Grilled Chicken Breasts with Orange Chipotle Glaze

For the last couple of years, I’ve been in a slump when it comes to chicken breasts.  I used to eat chicken breasts all the time.  I enjoyed the mild flavor of the white meat with a teriyaki marinade, barbeque sauce or a spice rub.  Then I stopped enjoying my go-to choice of meat.  I began to find chicken breasts, okay I’ll just say it, boring!  I switched to chicken thighs, and I appreciated the succulent flavor and texture of the thighs.   But thighs aren’t as low in fat and calories as I would like, so I have been experimenting with new ways to serve my old favorite.

The orange tree in my backyard is bursting with fruit, and the oranges are full of juice from all the rain we got this year, so I am trying to use up my harvest (I’ll have to tell you about the orange marmalade in another post).  I used the oranges as my inspiration for the glaze below.  And I love sweet and spicy together, so I added the chipotle pepper.

I few months ago, I made a Beer Can Chicken, and I had some of the rub leftover.  I sprinkled the rub on the chicken, and then Les grilled it.  I added the glaze to the cooked chicken after Les took it off the grill, and I passed the rest at the table.

My family loved Grilled Chicken Breasts with Orange Chipotle Glaze.  And when dinner was over, my thoughtful husband started to do the dishes, or I at least I thought he started to do the dishes, but no he was just looking for something else to dip into the glaze that was still on the stove!

 Grilled Chicken Breasts with Orange Chipotle Glaze
4 chicken breasts
¼ to ½ cup Beer Can Chicken Rub
Orange Chipotle Glaze

Coat the chicken breasts with the Beer Can Chicken Rub, and grill over a medium fire for 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.  Brush the glaze over the cooked chicken.  Slice the chicken and pour more glaze over the top.

Beer Can Chicken Rub
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
¼ cup sweet paprika
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1½ teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon celery salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Store any extra rub in an airtight container.  Makes about a ½ cup.

Orange Chipotle Glaze
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp olive oil
Juice from two oranges
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (omit zest if using orange marmalade)
½ cup jelly (I used homemade pepper jelly that was tangy but not spicy, you could use apple jelly or orange marmalade)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and cook until the onion is soft.  In a small bowl mix together the orange juice, orange zest, jelly, thyme, chipotle, cornstarch and salt.  Add the orange juice mixture to the onions in the saucepan and simmer until the sauce thickens.  Pour over the cooked chicken.

Banana Wheat Waffles

I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve made waffles.  My kids usually ask for pancakes, so the waffle iron hasn’t gotten much use recently.  But, I woke up Saturday morning, and like Donkey  I said, “I’m making waffles.” 

I don’t know why I decided to make waffles.  I had different plans for my morning, but my waffle craving won out.  These Banana Wheat Waffles hit the spot, and the kids loved them.  They both gave Banana Wheat Waffles their approval.  My son even had the leftover waffles for breakfast on Sunday morning.  Of course, I didn’t tell them I used whole-wheat pastry flour, and they didn’t notice.  I love when I can sneak healthy into their food!

I loved these waffles too.  I love the flavor of banana and maple syrup together.  I usually slice a banana over my pancakes and French toast, but these waffles have the bananas baked right in.  I still couldn’t resist slicing a banana on top of my Banana Wheat Waffles!

Banana Wheat Waffles
Adpated from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
4 egg yolks
3 cups milk
¼ cup canola oil**
1 ½ cup mashed banana
2 egg whites

**Update:  I've changed the amount of oil from ½ cup to ¼ because I made the waffles again with the smaller amount of oil, and I thought they were better with only ¼ cup.

Combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.  In another bowl, beat egg yolks slightly, and beat in milk and oil.  Add mashed bananas.  Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix just until combined.

In a small bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold egg whites into the batter being careful not to over-mix.

Pour ½ to 1 cup of batter into lightly greased waffle iron.  Bake according to the directions of your waffle iron.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Makes 12 4-inch waffles.  Serve with maple syrup and sliced bananas.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Who doesn’t love the flavor of peanut butter and jelly?  My mom says I would only eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch when I was in first and second grade.  And, it remained my lunch of choice during much of my elementary school years.  I wish my son’s lunches were so easy!  I’ve outgrown my love of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, but I haven’t outgrown my love of peanut butter and jelly.  I now love the same flavors in my cookies.  I added raspberry jam to my favorite peanut butter cookie, and I was transported back to first grade!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
½ cup butter
½ cup chunky-style peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 egg
1¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped peanuts
granulated sugar
½ cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, combine butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla and chopped peanuts, and mix thoroughly.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix until combined.   Chill dough about 3 hours or overnight.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls, and roll the balls into granulated sugar.  Place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Press the top of a wooden spoon gently into the dough to create a small indentation.   Bake the cookies for 9 minutes.  Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place ½ teaspoon of jam in the small indentation.  Bake the cookies for another 1 to 2 more minutes or until the cookies are slightly brown and the jam is set.  Makes 36 cookies.