JBug's Kitchen Antics

Catching Up

We've had friends visiting for the past couple of days and when it comes to summer entertaining and this type A personality, planning ahead is the key to keeping life rolling along as it should. It certainly kept J'Bug semi sane although Max and Finnigan's varying degrees of social skills or lack thereof darn near put me over the edge. Anyway, here's the low down on some of our menus during the past week.

Korean Barbecue Flanken Ribs is a perfect summer night dinner because the meat marinates for a minimum 24 hours before it hits a super hot grill for a grand total of 2 minutes per side. The combination of hoisin sauce and sugar in the marinade never mind lots of minced garlic and fresh ginger make for a fabulously caramelized crunch on the outside and fork tender juiciness on the inside of the ribs. 

Along with a made in advance Spicy Noodle Salad chock a block full of colorful veggies such as carrots, green onions, julienned mini sweet bell peppers and and snow peas and a crunchy ramen noodle slaw, dinner was super easy on the cook. 

 

Of course we also had to take advantage of the riches Neptune bestows and enjoyed crab caught by you know who, roasted in the oven accompanied by a rich and buttery orange sauce perfect for dipping bread fresh from the oven. I know I've bragged about this particular dish before but it is one of our favorite ways to prepare our local Dungeness crab. Along with a salad, it makes for another easy on the cook dinner. Here's the link the recipe for Oven Roasted Crab with Orange Butter Sauce and I'm telling you, it is amazing. Just be sure to keep the cool white wine flowing and a roll of paper towels on the table and you'll have a bunch of happy people. 

When you're looking for something quick and easy, you don't have to look any farther than bonless chicken thighs on the grill.

In our case we enjoyed a re-run of the Mustard Maple Marinated Chicken from way back in 2011, grilled up all crisp and crunchy and accompanied by a curry flavored orzo salad - same as the recipe on the link with orzo pasta instead of basmati rice for no other reason than I just wanted to give it a try, particularly after the fabulous cold lemony orzo and asparagus combination we had a while ago. 

Just so you know, I whipped up the sauces, marinades and salad dressings all in advance and stored them in the refrigerator until they were needed. Some of the veggies were pre-prepped as well and that means I got to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with the wine bottle(s) and the guests. 

 

 

 

 

 

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Living at the beach is all about laid back, quick and easy although that theory doesn't necessarily apply to you know who. He was out picking luscious wild blackberries in our neighborhood at 5:45 this morning with the incentive of a cobbler or roly poly for dinner tonight. Just so you know, it took Big Guy all of 45 minutes to pick 10 cups of beautiful big blackberries and the season's just starting. Just imagine what he's going to bring home when I tell him there's jam, muffins, pie, cordial and more cobbler in his future.  

Anyway, last night's dinner met the criteria of our new lifestyle as once the prep was accomplished, dinner took less than 10 minutes to cook. While this particular Asian flavored delightfully delicious spicy sweet cashew chicken is fabulous over noodles or rice, it is plenty filling never mind much healthier stuffed into butter lettuce leaves.

The cool crisp and crunchy lettuce is a perfect balance for the spiciness of extra ginger and garlic thrown into the mix along with the usual red chile flakes and cayenne. Sliced assorted mini peppers, carrot strips and snow peas add to the healthiness too and I mixed some peanuts into the cashews to give it a different kinda' flavor and crunch.

OK so now I've got to be completely honest. Peanuts are a heck of a lot cheaper than cashews so I mixed the two to make my cashew stash go a little farther. I'm kinda' partial to them in the cookies told you about the other day. 

Sweet and Spicy Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from The Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks, The Best of the Best and more

Sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes (optional)

1/2 cup chicken broth

Combine ingredients together in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until well mixed. Refrigerate until needed.

 

2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

 

2 tablespoons oil

2 heaping tablespoons minced fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 small white onion, chopped

1 cup mixed mini sweet bell peppers, cut into rings

1 cup julienned carrots

1 cup snow peas, cut in half

2/3 cup salted cashews

1/3 cup salted peanuts

Toasted sesame seeds as garnish

1 large head of butter lettuce, washed and separated into leaves

 

Combine sugar, salt and cornstarch together in a zip bag. Add chicken cubes and toss together to coat. Set aside.  

Heat a wok or large cast iron skillet over high heat until “screaming hot”. Add oil and when oil is just starting to smoke, add cornstarch coated chicken along with garlic, onions and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until chicken is opaque. Add peppers, carrots and snow peas. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add sauce. Cook until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and toss in nuts. Pour into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with butter lettuce. Serves 4.  

 

Corn Bread Has Another Life

I'm here to sing the praises of one of America's favorite side dishes ...corn bread. It might surprise you to know that it is a popular dish in Canada too although as a farmgirl from Northern Ontario, I grew up calling it Johnycake.   

Anyway, there's many different ways to make and serve this down home hunk of goodness and there's even a whole bunch of 'em right here on this site but I'm here to prove there's more to cornbread than what you think.

Don't tell anyone but I've been known to layer the batter on a bed of browned sausage links, bake and serve it with warmed maple syrup for breakfast. I've also added crumbled bacon to the batter and topped it with apple slices and cinnamon sugar. Brought to the table hot from the oven, it's been called breakfast, dinner and dessert.  

For another somethin' somethin', here's a Chicken & Cornbread Casserole that was a surefire hit in our household and a great way to satisfy a recent craving for Mexican flavors. Simply jazzed up cornbread hit with chile powder, cumin, chopped green chiles and creamed corn and baked in a large cast iron skillet, the fun begins after the pan leaves the oven. Pierced with a fork, drizzled with red enchilada sauce, topped with shredded cooked chicken and a mountain of grated cheese, the pan hits the oven to warm through. 

Sliced in wedges and topped with salsa, sour cream, guacamole or a pile of pickled jalapenos to Big Guy's delight, it is a testament to ingenuity, imagination and the joys of good old corn bread.

By the way, here's a link to the original source of the recipe at Cooking Light, but you'll notice I've taken the liberty of changing the title of my version. After having lived in Tucson, AZ so close to the Mexican border and enjoying many real honest to goodness tamales, there's no way I can call this one a tamale casserole. It is what it is - jazzed up turbo charged corn bread and it is delicious. 

Chicken and Corn Bread Casserole from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Cooking Light

1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup cornmeal (I used coarse ground but fine is OK too)

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup grated Mexican blend cheese

1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk)

2 eggs, beaten

1 – 14 ounce can cream style corn

2 roasted green chiles seeded & chopped or 1 – 6 ounce can

1 – 10 ounce can red enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

 

Salsa, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Sliced Jalapenos as garnish

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 11 or 12 inch cast iron with cooking spray and place in oven to warm. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cornmeal, chile powder, cumin, cayenne and cheese. In a small bowl beat eggs and buttermilk together. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add creamed corn, green chiles, and egg/buttermilk mixture. Fold together just until ingredients come together. Pour into heated cast iron skillet and bake for 15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and immediately poke surface with a fork. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Add chicken and sprinkle cheese on top. Return to the oven to warm – 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve garnished with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and/or jalapenos.  Makes 8 servings. 

 

Crunchy Cool Chicken Salad

Summer's knocking on the front door and with the long weekend upon us, what better way to celebrate the season than with a cool as a cucumber chicken salad.

Not your ordinary salad, this one's loaded with crunch from sweet bell pepper, cucumber, water chestnuts and peanuts. The crunch quotient is increased even more with the addition of chow mein noodles which pair beautifully with a simple Asian influenced dressing. I almost called it a vinaigrette but that wouldn't fit because there isn't any vinegar in it. Picky huh. 

Next time you're looking for something different to add to your summer menu, give this one a try. Its fresh flavors and satisfying crunch are darn near addictive never mind its a great way to get your family to eat their veggies. 

Crunchy Chicken Salad from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Idaho A La Carte

 

3 cups cubed roasted chicken

1 romaine heart, shredded

4 green onions, chopped

1 – 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained

6 mini sweet bell peppers, sliced

1/2 seedless cucumber, julienned

1 cup snow pea pods

4 ounces deep fried chow mein noodles

1/2 cup salted peanuts

 Place chicken, lettuce, green onions, water chestnuts, bell peppers, cucumber and pea pods in a large bowl and toss to combine. Toss with dressing. Garnish with chow mein noodles and salted peanuts.

Dressing:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine ingredients together in a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. 

Nothing Stays The Same

The older I get the more I realize that change is inevitable. Just look in a mirror and tell me you look the same as you did 10 years ago. I know I sure don't. Get my drift?

Sometimes change is a good thing and other times not so much. Take this view for example. 

This is what it looked like from our back deck from this glorious spot we moved to on the Oregon Coast a whole year ago. Deeply shaded, cool lush green forest so beautiful it could make you weep with wonder, I for one couldn't believe our good fortune in finding such a place.

Well I'm crying for another reason these days because the new owners of 7 acres adjacent to us are clear cutting their land including their side of the ravine right down to the creek where our two properties meet. 

What looked like this a few days ago isn't anything at all what it looks like today and tomorrow it'll be a whole other scene, so much so that I can't bring myself to show you current photos. Just believe me when I say the devastation is unimaginable.

Now in no way shape or form could you ever call me a tree hugger (other than the choice many I've a mind to planting myself in front of in case the axmen decide to ford the creek and come our way). I mean I don't think twice about grabbing a paper towel and as for TP, well I can't think of anyone that can do without that stuff but believe me this whole thing's been a huge wake up call.

Now, since this is a food blog after all, I guess I'd better fess up about what we had for dinner last night. Remember the Manchurian Cauliflower dish I've bragged about here before? Last night I reworked it by adding mini sweet peppers to the pan along with cauliflower florets and it all hit the oven for the same amount of time as in the original recipe while I seasoned and dredged skinless boneless chicken thighs in flour and sauteed 'em until crispy. I tossed the lot together and here's the result. 

Delicious? You bet'cha and proof positive that some changes are a lot easier to swallow than others. Just sayin'. 

 

 

 

Pollo Rolls - What The Heck?

Do you know what you get when you cross a Chinese egg roll and a Mexican chicken enchilada? Why, Pollo Rolls of course. Crispy deep fried torpedos of creamy cheesey chicken enchilada bliss. 

I had a package of egg roll wrappers in the freezer torturing me with their presence and since I had leftovers from a roasted chicken over the weekend, I figured I'd come up with something a little different for a change. Imagination's a wonderful thing and honestly, it's kind of hard to go wrong with anything wrapped up and deep fried, don't ya' think? The only problem with my vision was I didn't know what to call the darned things until Big Guy came up with a name. 

Simply the makings for chicken enchiladas, the filling mixes a slurry of onion, cilantro, garlic and a touch of salsa verde with shredded chicken, topped with a thin slice of cream cheese and a load of grated jack cheese mixed with mozzarella. Rolled in an egg roll wrapper and deep fried, we had our Pollo Rolls garnished with extra salsa and a dollop of guacamole along side a few other crunchies and called it dinner but it's party food too. No doubt.

Incidentally, the jack cheese isn't just any old jack but Cougar Crimson Fire from the Creamery at Washington State University. Get on the internet and order yourself some because trust me, it is amazing! Their aged cheddar is incredible too - oh and the peppercorn...and the sweet basil...and ah heck, just go for it all. Get 'em all.  You won't be disappointed. 

Pollo Rolls – Chicken Enchilada Egg Rolls  an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2/3 cup salsa verde (I used Herdez brand)

Juice of 1 lime

1 roasted green chile, chopped (optional) or

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and all (optional)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

8 ounce package cream cheese

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

12 egg roll wrappers

1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water & beaten

Cornstarch

Vegetable Oil for deep frying

In the bowl of a food processor add onion cilantro, garlic, salsa verde, lime juice, green chile or jalapeno. Process until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and fold in chicken. Mix well and set aside. Slice cream cheese into 12 thin pieces. Set aside.

Brush the edges of the eggroll wrapper with egg wash. Place approximately a quarter cup of chicken filling diagonally across one corner of the wrapper. Top with a slice of cream cheese and a few tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll wrappers, enclosing filling completely. Place onto a sheet pan that has been dusted with cornstarch.

Meanwhile approximately 2 inches of oil in a deep heavy pot until oil reaches 350 on thermometer. Fry eggrolls 2 or 3 at a time until golden brown –4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined rack. Serve rolls with salsa, and guacamole. Makes 1 dozen. 

 

 

Braised Chicken Thighs In Hard Cider

A bottle of Angry Orchard in the refrigerator and a storm raging outside was all the incentive required for last night's dinner. Oh I say that now, but in combination with a return trip to the valley to pick up our Jeep with its repaired transmission on top of an almost sleepless night, we were in need of some good old fashioned down home comfort grub.

Chicken thighs browned in bacon drippings and dressed with crisp bacon, shallots, rosemary and braised in hard apple cider make for an amazingly delicious combination. Throw turnip or parsnip into the pot too and you've a dinner that as easy to make as it is good for the soul. 

In case you're curious about what's happening around here, if bad luck runs in threes, we're hopeful our run is over because we've certainly had our share. On top of everything else, our little Maxer Dawg woke us up screaming in pain and following an emergency trip into the Veterinarian, x-rays and such, it appears he's got nerve and/or back problems kinda' like his Momma. Nothing like keeping it all in the family. Anyway drugged out and still suffering, thankfully he appears to be improving although much too slowly in our opinion. There's nothing so terrifying as seeing your trusty feisty 11 year old furry best friend in pain is there?

One thing I'd like to know is what the heck is this growing old gracefully nonsense anyway?

Braised Chicken in Hard Cider with Bacon from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by myrecipes.com

2 pounds chicken thighs (I used bone in, skin on thighs)

Salt and course ground black pepper

4 slices thick cut bacon

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large shallot, sliced

1 12 ounce bottle hard cider (I used Angry Orchard)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 large turnip, peeled and cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon slices and cook until almost crisp. Remove from pan and cut into pieces. Set aside. Add oil to Dutch oven and heat. Season chicken well with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides and remove from pan when done. Drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.  Return chicken to the pot along with shallots, cider and rosemary. Arrange turnip wedges on top. Place into preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked and turnip tender. Makes 6 servings. 

Other finger lickin' braised chicken recipes are

 Cheater Chicken and Dumplings     Braised Chick with Sundried Tomatoes

   

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

In case you haven't noticed we've been MIA for a few days. What was supposed to be a quick overnight trip into the big city turned into a longer one when the transmission on our Jeep decided to go south so here I am about to tell you all about our pre trip gumbo almost a week overdue. Darned good timing in my estimation because after all it is Mardi Gras.

Gumbo's one of our favorites around here because after the roux's made (in this case the quick version) and you've a base of onion, celery and peppers in place, the sky's almost the limit as far as what you put into it.

As you can see, this version's loaded with slices of spicy andouille sausage along with a pound of leftover roast chicken, but we've made it before using pieces of chicken breast, or chunks of linguica sausage, or crawfish, or shrimp, or duck legs and thighs or whatever turns your fancy. 

We happen to like the Creole version which means it contains tomatoes but if you'd rather not, leave 'em out and lay claim to a Cajun style gumbo. Whatever you decide, it is bound to be delicious as long as you remember that a roux waits for nobody so be sure to get all your ducks in a row before you start cookin'. 

   
   Cajun Style Seafood Gumbo                        Creole Shrimp and Andouille

 

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo (adapted from Bon Appetit)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne depending on taste

1 teaspoon garlic granules

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

2-1/2 cups chicken stock (low sodium)

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 pound smoked andouille sausage cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 pound leftover roast chicken

Freshly cooked long grain rice

Prep all ingredients before you start. Heat oil in heavy cast iron Dutch oven over high heat until almost smoking. Add flour, lower heat to medium high and stir being careful not to splash, cook stirring constantly until dark reddish brown in color (takes 4 to 6 minutes stirring constantly). Do not under any circumstances leave the pot unattended.

When the roux is a rich reddish chocolate brown, immediately add chopped celery, onion and bell peppers and stir well to combine. Lower heat to medium and cook until vegetables are softened – about 5 minutes. Add spices and cook for additional minute. Add stock and canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

In saute pan on medium high heat, fry andouille slices until browned on both sides. Add to gumbo along with cooked chicken and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with rice.  Makes 6 large servings.

 

Foul Weather Fowl Soup

I can't take credit for the title because you know who came up with it, but I will take credit for the pot of soup. Is there anything better when the rain and wind are blowing sideways than a big bowl of the stuff?

This one's a combination of chicken and turkey along with the usual onions and carrots. I had every intention of adding parsnip to the mix but decided to follow the "kiss" rule instead. Sorry, it doesn't look pretty but it sure did taste good.

Should you be searching for a "fowl" soup that's a little different from the usual veggie/rice version, you could always try one of the following. They're all really something to crow about. 

Cheesy Chicken Chowda'     Creamy Turkey     Mulligatawny

      

Chick/Turk Noodle Soup aka Foul Weather Fowl Soup an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 turkey thighs, skinned, boned & cut into 1 inch pieces

1 chicken breast, skinned, boned and cut into 1 inch pieces

1-1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 bay leaf

8 cups low sodium chicken stock

Salt and course ground black pepper

4 large carrots, peeled and diced

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup orzo cooked per package directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onions and celery and cook until vegetables soften. Add chicken and turkey pieces (about 5 cups in total) and sauté until no longer pink. Add poultry seasoning and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Add carrots and simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for another 5 minutes. Makes 8 servings. 

A year ago - Pasta Carbonara Frittata

Chicken Tetrazzini

I recently roasted another chicken just like the one we had a month ago a la Ina with lots of lemon and onion sauce served on croutons. Hey when you find a fabulous recipe you just have to keep going back to it. Right?

Not only do we love the flavors of this perfect bird, we also love coming up with new ideas on what to do with the leftovers. There's nothing quite like roast chicken in the freezer for enchiladas, chicken salad or a pot pie. Last night the leftover cluck morphed into a great casserole.

Chicken Tetrazzini's been around in one form or another for over a hundred years and while this casserole can be made with darned near anything, even seafood or canned tuna, my personal favorite happens to be leftover chicken or turkey. There's nothing fancy about it including but not limited to the cream of chicken soup, but it is ramped up a bit with a fair bit of dry sherry although dry marsala would work just as well. It's a great way to make a bit of chicken stretch to feed your hungry masses and portions freeze exceptionally well too. That's what I did - put half in the oven in individual ramekins and the rest hit the freezer for a day the kitchen isn't singing its siren song.

Chicken Tetrazzini Adapted from Palm Country Cuisine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1/2 medium green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chicken stock

 4 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

2 ounce jar chopped pimentos

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 ounces sour cream

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup frozen green peas (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko crumbs mixed with 1 tablespoon melted butter

In a nonstick skillet heat olive oil over medium, then add onion, mushrooms, and green pepper. Sauté until onion is soft. Add chicken stock and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 3 minutes). 

In a medium bowl, combine chicken with cooked spaghetti. Add vegetable mixture, peas (if using) pimentos, sherry, chicken soup, and sour cream. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Place in greased casserole dish and top with parmesan cheese and buttered crumbs. Bake in 350 oven for 35 to 40 minutes until heated through. Serves 4

 

Tiz' The Season For Dumplings

A winter storm and a man's idea of comfort food were the reasons for last night's feast of chicken stew with dumplings. Seeing his satisfaction and hearing the groans kinda' got me thinking about the several different kinds of dumplings we've created in JBug's Kitchen that have made dishes sing and Big Guy whistle. 

Last night's chicken stew was a pretty basic combination of skinless, boneless chicken thighs, onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and parsnip in a rich sherry flavored gravy and quite honestly it beat the heck out of the old fashioned kind that made use of an onery rooster and limited spices like the ones I remember from childhood. No comparison!

Anyway, I had the foresight to ask Big Guy what kind of dumplings he wanted and his response of "light and fluffy" brought to mind a recipe we've made previously. The trick to light, fluffy dumplings is to use cake flour which is milled from soft wheat with less gluten than all purpose and results in a lighter result...at least that's the theory as long as you don't overmix the dough. Too heavy a hand and you'll end up with hockey pucks no matter what kind of flour you use. 

Now, had my resident carnivore asked for sopper uppers with a smooth and light texture, I'd have made dumplings like the basil/pototo version we've had before on a bowl of creamy tomato soup.

Absolutely the lightest softest yummiest potato dumpling I've ever made before, the addition of fresh chopped thyme and parsley instead of basil would have put these simple boiled potato, egg yolk and flour miracles into a league of their own and elevated our stew into the gourmet category, that's assuming chicken and dumplings can be called gourmet. 

Of course then again, had I not asked Big Guy his preference I could have just opened a package of prepared gnocchi, boiled 'em up, slathered 'em in butter and parsley and called them dumplings. I mean afterall, I've done it before haven't I.

I didn't but I could have and you could too. Just remember to think about adding dumplings the next time you're whipping up a stew of any kind. Afterall, the body burns more calories in the winter just trying to keep warm so why not give your body a little more fuel and stew a bit more somethin' somethin'.  

Other stews you can ramp up with dumplings...

 Pork Stew w Cider       Poblano Sausage Chili   Braised Beef in Port

      

JBug’s Chicken Stew with Dumplings from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by and adapted from simplyrecipes.com

1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

 

2 medium onions, diced

1-1/2 cups diced carrots (1/2 inch dice)

3 stalks celery, cut in half inch pieces

1 large parsnip, peeled, core removed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

6 ounces mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/3 cup medium dry sherry

3 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 can Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup

Dumplings:

2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cut chicken thighs in half, season well with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour, shaking off excess. Brown in Dutch oven until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove browned chicken from pot to a plate and set aside. Decrease heat to medium and add onion, celery and mushrooms. Cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until vegetables start to soften. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme and poultry seasoning and flour remaining from dusting chicken prior to browning. Toss to coat vegetables with mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add sherry and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Return chicken to pot. Stir in chicken stock and golden mushroom soup. Heat to boiling stirring occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add parsnip and carrots and bring mixture to a high simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, lower heat slightly then add dumplings and continue as per instructions below.  

 

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add parsley and toss together. Using a fork, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add butter and milk. Incorporate dry ingredients into the wet and mix carefully just until combined (barely). Using a small scoop, transfer dumplings to slowly simmering stew allowing space in between dumplings because they’ll expand. Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes. DO NOT PEEK. Serve stew in bowls with dumplings on top. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4.

 

Fruit and Nuts Chicken Salad

Leftover chicken in this household often means a chicken salad's in our future. While there's an unlimited number of items that can be  made from cold bird, salad's one of Big Guy's favorites so I made a deal with him - you go get your hair cut, and I'll make you chicken salad. Interesting that it takes bribery to get that job done, huh.

There's no question we've a ton of chicken salad recipes on this site but you're only limited by your imagination. Last night's version included dried cranberries, snipped apricots and walnuts, toasted for extra flavor and crunch, along with the usual sweet onion, celery and sweet bell peppers.

Dressed with a mixture of mayonnaise and sour cream, I used the last of our Kicky Kumquat Marmalade to add a little punch of flavor, but plain orange marmalade and chopped jalapeno's would work as well. 

It was a nice "light" dinner or would have been had we limited ourselves to just one serving. By the way, that's the third meal we've enjoyed from a single roasted 5 pound bird and that's not including the leftover leftovers we've each had for lunch and no, we're not tired of chicken yet. Too bad the bird's toast.

Fruit and Nuts Chicken Salad an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

4 cups bite sized pieces of roasted chicken

1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped assorted sweet bell peppers

1/3 cup snipped dried apricots

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup Kicky Kumquat Marmalade

Salt and course ground black pepper

Combine chicken, onion, celery, bell peppers, apricots, cranberries and toasted walnuts together. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream and marmalade. Fold into chicken mixture. Taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as needed. Chill a minimum of 1 hour before serving to mellow flavors. 

Two years ago - Flourless Kumquat Cake 

Chicken Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Sometimes during the dead of a long grey winter, we all could use a little pick-me-up. I can't say we need sunshine in our lives here because believe it or not we've had absolutely incredibly beautiful weather on the Oregon coast, but other parts of the country haven't been quite so fortunate. Should you be feeling a little down in the dumps and in need of a glorious golden glow in your life then I've got just the ticket. 

I happened upon a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens for a Chicken Butternut Squash soup that piqued my interest and then I remembered my friend Leigh mentioned she had made her version of this one from Simply Delicious so I thought why not combine the two and make a JBug version. 

You can't make a super soup without flavor agents and this one's got a ton of them including onion, carrots, celery, fresh ginger, garlic and a ton of spices all sauteed for a few minutes to release their flavors before the liquids hit the pot.

To change it up a bit, after a half hour simmer I whizzed up our pot of sunshine with my trusty immersion blender. A quick taste shreaked for more yum, so I added additional curry powder and a drizzle of honey for sweetness along with salt and pepper.  

Finished with a splash of cream and topped with roasted butternut squash, shredded chicken from yesterday's leftovers, chunks of Granny Smith apple, crunchy croutons, and fresh cilantro, this is a winner winner chicken soup dinner that'll have you glowing right to your toes.  I've posted my version below, but be sure to hit the links above for the original recipes.  

Chicken Curry Butternut Squash Soup from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Better Homes and Gardens as well as Simply-Delicious.co.za

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large carrots, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons turmeric

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/3 cup dried apricots, snipped

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 cup heavy cream (or coconut milk)

Salt and course ground black pepper

1-1/2 pound butternut squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cubed

Croutons (optional)

Fresh cilantro as garnish

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven until shimmering. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook until onions are transparent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute and then add curry powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, cloves, bay leave, red pepper flakes and flour. Cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes to toast spices, then add tomatoes, chicken stock, apriccots and honey. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat and using an immersion blender, carefully puree mixture until smooth.

Return pot to heat and stir in heavy cream. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Meanwhile preheat broiler. Peel, seed and cut squash into 3/4 inch cubes. Place on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Broil for 10 minutes, stirring as needed until squash is cooked and a golden color.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with shredded chicken, apple, croutons and butternut squash. Top with fresh cilantro. Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

Two years ago - Asian Glazed Salmon

Three years ago - Cod a la Cajun

Roasted Lemon Chicken with Croutons

You know we've made this before, several times in fact, but why deprive yourself right? That's the reason I created a category under "JBug's Favorites". This Ina Garten recipe for lemon roasted chicken is beyond compare I swear but there is a secret to it. The results are all in the pan. In other words if you use a different pan, you'll get different results. Check this out.

Case Number 1 - way back in December 2010, I made this recipe for the first time. I used a shallow very large cast iron pan and the results are clear to see. Plump bird sitting on a bed of dark and crispified onions and very little pan juices to speak of. Cast iron cooks hotter so there's no chance for the juices to accumulate.

Case Number 2 - on November, 2011 we enjoyed this beauty again and if you see a pattern, you'll know it is because this was the time of year in Tucson that our Meyer lemon tree was overloaded with fruit. On this occasion, the bird was cooked in a large 2 inch high roasting pan and while the use of Meyer lemon's with their additional sugar content may account for the color of the onions and lemons, it is also due to the use of a larger pan with more surface area and consequently more evaporation of the juices. 

Now, if you're looking for a plump juicy bird like the others, but want a saucier version with tender braised onions and sweet/sour roasted lemons then put it in a pan that fits the bird like the one I used last night.

      

A vintage graniteware "Savory" roaster given to us as a wedding gift back in 2000, you can imagine the number of birds this speckled beauty has cooked over the years. Obviously beautifully engineered, you'll notice it has a hollowed out bottom and a double walled construction. They just don't make 'em like that anymore so if you can find one, snap it up.

It is totally responsible for last night's perfectly cooked golden colored juicy, lemony bird sitting in a puddle of richly flavored juices with braised onions and sweet/sour roasted lemons. Not a charred anything in sight and perfect spooned onto crisp croutons and moist tender bird. Kinda' makes me want to make it all over again. Just sayin'. 

Roasted Chicken on Croutons (from JBug's Kitchen Antics adapted from Ina Garten)

1 – 3 to 5 pound chicken

2 medium yellow onions, sliced

Olive oil

Coarse sea salt, pepper, thyme, oregano

2 lemons, quartered

2 tablespoons butter

6 cups 3/4 inch bread cubes (I used Italian bread)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Place onions on bottom of roasting pan. Wash and dry chicken inside and outside. Season inside the bird with salt, pepper and sprinkle with thyme and oregano. Stuff with one lemon. Tuck pieces of butter under the skin over the breasts and slather rest of butter over bird. Season with more salt and pepper.  Tie bird’s legs together with kitchen twine, tuck wings under and place on top of onions. Spread remaining lemon pieces around bird. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes depending on size of the bird or until juices run clear when pierced between the leg and thigh.

Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat to shimmering. Add bread cubes, lower heat to medium low and cook cubes, tossing often until golden brown and crisp. Sprinkle with coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place croutons on plate and place sliced chicken on top, along with pan juices, onions and lemon pieces.  Serves 4 to 6.

Two years ago - Shrimp, Andouille and White Bean Stew 

 Three years ago - Hoppin' John

 

 

 

Pasta with Chicken, Mushrooms and Tarragon

Dinner last night was ready in no time and darned tasty it was too and if you're thinking we've been eating a lot of pasta lately, you'd be right. You know what happened when we cut out the carbs last time? We both got the flu so to heck with that noise. Carb city here we come. 

Nothing out of the ordinary here. Chunks of chicken breast seasoned and lightly dusted with flour hit a frying pan until golden followed by sauteed cremini mushrooms, minced garlic and dried tarragon. A few good glugs of white wine (my precious FlipFlop Chardonnay to be exact, but any good quality dry white would be fine), a little heavy cream, a splash of pasta water and some chunky pasta and you're almost done. A handful of chopped fresh parsley, a sprinkle of grated parmesan and it's chow time.

Add a crisp salad and a glass of wine and you'll think you're celebrating. Why not, right?

 

Pasta with Chicken, Mushrooms and Tarragon (an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics)

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tablespoons instant blending flour

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons butter, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

3/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup heavy cream

Reserved pasta cooking water

8 ounces pasta, cooked to package directions and drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Cook in sauté pan until golden brown on all sides – about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl and keep warm. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the pan and when melted add mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden. Add tarragon and cook another 30 seconds. Add white and cook for a minute. Return chicken to the pan along with heavy cream. Cook until bubbling, and then add cooked pasta. Toss pasta with chicken and sauce, adding reserved pasta cooking water to achieve a creamy consistency. When pasta has absorbed the sauce and mixture is hot, add parsley and cheese. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.  Garnish with additional cheese. Makes 4 to 6 servings. 

A year ago - Individual Pulled Pork Pies

Two years ago - Ham and Swiss Quiche

Chicken and Onion Tagine

A tagine is a dish as well as a dish and while one like this beauty can be a useful kitchen addition, don't let the lack of it stop you from making the dish. Are you confused yet? Good then read on!

What I'm trying to say is, while I covet the one shown in the picture from Williams Sonoma, I didn't let the dream of having it stop me from the reality of making this lovely Moroccan stew for last night's dinner. My favorite 8 quart oval Dutch oven worked just fine. 

Picture plump chicken drumsticks marinated for hours in garlic, crushed cumin seeds, paprika, tumeric and olive oil then browned and braised in onion, saffron and sliced lemons. Topped with firm green olives and chopped cilantro, the sweet spicy result hit a bed of chewy bulgar instead of the usual rice or couscous and left us wishing we weren't practicing the "push away diet" because seconds would have been sublime. The bonus is there's plenty left for lunch today and I'm thinking it will be unbelievable. 

By the way, I used 6 large drumsticks and left the skin on the beauties because honestly, I missed the part where they specified "skinless". I also added 2 small meyer lemons rather than the single golden orb called for. Yes, imagine our luck when we found bags of Meyer lemons at our local Fred Meyer store, some of which are being preserved in salt as we speak.

Anyway hit the link for the official recipe at Saveur, but I made a few subtle changes and have listed my version below. 

Chicken and Onion Tagine (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Saveur)

6 to 8 large chicken drumsticks

5 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

 

1 teaspoon crushed saffron threads mixed with 1 cup warm chicken stock

4 medium yellow onions, peeled and cut into wedges

Freshly ground black pepper

2 small Meyer lemons, sliced and seeds removed

1-1/4 cups pitted green olives

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Place chicken drumsticks into a large zip top bag. Smash and chop garlic then make a paste of garlic and salt. Add to zip bag along with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, paprika and turmeric. Seal bag and massage chicken to incorporate spices. Refrigerate for minimum 4 hours.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven. Remove chicken from marinade and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onions and ground pepper to the pot and cook until onions are softened. Return chicken to the pot and add lemon slices as well as saffron, chicken stop mixture. Cover pot and simmer for 40 minutes or until onions and chicken are very tender. Add green olives and cilantro. Serve on rice, couscous or bulgar. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon

Two years ago - Shredded Apple Pie

Coconut Curry Chicken

I love the fall and yes November 26 is still considered autumn at least according to the calendar although something tells me with the crazy weather happening everywhere but here there are some who'd beg to differ. Anyway, cooler temps, incredible sunrises and sunsets and dinners by the fireplace seem to be the norm for us these days and comfort food definitely suits our moods.

Now comfort food means different things to different people but to us it brings to mind something saucy and tender with a spicy kick. This chicken fits the description to a "T". 

Chicken breast pieces or tenders, sauteed until golden then braised in a quick flavorful sauce of sauteed onion, garlic, fresh ginger, cumin, curry and light coconut milk did the trick but it was the grated lemon zest and touch of honey that took it over the top. Oh my!

Coconut Curry Chicken (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from South Beach Diet Cookbook)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound chicken breasts cut into pieces (or chicken tenders)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder (I used Madras)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 cup light coconut milk

2 teaspoons liquid honey

Cashews or almonds and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat olive oil in large no stick pan over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and coarse ground black pepper. Sauté on all sides until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion to pan and sauté until transparent. Add garlic and ginger and cook stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add lemon peel, cumin, curry powder and cayenne and cook additional minute. Stir in chicken broth to deglaze pan, then return chicken to pan along with coconut milk. Bring to a high simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Place sauce remaining in pan over high heat, add honey and cook until sauce is of desired thickness. Serve over chicken pieces. Garnish with nuts and cilantro.

A year ago - Panko Crusted Thin Pork Chops 

Two years ago - Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Souffle Stuffed Chicken

It was such a glorious autumn day yesterday Big Guy talked me into playing hooky so we loaded up the woofs and took a drive up the Oregon Coast as far as Pacific City. We made it back home just as the sun was setting and with our stomachs rubbing our backbones. Plum hungry we were.

As you know, not having cooked a heck of a lot of wonderful things the past couple of days, we were craving something a trifle more refined and this "Souffle" Stuffed Chicken from The South Beach Diet Cookbook turned out to be just what the doc ordered.  Simply chicken breasts slightly butterflied, pounded lightly to flatten and stuffed with pieces of frozen Stouffer's spinach souffle, the rolled chicken hit a hot garlicky saute pan briefly until golden brown and then finished cooking in a moderate oven. 

Topped with a quick luscious lemon/Dijon pan sauce, the result is flavorful, exceedingly moist and quite luxurious. In fact, accompanied by the remaining spinach souffle and some peppery steamed turnip, we were sufficiently "suffuncified". 

Incidentally, here's a few pictures from Cape Kiwanda at Pacific City yesterday. Hard to believe it is almost the end of November, isn't it.

Soufflé Stuffed Chicken (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from The South Beach Diet Cookbook)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approx. 1 pound)

1 – 12 ounce package Stouffer’s frozen spinach soufflé

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large clove garlic, sliced in half

1 cup chicken broth

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

Ground black pepper

Lemon & fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Butterfly chicken breasts and pound slightly to even out thickness. Using a serrated knife, cut approx. 1 inch pieces slivers of soufflé. Fold chicken around frozen soufflé pieces and fasten chicken roll together with toothpicks.

Heat oil and garlic in sauté pan over medium high. Remove garlic when it starts to brown, and then add chicken and brown rolls on all sides until golden – approx. 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cooked through and juices run clear. Meanwhile, place chicken broth, lemon juice, and mustard in sauté pan and reduce liquid to 1/3. Keep warm. Serve chicken topped with sauce and garnish with lemon and parsley. Makes 2 servings. 

A year ago - Seafood Lasagna

Two years ago - Apple, Swiss and Squash Soup

Three years ago - Baked Four Cheese Spaghetti

Chicken Mole a la South Beach

Now the jig is up! Seeing as Big Guy and yours truly have feasted our way into oblivion and we have the dunlap to prove it (dunlap: when the stomach done lap over the belt), yet again we've embarked on a South Beach journey. We've completed our fifth day now and the numbers on the scale are decreasing, although not as quicky as they increased in the first place. 

Of course I've been working hard to come up with menu items that will keep us (and you) from getting bored so we tried this Chicken Mole recipe from the South Beach Diet Cookbook. Now I'm here to say there's mole recipes and there's mole recipes and this one "ain't" like anything I've ever made before.

          Chicken with Green Mole                      Braised Turkey in Mole   

  

Without nuts, sesame seeds or even freshly ground spices, it is a far cry from traditional but I can get by all that by calling it what it is - spicy chicken with chocolate.

Loaded with garlic, chili powder, cinnamon and cloves, a touch of peanut butter mellows out the flavor. It is much needed too after the addition of cocoa powder - I used Hershey's Extra Dark ...thus the rich mahogany color. Pretty amazing, huh! 

Served on a bed of roasted butternut squash with a spoonful of mixed beans, the chicken's spicy flavor certainly filled the gap. If you want to know the truth, it was too darned hot for me but that's my fault because I used extra hot smoked chipotle chile powder. Stupid eh?  Big Guy loved it though. Would I make it again? It kinda' depends on how long we're on the diet. Just sayin'. 

South Beach Chicken Mole (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from South Beach Diet Cookbook)

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs cut into pieces

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

6 assorted mini sweet bell peppers, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chile powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken pieces well. Brown on all sides, removing from pan when done. Add onion, peppers, and garlic and sauté until onion is soft. Sprinkle in chile powder, cinnamon and cloves and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes and water along with peanut butter and cocoa. Stir to incorporate. Return chicken to pot, bring to a boil then lower heat to simmer, cover and cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes. Remove top from pot and cook additional 5 minutes to reduce sauce. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Chicken and Andouille Gumbo 

 

Two years ago - Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Taters and 'snips

Three years ago - Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

 

Turkey or Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

We're working our way through the final leftovers hiding in the freezer from our Canadian Thanksgiving turkey and last night's casserole pretty well took care of it. Not a moment too soon either, what with American Thanksgiving just around the corner and another turkey bird on the menu. 

Loosely based on a recipe from one of my favorite Junior League cookbooks called "Heart's Of The Palm", I used some pre-cooked wild rice along with sauteed onions, water chestnuts for crunch, mushroom soup, sour cream and sherry along with cheddar and pepper jack cheese. Topped with fresh breadcrumbs and finished with more grated cheddar and a handful of sliced almonds, the top of the casserole ends up all crunchy and golden while the innards are rich and creamy.

It's a great make ahead meal because you can prep the casserole and have it waiting in the refrigerator when you get home after a long hard day. A quick 40 minutes in the oven's about all the time it takes to bake - just long enough to set the table, make a salad and pour a glass or two of wine. Sounds good huh?

Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole (adapted from Hearts of the Palm Cookbook, Junior League of West Palm Beach)

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 -1/2 cups diced leftover cooked turkey or chicken

1-3/4 cups cooked wild rice

1 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1-1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/2  teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 cup soft fresh breadcrumbs

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a medium sized casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Heat butter in a sauté pan and when melted add onion. Cook until onion is softened. Remove to a large bowl. Add turkey or chicken, wild rice, water chestnuts, 1 cup of grated cheddar and the pepper jack cheese. In a small bowl whisk together mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, sherry, salt and pepper. Add to turkey mixture and mix well to combine. Pour into casserole dish and top with fresh breadcrumbs. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through and bubbling. Toss together remaining half cup of cheese and sliced almonds. Place on top of casserole dish and return to oven for additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and almonds are toasted. Makes 6 servings. 

A year ago - Poblano and Sausage Chili 

Two years ago - Weenies and Bacon Maple Beans

Three years ago - Pork Tenderloin with Bacon,Onion,Mushroom Bourbon Sauce

 

Honey Mustard Chicken

I pulled some chicken drumsticks out of the freezer yesterday and contemplated coating them in panko but I came across this recipe for Honey Mustard Chicken and thought it was worth a try.

From Recipes from the Best of Bridge Series, The Best of the Best and More, it is simply liquid honey, butter, Dijon mustard, a touch of cayenne and a bit of curry powder. Forty minutes in a moderate oven with a few more under the broiler to give the drums a little more color and they were done in all their sticky delicious moist, tender and slightly spicy glory.

The chicken went exceedingly well on a munchie platter along with some green chile and cheese sausage balls, a creamy hot crab dip and a few veggies too but believe you me, it would make a great stand alone for a quick no fuss dinner. In fact, my only regret (hey you knew there'd be one didn't you) is I wish I'd cooked more chicken along with a bunch o' rice because holy cow, it makes a lovely sauce and you all know how we love our sauces around here. 

Honey Mustard Chicken (adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks, The Best of the Best and More)

6 to 8 chicken pieces (I used drumsticks)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/4 cup liquid honey

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons curry powder

Dash cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350. For easy clean up, line a baking dish with aluminum foil. Dry chicken pieces and dust lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange in baking dish without touching. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, butter, Dijon mustard, curry powder and cayenne. Pour approximately one half over chicken and brush each piece to coat. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and coat with all but 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Bake for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Brush chicken with remaining sauce and place under broiler until golden. Makes 4 servings.  (Recipe may be doubled if you’ve more chicken). 

A year ago - Pasta Purses with Meat Sauce 

Two years ago - New England Style Clam Chowder & Pear Upside Down Gingerbread Cake

Three years ago - Cajun Shrimp

 

Creamy Pasta with Chicken and Chanterelle Mushrooms

I know I keep bragging, but I swear we've hit the motherlode here on the Oregon Coast. Not only is it heart tuggingly beautiful and very very good for the soul, it's also a source of incredible abundance.

Earlier in the week Big Guy cleared some trees and vegetation on our property and happened across a cluster of chanterelle mushrooms. Of course the resident nag (that would be me) couldn't believe such a glorious thing could be growing wild on our property and seeing how sick Max was a few weeks ago after chowing down on some mystery fungi, Big Guy was "convinced" to take to make a believer out of me. A quick trip to the Visitor's Center at Cape Perpetua and expert advice from a local park ranger and we were truly celebrating our good fortune. 

This creamy pasta dish takes advantage of the mild peppery flavor of the chanterelles. I sauteed tender chunks of skinless boneless chicken thighs, onion and garlic in olive oil, kissed with a couple of glugs of sherry and finished it all with heavy cream. A light dusting of dried marjoram, a little lemon pepper and al dente penne hit the pot for a swish.

Meanwhile Big Guy washed the chanterelles, then tore them into pieces and we sauteed them briefly in a pat of butter before garnishing the pasta with the lovely golden strips. Shaved parmesan, a sprinkle of fresh parsley and dinner was ready.

Suffice to say you know who will be doing a lot more mushroom foraging in the near future - that is provided I can get him to hang up his fishing rod for a minute or two. Such is the life, huh!  

Creamy Penne with Chicken and Chanterelle Mushrooms an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 ounces skinless boneless chicken thighs (4 small)

Salt and lemon pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

2/3 cup dry sherry

1 cup heavy cream

Reserved pasta water as needed

8 ounces penne pasta, cooked per package directions

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Shavings of Parmesan cheese

 

3 large chanterelle mushrooms

1 tablespoon butter

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet until shimmering. Meanwhile cut chicken thighs into bite sized pieces and season well with salt and lemon pepper. Dust lightly with cornstarch. Sauté in hot pan until golden on all sides. Add onion, garlic and marjoram and stir to combine. Add sherry, cover pan, reduce heat to low simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until chicken is very tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add cream and bring to a boil, then add cooked pasta and toss to coat with sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy consistency. Add chopped parsley. Meanwhile heat small sauté pan and add butter. When butter is melted, toss in mushrooms and cook until just wilted – about 30 seconds. Serve pasta in bowls and garnish with chanterelles and shavings of parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Smoked Salmon Pasta 

Two year's ago - Peachy Ham Steak

Threee year's ago - Bacon and Tomato Risotto

 

 

Chicken and Linguiça Gumbo

It's hard to come up with anything better than soup or gumbo on the stove when a storm's moving in. It seemed like perfect timing to me because to be honest, I'm ready for a long break from staining shakes. What the heck did I get us into?

Anyway, it wouldn't be like me at all if I didn't putter an afternoon away in the kitchen, not that I really needed to mind you because, contrary to popular belief, gumbo comes together pretty fast at least this one does. 

While we've made this particular recipe several times before, I've never made it with linguica instead of andouille and chicken rather than seafood, but believe me it was OK. Just be sure to prep everything, and I do mean everything in advance, because once your cast iron stew pot's sufficiently heated and the vegetable oil almost at the point of smoking, adding the flour and stirring it all into a mahogany colored roux takes a mere 3 minutes, so you'd darn well better have the trinity (onion, celery and peppers) ready and waiting to cool the savage beast or you'll be makin' that roux all over again. Just sayin'.  

For you purists out there, I've made a roux the old fashioned way before too, which entails a good half hour stirring and coaxing that nepalm mixture of oil and flour into an acceptable color, but the quick method works great too and I've never been able to taste a difference.

Anyway, with the addition of spices, good stock, canned tomatoes (making this a Creole gumbo), 15 minutes later the pot of boiling flavor filled liquid's ready for the meat. In our case, I used linguica because I was unable to find andouille locally, sliced into coins and browned quickly before adding seared chicken pieces. Fifteen minutes later we were moaning over the results. 

Our friend John, Big Guy's huntin' partner is visiting from Eastern Oregon so they're going to take advantage of the lull before the big storm to hit the bay for crabbing. Thankfully, Alsea Bay is relatively sheltered because there's an awful lot of white water and heavy waves on the ocean today. We're supposed to be getting 55 mph winds along with heavy rain starting tomorrow (Sunday) so they'd best get their crabbing done before then. 

Chicken and Linguica Gumbo from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Bon Appetit

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne depending on taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic granules

2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

20 ounces seafood or chicken stock (low sodium)

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

 

1 pound smoked linguica or Andouille sausage cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1-1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into large pieces

1/4 cup flour

Freshly cooked long grain rice

Prep all ingredients before you start. Heat oil in heavy cast iron Dutch oven over high heat until almost smoking. Add flour, lower heat to medium high and stir being careful not to splash until dark reddish brown in color (takes 3 to 5 minutes stirring constantly). Do not under any circumstances leave the pot unattended. When the roux is a rich reddish chocolate brown, immediately add chopped celery, onion and bell peppers and stir well to combine. Lower heat to medium and cook until vegetables are softened – about 5 minutes. Add spices and cook for additional minute. Add stock, canned tomatoes. Boil for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer. In a medium skillet, fry sausage pieces until browned on both sides. Add to gumbo. Reserve sausage drippings. Dredge chicken pieces in flour, shaking off excess. In same skillet in brown chicken in sausage drippings until golden on all sides. Add to gumbo and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice. Makes 4 large servings.

A year ago - Cider Brined Pork Chops 

Two year's ago - Apple Jack Glazed Ribs with Corn and Green Chile Gratin

Three year's ago - Green Chicken Curry

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Butternut Squash and Kale

Kale is our new favorite vegetable and chicken pot pie an old favorite so last night the two went together in this rather stellar pie. 

As you can see by the number of pot pie versions on this site (see Pastry-Savory in the Index for examples), it is hard to go wrong with pastry, chicken and gravy never mind it's a super way to stretch leftover and/or rotisserie bird you picked up on a whim from your local grocery store.

In our case, I simply roasted a slew of chicken drumsticks in a hot oven just because we like to have 'em around as something to knaw on for lunch and combined with pearl onions, lots of garlic, lovely crunchy kale that kinda' stays that way and cubes of butternut squash, this one skillet pie adpated from epicurious.com goes together in a flash. It is a soul satisfying flavor filled ode to autumn. 

I have nothing more to say except make the darned thing and you'll see what I mean. Talk about a soft sell, huh!

I pretty much followed the recipe as given, except I had to add more herbs to the mix because I can't make anything that doesn't have at least 3 in it (garlic doesn't count). In addition, I added more flour to the mix to thicken the gravy but even 1/3 of a cup wasn't enough, so I've amended the recipe to show 1/2 a cup. Just be sure to cook it for a minute or two with the kale, etc. before adding liquid to get the most thickening power out of it. 

Skillet Pot Pie with Butternut Squash and Kale from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from epicurious.com

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 small bunch kale, center ribs removed, leaves chopped (about 3 cups)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into half inch cubes (about 2 cups)

5 chicken roasted chicken drumsticks, skin and bones removed, torn into pieces (about 2 cups)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 425. In a 9 inch cast iron pan, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add pearl onions and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are browned. Reduce heat to low – add garlic, and sage and cook for another minute. Add rosemary, poultry season and kale. Season well with salt and pepper and cook, tossing often until kale is wilted. Sprinkle flour over mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, and then add squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is just tender but still has a little bite to it. Remove from heat and add chicken. Cool briefly.

Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured board and roll out to fit top of skillet. Leaving corners intact, score pastry in 3 or 4 places to allow heat to escape and brush lightly with egg wash. Arrange pastry over top of skillet allowing corners to droop over sides. Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry starts to brown, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 20 minutes or until pastry is cooked and filling bubbling. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Hard Polenta Cakes with Bolognese

Two year's ago - Beer Braised Turkey Thighs with an Island Twist

Three year's ago - Hanger Steak with Mushroom Madeira Gravy

Arroz con Pollo

In case you're trying to come up with an easy one pot meal while you're cleaning up after the last long weekend of summer, this chicken rice and veggie dish may be just the answer. Good thing I neglected to tell you about it a few weeks ago when we had it on our menu, because we went to a barbecue last night and forgot the camera at home so I can't share the party with you except to say the food was utterly sublime and the company stellar. 

Now, about today's post from Food & Wine, I call this version of Arroz con Pollo "poor man's paella". With smoked ham, onion, garlic, assorted peppers and tomatoes, it is a fare imitation of paella but without the saffron and of course the seafood. It is a fairly good recipe and certainly good enough if your family isn't as addicted to strong flavors and spicy food like we are. 

I couldn't help but think as we were chowing down how much more wonderful it would be with the addition of saffron, never mind chorizo or linguica instead of ham for added flavor but if memory and my notes serve me correctly, the addition of hot sauce and red pepper flakes made this one a little more satisfying for us.

The critical point to remember is to use dark meat chicken like thighs or drumsticks because they'll bring a lot more flavor to the party than breasts will and while the 1 teaspoon of salt in the recipe might seem like a lot, you'll  need every bit of it. Oh and I used Knorr's powdered tomato bouillon instead of the tomato paste called for in the recipe. Popular with Mexican cooks, I discovered it when we lived in Tucson and find it adds an extra zing to dishes like this one.

By the way, should you be wondering what we brought to the potluck barbecue last night, here's the goods on our contributions.

 

Asparagus Salad

 

Pina Colada Cupcakes

 

Arroz con Pollo from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Food & Wine)

4 – 6 large chicken thighs

1 teaspoon salt & 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper (divided)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ounces smoked ham, diced

1 large onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon Knorr tomato bouillon (or 1 tablespoon tomato paste)

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 cup long grain rice

Chopped parsley as garnish

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pan. Wash and dry chicken thighs. Season with a quarter teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Cook chicken until browned well on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside, pouring off most of excess fat. Add ham and onion to the pan and cook until onion starts to soften. Add red and green peppers and garlic and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Add tomatoes, bouillon, and chicken broth to the pan as well as remaining salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in rice and return the chicken to the pot. Simmer, partially covered, over low heat for 25 minutes or until rice is cooked and chicken done. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.  

 A year ago - Pork and Sweet Potato Chili

Two year's ago - Chicken Parmigiana

Three year's ago -  Mac and Cheese

Cornmeal Cakes with Smoked Chicken and Coleslaw

Remember the Southern Illinois BBQ sandwiches I'm always talking about? The ones with crispy fried pork tucked into a soft bun with mustardy slaw and a drizzle of barbecue sauce?  

Well this is kind'a like it except for moist corn studded corncakes instead of the bun and smoked chicken instead of pork and sweet coleslaw instead of the mustardy chow. Come to think of it, the only thing the two have in common is barbecue sauce; oh, that and the fact they're both delicious of course.

 

Corn Cakes with Clams, Basil and Sundried Tomatoes

Big Guy and I took a trip into the valley yesterday (Salem) so dinner needed to be of the no fuss, quick, easy and yummy kind. Fresh corn's enjoying its hayday at the moment and while we've created several versions of corncakes in JBug's Kitchen, this one's slightly different from all the rest. Along with chopped corn kernels, it is spiced up with minced onion, jalapeno pepper, roasted red peppers and tiny little chunks of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.  

Crunchy in texture because of the addition of coarse ground yellow cornmeal (I used Bob's Red Mill- did you know they're an Oregon company?) they're a cake, like a pancake cooked on a griddle rather than a fritter that's deep fried.

Corn Cakes with Tomato and Avocado Salsa

The moist flavorful corncakes are a perfect backdrop for thin slices of smoked chicken purchased from our local JC Market Thriftway where they homesmoke a bunch of great stuff like jowl bacon, ham, chicken and turkey. We buy it all and Big Guy slices it nice and thin and bags and stores it in the freezer because it beats the heck out of any deli meat, both for flavor and price never mind we've been too busy working on the house to get our home smoker operating, at least that is our excuse and we're sticking to it. 

Anyway, next time you're looking for a quick and scrummy dinner, give this a try. You could even substitute shredded pork, or beef in barbecue sauce, or even shrimp with salsa or use 'em as a taco and/or make 'em into a mini version as an appetizer - now there's a good example of a run on sentence isn't it?  

Spicy Corn Cakes (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Gourmet via epicurious.com)

1 cup coarse ground yellow cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese cubes (1/4 inch cubes)

1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar cubes (1/4 inch cubes)

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, soda, black pepper, cayenne and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk together to incorporate. Fold in cheese cubes.

In a small bowl beat together egg, butter, buttermilk, and hot sauce. Add corn, onion, roasted red peppers and jalapeno and mix to combine well. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Batter will be lumpy.

Heat a griddle over medium high heat then lower heat to medium low. Spray griddle with cooking spray and coat lightly with additional butter. Drop batter onto griddle using an ice-cream scoop and flatten slightly. Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until they are golden brown and feel firm in the center. Move to a platter and keep warm in a low oven. Makes approximately 12.

A year ago - Braised Duck Legs with Marsala and Sour Cherries

Two year's ago - Country Terrine

Three year's ago -  Pork Katsu with Soba Noodles

 

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I'm sure some of you are wondering why in the world we're having soup again, but summer on the Oregon Coast means weather changes at the drop of a hat and yesterday although relatively warm, was foggy, rainy and a perfect excuse for a pick me up bowl of liquid sunshine. 

I checked my pantry and low and behold a package of unopened wild rice popped out at me. Add bacon from the fridge, chicken breasts from the freezer, mushroom soup from the cupboard and Big Guy sent on a mission for a quart of chicken stock and we were cookin'. 

The result wholesome stick to your ribs creamy healthy sherry kissed bowl of comfort - perfect for dinner in front of the television on a mist soaked evening. Man, I love it here! 

Chicken Wild Rice Soup (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Taste of Home)

4 slices bacon, diced

2 boneless chicken breasts, (about 1 pound) cut into half inch pieces

Salt and pepper

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

1 quart good quality low sodium chicken stock

2 packages Swanson’s chicken flavor boost or 1 chicken bouillon cube

1 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1-1/2 cups cooked wild rice

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Place a medium sized Dutch oven over medium low heat and add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove bacon from pot and set aside, leaving bacon fat in pot. Add chicken, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink. Remove from pot and set aside. Add onion, celery, carrots and butter and cook until vegetables have softened. Stir in flour, garlic powder, thyme, and poultry seasoning and cook stirring constantly until flour is well incorporated into vegetables (about 2 minutes). Add chicken stock, chicken concentrate or bouillon and mushroom soup. Whisk to combine well. Bring to a low simmer and cook, covered for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Return bacon and chicken to the pot and add wild rice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in sherry and fresh chopped parsley. Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Caponata vs Ratatouille 

Two year's ago - Spicy Crabcakes and a Peach Pie

 

Chicken Legs Puttanesca

We love pasta puttanesca around here so when I saw this recipe in The Silver Palate Goodtimes Cookbook I had to give it a try mostly because it's really a cacciatore on steroids, ya' know what I mean.

Loaded with tomatoes, garlic, sundried tomatoes, anchovies and capers, it has all the ingredients present in the pasta version, with the added bonus of more protein which is pretty much a neccessity around here. 

As you can see, I served the chicken on a bed of pasta so while I cut the amount of poultry by one half so we wouldn't have a ton of leftovers, I made the full recipe of sauce. Good thing too, because it's absolutely amazing - rich, hearty and full of a salty piquant flavor thanks to the anchovies and capers. Those Italian peasants sure as heck knew how to cook! Next time I make the dish, I'll be inclined to serve it with a loaf of crusty bread too so there's even more reason to double the sauce. 

As for Big Guy, he's earning extra calories these days as he's helping our contractor put in new windows and a door on the south side of the house. Here's a picture of the progress to date, accomplished during a couple of drizzly cold and foggy days. The windows and door are in, the dry rot's repaired and it's lookin great. Today the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the guys are already working on painting the sofits before they start installing cedar shakes.  

 

Before - storm door, old oroginal aluminum windows

  

Progress - new slider and 2 windows, all vinyl and dry rot repaired

Chicken Legs Puttanesca from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from The Silver Palate Goodtimes Cookbook

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken quarters, legs and thighs divided (or quarters if you want more sauce than chicken)

1/4 cup All-purpose flour

1 medium onion, cut into rings

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 – 35 oz. can plum tomatoes

1 – 2 oz can anchovies, drained and chopped

1/2 cup pitted Nicoise olives

1/3 cup capers, drained

1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried mixed Italian herbs

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Pinch red pepper flakes

Coarse ground black pepper

Salt as required

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven until shimmering. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Brown on all sides in hot oil, then remove from pan and set aside. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft – about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, anchovies, olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes, herbs, balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes. Return chicken to the pot and coat with sauce. Add coarse ground black pepper.  Cover pot and simmer for 45 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Remove lid for last 5 minutes of cooking to reduce sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt as required. Serve over pasta or with crunchy bread.  Makes 6 to 8 portions. 

A year ago - Fish Baked in Fresh Green Salsa

Two year's ago - Chicken with Maple Mustard Glaze and Curried Rice Salad

Pot Sticker Chicken Soup

It was a foggy grey day here yesterday, perfectly beautiful mind you but our spot at heaven's gate was a trifle mist shrouded if you know what I mean. Coupled with a sinus headache/sore throat, it called for a pot of chicken soup as the perfect prescription.

Now there's all kinds of ways one can whip up a pot of chicken noodle bliss, not the least of which is an envelope of an old standby such as the Lipton version but an enjoyable finger walk through the pages of my new favorite book - The Oregonian Cookbook, resulted in this one or at least an adaptation of it.

 

I apologize for the quality of the photo. Obviously the camera and/or photographer need work.

Simply purchased chicken stock along with garlic, minced jalapeno, frozen pot stickers and fresh spinach, we one-upped it by adding real chicken to the mix as well as minced fresh ginger, sliced green onions and a couple of envelopes of Swanson's Flavor Boost to elevate the stock to a higher level. I'll admit we also added a whole package of pot stickers (24) instead of the 16-18 they recommended. Hey who wants the leftovers in the freezer anyway. 

As you can see, the resulting bowls of steaming comfort were good for the ailing, never mind the soul. Incidentally, the whole thing took a mere 15 minutes to whip up and believe me, it tastes like it took a lot longer. We'll be putting this one in our MMO file as in "must make often". 

Pot Sticker Chicken Soup from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Oregonian Cookbook

1 chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 – 32 ounce box low sodium chicken stock

2 envelopes Swanson’s chicken Flavor Boost (or 1 chicken bouillon cube)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

3 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 package frozen pork pot stickers (24 in package)

1/3 package baby spinach, washed and dried in colander

2 green onions, chopped

In medium saucepan combine chicken, chicken stock, Flavor boost, garlic, jalapeno and ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add pot stickers, cover and simmer for additional 5 minutes. Add spinach and heat just until spinach is wilted. Sprinkle with green onions and serve. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Cauliflower Steaks with Red Pepper Aioli 

Two year's ago - Mexican Potroast in Soft Tacos

Leftover Stew? Make A Pot Pie!

In case you haven't noticed, we love pot pies around here. I mean what's not to like? All that pastry along with meat or poultry of some kind in gravy with vegetables? It's really a perfect one dish meal. Just ask Marie Callender because I've eaten a ton of hers during the past 3 months and have the extra pounds to prove it.

But you know, I'm here to say you don't have to depend on Marie, Banquet or Stouffers for a pot pie because you can make one yourself out of darn near anything. Remember the braised chicken with bacon and beer we had the other night? 

The leftovers went into last night's dinner and with a whole new and different twist on flavors too thanks to a visit to Wednesday's Waldport farmer's market and a lovely lady selling fresh and beautiful chanterelle mushrooms she'd picked herself. Sauteed along with finely chopped onion, finished with a splash of cognac and a touch of cream, they hit the pastry lined pan (extra deep with removable bottom and I love the thing) along with a few extra veggies and came out looking like this. 

Oh and should you be thinking J'Bug's Kitchen is just a one note wonder, here's a few other examples.

      From Leftover 5 Hour Beef Stew        From Leftover Cranberry Pork Roast

  

Incidentally, instead of using prepared pastry from our local market's refrigerator section, I bit the dust and tried making my own using a different recipe and we've Ina Garten and the Food Network to thank for stellar results. Hit the link for her pastry recipe and see for yourself. Any idea how many times I'll have to make it before I can claim it as my own?

A year ago - Whole Stuffed Cabbage

Beer Braised Chicken

I know  my posts are hardly regular these days and I've no excuse except that it feels like we're on vacation. Easy for me to say, huh? We're far from settled into our new home and there's still tons of work to be done but the weather's picture perfect, the days fly by and it's just so darn nice to have Big Guy home for good! 

Last night's dinner was one of those quick chicky braises we so enjoy because they taste exceptionally good never mind they're easy on the cook and the budget. This one's direct from Food Network Magazine with some added "JBugisms" because that's what using a recipe's all about. You just have to add your own personal touches ya' know. 

Along the lines of a beef carbonade except with bird instead of bovine, I used bone in skin on chicken thighs instead of the skinless boneless version called for consequently it took a little longer to cook never mind I like to finish my braises in the oven rather than stove top. I also added some sweet carrots along with the potatoes, just because, other than salad, we don't eat enough vegetables around here. Comined with the flavor of bacon, fresh thyme and beer of course (Black Butte Porter in our case) dinner kind of cooked itself and smelled and tasted delicious too.

I can't help but imagine how incredible it would have been accompanied by a soft, flakey biscuit direct from the oven but there likely wasn't enough room left on Big Guy's plate anyway. MMM!

Beer Braised Chicken from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Food Network Magazine

5 slices bacon, cut into quarter inch pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs, washed and dried

All-purpose flour for dredging

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 – 10 ounce package frozen pearl onions

1 -12 ounce bottle beer (I used Black Butte Porter)

2 tablespoons whole grain or Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme

6 small red potatoes cut in half

6 to 8 small carrots, peeled and left whole

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until fat renders and bacon is barely crisp. Remove bacon from the pot and set aside. Add olive oil to bacon fat. Heat over medium high until oil is shimmering. Meanwhile season chicken thighs well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge in flour shaking off excess. Brown chicken well on all sides and remove from pot when done. Add pearl onions to pot and cook, stirring until onions have thawed and turned golden in color. Add beer, mustard, brown sugar and thyme. Stir well. Return bacon and browned chicken to the pot and bring mixture to a high simmer. Place into the preheated oven and cook, uncovered for 20 minutes. Add potatoes and carrots to pot. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes or until vegetables are almost cooked through. Remove lid from pot and cook additional 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through and liquid is reduced. Remove thyme springs and discard. Garnish with parsley.  Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Braised Country Ribs with Cider and Cranberries

Two year's ago - Potato Crusted Halibut