Good Old Fashioned Fried Chicken!

Originally published on July 20, 2016

I’ve made fried chicken several times and it’s always hit or miss. Will it turn out? Won’t it? Who knows, because I’ve had a different result each and every time! Luckily, I’ve learned a few things from both my hits and misses, and now I believe I know what those are. Other than the actual chicken, there are three things you need to make great fried chicken: flour, buttermilk, and lard.

  • Flour. This is for coating the chicken. Don’t use bread crumbs, don’t use panko, you don’t need them and they’ll probably even burn up in the pan. Just toss the chicken around in it so that it’s fully coated, let it sit, and that will be all the starch you need.
  • Buttermilk. Okay, this one gets a little tricky. Yes, you do need to marinate your chicken in slightly acidic milk before you fry. This helps it stay juicy while it’s undergoing the fiery wrath of your pan. But – it doesn’t need to marinate overnight or all day in the fridge. I got mine ready and just left it to sit while I got the table set and the rest of dinner ready. That was plenty long enough. And it also doesn’t have to be real buttermilk. I mean, why spend that kind of cash when you don’t have to? No, no, no. Instead, just add a tablespoon or two of white vinegar to white milk, stir it up and let it sit for about 5 minutes. There. You’ve just made buttermilk.
  • Lard. Yes, lard. Don’t be scared, you’re not going to be eating it by the spoonful. Did you know that lard is actually a healthy fat to use when frying at very high heats? This is because lard has one of the highest smoke points of all the oils, so you can turn that dial waaay up before you start seeing those wispy curls of smoke. Once your oil is that hot, it will immediately seal the outside of anything you put in it – including delicious fried chicken. Once that outside has been seared, excess fat can no longer nestle right alongside the actual meat that’s frying – meaning that less of it ends up on your plate. If you really, really despise the idea of cooking with lard, peanut oil also has a high smoking point and is one that’s often used for fried chicken. But I still recommend using the lard.

And now, for the recipe that scored me a home run!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound lard
  • 8 chicken legs
  • 4 cups buttermilk (or milk/vinegar substitute)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • Salt

Directions:

1.) Mix together the paprika, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Place buttermilk into a large bowl and then shake half of the seasonings in. Stir to thoroughly combine, and then place chicken in. Let chicken marinate for half an hour to an hour (or longer, depending on how much time you have. If it’s going to be any longer though, make sure to put the chicken in the fridge while marinating.)

2.) Place flour into another large bowl and add the remaining half of the seasoning, along with a teaspoon of salt. Note that salt is placed in the flour, but not in the buttermilk. This is because salt can quickly dry meat out, especially if it’s sitting in for a long period of time. However, because you still need salt for flavour, putting it in the flour still gives that to you without any fear of drying out the chicken.

3.) When the chicken is done marinating, remove it from the buttermilk, one piece at a time, and drop it into the flour. Shake or toss to entirely coat the chicken in the flour, then lay it on a baking sheet. After all the pieces of chicken have been coated, leave the chicken to sit in the buttermilk/flour on the baking sheet or on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.

4.) When the chicken is ready, heat the lard in a large cast-iron skillet until it is very hot (turning my burner to mark 8 worked for me.) When the fat is shimmering and piping hot, start placing the chicken in. Brown the chicken on both sides (this should take about 3 minutes per side), then lower the heat right down (I put mine down to 2), and cover it with a lid. Cook chicken for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

5.) Remove fried chicken from the fat and allow to drain on paper towels or on a wire rack.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Originally published on July 21, 2016

I’ve tried several different versions of homemade macaroni and cheese before. Each time, no matter what I do it seems, I get the same result. My kids push it around their plate, and hold the noodles up to the light like they’ve never seen noodles before. Seriously, I think I might have the only kids that don’t like mac and cheese.

I was starting to get a complex about it until I saw Daphne Oz on The Chew making her very own version, but using butternut squash instead. How interesting! And it looked exactly like macaroni and cheese when she was done. Now, just so that she’s not cheating completely, she does add some Parmesan into hers and so did I. But unlike Daphne’s, there are no breadcrumbs in mine (I love ‘em, my kids don’t).

Ya know what? I served this for lunch the other day and after I noticed things had fallen silent, I checked to see two nearly-empty bowls sitting in front of them! Yes, my children. The ones who hate homemade macaroni and cheese, and even the one that hates butternut squash! I’m going to be living on this victory for the next week!

  • 1 fairly large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • Salt
  • Pepper

1.) Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. When boiling, add elbow macaroni, stir, and turn heat down to medium-high. Cook until the macaroni is just al dente, then drain and set aside.

2.) While the macaroni is cooking, place the butternut squash into a separate large saucepan and pour milk over top. Turn heat to high, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to a simmer. Cook until the butternut squash is fork-tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

3.) Transfer butternut squash and milk to a blender, along with the stock. Daphne doesn’t put her stock into the blender but mine was so think I had to loosen it up. The two ingredients come together very soon in Daphne’s version so it’s not a big deal. She also uses chicken stock while I keep mine completely vegetarian. Blend until very smooth.

4.) Heat butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add onion and cook for just 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the butternut squash puree into the skillet and add nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper.

5.) Add the macaroni to the skillet and turn to thoroughly coat in the “cheese” sauce. Cook for 5 minute or so, just long enough to heat everything through again.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Red Wine Reduction Sauce

Originally published on July 25, 2016

Wanna know why Red Wine Reduction Sauce is so popular in gourmet restaurants? Because it sounds sophisticated and elegant, but is so easy to make and can just be left simmering on the stove or in a bain marie. It’s just as sophisticated when you make it at home and I mean, come on. Steak and red wine? They were made to go together!

Ingredients:

  • 1 perfectly cooked steak , with reserved pan juices 
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 3/4 cup of your favuorite red wine 
  • 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Directions:

1.) If the pan juices are cold, reheat over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for about 2 minutes.

2.) Add the wine and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits from the pan. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil before reducing heat to medium and simmering for about 7 minutes. During this step, you want the red wine to reduce by about half and become slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat.

3.) Add the butter, one cube at a time, and whisk until it’s thoroughly incorporated before adding another cube and repeating the process. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.

4.) Serve and enjoy!

Jen’s Greek Pasta Salad

Originally published on August 31, 2016

I have no explanation as to why it took me so long to get this recipe up on the site. One of my very good friends, Jen, gave it to me when my babies were still babies, and she actually gave me the recipe after giving me a massively sized bowl of it – apparently no one in her house ate it at the time. And ya know what? No one in my house eats Jen’s Greek Pasta Salad either, and that’s just fine with me, because it means I can eat it straight out of the bowl.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

1/2 bag dried fusilli, macaroni, penne, or other short pasta
1 green pepper, chopped in large dice
1 red onion, sliced 
1 cup cucumber, chopped in large dice
1 tomato, chopped in large dice
1/2 cup canned black olive, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup Feta cheese
Salt

For the Greek salad dressing:

2 fresh garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1.) Place a large pot of heavily salted water over high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Add dried pasta, stir, and cook for about 7 minutes until pasta is al dente. Drain, and rinse with boiling water to stop the cooking process and cool down the pasta.

2.) While pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing. Mince the two garlic cloves on a cutting board and sprinkle with the salt. Slide the blade of the knife back and forth over the garlic, mashing it and turning it into a paste.

3.) Place the olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sugar, red wine vinegar, oregano, basil, garlic, and black pepper into a blender. Blend until all ingredients are incorporated. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

4.) Place the pasta and other salad ingredients into a large bowl. Pour as much dressing as you’d like onto the salad and toss to combine well.

5.) Place the salad into the fridge for one hour to meld flavours and chill all ingredients. Toss again just before serving.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Grandma’s Casserole

Originally published on September 6, 2016

This summer was not the best for us. It was all going fine with sun and sand and everything else, and then my grandma fell. She’s 94 and broke her hip, so it was off to Niagara for us where it was a bunch of hospital visits and other stuff to go along with it. So needless to say, Gram has been on my mind.

During one of my hospital visits, Grandma and I got talking about a casserole she made us when we were kids. It’s very simple, with just pasta, hot dogs, and some eggs, but man – was it good! I don’t remember a time when I would see this on my plate and not have the entire thing gone in 60 seconds. It was so good as a matter of fact, that after we talked, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. That pasta, those hot dogs, and those eggs that nestled into all the nooks and crannies like suction cups, just waiting to be cajoled out. Mmm, delicious!

This version does modernize my grandma’s a bit, mostly just with fresh herbs, and I don’t remember if she actually put bread crumbs on it. But just like when I think of her meatloaf, when I think of Grandma’s Casserole, I think bread crumbs.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 package macaroni, or other short pasta (about 5 cups)
  • 5 eggs
  • 4 hot dogs
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Pepper

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. When boiling, add pasta, stir, and cook until just al dente. Drain, and set aside.

3.) While the pasta is cooking, cook the hot dogs as you usually would, either on a grill or in a pan. When finished cooking, slice them thinly and set aside.

4.) Melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove. Remove from the heat, then add the bread crumbs and a pinch of salt and stir to fully combine.

5.) Add the pasta, hot dogs, parsley, chives, cheese, salt and pepper to a large bowl and stir to combine well. Pour into a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish and distribute evenly.

6.) Beat the eggs slightly and pour over the entire casserole. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over top. Place the casserole into the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden brown and toasted. When removing from the oven, allow the casserole to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it.

7.) Serve and enjoy!

Grilled Maple Butter and Herb Chicken

Originally published on September 19, 2016

I’m crazy about maple syrup. It’s a relatively new thing, but in the past few years I haven’t been able to shake it. I try to put it on whatever I can get away with, and while at the CNE last month, I bought a jar of maple syrup in one of its finest forms – maple butter.

One of the first things I cooked when I got home was chicken. And it being one of the last gorgeous days of the year, it was going on the grill. Well, if I’m already going to put butter on my chicken, and I have maple butter in the fridge, it doesn’t take a huge leap to figure out that substitution. I chopped up some herbs, added it to a maple butter/olive oil combo and threw it on. It was as scrumptious as it sounds.

Ingredients:

  • 10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 
  • 1/2 cup maple butter, melted 
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped 
  • 1 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • Salt
  • White pepper

Directions:

1.) Melt maple butter over medium heat. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool slightly. Mix with olive oil, fresh herbs, salt, and white pepper. Brush butter mixture over each piece of chicken, reserving any remaining butter for basting.

2.) Preheat an outdoor grill with medium flame on both sides. When the entire grill is hot, turn the flame off one side. This side will receive indirect heat, and is the side the chicken will be cooked on.

3.) Place the chicken on the side with indirect heat, skin-side down, and close the lid. Cook for about 20 minutes, basting every 5 – 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over, baste again with the butter, and close the lid. Cook for another 20 – 25 minutes, basting every 5 – 10 minutes.

4.) When the chicken is done (juices no longer run pink), remove the chicken from the grill. Place on a large platter, cover with foil, and rest for about 10 minutes.

5.) Serve and enjoy!

Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Originally published on September 21, 2016

Tomatoes are one of my favourite foods. Whether you give them to me as a sauce, an appetizer, or just in a bowl, I’ll gladly eat them all. Roasting tomatoes over fire makes them even sweeter and juicier, and gives them a hint of smokiness that is perfect in the middle of summertime, or any time. And it also makes for a super quick and easy side dish!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and patted dry 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Directions:

1.) Skewer tomatoes, one at a time, onto steel or wooden skewers (remember wooden skewers need to be soaked first). Brush each tomato with a bit of olive oil.

2.) Preheat an outdoor grill over high heat. When piping hot, place the skewers of tomatoes onto the grill, directly over the flame. Grill each skewer for 5 – 7 minutes, turning the skewers regularly. Tomatoes are done when they are slightly charred and wilted, and just beginning to burst.

3.) Remove tomatoes from the skewers and place them into a large bowl. Add more olive oil, plus basil, salt and pepper. Toss to mix thoroughly.

4.) Serve and enjoy!

Jaime’s French Onion Pork Chops

Originally published on September 29, 2016

I’ve told you that my friends give me some good recipes, haven’t I? This one came to me from my good friend, Jaime, who’s just as crazy about food as I am, and is one of those people that takes pictures of their food and puts it up on Facebook. Just like I am!!!

When she posted these French Onion Pork Chops, my mouth started watering and I knew I had to make them. The recipe Jaime gave me wasn’t anything like I suspected it would be, but I did follow it to a tee and I suggest you do, too. It’s scrumptious and comforting, and everything a pork chop recipe should be.

  • 4 – 5 boneless pork chops 
  • Big chunk of butter (I think I used about 1/4 cup)
  • 4 – 5 medium-sized potatoes, sliced thinly as you would for scalloped potatoes
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 package dry onion soup mix
  • 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups water

Directions:

1.) Melt butter in a frying pan set over medium-high heat. Place pork chops in and fry for about 3 minutes on each side, just until they get nicely seared. Remove from frying pan and place on a separate plate.

2.) Add the potato and onions slices to the same pan and toss, cooking for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for another 30 seconds.

3.) Spread the potatoes out evenly in the pan and place pork chops over top of them. Sprinkle soup mix over top of all contents in the pan and add water to the pan (I tried not to splash it over the pork chops so that the seasoning stayed on them).

4.) Turn heat to low and simmer until pork chops are completely cooked through, and potatoes are soft.

5.) Turn heat off and distribute the cheese evenly between the pork chops. Let sit until the cheese is melted (I placed a lid over my pan just to help speed along the melting process).

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Originally published on October 6, 2016

Is there anything better than caramel? I mean, really, I’d argue that it’s even better than chocolate. After all, we don’t try to get our roasts and vegetables to chocolatize now, do we? No, we want them to caramelize, because only then do you get the buttery, sugary tastiness that only comes from caramel and almost-burnt sugar.

Making salted caramel popcorn is a bit of work, but it’s so worth it. And it’s really more time-consuming than it is manual labour, but at the end of it all you’ll be able to sit back and munch away on a huge bowl filled with salty/sweet snacks. Caramel popcorn balls also make for great teacher’s gifts; not to mention that Halloween is coming up, for those who need to bring party treats. If you want your popcorn to be more caramel-y than salty, just leave out the dusting of salt at the end, and reduce the salt in the caramel sauce to just half a teaspoon.

  • 10 – 12 cups popped popcorn 
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.) Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the sugar and stir until the sugar is slightly moistened. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, boil for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan to ensure the mixture does not burn.

3.) Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the vanilla, 1 teaspoon of salt, and baking soda. The mixture will likely bubbly violently at this point, just keep stirring carefully until a smooth, glossy sauce is formed.

4.) Place the popcorn into a large bowl and pour the caramel sauce over top. Using your hands (if the sauce is cool enough) or two large spoons, stir the popcorn to ensure it gets completely coated with the caramel sauce.

5.) Distribute the popcorn evenly between the two baking sheets. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about one hour, stirring every now and then to break up any clumps.

6.) Remove popcorn from oven and immediately sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to thoroughly combine. Let popcorn cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to one week.

7.) Serve and enjoy!

Harvard Beets

Originally published on October 17, 2016

Harvard beets are a funny thing. They’re kind of like pickled beets, but instead of being simmered in a pickling liquid and served cold, they’re quickly run through a warm gastrique and served hot. I spent some time trying to find out why these particular beets are known as Harvard beets, but my search was in vain. I still don’t know how this dish got its name, but I can only guess it’s because some Harvard genius served pickled beets warm one day and, rather than admit their mistake, simply gave them a new name. What I do know is that they’re damned good!

Ingredients:

  • 4 beets, scrubbed and trimmed
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water 
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • Salt, to taste

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) Toss the beets with the olive oil and a bit of salt. Individually wrap each beet with aluminum foil and, when the oven is hot, place inside and bake for 45 minutes to one hour, until the beets are fork-tender. When beets are finished, unwrap the foil and let cool for just a minute or so. When cool enough to handle, slip the skin off the beets. If you wait too long, as the beets cool, that skin will tighten up and cling to the flesh once again so it’s easiest if you do this as soon as you can.

2.) Once the beets are peeled, slice them about 1/4″ thick, if using large beets or, slice in half if using smaller beets.

3.) Place the water in a medium-sized saucepan and add to it the sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Whisk to mix and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until the sauce is thickened.

4.) Add the sliced beets to the sauce in the pan and stir to mix through. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, just until the beets are heated through.

5.) Serve and enjoy!