Marvelous Marmalade Chicken

This has vibes of "Chinese" flavors and is simple and yet delicious.

Ingredients

⅓ cup orange or apricot marmalade/preserves⅓ cup orange or apricot marmalade/preserves
¼ cup sweet chili sauce¼ cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon hot mustard1 tablespoon hot mustard
¼ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper⅛ teaspoon pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 4 ounces each4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 4 ounces each

Steps

In a medium saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, chili sauce, and hot mustard. Stir together and heat through on medium-low heat.In a medium saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, chili sauce, and hot mustard. Stir together and heat through on medium-low heat.
Pound the thicker end of each chicken breast to even it out so they will cook more evenly. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Spritz chicken with oil and rub to coat. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket.Pound the thicker end of each chicken breast to even it out so they will cook more evenly. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Spritz chicken with oil and rub to coat. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket.
Cook at 380˚F for about 10 minutes.Cook at 380°F/193°C for about 10 minutes.
At the halfway point, turn the chicken and brush on some of the sauce onto the chicken breasts. Continue cooking until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part of the chicken reads 155˚F.At the halfway point, turn the chicken and brush on some of the sauce onto the chicken breasts. Continue cooking until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part of the chicken reads 155°F/68°C.
Slice and serve chicken drizzled with a bit of the remaining sauce.Let chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes to finish cooking, then slice and serve.

PS - I know the picture isn't the most appetizing but trust me, it is delicious!

Italian Wedding Cookies Recipe

Mark adores the Italian Wedding Cookies that we get from a local bakery so, I wanted to see if I could copy them. These were good but I made a few changes below that I will incorporate next time, including adding amaretto for more almond deliciousness.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup salted butter organic1 ½ cup salted butter organic
3/4 cup powder sugar¾ cup powder sugar
5 tsp almond extract
Optional: a couple tsp of amaretto
5 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup ground walnuts, leave chunks for texture½ cup ground walnuts
1 cup ground almonds, leave chunks for texture1 cup ground almonds
3 cup all purpose flour3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup powder sugar for dusting

Steps

Preheat your oven to 325”F.Preheat your oven to 325”F.
In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and 3/4 cup of the powder sugar until fluffy.In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and ¾ cup of the powder sugar until fluffy.
Add the almond extract and little by little the ground walnuts and hazelnuts. Mix until combined.Add the almond extract and little by little the ground walnuts and hazelnuts. Mix until combined.
Start adding in the flour little by little until mixed in. ( For easier handling freeze or refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes or so)Start adding in the flour little by little until mixed in. ( For easier handling freeze or refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes or so)
Prepare your largest cookie sheet and using a small spoon (or small ice-cream scoop) form the cookies into balls, the size of a golfball or smaller. You should have about 45 cookies.Prepare your largest cookie sheet and using a small spoon (or small ice-cream scoop) form the cookies into balls, the size of a golfball or smaller. You should have about 45 cookies.
Arrange all the cookies on the ungreased baking sheet without touching each other.Arrange all the cookies on the baking sheet without touching each other.
Bake the cookies in the preheated 325”F oven for 20 minutes.Bake the cookies in the preheated 325”F oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool off for a few minutes before rolling them over in the reserved powder sugar. It's best that they are still a little bit warm so the sugar coating sticks nicely.Remove the wedding cookies from the oven and allow them to cool off for a few minutes before rolling them over in the reserved powder sugar. It's best that they are still a little bit warm so the sugar coating sticks nicely.
Arrange the cookies on a platter and dust with more powder sugar on top before serving.Arrange the cookies on a platter and dust with more powder sugar on top before serving.

Houston's Restaurant Copycat Spinach Dip

 If you have ever been to Houston's Restaurant and got their spinach dip appetizer, you will have experienced the heaven that is a cheesy warm deliciousness contrasted with salty tortilla chips. YUM! This is my attempt at copying them and, I think I did pretty well. I serve these in individual ramekins or in a french onion soup bowl.

You can freeze the leftovers. I spoon the spinach dip into muffin tins for individual servings and freeze them. When frozen, remove from muffin tins and wrap well in cling wrap and then aluminum foil and put in a bag. Pull out a serving or two and put in a ramekin and microwave until bubbly and hot. This is also delicious with eggs (don't knock it till you have tried it!)

1 bag frozen chopped spinach2 cartons frozen chopped spinach
1/2 onion, chopped1 onion, chopped
1/2 jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped1 (14-oz) jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 stick butter1 stick butter
1/2 of an 8-oz brick cream cheese1 (8-oz) package cream cheese
6 to 7 Tbsp heavy whipping cream¾ cup heavy whipping cream
4-oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used Pepper Jack)8-oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used Pepper Jack)
2-oz shredded Swiss cheese4-oz shredded Swiss cheese
2-oz shredded mozzarella cheese4-oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper½ tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to tastesalt & pepper to taste
2 oz shredded fresh parmesan cheese (I like Trader Joe's romano asiago cheese)


Steps
Cook and drain spinach; squeezing well until all water is completely removed.Cook and drain spinach; squeezing well until all water is completely removed.
Melt butter in large skillet; saute onion until tender.Melt butter in large skillet; saute onion until tender.
Add garlic to onion mixture.Add garlic to onion mixture.
Stir spinach and artichokes into sautaed onion mixture, mixing well.Stir spinach and artichokes into sautéed onion mixture, mixing well.
Beat cream cheese with mixer, gradually adding whipping cream until smooth.Beat cream cheese with mixer, gradually adding whipping cream until smooth.
In large bowl, stir all ingredients (except parmesan cheese) together until well blended.In large bowl, stir all ingredients (except parmesan cheese) together until well blended.
Put in microwave safe baking dish or oven safe baking dish.Put in microwave safe baking dish or oven safe baking dish.
Refrigerate at least two hours.Refrigerate at least two hours.
Top with parmesan and microwave until hot or bake at 350 F until bubbly (20 minutes or so).Top with parmesan and microwave until warm or bake at 350 F until bubbly (20 minutes or so).
Serve with tortilla chips, or to use as a dip, I add cauliflower and carrots (although the chips are DELICIOUS)

Sunday Chat: Prayer

 

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13 

Yet you don’t have what you want 

because you don’t ask God for it. 

And even when you ask,

you don’t get it because your motives 

are all wrong you want only what 

will give you pleasure.

James 4:2-3

“So I say to you: 

Ask and it will be given to you; 

seek and you will find; 

knock and the door will be opened to you. 

Luke 11:9 

Therefore I tell you, 

whatever you ask for in prayer, 

believe that you have received it, 

and it will be yours. 

Mark 11:24 

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, 

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 

John 14:13-14 

 

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, 

ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 

John 15:7 

 

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” 

Matthew 21:22 

If you, then, though you are evil, 

know how to give good gifts 

to your children, how much more 

will your Father in heaven 

give good gifts to those who ask him! 

Matthew 7:11 

Search me, God, and know my heart; 

test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

See if there is any offensive way in me, 

and lead me in the way everlasting. 

Psalm 139:23-24