DEVILED CHICKEN

Now here is a fantastic recipe inspired by some things I found on the internet over the years.  It takes what could be drab chicken and gives it a great taste you remember.  Very easy for yourself or for entertaining a large group when you don’t have much time.

As for the chicken I happen to enjoy using thighs but feel free to use whatever parts you want.  You will have to adjust the baking time though if you use boneless since that cooks much quicker.

Ingredients:

·   3 lbs        Skinless chicken

·   ¼ cup     Dijon mustard

·   4 tsp       Vegetable oil (or 1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon.  Same thing)

·   4 tsp       Brown sugar (or 1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon.  Same thing)

·   ½            Garlic powder (2 minced cloves of garlic work just as well)

·   Vegetable oil spray

·   ½ tsp      Pepper

·   ½ cup     Bread crumbs

Directions:

1.            On the night before take the chicken out of the freezer, place it on a dish, and let it thaw in the refrigerator. 

2.            In the morning pull and cut the skin and fat off the chicken even though it may not be totally thawed.  I find it is much easier to do this when the chicken is still partially frozen.

3.            Put the chicken back on the wrapper and dish and wash your hands thoroughly.  You shouldn’t have to touch it again until it is cooked and ready to eat.

4.            Begin to preheat the oven to 375 degrees

5.            When you are ready to begin dinner mix the mustard, vegetable oil, brown sugar and garlic together in a small bowl

6.            Lightly spray a baking dish

7.            Using tongs place the chicken on the baking dish

8.            Brush the top and sides with the mustard mixture

9.            Sprinkle the bread crumbs on the chicken

10.        Put the baking dish into the oven and bake for about 50 minutes.  Remember, my recipe is for bone-in thighs so adjust the time for yourself, especially if you are using boneless chicken

11.        Cut into the largest portion of the chicken and observe the juice.  If the chicken juices are clear, you are ready to serve

12.        I like to pull the baking dish out of the oven, place it on the stove, and let it sit a few minutes before serving

I served this with rice and broccoli but feel free to use whatever side dishes you want.  Simple mashed potatoes would be good also.

Hurricane Irene problems

I really like to develop at least two recipes each week and add them to this blog but Hurricane Irene forced me to change thing.  Getting ready for the storm delayed my schedule then Irene took out my electricity, phones (land line and cell), and my internet connection.  My phones started working again today (Tuesday) and my internet connection came back at the same time though the electricity is still out.  Hopefully this will be corrected by Thursday.  Unlike many we suffered only minimal damage, just the schedule problem.  I have one recipe for you now and will try to catch up before the end of the week.

Sourdough Bacon & Apple Pancakes

So, you have some overnight guests and want to throw something together in the morning that will be both filling and impressive?  How about a pancake filled with great ingredients that is as large as a small casserole.  This can also be on your brunch menu or something to make with the kids on the weekend that lasts most of the week.  It is pretty inexpensive and easy to prepare.

Remember to pull the sourdough starter out of the refrigerator the nigh before and add a cup of flour and water.  Stir it up and let it sit until morning.  This will take you all of five minutes.

Ingredients:

·         5 strips    Bacon (more if you want)

·         2 Tbl       Oil (use the bacon drippings or a combination of drippings and oil (I supplemented with Olive Oil

·         1             Apple

·         1/3 cup   Green onions (optional)

·         1 small    Pepper (optional)

·         1 cup      Starter

·         2 Tbl       Sugar or Honey

·         1             Egg

·         ¾ cup     Flour

·         1 tsp       Baking soda

·         ¼ tsp      Salt

·         1 tsp       water or milk

·         Oil spray

Directions:

1.      Fry up the bacon

2.      Put the bacon on a paper towel to drain and save the remaining drippings for the recipe.  You want the drippings to cool a bit or you could kill the starter.  Don’t worry about the bacon getting a little cold as it will be heated when baking the pancake

3.      Preheat the oven to 425

4.      Core, peel, and chop the apple into chunks.  Don’t chop it too small like I did.  Put the resultant apple into a small bowl

5.      If you want to add the onions, pepper, or whatever, chop them and add them to the bowl

6.      Break the bacon into small pieces and add it to the small bowl

7.      In a second larger bowl add the starter, sugar/honey, egg, baking soda, salt and water/milk.  If you use honey, add the oil/drippings first then the honey using the same tablespoon measurer.  This will make it easier for the honey to flow

8.      Remember to take care of the remaining starter.  Add a cup of water and a cup of flour, stir, let sit for a while (maybe until you pull the pancake out of the oven), and put back in refrigeration

9.      Mix the contents of the larger bowl

10.  Add the contents of the smaller bowl to the larger one and mix them all.  Don’t over mix though

11.  Spray a casserole dish of about 8x8x2.25

12.  Pour the larger bowl, the only one with stuff in it, into the casserole dish

13.  Bake for about 15 minutes

14.  Turn the oven down to 350 and heat the casserole for another 15 to 20 minutes.  Poke a toothpick into the middle and on the sides.  If the toothpick comes out clean, you are done.  If not, cook a little longer

15.  Take the finished breakfast out of the oven and let it sit a few minutes.

16.  You can serve from the casserole dish or slide the end results on to a serving dish.  If it comes out in one piece everyone will be impressed.  If it doesn’t, call it rustic

Sourdough Sausage & Apple Pancakes

So, you have some overnight guests and want to throw something together in the morning that will be both filling and impressive?  How about a pancake filled with great ingredients that is as large as a small casserole.  This can also be on your brunch menu or something to make with the kids on the weekend that lasts most of the week.  It is pretty inexpensive and easy to prepare.

Remember to pull the sourdough starter out of the refrigerator the nigh before and add a cup of flour and water.  Stir it up and let it sit until morning.  This will take you all of five minutes.

Ingredients:

·         1 lb         Breakfast sausage

·         2 Tbl       Oil (I used Olive Oil)

·         1             Apple

·         1/3 cup   Green onions (optional)

·         1 small    Pepper (optional)

·         1 cup      Starter

·         2 Tbl       Sugar or Honey

·         1             Egg

·         ¾ cup     Flour

·         1 tsp       Baking soda

·         ¼ tsp      Salt

·         1 tsp       water or milk

·         Oil spray

Directions:

1.      Fry up the sausage and break it up into small pieces

2.      Put the sausage in a bowl on a paper towel to drain

3.      Preheat the oven to 425

4.      Core, peel, and chop the apple into chunks.  Don’t chop it too small like I did.  Put the resultant apple into a small bowl, possibly the one with the sausage if it is drained

5.      If you want to add the onions, pepper, or whatever, chop them and add them to the bowl

6.      In a second larger bowl add the starter, sugar/honey, egg, baking soda, salt and water/milk.  If you use honey, add the oil first then the honey using the same tablespoon measurer.  This will make it easier for the honey to flow

7.      Remember to take care of the remaining starter.  Add a cup of water and a cup of flour, stir, let sit for a while (maybe until you pull the pancake out of the oven), and put back in refrigeration

8.      Mix the contents of the larger bowl

9.      Add the contents of the smaller bowl and the sausage to the larger one and mix them all.  Don’t over mix though

10.  Spray a casserole dish of about 8x8x2.25

11.  Pour the larger bowl, the only one with stuff in it, into the casserole dish

12.  Bake for about 15 minutes

13.  Turn the oven down to 350 and heat the casserole for another 15 to 20 minutes.  Poke a toothpick into the middle and on the sides.  If the toothpick comes out clean, you are done.  If not, cook a little longer

14.  Take the finished breakfast out of the oven and let it sit a few minutes.

15.  You can serve from the casserole dish or slide the end results on to a serving dish.  If it comes out in one piece everyone will be impressed.  If it doesn’t, call it rustic