A Birthday Celebration!

A veryyy happy birthday to my younger sister Lindsey. She very graciously accepted turning the big 2-5. A quarter century! Ah...it seems like only yesterday we were in bunk beds arguing over who's turn it was to turn off the light or in high school ready to kill each other over a sweater. Times have indeed changed and my sweet enemy has turned best friend. (Gotta love that mom told us this all along.) <---GO MOM.

A little switch in tradition brought the whole fam to our house for a Sunday birthday lunch. I love the opportunity to try out a new recipe...insert How Sweet It Is's Crispy Chicken Fingers with Homemade BBQ sauce.

I will admit, the only thing that would have made these better would be if I had cooked them on the grill. It was 50 degrees outside...but, the wind would have blown them into our blueberry bushes, so we opted to bake them inside. I think they were pretty great! The Honey BBQ sauce my husband and I adapted from How Sweet was a hit. (I think!) 

A shot before...

And after...

I regret that I did not get a picture of the Honey BBQ sauce, but the recipe follows. There is a little left, but I am sure the container will be licked clean by the end of the week. I could put ketchup on almost everything, so this was a nice change of pace. 

There are four small pieces of chicken left. As my husband reached for the container later this evening, I stopped him explaining I will be using the left overs for tomorrow's dinner fighting him for the last few pieces. 

Crispy Chicken Skewers

(adapted from How Sweet Eats)

serves 6-8

8 boneless chicken breast cut into small cubes

6 egg whites

1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup italian bread crumbs

1 tablespoon BBQ seasoning

1/2 tablespoon garlic salt

1/2 tablespoon sea salt

1/2 tablespoon black pepper

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Soak wooden skewers in warm water for about 15 minutes. Cut chicken into small cubes. In a small bowl, combine egg whites and lightly beat with a fork. In another bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, 1/2 tablespoon BBQ seasoning, 1/4 tablespoon garlic salt, 1/2 tablespoon sea salt, and 1/4 tablespoon black better. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay a wire rack on top. Lightly sprat the wire rack with non stick spray.

Season chicken with the remaining seasoning. (Add extra as you see fit!) Dip each piece of chicken in the egg whites and then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Skewer and repeat. I put 4 pieces of chicken on each skewer and ended up with 11 skewers. (Plenty to feed a hungry family of 7!) Lay on the wire rack.

Lightly spray the skewers with non stick spray to help crisp the outside. Bake for 12-14 minutes on one side, turn over and bake or 12-14 minutes on the other side.  Serve with your homemade BBQ sauce. (See below!) 

Honey BBQ Sauce

(adapted from How Sweet Eats)

2 cups ketchup

1 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

5 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/2 tablespoon molasses

1 tablespoon Buffalo sauce

1 tablespoon BBQ burger season

1 tablespoon taco seasoning (this would be my creative husband's idea!)

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 tablespoon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon flour

Combine all ingredients except for the flour in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce has not thickened up after about 2 hours, mix in the tablespoon of flour. Serve warm or cold. 


Today was a great day--Happy BIRTHDAY Linds!

PS. Her "cake" was apple crisp and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.