Balsamic Jam Chicken

Alright dear folks, hang on while I go into motivational speaker mode for one second...Do you set goals for yourself? I try to. Usually they go something like this..."I will fit into those jeans before the weekend", or "I will go to the gym 5 times this week", or "I promise to only make cookies once this week", or "I will finally finish reading Atlas Shrugged." Those are just a few of my reoccurring goals, that stick with me always. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of goals that don't have to do with food and weight loss...really my life does consist of other things...sort of. : ) The fun thing about goals is when you are done you get to make this giant, confident, check swoosh motion with your hand, pat yourself on the back and proudly claim that gold star you so deserve. I am currently in that "check swoosh" mode as I happily completed a goal. I told myself that I would sell x amount of cookies for Valentine's Day, and by George, I did! Between my Etsy sales and local sales I reached that darn goal, did a cartwheel over them, slapped the mailman high five, and did my happy dance. Thank you to all my supporters who bought cookies from me and made my goal reaching possible. I dance for you. : )

Here is a new goal for each of you. Cook or Bake something new this week that you have never made before. Here is a new recipe to help with your new goal...

Now jam, that is the real surprise tonight. One, because I don't usually cook with jam; two, because I made something good with jam; and three, because the fam actually liked it too! Therefore, henceforth, from this moment on...jam has earned its place at the dinner table. Amen. Speaking of Amen, my little sister in college just texted me and said she is getting really good at Latin, she said she can now say "Amen" in Latin. Right on, right on.

So I decided to go on an adventure and journey to the far regions of the back of our fridge. Scary place my friends, very very scary. I found there 2 jars of peach jam I made over the summer, and one jar of fig preserves. If I had known we had them I would have eaten them, alas, I am too short and can't see things kept on the top shelf of our ginormous fridge. (Note to self-buy a shorter fridge or bring my high heels with me when I cook) After I cooked the chicken I splt it into two pans and made half with the peach and half with the figs, peach won. You can make this with basically any jam you like...so get crazy and try something weird.

Balsamic Jam Chicken

1 TBS olive oil
1 Large chopped red onion (or yellow, white)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chopped thyme (optional)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken pieces cubed
1/3 cup of jam or jelly or choice
2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oil in saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and cook 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Rub salt, pepper, and thyme on chicken and cook in oiled pan. Return onions to pan and add remaining ingredients. Cook 1-2 minutes. Serve over rice. Boom. Dinner is served.

Sorry there is no picture, we ate it before I could take a picture. : )