it out evenly in a thin layer across a baking sheet and bake at 350* for 5-10 minutes, making sure to watch it very closely after the first 5 minutes (mine took about 7-8 minutes).  When it is a light tan color it is done, remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool (you can keep any leftover toasted coconut in a sealed container to use on just about anything else-I love it in my oatmeal now).  Once it is ready, create a well in the center of dry mixture in your large mixing bowl.  Pour in the buttermilk, honey and your two beaten room temperature eggs (by allowing them to be room temperature, they will beat up at a higher volume, giving you big puffy pancakes) and stir it all well.  Heat up your griddle or skillet to a medium heat and grease it with a little butter.  Ladle the pancakes on and flip them over once the bubbles on the top begin to pop.  Cook to a nice golden brown on both sides.  Once they are done, serve them with some butter, syrup and a sprinkling of toasted coconut on top.