Chicken with Fig Preserves and Chili Powder Glaze

This is an easy entree.  It cooks quick and couldn't be easier to make.  It has such great flavor, everyone will think you worked REALLY hard to make such a delicious meal.  {Your secret is safe with me.  ; )  }

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs or drumsticks, or a mix
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• ½ C. fig preserves
• 2 T. chili powder
• ½ t. Sriracha hot sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place all of the ingredients, except the chicken, into a gallon sized plastic bag and squeeze all of the ingredients together inside of the bag.
3. Place the chicken in the bag and squeeze the glaze over the chicken.
4. Line a cookie sheet or baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray, place the chicken on the foil and spoon the excess glaze over the chicken.
5. Bake the chicken for 30 – 40 minutes. 

Tips and Tricks:

• The Sriracha is not necessary but I like a little heat.  If you don’t, then don’t add it.
• You can use any type of preserves for this recipe.  I really like the fig, but I think apricot would be good as well.

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

This is another favorite of Gab's.  I have combined recipes from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa), Alton Brown, and Giada de Laurentis.  The "paste" can be used on a whole turkey or a turkey breast.

Ingredients:

• 7 lb. turkey breast
• 2 T. softened butter
• 2 T. herbs de Provence
• 1 T. kosher salt
• 1 t. black pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
• 1 C. white wine

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Make a paste with the butter, herbs, salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon juice
3. Carefully run your fingers under the skin of the turkey to make pockets to spread the paste
4. Put most under the skin, but spread a little bit on the outside of the bird
5. Place the thickest part of the breast, up in the roasting pan
6. Pour the wine in the bottom of the pan
7. Bake for 1 ½ hours with the cover on
8. Uncover and bake for an additional ½ hour
9. Remove from the oven and check to see that the internal temperature is 165 degrees, if it IS, remove the turkey breast from the pan, place on a platter, and cover with foil.  If it is NOT, return to the oven and cook in 15 minute intervals until it is.
10. Allow the breast to rest for a ½ hour before carving

Tips and Tricks:

• I use brine when I roast a turkey or turkey breast.  Follow my link for the recipe.
• I use a covered roasting pan to roast the turkey breast.  If you don’t have one, simply cover a pan with foil for the first 1 ½ hours.
• Try serving the breast in chunks instead of slices.  Remove the entire side of the breast, and cut into 1 inch chunks.  The turkey doesn’t dry out, when you serve it this way.

Egg Drop Soup with Chicken

I wanted to try making an egg drop soup, but I wanted it to have some substance.  I researched several recipes and this is a culmination of many of them.  It came out great!  (Kuddos, to the chef.  I know, I'm patting myself on the back.)

Ingredients:

• 1 C. finely chopped green onions
• 8 shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 8 C. chicken stock
• 2 t. soy sauce
• 2 t. toasted sesame oil
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. white pepper
• ¼ t. cayenne pepper
• ½ C. cornstarch
• 1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 6 eggs, scrambled

Directions:

1. Bring the chicken stock to a low boil in a Dutch oven and simmer
2. While stock is simmering, cut the green onions and mushrooms then add them to pot with the soy sauce
3. Allow the stock to simmer with the onions and mushroom for about 20 minutes
4. Toss the chicken in a small bowl with the sesame oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, and about 2 T. of the cornstarch
5. Add the coated chicken to the pot
6. Stir well and allow to simmer about 2 minutes
7. Add about ½ C. of water to the remaining cornstarch and stir until smooth
8. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and stir while the soup thickens, about 2 minutes
9. Slowly add the scrambled eggs while stirring the soup back and forth, ribbons of the eggs will form
10. Serve piping hot

Tips and Tricks:

• Making your own chicken stock for this recipe is cheaper and tastes better.  Follow my link to find out how I make mine.
• If you can't find shitake mushrooms, use cremini, which are the baby portobellos.
• When serving, grate some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top.  Yum!
• This soup freezes great!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

When it gets cold, this is the dish I want to fill my belly. My Mom told me I couldn't make a good chicken and sausage gumbo, without the bones, but the key is a good chicken stock.  I make my own. 

Ingredients:

• 2 C. of chopped onions
• 1 C. of chopped bell pepper
• 1 C. of chopped celery
• 6 cloves of mined garlic
• 1 bunch of green onions finely chopped
• ½ C. of fresh parsley finely chopped
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 lbs of smoked sausage cut into semi circles
• 1 (32oz.) bag of frozen okra
• 2 cans of Rotel
• 12 C. chicken stock
• 4 C. of water
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. of salt
• ½ T. of black pepper
• 1 T. of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• ½ t. cayenne pepper
• 1 C flour
• 1 C vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dust with flour
2. In cast iron pot, brown chicken in ½ cup of veggie oil
3. Remove Chicken and let rest
4. Add other ½ cup of oil, and make roux with oil and flour over medium high heat until the color of dark peanut butter
5. Add onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook until limp
6. Add garlic for 1 minute
7. Add okra and cook for 30 min
8. Add Rotel then transfer to a gumbo pot
9. Add chicken stock, water, sausage, salt, pepper, Creole Seasoning, and cayenne
10. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 ½ hours
11. While gumbo is cooking cut chicken into 1inch chunks
12. Add Worcestershire sauce and chicken
13. Cook for ½ hour
14. Add green onions and parsley and cook for 10 minutes
15. Serve with rice

Tips and Tricks:

• If you don’t have a cast iron pot you can make a roux in a heavy bottomed pot instead. The trick is to stir constantly. You can NOT multi-task during this step. This is where the base of flavor for your gumbo comes. Be careful to cook the roux at least 10 minutes, because you are browning the chicken first, the roux starts darker than normal.
• I use Bryan Cajun Smoke Sausage in my gumbos. It has a soft casing that absorbs some of the gumbo. Yum!
• Making your own chicken stock for this recipe is cheaper and tastes better.  Follow my link to find out how I make mine. 
• This gumbo always tastes better the next day, so make some room in your refrigerator. The flavors get to “marry” (as 9^th ward Gloria says) as they sit over night.

Santa Fe Chicken

This is so easy!  I got this recipe from a blog called "Recipe girl".  I needed it a little more spicy, so I added the jalapenos. THIS recipe girl is adding this one to her list.

Ingredients:

·        1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

·        1 (12oz.) bag frozen sweet corn

·        1 ½ C. bottled chunky salsa

·        ¼ C. sliced, pickled jalapeños, 

·        6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs, each thigh cut into 4 pieces

·        1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, cut into chunks

·        1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Combine the black beans, corn, salsa, jalapeños, and chicken in a crock pot
2. Cook on high for 3 hours
3. Add the cream cheese and allow to melt
4. Stir all ingredients together and serve over Mexican rice
5. Sprinkle each serving with ¼ C. of cheese

 Tips and Tricks:

• I use 1/3 less fat cream cheese.
• I buy the frozen packs of boneless/skinless chicken thighs at Sam’s.  There are 5 in a pack and that is what I use.

Oven fried Chicken Thighs

This a quick weeknight dinner fix.  I got the recipe from an online blog called "The Cookbook Junkie".  The breading is crunchy and it looks very much liked "fried chicken", but it is oven baked.

Ingredients:

• 8 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
• 8 slices of bacon
• 1 C. cornmeal mix
• 1 T. kosher salt
• 1 T. paprika
• 1 t. garlic powder
• ½ t. cayenne pepper

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place bacon on paper towels and microwave for 45 seconds
3. Season the chicken with salt and Creole seasoning
4. Wrap the bacon around the chicken thigh, securing with toothpicks
5. In a medium bowl, mix the cornmeal mix, salt, paprika, and cayenne
6. Roll the chicken thighs in the cornmeal seasoning mixture
7. Place thighs on a baking rack that has been sprayed with cooking spray
8. Place the baking rack on a cookie sheet
9. Bake for 45 minutes
10. Serve immediately

 Tips and Tricks:

• I buy boneless, skinless, chicken thighs at Sam’s.  They are packed with 5 in each pack.
• The bacon should not be cooked through or crispy.  Watch it carefully, you want it to start to change color slightly, but still be pliable.

Chicken Salad

This is a recipe I got Southern Living magazine about 15 years ago.  I added the Tony's, Creole mustard and roasting the chicken instead of boiling it.  It's easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts bone-in skin on
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 can of water chestnuts, chopped
• ¼ C. sour cream
• ¼ C. mayonnaise
• 1 T. Creole mustard
• 1 t. chopped dill
• 1 t. garlic salt
• 1 t. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Place chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan and bake for 35 minutes
4. After the breast meat is cooled, cut into large chunks
5. Mix all ingredients together
6. Refrigerate so the flavors can “marry”

Tips and Tricks:

• I use a rotisserie chicken’s breast when making this chicken salad sometimes.  I put the rest of the chicken in a big pot and make Chicken Stock. Follow my link to find out how I make mine.
• I usually cut green onions with kitchen shears.  It’s easier to cut them.
• I cut the sliced water chestnuts with the egg slicer.
• I have added sliced almonds to this recipe sometimes.  It looks nice, but it doesn’t change the taste of the chicken salad much.

Everything Jambalaya

Everything, but the kitchen sink.  Yeah, that's about it.  Bacon, pork sausage, smoked sausage, chicken, and shrimp are all in there.  This makes a big gumbo pot full, so invite the family and friends over.

Ingredients:

• 2 C. of chopped onions
• 1 C. of chopped bell pepper
• 1 C. of chopped celery
• 6 cloves of mined garlic
• ½ lb. of bacon
• 1 lb. of fresh pork sausage, squeezed out of the casing
• 3 lbs. of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 lb. of smoked sausage cut into semi circles
• 1 can of Rotel
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes (3 ½ C.)
• 6 C. shrimp stock or chicken stock
• ½ C. of Louisiana or Crystal Hot Sauce
• 1 T. of salt
• ½  C. flour
• 5 C. parboiled rice

Directions:

1. Cut bacon into thin small strips
2. In cast iron pot, fry the bacon until crisp and remove
3. Add the pork sausage in crumbles and cook about 5 minutes and remove
4. Make a roux with the bacon and sausage drippings and flour over medium high heat until the color of dark peanut butter
5. Add onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook until soft, about 10 minutes
6. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
7. Add Rotel and crushed tomatoes then transfer to a gumbo pot
8. Add chicken or shrimp stock, smoked sausage, bacon, pork sausage, salt, and hot sauce
9. Bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes
10. While cooking cut chicken into 1 inch chunks
11. Add chicken and cook for 15 minutes
12. Add rice and cook for 15 minutes on low heat
13. Add shrimp and make sure they are all covered by the rice
14. Cook for an additional 15 minutes
15. Serve hot!

Tips and Tricks:

·     You can make shrimp or chicken stock.  It is easy!  Follow my link to find out how I make mine.

·      If you don’t have a cast iron pot you can make a roux in a heavy bottomed pot instead.  The trick is to stir constantly.  You can NOT multi-task during this step.  This is where the base of flavor for your jambalaya comes.  Be diligent, it takes about 15 minutes to make a roux the color you need.

·        I use Bryan Cajun Smoke Sausage. 

·        ½ C. of hot sauce might have you scared.  Don’t be!  The sausage, chicken, shrimp, and rice all absorb the hot sauce and give this jambalaya a great flavor.  It is spicy, but not tongue numbing.

·        This freezes well.

Chicken with Fifty Cloves of Garlic

50 cloves of garlic? Yes, and it is delicious! It is not scary garlic tasting because the garlic cloves cook slow and mellow out.

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs
• 1 T. butter
• 2 T. olive oil
• 50 cloves of garlic, 3 – 4 heads
• 1 ½  C. white wine
• 3 T. Cognac
• 1 T. fresh thyme
• 2 T. heavy cream
• 2 T. flour

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat
2. Dry chicken with paper towels and season with salt and pepper
3. Fry chicken in two batches
4. Fry off chicken skin side down, 5 minutes on each side
5. Place chicken on a plate and cover with foil while the other batch cooks
6. Remove the second batch and cover with the foil
7. Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 10 minutes until all pieces are browned
8. Add the wine and 2 T. of the Cognac
9. Let the liquid come to a boil, then add chicken back to the pot
10. Sprinkle with thyme
11. Bring to boil again, then reduce to a medium-low heat and cover
12. Cook for 1 hour
13. Remove chicken and place it back on the plate and cover with foil
14. Remove ½ C. of liquid from the pot into a bowl
15. Whisk in the flour and return to the pot with 1 T. of Cognac and the cream
16. Let boil for 3 minutes
17. Return chicken to the pot and heat through for 5 minutes

Tips and Tricks:

• This recipe can be made with all parts of the chicken.  I make it with thighs because they taste the best.
• Brandy can be used in place of the Cognac.  It’s much less expensive.
• They sell pre-peeled garlic in the produce section of the grocery.  It is a big help with this recipe.  If you can’t find it  get the  heads of garlic.   Bring a pot of water to boil and separate the garlic.  Don’t peel it.  Put the garlic in the boiling water for one minute.  Strain water and now peel.  It makes it a lot easier.
• I've served this with potatoes or pasta.  It is good both ways.  Don't forget the dinner rolls.  You'll want to soak up the gravy.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

This is a combination of my Mom and Dad's Jambalaya recipe with my friend Gary's quick tips to make it a little easier. It's got all the "Cajun" staples (a roux, the trinity, plus garlic and pepper) It's spicy and makes enough to feed a crowd.

Ingredients:

• 2 C. of chopped onions
• 1 C. of chopped bell pepper
• 1 C. of chopped celery
• 6 cloves of mined garlic
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 lbs of smoked sausage cut into semi circles
• 1 can of Rotel
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 6 C. chicken stock
• ½ C. of Louisiana Hot Sauce
• 1 T. of salt
• 1 C flour
• 1 C vegetable oil
• 5 C. parboiled rice

Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dust with flour
2. In cast iron pot, brown chicken in ½ cup of veggie oil, about 4 minutes per side
3. Remove chicken and let rest
4. Add other ½ cup of oil, and make roux with oil and flour over medium high heat until the color of dark peanut butter
5. Add onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook until soft, about 10 minutes
6. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
7. Add Rotel and crushed tomatoes, cook for 5 minutes and then transfer to a gumbo pot
8. Add chicken stock, sausage, salt, pepper, and hot sauce
9. Bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes
10. While cooking cut chicken into 1 inch chunks
11. Add chicken and cook for 15 minutes
12. Add rice and cook for 15 minutes on low heat (cookbook has 5 minutes, that's a typo)
13. Serve hot!

Tips and Tricks:

•         Making your own chicken stock for this recipe is cheaper and tastes better. Follow my link to find out how I make mine.  
•         If you don’t have a cast iron pot you can make a roux in a heavy bottomed pot instead.  The trick is to stir constantly.  You can NOT multi-task during this step.  This is where the base of flavor for your gumbo comes.  Be diligent, it takes about 20 minutes to make a roux the color you need.
•         I use Bryan Cajun Smoke Sausage. 
•         The ½ C. of hot sauce might have you scared.  Don’t be!  The sausage, chicken, and rice all absorb the hot sauce and give this jambalaya a great flavor.  It is spicy, but not tongue numbing.
•         This freezes well.