Maple- Mustard Chicken Thighs

Maple- Mustard Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 4 large bone-in chicken thighs, skins removed (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons grainy French mustard
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Combine mustard, garlic, marjoram and maple syrup in a small bowl. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard mixture evenly on top of each chicken thigh, being careful to cover as much of the surface as possible to form a "crust." Arrange chicken in a glass baking dish. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until mustard mixture has formed a crust and is slightly hardened, and juices run clear when the chicken is pierced.

------------------------------

The flavor was awesome, I'm just not a fan of thighs.

Roasted Pork Shoulder with Citrus and Garlic

Slow Roasted Pork with Citrus and Garlic

Recipe can be found Here

Ingredients

• 10 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 4 bay leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 6-to-8-pound Boston butt pork shoulder
• Juice of 6 oranges, peels reserved
• Juice of 4 lemons, peels reserved
• Juice of 4 limes
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 white onions, thinly sliced

Directions

Pulse the garlic, oregano, thyme, coriander and cumin seeds, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor to make a thick paste. Trim off all but a thin layer of fat from the pork, then make deep slits all over the roast (about every 2 inches) with a paring knife. Rub the spice paste over the pork and into the slits.

Mix the citrus juices, Worcestershire sauce and olive oil in a large glass bowl. Submerge the pork in the marinade and top with the onions and reserved orange and lemon peels. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature 1 hour before roasting.

Preheat the oven to 450. Remove the citrus peels from the bowl and refrigerate. Place the pork on a rack in a large roasting pan (reserve the marinade and onions); roast, uncovered, about 1 hour. Add the marinade to the pan and pile the onions on top of the meat. Cover with foil, lower the oven temperature to 350 and roast 2 more hours. Uncover, place the citrus peels around the pork and continue to roast, basting occasionally, until the meat browns and a thermometer inserted into the bottom half registers 190, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, skim any excess fat from the pan juices. Slice the pork and serve with the onion and pan juices. Garnish with citrus peels.

So we tried this at girls night and I really did not like pork shoulder being roasted, I prefer it to be slow cooked I guess. But The flavors were awesome and I would totally replicate the flavors with maybe a pork tenderloin.

Chicken Noodle Soup

My attempt at chicken noodle soup. I really don't like soup. I don't remember the ingredients or recipe because I made it back in January. Sorry. It wasn't that good anyways.

Homemade Salsa

• 4 large ripe tomates
  
• 1/2 white onion (finely chopped)
  
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 2 green onions thinly sliced
• 2 chipolte peppers in adobe sauce
• 1 red jalapeno seeded & finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

1. Roast the tomatoes in the oven at 450 for 10 minutes
2. Remove seeds and skin from tomatoes.
3. Add Tomatoes, onion, cilantro, green onion, chipotle chilies, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, and garlic to a food processor and pulse a few time ( you can pulse more if you like a less chunky salsa)


So this recipe was found by my roommate on AOL food (I can't find the link to link it). It's what we did since the original recipe called for a handheld blow torch (?) and some other kitchen goodies we don't have. It turned out wonderfully.

Magic Cookie Bars

Magic Cookie Bars

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 1/2 cups of crushed graham cracker
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 can swetened condensed milk

Directions:

1. Preheat to 350.
2. Melt the stick of butter in a 13x9 pan, making sure it's evenly distributed.
3. Add the graham crackers, making a traditional crust.
4. Add the following ingredients in a layer on top of the crust; walnuts, chocolate chips, coconut.
5. drizzle the condensed milk on top.
6. bake for 20-30 minutes.

Overall: These might have been my favorite cookies of the night. They were made by alli's roommate and when we walked into the apartment, these were in to oven baking. They are so good =) I asked for the recipe so I could try and replicate. Super awesome.

Christmas Cookies!

Let me explain:




Hope that was good enough... ONTO COOKIES



Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 (14oz) can condensed milk
• 6 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or peppermint)
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:
1. preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips, over a double boiler or carefully in the microwave.
3. Combine the melted chocolate chips with 1 can condensed milk. Mix thoroughly.
4. Add the egg, vanilla, melted butter, and about half the crushed peppermint. Stir to combine.
5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
7. Once combined, add the remining chocolate chips.
8. Cook for 7-10 minutes. Remove and sprinkle some peppermint on each cookie. Finish cooking for about 2 minutes.


Overall: So since the semester is almost over, the regular girls night crew, plus some new awesome faces, decided to go out with a bang. Cookie style. These cookie's were found by Alli. These were awesome. Love! Be warned, they are very very chocolaty, so make sure you have a cup of milk handy with each cookie.

Turkey day

Happy Turkey day to everyone celebrating.