Soy Ginger Grilled Chicken

I'm not perfect. Some of my recipe 'hot messing' flops. Yep. Curplunk. 

However, a few days ago I had some chicken breasts and Paul Newman's fabulous Low Fat Sesame Ginger salad dressing. 

We had somewhere to be and I wanted a quick dinner. And this juicy Soy Ginger Grilled Chicken was just the ticket. Literally it took me about 5 minutes of prep time and about 20 minutes in front of a hot grill and dinner was on the table. The chicken was tender and juicy with just enough of the ginger soy flavor to make it snap! 

I served it along side the Spicy Grilled Chicken with a Parmesan Crust because, hey - I was at the grill anyway! Why not!

It's not brain-surgery - this recipe isn't - but it was so easy and so delicious that I just had to share it. 

Plus! Make a few extra because the next night I got inventive and made Chicken Thia Peanut Wraps! Oh My Goodness these were so delicious using this grilled chicken that I couldn't stop moaning...

I think my honey thought something was wrong with me!

Anyway! Happy grilling! On with the recipe!


Soy Ginger Grilled Chicken

5 Boneless and Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/4 Cup Paul Newman's Light Ginger Soy Dressing (and extra for basting)
1 tsp. Ginger (dried)
1 tsp. Black Cracked Pepper
1 tbsp. Toasted Sesame Seeds (for garnish)

1. Combine the soy ginger dressing, dried ginger, and cracked pepper in a large bowl or plastic bag. Either whisk together or seal the plastic bag and moosh the marinade around. Add the chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but this can be done overnight or even two days in advance.

2. When ready heat the grill to medium high (350 degrees if using gas) and place the chicken on the hot grill and cook each side for 8-10 minutes depending on how thick your chicken breasts are. Baste generously with extra ginger soy dressing as you cook each side.

3.  Remove from the grill and sprinkle the chicken breasts with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve with the soy ginger dressing on the side for dipping. This is great with the grilled corn and a salad for a nice meal!

Servings: 5 (per 4 ounce chicken breast)


Nutritional Skinny:

135 calories / 2.5 g fat / 3 g carbohydrates / 0 g fiber / 23 g protein


Mental Health Benefit: This recipe speaks for it's self. It's simple, semi-homemade, and uses simple flavors. It is low if fat and calories and really high in protein due to the lean chicken meat. And it comes together in minutes. Plus if you have leftovers you get the added bonus of eating it tomorrow in a sandwich or possibly a Thai Chicken Peanut Wrap! I'm may not be perfect, but that sounds pretty delicious to me!

Grilled Corn on the Cob with a Parmesan Crust

Grilling corn has become the 'new' way I cook corn. I no longer boil it. I haven't in several years ever since I discovered this method.

Grilling, cooks the corn, then gives it a little bit of blackening so when you bite into the cob you taste the sweet burst of corn as well as the salty crust of Parmesan and the slightly charred blackened snap.

It reminds me of kettle corn the way it's salty and sweet at the same time. I love kettle corn. It's my absolute favorite. 

But that's a story for another day.

Grilling corn is also super easy. All you need is some husked fresh sweet corn, a little olive oil, a brush, and some spices. That's all.

And if you are already at the grill cooking chicken (like I was) then it's a one stop meal. Heat everything on the grill, take it off, and BAM! You're ready to eat!

It's the perfect side dish to serve with anything that you are grilling and it means no messy oven scenes or skillet nightmares, just one big 'ol grilling mess!


Now, that's what I call fun and a great way to celebrate our 4th of July weekend!


Now on with the recipe!

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Parmesan Crust

6 Ears of Sweet Corn; husks removed

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tbsp. Seasonal Salt

1 tbsp. Black Pepper

1 tbsp. Cayenne Pepper

1 tbsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1. With husks removed place the corn right on a grill that has been heated to 300-325 degrees. Brush one side of the corn cob with olive oil. Then sprinkle that same side with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Turn the seasoned side down. Close the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. 

2. Then turn and brush the other side with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with spices and turn the cob so the uncooked side is down (or the newly seasoned side). Cook for another 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to char the corn, continue to check it and turn it if need be. The corn will pop and sizzle and slightly blacken. This is exactly what you want to happen!

3. Once the corn has been grilled and is sufficiently cooked and blackened. Place in a large serving platter or bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with the delicious slow grilled spicy chicken wings, or grilled chicken, or Slap Yo Mama Burgers!

Servings: 6


Nutritional Skinny:


120 calories / 4 g fat / 17 g carbohydrates / 2.4 g fiber / 4.1 g protein

Mental Health Benefit: Corn is one of those vegetables that I usually over look nutritionally. However, it's a great source of complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and fiber (which none of us get enough of). It also is a decent source of vitamins B, C, and E as well as having a pretty good amount of folic acid. So, let's not over look the sweet, perfect little corn cob in the grocery store. It too has value!

Grillin' with Feelin'

After a wild and rowdy long weekend at Lake Charles, LA, with my Chicks I find myself home alone again. The weekend was an annual visit with my I AM Chick sisters. There was laughter, boat dancing, swimming, eating, and lots and lots of love. The trip started with me accidentally getting on the wrong airplane and ending up in Minneapolis instead of Salt Lake City! Ooops! As my Chicks said, I am a piece of work, and I ended up arriving in Houston at exactly the same time as I was originally planed.

 The rest of the trip was just as wild and just as fun! We stayed at the most beautiful lake house and saw gorgeous sunsets. There was lots of great food, prepared in Hot Mess style, and we did lots of fun things that I can't share on this blog... Let's just say that what happens in Lake Charles... Stays in Lake Charles!

Now I am faced with myself and the computer and trying to stay on task. A lot harder than originally believed when I got out of bed this morning... I find myself day dreaming, thinking, wandering around the house and generally distracting myself...

 Instead of finishing my outline, I decided to type up this blog in honor of my I AM Chicks. They are the wind beneath my wings, the laughter inside my tears, and the calm in the storm. This Grilled Chicken wings, Spicy corn on the cob, and delicious Apricot Chocolate Cheese-quakes are the perfect way to celebrate a sisterhood of the heart.

These recipes are also easy and the perfect way to celebrate the end of a great weekend, the end of summer and a whole new beginning awaiting all of us. I wouldn't change a thing... Not this cloudy day, not this cold weather, and especially not any of my friends, family, or sisters!

• I AM exactly where I want to be.
• I am grateful for the many blessings in my life.
• I am creating the life that I deserve, one recipe at a time!

Oh, and I am grateful for this fresh delicious sweet corn! What are you grateful for? These recipes I hope! ;)

Spicy Grilled Chicken

2 pounds chicken wings

Marinade:

1/4 cup hot sauce (we love Valentino's)

1 tbsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. Italian seasonings

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. Hungarian Paprika

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. cracked pepper

1. Combine the hot sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, cayenne pepper, paprika, and olive oil using a whisk.

2. In a large bowl place all of the chicken wings. We prepare each of them by creating triangle shapes by placing the leg behind the drum stick. Add the marinade to the wings and turn to coat the chicken completely. Then cover with saran wrap. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but it can be overnight if you have the time.

3. When ready to cook, heat your grill to 250 degrees. Place the chicken wings on the grill and cover. Check and turn every 20 minutes for 2 hours total. We are cooking these low and slow so they will fall right off the bone and be tender and delicious. After 2 hours place in a serving dish and eat with your fingers! Delicious!

Grilled Spicy Corn on the Cob

6 ears of sweet corn; husks removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. With husks removed place the corn right on a grill that has been heated to 300 degrees. Brush each corn cob with olive oil on both sides. Then sprinkle each side with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Close the lid and cook each side for 10-15 minutes. The corn will pop and sizzle and slightly blacken. This is exactly what you want to happen!

2. Once the corn has been grilled and is sufficiently cooked and blackened. Place in a large serving platter or bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with the delicious chicken wings!

Apricot Chocolate Cheese-quakes!

Crust:

1 cup crushed chocolate wafer cookies (we used Pirouette chocolate fudge wafers)

1/4 cup milled flax seed

Filling:

8 ounces low fat Philadelphia cream cheese

1 cup low fat sour cream

2 cups fresh apricots; pitted and sliced in half (about 3-4 apricots)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup splenda

1 eggs

1 tablespoon brandy (we used E & J)

3 ounces dark chocolate (we used Hershey's dark chocolate)

To make the crust:

1. Crush up a cup of the chocolate wafer cookies and add the milled flax seed and stir to combine.

2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray with non-fat cooking spray. Reserving 1/4 of a cup , sprinkle the cookie and flax seed mixture into the bottom of each of the muffin tins using about 1-2 tablespoons per muffin. Spray the crust with a little bit of cooking spray to seal. Set the muffin tins aside and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the filling:

3. In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, apricots, vanilla, splenda, egg, and brandy. Process until smooth. Add the chocolate breaking into small pieces at the end and process for another 20 seconds.

4. Pour the filling into each muffin until full and bake for 30 minutes.

Topping and eating...!

5. Once done the top should be only slightly jiggly.

6. Remove from oven once the top is set and spread a teaspoon of sugar free apricot jam (we love Smucker's) and sprinkle with the remaining cookie crumb mixture.

7. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least one hour and devour! Bon Appetite!

Mental Health Benefit: These recipes are easy, healthy, and best of all they are fresh and no matter what the weather is like near you they are the perfect way to celebrate summer. Hang on to the very last drops of this summer time bliss. With fall comes great things too, but that doesn't mean that we can't celebrate the hot mess bliss that summer brings us all. As you pack yourself or your kids up for school celebrate the lasting summer with one more delicious outdoor cooked meal!

Sending you love from my kitchen to yours!

~ "Little Hot Mess" In the kitchen!

Arriving Home... Back to BIG SKY Country!

We wake early in Santa, Fe and hit the hard road once again. We are dusting off our saddles and heading to Colorado. Boulder to be exact. We hope to get to Wyoming, but our dreams are shattered when my dad gets pulled over right after we head out of town and is rewarded with a $177 speeding ticket. He calls this a donation to the state of New Mexico, I call it the reason we opted for a free night's stay at my aunt and uncles in Boulder over driving farther down the road. When I tell my boyfriend the news his response is, "Would you give a priest a ticket?" The answer is... I guess so. My dad does appreciate the support though and during my dad's traffic stop my mom and I find a gift shop to browse. My parents end up spending the rest of the money we had for a hotel room, farther locking in the stay in Boulder.

When we arrive in Boulder, we are feeling a little more peppy than before and decide that since we have a kitchen, we are going to make something simple for dinner. We decide on eggs. What could be simpler than eggs and healthy too. Mom and I pick up eggs, spinach, and cheese and we head across the street to the bar. It is seriously passed cocktail hour and we decide to have a margarita. Hey, why break the tradition? When our drinks are finished we head home, to my aunt and uncle's house. They aren't there, but their neighbor graciously left a key for us to get in.

I whip up an egg scramble in about 15 minutes and we make toast and call it dinner. We have some white wine that we brought along and pop the cork. We are in a celebratory mood. I am only a half a day to Montana and my man, who I haven't seen in WAY too long! We hit the sack early and before I know it my alarm is waking me up telling me that today is the day! Montana here we come! We load up the car and hit the hard road for one more day!

My boyfriend has agreed to meet us in Bozeman and when we arrive, I am breathless! I can hardly wait to see him. It has been over a month. I see him pull up in his Ford pickup that has "Montana Guy" written all over it and I break into a huge smile as I meet him in the parking lot. We embrace, laugh, and he comments, "lookin' good honey. I missed you." To which I have no words other than, "Ditto."

Our first night back together just the two of us we decide to make my Famous Cheeseburgers on the grill with Grilled Potato 'Chips'. The sun is shining and it feels like summer and nothing says Man-tana (as I have heard it called) like a juicy burger on the grill.

I am definitley back in my Man-tana! Traveling is fun, but there is nothing better than the feeling of being back in the familiar folds of my own sheets! I am happily back in Montana and back in the kitchen. I have a lot of serious cookin' to do!

Abby's Famous Burgers

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 package dried onion soup mix
2 tbsp. garlic; minced
1 tbsp. red pepper

Mix all ingredients listed above using your hands until all of the seasonings have been incorporated. For into 4 equal size patties. As my man points out, make sure they are thin and make an indent in the middle with your thumb to make for even cooking.

Heat the grill and grill for 3-5 minutes a side depending on how well done you like your burgers. Make sure not to mash the burgers, you will loose that juicy taste which makes these the best around.

For an added bonus, we sliced white onions and added 2 tbsp. garlic and 1 tbsp. olive oil. We placed this all in a foil package and grilled right next to the burgers. It was a perfect juicy topping to the grilled burgers.

Grilled Potato 'Chips'

3 potatoes; washed

1 package ranch dressing mix
2 tbsp. olive oil

Slice potatoes into 1 1/2 inch think circular rounds leaving the skins on. Place in a large zip lock bag and add the olive oil and ranch dressing mix. Shake the bag to incorporate all the oil and seasonings.

Heat the grill to medium-low heat and place the potato 'chips' on the grill. Reserve the leftover olive oil mixture for basting. Cook on 5 minutes a side continously flipping and basting for 30 minutes or until the potatoes squish easily with tongs.

Sprinkle with 1 tsp. sea salt and serve alongside the delicious cheeseburgers. Enjoy!

Mental Health Benefit: Nothing gets me in a relaxed mood than being outside. Every once and a while we deserve to step out of the kitchen and cook in the great outdoors. Take deep breaths and delight in the sweet aroma of grilled meat, onions, and ranch potato 'chips'! It is the perfect introduction to spring and a great way to entertain, reconnect with a loved one, or just relax on your own. Go ahead and step out (side)! You deserve to switch it up every once and a cook in the great outdoors!

Here's to cookin' in the great outdoors from my home to yours!

~ "Too Lovely" Hot Messes back in Montana