COKE-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN
This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, "John Currence, of City Grocery in Oxford, Miss., spent a long time in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit, and was justly celebrated for his hard work there helping to rebuild a cathedral of Southern fried chicken, Willie Mae’s Scotch House. In his 2013 cookbook, “Pickles, Pigs and Whiskey,” Currence paid tribute to the wet batter used on Willie Mae’s legendary dish. But for the purpose of weekend chicken warriors we have omitted it in our adaptation of his homage, concentrating instead on Currence’s use of a Coke-based poultry brine that not only adds some sweetness to the chicken thighs he uses but mildly tenderizes them along the way. Let the meat sit in the brine for a few hours before using, but not so long as overnight, where it really begins to break down. Then dry the thighs, dredge them in seasoned flour, and fry in peanut oil, ideally enhanced by lard. The result is mahogany-brown chicken with a crisp crust and a luscious interior." Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Brine:
5 cups Coca-Cola
1 tablespoon kosher salt
10 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
4 teaspoons mild hot sauce like Crystal, Texas Pete or Cholula
8 to 12 chicken thighs, preferably free-range, organic
For the Seasoned Flour:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Frying:
3 cups peanut oil
1 cup lard, optional, or replace with peanut oil
For Serving:
Hot sauce
Preparation
Make the brine: Combine cola, salt, thyme, garlic and hot sauce in a large metal bowl and stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the chicken thighs, cover and refrigerate 3 to 5 hours.
Make the seasoned flour: In a wide, shallow bowl or pan, combine the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put the peanut oil in a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 375 degrees on a candy thermometer. While the oil heats, remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Dredge the thighs in the flour and shake to remove excess.
Working in batches of 2 or 3 at a time, carefully lower thighs into the hot oil. The oil temperature will plummet when the cold chicken goes into the pan; turn up the heat and carefully monitor the temperature. Cook for a little more than 3 minutes on one side, a little more than 3 minutes on the other, and then a final 3 minutes on the first side. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel to drain.
The juices should run clear when the chicken is poked with a knife. If necessary, transfer the browned chicken to a baking sheet and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a instant-read thermometer. Serve hot or at room temperature with hot sauce.
CORN MUFFINS
This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network show Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 55 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Inactive Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 12 muffins; Level: Easy.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/corn-muffins-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup medium cornmeal
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and eggs. With the mixer on the lowest speed, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until they are just blended. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until the tops are crisp and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from the pan.
SALTED CARAMEL BROWNIES
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “The salted caramel brownie is an ingenious combination of blond, bittersweet caramel and dark, bittersweet chocolate. Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of New York's Baked bakeries are not the first to note the affinity of caramel and chocolate, but by emphasizing the bitter, sweet and salty notes in both, they’ve made that rare thing — a perfectly balanced bite. The bittersweetness of the caramel can be easily adjusted by cooking it less (for a milder, Kraft-like taste) or more (edgier, stronger).” Yield: About 2 dozen brownies; Time: 1 1/4 hours.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018161-salted-caramel-brownies.
Ingredients
For the Caramel:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup sour cream
For the Brownies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, more for greasing pan
1 1/4 cups/150 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Coarse sugar (such as raw or turbinado) and flaky salt, for sprinkling
Preparation
Make the caramel: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat, stirring gently, until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, slowly pour in heavy cream and salt (it will foam up) and whisk. Whisk in sour cream (it may look lumpy at first) and set aside to cool. Taste and add salt if needed to give the caramel a good balance of salty and sweet.
Make the brownies: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use butter (or baking spray) to lightly grease a 9-x-13-inch baking pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter or spray the parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and cocoa powder.
Melt chocolate and butter together, either in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, or in a microwave at low heat, working in 30-second bursts. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted and combined. Whisk in sugars. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Using a sturdy whisk, add eggs one by one, whisking just until combined. Stir in vanilla.
Gently pour chocolate mixture over flour mixture. Using a spatula, fold together just until few streaks of flour are visible; do not overmix.
Pour batter into the pan and let settle. Drizzle caramel sauce over batter until batter is almost covered. (You may not use all the caramel.) On the surface, use the tip of a butter knife or icing spatula to swirl the batter and caramel together. Don’t worry if it looks messy.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. At the 30-minute mark, shake the pan gently to test for doneness. When done, the brownies will be barely set in the center and puffed, but not dry, around the edges. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with coarse sugar and salt.
Let cool to room temperature before cutting. After cutting, if desired, drizzle any remaining caramel over the top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
CRANBERRY PIE
This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.
My dad sent this recipe in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.”
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Make as above.
8-INGREDIENT STUFFED PEPPER SKILLET
This comes from Layers of Happiness, a site to “inspire you to live a happier and healthier lifestyle,” according Emily, half of the mother-daughter blogger team who run the site. Check out their site and recipes!
This recipe begins, “Only 8-ingredients in this quic and easy one-pot skillet dinner will feed an entire family in about 15 minutes no problem! This lazy stuffed peppers recipe is plate-lickin' good and will satisfy your comfort food hunger in big time!” Yields 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes.
To view this online, go to http://www.layersofhappiness.com/8-ingredient-stuffed-pepper-skillet/.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions:
Place a large skillet with a over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add ground beef and cook 5–7 minutes, breaking into small pieces as it browns.
Add onions and bell peppers in with beef; stir to combine. Once the peppers have started to soften and the onions are translucent, carefully drain excess grease from skillet. Season with salt and pepper.
Return to stove reducing heat to medium. Stir in diced tomatoes with juice, tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, and cooked brown rice. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 1 cup of water, until mixture reaches desired consistency.
Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and replace the lid. Cook until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
CHICKEN POTPIE
This comes from CountryLiving, and begins, “Prepared with store-bought pie dough and shredded rotisserie chicken, this hearty meal can be on the table in an hour flat.” Total Time: 1 hour; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Level: Moderate; Serves: 8.
To view this online, go to http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a3352/skillet-chicken-potpie-recipe/.
Ingredients
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion
4 medium carrots
2 stalk celery
2 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. heavy cream
2 c. chicken broth
4 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. frozen peas
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 store-bought piecrust
1 Egg
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until carrots begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in heavy cream and broth, using a whisk, until combined. Stir in chicken, peas, and dill and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Gently roll out store-bought pie crust until it reaches 12 inches in diameter. Place dough atop chicken mixture and brush with egg; cut vents in pastry. Transfer skillet to oven; bake until crust is browned and flaky, about 35 minutes.
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