Candied Almond Salad

This is the recipe that we had over the Christmas holiday and is from thesisterscafe.com

2 heads of leafy green; 1 can be a bag of spinach- I used 1 head romaine and 1 head of left lettuce and another time 2 heads of romaine
3/4 c Craisins
2 crisp apples
Orange juice (enough to toss the apples in to prevent browning and add a little flavor)
2 oz blue cheese or gorgonzola and /or feta
1/2 cut slivered almonds
1/4 c sugar

Combine nuts and sugar in a medium skillet over median heat.  Stir constantly.  After a few minutes, the sugar will liquify.  Pay close attention at this point stir to cover the nuts with the sugar coating.  The syrup will begin to daren and will coat the nuts.  When they reach a golden brown(not dark brown-that burns them-not so good-voice of experience) remove from heat and I think out of the pan.  I put them on a plate and stirred them a few times to break them up.  Cool completely.  Set aside.

Chop apples and toss in orange juice.

When ready to serve, toss the lettuce, crasins, nuts, apples and cheese in a large bowl.  Toss with the dressing.  FYI- the dressing wilts any leftovers.

Honey Red Wine Vinaigrette
1/2 c red wine vinegar
1/2c honey
1-2 cloves garlic-presses
1tsp Kosher salt
1tsp coarse ground pepper
1/2 c canola oil

Mix in a blender

For dad and I I just have everything on the table, we make the salad on our plate and then add the dressing on the plate.  It has been so wonderful and yummy!!  I have the apple ( I only cut about a fourth) in a little baggie with the OJ and it stays for about 3 days.  We have loved this.  I didn't have any more almond so I tried some pecans that I had and we like the pecans even better than the almonds!! I probably put 2/3 cup pecans to the 1/4 c sugar.   They are amazing!  I also put them in the steel cut oats Sara told me about and that was very good too.  I figured out how to put in a picture!!!

Shrapnel Dip

I have decided to post several recipes that I thought were great, but never got around to posting. So get excited.
This dip is awesome. So so so good. I could eat it all the time I think. I tend to leave out the white beans. Because one can of beans is enough for me!

Make it.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/01/amazing-shrapnel-dip.html

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can white beans, such as navy or Great Northern
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can corn (see note above)
• 1-2 avocados, diced
• 1/4-1/2 cup red pepper, diced
• 1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup Italian dressing (see note above), plus more if needed
• Squeeze of fresh lime (about 1/2 tablespoon or so from half of a large lime)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• White, blue or yellow corn/tortilla chips for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Drain the beans and corn together in a colander. Give them a quick rinse and let them drain really well so no extra liquid makes its way into the dip. You can use a salad spinner to get rid of excess liquid or lay them out on a double layer of paper towels and blot dry. Add them to a large bowl.
2. Toss in the avocados, red pepper, tomatoes, red onion and cilantro. Mix. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad and using a large spoon or spatula, fold the ingredients and dressing together until everything is evenly coated.
3. Squeeze the lime juice over the top. Gently mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with chips. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. If making in advance, wait to chop and stir in the avocados until right before serving.

Mozzarella Sticks and Jalapeno Poppers!

I saw this recipe for Mozzarella Sticks and I was like, wait if that works for mozzarella sticks then I think it should work for jalapeno poppers. And it did! Such a fun, easy treat!

Delicious!

Inspired from: http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2010/05/panko-mozzarella-sticks/

What you need:

• String Cheese cut in half
• Jalapenos halved, de seeded and membranes taken out, cut in half again (so they're bite size!)
• Cream cheese
• Bowl of flour
• 2 eggs and a bit of milk mixed together in another bowl. 
• Panko crumbs and some parsley flakes in another bowl
• Marinara sauce for dipping if you like that sort of thing

Directions:

For the jalapeno poppers, spread a very thick layer of cream cheese on the jalapeno slice. Roll either the jalapeno/cream cheese mixture or the cut in half string cheese in flour. Then dunk it in the egg/ milk mixture. Then roll it around in the crumbs. 

Next, and this is very important, put them on a pan and throw them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. This makes it so they don't fall apart when you fry them and so the cheese doesn't cook too quickly and melt out.

Heat a 1/2 inch or so of oil in a pan. Drop in the poppers or mozz sticks and cook until browned on one side. Roll them over and cook until browned around (hehe browned around). Put them on a plate with a paper towel and then enjoy!

Almond Joy Brownies

I don't know why these aren't up here. They are so good. Like out of this world good. Make them now. Except Danielle, who doesn't like coconut. I tend to leave out the almonds because they cost alot of money.

http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2013/05/almond-joy-brownies.html

• 1 box of your favorite fudge brownie mix (or your favorite brownies from scratch)
• 1/2 c. white Karo (corn) syrup
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 10 large marshmallows (exactly 10 or the consistency is off)
• 2 c. coconut
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• roasted almonds, chopped
• 1 bag Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips (they are worth the extra money)

Instructions

• Mix up your brownie mix and pour into a sprayed 9x13 inch pan.
• In a heavy sauce pan (over medium on the stove) heat syrup, marshmallows, and salt until marshmallows are melted. Continue to stir over heat for an additional minute. Remove from stove and add coconut, vanilla, and chopped almonds. Stir well and dollop this coconut mix all over the top of the brownie mix, it doesn't need to be completely covering the top, just evenly distributed.
• Bake the brownies according to the regular directions.
• When there is about 5 minutes left, begin melting the chocolate chips. I like to do this by putting them in a metal bowl and placing the bowl over a pot of boiling water. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.
• When you remove the brownies from the oven, drizzle all over with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with some extra coconut flakes.

Baked Manicotti

This was awesome. Especially since it was a meatless meal and it still tasted awesome. However, you could totally use mom's spaghetti sauce (which I would link to if it was on here) instead of the sauce it calls for and have meat-y manicotti. In her description she was all like, it's worth the extra work. I didn't think it was that work intensive, but maybe that because I like stuffed shells. Which I just realized I haven't posted that recipe... Oops.

Anyway great meal.

The noodles that you want look like this: http://www.barilla.com/content/product/oven-ready-lasagne

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/09/best-baked-manicotti.html

INGREDIENTS

Tomato Sauce:
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (in juice)
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
Cheese Filling and Pasta:
• 3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
• 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (or 2 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
• 16 no-boil lasagna noodles (I use the Barilla brand – apparently they are supposed to be the most similar to homemade pasta and I love them, both in this and in lasagna)

DIRECTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.
4. To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.
5. Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.
6. Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
7. The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

This recipe rocked. So good. So easy. So fast.

Sam liked it because it didn't dry out like traditional cordon bleu is wont to.

I used homemade breadcrumbs. Just threw a few pieces of bread in my blender and then put them in the oven for 5 minutes. They were awesome. I highly recommend this.

Honey ham was on sale so we used that but I definitely think black forest would be better.

For the sauce I would cut back on the dijon mustard. It added a great flavor but was a little overpowering. I also might add lemon juice next time.

Really everyone should try this.

I also halved this one so just used 2 chicken breasts and cut them into thinner pieces. So I think I used like an 8x11 pan instead and still didn't fill it all the way. If you had a square pan it would be perfect for the two chicken breasts.

Mmmm

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/06/chicken-cordon-bleu-the-easy-way.html

INGREDIENTS

For the Cordon Bleu:
• 3 large chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to form two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
• 12 slices deli ham
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 to 1/2 pound thinly sliced swiss cheese
For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube, crushed)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside.
2. Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with 2 slices of swiss cheese, shingling across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.
3. Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.
4. While the chicken bakes, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly, while cooking the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking.
5. Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce.

NOTES

Make Ahead Instructions: Assemble the chicken, ham and cheese according to the recipe. Store the prepared bread crumb/butter mixture in a resealable plastic bag or other container. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store it and the bread crumb mixture in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. When ready to bake, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top and bake according to the recipe, adding anywhere from 5-15 extra minutes since it was refrigerated prior to baking. Make the sauce while the casserole bakes or make it ahead of time, let it cool, and store it covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, reheating over low heat and whisking to recombine before serving.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

So I needed a side dish for this cordon bleu I was making (I will post it next) and I wanted it to be potatoes. However I only have one oven rack in my oven- I know, huge problem, I need to measure my oven and get another one, but that's not important right now- so the potato dish couldn't be in the oven and I wasn't sure if the sauce for the cordon bleu would be good on potatoes. So I found this delicious recipe.

It was really good! I might have been a little garlic happy... I had 5 very small potatoes and put in 4 cloves of garlic. Yeah they tasted awesome. So I used a 1/2 cup of parmesan since I essentially halved the recipe, and then just put in butter and milk until it tasted how I wanted it to.

Roasting garlic is easy as can be, but I think Mel has a super oven. When I roasted it, it took more like 30-35 minutes to get roasted all the way.

It was great!

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/04/roasted-garlic-and-parmesan-mashed-potatoes.html

• 5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, rinsed and diced 
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¾ cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4-5 cloves roasted garlic (trim the pointy end off a head of garlic, place sprout-side down on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, fold sides of foil up to enclose the garlic completely and cook in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the garlic is tender; the cloves squeeze right out of their skins when they are ready)

DIRECTIONS

1. For the mashed potatoes, In a large pot, place the potatoes and cover with water (by at least two inches). Add the salt. Bring to a boil, and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot.
2. Begin mashing the potatoes. Add the butter and mash in to the potatoes. Add the milk, cheese, roasted garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mash until the potatoes are smooth. Serve immediately.

Pesto and Sausage Baked Zitti

I have been waiting for my house to cool down enough for me to be ok with using the oven again so I could try this recipe. And it was really good! Really really good!

I actually made all of this the night before but had forgotten to buy ricotta cheese. So I stored the noodles, meat/ sauce mixture, and grated cheeses in separate bowls. Then I put it all together at lunch (Sam had run to the store) so then I could just throw it in the oven when I got home and we had dinner in like 25 minutes! Woohoo! I had a couple random leaves of basil left over so I threw those in with the spinach because really you can't ever have too much basil right? If you are making it ahead I recommend not cooking the noodles so they're completely soft because then they'll be all mushy.

Oh also if you're not cooking for a crowd, you may want to half it. Or have a ton of leftovers like me!

But really so good. I loved it.
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/06/pesto-and-sausage-baked-ziti.html

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ziti noodles
• 1 pound Italian turkey or chicken sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup pesto
• 9 ounces baby spinach (about 5 ish cups)
• 15-ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ziti and cook until al dente. Drain.
3. While the pasta is boiling, in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat, add the turkey sausage, onion and garlic and cook until the sausage is cooked through, adding a bit of salt and pepper to taste (the amount will depend on the seasonings in the sausage). While it cooks, break up the sausage into smaller pieces. Drain any excess grease if needed.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, pesto and salt and pepper to taste (I added about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Add the spinach, stirring until it cooks down a bit into the hot sauce, 1-2 minutes.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese and 1 1/4 cups of the Parmesan cheese.
6. In the prepared baking dish, pour in the drained noodles. Dollop the ricotta mixture over the top of the noodles. Spread the sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining cheese (1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan).
7. Bake until heated through and golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5-7 minutes before serving.

Brazilian Limeade Brilliant Update

The other day, Mel's posted about Brazilian Limeade. I was like woah she's behind. That was all up on Best Bites forever ago. However she did a few things different and added a step that made it incredible!

Instead of just throwing the limes in the blender, she juiced 3 limes. Then threw 2 of limes' rinds in the blender with 2 cups of water. Blend blend blend. Then strain that a bowl, add the juice. Then pour that lime juice/ water mixture, another cup of cold water, 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, and 1/2 cup sugar Back in the blender and add.... Wait for it. ICE! 2-3 cups ice! Blend it a little and you have foamy, cold, little pieces of ice deliciousness. It was incredible. And easier.

Now if you're like me and don't have a Blendtec... Or any blender. And your KitchenAid food processor sprays liquid all over if it's too liquidy and all you have is a fake magic bullet. Have no fear!

Use the fake magic bullet to blend the limes up. Mix/ whisk everything, minus the ice, into a bowl. Put 6-7 pieces of ice into the cup add the limeade mixture to the full point. Blend for a second and it's ready!

Seriously, so much better this way.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/07/brazilian-lemonade-or-in-other-words-2-minute-blender-limeade.html

Cheddar and Herb Biscuits

We had these with the lemon pasta. According to Sam, these were really what made the meal. I would probably decrease the garlic powder or the salt that you brush on the top by just a little. I thought it was a little overwhelming. And I used a fiesta blend of cheese that we had in the fridge. Yum. They were good and fast.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/03/cheddar-and-herb-biscuits.html

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 3 tablespoons butter, cold
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt. Cut in shortening and butter until coarse crumbs are formed. Lightly mix in grated cheese. Mix in buttermilk just until moist (dry spots here and there are ok – the biscuits will be tough if they are overmixed).
2. Drop the biscuits onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until browned and golden.
3. While the biscuits are baking, in a small bowl combine three tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Right when the biscuits come out of the oven, brush the butter/herb mixture over the biscuits evenly (alternately, you can dip the top of the biscuit into the butter mixture). Serve immediately.

Greek Chicken Pita Pockets

This seemed different than my normal meal and I was wanting something different. And I was scared to make pita bread, what if it didin't puff?? So I made that delicious wrap bread. I thought this was interesting. I'm happy with it, I'll probably make it again but not like every week. But it's fast and easy and in a crock pot.

I feel like to live up to it's "Greek" name, it should have had feta. But I didn't think about it until later.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/08/greek-chicken-pita-pockets-slow-cooker.html

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium white or yellow onion, sliced into thin half moons
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 4 pita pocket breads, cut in half
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tomato, sliced or diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

DIRECTIONS

1. In a slow cooker, combine the onion, garlic, chicken, lemon pepper, oregano, and allspice. Turn the chicken so that it is coated with the seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
2. Remove the chicken and onions from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Cover the chicken and onion mixture and keep warm. Whisk the yogurt into remaining juices/seasonings in the slow cooker. Spoon some of the chicken and onions into each pocket of the pita bread (or just place the chicken and onions on top of another round bread that can be rolled up, like this soft wrap bread or other flatbread). Top with tomato, cucumber and red pepper strips. Drizzle warm yogurt sauce on top and serve immediately.

Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice

This was so good. Mmm. I thought Sam was going to die eating it. But that could have just been that he was more hungry than normal, I don't know. I did this in my broiler for about 10 minutes on each side.

Sorry, I'm posting another coconut recipe Danielle. Obviously the rice tasted coconutty but honestly I couldn't taste it in the chicken because the curry and other delicious flavors were there too.

Anna, try this. Like yesterday.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/06/grilled-lime-coconut-chicken-with-coconut-rice-top-pinterest-find.html

• Chicken and Marinade/Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, light or regular
• pinch cayenne pepper (One could argue that the amount of cayenne I put in was more than a pinch...)
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Fresh limes, cut into wedges
Coconut Rice:
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 cup canned coconut milk, light or regular
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the oil, lime zest, lime juice, cumin, coriander, soy sauce, salt, sugar, curry powder, coconut milk, and cayenne pepper. Place the chicken in a large ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
2. For the coconut rice, bring the rice, coconut milk, water and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-16 minutes until the liquid is mostly evaporated. remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving.
3. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill (see note above if not grilling) to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side (actual time will depend on the thickness of the chicken). While the chicken is cooking, pour the marinade into a small or medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Place the grilled chicken on a serving platter or plate. Drizzle with sauce (reserve the remaining sauce to serve separately) and sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top. Serve with lime wedges and additional sauce.

Notes

You can really use any type of oil here (extra virgin olive oil, vegetable, grapeseed, etc.). If you don't want to use the marinade for the sauce (it boils for 10 minutes to cook thoroughly), you can always make a second batch of the marinade and cook it for 5-10 minutes. Also, curry powder really varies depending on brand. My two top favorite brands are the sweet curry powder from Penzey's Spices and the curry powder from Spice Islands (the yellow powder not the red). If the chicken breasts are really thick, I like to cut them in half (like a hamburger bun) to form two thinner chicken cutlets before marinating. This helps the flavor permeate the chicken and also helps the chicken go further. Finally, if you don't have a grill/don't feel like grilling, you could absolutely broil these in the oven or cook them in a hot skillet.

Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Creamy Dipping Sauce

These were so good. Like mmm. I marinaded mine for probably about 4 hours and wished I had done longer. That's my only comment. And I did them in the broiler. Obviously. From Mel's. http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/05/chipotle-chicken-skewers-with-creamy-dipping-sauce.html

• Chicken Skewers:
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-5 medium chicken breasts)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (scrape out the seeds before mincing to reduce spiciness)
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 12 bamboo or metal skewers
Creamy Dipping Sauce:
• 3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
• 1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup lime juice, from 2-3 limes
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice the chicken breasts into long, thin strips, about 1/2-inch thick. You should have right around 30 strips. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the chicken with the brown sugar mixture coating all the pieces evenly. Cover the chicken (or place in a ziploc bag) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
2. For the dipping sauce, in a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until the flavors combine. Alternately, you can make the dipping sauce in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Be sure to season the dipping sauce with additional lime juice, salt and pepper to taste before serving.
3. 30 minutes before grilling, cover the bamboo skewers with water and soak. Skip this step if using metal skewers.
4. Preheat an oven broiler or gas/charcoal grill. Weave two strips of chicken onto each skewer. Broil or grill the chicken for 5-8 minutes until cooked through, using nonstick cooking spray on a foil-lined pan if you are broiling. Serve immediately (if you broil, you may need to cook in batches) with the dipping sauce.