Easy Fried Chicken w/Mushroom Gravy

This isn't your typical fried chicken, it's more like fried chicken meets chicken strips. The more adult version of the childhood favorite. I like to soak my chicken in buttermilk overnight, so it's nice and juicy and with a little extra flavor.
You can make this recipe without soaking it of coarse, if it's a meal you get home and decide to make on the fly just skip the buttermilk step. This recipe calls for dry white wine (for the gravy), now I'm not much of a white wine drinker so I have found it best (so you don't waste your money or the wine) to get the little bottles of Chardonnay that you can find at any little market. The size gives a tad bit over what you need, but they usually only cost $2-3 so you don't have to feel bad about tossing the last tiny bit...or you could use the last little bit to make a vinegrette or some sort of dessert sauce.


EQUIPMENT
Medium Glass Bowl
Plastic Wrap
Deep Cast Iron Pan (electric fryer is fine too)
Shallow Bowl (for dredging)
Tongs
Spider* (slotted spoon is fine)
Clean Plate
Paper Towels (or kitchen towel as long as it isn't terry cloth and doesn't smell funky)
Cutting Board
Large Saute Pan
Sharp Knife
Whisk
Wet Measuring Cup (at least 1 cup size)
Small Glass Bowl
Tablespoon
1/4 Cup


INGREDIENTS
3 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 1/2C Buttermilk
1-2C Seasoned Bread Crumbs (you can of coarse season your own, this is just the quick way)
3-4C Peanut Oil (my preferred frying oil)
Salt
Pepper
2Tbl Unsalted Butter (salted is fine, unsalted just allows you to control the salt)
1 Shallot, minced
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1C Dry white wine
2 1/2C Chicken Stock (feel free to add more or some water if it's too thick)
2 1/2Tbl Flour
1/4C Heavy Cream
Mushrooms...the amount is completely up to you, depending on how "mushroomy" you would like the gravy. I used 4 large cremini mushrooms.



*Before you begin cooking!! If you don't know what a Spider is (the kitchen verity, NOT the 8 legged friend) here is a picture. It is a Japanese tool used mostly for Tempura, it is a wonderful tool that can be used in any cuisine. They are inexpensive as well and readily available.


On with the cooking.

So, if you are planning on soaking your chicken overnight here's the skinny. Trim and rinse your chicken and pat dry, cut it into nice thick strips (chunks are fine too) and submerge in buttermilk in a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in fridge overnight, you can even put it in the fridge in the morning before work and pull it out that night.

Heat your cast iron skillet with the oil, on medium heat.

While the skillet is heating up prepare your shallots and garlic, set aside. In a large saute pan, melt butter in medium heat. When butter is melted toss in shallots and garlic, cook until just softened (about 2 minutes) then add in wine. Allow wine to cook down by half (if you don't let the wine cook down you will end up with a very harsh flavor). While Wine is reducing, in a bowl whisk together flour and whipping cream and set aside. When wine has reduced whisk in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and whisk in flour/cream mixture, make sure to whisk well to get out all the lumps. Allow this to simmer for 10 minutes or so, stirring as needed. While your gravy is simmering remove chicken from buttermilk and wipe of excess, do NOT rinse the chicken. Pour bread crumbs in shallow bowl with some added salt for flavor. Your oil should be hot and glistening by now. Dredge chicken in bread crumbs and carefully add to skillet (do not crowd pain, cook in batches if needed). Cook chicken for 8-10 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through. If your oil is sputtering and flying about, it's WAY to hot and will burn your chicken on the outside leaving it raw in the middle..
While chicken is cooking clean and slice your mushrooms and add to the gravy. They will cook through with the gravy on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to avoid clumping. If the gravy begins to bubble, just turn it down a bit.
When chicken is cooked, use your spider (or slotted spoon) to transfer chicken to plate with paper towels to drain excess oil.


Now you may plate your chicken, and pour some lustrous mushroom gravy over the top and serve with the side of your desire.


Comer!

Chicken "Cacciatore"

Sometimes you just have to mess with the classics. I'm sure a true blooded Italian would scoff at me calling this Chicken Cacciatore, but it was the elements of it if no the exactly ingredients and rules. Not the quickest dinner...(especially when you are drinking wine and bullshitting with your roommate) but it is tasty and not difficult at all.


EQUIPMENT
Lrg. Pan with Lid
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Wooden Spoon or Spatula
Liquid Measuring Cup
Fingers....for measuring herbs of course.


INGREDIENTS
Olive Oil
6-8 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Thighs (breasts are fin, I just happen to be a fan of dark meat myself)
Salt and Pepper
Flour for dredging Chicken
1 Bell Pepper, chopped (I like yellow or orange for the contrast to the tomatoes)
1 Onion, finely chopped (anything but red is fine, I prefer yellow)
3 Cloves garlic, fine (but roughly) chopped
3/4C Dry white wine*
2 (14.5oz) Cans Chopped tomatoes WITH liquid
1/2C Chicken broth, low-sodium so you can control the salt content
Couple pinches dried Oregano
2T Chopped fresh Basil


Heat a couple tablespoons of Olive Oil in large pan over medium heat, while pan is coming to temperature season your chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge seasoned chicken in flour to evenly coat, add chicken to pan being careful not to crowd (cook in two batches if need be) and cook till brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Set cooked chicken aside on a plate.




Add onions, peppers and garlic to the pan (add a bit more oil if need be) and cook until onion is just soft, add a couple pinches of salt.



Add wine and cook until reduced by about half, roughly 8-10 minutes. When wine is reduced down add in tomatoes (with it's liquids) chicken broth and Oregano. Stir together, add chicken back into pan and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve with a bit of fresh chopped Basil on top.


*If you aren't much of a white wine drinker, don't go buy and entire bottle for this recipe. Get one of the little Bota Boxes or any other wine that comes in those little tetra packs. Those wine's are great for cooking and you won't waste you money or the wine!


Comer!

No Name Chicken

This is one of those recipes that came together from "cleaning" out the fridge for dinner. Some of my dinners to involve me thinking ahead, but usually I just go by what happens to sound good by the end of the day or whatever happens to by hanging around.


EQUIPMENT
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Medium Pot
Large Pan w/Lid



CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
Olive Oil
1T. Unsalted Butter
6ish Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, trimmed of fat
Multi Colored Bell Peppers, sliced in strips (amount depends on size)
1/2 Onion, thinly sliced
Salt + Pepper
Fresh Dill, roughly chopped
3-4T Heavy Cream


MASHED POTATOES
2-3 (depending on size) Potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
Butter
Half & Half (milk is fine too)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder (if you are willing to take the time roasted garlic gives a much better flavor)


Fill your pot with water and get your potatoes on the stove top before you do anything else.

Once the potatoes have been started, you can move on to the chicken. Add oil and butter to large pan on medium heat, when hot add onions and peppers and saute until just before soft. Season your chicken with salt and pepper and place on top of the bed of peppers and onions and cover with lid. Let simmer for 2 minutes or so, flip chicken and cover again for about 3 minutes. Add cream, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and let rest.

Your potatoes should be cooked by now. They are best if when you poke them with a fork they fall apart, not just admit the fork. Drain potatoes and return to burner on low heat. Add butter, cream and seasonings according to your desired creaminess and flavor desires.

Serve warm.



On a completely unrelated not...sort of. Yesterday I had great fun brewing a batch of Amber Ale with my best friend. We will be able to bottle it in 20 or so days, and we need to come up with a name for it.

Comer!

Simple Is Good

Sometimes you just need to make yourself a meal that looks like it came from a restaurant, but tastes like comfort. I've been working so much, and running around all the time that today I decided I needed something healthy and beautiful. This is an incredibly easy meal. This evening I am serving....Pan Seared Pork Chops with a side of Garlic Lemon Sautéed Kale, and Mini Patty Pan Suash in Dill and Butter.

EQUIPMENT
Cast Iron Skillet
Large Sauté Pan
Sm. Sauté Pan
Sharp Knife
Cutting Board
Wooden Spoons

INGREDIENTS
Boneless Pork Chops
Mini Patty Pan Squash
Kale
Fresh Dill
3 Garlic Cloves
Salt
Pepper
Lemon
Olive Oil
Unsalted Butter


PORK CHOPS
Boneless Chops
Salt
Pepper

In a cast iron skillet melt butter and olive oil together. While that's warming season chops with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat 15-20 minutes, flipping once or twice to seer.




SAUTÉED KALE
Olive oil
Fresh Chopped Kale
Garlic, roughly chopped
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Lemon juice

In a large pan heat oil over medium way. Add kale and stir occasionally, when kale begins to wilt add garlic, salt and pepper. When almost completely cooked add a squeeze of lemon.


PATTY PAN SQUASH
Squash, sliced
Salt
Fresh Chopped Dill
Unsalted Butter
Olive Oil

In small pan over medium-low heat cook squash in butter and oil. Add salt and pepper. When squash is almost cooked add fresh dill, so as to have the fresh flavor without over cooking it.



Plate everything together and enjoy. I put a dollop of my homemade apple butter on my chop.


Comer!

Chicken Noodle Soup for Colds

It seems it is time again for all the colds and flus to make their rounds. A couple of my friends are feeling under the weather, so I made this chicken noodle soup last night.


EQUIPMENT:
Large Pot
Knife
Cutting Board
Large Spoon



INGREDIENTS:
8 C. Water
6 Tbl. Chicken base
2 Chicken Breasts
2 Lrg. Carrots, chopped
1 Mdm. Onion, chopped
2 Bell Peppers (red, yellow or orange), Chopped
1 Jalapeno, Diced
3/4 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
1 Tbl. Garlic Powder
6 (about) Whole garlic cloves, peeled
1/4-1/2lb Pasta (depending on how noodly you want it)



In a large pot mix the water and chicken base, when it is reached a simmer, turn the heat down a bit and add the chicken breasts (whole). Cook for about 20 minutes (until cooked through) then remove and set aside.

While the chicken is cooking you can chop up all your vegetables and have them ready.

When chicken has cooked and been removed, add in all your vegetables, garlic and mix in spices. Allow to cook for about 15 minutes and then add in noodles and cook for another 15-20 minutes (until pasta is cooked). Add back your chicken all chopped up and serve.





Comer!

Asparagus and Garlic Shrimp

I've had an intense craving for seafood the last few days...too much bird over the last two months will do that to you. So this dish seemed like a quick and easy way to bring shrimp to the table.


EQUIPMENT
Pairing Knife
Chefs Knife
Cutting Board
Large Saute Pan



INGREDIENTS
1.5TBl. Butter
3 Cloves garlic, rough chopped
1 Bunch Asparagus *
1lb Shrimp (I used clean shrimp that still have the tails and shell)*
Bunch of Scallions (green onions)
6 (or so) salami slices, chopped
Salt and Pepper


*Cleaning shrimp and "cutting" asparagus.
Even though you have purchased cleaned shrimp, there is a black line you will see running down the shrimp. You will want to clean this out, by cutting along the "line" with a knife and removing it...it's sand and will make for a gritty bite if you leave it in. Then remove tail and peal.
Asparagus- The bottoms of the asparagus can get very woody so it's best to get rid of them...no need to use a knife though. Grasp the asparagus with your hands at each end and bend. Where it snaps off, discard that bottom half and then you can cut the top half smaller if you like.


Melt the butter in the pan on medium heat, when butter is melted add garlic and stir for 30 seconds or so. Add in asparagus and a pinch of salt and pepper, when almost cooked add in shrimp and stir occasionally so heat is distributed evenly. When shrimp is about cooked (it cooks quickly) toss in the salami and scallions to finish it off. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
Serve immediately.



Comer!

Basmati Rice "Stuffing"

My original thought was to do this with Wild Rice, but I was ill-prepared for Christmas dinner this year, and forgot to buy some. Luckily there was Basmati in the fridge to save the day.
As is frequent in my cooking, I did not measure during this recipe so some tweeking may be required on your part.


EQUIPMENT
Large Pan
Wooden Spoon/Spatula
Knife


INGREDIENTS
3Tbl. Unsalted Butter
3 Cloves garlic, minced
4-5C Day old rice
Handful of dried cranberries
1/2-3/4C Rough chopped Pecans
3Tbl Fresh chopped Parsley
1Tbl Fresh chopped Thyme
1-2tsp. Dried Savory
Salt to taste


Melt butter in pan over medium heat, add garlic and sweat for 1 minute. Add in rice and stir for another minute or so. Add in cranberries and nuts, cook for a few minutes until cranberries have softened slightly. Add in herbs and salt when you are almost ready to serve as you do not want to over cook the herbs.

Serve warm.




Comer!