Smoky BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

1 cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup honey
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 small shallots, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
¾ cup olive oil
Two-3 ½ lbs chickens

Marinate the chicken : In a bowl, blend together the vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Put the chickens in a 2 gallon resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal and turn to thoroughly coat the chickens. Refrigerate overnight, turning a few times.

Mop

½ cup dry white wine, ½ cup apple juice Combine the wine and apple juice in a spray bottle or small bowl.

Drain the chickens. Set them on a large rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle all over with the rub, inside and out.

Set the chicken breast side up on the grill grate over the drip pan, with their cavities facing the coals. Cover and cook for 2 hours, spraying the chickens with the mop every hour. Check the thermometer to maintain a temperature of 250° to 275° F.

After 2 hours, turn the chickens 90° F, still breast side up, so their sides are facing the heat. Be careful When turning the chickens to keep the juices inside the cavities. Spray the chickens with the mop. Cover and cook for 1 hour, then turn the chickens so that their opposite sides are facing the heat. Spray again, then cover and cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours longer, until a thermometer inserted in the inner thigh reads 170° F.

Transfer the chickens to a rimmed baking sheet.

Pour the cavity juices into a serving bowl. Let the chickens rest for 10 minutes. Cut off the whole legs and transfer them to a platter. Slice the breast meat off the bone and transfer to the platter. Add any accumulated juices to the serving bowl.

Serve the chicken with the juices and your favorite BBQ sauce.

Zesty Orange BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs chicken parts

BBQ Sauce:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 orange zest, removed with grater, orange
slices reserved for salad

Salad:

1 large, ripe tomato
1 orange, sectioned (without rind, see above)
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1/8 Teaspoon pepper

Prepare grill; heat coals.

In medium bowl, mix together all barbecue ingredients until smooth. Place chicken on grill away from center heat, skin?side?down; cook 15 minutes. Turn chicken and grill for 10 additional minutes. Brush chicken pieces with sauce and turn occasionally; cooking for additional 10 minutes.

Cut tomato into wedges and place in medium bowl. Use sharp paring knife to cut out white pith off orange. Remove orange sections and add them to tomato. Sprinkle with oil, vinegar and scallions; toss. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Serve chicken with salad on the side.

Tips:

It is especially important that the poultry be properly thawed before cooking. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator while it is in the original wrapper.
You can place it on a tray to catch any drips that may fall as it thaws.

When thawing in the refrigerator is not possible because there is not enough time, there are two other alternatives. For rapid thawing, you can put the bird in watertight wrapping and then submerge in cold water. You should change the water frequently as this will help quicken the process. Smaller birds require about one to two hours.

The other alternative is to leave the bird in its wrapper and put it into a
heavy paper grocery bag. Close up the bag and put it into a cool room. You
will need to check it frequently, and once the bird is thawed, you must cook
it immediately.

Zesty Orange BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs chicken parts

BBQ Sauce:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 orange zest, removed with grater, orange
slices reserved for salad

Salad:

1 large, ripe tomato
1 orange, sectioned (without rind, see above)
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1/8 Teaspoon pepper

Prepare grill; heat coals.

In medium bowl, mix together all barbecue ingredients until smooth. Place chicken on grill away from center heat, skin?side?down; cook 15 minutes. Turn chicken and grill for 10 additional minutes. Brush chicken pieces with sauce and turn occasionally; cooking for additional 10 minutes.

Cut tomato into wedges and place in medium bowl. Use sharp paring knife to cut out white pith off orange. Remove orange sections and add them to tomato. Sprinkle with oil, vinegar and scallions; toss. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Serve chicken with salad on the side.

Tips:

It is especially important that the poultry be properly thawed before cooking. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator while it is in the original wrapper.
You can place it on a tray to catch any drips that may fall as it thaws.

When thawing in the refrigerator is not possible because there is not enough time, there are two other alternatives. For rapid thawing, you can put the bird in watertight wrapping and then submerge in cold water. You should change the water frequently as this will help quicken the process. Smaller birds require about one to two hours.

The other alternative is to leave the bird in its wrapper and put it into a
heavy paper grocery bag. Close up the bag and put it into a cool room. You
will need to check it frequently, and once the bird is thawed, you must cook
it immediately.

2 Best Microwavable Holiday Desserts

Christmas is just around the corner, so it’s time to start planning out a perfect meal for all of your friends and family. While a traditional Christmas dinner with roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberries is perfectly acceptable, why not mix things up with the dessert menu this year? Steer clear of eggnog, cheesecake and candy canes and whip up something truly unique instead. You can easily create something delicious this year in minutes using your very own microwave. If you’re searching for some great recipe ideas, check out my list below.

Hot Cocoa Cake

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons of hot cocoa

3 tablespoons of flour

3 tablespoons of oil

2 tablespoons of water

1 egg

A dollop of whipped cream

Instructions:

Mix the flour, hot cocoa and the egg together in a large microwavable coffee mug. Stir everything together well. Then mix in the water and oil. Heat the mixture in the microwave on high for about 3 and half minutes. The cake will rise slightly out of the mug, but once it cools it will shrink down. Let it cool for a couple of minutes, then top it with plenty of whipped cream and voila!

Easy Bake Baked Apples

Ingredients:

1 red apple

2 tablespoons of raisins

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of nutmeg

1 tablespoon of water

1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

Instructions:

First core the apple, while keeping the bottom intact. Next mix the raisins, brown sugar, nutmeg and ground cinnamon together in a small bowl. Then fill the apple with the dry mixture and place it in a microwavable container. Pour the water around the bottom of the apple. Cover the container with plastic wrap and place it in the microwave on high for 1 and half minutes, until the apple is soft. Serve immediately with ice cream if desired.

You don’t have to spend hours and hours of your precious holiday making a delicious treat for your family this year. Spend your time unwrapping that beautiful vintage bird cage your kids bought you this year or kissing your sweetie under the mistletoe instead of making dessert!