Chicken Roulade

You've seen the quick videos that show a dish being prepared, well this one caught my eye.  What I like most about it is that it can be made most of the way and finished in the oven in about 20 minutes give or take whether or not I had to refrigerate it first.  I like a meal like this  because I can get it mostly ready then dinner can be on the table in the time it takes to cook the pasta.  



Preheat oven to 375.  


Each chicken breast will net 2 roulades.  First, rinse 2 Boneless Chicken Breasts and filet each in half resulting in 2 full sized breasts but half as thick.  Place in a gallon zip lock and pound them to get a consistant thickness.  Pat them dry with a paper towel.  Add S&P and Pesto.  (NOTE: I added Basil Leaves instead of pesto, so either way can work.)  Add 2 or 3 Thin Roma Tomato Slices and Grated Mozzarella Cheese.  Roll the chicken breast, starting with the pointed end and secure with a tooth pick.  Heat a skillet over medium and add Olive Oil to coat.  Brown all sides of the chicken.  It will not be completely cooked through and will have to be finished in the oven.  

Once browned, top with Mozzarella Cheese, drizzle with Olive Oil and add S&P and a Basil Leaf. Add Grape Tomatoes to the pan and place in hot oven for 15-20 minutes.  Serve over hot Pasta. 

If making this ahead:
Once the roulades are browned, let cool and refrigerate .  Remove from the refrigerator as the oven heats to 375.  Heat the skillet and add Olive Oil to coat.  (If you don't heat the skillet first, the chicken will absorb the oil resutling in a greasy finsihed product.)  Add the Chicken Roulades and top with Mozarella and drizzle with Olive Oil and S&P and a Basil Leaf.    Add grape tomatoes and place in hot oven.  May need 20-22 minutes to finish so it is cooked thoroughly and hot in the center.  Serve over hot pasta.  

Some other roulade ideas are Brie and Asparagus or Ham and Swiss.  

Asian Inspired Orange Thyme Chicken Thighs

I was going for something quick and juicy but full of flavor.  This made up recipe did the trick.  First rinse and pat dry 8 Chicken Thighs (originally I made 4 thighs but the next time I made 8).  If they are too wet, they don't brown well, so pat them dry with a clean paper towel.  Season both sides with Salt, Pepper and Thyme.

Heat a skillet, large enough to fit the chicken in a single layer, over medium heat.  Add 3 TBL good quality Olive Oil.   Let the oil heat through.  Dust the thighs very lightly with flour and place flour side down.  This will add a touch of a crunch without it being a breading or a coating.  Dust the upward facing side lightly with flour.  Once chicken is golden brown on first side, flip over each thigh.  When the second side is golden brown, remove from pan and place on a dish, tent with foil allowing steam to escape.

Pour out any excess oil.  De-glaze skillet with 1/2 Cup Orange Juice.  Carefully get the browned bits from the pan.  Should take about 3-5 minutes, stir all the while.  Add 1/3 Cup Orange Marmalade to the pan and stir to combine.  Season with Salt and Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes.

Return thighs to the pan and heat through.  Add any juice from the plate to the sauce.  Serve with good quality rice and vegetables of choice.

Chick-Fil-a Knockoff Sandwiches

I have made these now 3 times and the third time they were very close.  The first time I made them the chicken was too thick.  I fileted the breasts making them thinner but they were far too big around.  The second time, I added  flour because the recipe didn't have enough corn statch but that didn't work very well.  

This third time, I cut the breast in about half, and the I fileted the thinner end into two pieces and the thicker side was fileted into 3 pieces.  These were the perfect size.  The other change I made the third time, was from my tempura days, I decided to double the corn starch the recipe called for and I added Baking Powder - that made all the difference in the world.  Instead of 2 breasts, I graduated to 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts which netted 18 peices of chicken.  My son ate most of it!  I think I got 1 sandwich from that batch.  

Harris Teeter sells Boneless Chicken Breasts for $1.99 a pound and you can't beat the quality, no hormones used, and the pieces for the sandwich ends up somewhere around $.35-$.40 each!  Not bad.  

First, rinse and filet the chicken breasts.  Add no more than 9 or 10 pieces to a 1 gallon Zip lock bag.  For each bag: add 1/2 Cup Dill Pickle Juice, I like Mount Olive Hamburger Dills.  Marinate for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Meanwhile get dry ingredients ready.  1/2 Cup Corn Starch, 2 tsp Paprika, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Salt, and 1 tsp Pepper.  In a bowl, beat 1 Egg with 2 TBL Buttermilk.  After marinating, open bag and squeeze the open end, so the chicken remains inside, and drain the juice. To the bag add the egg mixture and massage.  Let it sit for 5 minutes.  Again, pour out any excess liquid and add the dry ingredients.  Zip the bag closed and massage the dry ingredients until you know the chicken is coated.  In the meantime, heat a pot (I use my iron pot) with 4" Canola Oil until 375 on a thermometer.  Preheat oven to 275.  Add a cooling rack to a sheetpan.  Add 4-5 pieces of chicken to the oil.  Once it begins to look opaque around the edges, flip each piece over.  Cook until the same golden brown.  Place on the ready cooling rack and place in the oven. Let the oil get back to temperature before adding more pieces.  Continue cooking until all the chicken is done.  

For serving, lightly butter and brown a Soft Style Hamburger Bun. Add chicken and top with pickles.  Enjoy!!

Pictured, I made dish of Baked Beans that my sister C turned me on to and is posted here on my blog. Go to the search tab on the top right corner and type in Baked Beans  and it should come up.  

Sheet Pan Dinner (Chicken Thighs and Vegetables)

I came across a recipe I clipped from a late issue of Sunset Magazine.  Since our weather has been cooler, I was in the mood for a new dinner idea in order to use the oven and this was perfect.  I went to a spice store recently where bought Chinese 5-spice.  Bonus.  It's a nice aromatic and made the kitchen smell good.

Preheat oven to 425.  Drizzle Olive Oil on a sheet pan to give a light coating.  Rinse 8 Chicken Thighs and place on paper towels so they dry.  Peel 1 Medium Sweet Potato and cut in 1/4" slices.  Peel 2 Granny Smith Apples and section into 8 wedges each.  Peel 4-5 Small Carrots and cut lengthwise.   Peel 1 Large Red Onion and slice into 1/4" slices, keeping the rings intact.  Clean 1 Bulb of Fennel and slice into 1/4" slices.  (NOTE: 2 stores I visited were both out of fennel so it's not pictured).  Place all the vegetables on the sheet pan in a single row or shingled if it's tight, then wiggle the Chicken thighs into the gaps.





In a small bowl, microwave to melt 2 TBL Butter and add to it 2 tsp Honey, 1 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-Spice.  Coat the skin side of the thighs with the glaze.  Place in hot oven.  After 15 minutes, baste chicken with drippings.  Cook for another 15-20 minutes until the chicken is golden browned and crispy.







This recipe showed the vegetables carmelized.  There were quit a bit of drippings and carmelizing was not going to occur, so I made a quick decision, to place thighs on a plate and covered them lightly with foil to rest.  I moved all of the vegetables to a new sheet pan and continued cooking for 15 minutes total, flip them all once halfway through the cooking process.  Plate and serve hot.

This meal would be good either made in advance, while waiting for company to arrive, or even the day before.  It could be warmed for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 300.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I used to make this dish in college.  It is a recipe in my McCall's Cookbook, though this is an adaptation of that recipe.  I like to keep the chicken crispy and the oringinal recipe calls for way too much sugar compared to today's standard.  This is a perfect crowd pleaser and can be made in advance and finished in the oven in about 30 min.  It's also perfect for a buffet dinner.

Do the prep first.  Rinse desired number of Chicken Thighs and place in a paper towel lined dish, single layer and season with S&P.  Cut a 1/2 Fresh Pineapple into chuncks.  Cut 2 Peppers (any colors you like) into 1" squares.  To a dish, add flour for dredging and season with S&P and Paprika.  To a measuring cup, combine 1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth, 3/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 TBL Soy Sauce.  Have at the ready, 3/4 Cup Sugar, 2 TBL Corn Starch, 2 tsp Freshly Grated Ginger, 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes.  

Heat large flat bottomed sauteuse pan over medium heat.  Add Canola Oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan.  Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dredge in flour and add to the hot pan - skin side down  Cook the first side until golden brown and flip the chicken and cook second side until golden brown.
Place on a platter, single layer.  

Pour off all the excess oil.  Place pan back on the heat and add the broth mixture and sugar and stir to combine.  Stir in corn starch and stir until it bubbles gently and begins to thicken.  

Up to this point can be made in advance and finished when ready.  

Preheat oven to 350.  Add pineapple and peppers to the sauce and toss until coated.  Add ginger and pepper flakes and stir to combine.  Add chicken to the pan without layering it.  It should be nestled in the sauce (as pictured) without getting sauce on the top.  

Place in hot oven and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.  Serve over Jasmine Rice.

Sticky Garlicy Ginger Wings

Just in time for football season!  I just love wings during a football game!!  What I like about these most is they are made in the oven so they can be cooking with very little fuss and served at halftime.  My family enjoys the combination of garlic and ginger so I thought, why not put them together for a zesty and sticky honey glaze with an Asian twist and the results were great!

Have you noticed how sometimes you get wings that are not fall off the bone tender?  I created this recipe to ensure they would be fall off the bone delicious.  Many wings are fried and though I love hot wings done that way, it produces a ton of work since they are cooked in small batches AND makes an incredible mess.  Get the picture?  More work for Cinderella. 


First, in a Tupperware marinade container, make the marinade.  If you don't have one, use a 1 Gallon zip lock bag.  Combine the following:  4 Tbl Tempura Dipping Sauce, 2 Tbl Rice Vinegar, 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil, 1 Tbl Spicy Stir Fry Sauce, 1 Heaping Tbl Corn Starch, 1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes, 3 Tbl Honey, 1 Tbl Sherry, 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds, 3 Pressed Garlic Cloves, 1 Tbl Fresh Grated Ginger.

Next, Rinse and using a boning knife, cut up 18 Wings.  BTW, these cost about $11. I threw away the first joint but you can leave it attached or you can save it to make stock.  Split the remaining wing into 2 drummettes as you can see pictured.  Place the cut wings in the marinade as you go.  Cover the container (or zip the bag). Turn over about every 20 minutes over a period of an hour.  I made a Napa Cabbage salad while these were marinading and it all went well together.  That recipe will be in a separate posting.

During the last 10 minutes, Preheat oven to 375.  Using heavy duty foil, line a sheet pan.  NOTE: Do not throw away the marinade.  Remove the wings and place in a singe layer on the sheet pan and place in oven.

Pour marinade into a sauce pan.  Add an additional 2 Tbl Honey and 2 Tbl Canola Oil and over medium heat, boil just around the edges.  While wings are baking, baste them about every 20 minutes with this sauce.  After 1 hour, don't baste anymore, reduce heat to 350 and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Get a platter ready and thinly slice Scallions for a garnish.  Remove from the oven and place on a warm platter.  Garish and serve at halftime!  Hopefully your team is up.

Grilled Chicken and Vegetables on Rosemary Skewers

This is already on my blog but I wanted to add a new photo.  My in-laws joined us for dinner last week.  I sent my son to my mother-in-law's an hour before their arrival to cut the rosemary skewers for me.  I find that the thinner stems work best because if they are too thick they snap the peppers and mushrooms.  I crowd the food a bit so the skewers don't burn apart leaving me with small pieces.  Once cooked, I still want whole skewers. We served this with a salad which my mother-in-law brought, fresh corn on the cob, roasted new potatoes, and warm crusty bread.  For dessert we had brownies topped with vanilla ice cream and warm homemade chocolate sauce.  It was a wonderful dinner and we had a great time together!!

Chicken Parm Meatballs

OK, I made these but I didn't make them up.  My friend pinned a photo and I pinned it after reading the recipe.

I made a slight variation on account of the chicken coming in 1 lb packages.  I am actually going out to dinner tonight so these are for my son and his babysitter, L.  They are going to eat them over pasta with marinara.  The only real change I made was, with 2 lbs of chicken (the recipe called for 1 1/4 lbs) I increased the bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese and I also adjusted quantities to my taste.  I reduced the fennel in case my son isn't crazy about the flavor.

Here is the link to the blog from which the recipe comes from.  It's a neat blog.

http://www.dinneralovestory.com/chicken-parm-meatballs/

Next time I may make them using 3 lbs of chicken because they smell really good!  Oh, and I tasted one without the mozzarella cheese and they are good, so a definite 3 on lbs next time.

Here's what I did.  In a bowl mix, 2 lbs Ground Chicken,  3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs (I make my own by freezing the ends of the bread and grinding them up while frozen when I have 15-20 ends.  I store the frozen crumbs in a zip lock bag.) 3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, 1/4 Cup Diced Onion, 1 Tbl Chopped Parsley, 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper, 3 Cloves Pressed Garlic, 1/2 tsp Fennel, 1 Beaten Egg, Zest of 1 Lemon.

Preheat oven to 400 and line 2 sheet pans with foil.  Mix the meatball mixture together by hand and using a scoop so it goes faster, scoop enough that they will be larger than a golf ball. Finish shaping by hand.  Mix together 2 Tbl Marinara Sauce and 3 Tbl Olive Oil.  Brush this on the top of each of the meatballs and bake for 15 minutes. 

This is how it's written.  Switch to the broiler.  Cover each meatball with Marinara and top with a Slice of Mozzarella Cheese.  Broil until golden, about 3 minutes.

The second time I reheated these I changed it because the meatballs were not hot in the middle.  This worked much better.  Keep (or heat oven) to 400.  Top each meatball with Marinara.  Add a 1/4" slice of Mozzarella to each Meatball.  Drizzle with Olive Oil and add a shake of Oregano.  Bake for 10 minutes.  

These would also make a good sub sandwich.  Warm oven to 450.  Cut the roll lengthwise and add meatballs.  Add Marinara and top with cheese.  Bake for 5-7 minutes. 

Chicken Thighs with a Mustard Flavored Pan Sauce

This recipe comes from a recent issue of Cooking Light.  I have made it twice already and it was excellent both times. It's also cost effective and lends itself well for a large crowd because of the preparation.  To help matters, it can certainly be made in steps.

Preheat the oven to 425.  Heat a large enough skillet to cook all the thighs all at once.  I suggest making 8 minimum, but if your skillet isn't large enough, work in batches.  Rinse 8 Chicken Thighs and place on a paper towel, skin side down.  Season the upward facing side with S&P and turn over to S&P the skin side.

Once the skillet is hot, add enough Oil to coat the bottom and swirl.  Add the chicken skin side down.  Cook until golden, about 4-5 minutes, and turn.  Cook the second side for 4 minutes.  Remove and place in a glass baking dish large enough so the chicken isn't stacked.  Place in the oven for about 15-18 minutes until done.

Make sauce while it is baking.  Prep everything first.  1/2 Cup Diced Onion, 2 tsp minced fresh thyme (if using dry about 1 tsp), open 1 Can Chicken Broth, 4 tsp Flour, 2 tsp Stone Ground Mustard.  Place the flour in a small bowl and add a few oz of the broth.  Stir with a fork until it's smooth.

Using the same skillet (along with all the lovely juices), over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbl UnSalted Butter.  Add the onion and thyme and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the can of Chicken Broth to the skillet.  Temper the flour by spooning some of this hot liquid into the flour mixture and stir to combine.  Now, slowly stir the flour mixture into the skillet, whisking all the while.  Quickly combine to get it mixed in or you will end up with pasta (big clumps of floury balls).  Don't laugh, you know that's what happens.

Remove the chicken from the oven and place the chicken on a platter.  Add all of the juices to the skillet.  Bring this to a boil for about 2 minutes, stirring to combine.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the Stone Ground Mustard.

To serve, place the sauce on the plate and top with the chicken.  Serve with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes and a fresh vegetable.  For a family dinner, bring platter of chicken right to the table and serve the sauce in a gravy boat.  This makes a wonderful family meal!

Rosemary Stem Kabobs

My mother-in-law, B, has the most successful Rosemary Plant I have seen!  It's been in an ideal spot for over 13 years an resembles a shrub.  When it gets growing in the hot part of the summer, the stems get woody, which she suggested, is perfect for skewers, and she was right.  She apparently gave a bundle of (8) 2 foot long pieces to anyone who would take them about, 10 friends.  I was lucky enough to get on that list.  Then the fun part, as the days passed, everyone began reporting back to her what they did with them and I don't think any two were alike.
I was already planning on round 2 with the sk Zucchini Fritters so I needed to keep my idea simple.  As it was, I was cutting, shredding, waiting and then cooking, ala minute, the fritters.  Now add preheating, scraping the grill, and running in and out in order to baste and not over cook anything.  It was a huge success, and I got gold on both fronts, but the simple way would've been to assign someone to the grilling.
I bought 4 Chicken Breasts and cut them into 1" cubes.  Next, I cut the Woody Rosemary Stems into 12" Lengths without including the tender new growth.  I threaded the chicken breast onto the skewers fairly close, without jamming them together, and lay them flat on a platter.  I had our family barbeque sauce already prepared so I basted them and let them rest for about 30 minutes.  (Use your favorite sauce or marinade.)  I placed the skewers on a very hot grill, sauce side down, and basted the upward facing side.  I turned once, basting the cooked side.  (NOTE: Don't let the grill flare up or it will burn the skewers and you will be left with cubed chicken to tend to.)  These cooked for about 10 minutes on an infrared grill on a medium setting.   When done, I placed the cooked skewers on a foil line sheet pan and placed them in a 350 degree oven to finish for the last 8-10 minutes.  In the meantime, I cleaned up and set the table.  When served, we all ate in silence.
As soon as we were done, I called B to tell her of our good success with her skewer idea!  For the next time, I invited them to dinner.  These would be awesome with Lamb, Beef, Shrimp, or Pork.  If you were going on a picnic, these wood be fun to cook with easy cleanup.

Home Made Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Being a yankee, I have never been one to mess with LA favorites.  I have circled around flavors without actually making traditional dishes.  The last time I ate Jambalaya I concluded that it was sorely over spiced and even though I hydrated the rice with savory chicken broth, I couldn't cool down the heat.  It was then that I decided this dish had to be simple enough to make from scratch.  There are many combinations of protein and I choose Chicken and Sausage.

Here's how I made my own Jambalaya from scratch.
First the prep.  Dice 1/2 Large Red Bell Pepper to 1/4" dice.  Cut 1 Medium Onion, ciseler.  Wash, peel, and dice 2 Celery Stalks to 1/4" dice.  Have 4 Cloves of Garlic ready to press.  Rinse 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Drumettes and let dry on a paper towel lined plate.  Season the chicken with S&P.  Cut 1 1/2 lbs Smoked Sausage (I used D & D mild sausage) down the middle and then in 1/2" lengths. Chop 1/4 Cup Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley.

Heat a thick bottom pot over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbl Canola Oil.  Once hot, add the Chicken.  Sear on 1 side before turning.  Continue to cook until all sides are golden brown.  The chicken shouldn't be cooked all the way through as it will finish later.  Remove from the pan and place on a clean plate.

Add 1 Tbl Oil, if needed, and add the Peppers, Onion, and Celery.  Season with S&P and cook stirring often until they appear to be getting soft.  Press Garlic into the mixture and cook stirring a few times for a minute or 2.  (NOTE: This is optional.  I added 2 Tbl Butter at this time to add some creamy richness to the dish.)  Add 2 Cups Rice and stir to coat with oil.  Continue to toast the rice for another 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to Medium Low.  Begin adding 4 Cups of Chicken Broth, 1/2 cup at a time.  Stir to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  While you are adding the broth season the mixture with 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme, 1 tsp Dried Sage, 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper, 2 Bay Leaves, 1/4 tsp Tabasco, 1 tsp Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper.  Once you have added all of the broth, add the chicken back into the pot and stir to combine. The rice will not be done.  Continue to add 1/4 cup of Water at a time until the rice is cooked.  This may take an additional cup of water.  Taste the rice and adjust the seasoning to taste.  Add the sausage and parsley.   This dish is somewhat forgiving as long as you haven't over-cooked the rice to begin with.  You can easily re-heat and it will hold the heat fairly well.
From where ever you hail, Happy Mardi Gras!!

Chicken Tetrazzini

I cooked a roasted chicken over the weekend and after we ate a leftover meal, my husband asked if I could make Tetrazzini.  (NOTE: If you want to make this and don't have the chicken, buy 6 Boneless Skinless Thighs.  Preheat oven to 375. Foil line a sheet pan.  Rinse chicken, place on sheet pan, season with S&P, and bake for 20 minutes.  Once cooled, cut to desired size and add to the mixture.) I like it well enough even though I have never made it but thought I would give it a try.  He and my son both loved it and my son was disappointed tonight when it was gone. I think it was a nice departure from the meals I normally make.  The primary success is that I cooked the pasta until it was just under done.  It must be undercooked before assembling the dish and when it bakes it'll finish cooking. The second key to this dish is not to load it up with cream of mushroom soup for then that's all it tastes like.
Here's my Chicken Tetrazzini recipe.
Preheat oven to 350.  Boil 4-6 Quarts of water. Once it boils add 1 tsp Salt and 12 Ounces of Twist shaped Pasta. Cook for approximately 8 minutes.  It should be under done.  Strain and set aside.

While it is cooking, slice very thin, 4 Baby Bella Mushrooms and Mince 1 Large Shallot.  Preheat a small skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbl Butter.  Once hot, add mushrooms and shallots and cook for 5 minutes until soft.  Deglaze pan with 1/4 Cup Chardonnay and cook for another minute.  Remove from the heat.  Dice the roasted chicken meat without the skin and place in a bowl.  It should net approximately 1 1/2 Cups of Diced Chicken.  Add to it, 2 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1/2 Cup Sour Cream, 1 1/4 Cup Grated Cheese such as Cheddar or 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese, 3/4 Cup Peas, 1/4 Cup Water and 1/2 tsp Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper.  Add the cooked pasta and the mushroom mixture.  Stir to combine.
Pick a casserole dish that is small enough that the mixture will come close to the top.  I used my 8 " x 11.5' dish which is 2 Quart.  Butter it well and add mixture.  Top with Fresh Bread Crumbs and dot with 1 Tbl Butter cut into small pieces.  Sprinkle with Paprika.  Place in the oven for 35 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and golden.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.  I love to serve mine with Fresh Cranberries!  I buy and freeze them so no matter what month, I have them.

Bread Stuffing For Roast Cornish Game Hens

I am so ready for autumn.  Labor Day weekend marks the change from summer to autumn for most of the country... though not for SE Louisiana.  Being a New Yorker I still struggle with the extra month of summer.  Whenever we get a cloudy day during this time of year, I can't resist roasting something in the oven.   We have a tropical storm dropping rain on us so I decided to make a bread stuffing and roast Cornish Game Hens.

Here it is, Oct 2012, I noticed this post getting a considerable amount of hits in the past month or so.  I decided to re-read the recipe for exactness and found I never posted one!  I am sorry.  I know I have a few missing recipes, but I didn't know this was one of them.

As I mentioned, I am a Yankee, and if I am going to stuff a bird, these are the flavors I am craving.  Oh and we call it dressing, not stuffing.  Here in the south, you may be more apt to see a cornbread stuffing or even a rice of some sort served on the side that may have pulverized chicken and oysters or giblets.  I'll just leave it at that.  But if you come to my Thanksgiving table, you will see this.

My father is in charge of making the dressing at family gatherings.  He is an engineer and he has crafted multiples of the very old recipe (some 60+ years) to precise weighs and measurements.  I would be remiss if I didn't share that the recipe begins with the pouring of your favorite libation.  This task always begins following dinner on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Thursday.  I am a bit loser in my style except for the libations part. That is a strict ingredient. 

To some degree I tend to wing the ratios depending on what I am stuffing but in general I use the exact seasonings, just not in the exact quantities.   I save the heals of bread for either my own bread crumbs or for dressing.  Pull all of those bags out of the freezer.  Cube 12 Cups worth of Bread Cubes and place them flat on a sheet pan.  If more is needed, use fresh bread.  If this is done early in the day, they will get dry which is what you want.  Otherwise, this is done at night and allowed to dry out over night.

Clean, peel, and dice 2 Stalks of Celery.  Dice 1 Large Onion.  Melt 1 Stick of Butter over medium in a skillet.  Add vegetables and cook stirring often for about 10 minutes.  While they are cooking, measure out, 2 tsp Poultry Seasoning, 1/2 tsp Sage, 1 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp White Pepper, 1/4 tsp Paprika, 1/4 Cup Freshly Chopped Parsley and add to the bread cubes.  In a small bowl, lightly beat 1 Egg.  Stir in 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth.  Add the cooked vegetables to the bread cubes and stir til combined.  Add the egg and broth and continue to stir.

Preheat oven to 350.  Fill the bird(s) with the dressing without packing it too tightly.  Coat the outside of the hens with 1 Tbl of Butter Each.  Salt and Pepper the outside.  As the butter melts, you will use this for basting.  If you plan to make gravy, Quarter a Small Onion and peel apart some of the layers and add to the roasting pan.  Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes basting every 15-20 minutes.

Let rest for 20 minutes before either carving or simply split down the middle in 2.  If there is any leftover dressing, foil line an oven safe dish and place the rest in there, then cover it by overlapping the foil.   This will bake for about 40 minutes in a 350 oven. 

So there you have it, pretty simple and a tradition that I plan to carry on. 
 

Skinny Chicken

Years ago, my husband would order Skinny Chicken at Macaroni Grill every time we ate there.  I don't know if it's still on the menu.  I tasted it once and recorded in my kitchen cook book (the book where I write all kinds of stuff down) what I think was in the glaze/dressing.  The other day he mentioned feeling fat so I decided to review my notes and make this for dinner.  He was so appreciative that I listened and delivered on something low fat.  Last night as I was prepping the plates with the greens for my photographs and my mother-in-law walked over (we live next door) with a huge bag of garden Roma tomatoes, the perfect compliment.

First, rinse and pound, 1 Chicken Breast per Person in order to tenderize.  Whip up the glaze/dressing.  This is enough for 3 chicken breasts so double or triple as needed.   To a  bowl, add 2 Tbl Honey, 1 Tbl Rice Vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp Stone Ground Mustard (such as Zatarains), 1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar, 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes, freshly Ground Pepper, and a Pinch of Kosher Salt.  While stirring with a wire whip, blend in 3 Tbl Olive Oil.  Divide the glaze in half, reserving enough to drizzle on the finished salad since there is no dressing otherwise.  I reserved 1/2 in a neat ceramic pitcher that I have so it can be poured easily.

Preheat grill and while it is preheating, wash and spin enough greens for the number of people you are serving.  I found a nice Arugula/Spinach Mix that was perfect.  Arrange greens on the plate and add any vegetables you want, for example, my father-in-laws Roma Tomatoes.

Cook the chicken.  Baste 1 side of the chicken with the glaze and place on grill, glaze side down.  Glaze the upward facing side.  After a few minutes, flip the chicken breast.  Glaze the upward facing side.  After a few minutes, you are going to flip again but you want the grill marks to create a cross pattern, so the chicken needs to be rotated by 90 degrees to the first set up marks.  Glaze upward facing side.  In a few minutes you will flip for the final time, again, 90 degrees to the set of marks you have already.  Let rest for 5 minutes and slice on an angle.  Place hot chicken on the fresh greens and drizzle with reserved glaze.  Depending on how thinly you pounded the chicken breast and how hot your grill is, this should take about 2 minutes on all sides.  If the chicken is not releasing from the grill, it is not ready to flip but note the honey can be sticky so don't get fooled.

Also, consider adding any of these: shredded Carrots, thinly sliced Red Onion, thinly sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms or colorful Sweet Bell Peppers cut into strips.  I also think it would be nice topped with a crumbled Fete Cheese.  As I am listing all these accoutrement's, you may be thinking what I am thinking, which is this entire meal can be served at a buffet.  In the event of a buffet, make certain you have lots of salad dressing because people tend to take more than might be needed.  Again, the point is keep it fresh, keep it light and keep it skinny!

Drunken Chicken

This is a simple and fun recipe.  It cooks quickly, is moist on the inside, and the skin is crispy all the way around.  Great dinner even if cooking for 1 cause you'll have leftovers and wonderful tasty chicken for sandwiches.  The coolest part is you can cook 2 at once without any additional time.  Just make certain the birds aren't touching each other.  There is a stand for the beer that helps keep the chicken upright and I own 2 of them.  They are an odd shape for storing and they are somewhere but I couldn't find them so I went with just the beer can.  The chicken can also be cooked over a grill with the lid shut.  In winter, I like to cook mine in the oven
Move rack to the lower 1/3 of the oven.  Preheat oven to 400.  Rinse a small Whole Roasting Chicken (mine was just under $7) and S&P the cavity of the chicken as well as the outside.  Open a 12 oz Can of Beer.  Drink a few sips and add a few Garlic Cloves and any Herbs that interest you.  Put can of beer in a roasting pan.  Place chicken over the can, legs facing downward and use the legs for stability.  Carefully place in oven.  After 15 minutes, reduce temperature to 350.  Cook for another 1 1/4 hours.  Let rest before carving.  Carefully remove chicken from can without tipping it over.  A quick au jus and be made from the drippings.  Cut apart the legs, wings, and thighs in order to slice the breasts.  Another option is to serve all parts cut up.  To do this, remove legs, wings and thighs.  The back can be removed from the thighs and discarded after any useful meat is removed.   The breasts can be separated at the top netting 8 pieces.  Serve with mashed potatoes and a fresh vegetable....oh, and beer.

Chicken Marsala

I have eaten two preparations for Chicken Marsala.  One has a coating on the chicken and is assembled with the sauce when it's plated.  This is the preparation I have made.  The other is where the chicken is pounded thinner and has no coating.  In the latter preparation, the chicken is added back to the sauce before it is served.  I like both both but I prefer to make the coated chicken.
First, get the prep out of the way, because this dish goes together quickly.  Rinse and pound 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts to tenderize them.  If they are large, cut them into smaller pieces before pounding.  Using 2 flat bowls or pasta plates, add 2 Eggs and a splash of water to one.  To the other, add 1 Cup Flour and S&P to taste.  Rinse and slice thinly an 8oz package of Baby Bella Mushrooms and set aside.  Measure out 1/2 Cup Marsala Wine.  Open a 14 oz Can of Beef Broth (Swanson's).  Rinse and chop 1 Tbl Fresh Parsley and set aside.
Boil a large pot of water for pasta.  Once boiling add a generous amount to salt.  Cook pasta while chicken is cooking so both are done at the same time.  Drain and add a small amount of olive oil to pasta and place on a warm platter.
Use 1 skillet and this recipe per 4 chicken breasts so you end up with ample sauce.  Heat a 12" skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 1/2  Tbl Olive Oil.  Dredge chicken breast, one at a time, in flour shaking off excess, the egg mixture and then flour again.  Add to hot pan.  Once the first side is golden brown, turn, only once.  Lower the heat slightly otherwise the 2nd side will be golden but the chicken won't be cooked through.  Once done, remove and shingle the chicken on a plate.  Cover lightly with foil.  Deglaze the pan with the Marsala Wine.  Stir using a wire whip to remove the bits of flour.  Add broth and continue stirring.  Spoon 1 1/2 Tbl of the leftover Seasoned Flour into a small bowl.  Add a small amount of water to make a paste.  Spoon some of the hot sauce from the skillet into the bowl, stirring with a fork to make a slurry.  While stirring, add the slurry to the skillet.  Let this cook gently at a very low boil for 3 minutes, it will reduce and get a bit thicker.  Add the mushrooms and continue cooking.  Add S&P to taste.  Once done, turn off heat and swirl in 2 Tbl Butter.  Place chicken breasts on the pasta and add the sauce.  Garnish with parsley.  Serve immediately.

Coconut Chicken Strips with Orange Marmalade Dipping Sauce

This recipe is light, fairly easy to make and very tasty.  First, prepare the Dipping Sauce.  Stir together Orange Marmalade with Prepared Horseradish.  I like mine flavorful and use a 1:1 ration.  Make yours to taste.   Using a meat tenderizer, pound Chicken Breasts to a consistent thickness.  Cut each breast into 4 strips lengthwise.  I used 3 breasts netting 12 strips.  Add 1 Egg White with a Splash of Water to a flat dish and mix until combined.  To a second flat dish, add 1 Cup Coconut.  Preheat oven to 200.  Line a baking sheet with a cooling rack.  Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbl Olive Oil and swirl to coat.  One at a time, add chicken strips to the egg wash then the coconut and add to the hot skillet.  Once golden brown, turn over.  Cook the second side and when done, place on the cooling rack and place in the oven.  Remove any coconut bits from the skillet.  If the pan gets too dry, add more live oil.  Keep cooking in batches until all of the chicken is cooked.  Serve immediately with the Orange Marmalade Dipping Sauce.

Chicken Cacciatore

This recipe comes from Cooking Light, Jan/Feb 1995.  I have made a few changes to it though.  This recipe is prefect for a large groups or as part of a buffet.  It's also perfect if you are expecting guests to arrive from out of town, for instance, you can have it ready and with a quick 10-15 minute warm up during a cocktail, dinner is done.  Warm a loaf of bread and serve with a salad.  This is also an easy meal for a college student to make and it is delicious as a leftover.  If you are cooking for yourself, eat this meal twice and freeze the rest for another week.

Rinse and pat dry with paper towels 6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs.  S & P both sides.  Heat large pot over medium high heat.  Add 1 Tbl Olive Oil.  Add chicken and cook for 7 minutes on each side, turning only once.  While chicken is cooking prep vegetables.  Slice thinly 1 Cup Mini Bella Mushrooms, Slice Thinly 1/2 Onion, and 2 pressed garlic Cloves. 

Remove chicken and place on a plate.  Add vegetables to pot and cook for 5 minutes stirring all the while.   Add 1/2 Cup Pinot Noir, 1/2 tsp Oregano, 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes, 1 28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes.  Cook for about 10 minutes and return chicken to pot.  Get a pot of water going for pasta.  Once it boils, add salt and pasta.  Give it a stir and cook uncovered until just done.  Drain and place on platter.  Top with chicken and sauce.  Enjoy with the remaining Pinot Noir!

Chicken Picatta, Too

I have this on my site already but yesterday made a few changes to the recipe.  Pound 3 Chicken Breasts so they are  a consistant thickness.  If you are going to cut the breasts to a smaller size, do it before you cook them. 
In a flat bowl, add 1 Cup Flour, 1/4 tsp Paprika, 1/4 tsp White Pepper and  1/2 tsp Salt.  To another flat bowl, beat 2 Eggs with 2 Tbl Water.  Prep all other ingredients.  Zest 2 Lemons and then juice them.  Strain 2 Tbl Capers.  Mince 1 Tbl Parsley.  Measure out 1 Cup Chicken Broth.  After the dredging, take 2 Tbl of the remaining seasoned flour and place in a small bowl.  Add a few Tbl Chicken Broth and stir until it is smooth.  Set aside.

Thoroughly preheat 14" skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbl Olive Oil and 2 Tbl UnSalted Butter.  Swirl to coat.  Dredge chicken breast 1 at a time in flour, egg wash, then flour again.  Place in hot skillet.  Once brown, about 7 minutes, turn once.  For the second side you can lower the temperature slightly, cook until brown and not quite done, about 5 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate.  With pan on the upperside of medium, add Most of the Lemon Zest to pan and cook for about 15-20 seconds.  Add Lemon Juice and stir until it begins to get thick.  Add Chicken Broth.  Temper the Floury Paste you made earlier by stirring in a few Tbl of the hot liquid.  Add the tempered flour back into the sauce, stirring all the while.  Cook at a very low boil for a few minutes while stirring.  If the sauce seems thick, add a small amount to broth at a time.  If it is too thin, let it reduce.  Turn off heat.  Add Capers and 1 Tbl UnSalted Butter.  Swirl until butter is melted.  Add juices from the plate with the chicken.  Swirl.  Add chicken to pan for about 5 minutes to reheat and finish cooking.  Top with Parsley.  Serve the chicken and drizzle with the sauce.

Chicken Breast In Mushroom Sauce Recipe

This recipe was given to me by a close family friend, TT, back when I first headed out on my own.  I used it a lot cause I was always broke and it didn't cost much.  If you want to save money further, get bone-in chicken breasts rather than boneless but you will have to bake for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a shallow baking dish.  In a bowl, mix 1 small can Cream of Mushroom Soup with 1 Cup of Sour Cream.  If your budget allows, buy 3-4 Loose Mushrooms, rinse, slice thinly and add them to the mixture.  Add S&P to taste.  If you want, you can add 1 1/2 Cups Frozen Peas at this time.  Spread a small amount of this mixture over the bottom of the baking dish.  Rinse 4 Boneless Chicken  Breasts and add them to the dish.  Top with remaining mushroom mixture.  Sprinkle with Paprika or Parsley or both.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until bubbly and chicken is just done.  It will be very tender.  Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.