Caramelized Baked Chicken

Caramelized chicken with Millet and spinach salad

Listen folks, I try so many recipes out...it is insane! I have a system. It is flawed. I have issues, this I know. : ) I figured I would take you along on a journey as we follow the life of a recipe in my world.

Oh hey, someone found me online, nice. They are clicking on me, I knew this day would come! Oh yes, here comes the copy and paste, that can only mean one thing! I have a new home!

My new home is awesome! I am surrounded by tons and tons of other emails. They all call me the new kid, but hopefully that won't last too long. I have lots and lots of space to hang around, and hopefully I will get to go out a play soon.

My new home is quickly getting crammed. At least 100 new emails have been added, and my space is shrinking like saran wrap on a hot day. I think she forgot about me. Was it something I said?

Day 123. The lights are dim. The light at the end of the tunnel has disappeared. I am longing for the days when I was "the new kid."

What was that? Is that her? OMG! I knew she remembered me! Finally, I can see and breathe again!

Looks like we are moving. Where to? A nice new piece of paper! Out in the open air! The sky never looked so blue...or is that her mixer?

The new place isn't as crowded as the old one. More space to move around. The den, the dining room, the kitchen. I move just about every day now, never time to settle in.

Finally. My day has come! She is testing me out! Ohh...make sure you sift that...don't over mix...watch it lady!

The moment of truth. 6 Judges. All of them harsh. Why am I so nervous? Could I have done something different? Wait for it, wait for it. Nothing. No feedback. What is she saying? Why is she crying? What does this mean?

My new home is dirty. My neighbors are a banana peel, a coupon, and a ripped paper towel. Oh well, better luck next time.

This is truly how my unorganized scattered recipe finding process goes. I find a recipe I like online, I email myself the recipe...no, not so my inbox is full and it looks like I get emails, but so I know where to find my recipes. Yes, I realize this is a flawed system, and yes I need a new one. Next that found recipe gets lost in my inbox for a few months, then I randomly go back and search through them and find inspiration. Then onto my next flawed step. I hand write the recipe in shorthand from my computer onto random scraps of paper. Then these random scraps of paper float around the house...from my room to the dining room to the kitchen to the den and then back to the kitchen. Then maybe a few weeks later I get around to trying this recipe out. If I like it I blog it, if I hate it I trash it. I do believe I deserve a reward for worst system ever! I also have tons of binders which are semi organized by course, these of course are mostly full of recipes I have yet to try. I am not even going to include all the magazine, and newspaper recipes lying around as well. I need to hire a secretary. No, I need to Spring clean before Spring is over. Wait, is it over? Oh well, I always have next Spring. : )

I came across this recipe on Allrecipes. It had over 1,000 positive reviews so I figured I would give it a chance. Not bad, not bad at all. It is simple, and that is nice. After it is cooked I used the juices and poured it over some cooked millet. That was a good idea. Good job me.

Caramelized Baked Chicken
adapted from Allrecipes

2 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 TBS ketchup
1 cup honey
1 clove garlic, chopped
Chicken pieces

Mix together all ingredients and pour over chicken pieces in a baking pan. I had about 16 pieces of chicken, thighs and legs, and this was the perfect amount. I used bone in chicken. I took the skin off 1/2 the pieces and left the other 1/2 on...1/2 because of fat and 1/2 because some people here love the skin and some hate it. Some people who reviewed the recipe used boneless skinless, so to each their own. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes, it depends on what pieces you use and how big they are. Cook until cooked...you know how it goes.

In other news I made these Cinnamon Rolls from Cooks Country...BEST. CINNAMON. ROLLS. EVER! Here they are without their cream cheese frosting, aren't they beautiful? After one bite I swear I could hear this song playing in the background..."Nessun Dorma" Listen to it...it will make you cry and then make you want to eat a cinnamon roll. : )