TIP #1  The chicken thigh…..well you either love them or hate them.  I used to hate them, but, now I love them.  They have been given a bad rap.  But, did you know they are easy on the budget and deliver a huge taste, offers flavor and versatility to your dish and they are much juicier than the white meat.  I prefer bone in chicken at all times just because the bones offer a full bodied flavor as well as much needed vitamins and nutrients.  If your family does not like the bones, then take them out before serving, but, always cook with them!  The bone in chicken is also a lot easier on your grocery budget.

TIP #2 This tip is a brain trick for those of you struggling with weight.  Did you know your brain is programmed to your usual routine? Your brain knows approximately how many bites you take when you eat your dinner.  It is also used to clearing a large plate. Try this over this weeks meals. With every other bite you take, just dip the tines of your fork into your plate, get a bit of sauce on the ends and lift to your mouth, go ahead and open wide, and place the fork in your mouth just as if you had a pile of food on it.  Close your lips and remove the fork from your mouth just as you would if there was food on it! Continue this throughout your meal with every other bite.  Your brain will count that just as if there was food in your mouth.  I CHALLENGE YOU this week to try this, trust me it is difficult to remember to only have food every other bite, but, do it!  Surprisingly you may find yourself full while still looking at a plate full of food.

This is another “brain trick”, use a smaller plate.  Measure your plates, if you are using 9 or 10 inch dinner plates go down to an 8 inch luncheon plate or even a smaller 6 inch dessert plate and fill it up, make it pretty and eye appealing.  Eating from a smaller plate, but, eating it all can also be a little tip to convincing your brain that you have had plenty to eat.  Truth be known the 6 inch plate is plenty of food for most of us.

TIP #3 Serve up your dinner onto plates and put away all remaining food into containers and away into the fridge, out of sight.  Eat one plate only, no seconds.  If the food is put away and not setting on the table people will opt not to get it out and have more, they will be happy and content to eat what is given them and now you have something for lunch the next day!! We tend to cook too much food and if the food is set onto the table we tend to look at it and want more.  Our eyes see more and our brain says eat more.  Shut off that habit!

ASIAN GINGER CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients

4 lb chicken wing pcs

1/4 C honey

1 C garlic green onion teriyaki sauce – Kikkoman Brand in the Asian section of the store

3 TBSP grated fresh ginger

3 TBSP fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp lime zest

3 cloves sliced garlic

OPT: Sesame seeds, sliced green onions and red chili peppers

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat broiler with oven rack 3 inches from heat. Lightly grease rack and pan of a broiler pan . Place wings on rack in broiler pan.  Broil 14 minutes or until browned. Lightly grease a 5 Qt. slow cooker, transfer wings.

Stir together honey and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour honey mixture over wings, cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Garnish with sliced red peppers, sliced green onions and sprinkle with a few sesame seeds if desired.

Great side suggestions is cilantro lime brown rice or steamed carrots and broccoli or both!

HONEY APRICOT CHICKEN THIGHS

If you don’t like thigh meat you can use white meat.  I personally like the sweet juicy taste of the thigh meat.

Ingredients

3 lb chicken thighs

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 TBSP oil divided

1 large onion cut vertically

1/4 C apricot brandy

1/4 C honey

2 TBSP Dijon mustard

1/2 C chicken stock

6 oz dried apricot halves

1 TBSP cold butter

OPT: Garnish of fresh oregano or thyme

DIRECTIONS:

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 TBSP oil in a large skillet over med heat until simmering.  Add half the chicken and cook until browned on both sides.  Repeat until all chicken is browned.  Transfer to 5 Qt slow cooker.  To the same skillet add the onions and cook until tender and golden brown.  Add brandy and stir occasionally to loosen particles from bottom of skillet and liquid is almost evaporated.  Add the onions to the slow cooker.  Whisk together the honey, mustard and chicken stock.  Pour over onions and chickens in the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken is tender, add the apricots about two hours into the cooking process.

Remove chicken pcs to a plate and pour juices from the crock pot through a strainer into a small saucepan. Bring juice to a boil over med heat; reduce and simmer until sauce is reduced to about 3/4 C.  Whisk in cold butter and serve sauce with chicken.

OPTION:  Garnish with fresh sliced green onions or a few sprigs of thyme or oregano, maybe a basil leaf or two.  Remember to make your food look pretty and it will taste even better!!

SMOKEHOUSE SLOW COOKED BRISKET

5 Qt or larger crock pot needed for this recipe

INGREDIENTS

5 lb brisket trimmed with 1/4 fat, scored

3 TBSP olive oil divided

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup smokehouse maple seasoning rub,  by McCormick Grill Spices

1 C chopped onion

2 cloved garlic, minced

4 chipolte peppers in adobo sauce, canned in the Hispanic foods section

18 oz BBQ sauce (here is my homemade)

12 bottle stout beer

DIRECTIONS

Rub beef with 1 TBSP olive oil, sprinkle with salt, rub with seasoning and let stand 10 minutes.  Heat remaining 2 TBSP oil in a large skillet over med heat.  Place brisket in skillet and cook 4-5 minutes on each side until browned.  Place garlic and onion in 6 Qt slow cooker.  Place brisket over onions.  Whisk together peppers, BBQ sauce and beer.  Slowly pour into slow cooker over brisket, careful not to remove rub and spices from brisket.  Cover and cook on low for 7 70 8 hours or until tender.  Remove cover and let stand in slow cooker for 20 minutes.  Remove brisket to platter and cut cross grain into thin slices.  Return slices to slow cooker and spoon juices over meat.

Brisket goes great with a hearty slaw or pickled peppers and onions, or steamed green beans and carrots.

SIZZLING SEARED WHITE FISH

Ingredients