Smothered Chicken

Ingredients

• ▢ 5 strips thick cut bacon
• ▢ 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ 1/2 cup Vegetable oil, for frying.

Chicken Dredge

• ▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup breadcrumbs, plain or Italian
• ▢ 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon black pepper

Gravy

• ▢ 4 Tablespoons Butter
• ▢ 4 Tablespoons Flour
• ▢ 2.5 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 beef bouillon cube, or 1 tsp beef better than bouillon
• ▢ 1/3 cup half and half, (half milk, half cream)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce, can sub Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground sage
• ▢ 2-3 drops Kitchen Bouquet, optional

Instructions

• Prework: Add chicken dredge ingredients to a large plate and toss to combine. Set aside. Measure out gravy ingredients prior to beginning.
• Cook the Bacon: Fry bacon over medium-low heat until crispy on both sides. Remove from pan and pour grease into a heat-safe bowl. Reserve 2-4 Tablespoons of clear bacon drippings. Wipe any black residue from the pan if needed.
• Slice & Pound the Chicken: While the bacon cooks, slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Place saran wrap over them and use a meat tenderizer to pound them to about 3/4 inches thick. This gives them a little more texture for the flour dredge to hold on to. They’ll plump up more when cooked.
• Coat the Chicken: Wipe the chicken dry and coat generously in the flour mixture, get in every nook and cranny.
• Cook the Chicken: Add the reserved bacon drippings to the clean pan and enough vegetable oil to cover the chicken by half. Heat over medium-high heat. Once heated and glistening, add the chicken. Fry 2 at a time for about 5 minutes per side, until they have a nice golden sear. Set aside on a plate. Adjust heat down slightly and back up throughout cooking as needed.
• Drain the oil: Remove the oil from the pot and use a paper towel to remove any black spots from the pan, but leave any brown remnants. This is called ‘fond’ and will give the gravy a nice flavor.
• Make the Roux: Melt the butter over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the flour gradually, whisking continuously, until a paste forms.
• Add the Broth and Half and Half: Add the liquid in small increments, whisking constantly. It will thicken up in between each splash of liquid. If you add it all at once, you’ll “break” the roux and it won’t be thick. 
• Add remaining gravy ingredients: Slowly add the beef bouillon, soy sauce, and seasonings.
• Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add a few drops of kitchen bouquet if a darker color is desired.
• Add the chicken back to the pan along with any juice from the plate.
• Chop up the bacon and add it to the top of the chicken.
• Cover partially and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees prior to serving.
• Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes.

Source: https://thecozycook.com/wprm_print/36144

Creamy Garlic Chicken Breast Recipe

Creamy Garlic Chicken Breast Recipe

Ingredients

For The Chicken:

• 2-3 large boneless and skinless chicken breastshalved horizontally to make 4
• 4 tablespoons flour (all purpose or plain)
• 4 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Black cracked pepper

For The Sauce:

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 whole head of garlic peeled and divided into 10-12 cloves
• 1 1/4 cup chicken broth (stock)
• 1 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream (or evaporated milk)
• 1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, to serve

Instructions

• Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder and pepper.
• In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, parmesan cheese. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture; shake off excess.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl pan to coat evenly. 
• Fry 2-3 chicken breasts until golden on each side, cooked through and no longer pink (about 4-5 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer to a warm plate. Set aside.
• Wipe pan over with a sheet of paper towel. Repeat with remaining oil, butter and chicken breasts. When cooked, transfer the chicken onto the same plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Sauté the onion in the remaining oil/juices in the pan until softened. 
• Smash 6 whole cloves of garlic with the blunt edge of the back of a knife 
• Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat through, mixing it through the onions. Sauté smashed garlic cloves and whole garlic cloves until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the broth to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any browned bits and let simmer and reduce to half, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the cream. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for about 2-3 minutes, combining all of the flavours together.
• Mix in the parmesan cheese. Continue cooking gently for about 2-3 minutes until cheese melts, while stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. 
• Add the chicken back into the pan and let simmer for a further 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce to your liking. The chicken breast will soak up all of the delicious flavours.
• Garnish with parsley and a little black cracked pepper. 
  
  
  
  Source: https://cafedelites.com/wprm_print/60729

Brie, Apple and Cranberry Grilled Cheese

 

Brie, Apple and Cranberry Grilled Cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 4 sturdy slices sourdough bread(don't use soft bread)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc
• 8 ounces chilled brie (rind removed), cut into thin slices
• 1 medium honeycrisp apple, cut into thin slices
• 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

• Butter the four slices of bread.  Brush the other side with Sauvignon Blanc.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Place two slices of bread butter-side-down on the skillet.  Top each slice with brie, sliced apple and cranberry sauce.  Place the other slices of bread on top- butter-side-up. Place a lid on top of the skillet.
• Reduce the heat to medium and let the sandwiches toast on the bottom.  When the cheese looks like it's beginning to melt, take the lid off the skillet and use a spatula to check under the sandwiches.  When they're golden brown, flip them gently.  Toast the other side of the sandwich until golden brown.  Serve and eat immediately with a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc!

Source: https://www.recipegirl.com/wprm_print/58876

 

Chicken with Creamy White Wine, Mushroom and Spinach Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Servings: 5

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 boneless + skinless chicken thighs, lightly pounded
• 4 medium-sized cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (about 3 sprigs)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ white wine (something on the drier side, like a chardonnay or pinot grigio, works well)
• 2 tablespoons Maille Old Style Dijon mustard
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 6 ounces fresh spinach

Preparation

1. Place a large cast-iron skillet on a medium-high heat burner. Add the olive oil and allow it to heat for a few minutes. Next, add in the chicken thighs, allowing them to brown for 2-3 minutes on one side, before flipping them over and browning for 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove to a separate dish.
2. Turn the heat down to medium, then add the garlic to the skillet. Saute for 60 seconds before stirring in the mushrooms and sea salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have cooked down, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in the ground pepper, fresh thyme and flour and stir a few times before gradually adding in the chicken broth, wine, Maille Old Style Dijon mustard and cream. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2-3 minutes, then stir in the spinach, mixing until it wilts down, about 60 seconds. Lastly, place the chicken thighs back into the skillet, cover the pan and turn the heat to medium-low. Continue simmering the mixture for 10-12 minutes, or just until the thighs are cooked through.
4. Serve immediately. Best enjoyed with a side of crusty bread to soak up all the extra sauce!

 Source: https://us.maille.com/blogs/recipes/skillet-chicken-with-creamy-white-wine-mushroom-and-spinach-sauce

 Donuts

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbls dry yeast
• 1 C. milk
• 1/4 C. shortening room temp
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 3 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Dissolve yeast in 3oz of luke-warm water. Set aside.
• Heat milk in microwave for 2 minutes.
• While milk is heating add shortening to a large bowl. Pour hot milk over it and whisk until mixed. Add salt, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add eggs and mix well.
• Add yeast mixture to batter and mix. Add 1 cup of flour and mix well. Add 1 more cup of flour and mix. Add 1 last cup of flour and mix well. Batter should be sticky add another 1/2 cup of flour and mix until smooth. Do not allow dough to become tough.
• Sprinkle flour onto a clean surface and pour batter onto it. Gently knead dough until surface is not sticky to the touch. Place the soft dough into a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl and let rise for 1 to 1½ hours. Dough will be doubled in size when done.
• Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to about a 1 inch thickness. Cut the doughnuts out using a large and smaller circular cookie cutter for the donut holes. Move donuts and holes to a clean surface. Cover and let rise for 1 to 1½ hours.
• Once the donuts and holes are done rising, fry them in a large frying pan with vegetable oil until golden brown. I usually set mine on medium to medium high. 
  
  

  Chocolate Donut Glaze

  • ▢ 4 ounces chocolate chips
  • ▢ 2 Tablespoons butter
  • ▢ 1 Tablespoon corn syrup 
  • ▢ 2 Tablespoons heavy cream

  
  

  • In a medium sized bowl, add the heavy cream, butter and corn syrup to the chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir together until the chocolate is melted. Microwave for another 15 seconds if needed.
    

    Glaze

    • ▢ 2 C.  powdered sugar, sifted 
    • ▢ 2 Tablespoons milk
    • ▢ Food coloring As desired  

    
    

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and milk (use more milk or water to thin glaze until desired consistency). Add 1/4 tsp more milk or water at a time until you reach desired consistency. 
       
      

      

      
      

      Chocolate Creme Filling:  1/4 cup of butter  1/4 cup of shortening  1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder (omit for vanilla creme filling)  2 cups of powdered sugar  1 teaspoon vanilla  1-2 Tablespoons of milk  I use my whisk attachment on my mixer to blend the butter and shortening well first. Then add in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Stir it well. Then add the milk slowly while whisking until it is light and fluffy. I like to do this the night before also and refrigerate it so the filling is nice and firm. To fill the donuts without holes first I roll them in powdered sugar and then use a butter knife to create a hole in the side (not all the way through) and wiggle it around inside creating space for the creme filling.

      Source: https://mycrazyblessedlife.com/2016/03/02/homemade-melt-in-your-mouth-donuts/

Jersey Grinder

 Jersey Grinder Sandwich 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Iceberg lettuce head, chopped
• 1 C. Mayonnaise 
• 2 Tbls. red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 C. Pepperoncini peppers thinly sliced 
• 1/2 C. red onion thinly sliced 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. Oregano 
• Olive oil
• Favorite lunch meat and cheese (I use turkey, ham, salami and provolone)
• Hoagie Rolls
• 1 tomato, sliced 
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a bowl mix mayo and red wine vinegar. 
• Add garlic, peppers, oregano and onion slices. 
• Add the chopped lettuce and combine until well mixed. 
• Split the hoagie rolls lengthwise and coat interior of roll with olive oil, sprinkle oregano, salt, pepper, add your cheese, parmesan cheese and lunch meats and broil in oven until cheese is melted about 5 minutes. 
• Remove from oven and add lettuce mixture, tomato and extra onions if desired and serve with chips. Grab a lot of napkins!