"Jamaican" ME CRAZY!!

I don't know about you guys but we are big chicken eaters around here and I'm ALWAYS trying to find new recipes for it. And let me tell ya this one from myrecipes.com is a keeper!! I wasn't too sure about the allspice, but all the flavors in this was absolutely wonderful. The chopped jalapeno gave it that little extra "POW". Thumbs up all around my table tonight for this one!

Jamaican-Spiced Chicken Thighs

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper ( I didn't add this...we don't like spicy around here.)
  
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; add chicken, tossing to coat (**I marinated my chicken overnight). Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook 6 minutes or until done. FYI...I ended up grilling my chicken out on the grill...to me everything tastes better from the grill!! ;o)

ENJOY!

Tara

Chocolate Chip Bunko Bars!

This post is dedicated to my neighbor, Kristen. She made this for bunko a few years ago and we called it "Kristen's BIG chocolate chip cookie". But, it's only big in the pan until you cut it into bars! So, I had to rename it! ;o) Anyway, it's super yummy and makes a lot! Kristen recently added a new addition to her little family so these were the perfect treat to send over to her house...that way my big mouth won't have any excuse to gobble them all up!!!

Welcome to the world little Julie Grace!!

Chocolate Chip Bunko Bars

2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks of butter ( I used "I can't believe it's not butter"), at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups milk chocolate chips

Mix first three ingredients in a medium bowl, set aside. Beat the butter and sugars together with a mixer. Add vanilla and add the eggs, one at a time. Slowly add the flour mixture next. And last but not least...add the heavenly, milk chocolate chips. Spread the batter in a greased 9 X 13 pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

ENJOY!! ;o)

Tara

My 40th Birthday Bash...

Tara and my sweet, sweet Hubby have been in cahoots for about 6 weeks now!!! It all started with girlfriends showing up on my doorstep that I haven't seen in forever!!! We all went to dinner and more girlfriends showed up. We then had an amazing "Melinda cake" and they showered me with lots of sweet, wonderful gifts. We then headed off to the resort for tons of fun and then lots of pampering the next day!!! I can't remember when I've felt that special!?! Thanks Tara for all your time, effort, and love that went into planning such an amazing birthday weekend!!! It's one I'll never forget!!!

And since we're all about food - here I am about to dig in to Cafe Adobe's Signature dish... The Avocado Adobe which is a half of an avocado, stuffed with cheese and my meat choice was grilled steak, and then it is lightly battered, fried and topped with ranchero sauce. It is served with pico, rice, and beans! I can't wait to go back and have this again!!!



The next day we ate at Tommy Bahama's and we had The Saba Steak Salad!!! Which is marinated, char-grilled tenderloin medallions, grilled potatoes, roma tomatoes, shiitake chips, garlic aioli & tamarind vinaigrette and it was the BEST salad I've ever had in my life!!! No one makes a better steak than my Hubby but this meat just melted in your mouth!!! OMGoodness!

I wish you all could have been there with us!!! Good food, good times, and great friends - does it get any better?