Good Like Chicken and Biscuits

With just over two months to go until The Wedding Day, things have become a bit crazy around here. Crazy and very distracted. It's really weird to me, because I never used to be a stress eater. In fact, it was just the opposite for years. I could barely eat at all when I was nervous. But this very week, I think I may have consumed my weight in lemon bars. It was an Ina Garten recipe, and I found it on the Food Network. The end result was delicious, but it was a little soupy, to say the least. I was making the bars while in a bit of a rush, so it's highly likely that I did something wrong, though I don't know what.

But today I made something far more successful that also appeals to me in these hectic moments. I'm not sure why, having been born and raised in Pennsylvania, and having lived here nearly my entire life, but I love Southern food. I had a Kentucky Derby party last year, and I want to have another one next year (this year, it's impossible, because of a Wedding Shower. While I'm looking forward to that, it just goes to show how getting married can kind of take over everything).

I have to admit, I don't know if I have ever eaten authentic Soul food. I have been to Pop Eye's once, but I think comparing that to Southern food is nearly as bad as thinking Taco Bell represents the best of Mexican cuisine. I once had barbecue ribs and corn bread from a North Carolina restaurant that was participating in the Pittsburgh rib fest at Heinz field. I thought it was so delicious that I didn't even care that I had the sauce all over my face.

So, usually when I want something close to Southern food, I have to make it myself. I've waxed poetic time and again about these biscuits, and I'm here to do it again. Plus, a little practice makes perfect. I can now bang these guys out in about five minutes.

The last time I attempted fried chicken, I wasn't pleased with the result. So I've given up and used something else to give me the crispy texture I want. Cornflakes. So yes, the recipe that I have for you today is one for cornflake chicken. It's actually quite healthy, and I've added some flavoring to make it "the best chicken you've ever made", according to Sean. It may not be the best chicken you've ever made, but I think it will come close. And I strongly recommend that you serve your chicken with some freshly made biscuits. Because these two things belong together. Which led me to think of this wedding slogan:
"Lauren and Sean ~Good together like chicken and biscuits~" What do you think?

Cornflake Chicken (aka Chicken a la Southern Fried But  Baked in the Oven)

Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 cups plain, reduced fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon seasoning salt ( I used Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Seasonings Original Mixed-Up Salt,   but Lawry's seasoning salt, or your own proprietary blend would work here too.  You want something with a little kick, maybe even just some garlic powder)
3 cups corn flake cereal, placed in a plastic zip top bag and crushed
1-2 tablespoons butter
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  However, if you are baking some biscuits, a hotter oven will work fine. The chicken will just be done faster.
In a small mixing bowl, add the yogurt and stir.  And the seasonings and stir again.  Taste, and adjust the seasonings.  Place the chicken in a small pan or platter.  Cover with the yogurt mixture and use a fork to turn the chicken, making sure that each piece is covered with the yogurt marinade. Allow to sit at least thirty minutes.  You could also do this step in the morning, or the night before.  I use the thirty minutes to work on my biscuits.
Using tongs, place the chicken breasts, one at a time, in the crushed cornflake bag. Seal the bag and move it  around to allow the flakes to stick to the chicken. If necessary, use your hands to stick cornflakes onto any places that are bare. Set the chicken aside on a clean plate and continue until all of the pieces are covered with the cornflakes. Discard the flakes and the yogurt. Melt 1-2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet.  Add the chicken and allow to brown on each side, over medium heat.
Spray a large glass baking dish with cooking spray.  Turn off the heat under the skillet and move the chicken to the pan.  Place the pan in the oven and allow to bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or when the meat is cooked through and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 160 or higher.  Remove the pan from the oven and cover with foil.  Allow the chicken to rest a few minutes before serving.

Chicken or Beef?

Happy Halloween! I guess I can still get away with saying that, since today is El Dia de los Muertos.

Anyway, what I really wanted to show you is a picture of our Halloween pumpkin. It's supposed to be cat. I like the cartoonish quality of the cat (and the twinkle in its mouth).


Right now, I've got a few recipes in the works, so please bear with me during this slow period, so to speak. For this week, I am going to share with you two of my favorite marinades, which could be used for chicken or beef. Both marinades can be made the day before and poured over your choice of meat (or maybe even vegetables or tofu), and placed in the refrigerator over night (overnight might make the vegetables limp). You'll have a delicious and simple meal to come home to the next day. And with early evenings approaching, I think that will be a huge help.


Teriyaki

Reprinted with notations from the New York Times Cookbook

1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated fresh ginger, or 1/2 tablespoon powdered ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar (raw/demerara/turbinado sugar recommended
1 cup of low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup sherry or white wine, even good quality Marsala can work in a pinch

Combine the ginger, garlic, onion, sugar, soy sauce and sherry. Pour the mixture over 2 pounds of chicken or sirloin beef that has been thinly sliced or cut into bite sized pieces. Let stand one to two hours or overnight. Grill or broil, on skewers and serve hot. This marinade is especially good for beef.


Indonesian Ginger Marinade

Adapted with notations from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and the Food Network

1 cup of honey (orange blossom preferred, rather than lavender, etc)
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
8-12 cloves of garlic, minced (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup peeled and grated fresh ginger root (go with fresh ginger, as it really makes the dish in this case)

Cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic and ginger root in a small saucepan over low heat until the honey is melted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Arrange four or five bone-in chicken breasts or 2 1/2 pounds of sirloin or flank steak in a baking pan. Chicken should be placed skin-side down. Pour the sauce over the meat, cover with foil and marinate overnight.

The following day, beef can be grilled or broiled. For chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for thirty minutes, then uncover the pan. Turn the breasts over, then continue to bake for 30 minutes longer.

This recipe is especially good with chicken, and I imagine that it would be delicious with salmon or a delicate white fish, too.

Day Four: Good Old Chicken Soup

You probably already guessed this part, didn't you? I mean, it was pretty obvious. And anyway, that's what you do with leftovers: make soup out of them. One thing that I noticed last night, when I was telling you about the potato pancakes, was that I gave a little misrepresentation. This four day meal isn't just made from a four pound chicken and eight potatoes. It's also made from an entire bag of onions, or just about. So I hope you liked onions, because I've been shoving them down your throat all week!

I'm pretty sure that there are more chicken soup recipes than there are currently chickens in the continental United States. This one is pretty much a combination of recipes I've come across over the years. I've been tinkering with it since I graduated from college, and had to start cooking for myself everyday. The original recipe wasn't anything exciting, and I've brought it to a truly palatable dish that, in my experience, tastes far better than anything from a can . I think the secret ingredient is the recipe for the stock I left you with two days ago, but if you have a good broth that you like, go with that. One thing that you can't change, though, is the presence of roasted chicken. Not poached chicken breast. It's too rubbery for this. If you don't want to roast your own chicken and all of that, buy a pre-made rotisserie chicken from your grocery store.

So, let's get started.

Lauren's Evolved Chicken Soup

Serves six

You can add any vegetables that you like to this soup. However, if you want to add celery or something that tends to get really mushy, try adding it with the chicken, and not with the vegetables I call for.

Ingredients:

Two tablespoons canola oil

Approximately 1 1/2 cups carrots, finely chopped

Approximately 2 cups onions, finely chopped

One and 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock

Two large containers of good quality chicken broth, low fat and low sodium, to be added separately.

Leftover Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

Three dried bay leaves

Six ounces (about half a bag) egg noodles

Two cups of roasted chicken, a mixture of white and dark meat, picked through to remove unsavory bits.

Fresh minced chives, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

In large soup or stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots, and stir gradually with a wooden spoon. Allow the vegetables to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the homemade stock and stir. Add salt and pepper. Allow to heat about 2 minutes, then add one container of chicken broth. Add the rind and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions.

When the noodles are done cooking, fold in the chicken. Allow the soup to simmer about 15 minutes. Add the chives and any additional salt and pepper, if desired.

At this point, the soup is ready to serve, though it is recommended that you allow it to cool, then refrigerate and serve the next day. After refrigeration, the broth is likely to be reduced in amount, so add the second box of broth, or however much you think needs to be replaced. Heat the soup again on the stove. When sufficiently warmed, taste it. If it is too bland, add more salt and pepper. If it is too salty, add a little water. Repeat until the soup is seasoned to your taste. Remove the cheese rind and bay leaves before serving.

Day Two: Enchiladas and Chicken Stock

Today's post includes two recipes, though you certainly don't have to prepare them both in the same day. Just be sure to hang onto the bones if you want to make stock.

The first recipe is for the enchiladas. Please note that the portions I include for all of the meals is for up to four people, but it is more likely to satisfy two people, with a lunch portion for the next day. Any leftovers will be used for the following means, of course.


Chicken and Bean Enchiladas
Loosely adapted from Liz Pearson at Everyday with Rachael Ray

Makes six enchiladas

Ingredients:

Three tablespoons vegetable oil

One medium onion, finely chopped

One and one half to 3 tablespoons flour

Three quarters of a cup of water

One 14 or 16 once can of crushed tomatoes, drained and pureed in a food processor

One 16 ounce can of black beans or refried beans (if using black beans, drain and mash)

Two tablespoons tomato paste

One and 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

One and 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

Three quarters of a teaspoon of salt

Cooking spray

Two cups shredded roast chicken

One cup shredded taco cheese (sharp cheddar, pepper jack, or even muenster cheese--about 1/2 pound)

Six flour tortillas

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and cook for 2 additional minutes. As the flour begins to very lightly brown, immediately whisk in the water. Add the tomatoes, beans, chili powder, cumin and salt; mix well. Simmer for five minutes and set aside. If the sauce is too thin, add more flour; if too thick, add water in tablespoons. A little thickness is desirable.

Preheat the broiler. Spray a large glass baking dish with cooking spray. Working with one enchilada at a time, place some chicken in a tortilla shell, then top with a small spoonful of the of the enchilada sauce. Carefully (it's hot!) roll up the enchilada tightly, with the seam of the roll at the bottom of the pan. Continue this step with the remaining chicken. Top the enchiladas with most of the remaining sauce, then sprinkle with cheese. Broil the enchiladas until the cheese is golden, about 5 minutes. Check on the enchiladas half way through the broiling time. When the cheese is golden, turn off the broiler and allow the enchiladas to warm completely inside of the broiler, about 5 minutes.


Okay, phew. That's a lot of steps, but it's a pretty easy meal, I promise. This should help on a weeknight, especially if you plan to make the following recipe for stock. If you're used to eating chicken soup from a can, or full fat and sodium chicken broth, homemade chicken stock may come off as a little flavorless. However, it gives you, the cook, the opportunity to flavor the broth in a variety of ways, maybe with garlic, onions, tomato, or any other vegetables you like. I often like to add a splash of dry white wine and a lot of onions.

Chicken Stock
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Makes about 1 quart, enough for one large pot of soup

Before beginning to make the stock, remove about 21/2 cups of the remaining chicken, or what is left on the chicken. Place in the refrigerator.

Chicken bones, rinsed with excess fat removed.

One tablespoon canola oil

Four to six onions, peeled and quartered

Fresh herbs, preferably a poultry mix


Two or 3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

6 black peppercorns

Three quarters of a cup dry white wine

12 plus cups cold water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the onions in a large roasting pan, and place the chicken bones on top. Drizzle with the oil and toss to combine. Place the pan in the oven and roast about 30-40 minutes. The bones should be golden brown in color.

Transfer the bones and onions to a large stock pot and add the cold water. The water should cover the bones. Add a splash of water to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits and add to the pan. Add the herbs to the water; if desired, place the herbs in a cheesecloth bundle tied with kitchen twine; however, the stock will be drained when finished cooking. Simmer gently over medium heat for 2 to three hours. Stir occasionally and continue adding water to cover the bones as necessary.

When the stock is done cooking, strain through a colander into a large bowl or container (the colander should fit inside the bowl). Allow the bones and onions to drain completely before discarding. Strain the stock once again through a large fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a container for storing. Allow the stock to cool, stirring occasionally. Cover the stock and place in the refrigerator. When completely chilled, remove fat from the top (this step can be completed the next day). Keep the stock in the refrigerator for up to a week, or 3 months in the freezer.

Four Days from One Meal: Day One

photo credit to Yvonne Wong, as shown on Style Me Pretty.


One of the best things about roast chicken, other than pure deliciousness, is the many ways that one small bird can be used to make dinner. Last night, I prepared a 3.8 pound chicken, roasted with butter, rosemary and onion. For sides, I made mashed potatoes and braised spinach (the mashed potatoes will come into play again later in the week). For the next four days, I am going to show you how to make four meals from one small chicken and eight baking potatoes, plus a few other things.

Unfortunately, I didn't even think to take a picture of my beautiful roasted chicken until after we had carved it up. So, just imagine a nicely roasted chicken with-extra browned skin, the surface lightly scattered with rosemary sprigs, cracked black pepper and pink Himalayan sea salt.


Buttery Roast Chicken

I followed a basic recipe from the New York Times Cookbook, and made some inventive changes of my own. Adding butter to the top of the chicken gives the skin a rich, brown color, while placing frozen butter under the skin allows the chicken to be basted with butter as it cooks.

One 3 to 4 lb chicken
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
One small onion, peeled and cut into quarters
Four or 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons softened butter
4 tablespoons frozen butter, cut into small pieces

An hour before starting to cook the chicken, pluck any remaining feathers, remove giblets and rinse the inside and outside; pat dry with a paper towel. Trim excess fat and neck; set aside for chicken stock, if desired. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, set the chicken aside and bring to room temperature for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the onion and most of the rosemary inside the cavity of the chicken. Remove the rest of the rosemary from the stem, reserve. Using fingers, gently lift the skin from the top of the chicken. Slide the frozen butter inside and distribute evenly. Rub the softened butter over the skin of the chicken, and sprinkle with the reserved rosemary.

Bake the chicken for 18 to 20 minutes per pound, about 1 1/4 hours. Every 20 minutes to half an hour, baste the chicken with the pan juices. Towards the end of the cooking time, begin to check for doneness by moving the leg of chicken up and down. If it moves easily, the chicken is done.

Roast Chicken

I've been feeling nostalgic lately for some of the foods I first learned to prepare while in high school and college. One of my favorite dishes to make was a roasted chicken with garlic, lemon, honey and herbs. It was originally printed in Yankee Magazine, sometime around 1996. The recipe is not available on the magazine's online archives, so I decided to reproduce it from memory.
While the chicken I made is not not exactly as I remember it, the result is a warm-tasting, savory-sweet chicken dish. It is surprisingly flavorful, given the relatively small number of ingredients used. Below is my version of Honey and Lemon Roasted Chicken.

Honey Lemon Roasted Chicken
Adapted from Yankee Magazine
-1 4 to 5 pound roasting chicken, preferably organic or kosher
-1 lemon half, juiced; the lemon reserved
-2 or 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
-1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I used garlic from the jar), or about three medium-sized cloves
-1/8 cup honey
-1/8 cup olive oil, plus more, for rubbing the chicken
-salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
-Four springs fresh rosemary or thyme (optional, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the inside and outside of the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Trim any excess fat. Place the chicken in a large glass pan. Place the whole garlic cloves and juiced lemon half inside the cavity of the bird. Drizzle olive oil on the outside of the bird, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub into the skin. Place in the oven and allow to roast for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the rest of the olive oil with the honey and lemon juice, then add the chopped garlic, salt and pepper. After the chicken has been in the oven for 20 minutes, remove from oven and baste with the lemon and honey mixture.
After basting, place back in the oven for another 20 minutes, then remove and baste with the lemon and honey mixture. Spoon the juices on the bottom of the pan over the chicken. Continue this pattern until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Roasting chickens typically require 18 to 20 minutes per pound for cooking when there is no stuffing inside the cavity. Allow the chicken to rest 15 minutes before carving.
If desired, use the extra pan juices to make a gravy to spoon over the meat.

Nice Spice

On Thursday, as mentioned, I made a Chicken Satay Stir Fry. Click here for the recipe. For extra spice, I added a spoonful of red curry paste and a little Sriracha (the hot, spicy, rooster sauce in the big red bottle at Asian restaurants).

Otherwise, I think that the Satay sauce is a little bland. I would, however, recommend tasting the sauce to adjust the flavors to your liking.
Since I used chunky peanut butter, I didn't add any peanuts as a condiment, though I added some leftover fresh basil for a nice finish. Sean suggested pouring the satay sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture and the rice. This worked out well, since he only wanted a little sauce. More spicy, peanutty goodness for me!
The orange-scented jasmine rice is also really good, and it is something that could be used underneath other Asian style dishes. My advice is to buy a big bag of jasmine rice at an Asian grocery store, if that is available to you. Some large supermarkets will also stock some of these brands. They are just so much less money than "luxury import" brands, and they taste just as good, if not better. Having a Microplane takes all the work out of zesting citrus. I use this little tool all the time.
The end result for the satay was almost as delicious as the real thing, which is pretty hard to find in Thai restaurants, at least in Pittsburgh.The only place that I have been able to find a saucy, stir-fry style satay is at a little food truck near the Carnegie Mellon University campus. However, they are only open lunchtime hours, though they are usually open on afternoons during the weekend.
This recipe was already in my rotation (I like to make two or three familiar recipes every week, and then I try something new on the other days), but I think I will be making it more often, it was just so tasty!