Oven-Fried Chicken

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

This is the way that I cooked chicken when you children were growing up, instead of cooking it on the stove-top.  I'm sure you must have healthier recipes now but, after all, one request was that I post family recipes that we used.  Perhaps, you can modify them if you're interested in doing so.

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter or margarine (1/2 stick)

1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix  (this is a Bisquick recipe)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 1/2 - to 3-lb. broiler-fryer chicken, cut up

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Melt shortening and butter in oven in oblong pan, 13x9x2 inches.  Blend 1/2 cup baking mix, the salt, paprika and pepper; coat chicken pieces.  Place chicken skin side down in shortening mixture.  (For an easy way to coat chicken, shake several pieces at a time with the Bisquick mixture in a plastic or paper bag.)
2. Bake uncovered 35 minutes.  Turn chicken and bake 15 minutes longer or until it's done.  (After cooking, I usually drained the chicken pieces on paper towel to absorb some of the oil.  Sometimes, I used pan drippings to make gravy for mashed potatoes.)

  

Sweet-Potato Wedges

Dad and I did these for dinner this evening and they were really good.  He tossed everything in a bowl to make sure the wedges were well coated and then put them on the rimmed baking sheet.  We didn't have (or couldn't find) the crushed red pepper so he used some chipotle powder instead.  I'm sure we'll try various seasonings in the future just to see what we like in addition to the ones listed here.  For us, this recipe is definitely a keeper.

Crock-Pot Chicken

"Chicken In A Pot"

 

 

Joannarequested a recipe for the Crock-Pot chicken that Dad and I used tomake as you children were growing up, so here it is.

2 carrots, sliced

2 onions sliced

2 celery stalks with leaves, cut in 1-inch pieces

3 pound broiler/fryer chicken

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon course black pepper

½ cup water or chicken broth

½teaspoon basil

Putcarrots, onion and celery in bottom of Crock-Pot. Add whole chicken. Top with salt, pepper, liquid. Sprinkle basil over top. Cover,cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (High: 3 ½ to 5 hours, using 1 cup water). Remove chicken and vegetables with spatula. 4 servings

Cal:252 Fat: 13 g. Carb: 8 g.

I'msure the “4 servings” refers to adult portions. This recipe wasin the little booklet that came with our first Crock-Pot, a 2 or 3quart one that we bought while living in Yakima. Therefore, in ourfamily, it dates back to Joanna's early childhood. As you mayremember, we served it with rice, putting the broth from cooking overthe rice and sometimes even thickening the broth to make it more likea gravy, thereby feeding the entire family with this one recipe.

• Over the years, we bought a larger Crock-Pot and added more vegetables to feed our growing family. We experimented with various herbs and seasonings, usually paired up with our home-canned tomatoes. After moving to Maryland, I no longer home-canned tomatoes because case-lot goods (Costco was in business by then.) were so readily available and less expensive. Also, Dad no longer grew a big garden. With a smaller back yard, we grew kids instead!
• We replaced the home-canned tomatoes with store-bought stewed tomatoes. Nowadays, we can buy canned tomatoes that are seasoned in a variety of ways and enjoy using those. Since we have a plentiful supply of rosemary growing in our back yard, Dad often uses that in cooking.
• Another variation that Dad does is pouring a bottle of sweet barbeque sauce over the chicken for the cooking liquid.

Thereyou have it! The name of the game is “Experiment to suit your owntaste and family size.”

Thanksgiving yummies!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Dad Walley asked for my cranberry salad recipe, so I figured I'd give it and Crislyn's Banana Bread recipe. :) (The pumpkin bread came from the recipe book I cited in the response to Glynne's inquiry into bread machines, and the pie from the Libby pumpkin filling can, with spices altered to make me happy.)

Grandma Watts' Cranberry Salad


1/2 C Walnuts
2 C Cranberries (whole berry)
1 large orange, thinly sliced, thin skinned (I used most of 1 can of Mandarin oranges, drained)
1 apple, unpealed  (I used 2 Pink Lady apples- Pink Lady for sweetness, 2 for their size)
1C celery, diced  (I loathe celery & used well rinsed water chestnuts, slightly < 1C)
1/2 C sugar
3 oz lemon jello
3/4 C boiling water


Chop cranberries, orange, and apple in a food processor  
(cran become mush so quickly, I only did 1/2 of them)
Add celery, nuts, and sugar to mixture
Let set
Disolve jell-o into water
Add to fruit mixture
Pour into 9" square cake pan  (oops, I didn't read this part and did in a 9"x13", still tasty)
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Note: I love, love, love banana bread and have tried lots of recipes. I love this one so much I told my Grandma Watts I think it's the best. This may have been unwise, but it is the truth! I've made this with real butter and with margarine. It is yummy either way. I also use excessive vanilla in anything requiring it, but that's just me. This recipe can be halved into two bread pans to make two small loaves, or you can make one full sized bread loaf with it. The photo shows it as a small loaf.

Crislyn’sBanana Nut Bread

2 cupsFlour

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cupsSugar

1 teaspoonBaking Soda

1 1/2teaspoon Baking Powder

1 heapingteaspoon Cinnamon

1 teaspoonSalt

3/4 cupSoftened Butter

2/3 cupMilk

3 to 4large, very ripe Bananas

1 teaspoonVanilla

1/2 cupWalnuts

directions

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt,and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

2. Mash bananas in a separate bowl.

3. Place butter in a bowl and stir to soften.

4. Add well mixed dry ingredients, mashed bananas, and milkto the butter.

5. Mix everything until dry ingredients are moist (shouldtake a little over 3 minutes).

6. Add eggs, vanilla, and nuts and mix for approximately 3more minutes.

7. Put in prepared pan (butter the pan thoroughly).

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes (or until insertedtoothpick comes back clean).

Thanksgiving Cheese

So we had an excellent Thanksgiving feast, with Glynne's pork ragout, Eric's fabulous family rolls, a nice green salad, green and black olives (we have pictures of olive fingers as soon as we get them on the computer), yam and apple casserole (another Eric favorite), and some lovely cheese and crackers.

Someday Eric will post roll pictures and recipe, but this time they turned out super fluffy and therefore less crescent-y than usual so he feels this batch isn't good enough for pictures. Meh.

So I really wanted to mention the cheese. We had Masdaam smoked gouda and Beehive cajun cheddar, which I'm pretty sure I've written about before. Our third cheese was Carr Valley crema kasa--I picked it up the night before Thanksgiving to round out our cheese plate (leaving Eric to continue my online scrabble with mom--she destroyed us! *sigh*). I'm pretty sure it's this but ours had bright blue wax that really impressed the kids. This was really good eatin' cheese--if you've ever had butterkase it's like that but creamier. If you've never had butterkase, itls like a cross between creamy havarti and edam. Great for munching with crackers.

Carrot & Pineapple Jell-O Salad

MOM'SCARROT & PINEAPPLE JELL-O SALAD

NOTE: I learned to make this Jell-0 salad from your grandmother Munroe (mymother).  Jell-0 salads were very popular when I was growing up andthis was the one she always made for Thanksgiving.   I made the changeto cranberry when Jell-0 began producing a cranberry flavor. When itbecame unavailable, I simply started using cranberry juice in placeof the cold water called for in making Jell-0.

1   large (6-oz.) or 2 small (3-oz.) boxes of orange Jell-O

1   cup shredded carrots(approximate measure)

1   cup crushed pineapple,drained (more if you like)

1   cups cranberry juice (use in place of cold water in mixing the Jell-O)

1   tablespoon applecider vinegar

1   teaspoon salt

Dissolve Jell-O in 1 ¾cups boiling water. Add the cranberry juice, vinegar, and salt. Stir in the carrots and pineapple. Chill until set.

NOTE:At other times of the year, I make this salad using cold waterinstead of cranberry juice. Another variation would be to combineorange and lemon Jell-O. Sometimes, I use pineapple chunks ortidbits, drained. I used the juice as part of the cold water to beadded.  Being diabetic, Dad and I now substitute sugar free Jell-O and use "Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice."

Corn Bread - Mom's

MOM'S CORN BREAD RECIPE

Albers® Corn Bread

(Makes 12 servings) 

This moist corn bread can be served with salads, soups, stews, chilies, or southern fried chicken. Try it toasted and spread with butter and jam in the morning.

• 1 cup Albers® White or Yellow Corn Meal    *Mom always uses yellow! 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.
COMBINE meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, oil and egg in small bowl; mix well. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into prepared pan.
BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.
NOTE Recipe may be doubled. Use greased 13x9-inch baking pan; bake as above.


FOR MUFFINS:
SPOON batter into 10 to 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 15 minutes.