Maple Glazed Chicken

This is a super simple fall fave that I discovered in the Food Network magazine. I wasn't a fan of the roasted apples for dinner, but you need them for flavor, so I added baby carrots and ate the apples with vanilla ice cream for desert. I was pretty proud of myself. : ) This serves 4-6, depending on how much people eat.

2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into large chunks

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 apples, cut into wedges

8 shallots, quartered lengthwise

1/2 lb baby carrots

1/4 c fresh sage, torn

1/2 c c chicken broth

1/4 c maple syrup

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

1) Pat chicken dry and season with salt. Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook undisturbed, until browned and crisp, about 5 min.

2) Turn chicken and add apples, shallots, carrots and sage. Reduce heat to med high and cook until chicken is browned on the bottom, 5 min-ish.

3) While the chicken finishes make the glaze. Combine chicken broth, maple syrup, vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt. Add the mixture to the skillet and boil until reduced by three quarters, 3-5 min.

Homemade Hot Pockets

I've discovered homemade hot pockets. My He-man husband is not a fan of taking leftovers to work for lunch, but he likes the convenience of these! I usually make three or four different kinds and freeze them in individual bags so he can quickly grab one or two in the morning on his way out the door. The fun thing is you can put whatever you want in them and they *almost always turn out fabulous! Here are the basic instructions and some of our favorite fillings.

Basic Homemade Hot Pockets

Refrigerated french bread dough or puff pastry

butter

1 egg, beaten

filling

1) Preheat oven to 375

2) Roll dough out and cut into 6 rectangles.

3) Place filling in the center of each rectangle. Brush edges with egg and fold dough like an egg roll. Place seam side down on a baking sheet.

4) Brush tops with butter and bake for 15-20 min, until golden brown. Eat immediately or let cool and freeze for later!

To Reheat

Bake frozen hot pocket at 400 degrees for 10 min, or microwave for 2 min 30 sec, until heated through.

Here are some suggested fillings, feel free to experiment!

Pizza Pockets

Sausage

pepperoni

marinara sauce

mozzarella cheese

Chicken Margarita Pizza Pockets

fresh mozzarella

fresh basil leaves, shredded

cherry tomatoes, halved

marinara sauce

grilled chicken, sliced

Croque Monsieur

Ham

swiss or gruyere cheese

Steamed asparagus

Thai Chicken

1/4 lb shredded cooked chicken

1/4 c shredded carrots

1/4 c cashews or peanuts

2 Tbsp cilantro

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp apricot preserves

2 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine ingredients in a frying pan and cook until heated through and flavors are combined. Serve with Peanut sauce!

Curry Chicken

1 pkg cream cheese

1 Tbsp milk

2 Tbsp apricot preserves

1 c cooked shredded chicken

1/2 c cheddar cheese

1/4 c cashews

3 Tbsp green onions

2 tsp curry powder

1/4 c chopped almonds

Combine cream cheese, milk, curry powder and apricot preserves; mix in remaining ingredients. Top finished pockets with an egg wash and chopped almonds before baking!

Thai Chicken Pizza

Love, love, LOVE Thai food and psedo-Thai food; ergo this pizza is one of my faves. I make up a bunch of the sauces and freeze them, they are great as salad dressings or on pasta as well as on the pizza! In a pinch, you can purchase peanut sauce rather than make your own, but I really love the flavor of this California Pizza Kitchen knockoff. The Lime-Cilantro dressing is only a drizzle, so leaving it off won't ruin the pizza, but I think it adds that extra lime boost, plus of course it means I can have it on salad the next day. : ) Any oil can be subbed for sesame oil, but it will alter the taste slightly.

Peanut Sauce

1/4 c creamy peanut butter

2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce

2 Tbsp hoisin

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp minced onion

1 tsp minced gingerroot

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, pulse until smooth. Pour sauce into a small sauce pan and heat until warm but not boiling. Boiling will make it lumpy. Sauce should darken a little through heating.

Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1/2 c veg oil

1/4 c rice vinegar

1/2 c chopped cilantro

1/4 c minced red bell pepper

1/4 c honey

4 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp lime juice

2 cloves garlic

dash salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, blend until smooth. Chill until ready to use.

Pizza (makes 1 15" pizza)

1 crust (homemade, refrigerated Pillsbury pizza dough, 15" ready made crust or four 8" pitas for individual pizzas)

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 1/4 c grated mozzarella

1 ball fresh mozzarella

1/4 c carrots, julienned or shaved

1/2 c bean sprouts

2 green onions, sliced

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp chopped peanuts or cashews

1) Prep crust.

2) Brush chicken with sesame oil, season with salt and pepper and grill. Slice chicken when cooked. Chicken may also be marinated in the Peanut sauce and grilled.

3) Make Pizza: Spread Peanut sauce on crust, sprinkle a light layer of grated mozzarella over sauce. Top with chicken, carrots, bean sprouts, green onions and nuts. Finish with the rest of the grated mozzarella and slices of fresh mozzarella.

4) Bake for 10-12 min at 475 degrees.

5) Garnish with cilantro, drizzle with Lime-Cilantro dressing, cut and serve!