More Recipes

Blackened Chicken Salad with Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing
from Meal Planning 101
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Chicken & Marinade:
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag or plastic container and pour the marinade over the top. Marinate the chicken at least 4 hours or overnight.

Spice:
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper

In a small bowl or plastic container, mix together the spice mix. When the chicken has marinated, sprinkle the seasoning liberally on both sides of the chicken.In a frying pan over high heat melt a couple tablespoons of butter and sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. At this point you can either transfer to a bbq heated to medium-high or place the chicken on a pan under the broiler. It takes at least 10 minutes or so to no longer be pink in the middle.

Salad:
lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup cheese

While the chicken is finished cooking, chop all the salad ingredients.

Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (or for a more toned down flavor use regular mustard)
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vinegar
1/8 tsp paprika (regular or smoked)

Place the dressing components in a resealable jar and shake to combine. When the chicken has finished cooking, let rest for about 5 minutes and then cut chicken crosswise into strips. Toss the dressing with the salad, dish onto plates and serve chicken over top.

++The best part about this was the dressing. Even my mustard despising Hunting W. like it. . . he really liked it! Amazing!

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Red Velvet Cupcakes
adapted from Apple A Day
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2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp (1 oz.) red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white distilled vinegar

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl. Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Scoop batter into a lined cupcake pan. This scoop works perfectly for scooping muffin or cupcake batter.


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Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
from Joy the Baker
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1 1/2 cups butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4-6 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tbsp milk (depending on desired consistency)

Cream the cream cheese in an electric mixer for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and add the butter, beating for 1-2 minutes, or until incorporated. (Be sure that the two are at room temperature. Cold cream cheese or butter can make your frosting lumpy.) Add the brown sugar, pinch of salt and vanilla extract, and beat until incorporated. Turn off mixer and add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Turn the mixer on a low speed so the sugar doesn’t fly out of the bowl. Slowly add more sugar alternately with the milk until you reach your desired consistency.

++I frosted all of the Red Velvet Cupcakes and had plenty of this frosting left so I decided to locate another cupcake recipe and couldn't pass up the one below.

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Vanilla Cream Cheese Cupcakes
from Schweet 'N Savory (blog no longer active)
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1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 egg whites
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour 14 muffin cups or use muffin papers. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Place in preheated oven for about 22 minutes. Allow them to cool before icing them.

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Everything turned out great. I had doubts about the Vanilla Cream Cheese Cupcakes but boy are they delicious. I especially like the crispy edge. They both freeze well too!

I will post the birthday meal tomorrow.