Perfect Poultry

Since no one else has been filling these pages lately I figured I would brag on my Thanksgiving turkey a bit. I usually put the bird in a brine and this year I made a brine that was from Alton Brown.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 large cinnamon sticks
• 12 whole allspice berries
• 12 white pepper corns
• sprig of fresh sage
• sprig of fresh thyme
• 2 gallons of water

Method:

Combine 1 gal of water with all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. The night before you wish to cook your bird place the bird in a container large enough to hold both the turkey, the seasoned water and the second gallon of water. I use a 5 gal. bucket that I bought in the paint department at Ace Hardware. Allow to brine a minimum of 6 hours but 8 to 12 is better. Place container in a cool place. Since salt is so hostile to bacteria there is no need to refrigerate. I put mine in the garage to both keep it out of the way and take advantage of the cool space.

There are lots of differing opinions about how to cook a turkey. I put mine in a 475 degree oven for an hour and the reduce the heat to 350 after covering the breast with a triangular piece of tin foil – not a tent but a piece of foil that is folded to just cover the breast tightly. When the internal temp of the breast reaches 161 degrees remove from the oven and let stand for 30 minutes. The residual heat will cause the breast temp to increase to about 170 during the resting period.

A few years ago I got a probe thermometer that has a cord going to the digital readout that sits outside the oven I think it’s one of the best investments a cook can make. Every time one opens up the oven the temp drops about 20 degrees thereby increasing the cooking time. This gadget saves that and has an alarm on it for when your food reaches the desired temp. It may not mean much for a turkey that you get on sale for 49 cents a pound just before Thanksgiving, but it’s good insurance for the next time you put a $60 prime rib in the oven to make sure you get the end product you’re looking for.

Anyhow, the bird turned out excellently. It was moist, perfectly seasoned, and had all those wonderful background notes from the sugar and spices. It’s just a little more work but pays big dividends (and the leftovers stay moist as well.).

This brine works well with chicken and duck too.

Posted in Brines, Chicken, Duck, Recipes, Turkey | 2 Comments »

Soup Sunday

There is so much coming and going around the house today that I thought I might just make a pot of soup to leave on the stove so people could eat when the might. Since I was at it I decided to make Rebecca’s (really, really) wonderful Blue Onion Soup (for those that might be looking for Kosher I think the soup could be made with a vegetable stock and it would be just as good.)

My wife, however, had in mind for today a soup that a co-worker had brought to work that likely will appeal to more of our kids. It, too, is delicious.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 10 6″ corn tortillas cut into 1/2″ strips
• 1 10 oz can green chili enchilada sauce
• 1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cups cooked & shredded chicken (no skin)
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 lg tomato
• 1 jalapeno pepper – seeded and minced (or more depending on taste)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Combine chicken stock and tortilla strips in a large pot. Cook over medium heat till strips soften and broth thickens somewhat. Stir in enchilada sauces, cumin, jalapeno. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add chicken, half & half. Bring back to simmer (not boiling) and add cheese and tomato.

Remember that whenever you use cheese in soups and sauces you should not bring it to a boil or it will “break” leaving a greasy mess.

Garnish with perhaps scallions or cubed avocado.

Thanks to Kim Garding for this recipe.  A great cook and a good friend.

Posted in Chicken, Ethnic, Mexican, Soup | No Comments »

Caramelized Chicken

I didn’t include “with green olives and prunes” in the title because I didn’t want to turn anyone off before I have a chance to win you over with this one. Trust me, you’ll have to marinate the chicken overnight, so at least a little planning is involved, but the recipe is easy and highly flavorful with its sweet and briny Mediterranean accents.

The recipe I have will feed 10-12 so adjust accordingly.

8 legs chicken (thigh and drumstick, or 6 1/2 pounds total), cut in two at the joint
3/4 cup green olives
10 oz pitted prunes, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 bay leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
3 rounded tablespoons dried oregano
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine
The leaves from 1 small bunch fresh cilantro (flat-leaf parsley can be substituted)
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Start the recipe the night before. In a large salad bowl, combine the chicken, olives, prunes, garlic, and bay leaves. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and oregano. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Pour over the chicken, and combine until the marinade coats the chicken thoroughly; it works better for the recipe as well as the soul of the cook if you use your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator an hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chicken in a baking dish large enough to accommodate it in a single layer (I have to use two).

Pour the remaining marinade (and any remaining solids) over the chicken, sprinkle with the sugar, and add the white wine. Place in the oven and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hour, basting and flipping the thighs every 20 minutes or so, until the juices run clear, the meat is caramelized, and your guests say that really, that chicken smell is torture.

Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley and almonds, and serve.

Enjoy!

Posted in Chicken, Recipes | 3 Comments »

Made in Montana– Meat

The Sysco food show is coming up here in Billings in a week or so. I get to go as part of my job. Its great to go around and talk to all the reps and try new food products. I thought I’d put in a plug for Montana companies that manufacture meat products as an “eat Local” option. There has been a lot of buzz lately about eating local food, carbon footprints, food miles and all that jazz.
Anyway, Daily’s from Missoula has an applewood smoked bacon that is tasty. Their peppered bacon is good too.

Stampede Packing Company from Kalispell will be there also. T.S. Laurens and his wife are nice people who put out a very good product under the “Redneck” label. I’ve used Prairie Fire (jalapeno), Chedder Dawg, Linguica, Sports Dawg, Reggiano Italiano, Andouille, Hot Hen, Bockwurst, Swiss Bockwurst, Polish, Garlic and Old Fashioned franks at work. I use Redneck breakfast links at home and find them milder that other brands. Less sage I think. Their hot Italian bulk sausage is great in spaghetti and lasagna. For home I get their products at Albertsons.

Montana Range Brand is an outfit from Forsyth MT that uses Piedmontese cattle. They can be found on the internet.

Miles City Packing has a good variety of beef cuts, also on-line.

When you are in the grocery store look for Cloverdale brand. Even though they are based in Mandan ND they could be considered local for eastern Montana.

Pat Seder at Seder Ridge Turkey Farms in the Huntley/Ballentine area east of Billings has some good products that are sold in the local IGA stores. I don’t know if they are state wide or not. The fresh turkey is a lot more flavorfull that frozen.

Local options make sense to me.

Posted in Beef, Chicken, Ingredients, Pork | 3 Comments »

Tailgaters Jambalaya – Griz Style

The University of Montana School Of Business (my alma mater) faculty has a regular tailgating party before Griz games. Frequently they get together on the eve of a home game and have a “chopping party” to get the ingredients together for their pre-game cookout. Here’s their recipe verbatim:

Ingredients:

• 1 – 16 oz. package Hillshire Farms smoked sausage – cubed chunky
• 3 large chicken breasts – cubed chunky
• 4 Tbs. butter
• 2 onions – chopped
• 1 green and 1 red bell pepper – chopped
• 3 celery stocks – chopped
• 2 cups Uncle Ben’s converted rice (other rice may produce sticky Jambalaya)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. white pepper
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. cyanne pepper
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 2 – 14 oz cans of chicken broth

Melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook briefly, being careful not to burn. Add cubed chicken and cook 1/2 way through. Add sausage chunks, chopped vegetables and seasonings ans stir until veggies are soft. Add the rice and cook for five minutes – you want the rice to absorb much of the juice from the vegetables and chicken. Add the chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the the rice has absorbed the broth. It’s Jambalaya Time!

This is a relatively mild jambalaya, so we like to serve it with Louisiana brand hot sauce. Jambalaya keeps well, so it is a great left-over — it is basically a southern stew, so feel free to experiment and add your favorite ingredients. We have hesitated to add shrimp because so many people are seafood allergic. If you improve on our concoction; let us know!

Go Griz

Serves 12

Actually the seasoning and proportions of this recipe are pretty authentic, but I have a few major problems with the outcome, not the least of which is the use of both Hillshire Farms sausage and Uncle Ben’s rice. Also, mild is an understatement. This is cajun food for cripes sakes and it demands more heat.
Here’s my fix:

Substitute the smoked sausage with 1 lb of good spicy andouille sausage or some other spicy sausage.

Use regular long grain rice – it has a richer texture and flavor and, if you don’t peek at the food while it’s steaming, it will turn out fine.

Increase the 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper to at least a 1 tsp. I use 1.5 tsp and it could still use more in my opinion but there are those who have weak pallets – so I’m respectful.

I’ve used shrimp in place of and/or in addition to the chicken. I’ve also used two strips of bacon to get the fat replacing the butter. They’re all good. I made this version and multiplied it by 10 to feed 120 people at my daughter’s wedding last year. Hence, if you have large enough pots you can increase the recipe without much change in the cooking method.

But it’s great food and exceptionally good for a casual crowd like at a tailgate party or at home for guests watching the game.

But there is one sentiment that I embrace with the Business Faculty for sure:

Go Griz

Posted in Cajun & Creole, Casserole, Chicken, Ethnic | 1 Comment »

Pan Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

This is one of my favorite recipes.

Ingredients (mise en place):

• 2.5 lbs of chicken thighs – skin on
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 1 cup pearl onions (frozen work just fine)
• 1/2 lb button mushrooms – sliced (I made this with morrells once and it was great too)
• 3 cloves of garlic – minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
• juice from half a lemon
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• olive oil
• 2 tbs butter
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

Method:

Heat to medium high a large oven proof skillet or roasting pan on your stove top. It’s important that the pan be large enough so that the meat is not “crowded” else the chicken will steam rather than brown. Add enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the fry pan. Liberally season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and place skin side down in pan and cook long enough for the skin to set and become crisp – about 5 minutes (hint – once you put the chicken in the pan don’t move it until you think it is done browning or it won’t brown very well.) Turn chicken over and cook for another five minutes.

After the chicken is browned on both sides remove it and set it to the side. Saute the onions, mushroom, garlic and thyme in the chicken fat just long enough for them to begin to cook and spread them into a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Place the chicken bank into the pan on top of the vegetables skin site up – this is important as the goal is to have a nice crispy skin on each piece. Place the pan in the oven uncovered for about 35 minutes to finish cooking the chicken.

After removing from the oven transfer everything to a serving platter, using a slotted spoon, and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the sauce. Remove all but about a tablespoon of the rendered chicken fat fro the pan. On medium heat add the wine, chicken stock and lemon juice to de-glaze the pan making sure that you scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to get all the tasty little bits off the bottom. Cook until the sauce reduces by about half and take off the heat. When the sauce stops boiling stir in the butter (if you add it when it’s too hot the butter will “break” and leave you with a greasy mess.) Remember to test the sauce for seasoning and adjust to taste.
Poor the sauce over the chicken and vegetable and serve.
I use chicken thighs because they are juicier than the white meat. Breast could be used as well or even a whole cut up chicken.

If you want more sauce just double the wine, stock, lemon juice and butter. After it’s reduced it will taste about the same as what the recipe calls for. (I have a kid who always asks for more sauce – sometimes I accommodate – sometimes I don’t.)
I usually serve this with oven roasted new potatoes seasoned with fresh thyme or a thyme infused rice. Both are nice.

Serves 4 – 6.

Posted in Chicken, Recipes | No Comments »

Hello All!

I was asked to introduce myself and post a recipe. I am Mae, a SAHM of three Missy P almost 17, Missy K almost 14 and Bug, my little guy, 8. Missy P is the biggest challenge when it comes to cooking. She is PICKY! She will eat toast a lot of the time because she doesn’t like supper. Missy K will eat almost anything unless it has ricotta in it. And Bug is hit and miss on things. Oh and my hubby is Sarpy Sam. So I am also Sam’s Darling wife. Sam is easy to cook for. Mostly I will be the one not like something and say am not cooking it before he will say anything.

One of my biggest beliefs in cooking is that you start with the most basic ingredients possible. I am not a fan of prepackaged foods. But they do show up occasionally because of time constraints. I am sure that you will hear me rant, errr talk about this often.

Because of the kids being more picky my cooking is pretty basic. I tend to make a lot of kid friendly meals because it makes my life easier. A few things I cook are more catered toward more adult tastes and when I cook these I make the kids some different. Now before you go and say they are spoiled it doesn’t really have much to do with that. It has to do with the fact that I refuse to waste expensive salmon or other more expensive meats on them when they complain the whole time and really don’t eat it and it goes to waste.

Can’t think of a whole lot else to tell you. I am an avid collector of recipes. I am a firm believer in, “She with the most recipes wins.” I try to try at least 4 new recipes a month. In the summer it is more but with school and going to the bus it makes to harder to try new ones.

Trying to pick a recipe is hard. I had to really think long and hard about it. I have lots of dessert recipes but I decided that I wuold post a main dish. so here it is.

Oven Fried Chicken Chimichangas

2/3 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped
6 flour tortillas (8”)
2 tbsp. butter OR margarine, melted
Fresh cilantro

Directions:
MIX picante sauce, cumin, oregano, chicken, cheese and onions.
PLACE about 1/2 cup chicken mixture in center of each tortilla. Fold opposite sides over filling. Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on baking sheet. Brush with butter.
BAKE at 400°F. for 25 min. or until golden. Serve with additional picante sauce. Garnish with cilantro. Makes 6 chimichangas.

Notes about the recipe. Hamburger can be used in the recipe just like the chicken. And of course any brand name of picante may be used.

Posted in Chicken, Ethnic, Mexican, Recipes | No Comments »