Foodie Friday: Oven Fried Chicken

Trying to save your calorie overload for the upcoming holidays, but still want a taste of down home southern cooking? Why not try this recipe for oven fried chicken. It saves you the calories but not the taste!

-1 Whole Chicken cut into 8 pieces

-4 Cup of All Purpose Flour
-1 Tbsp of Salt
-1 Tbsp of Black Pepper

-1 tsp of Granulated Garlic

-1Tbsp of Paprika
-1 tsp of Dried Thyme Leaves
-1 tsp of Dried Basil Leaves
-1 tsp of Dries Oregano Leaves
-2 cups of Milk
-4 cups of Vegetable oil

Directions:

Use a frying pan or Cast Iron Skillet (best results)

Rinse Chicken and pat dry with a towel.

Combine next 9 items (hold back 1 cup of flour) together and set aside.

Start by dredging chicken in unseasoned flour.

Place chicken in milk and allow the milk to soak into the flour (about 3-4 minutes).

Remove chicken from milk and place into seasoned flour and coat. Seasoned flour should stick to all surfaces of chicken.

Place oil in skillet and warm to 350 degrees.

Very carefully place chicken in oil (always place product in oil going away from you body). Brown on all sides. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil (the purpose of this recipe is to reduce calorie count).

Place on a baking sheet and place into a preheated 400 degree oven. Cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Serve hot and crispy.

** a quick word about cast iron. A well seasoned cast iron skillet is one of the best tools you can have in a kitchen. DO NOT ever use soap on a cast iron skillet. Scrub with a metal scrub pad and wipe dry. After many uses you will notice a shinny build up, that is the seasoning of the pan and the flavor of your food will be enhanced. Again do not use soap**

Foodie Friday: Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

   
    Let's face it... we are busy! Sometimes we go all out and make a fantastic meal for our family and spend the whole day cooking- other days we want food on the table in 15 minutes. This week's recipe is dedicated to those of you who are hungry NOW- not in a couple hours!

   This week's Foodie Friday is about one of my hubby's favorite things to eat. He says "It reminds me of my Mother and growing up in Texas". Of course he put a twist on because we did not keep basil and heavy cream in the house on a regular basis. Even so- it won't take you long to whip up this delicious meal!

  1 Can of Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup

  1 Soup Can of Milk or Heavy Cream

  1 tsp of Dried Thyme

  2 tsp of Salt (I use Kosher but it does not matter)

  1 tsp of Crushed Black Pepper

  1 cup of chopped fresh Basil

    1/4 cup fine chopped Onion

  1/4 cup of Butter

  Heat butter in sauce pan and saute onions until tender about 2 minutes.

  Add Basil and saute until fragrant about 1 minute (do not burn, it will ruin the final product)

  Add soup and milk or heavy cream and mix well.

  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer and adjust with Salt and Pepper.

  Serve hot with a fresh Basil leaf for garnish and a grilled cheese sandwhich!

 

Foodie Friday: Beef and Broccli

In the grand scheme of all the wonderfully dishes we have planned to tell you about- we decided to go with this one today just in case you were inspired to get fit as a result of yesterday's awesome video interview with the Biggest Loser Goddesses!

This classic Asian dish is delicious and can be relatively healthy if you make it at home and control the ingredients. So- here we go! Donavan... take the reins!

2 lbs thin Sliced Beef (if your knife skills are not sharp, have your butcher slice it for you)
1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup Canola Oil
3 cloves Fresh Garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 lg Onion  (chopped or sliced)
2 lg Carrots (chopped or sliced and blanched)
3 heads of Broccoli (cut from stalk and in bit size pieces and blanched)
1 cup beef stock
1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce (use Low Sodium because the Hoisin will add salt as well)
1/4 cup Corn Starch
1/2 cup Cold Water

I suggest using a Wok to make this dish, if you do not have one use a saute pan.

 A Wok is a must if you plan on cooking a lot of Asian style dishes.

Place canola oil in Wok and get it hot (when you look at the oil you should see ripples in the oil)
Add beef and cook until browned on all sides but still undercooked. Remove beef from pan and add onion, carrots, garlic, sautee until onions are translucent.

Add soy sauce and hoisin sauce to vegetable mixture, bring to a boil and then add par cooked beef back to pan.

Add beef stock (low sodium if you're watching that) and bring to a boil.

Mix corn starch and cold water and add to boiling mixture about 1 Tbsp at a time to reach the desired thickness.

Add broccoli and toss until coated and warmed through, about 3-4 minutes. If sauce is too thick add a little cold water to thin out sauce.

Serve over Rice or Lo Mien Noodles
Enjoy!

Foodie Friday: Mama Kenney’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Chef Donavan here for another Foodie Friday Recipe! This is a recipe I grew up on and I still use it today in a professional setting. My mom is one of the reasons I went to culinary school. She taught me the first lesson of cooking "you gotta love to do it". You can serve it up with the Chicken Fried Steak recipe I gave you last week.

5 lbs peeled Russet Potatoes, cubed
8 gloves fresh garlic, peeled (do not use pre-chopped garlic)
1/8 cup of olive oil
½ cup sour cream
½ cup butter softened
Salt and pepper to taste

Place peeled potatoes in a pot with water and boil until tender enough to mash with a fork.

Coat garlic with olive oil and roast in a 400 degree oven until lightly browned and soft enough to mash with a fork.

Drain water off the potatoes and place in a mixer or bowl.

Add butter, sour cream, salt, pepper and garlic

Mix on a medium speed until smooth and creamy. (if mixing by hand use a wire whisk and smash potatoes)

Adjust with salt and pepper to your liking. Hold hot and serve with your favorite meal.

**take note that there is no milk in the recipe. The sour cream will give you the texture you are looking for and also add another layer to your final product.**

Foodie Friday: Chicken Fried Steak- Texas Style

It does not get more Texan than Chicken Fried Steak and Milk Gravy. Here is a recipe Donavan grew up with. We hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

-1 cup all-purpose flour

-1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
-Freshly ground black pepper
-1 large egg
-2 tablespoons milk
-2 pounds cube steak
-1/3 cup vegetable oil
-Milk Gravy (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl or baking dish, sift together flour, salt, and pepper.

In another shallow pan, combine egg and milk.

In another bowl or baking dish, Coat steaks in flour mixture, dip in egg mixture, and then coat with flour.

In a large frying pan (Donavan likes to use a cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat, add vegetable oil and heat until a drop of water sizzles.

Add coated steak pieces, in batches, and fry 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and almost cooked. (add additional vegetable oil if needed).

Remove from pan and place on a baking pan in a pre-heated 350 degree oven to finish cooking until 165 degrees is reached in the middle of the steak.

Milk Gravy Recipe

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the cooking oil(do not discard the pieces of cooked crust in the pan). Place about 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour you have left in the pan and mix with the oil to make a roux.

Add 1 cup of milk and stir until all the roux is Incorporated.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

The milk will thicken as is cooks.

Adjust with salt and pepper and top the Chicken Fried Steak with the gravy.

**if you can find a sweet bread roll (Hawaiian Rolls) to serve with this it really rounds out the meal**

Foodie Friday: Monterey Chicken

Time for another Foodie Friday recipe!

Monterey Chicken
By Chef Donavan Kenney


4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
1 Ripe Avocado (removed from skin and cut into 16 thin slices)
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Granulated Garlic
1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
2 Tsp salt
2 Tsp Crushed Black Pepper
½ Tsp Chili Flakes (if desired) for heat
1 Medium Onion (small dice)
3 cups Vegetable Oil
4 Slices Monterrey Jack Cheese
½ cup of Sofrito Sauce (available at most grocery stores in the ethnic food isle)
2 Tbsp Corn Starch
½ cup of water

Clean all excess fat and sinew from chicken breast, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.

Combine flour, chili powder, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and chili flakes into a bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place oil into a cast iron skillet or non stick pan and turn on flame to med/high and bring oil to 325 degrees.

Start by dredging chicken breast in the seasoned flour, and place on plate.

Very carefully place chicken into hot oil**

Lightly brown on both sides of chicken,remove from oil and place on a baking sheet pan and place into preheated oven.

Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Mix Corn starch and water and set aside.

While chicken is cooking, drain extra oil from the pan but DO NOT remove the flour that is in the bottom of pan. Sautee onions until translucent. Add Sofrito sauce to pan and cook until sauce bubbles and is somewhat loose. If it is not loose add water ¼ cup at a time. Simmer for 10 minutes. Thicken with corn starch and water mixture. Sauce should coat the back of a spoon nicely.

Place 4 slices of avocado on each chicken breast and cover with Jack cheese, return to oven and cook until cheese melts and you are able to see avocado through the cheese about 5 minutes.

Remove the chicken from oven. Serve on a bed of White or Brown Rice with Black Beans.

Ladle about 3 Tbsp of sauce on each chicken breast and serve.

Top with the delicious Crispy Corn Salsa  we recently introduced you to.
I hope you enjoy this classic American dish with a Spanish twist.

** Always place product in hot oil going away from your body. Just in case it splashes, or pops it goes on the stove top and not on your arms or hands. Been there done that! LOL**

Foodie Friday: Candy Corn Pudding Parfait

Here's a quick and fun little recipe that kids of all ages will enjoy!

1- 6 oz box of Instant Vanilla Pudding
2- 3 oz box of Instant White Chocolate Pudding
4 - Clear Plastic Cups
Orange Food Coloring
Yellow Food Cooling

Mix Pudding as directed on box and set in cooler and allow to set up.

Keep flavors separated.

Once set up remove vanilla pudding and divide into 2 equal parts.

Use the orange food color to turn half of the vanilla pudding orange. (you decide how bright to make it)

Use the yellow food color to turn the half of the vanilla pudding yellow. (again you decide how bright to make it)

Layer the orange pudding into the cup first. lightly tap on counter to level it out and remove air bubbles.

Wipe the side so that the next layer is its own color.

Layer the orange into the cup next and tap on counter to level and remove air bubbles. Do not worry the two colors will not mix if they are set up properly.

Top with the white chocolate pudding.

Chill for at least 1 hour and serve.

* If you want you can use White Chocolate Mouse mix made by Jello and follow the same instructions.

Have fun and I hope you enjoy! Chef Donavan.