Sweet and Sticky Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

I was searching the internet the other day looking for something new to try with chicken thighs.  Seems that more and more of my weeknight meals revolve around them and the family is getting a little tired of my normal baked thigh recipes.  Luckily this recipe caught my eye and it is definitely a keeper!!! 
Kristen from Dine and Dish makes these using chicken wings but thighs are what I had.

Sweet and Sticky Oven Baked Chicken Thighs (from Dine and Dish)
Ingredients:
1 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup ketchup
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 Tablespoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt 
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon mustard
1 ½ cups brown sugar
8 chicken thighs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the chicken thighs
2. Line metal baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a rack to elevate the chicken.
3. Pour the barbecue sauce over chicken thighs in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Seal tightly and shake until sauce is well distributed.
4. Arrange chicken thighs on the rack over the aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until crisp and cooked through.

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Neely's Macaroni & Cheese

In honor of Black history month, I prepared this following dish for this month's Chef Spotlight dinner where we highlight African American chefs. This recipe comes from Pat & Gina Neely.

Patrick Neely began his career in the restaurant business when he was only 15. He and his older brother, Tony, learned the art of slow-cooked southern barbecue using indirect heat by working at their uncle Jim Neely's restaurant, Interstate Bar-B-Que in Memphis.

On their website, Interstate Bar-B-Que claims that they were the "first to put the Neely name on the Memphis BBQ scene." In February 1988, Pat and his three brothers, Tony, Gaelin, and Mark, opened their first barbecue restaurant, Neely's Bar-B-Que, in downtown Memphis with nothing more than a few tables and chairs, a barbecue pit designed by their Uncle Jimmy, and $20,000 they had borrowed from their grandmother. They eventually earned a good reputation based on hard work, great food and consistently good service. The Neelys now have three restaurant locations: two in Memphis, and one in Nashville. Pat's brother Tony moved to Nashville to head up the new restaurant there. Additionally, they operate several concession stands in the Memphis FedEx Forum (one of the company's main logistics hubs) and their products are sold online and in selected grocery stores nationwide. Gina handles the restaurant's catering division, which accounts for over 25% of the restaurant chain's total sales. ~ Wikipedia

Neely's Macaroni & Cheese

recipe adapted from Pat & Gina Neely

6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk, warm
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash hot sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
3 cups shredded Cheddar
1 pound cavatappi pasta, cooked al dente
1 cup crushed potato chips
5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for topping

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the warmed milk and bring to a boil, continue to whisk constantly. The mixture will thicken as the heat increases. Continue to stir while adding

the dry mustard, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire. Stir in the 3 cups of Cheddar until it melts.

Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and add to a 3 quart casserole dish.

Sprinkle the chips, bacon and Parmesan on top and bake for 35 minutes.

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Baked BBQ Meatballs

We made these appetizers during the holiday appetizer cooking class I hosted. You can view pictures, the entire appetizer menu and get links to the other recipes from the class HERE.

Baked BBQ Meatballs

Cooking spray
1 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon BBQ rub seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prepare muffin pan by spraying the inside of each well with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients.
Gently form small meatballs and place in each well.
Bake meatballs in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

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