Classic Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I found this gem in my June 2015 issue of Country Living Magazine.  Trisha Yearwood sure knows how to make some good fried chicken!  The thing I love about this recipe is that you finish cooking in the oven, keeping the chicken crispy and delicious right up until you serve it.  Also, the overnight or 6-8 hour marinade time really gives it amazing flavor.  So you may need to plan ahead for this one but it's oh-so-worth it!

BUTTERMILK MARINADE
5 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 sweet onion, grated (grating releases more of sweet flavor)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp pepper
5-6 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken parts
(For a "healthier" version, I chop up skinless, boneless chicken pieces and still think its amazing)

1.  Whisk hot water and 5 tsp salt in large bowl until dissolved.  Then add buttermilk, eggs, onion, garlic and pepper and whisk together.  Add chicken and turn to coat; cover and refrigerate 8 hours or up to overnight.

2.  Drain chicken and discard buttermilk mixture.  Whisk together in large bowl or bag:
4 cups self-rising flour
3 tsp kosher salt

3.  Toss chicken in flour mixture, one piece at a time until coated and remove until all pieces have been coated.  Return all the chicken to flour mixture and gently toss until coated.  Let sit 15 minutes.  This allows flour to adhere to chicken, yielding an extra-crispy crust.  (Even on skinless chicken!)

4.  Preheat oven to 325 and line a large rimmed baking sheet with oven-safe wire rack.

5.  Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil (an bacon drippings if desired) in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.  Fry chicken in batches, skin-side down until golden brown.  About 4-5 min per side.

6.  Transfer chicken to cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until done (165 degrees internal temp).  Let stand for 10 minutes and enjoy!

Greek Turkey Burgers by Katie Broadbent

I just tried these last night and they were great!!  A nice, light, fresh version of the old American burger!

Greek Turkey Burgers

In a large bowl, combine the following ingredients, and mix well:

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons plain low fat yogurt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Step 2:

Add 1 pound of ground turkey to the above mixture, fold in, until blended well.

Cooking Directions:

Form into 4-6 burger patties and broil or grill 7-9 minutes on each side, or until cooked through (160 F).  Make sure to grease the grill! (OR)  On the stove top, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet, over medium-high heat.  Once the pan is hot, cook burgers until done.

Serve in pitas or on a whole wheat bun with greek salsa (recipe below) and more feta if you like.

Greek Salsa

Combine in a small bowl

2 T. white vinegar

2 t. olive oil

2 ½ t. Italian salad dressing mix (like Good Seasons)

Stir well then add:

1 c. chopped tomato

¼ c. chopped cucumber

¼ c. chopped olives (I prefer kalamata, but whatever)

Fresh chopped parsley

 (I have also added green onions or purple onions, any color bell peppers, celery, finely chopped celery, grated carrots for color and sweetness . . . all of that has been delicious! Just add a bit more vinegar and oil if you need a bit more dressing because you added a bunch of veggies)

I also have served with fresh spinach leaves and of course avocado goes nicely, but when doesn’t it?

Enchiladas Extraordinaire

These are one of my favorite 'go-to' recipes, and they also freeze well!

Enchiladas
2-4 c. shredded chicken
1 c. shredded cheese
4 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 TB cilantro
1 can cream of chicken (11 oz)
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin

8-10 tortillas
Green enchilada sauce

Combine all ingredients (except tortillas) in large bowl.   Scoop 1/3 cup of mixture and wrap in tortilla.  Place tortillas in 9x13 pan. Sprinkle additional cheddar cheese on top and pour enchilada sauce on top.  Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook 5 minutes more to melt cheese.

Serve with my tomato-avocado salsa and enjoy!
http://haleysrecipeswap.blogspot.com/2010/12/tomato-avocado-salsa.html

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

My friend Lindsay K made these when we did a freezer meal exchange and they were delicious!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
abountifulkitchen.com

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1-2 limes)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pound chicken, cooked* and shredded , about 2-3 large chicken breast halves
8-10 medium flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce (see recipe below)
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup cream


Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken.Place ingredients into a Ziploc bag and let marinate for at least 1 hour, preferably 6-8 hours in refrigerator.
Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a greased 9X13 baking pan.
Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top ofenchiladas.
Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with half and half, cream and leftover marinade.
Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Serves 6


Tips:

* For the chicken, I placed 6 large frozen chicken breast halves in a crock pot on low heat for about 4-5 hours. Salt and pepper generously. Add about 1 cup of water, chicken broth or green chili salsa. Shred when chicken is cooked. It is best to do this early in the day, or the day before you want to use the chicken in a recipe. 

Homemade  Green Enchilada Sauce
A Bountiful Kitchen

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1-16 oz jar Salsa Verde
12 oz tomatillos, chopped (about 1lb before husking)
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1-14 oz  chicken or vegetable broth
Salt to taste

Saute chopped onion in olive oil in medium saucepan. Cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for another two minutes. Remove from heat.
Place all of the remaining ingredients in a blender, or use a hand immersion blender, and blend until smooth.
Use in recipes calling for green enchilada sauce.
Yield about 5-6 cups sauce.

Tips:
-Leftovers may be frozen.

Honey-Lemon Stir Fry

Here's a fabulous recipe from Rachel Larson! 

1 lb. chicken breasts; cubed
1/3-1/2 cup honey (depending on taste)
1/3-1/2 lemon juice (depending on taste)
whatever you choose; use equal parts of honey and lemon juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp. oil (your choice-use sesame for a more Asian flavor)
Veggies of choice (snap peas, bell peppers, onions, water chestnuts, etc.; frozen varieties work fine)
1 tsp. Chinese 5 spice powder

Saute veggies over medium heat in fry pan (if using fresh veggies).  Remove from pan and set aside. Shake the chicken in a flour mixture with 1 tsp. Chinese 5 spice powder.  Brown chicken in fry pan or wok.  Combine veggies and chicken with sauce mixture (lemon juice, honey, soy sauce).  Cook until bubbly and the veggies are done to desired consistency.  Serve over rice, chow mein noodles, or whatever you like.

Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce by Kate

Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce

 

8oz Penne cooked

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup diced onions

1/2 TBS Italian seasoning

1 cans Italian diced tomatoes

3/4 c. Whipping cream

1/3 c. Grated mozzarella cheese.

 

Cook garlic and onions in a large skillet.  Add diced tomatoes and seasoning.  Cook off some of the water.  Reduce head add cream and heat but do not boil.  Top with mozzarella cheese.  Option: can serve with chicken.

 

Chicken Pot Pie

If you are looking for some good comfort food, this pot pie from my friend Cheer Anne is fabulous! 

Crust: 
1 2/3 c. flour
1 pkg cream cheese
1/3 c. cold margarine (I used butter)

Filling:
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 c. water
2/3 c. milk
1 pkg chicken gravy (can use mushroom too)
2 c. chicken, cubed
1 c. frozen mixed vegetables

In saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour, salt and pepper.  Slowly stir in  water, milk, and gravy mix.  Bring to a boil.  Boil and stir for 2 minutes until thickened.  Stir in chicken and vegetables and set aside. 

For crust, mix flour, cream cheese and margarine.  Separate into 2 balls.  Roll one ball to fit a 9x9 pan.  Pour filling into bottom crust.  Roll last ball for top crust.  Pinch edges of crusts together.  Bake 30-40 min. at 425 degrees, or until crust is golden brown.

Quesadilla Pie

Here is one of our new favorites! This Quesadilla Pie is so good, so quick & easy to make...and it also can use any fresh veggies you're needing to use...Enjoy!

Brush butter on the bottom of the pan to keep the tortillas from sticking, and to the top of the last tortilla for flavor and to help it brown. (we used the homemade tortillas from Costco - so good)

Ingredients
4 large flour tortillas (9-10 inches diameter)
Butter
1/2 pound grated cheese, either mild or sharp cheddar, or Monterey Jack (we used Pepper Jack - gave it a little kick)
Potential filling ingredients:
Beans, cooked (black beans, pinto beans)
Tomatoes, chopped
Summer squash, chopped
Onions (green onions, red onions, onion greens)
Mushrooms (if using a lot, sauté first, to remove moisture)
Cooked shredded chicken, pork, or beef
Chiles, either from cooked green chiles, chopped pickled jalapenos, or salsa
Cumin and/or chili powder for extra heat
Garnishes:
Chopped avocado
Chopped cilantro
Thinly sliced iceberg lettuce dressed with vinegar and salt
Sour cream
Salsa
Method
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter the bottoms and sides of a pie dish, approximately the same size as your tortillas (I used a 10-inch pyrex pie dish for 10-inch wide tortillas).
2 Place one tortilla on the bottom of the pie dish. Sprinkle some shredded cheese over the tortilla. At this point, you will begin to add your chosen filling ingredients, and layering the tortillas. Just make sure each layer has a generous sprinkling of cheese. In the pictured example, I used cheese, black beans, and onion greens on the first layer. Then I added another tortilla on top of that and put chopped zucchini, chopped tomato, chopped pickled jalapenos, and more shredded cheese. I also sprinkled a little cumin and chili powder on this layer. I added another tortilla and put more shredded cheese, more black beans, tomatoes and onions. Top off your layers with one last flour tortilla. Spread a little butter over the surface of this tortilla.
3 Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Put in oven for 30 minutes on 350°F. Then remove the foil and increase the heat to 400°F. Cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into quarters.
Serve with chopped avocados, shredded lettuce, cilantro, salsa, and/or sour cream.

Source: "Simply Recipes"

Cedar-Roasted Salmon with Caramel Sauce

I think this recipe is a must-have for the end of summer. If possible, be sure to get WILD salmon, not farm-raised. The taste is much better!

Salmon fillet
Cedar board cut slightly longer than fillet (can buy at the hardware store - much cheaper)
Olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
Aluminum foil

Rinse salmon and pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place directly onto cedar board that has been washed off and soaked in water for at least an hour. Wrap the cedar and salmon in foil and tent it at the top. Put in BBQ grill on med heat and cook until salmon is flaky. Then pour caramel sauce on and serve immediately.

Caramel Sauce: 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1 stick butter
Put sugar and butter in small saucepan and slowly bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, remove from heat and keep stirring and let cool slightly before pouring on salmon.

Sloppy Joes

2 pounds ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped green pepper

1 cup ketchup

1 (10 ¾ ounce) can tomato soup

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

12-18 hamburger buns

In large skillet, brown ground beef and drain fat. Add chopped onion, celery and green pepper and cook 5 minutes. Stir in ketchup, soup, vinegar, Worcestershire and brown sugar and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Spoon into hamburger buns to serve.

Cheeseburger Chili Mac

2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin / ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 to 2 cups beef stock (depending on how liquid-y you want it)
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar (the sharper the better!)

Preheat broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the meat to the pan and cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes.Add the onion and chili powder to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is tender, 4-5 minutes. Add the ketchup, mustard and beef stock to the pot, bring up to a bubble and simmer until slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes. While the chili is working, salt the boiling water and drop the pasta in. Cook to al dente according to package directions then drain thoroughly and return it to the pot.Add the chili to the pot with the pasta and give everything a good toss. Add 1+ cups of shredded cheese and toss again. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the casserole under the broiler to melt and brown the cheese.

This is a great meal and so easy to make. I love it because I always have all of the ingredients on hand. We love sharp cheddar cheese...and everything is better with plenty of cheese on top! :)

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com. I love it because it is stuff I can easily keep on hand in the freezer for one of those "I don't know what to cook for dinner and I haven't been to the grocery store" meals.

INGREDIENTS:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/2 inch thickness* 6 string cheese sticks** 6 slices ham***

1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs toothpick

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Lay out the pounded chicken breasts on a clean surface. Place a slice of ham on each piece, then one stick of cheese. Roll the chicken up around the cheese and ham, and secure with toothpicks. Dip each roll in melted butter, then roll in bread crumbs. Place in a shallow baking dish.

3. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is browned and juices run clear.

*Just a note, I don't pound my chicken. I just buy the thinnest chicken I can or slice it thinner and use the extra pieces for other chicken recipes. I've just always made a mess of chicken when I pound it - so either way will probably work.

**Some string cheese melts more than others, so some brands just melt right out of the roll while it is baking. Fridgio (?) has worked well for me.

***Ham you have on hand for sandwiches works great. Nice and thin and it's easy to roll.

BBQ Chicken Pizza (Example & Label Ideas)

Here is an example of a basic recipe. Be sure to include labels so we can search the entries easily. You can add the labels when you create a new post (see small box at the bottom right). For labels, please include the main ingredient(s) and the category. For this recipe, my labels were Chicken, Pizza, Main Dish. Here are the basic categories we could use (if you think of more, go for it!):

Appetizer
Beverage
Bread
Soup
Salad
Main Dish
Side Dish
Misc. (Dressing, Toppings, Sauces, Etc.)
Dessert

BBQ Chicken Pizza by Emily & Haley

1 pizza crust
3 chicken breasts
1 1/3 c. BBQ sauce
6 oz. provolone or mozzarella, shredded
6 oz. smoked Gouda, shredded
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Combine chicken and 2/3 c. BBQ sauce & marinate (1 hour or more). Then bake at 325 for 30 minutes. Once cool, chop into strips or bite-size pieces.

Spoon 2/3 c. BBQ sauce onto pizza dough. Then sprinkle half of cheese on top. Cover with chicken and onion. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes. After removing from the oven, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve. Serves 4.

Comments:
Here's a great recipe I got at a recent recipe swap with the YW of our ward. I made it a few weeks ago and it was great! Even my brother liked it.