Southern Fried Chicken

So last night I decided that I would make friend chicken because, well, it just sounded good :op I wanted something "quick" and easy without too much fuss and after quickly looking at some recipes, decided on Paula Deen's Southern Fried Chicken. I figured, if anyone had a good recipe for fried chicken, it would be Paula Deen.

The recipe looked easy enough, nothing too complicated nor were there too many spices involved. Of course, this queen of substitution didn't have everything in the recipe so I had to do a quick search about what to do in lieu of self-rising flour. Lucky for me, the JoyofBaking said I could substitute 1 cup Self-rising flour with 1 cup All-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. So I mixed this concoction up and then just measured out as much as I needed. According to some commentators, self rising flour helps the crispy "crust" rise a bit and puff up.

And the result? I cut the recipe in third because I had two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken. Because of this, I wasn't sure how it would turn out but I was pleasantly surprised and Brad enjoyed it too. The chicken was pretty juicy still, not dried out and the exterior was both flaky and crispy. It had pretty good flavor but I feel it was lacking some "oomph" so the next time I think I might add some paprika, maybe a bit more black pepper as well as garlic/onion powder. We'll see what happens. Also, as the reviewers and Paula Deen said, the hot sauce in the eggs doesn't add heat really (and if it did, I didn't notice it, but again, I just eyed it rather than measured out a 1/3 cup because I didn't have a lot of hot sauce and Brad doesn't like his food too spicy so again, but I'll probably up that too in the future.

Southern Fried Chicken
by Paula Deen

• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• About 1 cup hot red pepper sauce (recommended: Texas Pete)
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• House seasoning, recipe follows
• 1 (1 to 2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into pieces
• Oil, for frying, preferably peanut oil (I just used my deep fryer)

Directions

1. In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add enough hot sauce so the egg mixture is bright orange. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with the house seasoning. 
2. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then coat well in the flour mixture.
3. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil.
4. Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp. Dark meat takes longer then white meat. It should take dark meat about 13 to 14 minutes, white meat around 8 to 10 minutes.

 

House Seasoning:

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Hawaiian Chicken, Cooking Light

Early last year, one of Brad's aunts ordered me a subscription to Cooking Light magazine, knowing how much I enjoyed cooking. So far, every issue I have gotten, there is at least one recipe that has caught my eye and tempts me to stash it in my "To Cook" repertoire. Well lucky for the January 2011 issue, Hawaiian Chicken not only caught my eye but I also began to crave it and so of course, I had to make it right away.

Well due to my excitement, I forgot to take pictures. So the one picture that you get is directly from the Cooking Light website. Sorry about that! However, I am happy to repeat that the recipe did not disappoint! The chicken ended up being very flavorful and Brad noted that it was also quite moist/juicy...I don't remember the word he used exactly but you get the idea. Very good chicken and you would never know that it was "light".

A few notes; while reading the recipe I was confused about the directions in regards to the ingredient amounts and reserving marinade. How is it that you are supposed to pour the marinade over the chicken, reserving 1/4 cup when the amount of liquid in the marinade is only 1/4 cup itself? Well, somehow it ended up working where I had enough to pour over the chicken and still reserve the amount the recipe called for. Another note, I also chose to reduce the marinade to create a glaze for the chicken rather than attempting to "baste" it over the chicken as the recipe suggested. Not that I didn't think that it would work, or that my method would be better but rather that is just what I was craving :op. Oh yeah, and of course, I'm not a fan of ginger nor do we ever have it on hand so I omitted it. Either way, a great recipe and definitely a winner!

Cooking Light photo courtesy of John Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Hawaiian Chicken 

by Cooking Light

Total: 4 hours, 23 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and 1/2 cup rice)

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  pineapple juice
• 2  tablespoons  ketchup
• 2  tablespoons  lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  minced peeled ginger
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 2  cups  hot cooked long-grain white rice
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Combine first 5 ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade; place remaining marinade in a zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Chill 4 hours.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade in bag. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; baste with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Cook 6 minutes. Turn chicken over; baste with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Cook 6 minutes.
3. Combine rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cilantro.

Chicken Tacos

Located in the neighborhood of Pilsen in Chicago, there is a deliciously wonderful Mexican restaurant called Nuevo Leon. And now that I am writing this, I am realizing that out of all the times that we have been there, I have yet to take a single picture! Anyway, one of the things that makes Nuevo Leon so fabulous is that before you even order or get your food, you get unlimited chips and salsa and a "platito" of whatever they are featuring that night...think of it as a little, free "appetizer" that is made with the same loving care and delectable flavors as their entrees.

Anyway, the reason why I am telling you this is because the first time that we went to Nuevo Leon, we had no idea about the chips, salsa, and platitos..and what was on the platito that night was some of the best Mexican chicken we (Brad, my Tia Rosie, my Abuelita, and myself) have ever had. Weeks later I was still craving it so I decided to see if I could find a recipe that I could recreate it at home. And though it isn't a perfect match, it does come pretty close. I introduce to you "Michael Chiarello Chicken Taco Filling" a la food network.

Now  this recipe calls for diced chicken so I didn't take the time to slow cook the chicken to shred it like Nuevo Leon had it but I thought it still turned out well. Also, the recipe calls for both sweet and smoked paprika..so I'm sure you can guess what I did...I just used that jar that is simply labeled "paprika" in my spice cabinet for both. Now if you go to the linked website, Michael will go on to give a recipe for "toppings" and what not but we just ate these plain. I also made our own corn tortillas but store bought tortillas would obviously be okay.



Michael Chiarello Chicken Taco Filling
Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 yellow onions minced
• 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1/2-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 serrano chiles, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 4 to 5 cups chicken stock or water

Directions

1. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and onions and cook until soft and nicely caramelized, about 10 to 12 minutes.
   
   
2. In the meantime, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and toss to coat. Heat another large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the chicken until it is lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.
   
   
3. Once the onion mixture is caramelized and softened, add the serranos, paprikas, cumin, and oregano.
   
   When the chicken is done, transfer it to the pan with the onions. Pour in the broth or water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thick and delicious, approximately 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
   

Mango Chicken Stir Fry

I never lived "off campus" while attending Biola University nor did I ever really mind living in the dorms. In fact, I loved it. However, that did mean that I was not able to cook for myself/others unless I wanted to scrounge around for ingredients and cookware and take over the "community kitchens". I only did this a handful of times, but with real simple things, like frying plantains (yummm), hot dogs, and once, spaghetti (thanks to michelle). I didn't really mind for the most part not having a kitchen, especially since the cafeteria was great.

One day, I went over to my dear friend Ambre's Biola apartment where she made a delicious Mango Chicken Stir Fry that she had found on the internet somewhere. I have to admit that I was a little hesitant at first...I had only known mangoes in the context of an Indian lassi and I was skeptical that the spice and chicken would meld well together with the mango. It ended up that I liked it, but wasn't in love with it. Now fast forward almost 3 years later and suddenly I was craving a memory of Mango Chicken. So I asked Ambre if she could scrounge up the recipe and I am so glad she did. I'm not sure if my taste buds have changed, or if it is just something you have to get used to (like boba...man, I miss that stuff). Brad enjoys this dish too, it has that sweet/spicy taste to it that he enjoys plus it's a little different than your average stir fry.

As always (or so it seems), we don't always have everything needed for a recipe. The hot pepper sauce that is referred to in the recipe I have always assumed it was the Asian Hot Pepper Sauce/Red Pepper oil or vinegar that you can find at more Chinese restaurants. You know, we make this about once a month or so, perhaps we should invest in the pepper sauce, but then again, if it ain't broke...So what I have done is threw in anywhere between 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and maybe a splash of Tabasco Sauce. Also, I'm not a fan of ginger really (and to tell the truth, the root kind of scares me...it reminds me of that baby root thing in Pan's Labyrinth.) so I obviously omit that step and it still turns out just fine.

Chicken Mango Stir Fry

1 Mango
3 Tbsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce
12 ounces Chicken
4 tsp minced fresh Ginger
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 medium Red Bell Pepper, diced
3 Green Onions, thinly sliced

• Peel and cut mango into cubes.
• Combine lime juice, soy sauce, and pepper sauce.

 

• Slice chicken crosswise into thin strips. Stir fry chicken about 4 minutes.
• Add Giner and garlic, stir fry for an additional 1 minute.
• Add lime mixture and bell peppers. Stir fry again.
• Add mango. Stir fry 1 to 2 minutes more.

 

• Stir in onions. 

 

Mandarin Chicken Bake

A couple months ago Brad surprised me with cooking dinner. Well I should clarify that the surprise wasn't the cooking part as he will do that from time to time but rather that he pulled out a cookbook to find a recipe! You see, Brad is more of those "a little of this, and a little of that" and doesn't like anything that requires too much effort, time, and more importantly dishes.

Anyway, Brad found a recipe for Pineapple Chicken Bake in my America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. And guess what, we didn't have pineapple in our pantry for whatever reason so he thought, why not mandarin oranges? Also, I have yet to buy curry powder since Brad isn't a big fan so we decided that chili powder would be an acceptable substitute and we chopped whole almonds in our food processor rather than going out to buy sliced ones. 30 minutes later, we had a deliciously spicy yet sweet chicken with the wonderful crunch of almonds. This has in fact becomes Brad's Signature Dish. Quick, easy, delicious, and not too many dishes. One last mention, we made this recipe again last night only to find that we didn't have soy sauce, so we used teriyaki and it still turned out great. Plus, we use one of our corningware dishes that fits right inside of our Toaster Oven which Brad loves...you know, less energy used therefore cheaper ;o)

Mandarin Chicken Bake
adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Pineapple Chicken Bake

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 cans (11 ounces each) Mandarin Chicken in juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1/3 cup chopped almonds

 
Adjust an oven rack to the upper position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish coasted lightly with vegetable oil spray.
Drain the mandarin oranges, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice (about the amount of one can). Whisk the mandarin juice, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, and Tabasco together in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer, whisking often, until the mixture has thickened, about 8 minutes.

Quickly dissolve the cornstarch in the water, then whisk into the honey mixture. Stir in the mandarin oranges.

Pour the mandarin sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the almonds.

 Bake until the chicken registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 18 minutes.

Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot Pie!

Brad often cannot believe how many songs I know and how often I often break into song, even if it is just a stanza. I have no idea where that "Chicken Pot Pie" little diddy comes from. I know my mother knows it as well (which isn't a surprise if you know her) and I have this faint inkling that it is connected with David Spade....Hmm....Hey Look! I found it! It's from the old t.v. sitcom Just Shoot Me (with David Spade..though he isn't the one who sang it.)

Anyway, last night I had an unexpected opportunity to cook dinner! Woo Hoo! A couple months ago, we got together with a couple of friends and as a joint effort, we made chicken pot pie from scratch and it. was. amazing! We had never known that making chicken pot pie would be so easy and so tasty. I had meant to post the recipe previously but for whatever reason never got around to it. However, after making this dish again, I just had to post it!


A couple notes. This last time that I made the pot pie, I used chicken breasts. However, the first time we made it, I believe we used chicken thighs. Also, both times we made our own pie crusts though you could easily buy pre-made crusts.



Chicken Pot Pie
by Robbie Rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk

• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
• In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
• In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

 

•  Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust.

Pour hot liquid mixture over.

Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough.

Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. 

Cool for 10 minutes before serving.  

Garlicky Shrimp (or Chicken) Pasta

You know when you go out to an Italian restaurant..and there is that one pasta dish with either chicken or shrimp with a white garlic butter sauce? If I don't get a pasta with marinara sauce, I will normally go for some sort of white garlic sauce and I am always very happy with my choice. However, with all of the successful "garlic chicken pastas" that I have had, I never really thought of making it at home past the restaurant doors.

In thinking about what to make for dinner tonight, I turned to a new cookbook that I recieved for Christmas called The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2010 (I know 2010 just started so I'm not quite sure why it's labeled that way). I knew I wanted to try something a little different and while flipping through the pages, I came across a recipe for Garlicky Shrimp Pasta. However, since we didn't have shrimp in the house (not a problem for me as I'm not a fan, but unfortunate for Brad), I decided to try it out with chicken and oh my goodness, I am so glad that I did!

I feel like this dish turned out exactly the way it would if it was ordered in a restaurant. Which really shouldn't surprise me. I mean, it's America's Test Kitchen right? ;o) Anyway, besides substituting the shrimp with chicken, I made a couple of other changes only because of lack of ingredients..mainly chicken broth for the white wine and clam juice and dried parsley instead of the fresh. But again, very good! Brad's only "complaints" (if you would even call it that) would be that it wasn't a very thick sauce..and because I used a lot of chicken broth, rather than the white wine and clam juice, he felt it could have been more flavorful. Even so, the next time I will tweak what I can but it is definitely worthy for a return appearance or even a special occasion dish. Happy Day!


Garlicky Shrimp (Or Chicken!) Pasta
Best of America's Test Kitchen 2010

Marinate the shrimp while you prepare the remaining ingredients

• 5 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 pound large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined, each shrimp cut into 3 pieces)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• 1 pound short tubular pasta such as mezze rigatoni, fusilli, or campanelle
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
• 3/4 cup clam juice (or you can use chicken broth as I did if using chicken instead of shrimp)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice plus 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
• Pepper

1. Toss 2 teaspoons of the minced garlic, shrimp, 1 Tablespoon of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Let the shrimp marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. Heat the smashed garlic cloves and remaining 2 Tablespoons oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic from the skillet; discard the garlic. Set the skillet aside.
   
3. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon salt and the pasta. cook, stirring often, until just al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water, and transfer the pasta back to the Dutch oven.
   
4. Meanwhile, return the skillet with the oil to medium heat; add the shrimp with the marinade to the skillet in a single layer. Cook the shrimp, undisturbed, until the oil starts to bubble gently, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a medium bowl.
   
5. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons minced garlic and the red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute; stir in the vermouth and cook for 1 minute. Add the clam juice (or broth) and parsley; cook until the mixture starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and sauce to the pasta, adjusting the consistency with up to 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water. Season with pepper to taste. Serve, passing the lemon wedges separately.
   

Hawaiian Chicken Skewers

One day this past summer Brad had a hankerin' for some kabobs. I had wanted to do something different than the chicken sate that I normally revert to and so I hit the internet. Not too far into my search I came across Stacie's recipe for Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs over at Kat's Kitchen. She herself had found it from another blogger who in turn recalls possibly finding it over at all recipes. Gotta make sure you give credit where credit is due right?

Anyway, I went to work putting the marinade together while our skewers were soaking in some water (which helps prevent them from scorching when on the grill). It was all very easy and in the end very tasty. As far as the recipe goes, we didn't have Sherry on hand so I believed I substituted some chicken broth...or perhaps we had some leftovers of another white wine from when we had company. I don't remember but either substitute will do :o) Also, I know that many people will put their meats and veggies on the same skewer however it isn't the suggested/proper way to cook kabobs. By keeping the meats and veggies separate you cut down the chances of cross contamination as well as solves the whole issue of different cooking times between the two. I know it goes against everything that we were taught/shown but hey, how can you argue with Alton Brown, America's Test Kitchen, and other top chefs? And now, to the main event...


Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
slightly adapted by me :o)

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
  
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp cooking sherry (or any white wine/chicken stock)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger (I actually omitted this and did not miss it)
  
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can chunked pineapple, plus 2 Tbsp reserved juice
• your favorite veggies, cut into chunks

1. In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and pineapple juice. Whisk to incorporate. Pour into a large Ziploc bag or leave in a container and add chicken chunks. Make sure chicken is coated completely. Cover and marinate for at least two hours.
2. At least 30 mins prior to grilling, begin soaking wooden skewers in water to prevent burning.
   
3. Preheat grill to medium heat. Thread chicken onto soaked skewers. Next, alternate pineapple and vegetables onto different skewers .
   
4. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning occasionally

Cilantro Lime Chicken (Tacos)

It wasn't until this past year when I realized that Brad loved the flavor of cilantro as much as I did. The problem was, that we would buy a stalk of cilantro to cook with but because of various reasons, we would hardly use the entire bundle before it would go bad. Fortunately for us, when we moved into our new apartment, there was a place for a little garden in the back. Enter the cilantro plant. At first we didn't think it would make it but boy were we wrong. About a month ago, I had tried making cilantro lime chicken but I wasn't that impressed. However, this past Sunday, I tried again and I would most definitely consider it a success, as does Brad. I looked online for different recipes but ended up just splicing and putting a couple together after looking at different marinating times and random hard to find ingredients. Brad and I have both eaten this chicken by itself with white rice or cut up to make tacos. Our favorite version just happens to be the tacos.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• zest of 1 lime, plus juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon fresh cilantro
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Mix olive oil and seasonings together
2. Place chicken in either a shallow dish or ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Let chicken marinate for 30-45 minutes.
3. On pre-heated grill or skillet, cook chicken until internal temperatures reach 160. (Don't be afraid to take it off the heat around 150-155 degrees. The chicken will continue to cook internally for a couple minutes and the inner temperature will rise).
   
4. If desired, let chicken set for a couple minutes before cutting into strips for tacos.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Brad stayed from his clinicals sick today. Why is that newsworthy? Because he never gets sick. So when he's starts complaining he's not feeling well, you know it's something serious. I wasn't feeling well all weekend either and I had some sick days built up at work so I went to our weekly meeting and then scooted out of there. I came back home and his fever had gotten worse. Anyway, long story short, his fever is still coming and going and his other symptoms are still present. We're not sure if it's just a really bad cold, the flu, or something else but I decided that this "occassion" called for some Chicken Noodle Soup. However, we didn't have any canned soup so I decided to whip some up instead.

This was my first time making soup and I kind of just made it up as I went along and I was pretty impressed. I don't have any measurements or anything but I figured I'm post what I used just to show you that anyone can make a basic Chicken Noodle Soup. Also, I chose to season the chicken pretty well to prevent too many herbs from floating around in the broth in hopes that he would bring a more thoroughly blended flavor.

Chicken Noodle Soup

• Olive Oil
  
• 1-2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• garlic cloves, minced
• 1 chicken breast, chopped (or left overs from previously cooked chicken)
  
• thyme
• pepper
• oregano
  
• savory
• parsley
  
• 1 box Chicken Broth
  
• egg noodles

1. Heat olive oil in a pot. Cook chicken seasoned with thyme, pepper, savory, and oregano until no longer pink. Remove from pot. Leave any juices behind in the pot.
2. Heat olive oil in a pot if needed. Cook carrots, onion, and garlic until tender.
3. Add Chicken Broth and heat until boiling. Add egg noodles, cooking until tender.
4. Return chicken to pot. Add additional seasonings if desired. Simmer to allow flavors to blend.

Chicken Teriyaki

Chicken Teriyaki is one of Brad's favorites when it comes to "Chinese" food ("Chinese" because we both have doubts on it's authenticity to true Chinese food). So far I have made this twice, despite not having all of the ingredients the recipe calls for, nor will I have them for tonight's version either. The reason? I'm not a huge fan of ginger therefore I tend to skip it when a recipe calls for it. Also, neither Brad or I really drink so we never have wine in the house, nor do we buy cooking wine because for us, because it's just not practical. Why spend extra money on an ingredient when chicken broth is an acceptable substitution. And finally, we always have boneless, skinless chicken breasts in our freeze because they are so much more versatile for us and therefore, use boneless breasts for this recipe as well, and just cut it up into chunks so it's more like a topping over white rice. The reason why I didn't change the recipe below is because, as good as it turns out even with all of my substitutions, I am aware that it's entirely possible for the teriyaki to come out even better when the recipe is followed to a T.

Enjoy...

Chicken Teriyaki
from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (6-8 oz each), trimmed
• Pepper
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons mirin, sweet sherry, or dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with pepper. Heat the oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, skin-side down.

2. To crisp up the skin, set a heavy pot (such as a heavy dutch oven) on top of the chicken thighs as they cook. Cook until the skin is a deep mahogany brown and very crisp, 15-20 minutes. (The chicken should be moderately brown after 10 minutes. If it is very brown, reduce the heat; if it is still pale, increase the heat)

3. Remove the weight and flip the chicken over. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, without the weight, until the second side is brown and the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes.

(remember, I always use boneless breasts and cut my chicken up

and therefore don't get the mahogany brown ATK recommends)

4. Meanwhile, which the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, and pepper flakes together.
5. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour off all of the fat from the skillet. Whisk the soy mixture to recombine, then add to the skillet and return to medium heat. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin-side up, and spoon the sauce over the top. Continue to simmer until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 2 minutes longer.



Let me just add too, that America's Test Kitchen is absolutely amazing. I love how the explain their testing strategies and let you know how they came to the conclusion that they did. I would highly recommend the Family Cookbook, their TV show (check your local listings), or their Cook's Illustrated magazine.

Easy White Chicken Chili and homemade cornbread

I can't remember how many years ago my dad first started making white chicken chili but I do know it has been a tasty family "tradition" of sorts since then. It all started when my dad came across the recipe in our Kalamazoo Gazette. Since then my dad has committed the recipe (more or less) to his memory and though we aren't sure exactly where that newsclipping ended up, it's still some pretty tasty chili. Tonight was my first night making it by myself (I had always watched by dad make this but for some reason or another never helped out enough to know how to make it myself without multiple calls with clarifying questions that I made today.) and it turned out fairly well if I may say so. Along with the chili, I made corn bread (homemade, not jiffy) from the recipe one the back of the corn meal canister plus a few extra ingredients. That recipe can be found below as well.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1 - 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubbed
• salt
• pepper
  
• 2-3 jalapeno peppers (depending on taste)
• 45 oz Great White Northern Beans
• 1 sm can of Chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp Thyme (more or less depending on taste)

Procedure

1. Brown chicken in a pot with olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper. Once browned, add chopped (and seeded) jalapeno peppers to the chicken and cook until peppers release their aroma/flavors and are slightly "roasted
2. Add beans (including liquid), thyme, and broth. Stir together making sure to scrape any "fond" that is left on the bottom of the pan from the chicken.
3. Let simmer for approximately 40 mins. and then enjoy! (Feel free to add extra jalapenos to your bowl after serving. It gives it a bit more spice and crunch)

Easy Corn Bread
adapted from Quaker Yellow Corn Meal canister

Ingrediants
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Corn Meal
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup skim milk
1/4 vegetable oil
2 egg whites or 1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup corn

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 8 or 9 inch pan.
   
2. Combine dry ingredients.
3. Stir in milk, oil, and egg, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in corn.
   
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 mins or until light golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.