Slow-Cooked Sweet & Tangy Chicken Wings

• 10-12 chicken wing drummettes
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• Dash pepper
• 1-1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• Dash red pepper flakes

• Sprinkle chicken wings with a dash of salt and pepper. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer to a greased slow cooker.
• Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, remaining salt, olive oil, and broth; pour over wings. Toss to coat.
• Cover and cook on low for 3-1/4 to 3-3/4 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Dr. Pepper Lemon Pepper Tangy Glazed Sirloin

Gonna grill out today, and here's what's on the menu!

_____________________________________________

DR. PEPPER LEMON PEPPER TANGY GLAZED SIRLOIN


Ingredients for marinade

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup Dr. Pepper
• 1/4 cup A1 sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 minced garlic clove (or 1/4 teaspoon pre-prepared minced garlic)
• 1 to 2 pounds top sirloin steak
• Lemon pepper seasoning

Ingredients for glaze

• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (any kind you like!)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup A1 sauce
• 1 tablespoon molasses or dark corn syrup

Method

• Mix together marinade ingredients in a gallon-size plastic bag (NOT the lemon pepper, that's for later). Cut the steaks into 1 inch-wide strips (should be 4-6 strips per steak depending on how big the steak is)
• Place strips in marinade, mix around to coat, and allow to soak up the flavor in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight
• After marinading, remove steak from bag, throw away bag, and sprinkle the steaks with the lemon pepper seasoning
• Cook on the grill until desired doneness is attained (should be 8-12 minutes). Prepare the glaze.
• When steaks are a few minutes from being done, brush on the glaze and allow steaks to remain on grill to heat and caramelize the glaze.

_________________________________________________

Honey Balsamic Chicken

I've got some chicken in my freezer that needs to be used before it's burned to death, so I'm trying my hand at a honey balsamic chicken recipe with my own spin...

______________________________________


HONEY BALSAMIC CHICKEN

Ingredients for glaze
 
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar (I used the kind infused with pomegranate)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 tablespoon white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)

Ingredients for chicken

2 chicken breasts (or 4 tenderloins)

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon thyme
Pinch of nutmeg

Method

1. Coat chicken with dry ingredients
2. Place chicken in a skillet at medium heat with a pat of butter for 4-7 minutes
3. Remove chicken from skillet and simmer the glaze in the skillet for 1-2 mintues
4. Place chicken pieces in skillet again, making sure to turn so that glaze coats them. Heat until cooked

______________________________________

Meat Loaf

Needed a use for some extra hamburger I had in my freezer and decided to try my hand at some meat loaf. I thought it turned out pretty well!

_____________________________

MEAT LOAF


Ingredients for loaf:

• 1 1/2 pound hamburger
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tablespoon dried minced onions
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 1/2 tablespoon ketchup
• 1/2 tablespoon mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce 
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoning salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/3 cup finely ground Stacy's Sea Salt pita chips (or other form of dried bread crumbs, crackers, crouton, etc)

Ingredients for sauce:

• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 1/3 tablespoon mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon barbecue sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Lawry's seasoning salt
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Method

1. Line a casserole dish with aluminum foil (this is an important step for your sanity!)
2. Use a food processor to finely grind up your bread crumbs
3. Combine hamburger, egg, onions, milk, and the various other ingredients into a large bowl and stir together thoroughly using your hands
4. Place meat in casserole dish in a "loaf" shape--this is just an oblong shape roughly a foot long, 4 inche wide, and 4 inches deep
5. Mix together ingredients for sauce and pour on top of the loaf, spreading it around and allowing it to drip down the sides
6. Sprinkle just a little more brown sugar on the top
7. Place in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove from oven, allow to "set" for 5-10 minutes, cut up like a loaf of bread and serve

__________________________________________

Beans & Weenies

Henry and I have just gotten married on May 19th (Yay!), but I'm having to cook a lot at home since we are on a tight budget with me being in school, etc. Needless to say, before getting married, I would say my forte in cooking was in the dessert/baking department, so it's pretty intimidating to have to make an acceptable-to-eat-for-dinner meal that will not leave us starving. Thus, I've been expanding my horizons to bigger and better things (that are still easy, fast, and stuff that I already have in my house). The first being...

_______________________________________________

BEANS & WEENIES


Ingredients:

• 2 regular-sized cans of baked beans (any kind you like)
• 6-7 hot dogs
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 table spoons dried parsley flakes

Method:

1. Cut the hot dogs up into 1/2 inch pieces
2. Dump the 2 cans of baked beans in a pot, followed by the pieces of hot dogs
3. Add the other ingredients to the pot and stir together
4. Place covered on medium-high heat for 15-25 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. Turn heat to low or medium-low to allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes

_______________________________________________