Aloha!

On Sunday nights, I generally make something very easy, like tacos, hamburgers, etc. I found this recipe and thought that even though it's a little more involved than my usual Sunday meal, it looked like a fun alternative. And since we recently went to Hawaii, it was a fun, reminiscent meal. A couple of notes:
-I highly recommend using the Hawaiian style buns instead of regular hamburger buns. I used them on a lark and thought it made a BIG difference
-If your chicken breasts are thick, butterfly them before you marinate (I did this and ended up with four sandwiches instead of two...leftovers!)
-Don't be afraid to overgrill the pineapple! I grilled for about two minutes on each side and that was NOT long enough...it was still cold in the middle.
-I know that people say to only flip meat one time, but when it comes to chicken, that is bad advice. A chef-friend of mine once told me to turn chicken more often because it allows the juices to keep flowing through the meat. My chicken has been super-juicy ever since! I turn mine every two minutes.

Here we go...

Hawaiian Chicken Burgers

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 2 slices thick bacon
• 2 hamburger buns
• 1 T soft butter
• 1/4 teriyaki sauce
• 2 slices Swiss cheese
• 2 slices pineapple
• sandwiches fixins (I recommend mayo, lettuce, and tomato)

1. Place chicken and soy sauce in a Ziplock back--marinate 30 minutes to 2 hours
2. Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp
3. Heat grill (or stovetop grill pan)
4. Discard chicken marinade. Grill chicken 4-5 minutes per side, basting with teriyaki sauce before each turn.
5. Place Swiss cheese on hot breasts. Cover the breasts to allow cheese to melt, and place hot bacon on top of cheese.
   
6. Grill pineapple slices 3-4 minutes per side; place on top of chicken breasts.
7. Brush butter on buns and grill until toasty.
8. Put chicken breast on top of hot bun, arrange desired condiments on top, and enjoy!
   

Meatloaf with a BANG

This is, by far, M's favorite meatloaf recipe. I love how moist and tender it is! It is spicier the next day, which I'm sure is part of the reason M loves to have it for lunch the next day.

Tex Mex Meatloaf

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 c crumbled cornbread
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 c grated pepperjack cheese (cheddar would work also)
• 1/2 c finely chopped onion
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 jalepeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. mix all ingredients (by hand words the best!)
3. place baking rack on cookie sheet; form meat into loaf shape on the rack
4. cover loosely with foil; bake for 30 minutes
5. remove foil; bake for 30 more minutes
   

Amazing Brownies

I'm honestly a big believer in brownie mixes. They are easy and usually just as good as homemade. But this recipe is the exception to that rule. They take just a little extra time but the result is well-worth it!

Tips:

1. I use cake flour in this recipe. If you use regular all-purpose flour, omit the extra two tablespoons. The result will be a slightly heavier brownie.

2. When a recipe calls for vanilla, I frequently divide that amount into half vanilla extract, half almond extract. If you don't have almond extract handy, use the full amount of vanilla. (I keep almond extract on hand at all times...it's amazing how often you use it!)

3. Be SURE to let the chocolate/butter mixture cool completely or the result will be a very heavy, overly chewy brownie.

Ok...here's the recipe!

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 4 oz unsweetened (baking) chocolate
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 t salt
  
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 1 cup plus 2 T cake flour
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9x13 pan (or a 9x9 pan if you prefer more cake-like brownies). Do NOT flour the pan.
3. In saucepan, melt butter and chocolate. Let cool COMPLETELY.
4. Beat eggs and salt until light in color and foamy.
5. Gradually add sugar and flavorings, beating until thick
6. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in cooled chocolate with a few swift strokes. Do NOT use the electric beater.
7. Stir in flour just until combined.
8. Bake for 25 minutes. Delicious! :)