Chicken Creole

• 1/4 cup EVOO + Butter


• 1 medium yellow onion, small dice


• 1 medium red onion, small dice


• 1 green bell pepper, small dice


• 1 red bell pepper, small dice


• 1 yellow bell pepper, small dice


• 1 poblano chili, small dice


• 2 ribs celery


• 6 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 quarts chicken stock*


• 24oz crushed tomatoes (if using fresh tomatoes, run them through a food mill)


• 1 6-ounce cans tomato paste


• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


• 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning**


• 3 tablespoons Tiger Sauce (optional)


• 6 cloves of roasted garlic


• 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar


• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco or Crystal)


• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce


• 1 teaspoon salt (wait—if your Creole seasoning contains salt you will only add adjustments at the end)


• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (to taste—if your Creole seasoning has a lot of thyme in it, you may not need much)


• 2 bay leaves


• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice


• 3 pounds chicken


• Flakey biscuits (either make your own, or use Pillsbury packaged stuff)

*Making your own stock is also a great way to prepare the chicken. While it’s simmering, you can prepare the Creole sauce.

• 1 Whole cut up fryer, including gizzards and neck pieces (you may omit the liver if you prefer)


• 3 Carrots


• 3 ribs celery, with tops


• 1 onion


• Fresh herbs: thyme, parsley, bay leaves, oregano, basil


• Black peppercorns, cracked

Sear the chicken on all sides (you can fry the pieces in hot oil in a cast iron pan, or sear them on the BBQ grill). As the chicken sears, add it to a tall stock pot along with the carrots, celery, and onion. If you like, you can prepare the herbs in a Sachet d'épices along with the black pepper, otherwise just throw them all into the pot as well. Fill the pot with enough water to cover everything, and let simmer for at least an hour (but 4 hours would be better).

After at least an hour (but preferably 4 hours), strain the stock (reserving the chicken) into a contain and pop it into the fridge for an hour. The stock is going to contain a LOT of fat, which will be easy to skim off once it cools.

Discard the herbs and vegetables. Pull the chicken from the bone, discarding the skin and gristle.

Creole Sauce

Sweat the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic in the EVOO/butter in a large covered pot until tender, about 15 minutes.

Add one quart of stock and all of the remaining ingredients except the chicken. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. You can prepare up to this step and keep up to a day in the fridge.

You’ll need to sear your chicken now if you did not prepare your own stock. You can use whole pieces with skin removed, or boneless chicken (thighs are recommended if you use boneless chicken). Add the chicken to the sauce, then top with uncooked biscuits. Cover and simmer an additional 45 minutes.

To serve, carefully scoop out a biscuit from the top and spoon the Chicken Creole around it. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Sushi Chicken & Veggies

I hadn't been feeling well, and wanted a really mild dish for dinner. Chicken sounded nice, with rice. Ginger might help calm my stomach. So I came up with this dish, "Sushi" Chicken & Vegetables. It was more awesome than I could have imagined!



Chicken:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1" fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 med shallot
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• rice wine vinegar, about 8oz total
• 1/4c light oil

Veggies:

• 1/2 small head of cabbage, shredded
• 1c fresh peas, shelled
• 1/2c shredded or diced carrots

Rice:

• 1c sushi rice

On hand:

• sea salt
• sugar
• green onion, chopped
• soy sauce
  

Peel the shallot, ginger and garlic, and then place in blender with 1/4c vinegar, oil, 1 Tbsp sugar, and the dry mustard. Blend to a fine paste, adding water if necessary to create a somewhat thin marinade for the chicken.

Pound thick part of breasts to create an even thickness. Place into gallon sized ziplocked bags, then pour marinade over chicken. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Combine shredded cabbage, peas, and grated or diced carrots in gallon sized ziplock. Add 1/4c vinegar. Sprinkle with salt. Seal and shake to mix well, then let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Rinse sushi rice and drain well. In a small saucepan, add 2Tbsp vinegar and 1tsp salt to 1c plus 1Tbsp water. Bring to a boil, then add rice. Cover and reduce heat. Let simmer for 15 minutes, then remove pan from heat. Let rice sit for 5 minutes, untouched and without lifting the cover.

Place chicken in baking dish and cover with marinade. Broil at 350f degrees for 10 minutes, then turn breasts and broil for an additional 10 minutes until cooked through.

Drain the vinegar from the veggies. Saute until carrots are soft, peas are cooked, and cabbage is wilted. Remove from heat and combine with rice.

When chicken is cooked, slice diagonally into thin strips and divide into four piles. Press rice & vegetables into 1c mold and turn out onto four plates. Drape strips of chicken over each of the four piles of rice. Sprinkle with green onion, drizzle soy sauce around rice, and serve.

Quick & Easy Appetizers

My friend, Jen, needs to make appetizers for a party of 80. These recipes make about 15 to 30 servings each. As a general rule of thumb, I look to have 4 or 5 servings per person. It isn’t necessary to scale the recipes, so long as you have a reasonable total amount of food. However, some recipes go faster than others; for these I recommend at least a serving for every 2 or 3 total expected guests—for Jen this means that she might consider at least doubling things like the Fruit Cups or Pizza Margherita, but should be fine with meatballs, chicken, and rollups.

I’ve listed the items in order of relative effort required.

Meatballs

16oz jar of sauce
38oz bag of frozen meatballs
5-quart (full-size) crock pot

Use any sauce you like. Dump the sauce & meatballs into the crockpot several hours before serving. Plug it in, and turn to ‘auto’ (this will allow the crock pot to heat everything up nicely, then drop to a simmer).

Some variations:

• Sweet & Sour: use two 12oz jars of sweet & sour sauce, add pineapple chunks, chopped onion, diced bell pepper


• Thai peanut: use two 12oz jars of Thai Peanut sauce, add chopped onion, bell pepper


• BBQ: use one 16oz jar of BBQ sauce


• Italian: use one 16oz jar of your favorite red pasta sauce


• Swedish: use one 12oz jar of Alfredo sauce, one 10oz jar of cream of mushroom soup, 1/4c ketchup (really), 1/3c Worcestershire sauce, 1Tbsp dry mustard, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, salt & pepper to taste. If it seems too thick after a few hours, add milk to reach desired consistency. Can also add one box of pre-sliced mushrooms.

Makes about 15-18 servings

Caesar Tortellini

1 ‘Family Size’ pkg (20 oz) refrigerated filled tortellini
1c bottled Caesar dressing
1/4c fresh grated Parmesan
1 pkg fresh cherry tomatoes
1 can (6 oz) pitted, large ripe olives, drained
salad greens

Cook and drain tortellini as directed.Toss with dressing and cheese. Cover and refrigerate about 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

When ready to serve, toss tortellini with tomatoes and olives. Line a large bowl with salad greens and place tortellini mix in bowl.

Serve with toothpicks.

Makes approximately 20 servings

Nuts

Seriously. Just make some small bowls of spicy nuts. People love ‘em!

2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic granuals
1 tsp salt
2c cashews
2c pecans

Preheat oven to 300ºF.

Add butter to an 11- x 7- x 1-1/2-inch baking pan and melt in the oven. When melted, stir in seasonings and mix. Add cashews and pecans and toss to coat. Spread nuts evenly in the baking pan.Bake at 300ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice. Sprinkle the nuts with additional salt, if desired.

Remove nuts to brown paper bag to cool. Shake occasionally while cooling. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Makes approximately …well… 4c of nuts. Some people can eat this in a single sitting. WAY better than chex mix any day.

Sesame Chicken with Honey Dip

32oz bag frozen chicken nuggets, breaded & cooked
1 Tbsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp onion powder
1/4c sesame seeds
1/4c honey
1/4c Dijon mustard
1/4c mayonnaise
1 gallon-size ziplock bag

Defrost chicken in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F degrees. Combine dry mustard, onion powder, and sesame seeds in ziplock bag. Place defrosted nuggets in ziplock, and shake to coat (defrosted nuggets will be moist enough to coat nicely).

Lightly grease baking sheet, and place nuggets in single layer. Sprinkle on any leftover seasoning. Spray lightly with oil. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden & crispy.

While nuggets are baking, combine honey, mayonnaise, and mustard. Serve as a dipping sauce with the chicken.

Makes approximately 25 servings

Piggy Wraps

Oh c’mon. You know everyone LOVES these…

1 pkg. Hillshire Farm sausage (48ct)
3 pkgs. refrigerated crescent dough

Cut each crescent roll triangle in half. Starting at wide end, roll sausages in dough. Arrange on cooking sheet.

Bake at 400º for 5 minutes or until golden brown. May be froze until ready to cook.

Makes approximately 24 servings

Pastry Cups

You can use the basic method to fill these with just about anything. Recipe uses mushrooms & cheese, and some variations follow.

1 pkg mushrooms (anything from basic button to wild, roughly 8oz fresh), chopped
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic
1/4c chopped green onion
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3oz brie cheese
1 pkg refrigerated crescent dough
24-cup minature muffin tray

Heat oven to 350° F. Spray muffin cups with oil. Unroll dough and separate into rectangles. Press diagonal perforation to seal, then cut crosswise to create 4 squares from each rectangle. Press one square into each muffin cup, leaving corners to overhang.

Cut brie into 24 pieces. Saute mushrooms with butter, and garlic until soft. Remove from heat, and add onions and mustard. Spoon mixture into cups, and top with a piece of brie.

Bake until pastry is golden and cheese is bubbly, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve warm or cold

Makes approximately a dozen servings

Filling Variations:

• Crab & cream cheese: Bake pastry cups, then fill with a mixture of 3oz cream cheese, 1/2c (total) finely chopped onion, chives, carrots and roasted peppers, a good dash of Worcestershire sauce, a splash of Tabasco, and a 6oz package of crab meat. Chill and serve cold.


• Shrimp & cheese: mix 1/2c salad shrimp (peeled, cleaned, no tails—you know what I mean) with shredded cheese, then bake as above.

Crab Dip

1 cup Ranch dressing
6 oz. crabmeat or imitation crabmeat
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Serve with fresh vegetables or crackers for dipping.

Makes approximately a dozen servings, this stuff goes fast.

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip

The world’s easiest—just mix it up and bake in an interesting ramekin or clay pot and serve with crackers or sliced bread.

2 cups cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1-1/4 cups frozen chopped spinach, (about 10 oz.) thawed
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsps. lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drain the spinach and squeeze it dry.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Mix in the artichoke hearts, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Season with garlic and lemon juice.

Spread evenly into a baking dish that will hold 6 to 8 cups (roughly 9x9). Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove the cover, and let the dish bake uncovered for 5 more minutes, or until the surface is lightly browned.

Makes approximately 24 servings.

Cheddar Spinach Appetizer Squares

1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
3 eggs, well beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Heat oven to 350° F.

Unroll crescent rolls; place in 13x9-inch baking pan. Press over bottom and 1/2-inch up sides of pan; seal perforations.

In medium bowl combine all remaining ingredients; mix until well blended. Pour into crust. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until filling is set.

Let cool, then cut into 24 squares.

Makes approximately a dozen servings.

Pizza Margherita

2 teaspoons cornmeal
1 (13.8-oz.) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pizza Crust
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 oz. (1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
20 (1/4-inch-thick) slices Italian plum tomato (about 6 medium)
1/3 cup thin fresh basil strips

Place oven rack in lowest rack position; heat oven to 425°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cornmeal.

Unroll dough; place in cornmeal-coated pan. Starting at center, press out dough with hands to edge of pan. Brush dough with oil; sprinkle evenly with garlic.

Place crust in oven on lowest oven rack; bake at 425°F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until set and dry.

Remove crust from oven. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over partially baked crust. Arrange tomato slices over cheese. Sprinkle with half of the basil. You can prepare up to this point a day in advance, then refridgerate.

Return pizza to lowest oven rack; bake an additional 12 to 17 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown. Sprinkle remaining half of basil over pizza.

Cut into 20 squares.

Serve warm.

Makes approximately 20 servings

Beef Roll-ups

5 10-inch burrito tortillas
1c sour cream
2 Tbsp horseradish
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
6oz package of fresh baby spinach
10 thin slices deli roast beef
1c shredded cheddar cheese

Combine sour cream, horseradish, and mustard. Spread on tortillas. Cover spread with single layer of spinach leaves. Place 2 slices of roast beef in center of tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese.

Roll each tortilla up tightly, and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hrs.

Remove rolls from wrap and slice into 1-inch pieces.

Makes approximately 40 servings

Pizza Roll-ups

1 can Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Crust
1 pouch pre-measured Boboli pizza sauce
1 pack sliced pepperoni
8oz shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tsp cornmeal

Unroll pizza crust and spread into rectangle approximately 15” x 10”. Spread sauce over surface, top with a complete layer of pepperoni, then cover with layer of shredded cheese.

Roll dough along the long edge, then press to seal—you should end up with a 15” long roll. Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate at least 4 hrs.

Preheat oven to 425°F degrees. Lightly dust a cooking sheet with cornmeal. Remove rolls from wrap and slice into ½” pieces. Place rolls on cooking sheet and bake until golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes approximately 15 servings.

Vegetable Bars
2 pkgs crescent rolls
1 (8-oz) cream cheese
1 cup mayo
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch original salad dressing mix
1 cup cauliflower flowerets
3/4 cup fresh broccoli flowerets
3/4 cup grated carrots
bacon bits

Press crescent rolls to cover bottom of a 15 x 11 x 1 inch pan.

Blend cream cheese, mayo, and dressing mix until smooth. Spread on crust. Sprinkle vegetables on filling. Press vegetables into filling slightly. Top with bacon bits (omit if you have vegetarians).

Bake in a 375° F. oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into bars.

Makes approximately a dozen servings

Spinach Bars

1/2 stick butter
2 pkgs. frozen spinach, chopped, thawed and squeezed dry
3 large eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
6 medium mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. Cheddar cheese, finely grated

Heat oven to 350° F.

Melt butter in 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a bowl combine spinach, eggs, baking powder, mushrooms, onion, salt and Cheddar. Pour over butter in dish and bake for 35 minutes (eggs should cook through, but dish will not really solidify until it cools and the cheese firms).

Cool a bit before cutting into 1 inch cubes.

Makes approximately 30 servings

Fruit Cups

I don’t do enough sweet to balance the savory. Here’s one that even I might attempt…

1 box frozen Belgian mini cream puffs (30ct)
1 can Bing Cherries in Heavy Syrup (not Maraschino, this would be the real fruit)

Cut each cream puff in half. Spoon a single cherry into the cup.

Makes approximately 30 servings

Chicken Cacciatore

*The problem with this recipe is that I started with a quart jar full of tomatoes I had just stewed that morning, picked fresh from my garden. I used three or four large yellow heirloom tomatoes. I started with a medium onion and half of a large green bell pepper, diced. I sautéed those until the onion was translucent, then added some fresh ground black pepper, some sea salt, and poured enough white wine vinegar over the lot to get it nice and sizzling. I mixed the sautéed veggies in with the diced tomatoes, threw it all in a quart size jar, and canned them in a water bath for 45 minutes. I guess you could buy canned stewed tomatoes instead.

Mise en Place

• Chicken, one whole plus a bit, cut up
  
• Tomatoes, one quart diced
  
• Garlic, a whole damn bulb, crushed
  
• Bell Pepper, one large red one, chopped
  
• Mushrooms, one pound? (whatever size that Clingfilm-wrapped package is, maybe 12oz), sliced
  
• Italian Sausage, 3. I think they were turkey sausage, squoze out of the casing
  
• *Stewed tomatoes, one quart, diced
  

Right, now for the chicken cacciatore.

First I poured the quart of stewed tomatoes into a casserole pan. Ok, that’s not quite true. Before that, I scrounged Dad’s cupboards for some half decent wine and came up with a 2001 Camelot Zinfandel. Not at all bad. I handed the bottle to Trisha to open and asked her to pour a glass for me.

Then I cut up and skinned a whole chicken (plus a sandwich sized ziplock of random chicken Mama had in the freezer), and browned the pieces in an iron skillet. I placed the chicken pieces on the stewed tomatoes as they browned, and refilled my wine glass.

Next, I cut up a large onion and a red bell pepper into largish pieces and set those to sauté in the pan that I had used for the chicken. This served to free up all the yummy brown chicken bits from the pan. Then I added three Italian sausages that I had found in the freezer, defrosted and smooshed out of the casing. Meanwhile, Mama had sliced the mushrooms, which I added to the pan once the onions had become translucent, along with a whole bulb of garlic. Yeah, I started peeling the cloves and got a little buck nutty. Once the mushrooms were wilted I deglazed the pan with some Marsala wine, then dumped in another quart jar of those yellow tomatoes from my garden, only these ones had been canned with just a little salt and nothing else. Refilled wine glass.

I let that simmer for a few minutes to reduce the liquid, then I poured it over the chicken in the casserole pan and put in the oven at 350f degrees for about an hour or an hour and a half. I probably was done after 45 minutes, but my sisters weren’t back from the store yet with the ceasar salad and garlic bread stuff.

Dad raved about the chicken to no end, so I guess the extra time didn’t hurt much.
This recipe served about 8 with a few leftovers.

Chicken Korma

This was awesome! Giles wanted Chicken Tikka, but I didn’t have the tandoori paste nor did I have the time to marinate the chicken. What I did have, and wanted to use in something, was a fresh bulb of fennel. I read somewhere that this could be used in place of onions on Indian dishes. In this case, I used both.

Mise en place:

Spices
6 green cardamom pods, bruised to release the flavor
2" cinnamon stick
6 cloves
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder or pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander

Ginger & Garlic Paste
1 inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
2-3 tablespoons water

The Meat
1lb chicken breast or thigh fillets, diced.

Other Ingredients
1/2c plain yogurt
1/4c vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 small bulb of fresh fennel, stems removed and sliced thin
1c chicken stock (or warm water)
½ c roasted unsalted cashew pieces
A pinch of saffron threads
¼ c heavy cream
½ teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste

Method

1. Put the chicken into a large ziplock bag. Whisk the yoghurt (this prevents curdling during cooking) then add with chicken in the bag. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.


2. Make the ginger & garlic paste by blending the ginger and garlic together in a food processor with a little water until it is a puree.


3. Heat the oil over a low heat and add the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Let them sizzle for 25-30 seconds and add the onions and fennel. Increase the heat to medium and fry until they soften (~10 minutes).


4. Add the ginger & garlic paste and fry for another couple of minutes.


5. Add the remaining spices and fry gently for about a minute.


6. Add the chicken and increase the heat to medium high. Stir until the chicken is opaque. pour in the stock or water, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.


7. Meanwhile, put the cashews and saffron in a blender and add the cream. Blend until smooth and add to the chicken.


8. Add the garam masala and cook, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.

Creamy Margarita Chicken

I love to get my food drunk. One of my favorite marinades is a good stiff margarita, with a little salt & chili powder thrown in. That’s pretty much it. I mix it up, pour enough over the meat to cover it, and then I get to drink the rest.

Last night Giles wanted Margarita Grilled Chicken, but I wanted to jazz it up a bit, so I made a sauce to go along with. Came out pretty glorious. The recipe below is for 4.

Mise en place:
Margarita: 1 part triple sec, 1 part tequila, 2 parts sweet & sour, fresh lime juice
Salt & Pepper, crushed garlic—to taste
4 chicken breasts, one for each person
1 onion, sliced into strips
A few cloves of garlic, crushed
2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 large or 2 medium fresh diced tomatoes
1 can of dice green chilies, the small 8oz one
1/2c Sour cream
Cheese (jack or something more interesting that’s still semi-soft)

Method:

Prepare the marinade about an hour ahead of time. You definitely don’t need more than about an hour; the flavor permeates pretty quickly. Put chicken breasts in a gallon-sized ziplock bag and pour in enough margarita to cover the chicken. Add chili powder, s&p, and if you like, a little crushed garlic. Press the air out of the ziplock bag and seal it. Place it in the fridge for about an hour, turning it over occasionally. Pour the rest of the margarita into a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice and a straw, and drink.

Take a break now. Finish that margarita with some chips & salsa. Once you feel pretty relaxed, sauté those onions and bell peppers over low heat until the edges of the onions begin to caramelize. Throw in the diced green chilies, crushed garlic, and tomatoes, give it a good stir, and let it simmer on low for a bit.

It’s about time to get the grill fired up for those chicken breasts. Take the ziplock bag out of the fridge, and pour off some of the marinade into your onions & peppers. Let that stuff simmer for a bit while you get the chicken ready.

Grill that chicken totally naked for a few minutes on each side. While that’s going, it’s time to put the finishing touches on the sauce.

Take the veggies off the stove, and add 1/2c of sour cream. Put it back on the stove and simmer on very low heat, stirring often. Stir in a couple of handfuls of grated cheese, then make a thin white roux to bind the cheese, and add to the sauce. Mind that you don’t add too much—the consistency should be creamy & cheesy, not thick and globby.

When your chicken is ready, put some sauce on the plate, then top it with the grilled chicken (you can slice the breast or leave it whole, your choice). Serve with rice or pasta (or just greens, if you’re kind of anti-carb and all).

If you think this is good, you should try my Mojito Chicken with black beans ;)