Watermelon Glazed Chicken with Corn and Blueberry Salad

Watermelon is a staple of Summer! It is served at almost every summer cookout or BBQ, adored by children and adults alike. It is so juicy and refreshing on those hot summer days, especially this summer! Plus, it's good for you! But what else can you do besides eat watermelon raw?

I discovered this summer that you can actually do a lot with it, including cook. So of course, I had to try it for myself! It was definitely a success, my family loved these recipes together. Much different than you might imagine just from hearing it but the Watermelon Glaze was the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy for a good summer meal. The Corn and Blueberry Salad was a great complement to cool the whole meal down while still adding its own unique flavors to the mix. It was a crowd pleaser to say the least!

Watermelon Glazed Chicken




Ingredients:

1 Watermelon glaze

3 1/2 lbs. meaty chicken pieces

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

fresh herbs (optional)


Instructions:

1) Prepare Watermelon Glaze; remove 1/3 cup and set aside.

Watermelon Glaze:

1 small watermelon

1 12-oz. jar of apple jelly (I used apple and cranberry chutney)

zest and juice of 1 small lime

2 tsp. red Chile flakes

1 tsp. jalapeno hot sauce or salsa

2) Cut half of the watermelon from the rind in to chunks and the other half in to wedges to serve with the chicken. Place chunks in a blender or juicer and blend until smooth. Pour into a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the juice and discard the rest.

3) Melt jelly over low heat, stir often. Stir in 1 cup watermelon juice, lime juice and zest. Then add red Chile flakes, jalapeno hot sauce or salsa and a pinch of salt. Mix and taste. Use warm or let cool and refrigerate (will keep for 2 days).

4) Pat chicken dry with paper towels and prepare grill for indirect grilling.

5) Brush chicken with olive oil and salt and pepper both sides. Place skin down over indirect medium heat.

6) Grill 25 minutes. Turn chicken over and brush with glaze two more times. Let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with fresh watermelon wedges and sprinkle with fresh herbs.



Corn and Blueberry Salad

Ingredients:

6 ears fresh sweet corn

1 cup blueberries

1 small cucumber, sliced

1/4 cup red pepper (or red onion if you like), chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

Dressing:

2 tbsp. lime juice

2tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Instructions:

1) Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add corn. Cook, covered, for 5 minute or until tender. Cool and cut corn off the cobs.

2) In a serving bowl, combine corn, blueberries, cucumber, red peppers (or red onion), cilantro, and jalapeno.

3) To make dressing, combine lime juice, oil, honey, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon salt in a screw top jar. Cover and shake well. Add to salad and toss!

The salad stays good if refrigerated for up to 24 hours. So make it in advance and sereve with the Watermelon Glased Chicken at your next cookout. I promise it will make the perfect end of summer meal and leave your guests begging you for the recipe!

Hope you enjoy!!

XOXO, CutieTwins

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Never Skip Breakfast Again: 10 Fast and Healthy Fixes

For those of you who are either too rushed to eat breakfast or just need something quick to grab on the way to school or work, I have some easy ideas for the widespread breakfast dilemma so many of us seem to face!


Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So why do so many of us skip it? I used to be one of the many who would have way too many things to do in the morning to remember to eat breakfast. Once you're used to it its no big deal, right? Wrong!


My senior year of college, I finally started eating breakfast. Since then, I've learned that breakfast helps me eat healthier throughout the day, and keeps me much more satisfied. I have never been an early riser, so I had to find ways to make quick breakfasts that were yummy, healthy and sustainable throughout the day. Some of these are so easy, you won't believe it until you try it for yourself! And once you do, you will see that you no longer have any excuse to skip breakfast (or let your kids eat pop tarts anymore). Say hello to healthy eating and a happier healthier you!


1) Egg in a Mug Sandwich: Microwave an egg or 2 in a mug, either scrambled or not, for 30 seconds and place on a toasted whole wheat English muffin. Add cheese or bacon if you like.


2) Oatmeal: This is a healthy, fast meal that you can easily jazz up with your favorite fruits or spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. The fiber in oatmeal will keep you satisfied all morning.


3) Greek yogurt parfait: Add your favorite fruits or berries to Greek yogurt for a delicious and nutritious breakfast. You can even pre-make this the night before to save time in the morning!


4) Instant muffin in a cup: Choose your favorite muffin mix or homemade recipe and whip up the batter at night. Keep refrigerated until morning. Pour muffin batter into a paper or plastic cup, fill half way and microwave for 30 seconds for a perfectly moist muffin. Serve with fresh fruit for a complete meal. Batter should stay fresh for up to one week.


5) Grapefruit: One of my personal morning favorites; I always sprinkle a little bit of sugar over the top of each grapefruit half. This is good for a morning when you are not too hungry but need a little something!


6) Scrambled eggs with cheese: Scrambled eggs take only minutes to make. I usually use one egg and one egg white, to cut the fat and cholesterol in half. If I'm in a hurry I just scramble with Swiss or feta cheese, but if I have a little extra time I add more goodies like peppers, mushrooms, spinach, artichoke hearts, or whatever else I have on hand at the time.


7) Frittatas: Whisk eggs together and add whatever veggies you like. Pour into a small pan and place in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Frittatas are a fresh alternative from your daily scrambled eggs.


8) Cereal with fruit: Choose a healthy cereal, like any from the Kashi line, and add fresh fruit or nuts.


9) Fruit Smoothies: This is the perfect breakfast for a car ride commute to work. Take your favorite fruits like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries, and blend them with Greek yogurt. You can use fresh fruit and add ice or frozen fruit works well, too. Pour into a glass for a meal on the go!


10) Stuffed mini crescent rolls: This is a super easy one that all kids are bound to love! Take Pillsbury mini crescent rolls and lay them out on a cookie sheet. Fill them with jam, chocolate chips or cheese and roll them up. Follow cooking directions on the container and serve with fresh fruit for extra nutrients.

Please feel free to email us at TheCutieCooks@gmail.com with any questions!!

~** Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter **~

Special thanks to the fabulous Maggie Conner, follow her blog, TheHauteHoosier too!

Seven Must-Have Kitchen Gadgets for Under $30

Have you ever walked through William Sonoma and wanted everything in the store until you looked at a price tag? While gadgets and utensils can make our time in the kitchen easier and more fun, they’re not always nice to our pocketbooks. (Does anyone say “pocketbook” anymore?)

I’ve compiled a list of must-have kitchen gadgets that won’t break the bank. You can find all of the following goodies for $30 or less!

1. Pizza Baking Stone- I’ve mentioned my love for baking stones in my previous post, “Four Easy Steps to a Pizzeria-Tasting Pie at Home”. For around $30, you can pick one up just about anywhere that sells kitchen gadgets. The stone will ensure the perfect combination of a crispy yet chewy crust. The more you use it, the better your pizzas will taste. After your first run with a pizza baking stone, I’m confident you’ll agree it was $30 well spent. Note: The stones aren’t meant to be washed. I just keep mine on the bottom self of my oven. Crumbs and sauce overspill burn off.

2. Cheese Grater- Not only are they easy to use, but fresh grated cheese just tastes better! They come in all shapes, sizes and prices. I use a box cheese grater, which I got at Bed Bath and Beyond for about $20. It has four sides; each side grates the cheese a different size. My only complaint about using a cheese grater is cleaning it; it’s not easy. I usually try to scrape most of the cheese remains off with a brush then stick it in the dishwasher. Be careful when cleaning! The little grates are sharp and can tear up your sponge and fingers.

3. Microplane- Don’t need to grate an entire block of cheese? Try a microplane! They are perfect when you only need to grate a small amount of cheese or for zesting fruit. Plus, they’re much easier to clean than a box cheese grater. You can find them for as little as $9 at Zesco, a kitchen supply company in downtown Indianapolis. If you don’t live in the Indy area, no worries! You can order hundreds of kitchen goodies (for your home or restaurant) from Zesco online at http://www.zesco.com/ .

4. Salad Spinner- Costing only $10 at Bed Bath and Beyond, my salad spinner has been a real money saver! Instead of buying bagged salad, I now use my salad spinner to make my own vegetable combinations. I chop lettuce, carrots, green peppers, onions, (essentially whatever is in season) and throw them into the colander that sits inside of the spinner. In the colander, I wash all of the veggies then give them a spin. Spinning the veggies dry them and perfectly mixes them together. You can also store any extra salad in the spinner. Talk about multipurpose!

5. Spatula- No kitchen is complete without this classic go-to utensil. It makes EVERYTHING easier! Lindy Brown, who loves to bake, said the spatula is one kitchen utensil she wouldn’t live without. You can find them in just about any color and size you could imagine. One of my favorite spatulas actually has a conversion table on the back. I got it at home goods for around $5.

6. Whisk- Do yourself a favor, and get a whisk if you haven’t already. It is one of the most versatile utensils in the kitchen. They’re great for making everything from salad dressing to brownies. This is another of Lindy’s favorites. It makes whipping up a delicious breakfast- which Lindy loves to do for her family on the weekends- easier and faster. Lindy said, “In a pinch, I've made whipped cream with a whisk when I couldn't find the egg beater.” You can find them virtually anywhere that sells kitchen supplies for under $10.

7. Magnetic Knife Strip- Why not bring some of the conveniences of a commercial kitchen into your home? Place the magnetic knife strip on the wall where you do most of your food preparation. Annie Zoll, whose family has been in the kitchen supplies business for years, said, “I love the magnetic knife holder because it is easy to see, access and also it maintains a clean and clutter-free counter space or work top space!” You can find magnetic knife strips at Zesco for only $9.

If your kitchen is missing any of the above items, consider investing in them. After all, you could pick up all seven items for less than $100. That’s $100 well spent, in my opinion!

We would love to hear about any of your favorite utensils that didn’t make our list! Feel free to email us with any comments or questions at TheCutieCooks@gmail.com . Happy Cooking!

XOXO,
The CutieTwins

P.S. A special thanks to Lindy Brown and Annie Zoll for their input. You can follow them on Twitter- @LindyABrown and @AnnieZoll .