Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce

yum!  I loved these. The sauce is delish too.  I served with rice (I would recommend Cafe Rio lime rice) but the chicken and sauce would be really good in a taco too.

chicken skewer ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts ( about 5 medium breasts)
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, minced
• 1 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• nonstick cooking spray

dipping sauce ingredients

• 3/4 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup lime juice, from 2 to 3 limes
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  

  Directions

  1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Slice the chicken breasts across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips (you should have about 30 strips). In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the flavors meld, about 30 minutes. (The chicken, covered, can be refrigerated for up to 1 day before cooking.).
  2. FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE: In a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the flavors meld, about 30 minutes. (The dipping sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Season with additional lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste before serving.).
  3. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the top position and heat the broiler. Line a broiler pan bottom with foil and top with a slotted broiler pan top; spray the broiler pan top with nonstick cooking spray. Weave each piece of chicken onto individual bamboo skewers; lay half of the skewers on the broiler pan top and cover the skewer ends with foil, making sure not to cover the chicken. Broil until the meat is lightly browned and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes, flipping the skewers over halfway through. Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and serve immediately with half the dipping sauce. Repeat, broiling the remaining skewers and serving with the remaining dipping sauce.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

I have been trying a few recipes off of pinterest lately.  Some have been major fails, but some have been great, like this one:

I made these for Hannah's preschool Thanksgiving Party.  They needed bite sized samples of Thanksgiving food.  These are so cute and they are surprisingly easy and delicious too.

2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use cookie cutter to cut 12 pumpkin shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.
Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other.)
Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.
Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.
Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.

Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.

To decorate, melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave on medium. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Add a little vegetable oil to make the chocolate more fluid. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag and cut the corner off. Drizzle or draw faces on pies.

Note: The cutter I used was 3 3/4 inches wide, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Just use a round cutter around that size or slightly smaller to cut circle shapes out of the dough. Then make stems with the scraps. Press each stem over the edge and down the side of the dough before filling.

Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.

Enjoy!

Great Pumpkin Dessert

Serving Size:
12
Prep Time:
10 min
Cook Time:
55-60 min

Ingredients:

• 1 29 oz  can Pumpkin Puree
• 1/2 12 ounce can Evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 Cup White Sugar
• 4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 Yellow Cake Mix
• 3/4 Cup Butter, chilled

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish.
In large bowl combine pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, sugar, and spice.  Mix well and pour into 9x13 baking dish.
Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top of the pumpkin mix.  Slice butter in very thin slices and space evenly over the top of the cake mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean and top is golden brown.
Serve with whip cream.

Spinach and Black Bean Pasta

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, Ruth.  She is a very healthy eater, and recommended this healthy recipe.

Serving Size:
8

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) package whole wheat rotini pasta
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 2.5 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen chopped broccoli
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. oregano

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add rotini, and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the vegetable broth to a boil.  Reduce heat, and mix in spinach, onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.  Stir in the black beans and broccoli.  Continue to cook and stir 5-10 minutes.

Stir the tomatoes into the saucepan, and continue cooking 10 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

Serve over cooked pasta, and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Suggestions: try adding some oregano and upping the cayenne pepper for extra flavor.

One serving: 231 calories, 3 g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 42.4 g carbohydrates.

Image Via: AllRecipes.com