It's a living thing, what a terrible thing to lose...

One of my first blog posts was the traditional banh mi sandwich. I have revisited this delight today in a different form. Actually, banh mi is a Vietnamese term for all kinds of bread. Bread, or more specifically the baguette, was introduced by the French during its colonial period. The bread most commonly found in Vietnam is a single serving baguette; therefore the term banh mi is synonymous with this type of bread. The banh mi is usually more airy than its western counterpart, so as a result, has a thinner crust. In the western hemisphere, especially in areas with substantial Vietnamese expatriate communities, the term is used to refer to a type of meat-filled sandwich on banh mi bread, found in Vietnamese bakeries. Typical fillings include steamed, pan-roasted or oven-roasted seasoned pork belly, Vietnamese sausage, grilled pork, grilled pork patties, spreadable pork liver pate, grilled chicken, soft pork meatballs in tomato sauce. Accompanying vegetables typically include fresh cucumber slices, generous amounts of cilantro, and pickled carrots and daikon in shredded form. Common condiments include spicy chili sauce, sliced chilis, and mayonnaise. I wanted to take all these intense flavors and make a cool refreshing summer sandwich, so I set out to recreate all this goodness in a chicken salad banh mi. It in fact turned out just as delicious as the original. You can cater the heat to your liking, but this is supposed to be a spicy sandwich. This salad keeps nicely in the fridge for a few days. If you have extra pickled veggies they are good on just about anything or simply on their own. This would serve as an ideal summer evening dinner.  

Chicken Salad Banh Mi Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (or more if you like)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups chopped chicken breast

3/4 to 1 cup pickled carrots and radishes (recipe follows)

1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced (slice the second half for sandwiches)

1 green onion, finely sliced

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (for sandwich topping) finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

1 jalapeno, diced (remove ribs and seeds for less heat)

baguettes

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the Sriracha sauce, mayonnaise, light sour cream, soy sauce, and lime juice. Whisk in the ginger, garlic and salt - set aside.

In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (minus pickled veggies).

Pour dressing over the salad and stir until evenly mixed.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Place salad on bread with sliced cucumbers, pickled veggies and cilantro.

Pickled Veggies

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup shredded radishes

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt.

Heat and stir until combined.

Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before pouring over veggies.

Let them pickle overnight or longer for best results.

Until tomorrow…Peace.

Pin It Now!

Down the Mississippi to New Orleans...

Happy Friday! I assure you I have not let my cooking stand idle throughout my absence. With a move and a busy few months behind me I am pleased to report I will now be resuming my regular posts. I ask for your patience during this transition period, as you can imagine I have accumulated many photos and recipes while away. It is taking some time to organize the pics, and complete the recipes I have created. Enough about that, let’s talk about today’s post, stuffed zucchini with kale pesto and chicken. Since it is the season for gorgeous farmers markets, this is where I shop for fresh produce. I usually attend the markets without a plan, and purchase the freshest brightest looking goodies. Now comes the fun part, deciding how to prepare these gems. My favorite stand, at the Saturday market I attend, allows patrons to walk up on a large flatbed and pick from an array of delights. The kale has been wonderful, but I found, myself in a rut. In order to get out of this routine I tried a kale pesto with walnuts. So delicious!! This recipe takes the pesto and combines it with shredded chicken and quinoa stuffed into a zucchini boat. The result is fun, healthy, and works as a wonderful freezer meal. A simple salad is a delicious accompaniment (I used fresh beets in mine). It is wonderful to be back, and I look forward to hearing how this recipe worked in your home.

Quinoa and Kale Pesto Stuffed Zucchinis

4 lovely looking zucchinis

For the pesto

1 bunch of kale

1 ¼ C walnuts

3 T grated parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves minced

Olive Oil

For the stuffing

1 cup of cooked quinoa (according to package)

3 C shredded chicken (precooked at home or rotisserie)

Salt and pepper to taste

Pop your oven on to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To prepare the zucchinis slice each zucchini in half and use a metal spoon to scrape out the soft middle part leaving 1/2 a cm of white flesh around the edges.  Line up each of these beauties on the prepared baking tray. To make the kale and walnut pesto, first blanch the kale in boiling water for 1 minute and then refresh in ice water (this helps keep the vibrant color). Squeeze out all the moisture and then transfer to a food processor. Add the walnuts, garlic and parmesan cheese. Pulse these ingredients while adding olive oil until smooth mixture develops.

For the chicken I roasted chicken breast and then shredded them, but you could also use a store bought rotisserie chicken. Mix chicken, quinoa, pesto, salt and pepper. Transfer the stuffing to the hollow zucchinis until all the zucchinis are tightly packed with stuffing. Bake for 10-15 minutes until zucchinis are soft and the stuffing has browned. Serve with a side salad.

Until tomorrow…Peace.

Pin It Now!

You gotta keep your head up...

There is not anything much tastier than a large bowl of macaroni and cheese. The ultimate comfort food. Naturally I had to make some adjustments to the standard variety. The elements of this mac and cheese include roasted chicken, creamy goat cheese, and fresh rosemary. This is soothing, but elegant enough to entertain with.  The sharpness of the goat cheese is softened by the roasted chicken, and the rosemary adds a fresh from the garden flavor. The wonderful thing in regard to pasta and cheese is it can easily be transformed with many pantry items and spice variations. So I encourage you to switch up your traditional mac and cheese routine. 

Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Rosemary

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound dried rigatoni

1 quart heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 clove fresh garlic, crushed

8 ounces goat cheese

2 cups shredded roasted chicken

salt and pepper to taste

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Add the oil and rigatoni to the water and cook according to the directions on the package, 10-12 minutes.

While you are waiting for the water to boil, pour the cream into a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the rosemary and garlic to the cream and bring it to a simmer - take care not to let it boil over. Allow the cream to reduce by about half.

Stir in the goat cheese and chicken and continue cooking cooking it till the cream coats the back of a spoon.

Thoroughly drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the sauce. Coat the pasta in the sauce and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Serve hot.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

Where it all ends I can't fathom, my friends. If I knew, I might toss out my anchor...

Today I have a Thai inspired flatbread with a delicious peanut sauce as the base. The flatbread I used is the recipe that I have utilized in many previous posts, the only change is I did not add any herbs to the dough. I grilled the flatbread but baked it with the sauce and toppings, but you could certainly grill the entire dish. Also, if you wanted a shortcut as far as the bread making I believe you could use store bought Naan bread (Indian flatbread). The toppings are simple: chicken, red bell pepper, Serrano pepper (you can omit this if intimidated by heat),carrots, and a garnish of cilantro. The true flavor comes from the peanut sauce comprised of peanut butter, soy sauce, chili flakes, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar to name a few. The peanut sauce is actually delicious on chicken breasts, vegetables, or even sandwiches. This is an excellent flatbread to entertain with as it slightly out of the ordinary.  

Ingredients

The peanut sauce:

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/4 cup peanut butter

3 tbsp soy sauce 

1 1/2 tsp water

2 1/4 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp canola oil

1 1/2 tsp packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger

1/4 tsp chili garlic sauce or red chile flakes

The flatbread:

4 pieces flatbread (recipe can be found by clicking on "Bread" on the right hand side of my blog)

2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 large carrot, peeled & cut into matchsticks

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup minced cilantro

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 

The peanut sauce:

In a blender, combine sesame oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, canola oil, brown sugar, ginger and chili garlic sauce. Blend until smooth.

The flatbread:

Lay 2 pieces of flatbread on a flatbread on a baking sheet.

Spread 2 tablespoons of peanut sauce on each piece of flatbread.

Divide half of the chicken, red bell pepper, Serrano, carrots, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese evenly between the 2 pieces of flatbread.

Place the baking sheet in the oven.

Bake until the cheese is melted and the flatbread is golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the flatbreads to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Slice the flatbreads and garnish with minced cilantro. Serve.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

I've been burdened with blame trapped in the past for too long, I'm moving on...

Today's Chinese inspired, spicy lemon sesame pieces may be served as an appetizer, or over rice as a meal. These are fried (I tried them baked and they just were not as good) I believe anything fried  makes for a potential crowd pleaser. They would certainly be a lovely side to an Asian inspired hors d'oeuvre party. You could also serve pot stickers, a cold noodle dish, and spring rolls. For dessert sliced fruit would do the trick. Now all you need is a hanging Japanese lantern on the porch. The sesame seeds atop the delicious sauce give them a superb nutty flavor without being too overbearing. The spice is minimal (you may always add more), so they are kid friendly as well.

• 
  
• 
  
• 1 lb chicken breast fillets, cut into strips
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 3 teaspoon cornstarch
• Extra cornstarch for coating
• 2 cups oil for frying
• sesame seeds
• 
  
Lemon sauce:


• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Combine egg, water, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, Sriracha and cornstarch in a small bowl, mix until smooth. Pour mixture over chicken pieces and set aside for 10 minutes.Roll each chicken piece in cornstarch and place in a single layer on a plate ready to be fried.Fry in hot oil until golden ( around 5 minutes). Drain and set aside. To make the sauce, combine the lemon juice, water, honey, ginger and vinegar in a small pan. Bring to a boil, add cornstarch mixture, stirring until the sauce thickens.Pour over the chicken pieces, sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds...

I am forever trying to jazz up a plain boneless skinless chicken breast. I cherish them because they are a nice lean source of protein, but so often they come across as dry and boring. I have today, a very simple grilled chicken sandwich, with the highlight being grilled pineapple. I think grilled fruit on a sandwich is perfect for a summer cookout. I marinated the chicken in pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. It is an excellent marinade considering you achieve a salty flavor through the soy, sweetness from the sugar and pineapple juice, in addition to a clever bite from the Dijon. I also mixed mayo with a little Sriracha as the base spread for the sandwich. A sharp dill pickle is a pleasant accompaniment along with grilled potato wedges. I encourage you to add this recipe to your summer rotation for grilled chicken.  

Ingredients

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 small can of pineapple rings, 4 slices

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 T mayonnaise
1 T Sriracha

2 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls

2 slices of Swiss cheese

Pound out the chicken breast and cut into two pieces.  Combine the juice from the pineapple can, soy sauce, brown sugar, and mustard. Marinate the chicken for 4 hours or overnight in the juice mixture. I preferred the overnight marinade best. Grill the chicken for 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Add the cheese to the chicken when there is 3 minutes remaining. At this time I also placed the buns face down on the grill. While the chicken is grilling, add the pineapple rings halfway through, turning once. Combine mayo and Sriracha, spread on the grilled buns. Place chicken and pineapple, enjoy!

** This makes 2 good sized sandwiches, but may easily be adjusted for more. If you are making 4 or more sandwiches, I would use fresh pineapple if it looks good, and then just get a can of pineapple juice for the marinade. 

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

If I love you, all is groovy...

As you are all aware I love hot and spicy, so naturally I adore chicken wings. Tabasco sauce and Sriracha are in contention for the title of my favorite condiment. I also consider buffalo wings to be All-American, and as I am attempting to create my Fourth of July menu I experimented with these small buffalo cups. DELICIOUS! Crunchy, spicy, and tangy from the blue cheese. Also, they are not nearly as messy as a wing. If you find blue cheese to be too abrasive, a dash of ranch dressing would suffice. These are simple to assemble and the chicken may be prepared in advance. I think they will be a delightful addition to your traditional burger and hot dog menu Wednesday.

1 pound boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts

3 T olive oil, divided

1 t smoked paprika

1 t chili powder

24 wonton wrappers

1 T unsalted butter, melted

1/2 C hot sauce (of your choice I used Crystal)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 C blue cheese crumbles

3 scallions, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika and chili powder.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes before shredding with a fork.

Fit a wonton wrapper into each of the 24 muffin tins, pressing carefully to make sure there is an opening in the center.

Place into oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until very lightly browned.

In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, butter, and Frank’s Red Hot; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Keeping the wontons in the baking cups, fill each cup with 2 tablespoons chicken mixture. Sprinkle with blue cheese.

Place into oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has softened and melted.

Serve immediately, topped with scallions.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

Pennies and dimes for a kiss...

Summer has arrived in Florida, it has been in the mid nineties. Therefore, I have been attempting to create flavorful different salad options that serve as a meal. The salad I am bringing to you today is Asian inspired with an intense ginger dressing. Hot summer days and balmy evenings are a great excuse for a picnic, as well. This Chinese Chicken Salad packs up perfectly. Toss the shredded chicken meat with half of the dressing. Pack the greens and carrot ribbons separately from the chicken. Pour the toasted sesame seeds into a small container and pack the won tons chips in another. Put everything into a cooler, with a bottle of lemonade, grab your picnic gear, pack a blanket, and head out with the one you love.

Happy Summer.

4 tablespoons sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

zest from 1 lime

3 tablespoons ginger simple syrup (simply boil sugar water and fresh grated ginger)

1 teaspoon hot chili oil

1/8 cup sesame seeds

1/2 lb baby boy choy, cut in half

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 large carrot, scrubbed clean

5 cups mixed baby greens,washed and dried

3 cups shredded poached chicken

12 won ton wrappers, cut in half

1/4 cup canola oil

In a small jar combine the first 7 ingredients, put a lid on top, and shake like crazy. Set aside. In a medium frying pan, over medium heat, lightly toast the sesame seeds until golden; about 2 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and set aside. In the same frying pan add the canola oil and gently heat. Adding a single layer of won ton wrappers, cook, turning once, until golden brown. Approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel, and repeat the process. Once finished frying the won tons, set them aside until later.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Have a large bowl of ice water near by. Add the bok choy, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Immediately drain into a colander and then plunge the bok choy into the icy water. 

In a large salad bowl add the greens, onions, cucumber slices and poached chicken. Using a vegetable peeler cut the carrot into ribbons. Add to the salad bowl. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the top. Crunch half of the won ton chips over the salad. Lightly drizzle with half of the dressing, and toss. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top. Serve. Eat.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

Ohhh baby I love your ways...

Summer is for barbecue chicken as far as I am concerned. These are spicy chicken skewers (but the heat may be adjusted if you do not desire as much heat). Very simply prepared and a true crowd pleaser. Soy, honey, lime and Siracha are the main players in this dish. I served these with a yellow rice pilaf, but I feel they would be delicious in a wrap or on a salad. This is light bright chicken dish that may be served hot or at room temperature. A perfect addition to any outdoor gathering.



3 T soy sauce

2 T honey

1 T vegetable oil

juice of one lime

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 t Siracha

red pepper flakes, to taste

2 T fresh cilantro

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts

In a small bowl, combine your ingredients, through the cilantro. Mix thoroughly.

Pour marinade over chicken breasts and turn to coat. Cover and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.

Grill on medium high heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until juices run clear.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...

The recipe today is bright and fresh, although I did encounter a problem during preparation...the gas grill ran out of gas. In turn, I baked my mango chicken skewers in the oven, followed by browning  them under the broiler. This was not the original plan, but if you are without a grill I am pleased to inform you there is an alternative option. The mango tree seems to be maintaining it's high volume of production, so I am continuing to attempt to create new dishes. This is a simple chicken skewer with mangoes, red onion, and cherry tomatoes drizzled with honey for a glistening glaze accompanied with a ginger mango sauce. I placed the chicken on a bed of rice pilaf seasoned with fresh cilantro and scallions. A perfect summer meal!

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1inch cubes

1 large mango, cut in 1 inch cubes

16 cherry or plum tomatoes

1 small red onion, cut into 8 wedges lengthwise,

Honey for glazing

wooden skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray.

Arrange ingredients in any order you like.

Place all skewers on foil lined sheet, leaving at least ½-inch between. Drizzle with honey and spread to cover with a pastry brush. Turn over and brush with honey on second side.

Roast in 400*F oven for about 12 minutes, then turn skewers over and roast for a second 10 minutes. If chicken is not cooked through, roast for an additional 5 minutes. For additional char, run under the broiler for a minute on each side. Serve with lime wedges.

Mango dipping sauce:

1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced, about 1 cup

¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrate

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

In a food processor, combine mango, orange juice concentrate, vinegar and grated ginger. Puree until smooth. Chill. Serve with skewers.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

Well you can tell by the way I use my walk I'm a woman's man...

A little Mexican for you today. I could eat Mexican daily, the spice and flavors are right up my alley.  These are baked burritos with chicken and beans, but the showstopper is the roasted poblano sauce that tops the burritos. I actually believe this sauce would enhance tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas. It serves as a refreshing change to the average cheese sauce. I also added some fresh pico de gallo on top for coolness. These burritos freeze beautifully, allowing you to have a delicious meal on hand for a busy night. Adult pleasing, and kid approved an excellent weekend dinner.

For the burritos:

1 T canola oil

1 large onion, diced

1 lb thinly sliced chicken (or diced) chicken

3 cloves garlic, minced

T tomato paste

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 serrano (if you want to boost the heat)

1/4 C water

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t oregano

1 1/2 t chili powder

1/8 t cayenne

1 t brown sugar

Kosher salt

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese

4-10 whole tortillas, depending on size (4 for burrito-sized, more for soft taco sized)

Cooking spray

For the sour cream-poblano sauce:

2 poblano peppers

2 T butter

2 T flour

2/3 C chicken broth at room temperature

1/2 C sour cream (light is fine) or non-fat Greek yogurt

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

To make the burritos: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and then add the oil. Once hot, add the onions (and serrano if using) and cook for 3-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Place the chicken in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds before adding in the beans. Add the water, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, brown sugar and salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon). Reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese at the end of each tortilla (depending on size) and then spoon some of the chicken and bean mixture over the top. Roll tortilla. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and lightly spray the tops of the burritos with cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tortillas are golden brown and crispy.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the poblanos directly over a gas burner, or on a sheetpan under the broiler. Using tongs, turn occasionally until skin is blackened on all sides. Place in a bowl and top with plastic wrap or a clean towel, until cool enough to handle.  Peel the peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and dice them.

Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter; stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and then the diced poblano; continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened. Stir in the sour cream/yogurt and warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce over the baked burritos.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

Because you're mine, I walk the line...

A chopped salad with a southwest twist is on the menu. This salad is a combination of chicken, beans, corn, Mexican and ranch flavors. This is simplistic in preparation (if you wanted to make it even easier you could use a rotisserie chicken). The salad is packed with multiple bright and fresh flavors provided by tomatoes, scallions, avocados, herbs, and fresh lime juice. If you desired a sweet note you could add chopped mango or papaya. This is an excellent lunch or light dinner. I made basic cheese quesadillas with pico de gallo to serve alongside.  I encourage you to switch up your normal salad routine, and give this vibrant chopped salad a try. 

Ingredients:

2 C cooked chicken diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 C black beans

1 C sweet yellow corn

2 roma tomatoes, diced

4 scallions, sliced

1 large romaine heart, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 just under ripe avocados, diced

2 C crushed tortilla chips

for the dressing:

1/2 C mayonnaise

1/2 C sour cream

1/2 T fresh chopped dill

1/2 T fresh chopped chives

1/2 T fresh chopped parsley

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

1 t cayenne pepper

1/2 tablespoon lime juice

salt & pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, stir all salad ingredients together, excluding the tortilla chips and avocado. In a small bowl, stir all dressing ingredients together until smooth. When ready to serve, toss salad with dressing then gently stir in avocado and tortilla chips.

If you are not planning on eating the entire salad just dress what you plan on eating, and save the dressing. If you are only using half and avocado, drizzle with lemon juice and cover tightly with saran wrap (it will keep for a day this way).

For a variation this salad could easily be placed into a wrap (an idea for a summer picnic).

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!

It's time for a few small repairs, she said...

Unfortunately when I get something in my head it is not easily forgotten. I have been thinking about fried chicken for awhile now. I keep saying to myself, "it's unhealthy, it makes a mess of the kitchen, there are so many other ways to fix chicken." Well, Sunday morning I was watching the food network and Guy Fieri was fixing fried chicken, and then I went to the grocery store and smelled the deli fried chicken; at this moment I threw my arms in the air and surrendered to the notion. I quickly pushed my cart to the poultry section, and bought a whole chicken to FRY. I am not all that familiar with frying my own chicken, it is something that always seemed easier to purchase. I must admit this was not a strenuous process, just numerous steps. I prepared a simple spicy coleslaw, packed with jalapenos. Naturally, I made this into a sandwich, by far the best fried chicken sandwich I have ever eaten. I will let you be the judge.

1 whole chicken ( cut into pieces), I also did a couple extra breasts for sandwiches

Kosher salt to taste

1 quart buttermilk

1 pound all-purpose flour

1 T cayenne pepper

1 T kosher salt + more to taste

1 1/2 t freshly ground pepper

vegetable oil, for frying

Season chicken breasts with kosher salt. Let sit at least 5 minutes. Fill a wide, shallow bowl or casserole dish with buttermilk. Add the chicken and soak in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to overnight.

To fry chicken, pour vegetable oil into a large stockpot. Do not fill up more than halfway, or the oil could splatter. Bring oil up to 365°, or until when a speck of flour is dropped in it bubbles. Prepare the breading while waiting for oil to heat up.

In a wide shallow bowl, mix flour, cayenne, salt and pepper. Pull a piece of chicken out of the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and dredge completely in flour. To create a thick crust, place in buttermilk and dredge in flour a second time. Do not drain or shake off excess buttermilk or flour during the breading process.

When the oil is at 365°, carefully place chicken pieces into oil one by one. Let it cook for a minute before disturbing chicken, then help it in the oil with tongs, until it is evenly cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels. Season immediately with salt.

1 T Dijon mustard

3 T red wine vinegar

1 t kosher salt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

1 cup red wine vinegar

4 jalapenos, seeded, cut in half and sliced crosswise (you may use less if you don't want to much heat)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 green cabbage, core and outer leaves removed, and very thinly sliced

Kosher salt

For the coleslaw, macerate onions in red wine vinegar, and let sit at least 20 minutes. Remove onions and discard vinegar. Toss onions with jalapeno, parsley, cabbage and salt. Toss with vinaigrette until evenly coated.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

Pin It Now!