Thursday, March 31, 2011

Ginger Cookies

These have no sugar, and use wheat flour.  And they are yummy! 
My niece found this recipe. 
  • ½ c. softened butter
  • 1 c. honey
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ¼ c. molasses
  • 2 tsp. vinegar
  • 3¾ c. wheat flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon 
  • 1 tsp. cloves
  • 3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (optional - was not in the original recipe)
Cream butter and honey together.  Stir in beaten eggs, molasses, and vinegar.  Sift and add dry ingredients.  Mixture will be very stiff.
Drop by small spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.  (about silver dollar size)  Flatten by dipping a glass into water and pressing cookie.
Bake at 350° for about 8-10 minutes in preheated oven.  Makes about 6 dozen small cookies.
Optional - sprinkle sugar on top while hot out of the oven. 

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Dot Chicken - marinade

This marinated chicken was named Dot Chicken by my niece when she was about 4 years old.  =)
You can see why!
"Aunt Marty made Dot Chicken!"  =D

"Dot Chicken"


It's not my recipe, but a recipe on the package of McCormick's Gill Mates Marinades.
This one is the Zesty Herb Marinade.
There's also Montreal Steak, (which we have used on chicken!); Mesquite, which is spicy, so we like to eat it in a biscuit after we slice it; Tomato, Garlic, & Basil, and several other kinds. 
I use the envelopes and mix whatever it calls for.  Typically water, cooking oil, and white vinegar.
I usually put in a little more water and oil than it calls for, since I'm doing 3 lbs. instead of the 2 it calls for.  I want enough liquid in the bottom of the dish so that it won't get dry, though it usually has plenty enough to spoon back over the chicken when serving.

If making more chicken, I put it into two 9x13 dishes with the thicker pieces all in one pan so I can leave them in the oven a little longer.
Leftovers are nice!  =)



I just use frozen chicken breasts, and spoon the marinade right on it.  I don't bother with letting it marinate, but it's still great!
If you want it to coat and soak into the chicken more, you can cut it into strips.  Sometimes I'll do this after it has been in the oven a bit, and has thawed a little.



I bake it on 400° for about an hour, then turn off the oven for about 30 more minutes.  As the chicken cools, the juices will soak back into it a little.  This also prevents over cooking, resulting in dry chicken with no marinade left in the dish.
I have made this quite a few times over the years, so I can usually prep it and get it into the oven in around 5 minutes or so.  Gives me plenty of time to make other dishes.  =)