October 24, 2010

Dessert Always Wins

We had a little family get together this weekend and I tried some new recipes. I mean, if you can't experiment on your family who has to forgive you and come back for more, who can you experiment on?

They've been running really great sales at the grocery store on chicken hindquarters, which is the drumstick and thigh together. I don't remember the price per pound, but I got a package with 5 large ones for $3.88. That's pretty darn cheap. I soaked them in a citrus marinade and roasted them in the oven. Really delicious!


Citrus Chicken Hindquarters

4 Chicken Hindquarters
1 Orange, zested and juiced
2 Limes, zested and juiced
4 Garlic Cloves, pressed
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Mix together the orange and lime zest and juice along with the garlic, a little salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil. Place chicken in a gallon size baggie, pour in the marinade, zip closed and put in the refrigerator to soak. I had mine together early enough in the day that they marinated for a good 5 hours. I actually doubled the recipe and made a big roasting pan with 9 of the hindquarters. Bake for at least an hour at 375 degrees (I had such a large pan of chicken, I ended up leaving it in for another 15 minutes.)


For a side, I had some bell peppers that I needed to use and I stuffed them with a rice mixture that I made up as I went along. It turned out very good!

Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

3 Bell Peppers, halved lengthwise with membranes and seeds removed
2-1/2 cups of cooked Brown Rice
2 T. Canola Oil or Olive Oil
1 cup chopped Onion
1 cup chopped Walnuts
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
16 oz. Tomato Sauce
Salt
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Sauté onion and walnuts in oil for 10 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning and salt and sauté a few minutes longer. Mix together with cooked rice, add tomato sauce and stir. Then stuff into pepper halves. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle the tops of each with a little parmesan cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.




My favorite part of this dish was the flavor and crunch of the walnuts. Just plain yummy!


But, of course, the dessert that I made in 15 minutes with very little trouble at all was what everyone liked the most ...


Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream Pie


9" prepared Graham Cracker Crust (I bought reduced fat like that was really going to make a difference!) :-)
7.25 ounce bottle of Chocolate Ice Cream Topping that hardens (I bought Smucker's Magic Shell Chocolate Fudge)
10 ounce jar of Maraschino Cherries, drained (set aside a few whole cherries to garnish the top of the pie with)
1 quart Vanilla Ice Cream
2 - 1.5 ounce packages of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped



Leave the ice cream out to soften. Pour about half of the chocolate ice cream topping into the graham cracker crust, spread around, then freeze for a few minutes.


Chop the drained cherries. I've had this chopper for years and I love it, especially for messy jobs like this one.


Stir the softened ice cream and mix in the chopped cherries ...


Pour the ice cream mixture into the pie crust ...


Sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups over the ice cream, then drizzle with the rest of the topping. Place the whole cherries on top of the pie (I forgot to leave the cherries until last and poured chocolate over them), then freeze until time to serve.


Oh yeah, it's definitely an easy, tasty keeper of a dessert. Hubby is already hinting that I should make another one!




12 comments:

Dazee Dreamer said...

oh my. every single one of those looked absolutely wonderful. But I agree. The ice cream pie. I might just have to give that one a try

Elizabeth @ Southern Comfort said...

I've been looking for a new chicken recipe.. this one just might be the ticket. And anything involving reese's and cherries will certainly keep my husbands eye off the fact that I tried 2 new recipes on him in 1 meal! :)
Thank you so much for sharing with us!

Baby Sister said...

I've actually made the dessert before!! Go us!! It's one of my favorites. :) But yours looks prettier so I might have to try again.

You always make me want to cook. I love your recipe blogs. :)

MollyinMinn said...

Just when I thought I was full...now I am hungry again. That pie looks amazing.

Tightwad Mom said...

Holy yum! I love when chicken goes on sales cheap. Dessert looks divine, so do the stuffed bell peppers and chicken!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

A whole bunch of yumminess going on at your place!

Tiffanee said...

Oh man! I want to come to your house for dinner. YUM!! It all looks so delcious. The pie was brilliant!!

Liz Mays said...

Oh gosh, I do love the way you eat!!!!

Snowcatcher said...

Everything looks yummy, and I love the way you've illustrated the post. Especially the citrus. Made me lick my chops!

Unknown said...

Every single bit of that sounded good - and I'm a picky eater. :0) Yum! Think I'll have to print this up to give it a go.

Loren said...

Wow Wow Wow....I think I may need a drool bucket!! Land sakes alive...it all looks sooooo delicious!!
You know, I have NEVER tried stuffed peppers before but you may JUST have pushed me to the other side and I may give a try ;) when I can cook again this is LOL

I know your family just must treasure you and your amazing gift (s) !!!

Kathleen said...

This post makes me so hungry. Yummy!