Chicken Satay Salad

My friend Rudi made this delicious salad for a beach picnic recently. It was so good I had to ask him to write the recipe down for me. I've added this recipe to my blog because I will promptly lose the piece of paper Rudi wrote on, and this is the only way I will ever find the recipe again. Besides, I know my followers will enjoy this recipe too.

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless chicken breast
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon pickled ginger chopped very fine
• 1 tablespoon pickled ginger juice
• 1 teaspoon Sambal (Salsa Picante de Ajos)
• 1 teaspoon Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce)

Directions:

• Cook the chicken in a skillet for about 12 minutes, let it cool, shred it and set aside.
• Preparing the dressing (it's a coating, not a thick sauce)
• Mix the pickled ginger, pickled ginger juice, peanut butter, mayonnaise, sambal and kecap manis in a saucepan over low/medium heat. Add just enough hot water to thin the mixture to a syrupy dressing, not a thick sauce.
• Add the shredded chicken to the dressing and mix well.
• Let cool and serve with crackers.

Important Notes:

• This is supposed to be a dressing, not a thick sauce.
• If you don't have Kecap Manis, this link will provide an easy recipe to make your own.
• You can always add, but you can't take it out, so start with a little less of each of the dressing ingredients and add more to adjust for your personal taste.
• The golden rule.... Taste, Taste, Taste!

Coconut Adobo Chicken

This is a deliciously simple one skillet dish that you can have on the table in about 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo of chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless)
• black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce 
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek sauce (We love the heat, so we add 2 teaspoons. Adjust for your palate)
• 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 4 dried bay leaves
• green onions and limes, for serving

Directions:

• Season the chicken all over with black pepper. 
• In a large glass measuring cup, combine the Soy, Sambal and Hoisin sauces, with the vinegar, coconut milk, honey, and 1/4 cup of water.
• In a large heavy bottom skillet with deep sides (I use my cast iron skillet), heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken, working in batches if needed. Sear on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side.
• Add the garlic, and cook about 1-2 minutes, being careful to not burn it.
• Reduce the heat to low and pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken. Add the bay leaves. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, uncover and cook another 10-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickening slightly. 
• Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve the adobo chicken over rice, topped with green onions and a squeeze of lime juice.

Note: If the sauce gets too thick, add more water in ¼ cup increments. If the sauce is not getting thick, simmer on low for a few more minutes.

Barbeque Spice Rub

Excellent rub for grilled steaks, chops, ribs, brisket, wings, etc.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons smoked Spanish paprika
3 tablespoons granulated garlic
4 tablespoons granulated onion
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground Chinese 5-spice
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon black pepper

Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients and store in the freezer, in an airtight jar/container

Yield: 2 cups of spice rub

Dry Brined Thanksgiving Turkey

This year the task of roasting the Thanksgiving Turkey has been delegate to us. For the past 7 years we have shared Thanksgiving Dinner at the home of our dear friends with about 50 other Americans Canadians, Europeans and Ticos (Costa Rican). We have always contributed to the feast with side dishes. This year finds our friends in the middle of the construction of their new home, without an oven, so we will be preparing the turkey.

Since I haven't cooked the bird in several years, I decided to research techniques for getting a juicy turkey with crispy skin, and opted for a dry brine method 24 hours before roasting. Rounding up the traditional herbs required some effort, but a friend of ours came through for us with some fresh sage from his garden. I dried the sage leaves in the oven at 210°F. for about 5 hours, until the leave crumbled between my fingers. Then I put all the dried leaves in my spice grinder to come up with the best fresh rubbed sage ever.

Dry Brine Ingredients: (for 18-20 pound turkey)
10 sprigs basil
6 sprigs rosemary
6 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons rubbed sage
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
½ cup salt
3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:
Brine:
Use a food processor to mince the basil, rosemary, garlic and lemon zest.
Mix the remaining ingredients in a medium size bowl.
Add the minced herbs to the bowl of dry.
Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat it dry, inside and out.
Rub the dry brine mixture all over the turkey, inside, outside, and into every little crevice.
Let rest, uncovered, in the refrigerator 24-36 hours.

Roasting:
Put the oven rack in the lowest position and preheat oven to 325°F
Rinse the brine off the turkey and pat it dry.
Mix two stick of softened butter, with a tablespoon each of parsley, sage, rosemary, 1 teaspoon of coarse ground pepper until combined.
Reserve about 4 tablespoons of the butter.
Rub the rest of the butter mixture under the turkey skin on the breasts and legs.
Rub 2 tablespoons of the reserved butter on the skin.
Save the rest of the butter mixture for gravy.
Let the turkey rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.
Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan lined with several stocks of celery, tucking the wing tips under.
Fill the breast cavity with sprigs of fresh rosemary, thick slices of lemon, and a quartered onion.
Tie the drumsticks together with twine.
Roast until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F, about 20 minutes per pound.
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving.

Spicy Asian Rice Bowl

This is a easy spicy Asian shrimp, chicken, or pork dish with vegetables served over Jasmine rice. You can change up the ingredients to use your favorite proteins and vegetables. The first time I made this, we had it with shrimp and it was fabulous. The second time, we had it with chicken, asparagus, green beans, sliced carrots, sweet peppers and onions. Again, it was delicious. 

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce (I use a mix of light and dark soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 roasted Hatch chili peppers pureed in a blended. The chili should be roasted with skin, seeds and stems removed. (You can substitute 1 tablespoon of chili paste for the Hatch chili peppers.)
• 2 tablespoons pineapple marmalade/jam
• 1 pound raw shrimp w/tails, headed and de-veined 
• or
• 1 pound of chicken/pork cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups of mixed sweet peppers cut into 1/2-inch dice. Use yellow, red & green pepper for color.
• 1 cup spring onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 cups of broccoli florets 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root, or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:

• Whisk soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, chili puree, and pineapple marmalade together in a bowl. Stir shrimp into the marinade; refrigerate for one hour.
• Add the Jasmine rice to a medium saucepan with high heat and cover the rice with 3 cups of boiling water. Cover the saucepan and lower the heat to a slow simmer for 20 minutes. Do not remove the lid.
• Turn off the heat to the rice and let it rest with the lid on for another 15 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Cook the vegetables in the oil until they just start to soften, 2-4 minutes. 
• Add the shrimp with all the marinade, and the garlic, ginger, and sesame oil into the vegetables.
• Sauté just until the shrimp is pink and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. 
• Serve over hot jasmine rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Note: This recipe is very versatile and you can change it up to use different vegetable and proteins like sugar snap peas, leaks, bok choy, cauliflower,  diced chicken or pork.

Hot & Spicy Chicken Wing Sauce

This is a hot and spicy sauce with complex flavors and a wonderfully mild back heat. It is great on chicken wings, or anything other meat you need to kick up a notch.

Ingredients:
1 cup of John's Texas BBQ Sauce
1 cup of Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
¾ cup Worchestershire Sauce
½ cup of John's Carolina Reaper Sauce (Reaper sauce is made with a 5½ ounce bottle of Banquete Chilero and 50 mg (slight smidgen) of smoke Carolina Reaper powder.)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients. Done! Store in the refrigerator if you have any left.

Chicken Enchiladas

Today we had a craving for some good old Tex-Mex, so I found some of my homemade enchilada sauce and whipped up some Chicken Enchilada for lunch.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts cut into thick strips
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green, red or yellow sweet pepper, diced
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded &  minced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup of canned/frozen corn kernels, drained
¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
¾ cup grated mild white cheese
12 8 inch flour tortillas
1½ cups enchilada sauce (store bought, or go to this link for my homemade red enchilada sauce)
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. This part can be done ahead of time, and stored in the refrigerator a few day in advance of assembling the enchiladas. Season the chicken with the salt pepper and cumin.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and add the chicken to the hot oil. Sauté the chicken until thoroughly cooked and nicely browned. Set the chicken aside until it cools.  When the chicken is cool, shred it into thin strips.
2. Prepare the filling. Sauté the onion and sweet peppers over medium heat in the remaining olive oil until translucent.  Add the garlic and jalapeño pepper and stir for another minute.  Add the diced tomatoes and the corn. 
3. Lightly grease a large 15-inch x 10-inch x 2-inch rectangular baking/casserole dish.  Pour about ½ cup of enchilada sauce in the dish.  Dip each of the tortillas in the sauce and stack them on a dinner plate.
4. Assemble the enchiladas.  Place about 2 tablespoons of shredded chicken in a tortilla and top it with a heaping tablespoons of the onions, peppers, tomato & corn mixture.  Add a little of the cheeses and roll the tortilla so that it is about an inch in diameter.  Place it in the baking dish with the open seam to the bottom.  Continue with the remaining tortillas.  You should be able to get 10 enchiladas vertically, with 2 at the top horizontally.
5. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining filling, enchilada sauce and cheese.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until all the cheese is melted.  

Serving suggestions:  Top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro.

King Ranch Chicken

King Ranch Chicken is usually made with creamy canned soups and several cups of cheese. This is a recipe I found in the "Eating Well" magazine, that I modified to reduce the amount of fat and sodium. This version still brings all the spicy Tex-Mex flavor goodness we crave. Try experimenting with add additional fresh chopped vegetables like, spinach, squash, corn stripped from the cob, celery, and mushrooms. Don't be surprised if you have everyone coming back for seconds.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup 2% or non-fat milk

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup non-fat plain yogurt or light cream cheese
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 4 ounce can of diced green chilies, drained

(You could substitute the diced tomatoes and chilies above for Ro~tel diced tomatoes and chilies, but you'll need 1½ cans, since Ro~tel only comes in a 10 ounce size)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley

1 ½ teaspoon chili powder, or more, according to taste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 ½  teaspoons canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 red or green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

10 corn tortillas, cut in quarters

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium sauce pan, heat broth until simmering.  Add milk and flour to a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Gradually add the milk and flour to the broth and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes, until thickened and smooth.  Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the yogurt (or cream cheese), rotel tomatoes & chiles, cilantro (or parsley), chili powder, oregano and cumin.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

Line the bottom of a shallow 3-quart baking dish with half the tortilla quarters. Top with half the chicken and half the onion mixture. Spoon half of the sauce evenly over the top. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, chicken, onion mixture and sauce. Top with the Cheddar cheese, Bake until bubbly, and the cheese starts to brown, about to 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 8

Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat vermicelli spaghetti
2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon course ground pepper
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, etc.)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chicken stock (cold)
1 - 1½ tablespoons corn starch
6 ounces low-fat sour cream

Directions:
Cut chicken into bite-sized squares. Saute in small amount of olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Dice onion and add to chicken. Add garlic, Italian seasonings and pepper. Cook until the chicken is thoroughly done.

Add the corn starch to the chicken stock, mix well, and add it to the chicken. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Fold in the sour cream and shredded Parmesan cheese and remove it from heat.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and top individual servings with Chicken Alfredo. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves: 6

Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 358 Calories; 8g Fat (19.6% calories from fat); 37g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 76mg Cholesterol; 617mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Originally posted 11/12/07

Latin Fusion Pasta with Grilled Chicken

We went to dinner at our favorite upscale Latino restaurant, the Red Onion, and discovered something new on the menu. While we didn't try it then, it sounded so good, I had to come home and try to invent it using ingredients that fit with our healthy weight management plan. The recipe sounds complicated, but much of can be prepared ahead of time. It's pretty awesome, even if I do say so myself. You be the judge, try it, and be sure to leave a comment...

Ingredients:
1 cup cilantro lime pesto sauce (click here for my pesto recipe)
4 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon spicy seasoning salt (click here for my seasoning salt recipe)
1 16-oz package of whole wheat bow tie pesto
1 cup frozen white corn
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh pico de gallo (click here for my pico de gallo recipe)

Directions:

• Make the pico de gallo and chill until ready to serve.
• Make the lime pesto sauce, cover and leave it at room temperature.
• Season the chicken with a spicy seasoning salt, cover and store it in the refrigerator until ready to grill.
• Using medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and then saute the corn until lightly toasted. Add the black beans to the skillet, cover and turn off the heat.
• Bring salted water to cook the pasta to a boil in a large pot and heat the grill to cook the chicken to medium-high (I use a panini grill)
• Cook the whole wheat bow tie pasta "al dente". While the pasta is cooking, grill the chicken.
• Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and gently toss the pasta with the pesto sauce.
• When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, slice each breast on an angle. You should get about 8 slices per breast.

To Serve:
Layer a plate with a serving of pasta, 3 tablespoons of the sauteed corn & black beans, 4 slices of chicken and top it with the chilled pico de gallo.

Yield: 8 servings

Paprika Chicken / Chicken Paprikash

This Chicken Paprikash has been modified from "The Spice House" original recipe to use boneless, skinless chicken, whole wheat pasta and fat free sour cream. Special attention has been given to the list of ingredients to insure the accuracy of the nutritional calculation.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 ounces ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon good quality Hungarian Sweet Paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound whole wheat egg noodles
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
2 tablespoons fat free sour cream
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons cream or sour cream (fat free)
1 tablespoon Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread

Directions:
In a flame proof casserole, heat oil and add onion. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until soft but not browned. Add chicken and tomatoes and cook, covered, over low heat for ten minutes. Turn chicken over. Add paprika, salt and pepper, and 3/4 cup water. Cover and cook over low for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

While chicken is cooking, boil a large pot of water and about 10 minutes before serving, boil the noodles until tender per package directions. Drain and toss with buttery spread, salt, and chopped parsley.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream and flour to form a paste. Remove chicken from pan to a warm platter. Add the paste to the pan, and, stirring constantly, cook over low heat until thick and smooth, about 8 minutes. Add the additional cream or sour cream, return chicken to the pan and continue to cook over low for another five minutes. Serve over the hot pasta.

Helpful Hints:

• Boiling sour cream may cause it to curdle, so keep the heat low.
• This works very well with cubed pork substituted for the chicken.

Credit:
This recipe was provided by The Spice House in Chicago and modified to reduce the fat and lower the calories.

Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Info: Fat: 9.0g
Carbohydrates: 46.3g
Calories: 324.5
Protein: 20.8g

Originally posted 8/28/09

Braised Herbs de Provence Chicken

My friend Suzy gave me this recipe which she had originally obtained from William-Sonoma.

4 Chicken thighs, boneless & skinless
Salt & Pepper
¼ Cup Olive oil

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper; brown in olive oil on both sides and remove from pan.

Add the following to the same pan and brown until softened:
2 Potatoes, peeled & wedged
½ Large Onion, sliced and rings separated
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced or cut into strips
1 Yellow squash, sliced

Add:
1 Tbsp. Herbs de Provence
2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
½ Cup Chicken stock or white wine

Put chicken back with vegetables and cook on low simmer for about 45 minutes or until chicken is done. Adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) and serve.

4 Servings

Originally posted 8/14/08

Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1 medium onion, white or yellow
8 ounces whole wheat pasta, uncooked fettucine
2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper, coarsely ground
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
4 cloves garlic, roasted
1 cup chicken stock, cold
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 ounces lowfat sour cream
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
8 ounces broccoli, frozen

Directions:

Cut chicken into bite-sized squares. Saute in small amount of olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Dice onion and add to chicken. Add garlic, Italian seasonings and pepper. Cook until the chicken is thoroughly done and add the broccoli.

Add the corn starch to the chicken stock, mix well, and add it to the chicken. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Fold in the sour cream and shredded Parmesan cheese and remove it from heat.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and top with Chicken Alfredo. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves 6

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 6.8g
• Carbohydrates: 34.2g
• Calories: 325.9
• Protein: 32.5g

Originally posted 8/08/09

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

The was originally a recipe from Eating Well which I modified for my family's taste.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 cans Ro-Tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies (10.5 oz)
1/4 cup cilantro, freshly chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large sweet pepper, seeded and diced (red, yellow or green)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chicken breast meat, diced
12 corn tortillas, cut in quarters
1 cup fat free cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk and flour in a small bowl to make a smooth paste. Add to the broth and cook over medium, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in yogurt, Ro-Tel Tomatoes & Chilies, cilantro (or parsley), chili powder, oregano and cumin. Season to taste with
salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, sweet pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 3-5 minutes.

Spray a 3-qt shallow baking dish with Pam and line the bottom with half the tortillas. Top with half of the chicken and half of the onion mixture. Spoon half of the sauce evenly over the top. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, chicken, onion mixture and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

Serves 8

Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 274 Calories; 4.8g Fat (15.6% calories from fat); 20g Protein; 32.8g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 43mg Cholesterol; 679mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat.


Originally posted 7/15/09

Mayan Chicken Fricassee

Pollo en Pepian Dulce

Ingredients:
3-1/2 to 4-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 cups chicken stock,
about 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 cup pepitas (Mexican pumpkin seeds)
3 red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped, or 5 canned pimientos, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1/4 cup Seville (bitter) orange juice, or use two-thirds orange juice and one-third lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice salt,
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup seedless raisins
butter
1/4 cup chopped almonds

Directions:
Put the chicken pieces into a heavy casserole, pour in the stock, adding a little more to cover, if necessary. Cover and simmer until almost tender, about 30 minutes. In a blender or food processor grind the sesame and pumpkin seeds as fine as possible and shake through a sieve. Set aside. Put the peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a blender or food processor and reduce to a coarse puree. Mix the puree with the ground sesame and pumpkin seeds. Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a skillet, add the puree, and cook, over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes. Drain the chicken, reserve the stock, and return the chicken to the casserole. Add to the puree 1 cup of the stock, the Seville (bitter) orange juice, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to mix, and pour over the chicken. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is tender, about 15 minutes. Add a little more stock if necessary. The sauce should be thick. Soak the raisins in cold water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Heat a little butter in a skillet and saute the almonds until they are golden. Drain. Transfer the chicken and sauce to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the raisins and almonds. Serve with rice.

Originally posted 3/09/08

Chicken Stew

INGREDIENTS:
1 - 3 pound chicken, cut into pieces
1-2 lemons
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes
2 big carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
5 medium potatoes, cut into cubes
1 cup green peas
1 tsp chopped parsleyt
tsp vinegar
salt, pepper and oregano to taste
2 cups water with a bouillon cube

DIRECTIONS:
Soak the chicken pieces in lemon juice for about 2 minutes. Take out and drain. Heat margarine and fry the chicken together with all the other ingredients, adding the potatoes and the consomme last. Add water if needed. Let it cook for an hour and serve with rice.

Originally posted 03/09/08

Baked Oriental Chicken & Grapes

Ingredients:
3 pounds fryer chicken pieces
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 cups red seedless grapes, halved.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Arrange the chicken, skin side down, in a large shallow baking
pan. Bake for 20 minutes and remove from oven and drain off
the excess fat.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, soy sauce, honey, and
garlic powder; brush the mixture onto the chicken. Sprinkle the
chicken with sesame seeds and bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or
until golden brown, basting once or twice during baking. Add
the grapes to the chicken and return to the oven for another 10
minutes. Pour any pan juices over the chicken before serving.

6 servings

Originally posted 2/05/08

White Chili

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c water
1 tsp lemon papper
1 tsp cumin seed
3-16 oz cans Great Northern white beans, undrained
4 skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 med. onions, chopped
18 oz frozen white corn
2 4-ounce cans chopped mild green chilies
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsps dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cups chicken stock or canned broth
2/3 c shredded jack cheese

Directions:
Boil chicken in water with lemon pepper & cumin seed. Simmer approx. 20 mins. Remove chicken and cut into bite size. Heat oil and saute onions & minced garlic in oil. Stir in chilies, cumin, oregano & cayenne and saute 2 mins. Add undrained beans, white corn, broth and chicken and bring to a boil. (Optional: to serve, put 1 T cheese in bottom of bowl and pour chili over.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bon appetite!

Originally posted 1/11/08

Lil' Gramma's Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup bread crumbs
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
4 slices mozzarella cheese
flour for dipping
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

Directions:
Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in bowl. Put flour in separate bowl. Coat chicken in flour, then in egg wash, and finally in bread crumb mixture. Melt butter in pan and brown one side of breaded chicken. Add butter as needed. Cook 6 - 8 minutes on high, covered. Turn chicken over and spoon 1-2 tablespoons of sauce over each piece of chicken and top with slice of mozzarella. Cook 5 minutes on high until cheese is melted.

Originally posted 1/11/08

Aunt Rose's Wine Chicken

Mary hooked Nick with this recipe!

Ingredients:
5 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup milk
¼ cup favorite white or blush wine
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup Stovetop dry stuffing mix
4 chicken breasts

Directions:
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add flour, milk, chicken broth, and wine. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently. Allow to thicken. Arrange chicken breasts in baking pan. Sprinkle cheese over chicken. Pour wine sauce over chicken and cheese. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and mix with stuffing mix. Spread stuffing over chicken. Place in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Originally posted 1/11/08