Confessions of a Mormon Foodie

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Balsamic Chicken Skewers for New Years

Although Christmas is over, New Years is looming. If you're like me, you're on the lookout for party food recipes. This recipe for Balsamic Chicken Skewers comes as a “guest blog” from Mary Crafts of Culinary Crafts Catering, by way of Katie Nielsen. Culinary Crafts is an award winning catering service based in Salt Lake City. If you don't want to cook for that big party yourself, you may want to check them out.

Mary Crafts also hosts a really cool cooking show called Culinary Creations, broadcast out of Provo, Utah on KBYU-TV. She's got some pretty slick recipes and entertaining ideas. No wonder, coming from a top-rated caterer.

Thanks to Katie for the recipe, and to Mary for giving us permission to reprint it.

Balsamic Chicken Skewers

1 lb boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup soy sauce

Marinate chicken pieces in soy sauce for 4 hours (up to 24 hours).
Thread chicken pieces on skewers. Roast in 400º oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and brush chicken with Balsamic Chutney Glaze. Return them to the oven and roast for 5 more minutes to finish.

Makes about 16 skewers

Balsamic Chutney Glaze:

1 cup mango chutney
2 sliced scallions
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and use as a glaze.

[I've not tried it, but I'd bet that if you cooked these in a skillet for a few minutes, it would create an amazing sauce to top other chicken or pork dishes. - MF]

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Five Spice Cookies

Cookies and Christmas just go together. Every year I make a batch of Five Spice cookies, a spice cookie I came up with, inspired by Four-Spice Crackles. They add an Oriental flair to any Christmas cookie line up, and are a favorite around our house.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons Chinese Five-Spice powder (yes, that much)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and five-spice powder and set aside.

In another large bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter, shortening and molasses with a hand mixer until blended and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until well blended. Add the rest of the flour and beat until just blended. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 1/ 2 hours or until firm enough to shape into small balls.

Place the oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease your hands and roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in course (turbinado) sugar. Place about 2 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray, or lined with parchment paper.

Bake on the upper rack 9 to 12 minutes until cookies are cracked and slightly soft in the center. Bake in batches so you don't over fill the oven. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Five-spice cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 1 month.

If you can't find course sugar, you can substitute regular sugar, it just won't look so pretty.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Hanukkah Recipe Round-Up

With Hanukkah approaching, I was hoping to offer some Hanukkah recipes. This is nothing new for me. Anytime a holiday shows up I like to celebrate with food.

Trouble is, I'm not Jewish. A few months ago, when Passover rolled around, I failed miserably trying to make a strange matza lasagna. (This recipe is much better.)

This time, I'm not even going to try and present my own Hanukkah recipes. I may try some other time, but this year, I've learned my lesson. Instead, I offer a collection of Hanukkah recipes that others have come up with, and seemed really good to me.

Okay, maybe a couple of them are mine.

Happy Hanukkah!