Life: Not Your Low Carb Dish😊- Baked Honey Glazed Barbecue Chicken!

Everyone loves chicken in some form or fashion. Whether you like chicken baked, fried, or broiled, it is sure to show up on the dinner plate at least once a week. In our house we make some form of chicken at least twice a week. So, I like to shake up the chicken recipes every once and a while.

Although, I love to cook and try new foods, I like cooking meals which take no more than an hour to complete. For this blog, we are going to focus on preparing the chicken in this picture. Baked Honey Glazed Barbecue Chicken. I may mention a biscuit of 2😊. I would like to state this is my personal spin on a Baked Honey BBQ Chicken recipe I found ( https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/oven-baked-honey-bbq-chicken/201984). Let us dive into the Baked Honey Glazed Barbecue Chicken recipe.

We are going to gather the items needed for this recipe. The items needed are:

• 1 long baking pan
• Aluminum foil
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 cooking baster
• 1 cooking brush
• ½ cup of olive oil
• 1 small jar of real honey
• 1 bottle of smoked barbeque sauce
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• ½ cup of minced garlic-optional

I would like to say, the first step should occur the night before, or the morning you plan on making the chicken dish. Take the chicken out of package and wash thoroughly. Then poke holes in the chicken using a fork. For this recipe, we are using chicken legs.  Next add a ½ a jar of real honey, a ½ bottle of smoked barbeque sauce and 1 tablespoon of black pepper in the large mixing bowl. Also, you may add the 1/2 cup of minced garlic at this time if you choose. Mix contents thoroughly.  You may need to heat the honey for 30 seconds to make it soft enough to seep into the chicken holes. Then, cover the bowl with the chicken content with clear wrap and place in the refrigerator. This will allow the seasoning and spices to soak into the chicken.

Second: It is the evening time and is now time to bake the chicken. Remove chicken with prepared mixture in bowl from refrigerator. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While oven is heating, use a ½ cup of olive oil to grease bottom of long baking pan. I found in doing this, the barbeque sauce and honey does not stick. Strategically place each piece of chicken in the long baking pan.

Third: This part is extremely important! Pour remaining mixture from bowl over chicken. This will allow chicken to cook in the mixture it marinated in. The chicken will remain moist while cooking. Place aluminum foil over top of pan and place in oven. The foil allows the mixture to cook throughout the chicken. Make sure the oven is on 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for 1 hour.

Next: After 30 minutes, take the chicken out of the stove and baste with liquid from bottom of pan. Then brush on a layer of the smoked barbeque sauce using the remaining ½ bottle. Re-cover long baking pan with aluminum foil and place chicken back in oven.

Then: At about the 50-minute mark, remove pan from oven and brush chicken with a layer of honey from the remaining half bottle. You may need to preheat honey for 30 seconds to allow ease of brushing on substance. At this point, remove aluminum foil and allow the chicken to cook uncovered for 10 minutes. The chicken will crisp a little but still be moist.

Finally: Remove honey glazed barbecue chicken from oven. Allow chicken to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with sides of your choice. Serving size will depend on type of chicken used, and is per chicken package instructions.

Optional: So, as you can see the final picture is not a low carb picture. Dish can easily be transformed into a low carb dish. This can be done by removing the honey, using a low sugar barbeque sauce, and changing the dinner sides in the picture. Indirectly, this changes the chicken recipe, but it is an alternative😊. Recipes are a baseline and a guide, so have fun with it! Bon appetite!

 

*What is your favorite chicken dish? How do you cook your chicken? Remember the Honey Glazed Barbeque Chicken recipe can be modified to your liking and diet needs. It takes about 15 minutes to prep and 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook from prep to completion. Please share, subscribe via e-mail on the right. Leave a comment in the comment section below. As always, thank you for reading and subscribing!

LIFE: High Protein Deviled Eggs

 Who likes deviled eggs? ooh me! I do, I do! Let's face it, there are many versions of the deviled egg recipe that can be made. Currently, I have 3 different versions of the deviled egg recipe. The request was given to me to share one. I believe they are called deviled eggs because they are so darn delicious. How healthy they are depends on you and you ingredient choices! Anything that taste this delicious must be dangerous. For the purpose of this blog we are going to make high protein deviled eggs. So let's get started!

We will start with a list of ingredients and supplies that will be needed. They are as follows:

• 12 whole large eggs
• 1 cup of ranch salad dressing
• 1 cup of whole sour cream
• 1 tablespoon of cilantro
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• Paprika (sprinkle and optional)
• 1 cup of bacon bits (turkey or pork)
• 1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash (garlic and herb no salt seasoning)
• 1 cup of  crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons of sea salt
• Supplies needed: A large mixing bowl, a hand mixer, a large pot, a large strainer, 1 mixing spoon, and a large serving tray of your choice.

Now that we have our ingredients and supplies, lets begin the process:

1. First, fill the large pot half way with water. Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt and allow the water to come to a boil. Place the 12 whole eggs in the boiling water. Safety first, be careful when placing whole eggs in pot. Boil the eggs for 20 minutes. This will ensure the eggs are cooked thoroughly. 
2. Second, place the large strainer in the sink. Drain the water from the eggs by pouring the hot pot with the completed boiled eggs in a strainer. Place cool water back in the large pot and place the strained eggs in the cool water. Allow the 12 eggs to sit for 10 minutes before attempting to de-shell. Safety first, please use oven mitts during this process and do not hold face over pot while pouring. Steam will be hot!
3. After 10 minutes of cooling, remove the shells from each eggs. Tap each egg on the side of the pot to crack the shell and remove. This process should be easy because the sea salt was used during the eggs boiling process. Cut the cooled boiled eggs in half and place the boiled yokes in the large mixing bowl. This process will yield 24 egg white cups once complete. Leave the egg white cups in the water to cool completely.
4. Next, you should have 12 boiled yokes in the large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of ranch salad dressing, and 1cup of sour cream. Use hand mixer to mix these ingredients. Once mixed add 1 tablespoon of cilantro, 1 tablespoon of  cumin, 1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash garlic and herb blend, and 1 cup of feta cheese. Complete the mixing process with the mixing spoon. Using the mixing spoon during this stage keeps the crumbled feta cheese a little chunky in the mix.
5. At this point you may use the mixing spoon to add 1 cup of bacon bits to the mix, or leave them for later. I choose to leave them out for the non pork and non meat eaters. In doing this, splitting the egg preferences at the end of the process is easier.
6. Now, place all egg white cups on the large serving tray. You should have a total of 24. Fill each egg white cup with the prepared bowl mixture content. It should take roughly 1 tablespoon to fill each cup. Your mixture should be thick. If you have any mixture left you may top of each egg white cup with the remainder. Make sure to spread out any remaining mixture evenly.
7. Lastly, split the eggs with the prepared mixture inside into 2 twelves. If you did not add the bacon bits in the mixture during the hand mixing process, now you may sprinkle bacon bits on the first 12 eggs. Then sprinkle a little cilantro and paprika on all the eggs. These last few step are optional. Chill in the refrigerator and serve when ready.

Voila! Are you ready to be the hit of the party? A disclaimer I am going to make about the recipe is the ingredients are an estimate. Please modify to taste! Also, any crumbled cheese can be substituted to your liking (feta, Gouda, blue cheese, goat cheese and etc.). The cheese gives the deviled eggs a little zest and added protein. So what zest do you want? Trust me, these deviled eggs will fly off the dish. No matter what version you prepare, these eggs will disappear like magic. Enjoy and have fun with the process!

*It takes roughly 45 minutes to complete from prep to cook completion. These deviled eggs are totally worth the process. Please share your deviled egg recipe, subscribe via e-mail on the right, and leave a comment in the comment section below. As always, thanks for reading and subscribing!*

Life: Meal Prep-Quick Egg Sausage Loaf

Who wants a quick breakfast recipe?  Everyone wants a recipe that is going to save them time. Let us make a recipe using eggs. There are so many ways to cook this high protein food. The egg sausage loaf is sure to satisfy your early morning hunger. There are a plethora of ways to top this loaf. Surely you will get through the week with this tasty dish. Lets dive into this quick egg sausage loaf recipe.

1. First gather these items. Items needed are:
1. 1 loaf pan
2. 1 medium size skillet
3. 1 medium mixing bowl
4. 7 whole eggs
5. A half a pound of ground breakfast sausage (This item may be substituted. You may use: Turkey sausage, hamburger, bacon, and etc.)
6. Olive oil spray
7. 1/2 a cup of spicy shredded cheese ( This item may be substituted. Some other examples are: Colby jack, cheddar cheese, and etc.)
8. 2 tablespoons of dehydrated onions
9. Oregano seasoning (This item may be substituted. You may season dish with spices of you liking.)
2. Second- Spray skillet with olive oil spray. Make sure skillet is entirely coated with a thin layer. On top of stove place skillet on medium heat. Place a half pound of ground breakfast sausage in bottom of skillet. Cook for 10 minutes or until brown. Keep sausage crumbled during the browning process. While browning breakfast sausage, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Third- Place 7 eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix eggs until mixture is smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of dehydrated onions during the mixing process.
4. Take a loaf pan and spray with olive oil spray. Ensure the entire pan is coated with olive oil spray. Breakfast sausage should be browned by the end of the mixing process. Place two thirds of the brown breakfast sausage at the bottom of the loaf pan. Remember to make sure the bottom of the loaf pan is completely covered with the breakfast sausage. 
5. Next- Add 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the breakfast sausage. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese layer. Then sprinkle the rest of the breakfast sausage on top of the egg layer. The egg layer is thick so the breakfast sausage will stay on top. Sprinkle a pinch of cheese on top and place in oven. Let the egg sausage loaf cook for 25 minutes. 
6. Then- At the 25 minute mark, take the loaf out of the oven. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and add a few spices. I used oregano for this recipe. Place in oven for 5 more minutes.
7. Finally- Remove and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes, slice and serve. Recipe makes 8 servings.
8. (Optional)-You may place toppings of your liking on top of the egg sausage loaf (Examples are: Salsa, sour cream, avocado, and etc). Voila, your done!

*How do you quick prep your egg dish? Remember this quick egg sausage loaf can be modified to your liking. It takes 35 minutes to complete from prep to cook completion. Please share, subscribe via e-mail on the right, and leave a comment in the comment section below. As always, thanks for reading and subscribing!*

Life: Banana Blueberry Pancakes ( from scratch)

Who does not like pancakes? There are many variations of this breakfast item. The possibilities are endless. The breakfast item we are going to be working on today is my favorite. Banana blueberry pancakes from scratch. Although they don't taste like grandma's pancakes, they are pretty good. Lets get started!

1. Here are the items you will need to gather to complete this recipe. They are:
1. 2 cups of all purpose flower 
2. 4 teaspoons of baking powder
3. 1 teaspoon of salt
4. (optional) 1 tablespoon of white sugar 
5. 1.5 cup of unsweetened almond milk
6. 2 eggs
7. 4 table spoons of  melted butter
8. 2 fresh bananas ( I prefer soft and semi ripened)
9. 1 cup of fresh blueberries
10.  and a cinnamon stick (cinnamon spice will work too)
2. A few thing to remember when mixing ingredients together- Mix dry ingredients together in one bowl, then mix wet ingredients together in another bowl and combine the two. If this is not done, mixing is made difficult. Also, I find spices and flavors are not distributed equally. Now that you know this little tid-bit, we are ready to start the recipe😊!
3. First- Mix together in a large bowl (dry ingredient bowl) flour, baking powder, salt, (optional-sugar), and cinnamon. This can be done by sifting and/or using a hand mixer.
4. Second- In a separate bowl (wet ingredient bowl) blend unsweetened almond milk, 2 eggs, 4 table spoons of melted butter, 2 fresh bananas and hold the blueberries on the side (optional to blend with wet bowl). The reason sugar is optional, if using ripened bananas this will automatically sweeten the batter. Adjust sugar amount to your taste buds.
5. Next- Mix your wet and dry bowls together. Make a well in the center of your dry bowl and pour in your wet bowl mixture. Mix until batter is smooth.
6. Then- Heat a lightly oiled frying pan on medium heat. I do not use butter in this process because I add it afterwards and it makes it optional for others. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup of batter in the center. Use this measurement for each pancake. Brown pancake on one side. As your batter is up facing you on the  non-browned side, sprinkle in fresh blueberries. Then flip to brown blueberry side. This step prevents the blueberries from turning the pancakes blue. If you do not mind blue pancakes, you may mix in the blueberries with the wet ingredients and omit this part of the process.
7. (Optional)- As pancakes come out of the frying pan hot, apply melted butter on top. Make sure to spread butter evenly. As you add each pancake repeat the process. Slice up 1 extra banana. Spread sliced bananas and fresh blueberries on top of each serving. Toppings are endless for this pancake dish. 
8. Finally- Add syrup of your liking. Each individuals amount and brand may very. Voila, you have completed your banana, blueberry pancakes!

*What is your favorite pancake recipe? Just a reminder, the banana blueberry pancake recipe is not a quick one, but becomes easier to make over time with practice. Just a quick note for those with dietary restrictions, this recipe is not low carb, low fat, or high fiber. But modifications can be made to achieve those dietary restrictions. Please subscribe via e-mail on the right, and leave a comment in the comment section below. As always, thanks for reading and subscribing!*

Life: Quick Salmon-Shrimp Recipe!

 Who doesn't like fish and shrimp? There are a plethora of ways to make fish. No wonder it's the go to dish in our house. Being full of nutrients is an added bonus! I want to share with you an easy salmon-shrimp recipe you can complete in 5 steps. The recipe is as follows: 

1. First: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.While oven is heating, take out a whole piece of fresh salmon with skin, and defrosted fresh shrimp. Cut Salmon into 1/4 sections after cleaning. During this time, clean defrosted shrimp.
2. Second: Coat medium size baking pain with olive oil, and black pepper. Place sectioned salmon in pan, skin side down. Add additional spices of your choice on top of salmon. My spices of choice are lemon juice, and a Mrs. Dash lemon/garlic spice blend.
3. Third: While waiting for the oven to heat, slightly saute shrimp on stove stop. Use olive oil on low heat as the base. Add minced garlic during this process. This process should take 5 to 10 minutes. Place saute shrimp on top of fish in baking pan.
4. Fourth: The oven should be ready to go. Cover pan with foil and baked fish for 35 to 40 minutes.
5. Fifth (Optional): Make avocado chive dip. For this sauce you will need 1/4 cup of sour cream, a 1/2 cup of melted chive cream cheese, and 1/4 cup of frozen avocado chunks. Blended all 3 of these ingredients together. You may adjust these 3 ingredients to your liking. 

* The end result is a delicious salmon-shrimp dish! Meal takes 35 to 40 minutes to complete. The second day the leftover shrimp was used to make a salad. Please share some of your quick-go-to recipes in the comment box below. You can subscribe via e-mail in the column on the right. As always, thank you for reading, sharing, and subscribing😊.*

Life: Quick Instant Pot Meal- Meatball, Chicken Soup with Bacon

Who doesn't like a quick Instant Pot meal😉? The Meatball, Chicken Soup with Bacon is a quick meal to prepare. Weather you are under the weather, a working mom, or just need to save time. The meals in the Instant Pot are quick and nourishing for the long shifts in healthcare. The quick recipe for the soup is as follows:

• First place a small bag of frozen chicken strips, and a small bag of frozen meatballs of your choice in the Instant Pot. Use 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth as your base liquid. Touch the soup button and time for 30 minutes. Completing this step first allows the chicken broth to absorb into the meat.

• When the fist step is complete, open the Instant Pot per manufacture's instructions. Next add fresh spinach, fresh minced garlic, frozen peppers and onions, bacon bits, another cup of low sodium chicken broth, and some spices of your choice to the pot. Adding the vegetables at the end, keeps the veggies a little crisp. Close the Instant Pot and touch the soup button. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.

• Voila, you are done😊! Last top with Gouda shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole and fresh chives. Toppings may be modified to your liking!

* Soup may be modified to your taste, and diet requirements. Also, please use Instant Pot per manufacturer's instructions. For more delicious quick recipes, please subscribe via email in the column on the Right. As always, thank you for reading and subscribing. Please share your quick soup recipe in the comment section below.*

LIFE: Quick Pork Steak Recipe:-)!

Life is about trying new things. One of my favorite things to do is experiment with food. The Covid-19 pandemic is the perfect time to try a new recipe. Weather you are working during this time or at home,  "2 for 1 meals" may save you time. Here is a recipe that takes less than 1 hour. Lets get started! The main part of this meal is going to be pork steak. The completed dish is: Seasoned pork steak, waxed beans with spinach, cornbread, and a sour cream and chives dipping sauce.

                                   

1. Pork Steak- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place olive oil,  minced garlic, a dash of vinegar, thyme, and minced onion on the bottom of the pan. Place the defrosted strips of pork steak on top of the seasoning. Add a hint of the thyme on top. Cover the dish with foil and cook for 1 hour (Slow cooking and covering the meat allows the seasonings to be absorbed, and the meat to remain moist and tender).
2. Wax Beans- While the pork steak is cooking, sauté the spinach and waxed beans in a pan. For this part, you may use fresh and/or frozen vegetables. Use olive oil or grape seed oil in the bottom of the pan. Make sure the vegetables are defrosted, and are sautéing on low to moderate heat (Cooking on low to moderate heat keeps the vegetables form over cooking and becoming mushy). Add fresh herbs for taste.
3. Dipping Sauce- For the sauce, you will need a half cup of sour cream, half cup of melted chive cream cheese, and chive seasoning. You may adjust these measurements to your taste buds! Melt chive cream cheese, and mix all 3 contents together.
4. Cornbread- For the sake of time, cornbread was a box mix. Please follow instructions as written on cornbread box mix of your choice.

*The end product is the dish stated above. Meal took 56 minutes to complete, from prep to finish. Seasonings and measurements can be adjusted to suit your taste buds. Its all in the fun of cooking😊. Second day, left over pork steak was used to make a quick salad😉! Please, share some of your quick-go-to recipes in the comment box below. If you like this post, please subscribe via e-mail on the right. Thanks in advance.*