Meat Loaf

Boneless Chicken Thigh Recipes

Friday, September 30, 2011

Chicken thighs are often overlooked in recipes because of the popularity of boneless chicken breasts, which are more in demand. However, chicken thighs are juicier and much more flavorful. They are also very economical and if you are on a tight budget, there are lots of chicken thigh recipes you can make, whether you are looking for something international like easy chicken enchiladas or something for the summer like grilled chicken recipes.

You can use boneless chicken thighs in casseroles and stews and pretty much any dish where you would normally use chicken breast. You might like to use some chicken breast and some chicken thigh, for a contrast in flavors and textures.

How to De-Bone a Chicken Thigh

Bone-in chicken is cheaper than ones are which have been de-boned for you, so it is well worth learning how to take the bones out of your own. Taking the bone out of a chicken thigh is simple and it also means the chicken will have a shorter cooking time. If you are cutting up a whole chicken, you will need a sharp knife to slice through the joint where the drumstick meets the thigh. You will find the cartilage very soft so it is easy to cut.

Bone the drumstick using the same method as you used for the thigh. Cut along the top of the bone and slice deeply until the knife is touching the bone. You will be able to see the white bone in the cut you have made. Pull the bone upwards and away from the chicken thigh.

Cut into the chicken some more, so that you can remove the bone altogether. You will probably have to slice some more of the meat off the bone so you can get it out. Keep slicing away bits of sinew, tendons and skin until you have a boneless thigh.

Recipe for Crockpot Chicken Thighs in an Herby Orange Sauce

This is such a simple recipe and the fact that you can use a slow cooker means that you can leave this recipe to cook by itself all day while you are out. Serve this tangy citrus chicken dish with noodles or rice and perhaps some broccoli or beans on the side. This recipe serves four people.

You will need:

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, in 1 inch pieces
Juice from 1 orange
Zest from 2 oranges
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
4 slices crumbled, cooked lean bacon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
2 crushed garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
3 peeled, diced carrots
1 chopped onion
14 1/2 oz can diced peeled tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste

How to make it:

Remove any visible fat from the chicken, then combine it with the orange juice and half the zest, tomatoes and their liquid, oregano, thyme, pepper, garlic, rosemary, onion, carrot, basil and tomato paste in a three and a half quart crockpot. Cover and cook on "low" for about six hours or until the chicken thighs are cooked through. Stir in the rest of the orange zest, the lemon juice, and sugar. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the finished dish.

There are many grilled chicken recipes that you can make with boneless chicken. Perhaps you fancy trying an international dish like easy chicken enchiladas and these recipes are so quick and easy. BonelessChickenRecipe.com - Chicken so delightfully moist, you can almost smell it through your monitor.

Grilled Meatloaf - It's Not Grandmom's Loaf

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Burgers are far from your only grilled hamburger option. Bring your pots and pans outside, and enjoy some grilling fun without overheating your kitchen. You can do all the food preparation work inside where you have the table or counter space available, and then bring it out on a tray in one easy trip.

Grilled Meatloaf

Meatloaf has a bad reputation for being a boring centerpiece to an excruciatingly dull meal. This is at least in part because cooks did not think outside the box. In fact, most cooks were probably so grateful to find a good meatloaf recipe that they just prepared it exactly the same, every time.

Not this time. This meatloaf is like every happy taste you may have ever experienced in each wonderful bite. The recipe is for a huge holiday get-together, not an evening at home with the family. This is a whole lot of food.

Tastiest Grilled Meatloaf Ever

What You Need:

3-4 sausages in casing
1/4 pound bacon
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 Vidalia onion, sliced
5 pounds fresh ground hamburger
seasoning to taste (salt, pepper, garlic)
1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce (or ketchup, or salsa)
8 oz shredded cheese

Optional:

Pepperoni
Jalapenos
Pineapple rings
Anything you would find appealing or interesting

How To Make It:

Get your coals started, and down to an even heat of 325°. Preheat your cast iron skillet over the coals. When it is ready, remove the sausage from the casing, and add it, along with the bacon, to the skillet.

When the meat is no longer pink, add the mushrooms, peppers, and onion. Stir fry until they are no longer crisp. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside. By now, your heat is probably dropping to 300° or so, and that is fine. You just do not want it to go any lower than 250°.

Use a high-sided cookie sheet for the ground beef. Season it, and then shape it into a loaf that covers the cookie sheet, leaving roughly 1/2 to 1" on all sides. The meat will probably be 1 to 1 1/2" high.

Cover the meat with your favorite sauce, then the cheese. Finally, add the optional toppings.

Remove the rack, and push the coals to one side. Add some hard wood, fruit is a good choice.

Replace the rack, and place the meatloaf on the side opposite the coals. Cover the grill, and let cook for 20-25 minutes.

Remove the lid, and use a turkey baster to remove excess fat. Turn the pan 180°, and cook for another 20-25 minutes.

Let the dish sit for ten minutes before cutting and serving. Recommended serving size is 3" squares. You can serve it as meatloaf, or on a hamburger bun.

Hamburger is an incredibly versatile, tasty meat that is easy to adapt to almost any dish. If you have lots of hamburger on hand but are running out of ideas, check out best hamburger recipe for more ideas. Do not forget, grilling adds an entire new dimension to your dinner options. Grab a grilled hamburger recipe and enjoy.

The Best Burger Recipes the Net Has to Offer - BestHamburgerRecipes.org

How to Make a Delicious Farmer's Ham Loaf

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Combining ground ham and lean ground pork into a ham loaf makes a very tasty treat. One of my late aunts used to make delicious ham loaf and this recipe is pretty close to what she made. She was a delightful aunt who could turn any kind of leftovers into a delicious meal and this is how her ham loaf came to be. This recipe has a sweet and sour sauce that only adds to the delicious flavor of this loaf. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Splenda brown sugar blend which makes it suitable for diabetics. If you don't need to watch your sugar intake, you can use 1 cup of brown sugar instead. This is an updated version of an old, old recipe. This recipe is very suitable for diabetics, too.

FARMER'S HAM LOAF

2 lbs ground ham

2 lbs ground lean pork

1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the ground ham, ground pork, and the bread crumbs. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the milk. Add the milk, egg mixture to the meat blend. Mix together well and form into a loaf. Place loaf in a pan.

Sauce:

1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar blend

1 tbsp prepared mustard

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

Place all the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to blend and melt the Splenda blend. Pour the sauce over the ham loaf. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting with the sauce frequently.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
For more of her old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com