Frank, Those look better than mine. Mine are just waking up and the Madison, PF Cold Hardy, and a Contender look the best. The Contender may have blossoms. I did lose another Contender and a Reliance to voles. The other Reliance looks to be dead from the winter. The sweet cherries and tart cherries all look to have suffered no effects from the winter. Plums are the big stars here. Of the 3 apricots, voles barked one however it is budding just above the graft, The Chinese looks very good and the Hunza appears to be dead. Of the pears, voles barked the Korean Giant and the Chojura is getting ready to blossom. All the european pears look great without any injury. The Seckle looks to be covered in blossoms. The Bartlett is also covered. Never saw vole damage in the yard before and you can bet there will be wire cages around all of them next fall. Bberry

I will try to condense this because I could pontificate for hours on this! My love for gardening came from my father. He was the ultimate green thumb-he didn't have formal training that i know of, but he was a street tree gardener for two of the communities we grew up in, and always had a vegetable garden as a way to supplement our large family's food budget.(Six kids) He was a school music teacher and when summer vacation began he was always found out back tending the garden for pretty much the whole summer. Of all six children I seemed to be the most interested in what he did-and my first memory of my own interest was when he gladly allowed me to plant marigolds around the border of his garden to keep pests away(this was a fairly large plot and now I know why he jumped at my offer to help him!)I was in elementary school at the time. Also eating a tomato whole and sprinkled with salt always brings dad's tomatoes to mind. And asparagus and homemade pickles.... That was my first taste of working in a garden. It wasn't until I was a first-time homeowner that I knew I was going to be a gardener but I chose to go the route of flowers instead of vegetables. The saddest thing, though was that the year before I moved into my new home, my dad developed Alzheimer's disease and everything I needed to ask him for gardening advice about trees and organic gardening was completely gone-he was just a shell of my father-quite sad. Not a day goes by when I'm in my yard and garden that I don't think of Dad and the gift he gave me. I just wanted to share it with him. He passed away two months ago. Just an interesting note; Our family surname has it's origin from Poland and it means 'gardener of an estate' I find that kind of neat. Maybe it's in our bloodline to be gardeners! * Posted by: pkock Zone 6 (My Page) on Tue, May 28, 02 at 2:44 So glad to find this thread - hope it lasts, because it's fun! Honestly, I am not sure what got me hooked. I think it's my tendency to love "scientific" stuff - I never pursued it professionally, but I'll make anything into a science experiment. I got through two pregnancies with that attitude. ;-) My grandma was the gardener in our family. She lived with us, and each year we had to have a veggie garden. My dad wasn't into yard work much, but was "forced" into the labor required, turning over the clay soil with a spade and protesting the entire time. Always basic stuff - tomatoes, peppers, pole beans, but they sure tasted good. We had strawberries for a couple of years, and there was a big apple tree in our yard that grew "cooking" apples. Grandma made lots of pies and applesauce. Then there was Girl Scouts - one year we had a hike with a knowledgeable person who pointed out all the fantastic wild plants along the trail. I absorbed it all like a sponge. This is rare, this is edible, this is a cure for poison ivy, etc. I still remember most of it, teach my daughter, and soon will teach her scout troop too. I was voted "Miss Outdoorswoman" in high school. Isn't that neat? Some things never change. :) --Pam * Posted by: Lucy2 Z7Atlanta (My Page) on Wed, May 29, 02 at 8:23 I love reading these. I remember going to visit my grandparents in Texas every summer. We lived in New Hampshire and would fly down and my grandparents would meet us at the airport. The first thing we would do when we got to Grandma's house was run to her garden. Every year she planted a watermelon JUST FOR US! Oh, how special that was. We would walk into the garden and she would "double check that it was ripe and time to pick it and she would let us watch as she "ever so gently" plucked the watermelon from the garden and we would sit on her front porch all afternoon eating the best watermelon we had ever tasted and spitting seeds as far as we could. Sadly, my Aunt burst my childhood memory bubble (when I was in my 40's but it still hurt!) by telling me that my Grandparents would go to the grocery store the night before we flew in, buy a watermelon and lay it in the garden "just for us", pretending they planted it and grew it all along...I guess I'm in denial because I still tell my children about those fond memories! * Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Tue, Jul 23, 02 at 20:34 Can I still step in here? This is such a wonderful thread, brought back some great memories. But now I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes and a big lump in my throat. One of my first garden memories is of my next-door neighbor when I was very small. She had a gigantic (to me) gooseberry bush that she would make pies for us from, if I would pick the berries. And she also had a thick grape vine that she would sit down with me in the middle of the yard and eat grapes from right off the vine. We always sat on the other side of it so my mom couldn't see us from the window. I don't think she would have minded, but my neighbor made it fun, thinking we were being secretive. She also had about a million plants in her house that she would show me all the time. Thinking back on it now, I realize they were mostly African violets. She was in her late 80's, early 90's, and I thought she was the best neighbor a girl could ever have. (still do) :) Then there was my grandpa. When he was a teen in the service, he had come home to visit his mom just before being shipped overseas. He took ONE little segment from her Christmas cactus, which had been a wedding present 25 years before that, and put it in his wallet. He then drove all the way across the country (took a few days), all the while sitting on this wallet. Just before being shipped out, he stuck this one little smashed, dried up piece of Christmas cactus and stuck it in a little pot of dirt from the ground outside his barracks. I'm not sure what happened to it (where it was, who took care of it) while he was in the war. But I do know that when he died in 1994, that Christmas cactus was not only alive, but very, very, VERY big. He had built a planter for it on wheels so he could move it outside in the summer and back inside for the winter. He also had a ramp leading up to his patio door, which he had to remove to get it through. This "planter" was 5 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 4 feet deep. Filled all the way with soil and thick, long roots. And the plant filled every inch of the top of the soil and hung down to the floor all around. He had to give it a "haircut" every time he moved it in or out so he wouldn't run over it with the wheels. I now have a pretty good size pot of this same plant in my husband's office, where it sits in front of a huge window all year long and blooms from Oct to around May every year. I ask about or stop by to check on this plant about once a week. I'm always terrified I might lose this plant, I feel like somehow I would be losing my grandpa all over again. Or that he might be disappointed in me for letting his precious plant die after having survived 4 generations in our family. But my all-time favorite childhood memories (of any kind) come from my Aunt Julia and Uncle Bill. They had a big farm in Missouri with a couple horses, a coop full of chickens, and about 300 head of dairy and beef cows at any given time. Along with the usual couple of dogs and a barn full of cats. And I remember one time my Aunt sent me out with the horse to get a few apples from the big tree out in the east pasture to make a pie for dinner. She told me to get a sack out of the barn to carry them in. Well, being about 8 or 9 at the time, I had no idea how many apples it took to make a pie. So I took 2 big gunny sacks, and me and Ginger (the horse) set out to find that big tree. Ginger was so patient with me as I stood on her back on the blanket that I rode with (never used a saddle) to pick all the apples that I could reach. I tied these two gunny sacks across her back and filled them up full. (poor horse!) When I got back, I didn't think my Aunt and Uncle would ever stop laughing. Instead of a few apples for a pie, I had just picked enough apples for an entire week of non-stop canning, freezing, and baking everything we could think of that contained apples. Then there were the times that Aunt Julia and I would pack a picnic basket to take out to my Uncle Bill when he was working the fields. We would sit under a big tree and just watch him disking the field, or baling the hay until he noticed us in the distance. Then he would come get me and let me drive the big tractors for a while before we ate. But one of my most vivid and comforting memories is of me and Aunt Julia sitting on the porch swing snapping beans or shelling peas. I can't remember who picked those beans and peas, or what she did with them afterwards. But just sitting there snapping and shelling, not even having to speak, but feeling like the most loved person in the world. I just started to garden seriously for myself last year, and this year I had to have those green beans and peas. And I think of my Aunt Julia and Uncle Bill every time I go out to the garden. I almost started crying when my daughter (5yo) asked me the first time if she could help me shell the peas. She had so much fun with them I didn't even mind the ones that kept flying across the kitchen to land under the cabinets or off in a corner with the dust bunnies. And I can just see my Aunt and Uncle smiling now (more like giggling probably). Right now I think I need to call them (they live in Arizona now) and tell them how much I love and miss them, and maybe thank you for teaching me about all the things I love the most. Then I think I will sit down and start crocheting an afghan for Aunt Julia (she taught me how to do that when I was 6). Luckily I learned to crochet a lot better than I learned how to milk a cow (sorry Uncle Bill)! Thanks for letting me take this stroll! Becki :) * Posted by: Mirri 5 (Finland) (My Page) on Fri, Jul 26, 02 at 3:06 My first attempt to garden vegetables was when I was 9. I loved peas, so I wanted to grow them. My father formed me a lot saying it would be too hard for me, turning the thick soil. Then I sow the peas and watered them for about 2 weeks. Then my first dog - who died of old age a few years back at 13- had a friend over. They were just puppies back then, running and playing. My daddy warned me, but I wanted to let them play on our rather tiny lot. They run over my pea-lot several times, breaking all those tender 15cm pea shoots. Oh, how I cried. Then I took little sticks and tied the shoots back up. Most of them recovered. Then the dogs, Roope and Olga, run the pea shoots down again after a week or so. And I gave up. I quit gardening for about 10 years. I only had a few cacti which I killed and bought new ones. But now I am a horticulturist. Working, ironically, in a greenhouse that produces pea shoots! I think that the wonder of growing, seeing the shoots come up from earth was a positive thing in the end. Even though I didn`t get to harvest the peas. This year I have a tiny pea-lot again, the first time after I was 9. I have harvested some, but my dog keeps steeling the pods before I find them. When I was 17 I found gardening again, in the form of houseplants. I was living in a tiny oneroom flat without balcony. The houseplant hobby lead me into studying horticulture. Now I have a son and 2 dogs. If Pyry wants to be a little gardener, I will build a fence around his lot. * Posted by: prairie_rose southalta (My Page) on Tue, Aug 20, 02 at 23:56 my earliest memories. being sat in the potato patch with a coffee can with some kerosene in the bottom and picking potato bugs and putting them in the can. i think that was the way my mom and grandma kept us out of their hair on wash day ( the old wringer washer, rinse tub, mangler days.) i remember the smell of the compost heap, and i never thought it was nasty. my grandpa and i spent lots of time there, spreading things out, turning it over occasionally. i think i must have got compost in my veins, replaced all the blood, cause i still don't find the compost heap all that nasty. (compost tea, well that is a different story. lol) i remember i hated bringing kids to our house in the fall cause you could smell the crocks of sauerkraut brewing. we lived on the edge of town, and i swear my mom was the only one who canned. but i couldn't wait for it to be ready and eating the stuff till i was sure i would burst. i remember we were the "poor kids" but we ate better than any of my friends, and were healthier than most of my friends. the garden was a way of life, and everyone was expected to pitch in. and when harvest happened, everyone was expected to come home to can. my mom would pick the weekend and as young adults, we all showed up. 5 women in a kitchen!!!!! lots of hard work, but lots of laughs, too. and when it was over we all got our share to take home. now, i am a single mom with two kids, and all those lessons are paying huge dividends. my two are the "poor kids" but they eat better than most of their friends and are healthier than most, too. what i save at the supermarket because of the garden pays the morgage and the extras for the kids. and this year, my daughter is taking an active part in the canning. i just wish my grandma, mom and sisters were here, too. * Posted by: lynne_s z5ny (My Page) on Mon, Sep 9, 02 at 22:23 I remember planting potatoes on my grandfather's farm in the early spring when i was about 4 years old. We weren't just planting a little garden patch...I swear this field must have been at least an acre. I remember the fun we had, laughing and running around in the dirt...getting dirty, but it was ok..we were doing something productive. I remember Grampa explaining the different types...we even planted purple potatoes from Russia. Later in our visit to his farm my brothers and sisters and I helped plant the seeds that would become carrots, corn and beans. I remember trudging through the brambles in search of the elusive blueberry bushes...after a morning of picking berries, we'd stop and have lunch...Grampa would take a fishing line and hook out of his pocket and catch small trout from a nearby stream and we'd roast them on a stick over a fire...just like a hot dog. He amazed me...the man could survive in the wilderness with nothing, and probably live better than most of us do today. lol The outdoors was his church; where he prayed, pondered and planned his life. My grandfather, retired by this time still loved gardening and sold his veggies every summer from his down-sized farm. We spent the entire spring and summer there. Everything we ate and drank came from that farm. I still remember how wonderful everything tasted...the taste of fresh food was foreign to me then. I went back to Grampa's farm many times until he passed...there, I worked hard, enjoyed the freedom of being in the outdoors and learned how important it was to treat our planet with respect, for it is what feeds us. It seems I forgot a lot of his wisdom until quite recently. Now that I'm a Mom of 5 boys, with many mouths to feed as well as many personalities and value systems to help develop, the things he taught me are returning. My husband and I have purchased a home out in the country trying to create an environment for our boys that my Grampa created for us...one of fresh air, sun, fun and respect for all things living...an I'm proud to say, we are well on our way! * Posted by: KCtomato1 z5/6 KC, Mo (My Page) on Sat, Sep 14, 02 at 0:36 My grandfathers both got me started. My first memory is of dark purple tulips and tulips that were taller than I. I recall what a joy it was grandpa let me pick one. Somewhere in the family, someone has a picture of it. I was 2-3. Both gardened but it was my paternal grandfather that let me try everything. He introduced me to raw veggies. I still prefer them over cooked. He would also let me in the berry patch - which is what really got me growing. He made a deal with me - if I picked 2 I could eat one. He'd go in and I would pick 'em clean of course taking the best for myself. We both walked away thinking we got the better deal. My maternal Grandfather taught me more on the "how's" rather than the "whats". He grew to sell and was not keen on kids picking things he could potentially sell. When I was small I would go out to the garden where he was working just to be with him and I'd watch. I would have worked but he wouldn?t let me. He thought I was nuts for wanting to work. He told me there were snakes in the berry patch in an "effort" to keep me out. Most the time he ran me off I was just looking for the snake. Him teaching me things came at a much older age. Im grateful for the time I did spend with them and the gift they passed on. Keith * Posted by: bizmhamama CA z10 (My Page) on Tue, Oct 8, 02 at 15:09 This answers your interest in childhood memories in a roundabout way. My parents and I immigrated to the United States when I was four years old and I never really knew my expanded family. My mother, who grew up on a sugar plantation, cared absolutely nothing for getting her hands dirty. Our back yard was concrete! Her only gardening interest was roses. I became interested in indoor plants as a teenager and then became obsessed with succulents once I moved out of the house & had a patch of dirt of my own. I even wondered what it would take to go back to school for a landscaping degree, and daydreamed about owning a nursery. My maternal grandmother came to America only a few years ago. I was fairly shocked to learn that she loves gardening! She grows guava trees from seed. In her 80s, she still derives incredible enjoyment from simply watching living things grow. I realize now my passion for gardening would have been sparked much earlier in life if geography (& politics!) hadn't intervened.

Cookalong #46-------POULTRY Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Apr 23, 12 at 16:53 AnnT has picked poultry for this Cookalong and I'm sure everyone has cooked chicken, turkey, duck or Cornish hens many times. Please share your tried and true recipes. Grilled, roasted, fried, stewed, sautéed? Let's make this one of the best Cookalongs ever. I know that I am always looking for a new recipe for chicken! Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #45---------CHILI!! Follow-Up Postings: o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ann_t (My Page) on Mon, Apr 23, 12 at 19:14 I have so many favourite chicken, turkey, duck, etc. recipes. I'll start with this one first. Chicken Breasts Perigord Source: Lucy Waverman This flavorful and elegant chicken is stuffed with a combination of fresh and dried mushrooms. Because the breasts are stuffed under the skin, the stuffing moistens the chicken meat and keeps it juicy. Use either dried porcini or dried Chinese mushrooms; they have the most flavor. The sauce can be made ahead of time and the breasts stuffed a few hours before baking. 6 Dried mushrooms 1/2 cup boiling chicken broth 2 tablespoons butter 4 shallots 8 ounce fresh mushrooms finely chopped 1 teaspoon dried tarragon or basil 3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs 1/3 cup whipping cream 3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 6 single boned chicken breasts, with skin on. Sauce 1/2 cup chopped onions 1/4 cup dry red wine 1/2 cup mushroom-soaking liquid 3 cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons port or Madeira 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon cold water salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. . 1. Soak the mushrooms in boiling chicken broth for 20 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid and the mushrooms separately.Chop the mushrooms. 2. Preheat the oven to 375°F 3. Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and dried and fresh mushrooms. Saute until all the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in the basil or tarragon, bread crumbs, cream and parsley. cook until the cream has reduced and the filling is thick. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Divide the filling in six portions. with your fingertips, make a pocket between the skin and the flesh of each chicken breast. Stuff the filling under the skin of the chicken breasts. Season the breasts with salt and pepper and place in a buttered baking dish large enough to hold the breasts in one layer. 5. Bake for 30 or 40 minutes, basting occasionally, until the juices run clear. 6. To make the sauce, in a frying pan, combine the onions and wine. On high heat, bring to a boil and reduce until you have 1 tablespoon of liquid. 7. Pour in the mushroom liquid, reduce to 2 tablespoons and then add the chicken stock and continue to boil until the stock is reduced by half. Add the port and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the sauce is smooth and strongly flavored. 8. Combine the cornstarch and cold water and stir into the sauce, simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add any juices from the chicken. To serve, pour the sauce over the chicken breasts. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by teresa_nc7 (My Page) on Mon, Apr 23, 12 at 21:50 Rock Cornish Hens Broil Roasted in Wine --- Julia Child for 6 servings get 3 hens, 1 lb. each This recipe is a little involved, but so worth the effort. marinade: 1 1/2 t. dried tarragon 2 TB finely chopped scallions 1/2 cup dry white wine 3-4 TB olive oil salt and pepper brown poultry stock and sauce: 1 carrot and 1 onion, chopped 1 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth 1 bay leaf 1 small stalk celery with leaves also: salt and pepper melted butter 1 clove garlic 1 cup grated Swiss cheese 1/2 cup Port 1 lb. mushrooms (trim, wash, quarter) 2 TB butter Prepare hens: cut down each side of hen backbone from neck to tail. Remove backbone (chop into 2-3 pieces and reserve for stock). Turn birds flesh side up and pound breast flat with your fist. (Can't you just see Julia doing this?) Bend knee of drumstick and push up to shoulders, tuck each end of the drumsticks into a slip made in the lower breast skin. Fold wings akimbo behind the backbone on each side. Marinade hens: salt and pepper hens on both sides, sprinkle with the tarragon; arrange in a baking pan, sprinkle with the scallions, wine, and oil. Cover and chill 3-4 hours, turning and basting, then scrape off the marinade and dry the hens with paper towels. Stock for sauce - make while the hens are marinating: Brown reserved backbones, necks and giblets with the carrot and onion in a frying pan with a little oil. Scrape into a saucepan and discard oil. Rinse fry pan with stock and pour into saucepan. Add wine, marinade, bay leaf and celery. Bring to a simmer, skim, cover loosely. Simmer on low for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Strain, skim fat off. Brush birds with melted butter and lay in one layer in a broiler pan. Preheat broiler and set pan 3-inches from the heat. Brown breast side up 5 minutes, baste with butter, then brown breasts side down. (May be done ahead to this point, leave at room temp if wait is not too long) Simmer garlic cloves 3-4 min. in water. Slip off skins, reserve in a bowl. Grate cheese, set out wine, prepare mushrooms. Roast hens 1/2 hour at 400 degrees F, salt and pepper skin and sides; sprinkle with cheese and garlic cloves. Pour in port to 1/4-inch in pan. Place pan in upper middle level of oven. Baste every 5 minutes or so; after 20 minutes sprinkle mushrooms over. Hens are done when the thigh pierced has no rosy juices. Remove birds to a hot platter. Arrange mushrooms around, keep warm in oven turned off. Pour stock into the roasting pan and scrape the pan well. Strain into a saucepan, leaving the garlic cloves in the sieve. Skim the fat off and sieve half of the garlic thru the sieve into the sauce. Boil down to thicken the sauce, pour hot sauce over the hens and serve immediately. Thank you, Julia! Teresa o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 9:01 This is an easy and tasty breading for boneless, skinless breasts that we like. I've passed the recipe on to friends, and they like it as well. Easy Breaded Chicken Breasts 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard 1/2 tbsp worcestershire 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/8 cup parmesan cheese Combine butter, dijon, worcestershire and garlic in a bowl. Combine bread crumbs and parmesan on a plate. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then roll in crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees 45 minutes, or until done. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 9:07 That must be Moe's plate with the carrot! :) o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by grainlady (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 10:37 This is a quick and easy recipe I make a lot in the summer using fresh produce from the garden. You can use other veggies like yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms.... Skip the sun-dried tomatoes and add some quartered fresh cherry tomatoes or leave them out entirely. I don't use canned beans, but will use white cannellini beans I "cook" in a Thermos, or substitute the cannellini beans with other kinds of beans or chana dal I've stashed pre-cooked in the freezer. Once you make it you'll adapt it to your personal likes/needs and use what's in the refrigerator/freezer. TUSCAN ROSEMARY CHICKEN AND WHITE BEANS (source: Country Casseroles & One Dish Meals) 1/3 c. purchased Italian salad dressing (if you use fat-free dressing add a little olive oil) 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 1 c. sliced carrots 1 c. sliced celery 1/4 c. coarsely chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes 1 t. dried rosemary leaves, crushed (I use a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary) 1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans drained, rinsed Heat salad dressing in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Reduce heat to low. Add carrots, celery, tomatoes and rosemary. Cover; simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear. Stir in beans. Cook until beans are thoroughly heated. Makes 4 servings. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ann_t (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 10:51 Another favourite. Italian Roasted Chicken Edited November 10th, 2006 This recipe is my version of the Italian Chicken we use to order in a Italian restaurant in Sault Ste. Marie. It can be made with small roasting chickens, chicken pieces or Cornish game hens. 2 Cornish Game Hens, or whole chicken breasts 3 or 4 sprigs of rosemary 2 heads of garlic, peeled and cracked Salt, pepper Juice from one or two lemons Lemon zest (optional) Hot red pepper flakes 1/2 cup olive oil Kalamata olives (optional) Chicken broth If using roasting chickens or game hens, split the birds down the back and remove the back bone. Place the chicken halves or pieces in the roasting pan. Toss in the garlic cloves and the sprigs of rosemary. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. squeeze the lemons over the chicken and drizzle with the olive oil. You can prepare the chicken up to this point and let rest in the fridge for an hour or two. Roast in a 450°F Check after about 20 minutes and add some chicken broth to the pan. This will stop the garlic from getting burnt. (If you are using the olives add them now) Add more if needed. When chicken is done, remove from pan and add a little more chicken broth, stir and serve sauce over the chicken. My favourite side with this chicken is Spaghetti Aglio E Olio o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY - Souvlaki clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ann_t (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 10:58 This is probably the easiest dinner to make. Chicken Souvlaki. Chicken Souvlaki Chicken breasts Fresh minced garlic Dried oregano Lemons Olive oil Salt Pepper Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes Place on wooden Skewers that have been soaked in water (prevents sticks from burning.. or on metal skewers. Rub with fresh minced garlic and dried oregano Squeeze fresh lemons over chicken and some olive oil Salt and pepper Marinate for up to 1 hour. If marinating longer do not add lemon juice until the last hour. Lemon juice "cooks" the flesh and changes the texture. Place on hot grill and turn often until done. Serve with Greek salad and rice. NOTE: This recipe works well with Pork (I use Pork Tenderloin) and with Lamb o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by caliloo (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 13:21 We always call this dish "Evil Jessy's Chicken" since she originally posted the recipe eons ago. It is still a favorite and wonderfully easy to make. Alexa Aunt Sadie's Chicken - from Joan Nathan Ingredients for Marinade: 1/2 cup light olive oil 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 3 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped 1 head garlic, diced Salt and pepper to taste 4 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped 1 cup pitted black olives, halved 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3 bay leaves 8 shallots, diced 2 Tbs. olive oil 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, halved Two 16-ounce cans artichokes, halved and drained 1 cup red wine Preparation: In a bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, oregano and halved black olives. Pour over chicken breasts in baking dish and top with 3 bay leaves. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerator overnight. After chicken has marinated overnight, saute diced shallots in 2 tablespoons olive oil and drizzle over chicken. Add light brown sugar, halved sun-dried tomatoes and halved and drained artichokes. Pour red wine over all and bake in 350-degree oven for an hour. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by bob_cville (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 14:10 A sister-in-law of mine gave me a bottle of a Moroccan spice blend named Ras el Hanout a couple of years ago. I tried several recipes with it but wasn't happy with any until I concocted the following a couple of weeks ago: Moroccan Chicken 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs 2 Tbsp Flour 1 Tbsp Ras el Hanout 2 Tbsp Plain Greek Yogurt Preheat convection oven to 350 deg F Mix Ras el Hanout and yogurt in bowl with wooden spoon. Pat chicken dry with clean paper towel. Coat chicken with flour then dredge in spiced yogurt and place on baking pan. Cook for 35 minutes o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by teresa_nc7 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 15:04 Question: if you want to make one of these dishes with half BLSL chicken breasts and half BLSL chicken thighs, would you cook both for the same amount of time or remove the breasts a few minutes before you take the pan of thighs from the oven? I don't often cook with whole BLSL chicken breasts, that is why I am asking. Thanks! Teresa o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by arley (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 15:07 This has been posted several times, sometimes under the title "Chicken with lemons up its butt". It's a great favorite at my house. Make this recipe with a free range chicken and it's fabulous, but this cooking elevates even ordinary supermarket birds to greatness. It's easy, unfussy, and delicious. It's from Marcella Hazan's 'Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking'--one of my favorite cookbooks of all time. CHICKEN WITH LEMONS Marcella sez: If this were a still life its title could be "Chicken with Two Lemons." That is all that there is in it. No fat to cook with, no basting to do, no stuffing to prepare, no condiments except for salt and pepper. After you put the chicken in the oven you turn it just once. The bird, its two lemons, and the oven do all the rest. Again and again, through the years, I met people who come up to me to say, "I have made your chicken with two lemons and it is the most amazingly simple recipe, the juiciest, best-tasting chicken I have ever had." And you know, it is perfectly true. Ingredients A 3- to 4-pound chicken Salt Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill 2 rather small lemons Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash the chicken thoroughly in cold water, both inside and out. Remove all the bits of fat hanging loose. Let the bird sit for about 10 minutes on a slightly tilted plate to let all the water drain out of it. Pat it thoroughly dry all over with cloth or paper towels. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and black pepper on the chicken, rubbing it with your fingers over all its body and into its cavity. Wash the lemons in cold water and dry them with a towel. Soften each lemon by placing it on a counter and rolling it back and forth as you put firm downward pressure on it with the palm of your hand. Puncture the lemons in at least 20 places each, using a sturdy round toothpick, a trussing needle, a sharp-pointed fork, or similar implement. Place both lemons in the bird's cavity. Close up the opening with toothpicks or with trussing needle and string. Close it well, but don't make an absolutely airtight job of it because the chicken may burst. Run kitchen string from one leg to the other, tying it at both knuckle ends. Leave the legs in their natural position without pulling them tight. If the skin is unbroken, the chicken will puff up as it cooks, and the string serves only to keep the thighs from spreading apart and splitting the skin. Put the chicken into a roasting pan, breast facing down. Do not add cooking fat of any kind. This bird is self-basting, so you need not fear it will stick to the pan. Place it in the upper third of the preheated oven. After 30 minutes, turn the chicken over to have the breast face up. When turning it, try not to puncture the skin. If kept intact, the chicken will swell like a balloon, which makes for an arresting presentation at the table later. Do not worry too much about it, however, because even if it fails to swell, the flavor will not be affected. Cook for another 30 to 35 minutes, then turn the oven thermostat up to 400 degrees, and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Calculate between 20 and 25 minutes total cooking time for each pound. There is no need to turn the chicken again. Whether your bird has puffed up or not, bring it to the table whole and leave the lemons inside until it is carved and opened. The juices that run out are perfectly delicious. Be sure to spoon them over the chicken slices. The lemons will have shriveled up, but they still contain some juice; do not squeeze them, they may squirt. Ahead-of-time note: If you want to eat it while it is warm, plan to have it the moment it comes out of the oven. If there are leftovers, they will be very tasty cold, kept moist with some of the cooking juices and eaten not straight out of the refrigerator, but at room temperature. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jude31 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 15:15 We had this for dinner one night last week....very good! I halved the recipe. Very quick and easy. Pictured on the cover of the current issue of Everyday Food: Serves 4 Broiled Chicken Thighs with Pineapple-Cucumber Salad 2 T. grated lime zest plus 3 T. lime juice (from 3 limes) 2 teas. chili powder coarse salt and pepper 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 1/2 pineapple, chopped (4 cups) 1 English cucumber, cut into 1/4-in. slices (3 cups) 1/4 C. fresh cilantro leaves 1. Heat broiler, with rack 4 in. from heat. Combine lime zest, chili powder, and 2 teas. salt. On a rimmed baging sheet, rub chicken all over with mixture. Turn skin side down. 2. Broil chicken 5 minutes. Flip and broil until skin is crisp and chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, combine lime juice, pineapple, cucumber, and cilantro. Season with salt and peper. Serve chicken with salad. Even when halving the recipe, we still had enough leftover for another meal. jude o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY--another one clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by arley (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 15:31 One other dish that people may be interested in now that the weather's warmer: There's a classic European dish of roasted veal breast in tuna sauce, vitello tonnato. Julia Child adapted it for poached turkey breast instead of veal. (It's much cheaper and more tender, and it works very well.) This recipe is ideal for hot weather--especially for a luncheon for several people. You make the entire recipe a day or two in advance: the day of the lunch, all you have to do is take the dish out of the fridge and, if desired, decorate it a bit. You can serve this dish with a salad, or make sandwiches with it, or just eat it plain. Delicious. If you don't like capers, leave them out; it'll still taste great. I'm reproducing the recipe exactly as Julia has it, but I would note that when I made it I found that the Dijon mustard tended to overpower the other ingredients; even though she calls for 2 to 3 tablespoons, I'd start with only 1 tablespoon and add a little more if needed. (I know it takes chutzpah to overrule Julia, but there you have it.) While it calls for poached turkey breast (and on the next page I include her directions for poaching a turkey breast) if you just want to try out the sauce, you can 'cheat' and go to the deli and get several slices of precooked turkey breast and use that. (I've done that ; works great, although it ends up costing about three times as much as poaching a turkey breast on your own.) She makes the point that you don't serve it as sliced turkey with a sauce on the side; you need to smear each slice with the sauce and let the slices absorb the flavors for a day or two. You can make the sauce in either a blender or a food processor. If you have a food processor, though, the sauce is extremely easy to make. In fact, my Cuisinart has a push-tube with a hole in it that is designed to drip oil at just the right speed for emulsifying with the other ingredients. TACCHINO TONNATO from Julia Child's THE WAY TO COOK (Cold Sliced Turkey Breast in Tuna and Anchovy sauce) For 8 or more servings 1 - 7 oz tin (1 cup) tuna packed in water, drained 1 - 2oz tin of flat fillets of anchovies packed in olive oil, drained One-fourth cup capers, squeezed dry The grated peel of one half lemon 2 to 3 tbsp Dijon-type prepared mustard (you may wish to start with just one and add more if needed) 1 large clove of garlic, pureed, then mashed to a very fine paste with one-fourth tsp salt 4 egg yolks 1 to 1 1/2 cups or more virgin olive oil Drops of lemon juice Salt and freshly ground white pepper One 6-pound poached turkey breast (recipe follows this one) or 16 to 20 generous but thin slices of cooked turkey breast Decorations: 1/3 cup capers, drained; coarsely chopped parsley; lemon wedges The sauce. Puree the tuna, anchovies, capers, lemon peel, mustard and garlic paste in the machine, then add the egg yolks and puree several seconds, until the mixture has thickened. Finally, with the motor running, start adding the oil in a very thin stream of droplets, and continue without pause until three-fourths of a cup of oil has gone in and the sauce has thickened into a heavy cream. It will not be as thick as mayonnaise, but should hold itself in creamy suspension. Process in one-half cup more of oil, depending on how thick a sauce you wish to have. Season carefully to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper; the sauce should have character, but should not be too strong in taste or it will kill off the turkey. Slicing the turkey. If you are using a poached turkey breast, discard the skin. Carefully remove in one piece the whole side of each breast from the carcass. Cut the meat at a slant crosswise (across the grain) into elegant slices less than 1/8 inch thick. Assembling. Spoon a layer of sauce in the bottom of a serving platter, and arrange the turkey on top, spreading each slice with a coating of sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours before serving. Serving. Let the platter sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to take off the chill. Meanwhile sprinkle on the capers and parsley, and decorate with lemon wedges. Poached Turkey Breast Set up a 6-pound bone-in breast of turkey breast up in a kettle just large enough to hold it comfortably, surround it with 1 cup each of chopped carrots, onions and celery, and a large herb bouquet. Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of dry white French vermouth or dry white wine, and enough water to cover the breast by 1/2 inch. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove; skim off the gray scum, which will continue to rise for several minutes. Salt lightly, then cover the pot loosely and maintain at the bare simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, adding a little boiling water if the liquid evaporates to expose the turkey. It's done when a meat thermometer, pushed in to the thickest part of the meat near the shoulder (but not touching bone) reads 162 to 165 F. Let the turkey cool in its broth for at least 30 minutes. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by publickman (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 15:42 Here's a recipe that I could have put on the chili Cookalong, but I was not sure about the rules: Yucatecan Chicken Chili Ingredients: 6 chicken thighs or 1 chicken 2 limes, sliced rinds of 2 lemons, sliced 2 oranges, sliced (preferably somewhat green) 1 carrot, chopped 2 bay leaves 6 cups water 2 onions, cut in halves and divided 8 cloves garlic 3 dried Ancho chilies 2 dried Pasilla chilies 4 dried Guajillo chilies 1-2 dried Cayenne Chilies (optional) 2 tbsp oregano (divided) 1/3 cup flour 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp Achiote paste 2 tsp salt, or to taste cilantro, for garnish Directions: Wash the chicken and leave whole or cut into pieces. Place the lemon, lime, and orange slices in stockpot and add the chicken, carrot, bay leaves, and water. Add one onion and the garlic cloves. Slit open all the chilies and remove all seeds, and then the chilies add those to the pot, and bring to a boil on high heat. Put 1 tablespoon of oregano in a tea ball or bouquet garni and add to the pot. Reduce the heat to simmer and allow to cook covered for 40 minutes, or one hour if using a whole chicken. After one hour, turn off heat and allow the pot to stand covered for about 20-30 minutes more while the chicken continues to cook. Retrieve all the chilies and place in a small bowl with about 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. If possible, remove some of the peeling; otherwise puree them with the 1/2 cup liquid using a small food processor or hand blender on low speed. Strain the puree through a food mill or sieve to remove the skin, and reserve the strained puree. Strain off the liquid from the stockpot and reserve. When the chicken is cool enough (you can refrigerate it at this point), remove all the meat and reserve. Save the bones and discard the bay leaves. Return the bones to the stock and simmer for another hour with a 1/2 onion. Strain the stock and allow it to cool for a while. Then, using a fat separator, divide the stock from the fat. Reserve the stock, which should be about 4 cups or slightly more. Mince the remaining 1/2 onion. Add 1/3 cup of the skimmed fat to a large sauce pan over high heat. When the fat is hot, add the 1/2 cup flour and make a roux that is light brown or tan. Add the onion and cook about 1-2 minutes more, and then add 2 cups of reserved stock that has been defatted. Stir to combine, and add the tomato paste, one tablespoon of oregano, Achiote paste, and 1 tsp salt. Check for salt flavor and add more salt if necessary. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until onions have cooked, and then puree with a stick blender (or food processor) and return to saucepan. Chop the reserved chicken meat and add to the saucepan with 1/4 cup of chili paste that you have reserved (or about half of it). Stir to combine, and serve with tortillas or rice. *Note: You will have approximately 2 cups of stock and 1/4 cup of chili paste left over. This can be used to make a sauce for enchiladas or tamales. Lars o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by Lindac (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 11:07 And so far no one has mentioned those old favorites ( to me) of Chicken pot pie and chicken a la king. I don't use a recipe for either, just a medium white sauce made with half milk and half chicken broth....and chicken. For the A la king I add sauteed mushrooms and strips of orasted red peppers....serve in a puff pastry shell. And for the pot pie, I add cooked carrot buttons to the cream sauce and the chicken and un cooked frozen peas, and some sauteed chopped onions....top with the crust of choice ( simple pie crust, puff pastry or biscuit dough rolled to about 1/4 inch) and bake until crust is browned. And then there is that midwestern favorite of chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes....but that's a different thread!! Linda C o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 12:00 Arley, I had to smile, you reminded me of Dishesdone's "Lemon Up the Butt Chicken". I miss her here. Jude, that sounds really good, I'll have to try that. I like the idea of the pineapple and cucumber better than the chicken itself, LOL. I like just plain old roasted chicken as well as anything else, but I'm a big fan of Lars' Algerian Chicken. It's as good cold or room temperature, nearly, as it is hot. I often use the seasoning on chicken pieces if I don't have a whole chicken. Algerian Roast Chicken Ingredients: 1 whole chicken 4 cloves of garlic 1-1/2 tbsp Kosher salt 1 teaspoon of sumac (most essential spice for this) 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds 1/2 tsp coriander seeds 1/2 tsp fenugreek 3/4 tsp cumin 3 tablespoons of butter, room temperature 1 tbsp minced Thai basil (or 1/2 tsp fennel) 2 lemons 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Freshly ground black pepper extra herbs, 1 tsp each minced fresh oregano and basil, optional 4-5 sprigs of thyme Directions: Start charcoal for outdoor barbeque, using large chunks of mesquite wood and charcoal; if using an oven, preheat to 400 degrees F. Place the chicken in a roasting pan with a rack. Slide your fingers under the breasts to separate the skin from the meat, turn the chicken over and do the same with the thighs. Mash the garlic with 1-1/2 tablespoons of salt in a mortar and pestle or finely chop the garlic and incorporate the salt into it with the side of your knife or back of a spoon. Add the sumac, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, and cumin and mix to pulverize the seeds. Add butter and basil and combine to mix. Tuck pieces of the butter into the "pockets" under the skin. Squeeze the juice of one lemon all over the chicken, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle freshly ground black pepper. Season the cavity with pepper, tuck in the lemon halves and more herbs into the cavity if desired. Place the chicken on the barbeque and cover, leaving vents fully open to maintain heat. Baste the chicken every 15 minutes alternating water and pan drippings. Midway through cooking turn the chicken 90 degrees. Continue frequent basting. The cooking time for a 3-1/2 pound bird is about 1 to 1-1/2 hours, depending on how hot your fire is. Cook to an internal temperature of 160�, measured in the thigh. Let rest covered about 30 minutes before carving. Squeeze fresh lemon juice into the roasting juices, and pour into a gravy boat. Add salt, if needed. Serve with roasted potatoes, green salad, and French or Italian bread. You can add the potatoes to the pan if you want to roast them with the chicken. I generally parboil them for 10 minutes and then grill or roast them for 20 to 30 minutes. I also really, really like Sol's Chicken in Caramel Sauce. I just use whatever chicken I have on hand and I keep fish sauce especially for this recipe. Chicken in Caramel Sauce � 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup fish sauce 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon slivered ginger 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 small dried, red chilies, broken in half 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1 shallot, sliced 1 3/4 lbs. skinless, boneless dark meat chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces 1/4 lb., skinless, boneless white meat chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces � Cooked rice Fresh cilantro sprig for garnishing � Combine the sugar, water, fish sauce, vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, pepper, and chilies in a small bowl. Mix well. Set aside. � Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shallot and saut� for a few minutes. Add the chicken and saut� until slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place rice in a serving bowl and spoon the chicken over it. Garnish with cilantro. Boy, this thread makes me glad I have 30 broilers that'll be ready for the freezer sometime the first couple weeks of June! Annie � o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sherrmann (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 13:17 Quick and easy... Slice a chicken breast or two horizontally, or cut it into chunks, depending on how you will serve it. Sprinkle with EITHER 1) salt and curry powder; OR 2) paprika, cayenne powder, salt and garlic powder; OR 3) seasoned salt Saute in olive oil or butter for a few minutes. Serve over spaghetti, or noodles, or greens (fresh or cooked), with rice, whatever. Completely versatile, quick, low in fat and calories, ready in 15-20 minutes. And cheap, too! o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 13:53 Annie, here's a dumb question. I tried looking all over Sol's site for the recipe so I can see a picture, but to no avail. In my silly mind, "caramel sauce" is synonymous with "sweet". I'm hoping it's not sweet at all; it just describes a dark golden colour of the chicken. Can you enlighten me? o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 15:57 jasdip, I'm sorry to tell you that it is, indeed, somewhat sweet. The sauce reminds me of that dark and slightly sweet sauce I get on beef and broccoli stir fries at "chinese" restaurants here. It's not hugely sweet, it's slightly sweet, which nicely offsets the heat from those two peppers. Since I'm a wuss, I only use one pepper anyway! Annie o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 16:04 I'm lucky to have a source for locally raised poultry so we have it often. I prefer bone-in chicken to boneless and we like all the parts. As I get older, I seem to make simple poultry dishes more than those with complex sauces. Here's one I first made for DH when we were dating and he still requests it some 35+ years later. MUSTARD CHICKEN 4 boneless chicken breast halves 1/2 of a juicy lemon Salt and freshly ground pepper Butter or margarine About 1/4 cup Dijon-style prepared mustard 1/2 cup unseasoned fine dry breadcrumbs Squeeze lemon juice over both sides of chicken, then season with salt & pepper. Melt about 1/4 cup of butter and brush both sides lightly with butter or margarine and place in shallow broiler-proof pan. Roast in preheated 425 degree oven, turning twice, for 15-25 minutes or until just barely tender. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Spread the flat side with a layer of mustard; then turn breast mustard side down into a bowl containing the crumbs. Press with fingers to make a thin layer of crumbs over the mustard. Return to baking pan, crumb side up. Repeat with the other 3 chicken breasts. Drizzle the remaining melted butter or margarine (should be about 2 Tbs. � if not, melt additional) evenly over the crumbs. (I like to brush the butter on to get it even but it takes practice to do it gently without messing up the crumbs.) Set broiler about 6-7" from heat and preheat. Broil until crumbs are crisp and golden brown. Watch carefully that crumbs do not burn. Serve warm or cold. Photobucket o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by chase (My Page) on Fri, Apr 27, 12 at 8:33 Looking through all my chicken recipes was a trip down memory lane. I can't believe how many I have from this site. That and this thread has me motivated to change things up a bit, bring back the old and try the new! This is a recipe we really enjoy. Chicken Cacciatore ... my way 8 Chicken breasts or a combo -of breasts -and thighs 1 1/2 Tbl Olive Oil 1 1/4 Cup Onions, Chopped 8 Oz Mushrooms,quartered 1 1/2 Tsp Garlic, Minced 1 Tsp Dried Oregano 2 Tbl Parsley, Chopped 2 Cup Tomato Sauce 1/2 Cup chicken broth 1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives, pitted and -quartered Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Pour 1 tbsp oil into a 10-12" nonstick pan over med-high heat. When hot,add the chicken and brown well(work in batches if it won't all fit). As chicken pieces are browned, transfer to a foil pan (8-9" square). In the same pan, add the remaining oil and the onions, mushrooms, garlic. Stir often over med-high heat until vegetables are limp (12-15 minutes). Stir in the tomato sauce, chicken broth,oregano and parsley. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often; reduce heat, cover and simmer about 20 minutes to blend flavors. Add olives to sauce, remove from heat and pour over the chicken in the pan. Seal pan with foil and bake, covered, in a 375f oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. **** Additions last time 1 sweet pepper sliced o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jessyf (My Page) on Fri, Apr 27, 12 at 9:21 Alexa, I had forgotten about that recipe, thanks for the reminder. I have a jar of sundried tomatoes that just asked to be used up in that one! We do a LOT of chicken (chicken Marsala last night, in fact) since I have three nearby stores that carry chickens w/out hormones/antibiotics, natural, organic, sustainably raised, etc. I'm going to share what I do with a roast chicken instead of the recipe itself. Whenever we prepare a roast chicken, one of my dinner prep steps is to pull out my pressure cooker and pre-stock it with cut up onions, carrots, celery, maybe a parsnip, couple twists of the pepper grinder, bouillon because I do like salt, and couple of springs of Italian parsley and dried dill. DH's job is to cut up the chicken and he'll toss the back into the pressure cooker before we sit down to eat. After dinner I'll debone what wasn't eaten and toss the bones into the pressure cooker, add water, turn on the flame, and half an hour later I have chicken stock. I strain the liquid, measure the liquid gold (grin) into mason jars, label and freeze. If you don't have a pressure cooker, a stock pot would work as well, it would just take a little longer. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by pat_t (My Page) on Fri, Apr 27, 12 at 16:43 This recipe is, by far, the most requested one in our house. My daughter LOVES it and will eat any leftovers for her lunch the next day COLD. I have no clue where I got the recipe! I always double the marinade. THAI CHICKEN SKEWERS 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 2 Tblsp. finely chopped onion 2 Tblsp. finely chopped parsley 2 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice 1-1/2 tsp. soy sauce 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp. pepper sauce (I use Sriracha) 1/2 tsp. ground coriander 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces Wooden skewers, pre-soaked Combine all ingredients except chicken and skewers in medium bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Preheat broiler or grill. Thread marinated chicken on skewers. Broil or grill 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently. (Do not overcook.) Serve warm on skewers. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Fri, Apr 27, 12 at 17:45 I made this and we quite enjoyed it. I wouldn't put so much sauce on top, next time. Slow-Cooker Sweet Butter Chicken (Donna-Marie Pye) 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp tandoori curry paste or tikka curry paste, divided 1 tbsp minced gingerroot, or 1/2 tsp dried ginger 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika 12-oz can evaporated milk 1 can tomato paste 1 tbsp packed brown sugar 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I used 2 breasts, cut in half) 1/2 cup plain yogurt 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 2 tbsp chopped toasted cashews In a saucepan, cook 1 tbsp of the butter until just beginning to brown. Add 1 tbsp of the curry paste, ginger, cumin and paprika; cook, stirring, 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in evaporated milk, tomato paste and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add the remaining butter to the slow cooker and coat bottom and sides. In a bowl, combine yogurt and remaining 1 tbsp curry paste. Add chicken and coat with mixture. Arrange in slow cooker and pour sauce evenly over top. Cook on Low 5-6 hours or on High 3 hours, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced. Stir in lime juice and serve over basmati rice, sprinkled with cilantro and cashews. Butter Chicken o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by tobyt (My Page) on Sat, Apr 28, 12 at 16:55 This has become a favourite week night quickie dinner. Pitting the olives takes the most time of anything, but it's really quick and very tasty! Jane Chicken with Olives and Feta Cheese Bon Appetit : November 2000 by Peter Rasmussen, Libertyville, IL A boldly flavored dish that's great served over orzo (rice-shaped pasta). Yield: Makes 6 servings 2 pounds chicken thighs with skin and bones 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 2 large garlic cloves, chopped 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice 3/4 cup Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives, pitted, sliced 1/2 cup dry red wine 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onion to drippings in skillet. Saute over medium heat 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juices, olives, wine and oregano. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to sauce; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer chicken and sauce to platter. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Sat, Apr 28, 12 at 19:27 This is hands-down my very favourite chicken recipe. This is the original, but I pare it down so that it suits us, with leftovers. This serves 12-14, and there are 2 of us :-) I don't like sweet, so I omit the brown sugar. Chicken Marbella from The Silver Palate Cookbook Preparation time: 20 minutes Marinating time: 12 or more hours Cooking time: approximately 1 hour Yield: 12-14 servings 4 chickens, 2-1/2 pounds each, quartered 1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed 1/4 cup dried oregano Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1 cup pitted prunes 1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives 1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice 6 bay leaves 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup white wine 1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped 1. In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 3. Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them. 4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice. 5. With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Mon, Apr 30, 12 at 9:34 Jasdip, that chicken Marbella recipe is a favorite at our house too. I do use the brown sugar since it's only about a tablespoon per piece and makes a nice crust on the skin. Here's a few others that we like. HONEY CURRIED CHICKEN 4 bone-in chicken or boneless chicken breasts or 1 cut up chicken 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine 1/4 cup honey 1/2 cup orange juice 2 Tbs. prepared mustard 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. curry powder 2 Tbs. dark rum Place chicken skin side up in shallow baking dish and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine remaining ingredients, stirring well. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake for one hour (about 40 minutes for boneless breasts), basting occasionally with sauce. Note: When I use the boneless breasts, I turn them over halfway through the cooking time. I also melt the butter in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave and then add the honey and orange juice directly to it so I don't dirty more measuring cups. CHICKEN PICATTA 4 chicken breasts (6 oz. each) 2 T. olive oil 1/4 c. white wine 1 t. minced garlic 1/2 cup chicken broth 2 T. fresh lemon juice 1 T. capers 2 T. butter Fresh lemon slices, at least one per chicken breast Prepare the chicken for cutlets. I use a rolling pin to smash and roll then until fairly thin. Try not to break the chicken apart. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken cutlets, dredge in flour, and shake off excess flour. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Saute cutlets until brown on one side, 2-3 minutes. Flip the cutlets and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes. Remove cutlets and poor off remaining oil if there is a lot. Return the pan to medium heat and add wine and garlic and cook until liquid is nearly gone and garlic barely begins to brown - about 2 minutes. Add broth, lemon juice and capers. Return cutlets to pan and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove cutlets to platter and add butter and lemon slices to the sauce. Melt butter and then pour the sauce over the cutlets. ------------ Lincoln Logs and Chicken Tetrazini were my mom's favorite ways to prepare poultry leftovers. LINCOLN LOGS 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, finely diced 1 cup dry bread crumbs, divided 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped and lightly toasted 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped 1 Tbs. finely minced fresh parsley 1/4 - 1/2 tsp.salt dash of pepper 1/4 tsp. paprika 1 cup white sauce (recipe below) Cooking oil Mix chicken or turkey, 1/3 cup bread crumbs, walnuts, celery, onion, salt, pepper, and paprika. Moisten with 1/3 cup of sauce. Form mixture into 12 logs, each 3 inches long. Roll in remaining bread crumbs and fry in oil. Drain and serve with remaining sauce or leftover gravy. Notes: If you have trouble shaping the logs, chill mixture first. White sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, as can the entire logs before frying, storing covered. Sauteed mushrooms can be added to the sauce to be served with the logs. Fresh or dried herbs can also be added in place of some of the parsley; tarragon is especially good. White sauce: 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine 2 Tbsp. flour 1/4 tsp. salt dash pepper dash paprika 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup half-and-half In medium saucepan, over low heat, melt butter; stir in flour and seasonings until smooth. Gradually stir in broth and half-and-half; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Makes 1 cup o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Mon, Apr 30, 12 at 9:43 Ruthanna, thanks for your comment about using brown sugar. If that's pretty much all it does; is giving a nice crust, I'll do it next time. Thanks! I'm planning on making it soon and having 2 neighbours over for dinner. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Mon, Apr 30, 12 at 10:14 I can't wait to try some of these recipes! BF and I have chicken about once a week. Last night we had chicken breasts stuffed with feta and spinach. Good but nothing spectacular. We get a lot of our chicken recipes from Cooking Light, never have anything really bad there, and some are great. I'm going to post my favorite. Also, BF and I eat a lot of turkey burgers. I know I had a recipe for them originally, but I can't find it so now I just wing it. I think you start off with about two pounds-2.5 lbs. of ground turkey. I don't use the lowest fat version, but the next one up, which is still pretty low. To that, add a cup of chopped spinach (the frozen kind, but thaw it), and a cup of lowfat feta (this is for flavor, you can use full fat feta but it will make a gooier situation when you go to fry them). Then add some finely chopped onion to taste. I use dried onion, a heaping TBLSP. Add 1.5 tsp. chopped garlic (more or less depending on your taste, this is fairly garlicky), 1.5 tsp. salt, more or less depending on your taste, and 2 heaping tsp. Penzey's Turkish seasoning, or your favorite Greek seasoning, or Ras el Harnout, which is a Moroccan seasoning, or any combination Mediterranean style seasoning you like. I also add a generous shake of alleppo red pepper, or you could sub some hot paprika, with discretion! Shape these into patties, and freeze the extras to pop out for a quick dinner. These are great on pita with lettuce, tomato, cucumber (or a pickle) and tahini sauce. Here's a recipe for the tahini sauce, from Cooking Light: 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt 1 TBLSP tahini (sesame seed paste) 1 TBLSP lemon juice 1 minced garlic clove (or less, lol!) Dash of salt (I add a tiny bit of sugar since I find nonfat yogurt very tart. I also add fresh chopped chives and parsley, and no garlic. Sometimes I use dried chives and parsley if I don't have the fresh, but if you do, you have to let the sauce sit for a while to absorb the flavor of the dried herbs). Here's our all time favorite Cooking Light chicken dish: Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs (Lpink's note: we make this with chicken breasts) Speed up prep by marinating only 30 minutes. Serve with cabbage-carrot slaw. (Lpink's note: you don't have to marinate!) Cooking Light MAY 2011 Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 thighs and 2 tablespoons sauce) Hands-on:31 Minutes Total:2 Hours, 43 Minutes (Lpink's note: This only takes me about 45 min. to make) Cost Per Serving:$1.91 Ingredients 1/3 cup spicy brown mustard 2 tablespoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoons yellow mustard (Lpink's note: you can leave this out or just sub a little more brown mustard. We don't usually have yellow mustard around) 1 tablespoon grated onion 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 garlic clove, minced 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (Lpink's note: I use this sauce on two or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Use fewer breasts for a saucier, tastier, albeit higher calorie entree) 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Cooking spray Preparation 1. Combine first 9 ingredients. Place half of mixture in a zip-top plastic bag; reserve remaining mixture. Add chicken to bag; seal. Chill 2 hours. (Lpink's note: you can skip this. I just read recently online somewhere about "food myths" and a marinade doesn't really penetrate very far into the meat anyway, so really not necessary). 2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. (Lpink's note: we also do this on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet, and then braise the chicken a little bit in the sauce as it thickens,) 3. Remove chicken from bag. Sprinkle chicken with salt. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with reserved mustard mixture. (Lpink's note: you have to heat this up a bit and reduce it just a bit, which works out great if you put the chicken in the pan while you are doing it. It only takes a couple of minutes to do). o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by paprikash (My Page) on Mon, Apr 30, 12 at 12:09 I have a quickie chicken a la king recipe I sometimes make but this one is over the top fabulous: * Exported from MasterCook * Chicken a la King Recipe By : Adapted from Food Network Serving Size : 4 Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1/4 cup plus 1 T unsalted butter 2 large shallots -- minced 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup dry sherry 3 3/4 cups chicken broth 6 sprigs plus 1 T, minced, flat-leaf parsley 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 teaspoon Kosher salt -- plus more to taste pinch cayenne pepper pinch freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms -- trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch slices 1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream 4 cups 1-inch cubed poached chicken -- recipe follows 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives Serve with buttered noodles, toast points, biscuits or crepes Poached Chicken: 10 sprigs parsley 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 small onion -- halved 1 small carrot -- halved 1 stalk celery -- halved 3 pounds chicken breast halves on the bone 5 to 6 cups chicken broth Put the parsley, thyme, onion, carrot, celery, and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and cover. Poach the chicken for 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, and cool the chicken in the liquid for 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and reserve the liquid. Bone and skin the chicken and cut the meat into cubes. Discard skin and bones. Strain the broth and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for later use. Use 3 3/4 cups of it for the chicken a la king. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup of the butter and saute the shallots until softened - about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Whisk in the sherry and broth and bring to a boil while stirring. Add the parsley and thyme sprigs, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the sauce for 30 minutes stirring frequently. Meanwhile heat the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce into mushrooms and season with the salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Whisk in the creme fraiche. Add the minced parsley, chicken and chives to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately over noodles, toast points, split baking powder biscuits or wrapped in crepes. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : I serve over Pepperidge Farm puff pastry shells. I also add sauteed green pepper strips and a 2 oz jar of pimento and use heavy cream instead of creme fraiche. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Thu, May 3, 12 at 16:54 Here's a chicken recipe I make that has lots of flavor for the calorie content. CHICKEN THIGHS WITH LEEKS & SHITAKES (2 servings � 330 calories each) 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat 1 Tbs. flour 3 tsp. olive oil, divided 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, trimmed and sliced 4 oz. shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/8 tsp. salt Sprinkle of ground coriander 1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp. dried Place chicken on a plate and sprinkle all over with flour. Reserve the excess flour. Heat 2 tsp. oil in nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tsp. of oil, leek and mushrooms to the pan. Cook over med-high heat, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle the reserved flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Add broth, wine, coriander and salt and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer, turning the chicken occasionally, until it is cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in tarragon and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Wed, May 9, 12 at 11:47 Drawing a name right now.... ********** Jasdip ***************** I'll email you. Nancy o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Wed, May 9, 12 at 12:58 Jasdip has picked rice for the next Cooklong. Thanks to all who posted their poultry recipes, I can't wait to try them. Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #47 ------ RICE o RE: Cookalong #46-------POULTRY clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Wed, May 9, 12 at 13:21 I was coming here earlier to post my Chicken with 40 Cloves garlic that we had the other nite, then saw my name. I have a fear of being picked for a cookalong, and sure enough!

@ShadyWillowFarm - Maybe some people are far more subversive then me. I am generally an open book. When I said "how sad" I sincerely meant that seeing the pictures made me sad. I used the "Decorating Conversations" and "Paint" designations vs "Design Dilemma" as I felt this was truly a conversation than a dilemma. My feelings, my opinion. I was saddened by the painting of the trim that worked so beautifully with my sister's Queen Anne antique furnishings. I also thought the kitchen renovation was wrong for the house. I know you often post on this forum and often on the same posts that I have made comment. You may or may not have noticed that almost every time someone asks what color to paint a room or what colors to use in their kitchens I ask what color the adjoining rooms are and provide advice on creating a whole home color palette. I always feel bad for posters who come to us after a renovation asking how to make something work that could have worked so much better if they had asked for advice prior to messing it up. This wasn't about making fun, it was about expressing my feelings.