Slow-Braised Garlic Chicken 30 July 2009

Was difficult to get the bacon to stay on the chicken, but the flavors together were amazing.  From Recipezaar.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 oz. chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. thyme, freshly chopped
• 6 chicken legs
• 18 slices streaky bacon
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 oz. butter
• 18 shallots, peeled
• 12 garlic cloves, unpeeled but split
• 3 cups white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms and the thyme until all the excess moisture has evaporated and the mixture is quite dry.  Leave to cool.
3. Loosen the skin away from one chicken leg and spoon a little of the mushroom paste underneath.
4. Season the leg all over with salt & pepper, then wrap three bacon slices around the thigh end.  Repeat with remaining chicken legs, then dust using 1 Tbsp. flour.
5. Melt the butter with the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan.  Keeping the heat high, fry the chicken legs, in batches of two, seam side down, until golden.
6. Turn the legs, brown the other side, then transfer to a deep, ovenproof, lidded pot.  The browning process should take a good 8-10 min. per batch.
7. next, brown the shallots and garlic in the same frying pan.  Sprinkle over the remaining flour and cook for 1 minute.
8. Pour in the wine.  Bring to a boil, stirring, and add to the chicken with the bay leaves.
9. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 ½ hours.

Maple Sausage Patties 27 July 2009

Better than anything I’ve found in stores.  The liquid smoke really makes it.  From Recipezaar.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground pork
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. rubbed sage
• ½ tsp. dried thyme
• ½ tsp. poultry seasoning
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1-2 tsp. mesquite liquid smoke (optional, but really makes it complete)
• oil, for browning

Directions

1. In large bowl or zip-top storage bag, mix all of the ingredients.
2. Shape into patties, place on a plate covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Put about a ¼ inch of water in a large skillet.  Add sausage patties and bring to a  boil, cover and steam until water evaporates.  Flip the patties, add another ¼ inch of water and repeat.
4. When water is evaporated, add a little oil and brown the patties on both sides.
5. If you want to make a large batch and freeze:  stop after step 3, freeze flat, then store in the freezer stacked with wax paper in between each patty.  Wrap in aluminum foil and place in a plastic bag to store in freezer.

Kickin’ Mac n’ Cheese 20 July 2009

You get a bite with mostly peppers and think “this is almost too much”, then you get a bite with more bacon and it cools off.  It’s like a roller coaster for your mouth.  Adapted from a Recipezaar recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar
• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• pinch each of paprika, white pepper, and cayenne pepper
• roasted red pepper and bacon to taste

Directions

1. Bring salted water to a boil, add pasta and return water to boil.
2. Cook for 4 minutes on high, turn heat to medium and cook for 7 more minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Drain any remaining water (there won’t be much).
4. Add cheese, margarine, and heavy cream, stir until cheese is melted and all is mixed.
5. Add paprika, white pepper, and cayenne pepper, stir.
6. Finally dice roasted red peppers, add along with bacon, stir.
7. Devour.

Teriyaki Sauce 20 July 2009

Requires taste-testing to get right, but any good cook should taste a sauce before they use it.  Adapted from Recipezaar.

Ingredients

• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 2 Tbsp. dark molasses
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
• 1-3 minced garlic cloves
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• honey, to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except honey, mix well.
2. Taste, may have a bit of a bitter aftertaste.  Add honey until the taste is right.
3. If sauce is too heavy or thick, thin with broth.

Use to season pretty much any type of meat.

Pappadeaux 17 July 2009

The perfect sauce for a meal is one that can run all over the plate, get on everything, and make it all delicious.  I had that sauce two nights ago.  We went to a seafood place called Pappadeaux, and for anyone who hasn’t been there:  find one and GO.  The price is more than I generally like to pay for dinner, but it was well worth it.  Our server was great, briefly went over the menu with us and gave us a suggestion or two in each category when we said we’d never been there and was always on top of refills and whatnot.  She got a very nice tip.  The food was also incredible.  BF’s dirty rice with his fish was possibly the best I’ve ever tasted (I’d go here just for that rice), both our fish were perfectly cooked and seasoned, and my vegetables were crisp just like they should be. They gave us a free dessert since we’d never been there, and we chose creme brulee.  Good choice!  The flavors were incredible and the top was crisped beautifully.  The whipped cream on top tasted homemade, and I have no idea where they found fruit that size that still had so much flavor.  We WILL be going back.