What's cookin'?

I love to cook. I have always loved being in the kitchen, first as a child where it was the center of the family; later, I enjoyed creating my own recipes and recreating meals I had enjoyed in restaurants. Growing up in the '60s and '70s in an Italian family, macaroni was dinner at least twice a week. We also learned to love Jiffy-Pop, Cheez-Whiz and other assorted "healthy" fare. Vegetables were never center stage, and salad was often just iceberg, cukes and tomatoes. Weight was never a problem for me either, but as the years go by,I find that the old metabolism isn't what it used to be. In my twenties, I could skip a few Twinkies and lose 5 pounds to get into that cute outfit for a weekend date. Now, in my very, very, VERY late 20's, losing 5 pounds takes nothing short of a miracle! I used my love of cooking and interest in healthy eating to cultivate a repertoire of healthy and delicious new recipes, as well as healthier dishes inspired by old favorites. My project last summer was to research and develop ways to increase my collection of vegetable recipes. Not vegetarian, but vegetable-centered, I have tried to use spices, herbs, and various cultural styles to keep dinner interesting, exciting and worth going back for seconds. I am not a nutritionist, but I have done a good amount of reading, and think I have a handle on what's good for me and what should be avoided. Welcome to my first blog. Feel free to try any recipes that interest you, and share your own! Together we can answer the question....What's healthy for dinner?!!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Sweet and Savory Glazed Chicken

One day I was trying to find something different and a little more exciting to do with some chicken thighs I was defrosting for dinner.  I searched the Internet and found a few ideas, then put them together to make this Asian-type glaze.  Many of the recipes were a little heavier on the sweet than the savory and didn't have any heat.  The great thing is that you can adjust it to your own tastes.  I don't care for a very sweet main dish, but I do like spice.  So, I combined a few recipes and came up with the following ratios, which you can adjust:
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 - 3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
chili powder
crushed red pepper
Whisk all the above ingredients together, then use half to marinate the chicken for at least an hour.  Overnight is even better.  Set aside the other half. When you're ready to cook the chicken, place it in a baking dish and discard the rest of the marinade.  Simmer the reserved sauce in a pot over a low flame until reduced and slightly thickened.  Use this to baste the chicken while it bakes, at 350 for about 45 minutes.
Don't forget to serve this with a whole grain, and something green!
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