Perfect Gravy
The holidays are upon us and everyone needs this perfect gravy recipe. Use the drippings from your roasted turkey and the gravy will be complete.
INGREDIENTS
Drippings From Roasted Turkey
3/4 Cup Turkey or Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Chicken Bouillon Granules
1/4 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
1/8Teaspoon White Pepper
Pour the drippings into a 2 cup measuring cup. Skim off the excess fat and throw it away. Add just enough broth to the dripping to fill to 2 cups. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small size bowl combine the flour and milk. Beat until smooth and then gradually pour the flour mixture into the drippings mixture. Stir in the bouillon granules, poultry seasoning and pepper. Bring back up to a boil and stir for 4 minutes. You will want the gravy to be quite thickened. If you need to thin it out a bit just add a small amount of water. Makes about 2 cups.
Pat Nixon’s Casserole
Pat Nixon was born, the day before Saint Patrick’s Day (March 16, 1912 to June 22, 1993), Thelma Catherine Ryan in the small mining town of Ely, Nevada. Her father was of Irish descent and gave her the nickname “Pat” referring to her birth date. Upon entering college in 1931 she dropped her first name and replaced it with Pat, occasionally calling herself Patricia.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Package Cooked Noodles
2 Cups Chopped Celery
4 Cups Cooked Chicken – Cut Into Large Chunks
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Jar Button Mushrooms
1 Teaspoon Onion Juice
Salt to Taste
4 Hard Boiled Eggs – Cut Into Large Chunks
1 Cup Grated Cheese
Potato Chips
2/3 Cup Sliced Almonds
2/3 Cup Bamboo Shoots
2/3 Cup Water Chestnuts
2/3 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Small Jar Pimientos
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Cook quantity of desired noodles. Cook the celery just slightly. Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions, pimento, salt and chicken soup. Grease a casserole dish. Put a little of the mixture in the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer the noodles then the chicken chunks. Scatter some of the hard boiled eggs and repeat until the casserole dish is filled having covered each layer with the soup mixture. End with the soup mixture on top. Spread the grated cheese over the top. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds and crumble potato chips. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until bubbly and heated through. Serves 4
Chicken Orzo Soup
Soup is one of the great things about fall especially chicken soup.
INGREDIENTS
4 Slices Chopped Bacon
1 Pound Boneless Chicken Thighs
1 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
2 Cups Diced Tomatoes
4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Cup Uncooked Orzo
2 Cups Cooked Cannellini Beans
1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley
1 Tablespoon White Wine
Grated Parmesan
Chop the chicken thighs into small pieces. In a large size stockpot, sauté the chopped bacon just until it is crispy. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel. Add the chopped chicken thigh pieces and cook them for 5 minutes until they are slightly browned. Add the chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the minced garlic, kosher salt, pepper and cook for another minute. Stir in the diced tomatoes and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add the uncooked orzo. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Add the cannellini beans, chopped parsley, white wine and bacon. Cook for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan. Serves 8
Grilled Duck Breasts
This duck dish is so easy. The key ingredient is to marinate the duck breasts in beer overnight.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Duck Breasts
10 Garlic Cloves
2 Bottles of Ale
Place the duck breasts in a large ziplock bag. Add the whole garlic cloves and pour in the two bottles of ale. Marinate overnight in the fridge. Remove from the fridge when ready to grill. Throw away the ale marinade. Prepare the grill to a medium heat. Place the duck breasts on the grill skin side down and grill for 10 minutes. Turn the duck breasts over and grill another 10 minutes. Adjust the grilling time to how done you like your duck breasts. Remove from the grill and let sit for 10 minutes. Slice and transfer to a serving platter. Serves 4
Oven Fried Drumsticks
These chicken drumsticks will cook more quickly and evenly if you place them in a single layer in the baking pan. If you don’t have a pan large enough then divide the oil and drumsticks between two baking pans.
INGREDIENTS
10 Drumsticks
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Preheat your oven to 450° F. Pour the olive oil evenly over the bottom of a large baking pan (15x10x1 inch). In a large size bowl combine the flour, smoked paprika, ground pepper, kosher salt and garlic powder. Mix well and pour into a medium size paper bag. Add the drumsticks two at a time to the bag. Shake to coat the drumsticks. Repeat until you have shaken all of the chicken. Arrange the drumsticks in the baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn once about 15 minutes into cooking. Cook until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Serve nice and hot. Serves 4 to 5
Garlic Chicken
So much garlic and so good. If you’re a garlic lover then you will truly enjoy this chicken dish. Just make sure that your partner eats this dish along with you. A tasty way to keep the vampires away!
INGREDIENTS
12 Chicken Thighs
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Heads of Garlic (Separated Into Cloves)
1 Chopped Parsley Sprig
1 Teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Place the chicken thighs in a Dutch oven. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs. I a medium size bowl mix the remaining ingredients and spoon them over the chicken. Place aluminum foil over the top of the Dutch oven. You don’t want the garlic to burn. Bake for 80 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Serve with toasted French bread or mashed potatoes. Serves 6
Baked Chicken Topped With Fresh Corn Salsa
A light and healthy dish that is great for this hot summer weather.
INGREDIENTS
4 Large Chicken Breasts (Bone-In & Skin On)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Cups Fresh Corn Salsa
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place each chicken breast on the baking sheet. Drizzle each with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 35 minutes until done. The juices should run clear. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Plate each chicken breast and top with ½ cup of my fresh corn salsa. Serves 4
Olympic Fried Chicken
Last night I made fried chicken, potato salad and a green salad for dinner. I always eat at the table with a place setting and all that. I do think that food should be eaten sitting down and with the television turned off, but last night I felt like breaking my own rule. I brought my dinner out to the living room and had the best time watching the Olympics. Here is my recipe for great fried chicken.
INGREDIENTS
2 Lightly Beaten Eggs
3 Tablespoons Cream
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Pounds Meaty Chicken Pieces
Olive Oil
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a small bowl combine the egg and the cream. In a shallow bowl combine the flour, thyme, kosher salt, paprika and pepper. Dip the chicken pieces, one at a time, in the egg mixture. Then coat the chicken with the flour mixture. Dip back into the egg mixture and coat again with the flour mixture. The secret is double coating. In a very large skillet brown the chicken in the hot olive oil over a medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn occasionally. Drain and place onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Put into the oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Season if you like. Serves 6
Chicken Breasts With Roasted Tomatoes
All I gotta say is YUM!!!
INGREDIENTS
5 Ripe Tomatoes (Quartered)
2 Tablespoons Herbes de Provence
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil (Divided)
3 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
1/2 Cup White Wine
1 Chopped Red Onion
6 Cloves Chopped Garlic
2 Large Bone-In & Skin On Chicken Breasts
Preheat your oven to 400° F. In a large size bowl combine the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper, 3 tablespoons olive oil and the herbes de Provence. Toss to coat. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over a medium heat. Add the quartered tomatoes, chopped onions and garlic. Heat for only 1 minute and stir constantly. Remove from the heat and place back in the large size bowl. Set aside. In the same large skillet heat another 2 tablespoons olive oil. With the remaining salt and pepper season the chicken breasts on both sides. Transfer the chicken breast to the skillet over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken breasts for 6 minutes per side. You want the chicken breasts to be golden brown. Do NOT throw away the bits in the skillet. Pour the remaining olive oil into a glass roasting pan. Place the chicken breasts into the roasting pan. Arrange the tomato mixture around the chicken breasts. The last thing to do is to make the pan sauce. In the large skillet turn the heat to medium. Deglaze the pan with the sherry vinegar and white wine. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Worcestershire sauce and keep stirring for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and pour over the chicken breasts and tomatoes. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Serves 2
Organic Beer Can Chicken
I love cooking this chicken on a charcoal grill. You can use a gas grill or cook in the oven if you like. Cooking time should be between 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of your chicken and how hot your grill is. Be careful not to spill the HOT beer and burn yourself!
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Organic Whole Chicken
1/3 Cup Victoria’s Dry Rub or Your Favorite Spices
2 Fresh Limes
12 Garlic Cloves
4 Ounces Butter
1/2 Can of Beer
Wash and pat dry your whole chicken. Remove any giblets from the cavity. Pour out half of the contents the beer. You can drink it if you’re thirsty and don’t like to waste good beer! Place the chicken over the half full beer can that you placed in the rack. You can get these beer can chicken racks at hardware stores or online. These racks are about $5 in the hardware stores. Williams Sonoma has one for $30 which is a bit much I think. Stuff the neck cavity with the 12 garlic cloves so that you seal in the vapors. Slice two limes and squeeze the lime juice all over the skin. Mix your spices with the butter and smear all over the bird. Place on a prepared grill and cook, covered, for 1 to 2 hours.The juices should run clear. Remove from the grill and transfer to a serving platter. Let sit for 10 minutes and then serve. The one that I made last night was incredibly moist and full of flavor. Serves 4
If you cook in the oven place the chicken on the rack in a pie pan with a cup of water added to the pie pan. Cook at 350° F for 1 to 2 hours. Use a meat thermometer checking the thigh to make sure that the temperature reaches 180° F. When done use tongs and a long fork to carefully transfer the entire rack in its upright position to a serving platter. Let stand for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the chicken from the rack.
