Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

10 days since my last post! You probably think we haven't eaten dinner in over a week and a half. No. We have eaten dinner every night but, I have just been lazy with the postings. Turning over a new leaf and I am really going to keep up with the recipes and results. One of my sisters said that she was looking for nightly menu ideas so now I'm challenging myself to get more recipes posted.

I spent my day off looking for new recipes. After 3 hours of online searching, exercising, doing a load of laundry and making chocolate chip cookie sticks (I'll post that recipe too!), I came across a recipe for Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Chicken that I have been meaning to try for a long time. Tonight was the night. It is a super easy recipe and I adapted it from a recipe from MasterCook which is a computer program loaded with recipes. I made it in between dropping off and picking up numerous kids from their afternoon activities, washing the kitchen floor, and vacuuming the family room.

Besides the chicken, I served steamed green beans, rustic bread brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt that was toasted in my new panini machine, and an old salad favorite - sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a little salt and pepper. Got 2 thumbs up for the chicken with the raspberry-balsamic glaze. Sweet and tangy. Something differently delicious. 2 more voters tried the chicken with the glaze and decided they just wanted the sauteed chicken. Not your more adventurous eaters. I would definitely do this recipe again!!

Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup purple onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves
1/3 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat oil and butter in pan. When hot, add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chicken with a little salt and thyme. Saute in same pan as onions, about 5 - 6 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and cover with foil to keep warm. Add about 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the preserves, chicken stock, and vinegar to pan. Stir constantly until preserves melt and the sauce begins to thicken. Spoon raspberry glaze over chicken.


Bonus!!  The cookie recipe I promised. Freakin' good!



Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks

2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl beat together the butter, the sugars, and the baking soda until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add 2 cups of the flour and beat in well. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and the chocolate chips. Press dough into a 13 x 9 inch pan lined with foil. Bake for about 23 - 25 minutes. It should be golden brown and the center should be set.

Cool in pan for 1 hour. Lift cookies in foil out of pan and turn on to a cutting board. Cut crosswise into about 13 to 15 long cookie sticks. They should be 9x3/4 inch wide. Place sticks onto a ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 8 -10 minutes. Remove from pan. The cookie sticks will crisp up as they cool.

Dunk in milk and enjoy!!!