Double-Dipped Spicy Chicken

So these really aren't spicy. They have flavor. I promise. If you think Pico de Gallo is spicy, then you might have a problem with this but it's just spices in the breading...nothing overpowering...at all! I found the recipe here.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/3 palmful
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, eyeball the amount
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice, eyeball the amount
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. A cube of bread should brown in a 40 count when oil is ready.

Set out 3 disposable pie tins. Mix flour with paprika, poultry seasoning, cayenne, and allspice. Divide seasoned flour between 2 tins. Pour buttermilk into a tin. Line up tins as such: flour, buttermilk, and then flour.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat chicken pieces in flour, then buttermilk, then a second coating of flour.

Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side, until deep golden brown and firm.

Drain chicken on paper bags and cool before packing up for picnic basket (or on your plate!).

We ate this with our new favorite mashed potato recipe (coming soon!).

Chipotle Chicken Chili

Isn't it beautiful?! I have always wanted a Le Creuset 7.25 Quart French Oven. Now I have one. Yes, it was a splurge. Yes, it's orange/red. I bought this on Memorial Day weekend (sale) in the San Marcos, TX Outlet Mall (sale). This is normally $305. Yes, expensive. Since I bought it at an outlet location on Memorial Day weekend, I got it for 37% off. Yes, I paid just under $200 for this. That normally would get you a 2 Quart French Oven. So no matter the up front cost, our family can grow into this pot (which is good because I want a big family). I don't like that the orange is a fading color but my kitchen stuff is red, and I starting to transition to orange (GO POKES!) so this pot will bridge the gap.

On to the recipe....

J and I had the house to ourselves for a few days. So, we decided to cook our dinners. We've realized that we used to cook a lot when we lived by ourselves. We cooked almost every night. I had gone shopping for four meals last week but with all the picky eaters around, I was asked to skip a few since it was hot outside, they didn't feel like that, etc. How did my mom do it all those years?! I'm the picky one in our marriage so if I like it, J will definitely like it & wish I left all the ingredients in.

We both love smoky & spicy foods so I thought this recipe would be good. It was really good and not spicy at all. This is a Rachael Ray recipe from the Look & Cook Cookbook.

Oh! Quick Rachael Ray tip. She uses a garbage bowl. What you see below is actually what she sells as her garbage bowl. (notice the orange/red color in it too!)

I place a plastic grocery bag in mine so that 1) I don't have to wash the bowl when I'm done, 2) the trash can be tied up & sealed, & 3) if the kitchen trash accidentally doesn't get emptied, it doesn't stink up as fast.

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
• 4 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• 6 slices smoky bacon, chopped
• 2 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 2 to 3 tablespoons puréed chipotles in adobo
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 quart chicken stock
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 shots tequila (1.5 ounces per shot)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 avocado, pitted
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 avocado, pitted
• Crushed tortilla chips, for garnish

Preparation

Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the bacon to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. 

Add the chicken to the pot and continue cooking until golden brown, 5-6 minutes.

Add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook until the veggies are tender, 4-5 minutes. 

Add the puréed chipotles, cumin, coriander, paprika and tomato paste to the pot and cook until the spices are aromatic and beginning to caramelize, about 1 minute. 

AMY SIDE NOTE: Since this recipe asked to have the chipotles pureed, I did the whole can at once. Do you have one of these?

Immersion blenders are the greatest inventions ever! They come in handy if you need to take a chunky soup into a bisque or anything (like potatoes) into a creamy texture. They also make great smoothies & you don't have to wash a whole blender, just the part without the plug (what you see on the right of the photo).

Before

During

After

END OF SIDE NOTE

Add the chicken stock, some salt and pepper to the pot and bring up to a bubble. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

While the chili is simmering, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the peppers and red onion to the skillet and cook until the veggies are tender, 4-5 minutes. 

Remove the skillet from the heat and add in the tequila. 

Return the skillet to the heat and flame the tequila to burn off most of the alcohol. 

I used a lighter because
1) the sides of my pan were too high and
2) the grates cover most of the flame height on my stove.

Do you see the purple on the sides of the pan?
That's the flame. It's hard to catch in a picture.

Add the lime juice, cilantro and some salt to the salsa. Reserve.

In the bowl of a food processor combine the avocado, buttermilk, lemon juice and chives.

Process until smooth then season with salt and pepper.

Serve up the chili topped with some of the tequila-pepper salsa and avocado ranch. 

Garnish with some crushed tortilla chips.

My bowl. So pretty.

Hubs bowl. He made sure I took a picture.
He wanted everyone to see his beautiful creation. =)

ENJOY!!!!

Red Chicken & Rice

This has become an Elders (my maiden name) tradition and must whenever we're all home.

If you read this blog much, you know that my dad & little (& by little I only mean younger) brother are VERY picky eaters. I'm a picky eater but those two: RIDICULOUS! Not kidding, they eat no fruits or vegetables. Ok, Dad eats potatoes. Bubba only eats potatoes in the form of French Fries. (apparently, it's a texture thing.) Thankfully, Pioneer Woman is really helping out in this area for my family. Both my Dad & brother enjoy things that come from her Marlboro Man (Cowboy) Approved recipes.

Anywho, whenever Bubba is home from college, we REALLY struggle to find food everyone will eat. Red Chicken & Rice is a quick go-to for Mom & I. Last night, Mom made this recipe & I was able to snatch some pictures. I can't believe that I haven't posted this yet!

Ingredients

Chicken tenderloins - get how ever much you think will be eaten. We never have enough. I think we made 2 pounds for the 5 of us. All of it was gone. All of it.


Marinade:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup white cooking wine
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil

Sauce:
Exact same as the marinade except substitute ketchup for the vegetable oil.

Directions

Marinate the chicken. 

The longer it marinates, the better.

Get rid of the marinade.

Grill the chicken.

My mom broils it.

This is as much of my mom that I was 

allowed to post on the blog...her hand. haha.

This is all of the chicken cooked!

This is the sauce heating on the stovetop.

The longer you let it heat, the thicker it gets! Wahoo!

This is my plate. Too much? No way!!

Please enjoy!

Chicken and Noodle Stoup

My Pioneer Woman Frenzy

It all started with her getting a show on Food Network. If you don't know who the Pioneer Woman is, shame on you. Go to her website now! No seriously. Go now. Explore every blog section that she has, print many recipes, laugh at her personality coming out in print. She is fab.u.lous.

Ok off my admiration soapbox.

It all started with her getting a show on Food Network. I immediately stalked her recipes to find any and all that I wanted to make. I think I printed around 20. Then, she made Cajun Chicken Pasta. I knew I had to try it. While shopping for the ingredients, I came to the all important heavy cream (If you try many of her recipes, you will learn that there is no acceptable substitute for heavy cream.) This recipe only needed a cup of heavy cream. I decided to buy a quart of heavy cream instead of the pint. I told Jerome, "I'm just going to have to make more Pioneer Woman recipes so that I don't waste this heavy cream by letting it go bad." ;-) Don't worry I will post all 3 recipes here. Right now! =)

Recipe #1 - Cajun Chicken Pasta. One word: Devine.

Ingredients

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
• 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1/2 whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Recipe #2 - Italian Chicken Soup. My mom made this recipe with whatever she had for this recipe in the kitchen. This uses 2 cups of heavy cream. (Side note: I have eaten this for leftovers twice already, Jerome has had it once & we have 2 more lunches left to eat from it. So, lesson: It makes a lot but soooo worth it!) Mom didn't have any fresh jalapenos. I bet it would be that extra little seasoning/spice that we thought the soup needed.

Her photo

My photo of my leftovers!

Ingredients

• 1 box Ditalini Pasta (very Short Macaroni-type Pasta Noodles)
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
• 8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Diced
• 2 stalks Celery, Diced
• 2 whole Fresh Jalapenos, Diced
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 can (28-ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Oregano
• Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
• Parmesan Cheese Shavings, For Serving

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta in a pot according to package directions, being sure not to overcook it. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.

Place chicken in a large pot or dutch oven and cover in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer chicken, covered, for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred meat. Discard bones and set meat aside.

Dice canned tomatoes and return them to their juice. Set aside.

Heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and oregano and turn off heat, stirring over the next minute to keep oregano from burning. Set this aside.

Either pour off chicken broth into a separate container or use a new pot to saute onion, green pepper, celery, and jalapenos in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, and tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add cooked pasta, cream, and all the oregano and olive oil from the small skillet. Stir to combine. Turn off heat.

Serve with lots of Parmesan sprinkled on the top--the more the better! Crusty Italian bread is good, too.

Recipe #3 - Pasta alla Vodka. When I saw this on Pioneer Woman's show, she was making a recipe for her hubby to try. He is a picky eater, not as bad as my dad but almost. When he approved of it, I knew it would be acceptable at home. (However, I did not anticipate that the lack of meat would become an issue for my dad. Jerome grilled up a pork tenderloin on the side.) She called it Penne alla Vodka since that was the type of pasta she used (and it is the traditional name). I ended up buying the pasta in the recipe that I have linked you too, reginette (it looks like lasagna noodles but skinnier). Jerome ended up cooking this recipe (he couldn't wait for it to be made anymore.) and he broke the pieces in half to make them a little shorter. They twisted around the fork perfectly and I can't see us ever making this recipe with any other kind of pasta. This also used the last cup of heavy cream in the quart-sized container I had bought.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Pasta
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped Finely
• 2 cloves (to 3 Cloves) Garlic, Chopped
• 3/4 cups (to 1 Cup) Vodka
• 1 can (About 14 Oz.) Tomato Puree
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon (to 1/2 Teaspoon) Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add in chopped onion and garlic. Stir and allow to cook for two minutes. Pour in vodka. Stir and cook for three minutes. Add in tomato puree and stir.

Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Allow to simmer, being careful not to overheat. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water in case sauce is too thick. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. Splash in a little water if it needs it. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Pour mixture into large serving bowl. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese.

Eat it out of the serving bowl. Faint. Repeat as needed.

I really truly hope you enjoy all 3 of these Pioneer Woman recipes like my family did.