Cider Vinegar Chicken

In the early days of this blog I shared with readers how much I enjoy vinegar and what it can add to a recipe.  This recipe is defintely one that I will make again and this time uses apple cider vinegar.  This vinegar is used for everything from home remedies, weight loss cures, cleaning, and cooking.  I much prefer it in the later, but I will tell you it does great things for cutting through grease, and mopping floors.

This chicken recipe reminds me a little bit of the Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce that I made moths ago.  The vinegar, juice and honey pair together creating a sauce that is perfect with the chicken, and even more tasty with mashed potatoes. This is one of those recipes where the family stops talking as they eat, and where I hide the leftovers so ensure I get to eat them for lunch. 

Cider Vinegar Chicken
Recipe Source: Modified sligthly from Cooking During Stolen Moments

printable version

3 T. Extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into bite sized peices
1 large onion, sliced
2 T. honey
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. apple cider or juice
1/2 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp Rosemary

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season the cut chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper. Place in skillet and brown on all sides, but don't cook all the way through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add onions, honey and more salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the onions are nicely caramelized. Add the chicken back to the skillet.

 Add cider vinegar, cider or juice, stock and rosemary to the pan. Increase heat and bring to a slow boil. Let simmer until sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.  If you want a thicker sauce like I did, feel free to thicken it with a little cornstarch and cold water.

Total Cost $2.04 (with the mashed potatoes about $2.50-$3.00 depending on what you add to it.  Mine was close to $3.00 because I use a lot of butter and it hasn't been on sale lately) 
Olive Oil-$.15
Chicken-$1.39 (Red Apple had a great sale!)
Onion-$.25
Honey-$.15
Vinegar-$.05
Cider-$.05
Chicken Stock-Free

Jenn's Barbecue Sauce

The last time I made my Barbecue Bacon Meatloaf (recipe to come soon), I decided to venture into the world of home made barbecue sauce.  I have never been able to find a store bought sauce that tasted the way I wanted my barbecue sauce to taste.  All the brands were too tangy, too spicy, too smoky, or just "too" something and I decided enough was enough.  I had been missing out on some great recipes because I couldn't find a sauce that I absolutely loved. 

I came up with the brilliant plan to Google for a recipe.  Ok, that turned out to be an overwhelming experience!  There are about as many versions of barbecue sauce online as there are potato salad recipes in the United States.  Everyone, does something just a little different.  So I joined the crowd and made my own.  It is thick and sweet with a little kick and a slight tangy finish.  The thing about barbecue sauce is that there are many common ingredients, but the proportion and what a cook does with those ingredients can create hugely different results.  I can't wait to try this recipe out on a nice piece of grilled chicken, and I know it is fabulous with my Barbecue Bacon Meatloaf....so go ahead, make some for that next get together at your house.  I am confident that it will be a hit with everyone!

Jenn's Barbecue Sauce

Recipe Source: Me, A Cook's Quest

*Makes about 2 cups of sauce

1 cup Ketchup

1/2 can (3 oz) Italian Style Tomato Paste

2/3 c apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar (we like a sweet sauce, adjust to your taste preference)

1 tsp onion salt

 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp instant coffee

pinch of allspice

pinch of cinnamon

pich of cayenne pepper

*If desired you can also add a small amount of liquid smoke.  I didn't have any, but I will try it next time.

Over medium heat combine all ingredients and stir until the mixture just begins to boil.  Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.  Allow sauce to cool (it will thicken during this time) then store in the refrigerator or pour into freezer safe containers and freeze.

**Cook's Note-If you taste the sauce before you allow it to cook there will be a very strong vinegar flavor--it won't be overly appetizing.  Once everything has cooked together, you will really be able to taste each spice and the vinegar flavoe will mellow out. 

Total Cost $1.29 (approximately)
Ketchup $.25
Tomato Paste $.12
Vinegar $.10
Brown Sugar $.47
Spices $.25 (about)

This cost is higher than what I would pay at the grocery store.  Most of the time, when an item is on sale and I have coupons I can get Barbecue sauce for $.50 or less, however, with that comes artificial flavors, preservatives, chemicals and my less than enthusiastic taste buds so it is worth the extra money to make my own.  For many, $1.29 is quite a bit less than a regular priced bottle of sauce so it is a good deal for them as well.

Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

I have already professed my love of vinegar a few times on my blog, so it will be no surprise to most of you that I tried these potatoes. Everyone in my house, even my little guy, loves salt and vinegar potato chips—you know the kind, thick and kettle fried, heavy with salt and infused with vinegar flavor. When you eat too many of them your mouth begins to hurt a little bit but you can stop because they just taste so good. These potatoes aren’t crispy; they are soft and delicious bites of tartness. Perfect served hot right out of the oven or cold from the refrigerator, they are addicting and a perfect way to make an easy snack.

Salt & Vinegar Potatoes
Recipe Source: Martha Stewart

Potatoes
Vinegar
Kosher Salt (I used regular table salt)
Oil

Slice potatoes ¼ to 1/8 inch thick. Place in a saucepan and cover with white vinegar. COVER and turn your exhaust fan on—very important unless you want your whole house filling with the smell of vinegar. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and let potatoes steep in the vinegar 30 minutes.

Drain potatoes very well of vinegar. Toss with oil, and salt. Place in a single layer on a broil safe pan. Broil until light golden brown. Turn the slices over and cook the other side until brown. Remove from oven and salt again if desired.

**Cooks note—I imagine if you sliced these thin enough you could achieve a baked potato chip type of texture. I think I will also try slicing them very very thin, boiling, then frying them to try to get that crispy feeling of a chip**

Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce

Let me just put this out there, I love vinegar. The flavors that this simple substance can bring to a recipe are amazing. It has been used to preserve and add flavor to food for hundreds of years. Without vinegar we wouldn’t have pickles, we wouldn’t have many great salad dressings, and we wouldn’t have something to dip bread in.

There are many varieties. Most are made from wine and they all have a unique flavor to contribute to recipes. Balsamic vinegar is my absolute favorite. The rich, sweet flavors can be added to everything from appetizers to desserts. If you haven’t tried it in anything other than salad dressing, you really should. Beware though, not all bottles of balsamic vinegar taste wonderful straight from the bottle. If your budget won’t allow for a bottle of good balsamic, you can buy the lesser priced bottles and doctor them up. I pour mine into a saucepan and add a few teaspoons of sugar to add sweetness. Reduce this mixture over medium heat until you get the consistency you want. The result is a yummy sauce that tastes great on grilled meat. I have found that lesser priced bottles are great in recipes that require longer cooking times too. So go to the store, buy a bottle and start experimenting. Let me know what you use it for; I’m always looking for a reason to add vinegar to my recipes. Below is my newest recipe containing vinegar. It was hit with my husband but the flavors were a little much for the kids. I hope you enjoy!

Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce

Recipe Source: http://www.allrecipes.com/

**The original recipe at allrecipes, was for two servings.  I had it adjusted to serve 5.  I also substituted cut chicken breasts to reduce the cooking time and the vinegar to 3/4 of a cup because it was all I had.**

2 T olive oil

2 1/2 onions, chopped

5 chicken leg quarters

10 cloves garlic, chopped

3 3/4 cups chicken stock

1 1/4 cups balsamic vinegar

1 1/4 cups sun-dried tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet (I used non stick just to be safe) heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and reduce heat to low.  Allow onion to carmelize, stirring only enough to prevent sticking and to be sure that all sides are fully cooked.  Add garlic and saute breifly.

Increase heat to medium.  Add chicken pieces to skillet and brown on all sides.  Remove chicken, onion and garlic and place in a a 9x13 inch baking dish (I used a deep stoneware dish with a lid).

Combine the chicken stock and vinegar.  Deglaze the skillet with this mixture, then bring to a boil and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened.  Pour mixture over chicken and stir in the sun dried tomatoes.  Cover dish tightly and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is done and juices run clear. 

I served this with my veggie brown rice and green beans.  My husband and I loved it, but the kids picked out the chicken and left all the delicious tomatoes and onions for me.  Next time I would like to try it with pasta.

Total Cost: $11.29 about $2.38 per serving (5 servings)

Chicken Breasts-$2.82 (1 ½ pounds at $1.99 per pound)
Onions-Free
Garlic-.25
Chicken Broth-.75 (I bought this so long ago I don’t remember the deal I got)
Balsamic Vinegar-$4.89 (I used the whole bottle)
Tomatoes-$1.83 ($3.33-1.50 coupon)
Rice and seasonings-.50
Green Beans-.25