Showing posts with label Appetizer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Appetizer. Show all posts

Monday, September 7, 2026

Caprese Croissants

 

Ok, to say it's been a while would be an understatement. I started focusing on my international blog, but this recipe just had to be shared. It was so simple and yet so good and fancy all at once. It was a caprese salad in a croissant and the balsamic pearls just really made it pop. Literally.  I left off the mozzarella cheese an didn't think it needed it but you are welcome to add it to yours if you are a purist or just want the cheese. 

Balsamic pearls are the star of the show. While foods has a small bottle, as well as Amazon. Costco has a really large bottle for less than the small ones at specialty stores and they are well worth it. If you want to assemble them in advance add the tomatoes, basil, and chicken salad. Don't add the pearls until right before you are serving them so they don't get all over. 

Caprese Salad Croissant Recipe
12 mini croissants
Chicken salad, homemade or store bought
24 thin slices of roma tomatoe
12 large basil leaves
Balsamic pearls 

Cut into the croissants to make a split. Add the slices of tomatoed and a large basil leaf. Top with chicken salad and then balsamic pearls. Enjoy!


Thursday, December 28, 2017

Fruit Cup aka Sploosh























It's fun this time of year to look back and remember holidays past. I think that is part of the excitement of the season, remembering not only the new things planned but also the family and friends you have enjoyed previous holidays with.

In my case one particularly fond memory is of my grandmother. She always welcomed us in to her kitchen. She taught me how to microwave eggs with velveeta in her little pyrex dishes. I now see those same dishes in antique stores and they make me smile.  She also had us kids devein and peel the shrimp for the shrimp cocktail she served on holidays.  A few of the things I remember most though besides the shrimp cocktail were glazed carrots, key lime pie, and fruit cup.

Fruit cup sounds like it should be a simple thing and it some ways it is. And yet it's wonderful alongside all the rich treats we typically indulge in on Christmas. One thing that makes it special is the way it is prepared. The oranges and grapefruit are peels are sliced off around the fruit to separate the segments and then the fruit peeled out from between them.



















Using a serrated knife, slice around the peel. Don't make the swatches too large. It's faster but you lose more of the fruit that way.












Slide the knife down the side of the segment all the way to the center trying not to cut through the center.



























Once you have the knife in the center use it to pry the fruit out of the segment.

Like most of my recipes, specifics aren't important. Which is good, because I don't have them. The strawberries in this are the frozen kind that come in sugar syrup. You can buy two size, small or large. Whichever one you get depends on if you are making a lot or a little.

5 lb bag of oranges, more or less
1 - 2 grapefruit
1 small tub of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed

Segment the oranges and grapefruit according to the description above. Add the strawberries. Let sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to meld a little bit and enjoy. Or let sit overnight, because advanced prep is something I love this time of year.



Thursday, June 1, 2017

Tomato Salad



This is super simple to whip up. I like to use the packaged bacon bits because it don't get soggy like traditional bacon in the dressing. And it has a good flavor,  as long as they are real bacon bits. Just make sure they are cooled before you add them or the mayo dressing will get slimy. 

I like to eat this in a pita, but it's also great on a hamburger or grilled chicken.

Salad
2 packages cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 green onions with greens, sliced
1/3 c. Hormel real bacon bits

Dressing
1/2 c. mayo
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp sugar
pinch salt
Black pepper

Heat the bacon bits in a non-stick skillet until fragrant and crisp, watching carefully so as not to burn. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Toss with the vegetables. When the bacon is cool enough to touch add to the salad.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Bacon Jalapeno Deviled Eggs



Well Easter was fun, and delicious food was enjoyed. None more so than these deviled eggs. After making the blue cheese eggs the other day I thought it would be fun to play around with other flavors too. It's seemed like a fun place to switch things around. This time I tried jalapeno, cheddar, and bacon. It works. It works really well in fact. I heated chopped fresh jalapeno on one side of the pan and bacon bits in the other.This time I used half of the jalapeno and none of the seeds. Next time, depending on who else I am eating them with I think I will use the seeds and give them some kick.

6 eggs, cooked and cooled
1/2 - 1 whole jalapeno
2 Tbsp. bacon bits
3 small sliced green onions
1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheddar cheese
1/4 - 1/2 c. mayo
Nature Seasons

Remove the yolk and mash with the mayo. Stir everything else in and season to taste. Then refilled the egg whites with the mixture and enjoy. 

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Bacon Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs



These are by far the best deviled eggs I have ever eaten. I kind of love them. A lot. I like regular deviled eggs too, but they aren't something I think of making all that often. Mostly Easter or when I am making snacky foods. These though I have made two days in a row and can't wait for an excuse to make again and share them with other people. It also got me thinking of other flavor combinations that I might like. I think next I am going to try sauteed jalapenos, bacon, and manchego cheese. 

But I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, I need to tell what these are first. 

I'll start with the eggs themselves. So I boil them a little funny, i read somewhere a long time ago and I can't remember where to give credit a way to boil them so the yolk doesn't get that gray ring around it. Anyway, put the in a bot of barely simmering water and bring to a boil. Boil them for 5 minutes and remove them from the heat. Cover and let them stand like that for 10 minutes and chill until ready to use. 

Once you are ready to use them I smashed the blue cheese with the mayo. Not to a perfect blended consistency. You want some cheese chunks in there. Then season them with Nature Seasons. Mix in the cooled yolk, sliced green onion, and crisp bacon. Then just squeeze it back in to the egg like normal. The first day I didn't actually garnish them just to eat. When I decided I wanted to take a picture though and share them I made the eggs all pretty.

For the bacon I like the bacon that is pre-cooked and bagged for salad. I do crisp it slightly in a non stick pan. It has the same flavor and it stays crisper, it doesn't get soggy. Just make sure and use real bacon bits, not bacon flavored bits. That would be nasty.

I think for amounts I use about a heaping teaspoon amount of blue cheese for 3 eggs, One green onion, sliced for 3 eggs, and about a tablespoon of bacon for 3 eggs. For a dozen eggs that works out to 4 green onions, a quarter cup of bacon bits, and a golf ball sized chunk of cheese.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Gluten-free Parmesan crackers








This recipe is based on King Arthur Flours gluten free pie crust recipe.  I changed a few amounts to make up for the cheese and different fats in the recipe.

Next I plan on trying this with different combinations of flavors. The Savannah Byrd cookie company has a lot of savory flavor combinations I cant wait to try.

For the fat in mine I used half butter and half coconut oil in mine and half margarine and half coconut oil in the ones i made for my friend. They tasted about the same. The ones I made with all coconut oil were good and the texture was the same but the flavor wasn't as rich.




1 1/2 c. Arrowhead Mills Gluten free All purpose baking mix
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp. clear jel
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp fat (butter, coconut oil, or margarine)
1 egg
2 tsp lemon juice
2 1/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Kosher or sea salt (optional)

In a large mixer combine the gluten free flour, sugar, clear jel, and salt.  Turn on low speed to combine the ingredients. 

Add the butter and the coconut oil until the mixture is crumbly. Add the Parmesan cheese.

Whisk the egg and lemon together. Mix into the flour and cheese mix. Form into a ball and roll out on a floured surface to an eighth of an inch thick. Cut into squares, I've found a pizza cutter works best for this, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with coarse salt if using

Bake at 350 for 12 - 17 minutes until slightly browned. 

Cool on a cookie sheet.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Peach Salsa



6 large ripe peaches
6 slices of pickled jalepenos, like for nachos, chopped
1/4 c. red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 small amount of chopped fresh cilantro, about 1 Tbsp chopped
1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp jalapeno liquid from the jar of slices

Heat the balsamic vinegar over medium heat until reduced by at least half. Whisk in the honey until smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the jalapeno liquid. Set aside to cool

Peel and chop the peaches. 
Combine the peaches, red onion, red pepper, jalapenos, cilantro and balsamic vinegar sauce.  
Stir to combine. 

Serve with chips or over pork chops. 

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Breaded Baked Zucchini



This was actually really fast to throw together and let bake while I made the spaghetti, and was a tasty side dish that was a change from my usual, steamed broccoli. For the dipping sauce since I was already serving spaghetti I just reserved some of the sauce before adding it to the beef to dip into.

1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
2 medium zucchini
3/4 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Dash Salt & Black Pepper
1/4 - 1/2 tsp granulated garlic

Marinara Sauce for Dipping

Pre-heat your oven to 400

Combine the egg, milk, and minced garlic. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Slice the zucchini about 1/8 of an inch thick and set aside.

In a separate container combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic. 

Dip the sliced zucchini in the egg mixture and then the crumb mixture, pressing slightly to help the crumbs stick. 

Spray a baking sheet really well. Place the zucchini in a single layer on the pan and spray with cooking spray. 

Bake at 400 for 18 - 22 minutes. Flip the zucchini over and bake an additional 7 - 10 minutes, until browned. 

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Homemade Ravioli

Homemade ravioli can be a lot of fun as long as you know a few tricks to make the process go a lot easier. I work with a hand crank and a Norpro ravioli press.

My pasta dough recipe:
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 eggs
2 Tbsp water
About 3 cups of your desired filling* 
(This is a great place to use leftover cooked meats)


Mix all in medium speed with the paddle, the whisk wont be able to handle it. Let rest, covered, 30 minutes. 

When ready to use split the dough into balls smaller than a baseball but bigger than a golf ball. Make sure the pasta you aren't working with at the time is covered with a damp paper towel to keep the pasta from drying out. Flour the dough on all sides and run through the hand crank on the "1" setting, re flour and then run through again on the "4" setting. Four was the thinnest I could make the dough without it being too thin to hold the filling. Spray the metal part of the ravioli press with no-stick cooking spray (this is really important or you wont be able to get the pasta off the press without ripping the pockets open) 

Press the off-white plate into the dough to create indents in the dough. Fill the pockets with your fully cooked filling. Make sure to not over fill and keeping all the filling in the middle so the edges can seal properly. 

Take a second sheet of pasta and slightly moisten on one side. Place the moistened side down on top of the ravioli press. Roll a rolling pin over the top to cut and seal the ravioli. Remove the excess from the side, flip over and push gently on a couple of the ravioli on one end to release. They should come right out. 

Place on a baking sheet while you finish the rest of the pasta. This recipe made about 8 dozen for me.


To make Toasted Ravioli:
 3/4 c. Italian bread crumbs
1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream

Combine the bread crumbs, flour, and cheese. Taste for salt,
You want it a little saltier than you think, the eggs wash doesn't have any seasoning
and the pasta has very little salt, usually you add salt to the water. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and sour cream.
Dip the ravioli in the egg mix and then the bread crumbs. 
Lay flat on a baking tray, spray really well with butter spray,
and bake at 375 for 12 - 17 minutes or until golden. 

Serve with marinara sauce

*For my filling I sauteed 1 medium onion, chopped very finely, in butter until tender. I then added 2 - 3 cups of cooked, finely chopped, pot roast, about 2 tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp granulated garlic, 1 cup of water and a beef bouillon cube. I simmered that for a while then drained off most of the liquid and added about 3 Tbsp italian bread crumbs (to soak up the rest of the liquid) 3 oz. of grated Monterrey cheese (it was all I had, I would have preferred mozzarella or even Asiago) and 3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese. 
Other fillings I like are chicken, cream cheese and herbs or ricotta and spinach

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Freezer Ravioli
To freeze: Lay flat on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. When solid drop in a freeze safe bag. 
To serve: Drop the frozen ravioli into boiling water and cook until they float to the top. Drain and serve with your favorite sauce. 



Presto Pasta Night is being hosted by its founder 


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Colonial Peanut Soup



I love history, especially early American history. 

And I love food.

And since this soup is from Kings Arm Tavern is Colonial
Williamsburg it kinda fits both doesn't it?


********
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 medium onion, chopped really fine
2 stalks celery, chopped really fine
2 Tbsp flour
4 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. peanut butter*
3/4 c. heavy cream

Saute the onion and celery in the butter until tender. 
Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes. 
Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, 
reduce heat and stir in the peanut butter. 

Pour the soup into a blender and blend the 
broth and peanut butter mixture until smooth. 

Return to pan and whisk in cream. 
Cook until heated through.

Garnish with shopped peanuts and celery leaves.

Come see what else is featured at Cast Party Wednesday



*The quality of peanut butter you use will directly effect the quality of your soup. I like an all-natural, but not an unsweetened peanut butter. And for some reason my soup looks all gloopy but it's not really.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Fluffy Blueberry Oat Pancakes



3 3/4 c. milk
5 1/4 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. baking powder
1 Tbsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
5 eggs
2/3 c. oil
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2/3 c. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. quick cooking oats
1 (48 oz) bag blueberries, thawed

In a large bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, and oil. Set aside

In a separate bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Combine the two bowls and add the remaining ingredients. The lemon juice will make it foam a bit, thats supposed to happen, that reaction makes them light and fluffy. 

Cook in a no stick pan over medium on both sides until golden. 
I made mine kinds small and I got 6 dozen out of this recipe.


To freeze them lay them flat in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid. When they are frozen solid put them in a freezer safe bag.  I like to re-heat mine in the toaster, otherwise they are kinda soggy.

Eggrolls


The wrapping takes a little practice but after a few you will probably get the hang of it.
The hands above are my 5 year old, after her second one she was wrapping as well as I was.
 




1 1/2 lb ground beef (chicken or pork work great too)
1/2 tsp. McCormick Szechuan Pepper blend
1 c. beef broth
1/2 c. stir fry sauce

1 head cabbage
3 carrots, grated
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped

60 Egg roll wrappers 
(I used 3 packages I got in the produce section of Wal-mart)

Cook the ground beef with the pepper seasoning, crumbling really fine, until no longer pink. Add the broth and stir fry sauce and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Put in a really large bowl. 

Cut the cabbage into quarters, slice really fine, then cut across so you have small shreds. Toss with the cabbage. In a large pan cook the onions without water or oil, over medium heat, until starting to soften. Add the cabbage mixture and let cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so to avoid browning and to make sure it gets cooked all the way through. About halfway sprinkle the top with salt, stir and taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed, making sure not to add too much or you wont be able to add soy sauce later. 

When the cabbage is softened but not too cooked down, remove from heat and toss with the cooked meat. 

Place one egg roll wrapper at an angle, top with a scant 1/4 c. of meat and cabbage mixture. Roll, still at an angle, about half way, tuck in the sides and finish rolling. Dip your finger in water and wet the end of the roll before wrapping to seal it closed. You don't want to get them too wet though or else the wrapper will turn into a soggy, doughy messy that wont hold the filling.

Freeze - place all on a tray and freeze until solid. Then put them in an air tight bag and seal.

Eat now - Fry in hot oil for 2 minutes on each side. 




 




Come see all the other great recipes at Cast Party Wednesday



Sunday, December 11, 2011

How to keep apples from turning brown

I have something going on tomorrow that I am bringing apples to, but I needed to cut them all today, and I didnt want them to go brown.

Here are my apples after 40 minutes. 




See? Not brown. 

Just cut in advance and pour clear (but not club) soda over them. 
I actually used ginger ale, but whatever works.
Let soak for 10 minutes and they wont turn brown on you. 

Just drain, cover, and place in the fridge until ready to use.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Pizza Bread



Pizza Sauce (I used leftover spaghetti sauce this time)
8 - 12 oz. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. chopped pepperoni or turkey pastrami
Grated Parmesan cheese

Roll the dough out so it is long and thin, 
about 8 inches wide by about 18 inches long. 
Spread with the sauce, 
sprinkle with the cheddar and dust with the Parmesan, 
then sprinkle with the pepperoni or pastrami.  

Starting at one side roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll. 
Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 
anywhere between 30 - 45 minutes,  
until the top is darker than golden brown, but not charred. 

Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.




Saturday, October 1, 2011

Onion Rings


 **********

2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cumin
black pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp salt

1 egg
1 c. milk
3/4 c. soda (I used apple soda)
1 1/2 c. panko crumbs

2 really large onions, sliced and separated

Combine the flour and next 7 ingredients.

Toss the sliced onions and the flour mix. Remove the onions rings and set aside. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, and soda. 
Immediately whisk in the remaining flour mix. 

Dip the eggs in the batter and the coat with panko crumbs. 
Cook in hot oil on both sides until brown. 
Drain on a paper towel.

Sauce Recipe
1/4 c. mayo
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. ketchup
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. horseradish
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. honey
Pinch Thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch Black Pepper

Whisk all together.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Pizza Bites



 (They don't look like much, don't let that fool you)

These are simple little pizza bites that are great for a fun kids dinner, a picnic, or as an appetizer. We LOVED them. Feel free to play around with different toppings in the center. Whatever you normally like on your pizza will be good. Next time I am going to try meat lovers, and add sausage and bacon. 

I also want to freeze some and see how they do. I will update later with the results. If it works this would be a great treat to have on hand to pull out for quick snacks. UPDATE: They worked great frozen. I froze them overnight and then I microwaved one from frozen and it got hard as a rock. But I defrosted the rest, and that only took 30 minutes, and then microwaved it for 20 seconds and it was warm and soft. So it takes a little pre planning to eat them from frozen, but not too much.I just put them flat on a tray and froze them until they where solid, about 2hours, and then put them in a freezer safe plastic bag.

You can use whatever dough and sauce recipe you prefer but I have included mine as well, just in case. 

I don't remember the pkg size of the pepperoni, it said it had 90 pepperoni. After the 48 reserved, I think it was about 3/4 c. chopped.


1 1/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 1/4c. cheddar cheese, shredded
2 pkg pepperoni
1/4lb deli sliced turkey pastrami
 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
Reserve 48 pepperoni's. Chop remaining pepperoni and turkey pastrami. Mix the mozzarella, cheddar, pepperoni, pastrami, and bell pepper. When the sauce is cooled add it to the cheese mix. 

Roll the dough out really thin and cut into 2 inch squares. Spray 4 mini muffin pans with cooking spray. Press one dough square into each muffin cup. Fill with cheese and sauce mixture. Top each cup with one reserved pepperoni. 

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or just until the dough looks cooked. Let cool in pan ten minutes before removing.

Makes 4 dozen.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Souvlaki Kebabs




I love the way the vegetables don't get too soft or soggy in this, they stay very crisp/tender without being to far in either direction. If you grill just the vegetables without the meat they make a great side dish or vegetarian entree. For a side I like to use eggplant, zucchini, onions, and red bell peppers. Mushrooms and cherry tomatoes might be nice as well.

Sauce:
3/4 c. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. soy sauce
3/4 c. red wine vinegar
2 c. olive oil
1 Tbsp oregano
4 - 6 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb pork, cut into cubes
1 medium zucchini, sliced about 1/4" thick
1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4" cubes
1 onion, cut into chunks

Combine all of the sauce ingredients. Remove 1/2 cup and refrigerate. Add the meat to the remaining marinade, cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. 


1 hour before cooking add the zucchini, pepper, and onion to the reserved marinade. 


Skewer the meat and vegetables. Throw away the meat marinade and reserve the vegetable marinade. Bake at 350 for 12 - 15, flip over and brush the meat with the marinade from the vegetables, bake an additional 10 - 12 minutes.




This is great with a quinoa or rice pilaf. I also like the meat tucked in a pita with lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and tzatziki sauce.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Tzatziki Sauce


This is great with slouvaki, falafel, or even just sliced roast beef in pitas. It's also good with corn chips for a snack.

For a simple dinner sprinkle chicken with Greek Seasoning and pan sear, serve with tzatziki sauce and a side of Mediterranean seasoned orzo or quinoa. I like it on sunny side up eggs for breakfast.

I also like to serve it on a "Veggie Delight Platter" similar to what the local cafe serves. Arrange pita wedges, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions rings, alfalfa sprouts, kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce and hummus on a platter. This makes nice light and tasty party food.

For a simple lunch throw all the things from the platter idea into a tortilla for a simple wrap.

1 c. greek yogurt, plain yogurt or sour cream
1 tsp. lemon juice
Dash Tabasco
1 tsp dried dill
3 cloves garlic, miced
1/2 large cucumber
Salt to taste

Peel the cucumber and cut into quarters lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and grate the cucumber. 

Stir everything together and taste, adding more dill or garlic, etc. depending on your tastes. Go really easy on the seasonings at first, they tend to "develop" as they sit. So let it sit for a couple hours and then see if it still needs more spices.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Boneless Buffalo Wings


I really, really, like hot wings. So much so that learning to make them was a must. A "must" I have been not bothering to figure out for months. That was until I saw the same delicious looking hot wing post show up at various linking parties I frequent. They just looked too good to pass up, and she only likes the boneless ones too.

As to bottled buffalo sauce, whatever brand you prefer will work. I actually like the Krogers store brand better than the Franks, but that's what I had, and it's not bad. So anyway, here's how it went:

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 bottle Franks Buffalo Sauce

2 eggs
dash Tabasco

2 c. flour
2 Tbsp 5th Season Seasoned meat tenderizer
1 Tbsp. McCormick fried chicken seasoning
1/2 tsp onion powder

Oil for frying

Remove fat from the chicken. Cut in half lengthwise and then into 1 inch cubes. 

In a large bowl combine eggs, 1 Tbsp water, dash tabasco, and 1/4 c. Franks sauce.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, tenderizer, chicken seasoning, and onion powder.

Heat the oil.

Dip the chicken into the egg and hot sauce mix and then coat with flour. 

Fry in hot oil until lightly browned. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. While still hot drizzle generously with more Buffalo sauce and toss to coat.

Eat with your favorite dip (mine is ranch)

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Tandoori Chicken






This is great served with riata, a yogurt cucumber sauce similar to tzatziki sauce, and actually what I use.  This is fun to serve as an appetizer, after the chicken is cooked, just cut it into thin 1 inch squares and top with a dollop of sauce, stick a toothpick in the middle and serve on a tray.

4 large chicken breasts
Lemon Juice, About 2 Tablespoons
1 c. plain yogurt (all I had around was sour cream so I used that)
Red food Dye (optional)

6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground ginger (fresh would be better, I didn't have any)
2 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. paprika (make sure it's a nice vibrant red color)
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Pinch Cayenne (I like about 1/4 tsp. to make it spicy)
Pinch Cloves

I removed the fat from the chicken breasts so that only meat was remaining. Then I just the chicken in half lenght-wise and then in half again through the middle.

Rub the chicken with lemon juice. Mix the spices and rub the meat with the mix. Combine the yogurt (or sour cream) with red food dye until it is bright pink. Add to the meat and spices and make sure each piece of chicken is completely coated.

Marinate for 2 - 12 hours.

Turn oven on to broil and move a rack to the highest spot in the oven. Place the chicken on a wire rack or a roasting pan.  Broil from 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

I served mine over a qunioa pilaf but rice or couscous would also be good.