(no subject)
i don't have a job and i love it. i get to read, do clay, cook, do housework, and support patrick. he's going to have to work really hard recently because of having to use hours on his government contract.
i'm going to vaguely post about my ventures into learning hot to cook and recipes i like.
last week i made chicken cordon bleu and chicken and dumplings. both were pretty easy recipes to follow, but with both of them had their catches.
for the chicken and dumplings, i started with a whole chicken and then used the bones to make a stock to use later. so that took a couple days, since i kept getting distracted.
to make the chicken cordon bleu i had to flatten the chicken so i used a cast iron skillet, which splattered me with chicken juice. but it turned out nice and the two men i was feeding ate really quickly. that always mean success.
recipes:
Chicken and Dumplings
* 1 3-pound chicken
* 4 cups water
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1 carrot, roughly chopped
* 1 medium onion, cut into quarters
* 1 stalk of celery, roughly chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons shortening
* 1 cup buttermilk
Place the chicken in a Dutch oven or other large pot, and add the water, broth, carrot, onion, celery and salt. Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat. Simmer for 60 to 70 minutes, or until tender and chicken is done. Remove chicken and allow it to cool enough to handle. Remove the carrot, onion and celery pieces from the broth and discard. Reserve the broth.
Bone the chicken, discarding all skin, bones and cartilage, and tear meat into bite-size pieces. Set aside. (You can do this part the day before, if you like. Just refrigerate the boned chicken -- well covered so it doesn't dry out -- and broth.)
For the dumplings, combine the flour, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is consistency of coarse meal. Add the buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times -- no more.
For drop dumplings, pat the dough down to a 1/4-inch thickness, and pinch off 1-1/2-inch pieces.
For rolled dumplings, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into strips, no larger than about 2 x 2 inches. (The dumplings will plump up when they are cooked.)
If you have prepared the chicken in advance and refrigerated it, return it and the broth to your big pot and bring it to a boil. Then, with a very large slotted spoon or ladle, dip the boned chicken out of the broth, cover it and keep it warm. With the chicken broth at a low rolling boil, drop in the dumplings, one or two at a time, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir from time to time to make sure dumplings do not stick together. Cook dumplings 10 minutes. The flour in the dumplings will thicken the broth, and it is absolutely not necessary to thicken it further.
Return the boned chicken to the mixture and simmer until heated through. Add the freshly ground black pepper and remove from heat. Makes 4 or 5 servings, depending upon appetites. I've seen two hungry men put away this entire recipe.
SIMPLE CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese
4 thin sliced smoked ham
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg; beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
Pound chicken breast to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of chicken.
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until juices run clear. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine broth and whipping cream; season to taste (salt, pepper, garlic, oregano). Simmer on low stirring until thickened; Pour over chicken.
i'm going to vaguely post about my ventures into learning hot to cook and recipes i like.
last week i made chicken cordon bleu and chicken and dumplings. both were pretty easy recipes to follow, but with both of them had their catches.
for the chicken and dumplings, i started with a whole chicken and then used the bones to make a stock to use later. so that took a couple days, since i kept getting distracted.
to make the chicken cordon bleu i had to flatten the chicken so i used a cast iron skillet, which splattered me with chicken juice. but it turned out nice and the two men i was feeding ate really quickly. that always mean success.
recipes:
Chicken and Dumplings
* 1 3-pound chicken
* 4 cups water
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1 carrot, roughly chopped
* 1 medium onion, cut into quarters
* 1 stalk of celery, roughly chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons shortening
* 1 cup buttermilk
Place the chicken in a Dutch oven or other large pot, and add the water, broth, carrot, onion, celery and salt. Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat. Simmer for 60 to 70 minutes, or until tender and chicken is done. Remove chicken and allow it to cool enough to handle. Remove the carrot, onion and celery pieces from the broth and discard. Reserve the broth.
Bone the chicken, discarding all skin, bones and cartilage, and tear meat into bite-size pieces. Set aside. (You can do this part the day before, if you like. Just refrigerate the boned chicken -- well covered so it doesn't dry out -- and broth.)
For the dumplings, combine the flour, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is consistency of coarse meal. Add the buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times -- no more.
For drop dumplings, pat the dough down to a 1/4-inch thickness, and pinch off 1-1/2-inch pieces.
For rolled dumplings, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into strips, no larger than about 2 x 2 inches. (The dumplings will plump up when they are cooked.)
If you have prepared the chicken in advance and refrigerated it, return it and the broth to your big pot and bring it to a boil. Then, with a very large slotted spoon or ladle, dip the boned chicken out of the broth, cover it and keep it warm. With the chicken broth at a low rolling boil, drop in the dumplings, one or two at a time, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir from time to time to make sure dumplings do not stick together. Cook dumplings 10 minutes. The flour in the dumplings will thicken the broth, and it is absolutely not necessary to thicken it further.
Return the boned chicken to the mixture and simmer until heated through. Add the freshly ground black pepper and remove from heat. Makes 4 or 5 servings, depending upon appetites. I've seen two hungry men put away this entire recipe.
SIMPLE CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese
4 thin sliced smoked ham
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg; beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
Pound chicken breast to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of chicken.
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until juices run clear. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine broth and whipping cream; season to taste (salt, pepper, garlic, oregano). Simmer on low stirring until thickened; Pour over chicken.