Variety is the Spice of Life

Dad and I try to eat as healthy as possible during the week so we can splurge on the weekends. Chicken is healthy, but can get REALLY boring. When Dad gets bored with food, we end up going out to eat, spending too much money, and not being very healthy. So I try to change things up during the week with new recipes. 

I found this recipe for Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs on Cooking Light. I LOVE this site because they have great recipes that range in difficulty and prep/cook time. This is a really simple recipe - quick, no crazy ingredients and inexpensive!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Cooking Light.

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs
Full recipe here.

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or bone-in, whatever you can find)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (or flakes)
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.

3. Combine honey and vinegar in small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush half of honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

I can't always find 8 chicken thighs in one pack, so I just go with what I have which is usually about 6 total. These come out sweet, spicy and delicious. I try to be sure our plates are colorful so I like serving these with roasted sweet potatoes, green beans and sauteed squash and onions. 

"Taste the rainbow" should refer to a variety of fruits and vegetables, NOT skittles.

Date Night Dinner, hold the vomit

To save money and spend more time with B, Dad and I like to have dinner at home on the weekends. But it has to be something good...we eat a lot of chicken and vegetables during the week so we need a change of pace. Last Friday I went to Publix with nothing particular in mind. Luckily they had New York Strips on sale. Couple those with some little rose potatoes, asparagus, a quick salad, some wine and we have a Date Night Dinner! 

I use DAK's spices in almost every meal I cook. They make awesome blends that are SALT FREE and the owners live here in Birmingham! The steaks were seasoned up with some DAK's Bourbon Barrel Smoked Pepper and Steakhouse blends. I also added a pinch of kosher salt.

Yummmmm. Sophie was jealous. 

For the potatoes, I added 1-2 tbsp. of Herb Oil (also made in Birmingham). This stuff is good enough to drink and really great with bread or any other starch. I also added some Herbes de Provence because it is Dad's favorite. We wrapped these up in foil and threw them on the Weber with the steaks and asparagus (not shown). 

Mini potatoes are cute and fun to eat!

B joined us for dinner, as he usually does, but wasn't feeling his green beans so I tried some Yo-Baby yogurt. Evidently he was trying to tell me he wasn't hungry because he proceeded to projectile vomit on my house slippers. We learn something new every day. 

Friday's Lesson: all high chairs should have wheels. I missed the second projectile by inches thanks to my quick reaction and our spiffy rolling high chair. 

"MA, NO MORE FOOD!" said B in his OXO Seedling high chair provided by G-pa Steiner.

Needless to say, bath time was quickly followed by ice cream for Mom. Good thing Publix had a Haagen-Dazs BOGO!