Caribbean Jerk Chicken

Who doesn't love a flavorful chicken recipe with some super tasty sides? I made this Caribbean Jerk Chicken tonight for our dinner and served it with some mango salsa and corn. It was such a huge hit that Dr. Sweetpea kept telling me how good our dinner was. I decided to post this recipe on my blog before even going to sleep because it was just all so tasty! Definitely a keeper in our household!

Caribbean Jerk Chicken

(Source: Cooks Country) 

4 scallions

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 - 2 habanero chiles, stemmed

10 sprigs fresh thyme

5 garlic cloves, peeled

2 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half crosswise, drumsticks, and/or thighs), trimmed

Lime wedges

Process scallions, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, habanero(s), thyme sprigs, garlic, allspice, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Measure out ¼ cup marinade and refrigerate until ready to use.

Place chicken and remaining marinade in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Press out air, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner [or, if using 3-burner grill, primary burner and second burner] as needed to maintain grill temperature between 450 and 500 degrees.)

Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken skin side up on cooler side of grill, with breast pieces farthest away from heat. Cover and cook until breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, 22 to 30 minutes, transferring pieces to plate, skin side up, as they come to temperature. (Re-cover grill after checking pieces for doneness.)

Brush skin side of chicken with half of reserved marinade. Place chicken skin side down on hotter side of grill. (Turn all burners to high if using gas.) Brush with remaining reserved marinade and cook until lightly charred, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Check browning often and move pieces as needed to avoid flare-ups.

Transfer chicken to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

**Note: Instead of using a whole chicken, I bought a pack of bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. I also baked the chicken in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes instead of grilling it outside.

Mango Salsa 

(Source: Me) 

2 manila mangoes or ataulfo mangoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced 

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 lime, juiced

1/3 cup diced red onion

Salt 

Black pepper

Olive oil

Mix mangoes, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, and red onion together in a small bowl. Add in a splash of olive oil and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve after it sits for about 30 minutes to let all the flavors to combine. 

Honey Butter Corn

(Source: Cooks Country)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs (4½ cups)

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (I omitted)

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced into small pieces (my addition)

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add corn, jalapeno, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and spotty brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Off heat, stir in butter, honey, and thyme (optional)  until butter is melted and mixture is combined, about 30 seconds. Serve.

Corn Pudding

We recently tried corn pudding at one of our favorite BBQ joints in the area and we became addicted. I've tried replicating the corn pudding before by making Paula Deen's recipe and it was great. Then I came across this recipe from Cooks Country and it's FANTASTIC! This is Dr. Sweetpea's current favorite homemade corn pudding. He regularly asks me to make this as a side, but since it's so caloric, I make it once a month. Definitely a keeper in our household!

Corn Pudding

(Source: Cooks Country)

1 pound frozen corn

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup (2½ ounces) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup (1⅔ ounces) cornmeal

1/4 cup (1¾ ounces) sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sour cream

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking dish. Combine corn and ¼ cup water in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave until corn is tender, about 7 minutes. Drain corn in colander.

Combine cream and 1½ cups corn in blender and process until coarse puree forms, about 30 seconds. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in large bowl. Whisk sour cream, melted butter, egg, pureed corn mixture, and remaining corn together in separate bowl. Whisk sour cream mixture into flour mixture until combined. Transfer batter to prepared dish.

Bake until edges of pudding are lightly browned and top is slightly puffed, about 35 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake

Dr. Sweetpea has been asking me to make Key Lime Pie Cheesecake for him for a long time. I rarely make cheesecake for him at home because it has so much cream cheese and it's not very healthy! Anyway, to make the end of the training years, I made this cheesecake for him and it was such a massive hit. It was so good that it was all gone within a week. Definitely a keeper in our household!

 

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake

(Source: CookingClassy)

Crust

2 cups (230g) crushed graham cracker crumbs (from 15 full sheets)

3 Tbsp (39g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (113g) salted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces and melted

Filling

1 cup + 2 Tbsp (236g) granulated sugar granulated sugar

1 Tbsp (8g) cornstarch

3 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened well (but not melted)

4 large eggs

2/3 cup (160g) sour cream

1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream

1/2 cup (120ml) fresh lime or key lime juice

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Toppings

1 cup (235ml) heavy cream

2 1/2 Tbsp (33g) granulated sugar

Fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries, lime wedges, lime zest and fresh mint (optional)

For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with a sheet of 18 by 18 heavy duty aluminum foil. Add graham crackers and sugar to a mixing bowl and stir to combine, then pour in butter and mix with a fork until evenly moistened. Pour into prepared springform pan and press evenly into bottom and up the sides coming about 1-inch from the top. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Have a large roasting pan ready and boil about 4 quarts of water (you may not need all of it).

For the cheesecake filling: In a small mixing bowl whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch until well combined. Add cream cheese to a large mixing bowl, pour sugar mixture over top and using an electric hand mixer blend cream cheese until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each addition. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Add sour cream and heavy cream and mix until combined. Mix in lime juice and vanilla. Tap bowl forcefully against countertop about 30 times to release any large air bubbles. Pour over cooled graham cracker crust. Place cheesecake in roasting pan then place roasting pan in oven and carefully pour in enough boiling water around cheesecake pan to reach halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. Bake in preheated oven until cheesecake is nearly set but still jiggly in the center, about 60 - 65 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover and chill in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

For the topping: In a medium mixing bowl whip heavy cream using an electric hand mixer set on high speed until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe over cheesecake just before serving. Garnish with berries, lime wedges, lime zest and mint if desired. Store cheesecake in refrigerator.

Snickerdoodle

Who doesn't love cinnamon sugar cookies?! These cookies are so good and reminds me of my childhood. Dr. Sweetpea loved these cookies too and told me to never lose the recipe! 

Snickerdoodle

(Source: Lilluna.com) 

1 cup butter softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside. Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. (Makes about 3-4 dozen cookies)

Sweet Tea Brined Chicken

I've heard of Sweet Tea Brined Chicken in passing several times but was always wary of making it for ourselves. I just didn't like thinking about how the chicken would taste like sweet tea!!! Then a few days ago I came across this recipe from Southern Living magazine and decided to give it a try because it had other flavor components in the brine. I'm so damn glad I tried this recipe because it was so damn tasty! Dr. Sweetpea told me to never lose this recipe because it was so damn good!

Sweet Tea Brined Chicken

(Source: Southern Living) 

2 family-size tea bags

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, halved

2 (6-inch) fresh rosemary sprigs

1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper

2 cups ice cubes

1 (3 1/2-to 4-lb.) cut-up whole chicken

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 3-qt. heavy saucepan; add tea bags. Remove from heat; cover and steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar and next 6 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool completely (about 45 minutes); stir in ice. (Mixture should be cold before adding chicken.) Place tea mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal. Place bag in a shallow baking dish and chill 24 hours. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade; pat chicken dry with paper towels.

Light one side of grill, heating to 300° to 350° (medium) heat; leave other side unlit. Place chicken, skin side down, over unlit side, and grill, covered with grill lid, 20 minutes. Turn chicken, and grill, covered with grill lid, 20 minutes. Turn chicken, and grill, covered with grill lid, 40 to 50 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken, skin side down, to lit side of grill, and grill 2 to 3 minutes or until skin is crispy. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**Note: I used four bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. I also baked them in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. 

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who doesn't love the peanut butter and chocolate flavor combination? When I saw the recipe for a cookie that combines both and has oatmeal as an ingredient, I had to make it! I'm so glad that I did because these cookies turned out so dang tasty! Dr. Sweetpea devoured several as they came out of the oven.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Source: Sally's Baking Addiction) 

1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks; 235g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (260g) creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups (180g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats

2 and 1/2 cups (450g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping if desired

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, add the oats. Once combined, beat in the chocolate chips. Dough will be thick and sticky. Cover and chill the dough for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator (and up to 4 days). If chilling for longer than 1 hour, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Scoop balls of dough, 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Mexican Corn Salad (Esquites)

We absolutely love corn during the summer months, so when I saw this recipe for Esquites online, I made this right away to go with our tacos. It's so flavorful and perfect on a hot summers day!

Mexican Corn Salad (Esquites)

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

3              tablespoons lime juice, plus extra for seasoning (2 limes)

3              tablespoons sour cream

1              tablespoon mayonnaise

1–2          serrano chiles, stemmed and cut into ⅛-inch-thick rings

Salt

2              tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

6              ears corn, kernels cut from cobs (6 cups)

2              garlic cloves, minced

1/2           teaspoon chili powder (I used smoked chipotle powder)

4              ounces cotija cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

3/4           cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I omitted this)

3              scallions, sliced thin

Combine lime juice, sour cream, mayonnaise, serrano(s), and ¼ teaspoon salt in large bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add half of corn and spread into even layer. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, without stirring, until corn touching skillet is charred, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and let stand, covered, for 15 seconds, until any popping subsides. Transfer corn to bowl with sour cream mixture. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining corn. Return now-empty skillet to medium heat and add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, garlic, and chili powder. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer garlic mixture to bowl with corn mixture and toss to combine. Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Add cotija, cilantro, and scallions and toss to combine. Season salad with salt and up to 1 tablespoon extra lime juice to taste. Serve.