If The Kitchen’s “Cookbook Club” Asked Me to Talk about SUNDAY BEST DISHES, I Wouldn’t Say No!

The KITCHEN is on Saturdays at 11am Eastern

Hello there, loyal readers. This blog is a review about a fun new show on the Food Network. Because I always liked The View (and The Chew!), the format of The KITCHEN is instantly appealing; it features five friends, who chow down and TALK FOOD—each episode (and so far there have been 2) is cleverly divided with Q&A from fans, a cooking demo that features a recipe with the top 3 most googled ingredients in the country, and an appearance of a cookbook author with a new book. Jenny McCoy, author of Desserts for Every Season was the first guest on The Show’s “Cookbook Club” segment; she made a warm chocolate bread pudding that I imagine co-host Jeff Mauro will try eating on a treadmill for next week’s opening credits!

On a good day I like to say I know foolproof food, and the way The KITCHEN is structured is certainly that: FOOLPROOF! I can’t tell you how interesting it is to know that 850,000 hungry souls googled, on the same day, what to do with the frozen lump of chicken in their fridge.

The KITCHEN’s panel, in addition to the hilarious Sandwich King (Jeff, whom I already mentioned), includes Sunny Anderson, Geoffery Zakarian, Katie Lee and Marcela Valladolid; these friends took the top 3 google hits for the week: quinoa, chicken and kale, and made them into a WONDERFUL entrée. I know because I made the dish right after watching the show. Sunny Anderson looked straight into camera and said that cooking, for her, was often about simply “emptying out the fridge!” and as though it were fate, I had some languishing items in my refrigerator (like a bag of frozen Brussels sprouts) that worked like a charm in The KITCHEN’S CHILE-RUBBED CHICKEN BREAST WITH KALE, QUINOA AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD. 

I didn’t follow Marcela’s recipe to the letter, but she did provide the base, and everyone in my family who loves chicken was pretty happy the night I added my own tweaks to what I can tell you is a truly solid dish. I liked how the panel, brimming with intimidating culinary talent, let all that go for the hour, and focused on teaching without preaching. On the kale/chicken recipe, Katie Lee asked if you could use feta in place of Marcela’s choice, cotija (a cheese I’m sure not everyone knows about), and everyone—including Marcela, was quick to advocate for substitutes anytime you want, and substitute I did. I didn’t have quinoa, so I used couscous; didn’t have toasted almonds so I used pine nuts—everyone loved it and I got rid of those darned Brussels Sprouts…and some feta!

The only thing I would have done differently is advise home chefs to really, really, wash that kale! I knew to do it because, well, what person in the food industry doesn’t have a PhD in kale by now? (we hear about it every single day!); however, for the layperson…you just might end up with some sand in your sauté if you’re not used to working with the stuff—and that’s what my latest book, Sunday Best Dishes: A Cookbook for Passionate Cooks is all about, educating home chefs in a way that’s fun and relatable. You don’t know you’re learning, you just know you’re cooking—I can’t wait to share that philosophy with everyone in The KITCHEN!

Let’s Talk Turkey!

Different holidays prompt the funniest questions from home chefs. I came across one at Easter that admitted to having to google how to make hard boiled eggs, year after year. That got me thinking that the same might be true when it comes to turkey prep on Thanksgiving.  The truth is, not many people roast a magnificent, heavy bird on a regular basis, and come November perhaps some of us have forgotten how. This 2^nd blog in my 2013 Thanksgiving series is on brining and other important steps in roasting your turkey to perfection.

So without further adieu….

I prefer fresh, organic turkey. It’s hardly a shock—but I find they cook in half the time of a frozen bird and are tender and juicy, beyond compare; the best bird I ever had was a 24 pounder we nicknamed Harry. He was fresh off the farm and overflowed the roasting pan. I prepared him using my age-old recipe in At Home in the Kitchen for Herb and Sherry Roasted Turkey with Savory Gravy—click the recipe link for step by step instructions with juicy photos!

This year I ordered mine from New Life Farm in Boon, NC—way, way in advance of November. I called New Life just to chat with the farmer-in-chief about how hard it is to come by a fresh turkey for Thanksgiving. It turns out, he sold out in September! He says that the average weight of (one of his) free range turkeys is around 16 pounds. He raised and sold about 50 turkeys this season, and saved one for his family, which he plans to brine for up to 2 hours in salt and herbs and smoke on a Green Egg grill. YUM! He recommended Bare Essentials as another place to find a competitively priced bird, at around 3.95 per pound.  If you’ve ordered through New Life, you can pick up the star centerpiece to your Thanksgiving at the Watauga Farmers Market, or simply pick it up at the farm. These birds really must be good, as Cory told me that he’s been asked to supply Bare Essentials with all their turkeys next year. Congrats to New Life! I’m proud to be a customer : )

Here are some other places (in North Caroline & beyond!) that know how to talk turkey:

·         --The Fresh Market (click the link to start an order)

·         --Whole Foods

·         --Trader Joe’s (hey, South Florida friends—have you checked out the 1^st TJ’s in Pembroke Pines??)

All that being said, I realize not everyone could lay hands on a fresh turkey and may have to welcome a frozen one; just make sure to follow the USDA guideline of thawing it properly, in the refrigerator or very cold water, around 40 degrees; the formula for thawing is one day for every 4 to 5 pounds. In cold water, rather than the fridge, you can cut that time in half—about 30 minutes per pound; a big cooler with ice just might do the trick.

Here are some other important things to remember when you’re talkin’ turkey….  

     Add flavor to your turkey with moisture! Get a juicy finished product by making sure that most of the flavor enhancements going into your turkey are moist, i.e. honey, butter, molasses, citrus juices and broths. I’ve always rubbed the turkey up and under with herbed butter. Soaking the flavor in a brine solution works wonders too. 

·        Let your turkey rest about 1 hour after it comes out of the oven. It’ll be moister and easier to carve once you’re ready to dig in.   About brining….You want to soak the turkey in the brine for about 1 hour per pound of turkey, adding 1 ½ cups salt per gallon of water. The water must be cold—once again, at about 40 degrees.

This Simple Brining Solution Makes for a Really Juicy Outcome!

Use 3 cups cider, 2 gallons cold H20, 8 sprigs fresh rosemary, 5 cloves garlic, ¾ cup Kosher salt, 2 cups brown sugar, 3 tablespoons peppercorns, 5 whole bay leaves and about 3 quartered oranges with the  peels still on.

My turkey roasting technique…

I preheat the oven to 450, place the turkey in the oven and immediately reduce heat to 325 degrees. Cooking time is 15 to 20 minutes per pound. Add five minutes per pound if the bird is stuffed—for some excellent variations on stuffing, check out this link on the Food Network, who snagged me with their cranberry, caramelized onion and goat cheese stuffing recipe—might just have to try that one, in addition to my foolproof White Raisin Stuffing that I can’t wait to try with a bottle of Pinot Grigio. For the gravy, I defer to my blog post from November, 2011.

So get crackin’, home cooks and call or write immediately if you want my help—I’ve cooked my share of turkeys. In fact, an exact number of how many might just depress me. Good thing, I’ve got another blog on choosing the perfect wine on the November blog publishing schedule—look for that one on November 23, 2013.  Cheers!

Jon A.’s Gumbo

Serves: 10
Prep Time: About 2 hours

1/3 cup olive oil
4 large yellow onions, chopped (about 8 cups)
4 red bell peppers, seeded, chopped (about 4 1/2 cups)
4 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups red wine
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (12 oz. can) corn
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
6 bay leaves
2 (28-oz.) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (8 oz. can) tomato paste
6 cups vegetable broth
4 pounds andouille sausage, cut into slices
10 ounces chicken breast, shredded
10 ounces fresh crab meat
1 pound okra, sliced (about 4 cups)

Salt and ground pepper

2 pounds peeled deveined medium shrimp

Steamed rice

In a large stock pot, Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until caramelized, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add bell peppers, celery and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cayenne, red wine, black beans and corn.  Add coriander, and bay leaves; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes (do not drain), tomato paste, vegetable broth, sausage, chicken and crab; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add okra and simmer until just tender, about 8 minutes.

Add shrimp to pot and cook to doneness, about 5 minutes. Season gumbo to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in soup bowls on a bed of steamed rice.

Write it on the Sunday Menu: A Dreamy One-Pot Chicken Dish, Heavy on the Sauce!

Sundays should be special. They should also be easy, and that’s why I’m so enamored of my Sunday Best Braised Chicken Thighs with Sweet Peas and Bacon. When it comes to ingredients, precious little (you could practically write what you’ll need on the back of a postage stamp) goes into this kicked up version of Coq au Vin, but it’s ridiculously good, and, better yet, teaches the home cook about creating sauces on the stovetop that could pass le saucier’s final exam in a French cooking school. Coq au vin is simply chicken cooked in red wine, and while the cook can work with whatever crimson vino he or she prefers, I recommend something dry for this, like a Pinot Noir or French Burgundy.

On shopping day, consider going to Costco for the chicken—as I mentioned in my Sunday excursion post, I visited Costco and was just as pleased as punch that the retailer sold 18 chicken thighs, already neatly bundled, in 6 different packages—that made it so easy!  However, if you’re more provincial with your poultry and see your butcher, ask him to cut up a whole chicken into 10 pieces; that’ll help you approach this chicken dish with utter and complete ease.

Half the wine to cook with, the other half to help the mind wander!

I love the history behind anything braised. That’s why it made me laugh so much in the movie Hairspray, when John Travolta (as Edna Turnblatt) drifts over to the skillet on the stove and asks in a dreamy Baltimore accent: “Is that braised!?” It so happens braising has been a family favorite long before the 60s. Since Julius Caesar! The earliest recorded mention of it came from a English cookbook in the 1800’s. The cook/author was known merely as “a French woman”, and she taught the Brits to make Poulet au vin blanc. She used white wine. There are so many options when you braise chicken! In Fresh Traditions, I made a version of this dish with chorizo sausage and baby artichokes—but I like Sunday Best’s version even better.

More to Come…!

You’ll be so pleased when you plate this dish for your family. The peas give the dish a freshness and brightness that’s much needed on these cold January nights. This chicken is heaven on its own, but also works when served over a bed of rice, egg noodles or the Polenta With Asiago Cheese that’s making the rounds through my test kitchen. Stay tuned!

Braised Chicken Thighs with Sweet Peas and Bacon

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large (5 to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 6 smaller thighs
1 teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 large white onion, peeled and thinly sliced, about 1 ½ cups
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup red wine
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
½ cup sour cream
1 (16-ounce can) sweet peas, drained or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed

            Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the bacon in the olive oil until crisp.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a platter. Set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings.

            Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.  Cook the chicken in the pan until browned on one side, about 3 minutes.  Turn and brown on the remaining side, about 3 minutes more.  Transfer to a platter.

            Carefully pour out the fat from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Place the onions into the skillet. Cook until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, wine and tomatoes. Return the chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. 

            Stir in the peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream and sprinkle the dish with bacon.

Sunday Best Duck Confit

First, what is Duck Confit? I know that anything French produces slight intimidation in the home cook, but it really shouldn’t as the explanation of this divine dish is, well, divinely easy. Duck Comfit comes from the Gascon region of Southwestern France and involves salt curing duck legs for several days, and then slowly poaching them in fat. This method preserves the duck allowing you to use the rich, tender meat in other dishes later on. My streamlined recipe is a Sunday cook’s best friend. Cooking the duck in a slow cooker renders the fat and flavors the meat. Finish the dish in a sauté pan to crisp the skin. You can eat the duck right away, or transfer to an airtight container for later use. Pair with a dry, crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc.                                                                                  

So what got me thinking about duck? A recent trip to the Watauga Farmers’ Market led me back to my favorite vendor, New Life Farm and Jenny, the matriarch of the family and foodie extraordinaire. Her special this week is Muscovy Duck, which she touts to be less greasy and more like veal than poultry. We got to talking and the French delicacy, duck confit came up. Jenny mentioned that in between family and farm duties, she planned to embark on a tutorial to cook the classic dish. As it is one of my most favorite things, I too rose to the challenge. I posed the question, could I come up with a recipe that produces delicious duck comfit that every home cook can prepare?

Using my trusty slow cooker, and a packet of Jenny’s fabulous duck portions, I think I may have done it. Check out the recipe below and let me know what you think. You’ll notice in this photo, a duck breast with the leg/thigh portions in the slow cooker.

 

Using this recipe is not the way to cook the breast. I did it only to produce additional fat, as Jenny had run out of legs by the time I barged up to her stand. To cook the duck breast, slit the skin, season it, and cook the bird skin side down in a sauté pan until the skin is nice and crisp. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook just until the duck is rare (about 135°).

If all of this is just a little much, but your taste buds are in “must have duck confit” mode, go to D’artagnan.com and order it already prepared!

You’ll notice that I call this recipe Sunday Best Duck Confit. I do this as a sneak peak and preview of my new e-book, Sunday Best Dishes, A Cookbook for Passionate Cooks due out this spring. I’m looking for recipe testers now, so if you like dishes like this one, send a note to Jorj@Jorj.com and I’ll give you more info!

Sunday Best Duck Confit

Serves: 4
Prep Time: Slow cook the meat up to 5 hours; actual hands on time, about 15 minutes

4 duck thigh/leg pieces

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 large shallots thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Season the duck with salt, pepper and thyme. Place the shallots and garlic into a slow cooker. Place the duck legs, skin side down on top of the veggies. Set the slow cooker on the low setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Transfer the duck legs and fat from the slow cooker to a sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook until the skin crisps, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Suggestion: To store the duck for later use, place the legs into an airtight container. Cover the meat with the remaining fat. Seal and refrigerate for up to one week. To serve the duck later on, cook it in the remaining fat (or you can add duck fat to the pan). If you have extra fat, it is wonderful for cooking potatoes and vegetables. Use duck comfit as a substitute for pork belly in Pork Belly and Sweet Potato Hash, or as an additional ingredient in Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Strudel.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes from a Blue Ridge Locavore

http://www.christopherjmorgan.com/

Hi Friends! I am delighted to be back in the North Carolina Mountains for the summer.  After unpacking my bags, I made a run for the best farmer’s market in Boone, NC. They’ve got legendary vendors, offering everything from radishes the size of billiard balls to homemade strawberry-chocolate jam. I’ve included links to these locavores!” Gotta love that tongue twister! If Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers from the Watauga Farmers Market, they’d be lovingly canned into something you couldn’t get enough of—like Fire from the Mountain.   

Returning to this farmer’s market on Saturdays means I get to decorate my supper table with the region’s best. This is a recent display.

You’re looking at Soft Shell Crabs served on a bed of yummy collards, olive oil-poached salmon, slow roasted over herbs and cherry tomatoes, and an arranged grilled vegetable salad that featured eggplant, peppers, onions and locally grown tomatoes. Dessert was triple chocolate bread pudding, of course.

That same week, shopping locally meant dining on an herb rubbed organic chicken, raised humanely not 100 miles from home. I borrowed the recipe for Foolproof Rotisserie Chicken from the New Life Farm Stand and slow roasted it—the chicken really merits its very own blog entry and I promise you I’ll get to it soon. I simply wanted you to have this super easy, DEEPLY satisfying recipe on file for those lazy summer weekends ahead.  

What’s on the table tonight—in this insane locavore tour of Boone—is the Fresh Catch!

The purveyor was Carolina Beach Mobile Seafood. I couldn’t believe their selection. I mean talk about fresh! Some of them were still moving among an array of catfish, grouper and shrimp. The fish monger on duty offered me a sheet of paper as she was packaging up my treasure. I looked down and read the instructions on how to clean the crab.

“What? You don’t clean the crabs?” I asked a little nervously.

“No, Maam.”
Well OK then. Off I went.  

Dealing with my awesome haul of seafood later that night, I found that cleaning the first crab was a little scary, but by crab number six I was an old pro. I sautéed them in butter and olive oil and made a pan sauce with lemon, garlic and wine. I can’t begin to describe how good it was so I won’t even try.

But what I will do is describe the local food scene—you’ll need to know it, if you ever come to call. Among my favorites are Lulu’s Sweet and Savory—bread puddings to die for. I don’t know whether to be proud or ashamed, but I cleaned up with Lulu. It was only my first trip out, and already I’ve bought enough decadent bread puddings to fill one whole shelf of my freezer. I cannot wait to dig into one particular concoction that I bought there, featuring mushroom, rosemary and goat cheese.

Then there’s Cheryl Piraccie, offering samples of her home made jams. Check out the photo of this pair of Bella Rooster sweetness.

I’ve learned I cannot abide this life without her Chocolate-Strawberry Jam. Cheryl modestly compares it to Nutella, but Nutella has never tasted like this! I thought I’d hit the ceiling of euphoric foodie highs and then…well…I saw the roadside spring greens. There were bright collards and kale, dewy lettuce mixes and crisp garlic scapes. What more can I say? I see a lot of salads and sautéed greens in my family’s future.

My summer experience has begun and my taste buds are already on high alert. If you can’t get to the mountains of North Carolina, check out the websites of the farmers’ market vendors near you. Some of them ship! Share your farmers’ market finds and fresh recipes with the readers here. Post a comment or send along your thoughts to Jorj@Jorj.com. More to come!!

Foolproof Rotisserie Chicken (in a Slow Cooker)

The result is way better than store-bought deli chicken, and half the price—even though I purchased an organic chicken. Gotta love a Farmer’s Market!

1 whole organic chicken, about 3 ½ pounds

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 large white onion, peeled and quartered, about 1 cup

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced, about 1 tablespoon

In a small bowl, combine the salt, dried herbs, seasoning and pepper. Rub the chicken all over with the blend. Peel and quarter a whole onion, and peel and slice 4 cloves fresh garlic. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the onion and garlic. Lay the chicken breast side down into the slow cooker. DO NOT ADD WATER! Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.

Serve the chicken with your favorite sides such as au gratin potatoes and green beans, or quinoa and fresh peas. Make two chickens and serve one for supper.  Save the other for easy lunch and work week dinners.

Herb and Sherry Roasted Turkey

Serves 15 to 20 people with plenty leftover

Preparation time: about 20 minutes plus roasting

1 large fresh turkey, 10 to 12 pounds or more
1 to 2 apples or oranges, cut into quarters
¼ cup butter melted
¼ cup finely chopped fresh rosemary
¼ cup finely chopped fresh thyme
¼ cup finely chopped basil
¼ cup finely chopped oregano
½ cup sherry or dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Turkey giblet, liver, heart, and neck parts
1 bunch parsley
½ onion, sliced
1 stalk celery
1 bay leaf
¼ cup all-purpose flour, mixed with ½ to 1 cup cold water

Rinse the inside of the turkey thoroughly. Place pieces of apple and orange in the cavity of the bird.

Brush the skin of the turkey with the melted butter.
In a small bowl combine the herbs. Rub the mixture over the top and under the skin of the turkey.

Place the turkey on a rack in a heavy roasting pan. Drizzle the sherry over the turkey and let it run off into the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cover the turkey loosely with a foil tent to prevent over browning. You may place some water in the bottom of the pan. Roast according to the directions on the package for an unstuffed turkey.

Remove the foil with about one hour left to cook, and baste with the pan juices every 15 minutes. Let the bird stand for 30 minutes before carving.

For the Savory Gravy:

Remove the turkey parts from inside the uncooked turkey and place them in a large stock pot covered with water. Add the parsley, onion, celery stalk, and bay leaf to the pan.

Simmer over low heat for at least an hour adding water if the stock cooks down too quickly.

Add the leftover pan juices to the stockpot after the turkey has been removed.

Strain the mixture through a colander and return the gravy to the pan.

Thicken the gravy with the flour and water mixture. Add a little at a time and whisk briskly to avoid lumps.

Mustard Coated Chicken Skewers with Grilled Veggie Salsa

Servings: 4 Preparation time: 45 minutes

6 plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise (about 1 pound)
1 small eggplant, cut in half lengthwise
1 medium red onion, peeled and cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium poblano pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 medium lime (about 1 tablespoon)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

(4 to 5-ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast cutlets, cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup prepared bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Heat a grill pan on high heat or use an outdoor grill. Brush the cut side of the tomatoes, eggplant, and onion with olive oil. Place the vegetables into the grill. Place the pepper into the grill.

Grill the veggies until they begin to char, but not to the extent they become mushy. Remove the veggies as they cook. (The tomatoes will take the shortest amount of time, followed by the eggplant, onion and finally the pepper. You want the skin of the pepper to be quite charred and blackened.)

Coarsely chop the tomatoes, onion and eggplant. Peel the skin from the pepper and chop. Place the veggies into a bowl and toss with cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Thread the chicken strips, lengthwise onto wooden skewers, which have been soaked in water. Leave a long enough “handle” on the skewers so that they overlap the pan.

Brush both sides of the chicken with mustard.

Combine the breadcrumbs with dried rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken strips into the bread crumb mixture.

Heat a grill pan, which has been coated with vegetable oil spray, over medium high heat. Grill the chicken strips, turning once until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Serve the chicken skewers with the roasted salsa.

Derby Time Makes Us Crave the Southern Classics

The Secret to Really Good Oven-Fried Chicken, Collard Greens and Pecan Pie

We all know and love the term, “Spring is in the air,” but imagine, too, the divine way it smells, sliding into summer with our barbecues, mint juleps, potato salad and corn on the cob. Whether you’re setting an elegant table, or wearing a Kentucky Derby hat as you graze an outdoor buffet, three of my freshest traditions in American cuisine are laid out for your perusal.

Something to Toast the Most Exciting 2 Minutes in Sports With…

You can round up your friends, serve fried chicken and all the fixins, and tune into live Kentucky Derby coverage; click here for all the broadcasting info. Encourage frilly hats and sundresses on your party invitations, and channel pure Paula Deen when it comes to the menu. One day of butter n’ bacon never killed anyone—and I’ve got some twists and turns on the old Southern classics that’ll make your party guests start humming My Old Kentucky Home. Just make sure you serve plenty of Authentic Mint Juleps before the karaoke begins!

Fried Chicken: Every Southern Girl’s Favorite Food

For my Oven Fried Chicken, brining the chicken pieces makes the end result extra juicy; then, when you bake it in the oven, expect a crusty coating that’ll make you reach for thirds. Looking for spirits to drink with it? My summers in the Blue Ridge Mountains got me excited about wine—asking around and doing a little taste testing, yielded the answer I was looking for: a hearty young Argentine red (click here for best reds between $10 and $20 a bottle) is the way to go when you’re looking for the perfect pairing with fried chicken.

Collard Greens EXTREME--There’s nothing quite as flavorful as Slow Simmered Collard Greens. My gal pal, Cindy, makes the world’s BEST collard greens. Her secret is the addition of Balsamic vinegar—hopefully, Cindy won’t mind this, but I found a way to kick up the dish even more: by adding kielbasa! Just slice the sausage into thin rounds, and brown it in a little olive oil. Toss in the chopped collard greens and stir, adding chicken broth and water until it all comes to a slow boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour, and up to several hours adding liquid as needed. Remember that younger collard greens cook more quickly than older ones. If you are using purchased chicken broth, be sure to use a low sodium product for this dish. Kielbasa is plenty salty on its own!

What’s for Dessert, Darlin’?

This traditional recipe is a winner on every dessert table; I feel so strongly about that, my Southern Pecan Pie has already been featured on my entertaining blog as a must have Thanksgiving treat. But it’s great for a Derby party too, and begs for a little Southern comfort…I mean, experimentation! Try substituting black walnuts for pecans and Bourbon for rum. Yumm!! And take even more Southern comfort in the fact that you can use prepared pie dough for this recipe; no one will notice—especially if you add ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips to the filling, for a chocolate-pecan pie.

Enjoy your taste of the Derby…whether it’s from your living room, or under the twin spires and a deep blue Kentucky sky, it’s all GOOD!

Oven Fried Chicken

Servings: 6 to 8
Preparation Time: 1 hour

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 (4-pound) chickens, cut into 16 pieces
1 cup low fat yogurt
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups corn flake crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

To make the brine, place sugar, salt and water into a pot over medium high heat. Cook until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Place the chicken pieces into a deep pot. Cover with the brine. Cover the pot and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Whisk together the yogurt, mustard and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry.

Brush each piece of chicken with the yogurt/mustard mixture.

Place the cornflake crumbs into a shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the corn flake crumbs. Place into a shallow baking dish, coated with vegetable oil spray. Repeat until all of the chicken is in the pan. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Looking for a more figure-friendly game day snack food? This appy has all of the ingredients of that spicy wing dish you already know and love -- with a few of the calories lopped off.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
8 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
3 medium celery ribs, diced, about 1 cup
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced, about 1 tablespoon
1 whole marinated roasted red pepper, diced, about ½ cup
1 cup hot pepper sauce
1 head leaf lettuce, 25 to 30 leaves, washed and dried

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove the chicken to a platter.

Place the green onions, celery and garlic in the pan. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper. Place the chicken back into the pan. Pour in the hot sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the chicken in the sauce until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place the shredded chicken back into the sauce.

Serve the shredded chicken in a bowl. Place the lettuce leaves around the side.

Servings: Enough for a game day crowd
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Roasted Chicken with Herb Butter

An upright roaster is a great tool to use when roasting chicken. The chicken sits up and browns evenly on all sides. Stuffing the cavity of the chicken with orange segments keeps it extra moist.

½ cup organic butter, room temperature (1 stick)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 (4 to 5-pound) free range certified 100% organic chicken
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 whole orange, cut into wedges
½ cup sherry

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix together the softened butter with the herbs. Use your hands to cover the chicken with the herb butter. (Use your fingers to gently loosen the skin and place some of the butter between the skin and the meat.) Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Place the orange sections into the cavity of the chicken. Place the chicken onto an upright roaster (or on a rack) in a roasting pan. Pour the sherry over the chicken.

Place the chicken into the oven. After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 degrees.
Bake until the skin is crisp and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes per pound.

Servings: 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 to 60 minutes

Sources and Substitutions
Choose a humanely raised chicken that is free of hormones and antibiotics for the most healthful results. Check out http://organicchickens.org/ for more information.

Chicken Teriyaki with Golden Cauliflower

I simply hate to throw away food – so I don’t! I’m constantly inventing new dishes to serve my family, using ingredients salvaged from the back of the fridge’s vegetable drawer (in this case the cauliflower, last piece of ginger and lonely lemon). If you have time in the morning, you can marinate the chicken and refrigerate until you are ready to cook. Serve with some rice, pasta or a bit of cooked polenta to make this a family favorite!

2 boneless, skinless, double chicken breasts, cut in half, 4 portions
¼ cup prepared teriyaki sauce
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced, about 1 tablespoon
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated, about 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced, about 1 cup
1 large green bell pepper, seeded, veins removed, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
1 medium head “golden” cauliflower cut into florets, about 3 cups
½ cup home made vegetable broth, or prepared low sodium vegetable broth
½ large lemon juiced, about 2 tablespoons
Zest of 1 medium lemon, about 2 teaspoons
Freshly ground pepper

Place the chicken into a shallow dish. Cover with teriyaki sauce. Stir in the garlic and ginger. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Remove the chicken breast from the marinade and place into the pan. Cook until golden on one side, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn and cook until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes more. Remove the chicken to a platter, cover with aluminum foil and keep warm.

Add the onion, pepper and cauliflower to the pan. Cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the chicken breasts back into the pan. Simmer until the vegetables are soft, and the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season with lemon juice, lemon zest and freshly ground pepper.

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Sources and Substitutions
Golden cauliflower is one of the new varieties of veggies that are rapidly making their way to your grocer’s shelf (like those purple potatoes or white carrots). The flavor of the veggie is basically the same and you can substitute with what ever you can find that looks most fresh!

Braised Chicken in Marsala Wine with Herbes de Provence

Searing the chicken over high heat in butter and olive oil is the secret to this dish. Place the chicken in the pan and don’t touch it. The flesh will contract immediately and caramelize, producing a rich, golden brown coating. Later, when adding the wine, the brown bits created in this searing process will blend in with the sauce. This is what braising is all about – and it’s oh so good!!

3 large chicken breasts with ribs, about 2 ½ pounds
6 chicken thighs about 2 ½ pounds (you may substitute or add chicken legs and wings)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon organic unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 large bell peppers (green, orange red or yellow), seeded, veins removed, thinly sliced, about 3 cups
1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced, about 1 ½ cups
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
1 cup Marsala wine
1 cup marinara sauce (if you don’t have any home made sauce, choose good quality sauce in a jar)
Chopped fresh parsley
Cooked Rice or Pasta

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to slice the breasts in half so that they are the same size as the thighs.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Place the chicken pieces into the skillet, skin side down. Do this in batches so that you do not crowd the pan. Sear until the chicken is browned on one side, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn, season again, and sear until the chicken is browned on both sides, about 5 minutes more. Remove the chicken to a platter.

Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pan. Cook the onion and peppers in the pan until well browned. Season with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence. Pour in the Marsala and simmer until most of the liquid disappears, about 5 minutes. Pour in the marinara sauce and stir. Place the chicken pieces back into the pan. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Garnish the chicken with chopped fresh parsley and serve over rice or pasta (I like this dish served over orzo, cooked in chicken broth with a sprig or two of fresh thyme nestled in the pot.

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Sources and Substitutions
Herbes de Provence is a combination of dried herbs that capture the flavors of the sunny region of the South of France. The mixture typically contains savory, fennel, basil, thyme and lavender flowers. It is available on-line and in many specialty food markets.

Really Good Turkey Burger Sliders

With Crispy Shallots and Spicy Pimento Cheese

Baby, if you want a burger, you’ve come to the right recipe. Use aged cheddar cheese and do NOT forget the pickles. There’s no secret sauce going on here – this burger is just for you …. and your pals!!

Note: Ask your butcher for a mixture of dark and white turkey meat from a source that produces humanely raised birds without unnecessary hormones or steroids. When grilling, make sure that the burgers reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Watch carefully, so that you do not over cook or you may dry out the burger.

For the crispy shallots:
6 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced, about 3 cups (or 2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the pimento cheese:
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated, about ½ cup
1 (4-ounce) jar chopped pimentos, drained
3 green onions, thinly sliced, about 2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
¼ teaspoon paprika

For the burger:
2 ½ pounds ground turkey (use white and dark parts)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

12 soft potato rolls (about 2-inches in diameter) sliced open horizontally and warmed
2 to 3 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
Sliced dill pickles

Heat the canola oil in a small pot over medium high heat. Add the shallots and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the shallots until golden (this will take about 20 to 30 minutes). Remove the shallots with a slotted spoon to a dish layered with paper towels. The onions will become crispy. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm in a warming drawer or in the oven on low heat.

Place the cheese, pimento, green onions, mayonnaise, horseradish and paprika into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until the mixture is just combined. Set aside.

Place the ground turkey into a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. Generously season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine and form into 8 patties.

Coat a grill pan with vegetable oil spray and heat on medium high. Place the burgers onto the grill pan and sear on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the burgers and cook until seared on the second side, about 3 minutes more. Top each burger with a slathering of pimento cheese. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more so that the cheese begins to melt over the burgers. If the burgers are cooked through and the cheese has not quite melted, melted, remove the pan from the heat and tent with aluminum foil for 5 minutes.

To assemble the Sliders, place the warmed rolls onto a platter. Open the rolls and place a burger patty with the melted cheese onto the bottom half of the roll. Cover the burger with crispy onions. Layer the top half of the roll with slices of tomato and dill pickle. Put the two halves together and dig in!

Makes 6 servings, 2 Sliders per pal

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes for the shallots, 8 minutes for the burgers

Lemon Chicken

This is a foolproof chicken recipe that is sure to please family and friends. Placing a smidge of butter on top of the chicken and roasting in a hot oven allows the skin to become puffed and crispy. The lemony sauce is wonderful served over the chicken. Soak up the rest with a side of rice or spaghetti squash!


2 tablespoons olive oil to drizzle, plus 1/3 cup more for sauce
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
2 large chicken breasts with bone, each cut in half
4 large chicken thighs
4 to 5 large chicken legs
4 tablespoons butter, cut into 10 thin slices
Zest of 1 large lemon, about 2 teaspoons
Juice of 3 large lemons, about ½ cup
4 to 5 green onions, thinly sliced, about ½ cup
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons Dijon style mustard
½ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil into the bottom of a large baking dish (or 2 medium baking dishes depending on the size and type of the chicken pieces that you are preparing). Place the flour and paprika into a plastic bag. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place the chicken, one piece at a time, into the bag and shake to coat. Remove excess flour. Place each piece into the baking dish. Place a bit of butter onto each piece of chicken. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

While the chicken is roasting, stir together the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, green onions, garlic, mustard, soy sauce and thyme in a bowl. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the sauce over the top of the chicken. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking the chicken until cooked through, about another 25 to 35 minutes.

Yield: Enough for a family supper with extras for use later on.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes

Sources and Substitutions
Choose organically raised chicken for this dish. By using breasts, thighs and legs that include the bone and skin, you will have a rich dish. You can also use boneless breasts of chicken. If this is your choice, reduce the total cooking time as meat on the bone requires longer cooking time than meat off the bone.