Sesame Chicken Kabobs

Asian sesame chicken kabobs

 

I wanted to start this post by saying something about “grilling weather”, but truth be told, grilling weather is year-round at our house.  We have a Traeger and love to grill on it all year.  It’s just a little bit nicer when the weather cooperates!

This is an easy and delicious recipe that doesn’t require a long marinating time.  It’s great with rice and a salad and of course Yum-Yum sauce.  (I really wish I didn’t like that stuff!)

I was short on skewers so you’ll notice I have one skewer per kabob.  However, food tends to rotate when you use one skewer, which often makes it difficult to turn on the grill.  If you will use 2 skewers per kabob it works much better.  Also, if you’ll soak your wooden skewers in water at least 30 minutes before grilling, your skewers will not burn, as mine did.

 

Sesame Chicken Kabobs
 
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Serves: 6
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Ingredients
  • 6 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
  • ¼ c. + 2 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
  • ¼ c. soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp. dark sesame oil
  • 6 to 12-inch wooden skewers
  • bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • onion wedges
Instructions
  1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces; arrange in a shallow container, set aside.
  2. Combine teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sesame seeds, vegetable oil, and sesame oil and whisk together. Pour over chicken, toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
  3. Soak wooden skewers in water at least 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Thread chicken alternately with peppers and onions onto skewers. Grill kabobs over medium hot coals for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is done, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

 
Yum-Yum Sauce
 
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Ingredients
  • 1¼ c. mayonnaise
  • ¼ c. water
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. melted butter
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • dash cayenne pepper
Instructions
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Small Tomato (Cherry, Grape, etc.) Caprese Salad

Small Tomato Caprese Salad

 

One of my favorite things about summer is the fresh vegetables!  Especially homegrown tomatoes!   I picked up these delicious tomatoes recently at the store.  Of course, homegrown is always better but these were great in this caprese salad.  Caprese salads are simple to make but full of wonderful flavor.  This salad is best served right away.  I try to prepare only the amount that I think we will eat at one meal.

Small Tomato (Grape, Cherry, etc.) Caprese Salad
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 lb. (4 to 5 cups) small tomatoes (cherry, grape, or slightly larger)
  • 8-oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • fresh basil leaves, to taste (about 15 to 20, depending on size)
  • Sea salt or kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Slice all of the tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Add cubed mozzarella, olive oil, and vinegar. Add basil, tearing larger leaves if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss.
  2. Serve immediately.

 

Coconut Frosted Brownies

coconut frosted brownies

Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  When I was growing up Easter was centered around church and family.  It’s a special holiday with many customs and traditions.  My dad was a pastor and we always started the day early at sunrise service.  We would end up at my grandparents house for a big meal, posing for pictures in our new dresses or ties, and shiny new shoes, then off to hunt Easter eggs with my cousins.

As an adult, sunrise service is my favorite part of the day.  I enjoy spending time with family and friends and I enjoy the good food and the swapping of recipes. However, the spiritual meaning of Easter sunrise service is what it’s all about.  It was in the early morning, when it was yet dark, that the tomb was found empty.  Watching the sun rise and knowing what that empty tomb means for me humbles me.

As you make your Easter plans, I want to share a delicious and easy brownie recipe.  These brownies would be great on any Easter table.  They are chewy and fudgy and the coconut cream cheese frosting is the “icing on the cake”…yum, yum, yummy!

My one dilemma was to toast or not to toast.  If you look closely at my photo you may wonder if I toasted the coconut for the topping.  The original recipe from alaskafromscratch.com suggests toasting, and that’s what I started to do…until I changed my mind!  It was already in the oven when I decided that I did not want toasted coconut on top, so do what makes you happy.  For a fun Easter decoration, color the coconut green.  Place the coconut in a zip-lock bag with a drop or two of green food coloring, seal, then shake until evenly colored.  Sprinkle on top of your brownies before cutting.  Then, decorate each brownie with 3 jelly beans, if desired.

As always, thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to read Not Just Sunday Dinner.  I am wishing you a blessed Easter with family and friends.

 

Coconut Frosted Brownies
 
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Ingredients
  • ⅔ c. unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 lg. eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. coconut extract
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 1⅓ c. all-purpose flour
  • ¾ c. cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ c. strong brewed coffee
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch plan with aluminum foil, allowing enough foil to hang over the sides of the pan to use to lift brownies from pan later. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add the butter, eggs, extracts, and sugar. Whisk until smooth.
  3. In another bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to incorporate. Pour in the coffee and mix just until combined.
  4. Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or just until set in the center. Watch closely and do not over bake.
  5. Cool on a wire rack. When cooled, top with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ c. unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • ½ tsp. coconut extract
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 c. powdered sugar
  • ¾ c. shredded coconut (toasted optional)
Instructions
  1. Combine butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add extracts. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until incorporated, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
  2. Spread evenly over cooled brownies. Top with shredded coconut.
  3. Freeze for 1 hour before lifting brownies from pan and cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

 

Strawberry Yum Yum

Strawberry Yum

 

Are you looking for the perfect Easter dessert!  Here it is!  An old recipe, tried and true, and delicious every time.  It’s simple to make, you’ll be amazed at just how quickly it comes together.  This is a dessert that pleases both adults and children.

I can remember a time when I thought Cool Whip and Dream Whip were the same thing.  They could be, but in my opinion they taste differently.  Be sure to use the Dream Whip as the recipe suggest, it can be found on the baking aisle of the grocery store.  Also, you can find strawberry glaze in the produce section of the grocery store but I think this homemade version has a better taste and is very simple to make.

 

Strawberry Yum Yum
 
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Ingredients
  • ¾ c. unsalted butter
  • 2 c. graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
  • 2 envelopes Dream Whip
  • 1 qt. fresh strawberries, washed, and sliced
  • 3 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 3 tbsp. strawberry Jello
  • 1 c. warm water
Instructions
  1. Combine cornstarch, Jello, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring with a whisk, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool. When the glaze has cooled, add strawberries.
  2. Melt butter and mix with graham cracker crumbs. Sprinkle half of the crumbs in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch dish, set aside.
  3. Cream sugar and cream cheese together.
  4. In a separate bowl beat Dream Whip as directed on package.
  5. Mix cream cheese mixture with the Dream Whip until smooth.
  6. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture on the top of crumbs. Spread carefully, careful not to disturb crumbs.
  7. Top with strawberry glaze.
  8. Add the remaining cream cheese mixture and spread carefully to cover strawberries.
  9. Sprinkle on the remaining graham cracker crumb mixture.
Notes
If preferred, you can purchase strawberry glaze in the produce section of the grocery store to mix with your berries before adding to the dish.

 

 

Biscoff Cut-Out Cookies with Royal Icing

Biscoff Cut Out Cookies

Have you jumped on the Biscoff bandwagon yet?  I became a fan of the cookies years ago, when I first ate them on a Delta flight.  I even ordered Biscoff cookies online before they were in my local stores.  However, I was a little slow to catch on to Biscoff spread.  My cousin, Cindy made a scrumptious pie at Christmas with Biscoff spread and I have been a fan since!

I have been trying recipes for cut-out cookies for years and I have thrown out many batches of them.  When I saw the title of this recipe, and realized I had all of the ingredients on hand I tried them immediately.  They were DEE-LICIOUS!!!  I am thrilled beyond belief that I finally have a cut-out cookie recipe that doesn’t taste like cardboard!

This is probably considered a medium-size cookie cutter and I was able to get 20 cookies from this recipe.  It’s incredibly easy with no refrigeration required!  You don’t even need to flour the board to roll them out!  Use parchment paper on top and bottom of the dough to prevent sticking.  Also the addition of cornstarch is genius!  These cookies are slightly crispy along the edges and slightly soft in the middle…just perfect!!  They hold up nicely when decorated.   I have added tips for the icing and decorating to the icing recipe.

 

Biscoff Cut-Out Cookies
 
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This recipe is from bakingamoment.com.
Ingredients
  • ½ c. cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • ½ c. Biscoff Spread
  • ¾ c. light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • ¼ c. cornstarch
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
  2. Cream butter, Biscoff spread, and light brown sugar together using an electric mixer.
  3. Add the egg and mix until combined.
  4. Mix the salt, flour, and cornstarch in a separate bowl and all in thirds. Mix only until incorporated.
  5. Roll dough ¼-inch thick between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut out shapes and place on prepared pans.
  6. Bake at 375°F for approximately 10 minutes or until slightly browned around edges.
  7. Remove from oven. Cool on pan a few minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Decorate cookies after they have cooled completely.

 
Royal Icing for Cookies
 
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This recipe is from thedecoratedcookie.com.
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp. meringue powder
  • ¼ c. water
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. shortening
  • 1 tbsp. light corn syrup
  • 3½ to 4 c. sifted confectioner's sugar
Instructions
  1. Whip the meringue powder and water on high-speed of an electric mixer, fitted with a wire whisk, for several minutes, until it's fluffy and peaks form.
  2. Add vanilla extract, shortening, and corn syrup and mix to combine.
  3. Gradually add confectioner's sugar to desired consistency.
  4. Decorate cookies. Place cookies on cooling racks and allow to air dry for 24 hours.
Notes
Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a month.

TIPS:
Icing must be at the correct consistency. I found that I needed to thin this icing slightly. For outlining thin just slightly, remove about ¼ of the icing and set aside, then continue adding water until you reach the correct consistency for flooding. You'll want the icing that you use to outline the design to be slightly thicker than the icing you use for flooding. Since I'm new to decorating I like to use a #3 or #4 tip for decorating.

I found this tip online at sweetopia.com.: The trick to make sure icing is just right for flooding is called the "10 Second Rule". Drag a butter knife through the surface of your royal icing and count to 10. If the icing surface becomes smooth anywhere between 5 to 10 seconds, then your icing is ready to use. If it takes longer than approximately 10 seconds, the icing is too thick. Slowly add water, a teaspoon at a time. If your icing surface smooths over in less than 5 to 10 seconds, it is too runny. Mix your icing longer and slowly add in more soften confectioner's sugar to thicken.

If you are like me and don't have a steady hand, rest your elbow on something steady. Also, put your pan of cookies on top of a a few books or container to raise them up to a comfortable level for decorating.