Crustless Chicken Pastel

I don't really know if I should even call this dish "Chicken Pastel" because the traditional pastel is almost like chicken pot pie - meat and veggies encased in a flaky crust. 

What really happened was, I was gonna use crescent rolls dough, but it was sooo hot that even after pinching the sides, the poor refrigerated dough just broke apart. I salvaged them by just baking it like regular crescent rolls and eating it with the Chicken Pastel. Still made for a good meal, if you ask me.

And yes, I made it a bit saucy because hubby likes it that way. I ended up dipping the crescent rolls in the sauce while enjoying the meal! 


What you need: 

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cubed
1 pound of smoked sausage, coined
3 tablespoons butter
1 large potato, cubed
2 carrots, coined
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced 
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
hard boiled eggs for garnish
few sprigs of chopped parsley for garnish 


What to do: 

In a pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, saute for about a minute. Add in the cubed chicken and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for about 3 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the sausage and the rest of the veggies and cook for another minute, then pour in the chicken broth and milk. Season with salt and pepper according to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with hard boiled eggs and chopped parsley. Enjoy! 


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. If you like the traditional pastel, try this recipe.
2. You can use other vegetables like green bell pepper, corn, or peas.
3. Some people prefer using canned mushroom soup instead of evaporated milk. 
4. As always - season according to taste. Tweak your own recipe and see what you like!
5. I used smoked sausage but you can use hot dog or chorizo.

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Panang Chicken Curry

I have to admit - I didn't know the difference between regular curry and panang curry prior to writing this post. All I know is that everytime I see panang duck on the menu, I have to order it. Panang's flavor (at least to me) seems to be richer and deeper.  As with the duck, well... it's just my favorite meat to go with it.

After some research, I found out that they both have the same predominant ingredients - dried chilis, coriander, cardamom, lemon grass, garlic, etc. However, panang contains cumin, green peppers, mace, and others not found in red or yellow curry.

Hubby surprised me with several cans of panang curry when he went to the Asian store and I was excited to use it. What he got me was in paste form, but truth be told, I have never seen panang curry powder before. I am sure it exists, but I don't know where to buy them. I prefer the paste anyway. 

And since I have not fully recovered from our adventure with Mr. Duck, I opted  to use chicken instead. It turned out delicious, not quite restaurant quality, but close enough for home consumption. :-)


What you need:  

1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 carrot, coined
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 can (15 oz) coconut milk
3 tablespoons Panang curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce (patis)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup Thai basil
2 teaspoons Canola oil


What to do: 

Heat Canola oil in a wok over medium-high. Add in the chicken and cook until brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of Panang curry paste and stir well.  Let cook for about a minute.

Add the remaining coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, carrots, and bell peppers. When it boils, lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until chicken is tender. 

Add basil then turn off heat. Serve with hot rice.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. When browning chicken, stir constantly. Otherwise, the chicken would stick to the bottom of your pan.
2. Use regular (sweet) basil if you don't have Thai basil.
3. Want more heat? Add more curry paste.
4. ALWAYS wash your hands after handling poultry to avoid cross contamination. Use a separate cutting board for chicken!
5. If you don't like fish sauce, substitute with salt. 

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Arroz con Pollo Valenciana ala Columbia

I was amazed when I saw this recipe online. And from the website of Columbia Restaurant itself! I felt that it was very generous of them to share the recipes of their delicious fares online. 

My family loves Columbia restaurant. We have been to three of their seven locations, and all of them are quite phenomenal. Our favorite, though, is the historic Ybor City branch where they feature Flamenco dancers every Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm. But of course, we don't go there for the dancing. We go there for the food!

Anyway, I was thinking of making regular Yellow Rice and Chicken, but I didn't have saffron, so I took the short cut again - using pre-packaged yellow rice. As I was browsing for recipes online, I stumbled at Columbia's recipe, and decided to copy bits and pieces of it. I was really excited, the prospect of making those delicious recipes in my kitchen was just too much! A serving of Arroz con Paella Valenciana at Columbia is $24.95 (not including tax and tip), but I could make it at a fraction of the cost at home.

And as expected, it was delicious!!! All that was missing was the Flamenco dancers, the fine ambiance and the polite waiters. But even though the restaurant's recipes are online for home cooks to reproduce, I still encourage you to try Columbia Restaurant's authentic Cuban dishes. No, this is not a sponsored post. I just happen to like the resto and am spreading the love. :-)

P.S. Don't forget to try their Boliche Criollo and 1905 Salad!


What you need:

1 pkg (16 oz) Vigo yellow rice
4 cups chicken broth
1 lb chicken breast, cut in cubes
4 pieces chorizo, coined
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 Vidalia onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup peas
1 tomato, sliced
2 tablespoons white wine
pinch of salt
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil


What to do: 

Cook yellow rice according to package directions. However, substitute water with chicken broth.

Heat olive oil in a wok over medium-high. Saute garlic and onion for about a minute. Add chicken and continue cooking until chicken starts to brown. 

Add the bell pepper, peas, tomato slices, and chorizo. Season with salt. Pour in the white wine, and cook for another five minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the cooked rice to the pot and mix well. Serve hot.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Original recipe called for asparagus tips, and roasted red bell pepper. I tweaked my recipe.
2. Substitute chorizo with smoked sausage.
3. Since you are dealing with poultry, cross contamination may happen. Make sure you always wash your hands when handling raw chicken, and use a separate cutting board that you use ONLY for chicken.

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Chop Suey

Let me tell you beforehand that I kinda' "cheated" on this recipe - I used a pre-made mix for this. I just thought it would be quicker, and I have a penchant for semi-homemade. ;-)

The first time I made this dish, hubby almost had a heart attack because I bought everything fresh - including some quail eggs that we had to get from the Asian store. It cost a fortune, I tell you. As a new cook,  I was ingredient-happy. The result was Chop Suey that took us an eternity to finish. Imagine having a whole head of broccoli, cauliflower, pound of chicken, etc in a dish meant  just for two people! 

Now, after cooking it a bajillion times, I learned. Just a few of this and that would make a dish that would be enough for us, with a day's worth of leftovers. I also got smarter - using ingredients that we have on hand, instead of going to the store to buy everything. Oh, I have come a long way. :-) 


What you need: 

1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 can (14 oz) baby corn
8 oz portobello mushrooms
1 carrot, coined
1/2 pound chicken cutlets, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves garlic
1/4 Vidalia onion
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 pack Mama Sita Chop Suey mix


What to do: 

Dissolve Mama Sita mix in water. Stir well and set aside. 

Wash your mushrooms by putting under gently running water for a few seconds, then wiping with a paper towel. Remove the stems and slice lengthwise.

Prepare the baby corn by draining the water from the can and cutting the corn in half diagonally.

Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium-high. Saute the garlic and onion for about a minute, then add chicken. Cook, stirring constantly until meat is browned. Add the vegetables and continue cooking for about 2 minutes.

Pour in the dissolved mix and bring to a boil. The lower the heat to medium and cook until vegetables are fork-tender.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Try a variety of veggies - use green or red bell peppers, bean sprouts, asparagus, etc.
2. Instead of chicken, you can use pork, shrimp, or beef!
3. Add quail eggs or regular hard boiled eggs.
4. Of course, you can always cook it the traditional way. :-)

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Chicken Afritada

I remember that my fondest memories of chicken afritada was cooking it with "Skyflakes" - our local version of Club crackers. I never understood why we crushed it and put it in the dish, but my brother and I loved breaking up those crackers and sprinkling it on top of the boiling dish, pretending it was fairy dust (or sand from the sandman haha).

Now that I am more knowledgeable about cooking, I know that those crackers were used to thicken the sauce. Which was how we used to like it.

In this recipe, I did not use anything to thicken the sauce, because hubby likes "soupy" dishes. But I did use a lot of good ingredients to make this meal tasty and delicious!


What you need: 

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 large Russet potato, cubed
1 green bell pepper, cubed
1 large tomato, quartered
1/4 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoon patis (fish sauce)
dash of black pepper


What to do:

 In a pot, heat canola oil over medium-high.Saute the garlic and onion for about a minute, then add in the chicken to brown. Season with patis and black pepper. Add fresh tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Mix well and bring to a boil.

Add potatoes and bell pepper. Lower heat, then let simmer for about 30 minutes or until chicken is fork tender. Serve with steamed rice.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. If you want a thicker sauce, add breadcrumbs.
2. Use pork instead of chicken. ;-)
3. Some people put carrots in afritada. 
4. Substitute fish sauce with salt. 

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Spaghetti with Pesto and Chicken

 

I was very excited to try my homemade pesto and of course, paired with pasta! I used whole grain noodles. I love whole grain - whether pasta, bread, cereal, etc. The "chewiness" that people frown upon is a small price to pay for healthier food. I am glad that more and more brands are branching out to the "whole grain avenue." 

Make no mistake, though - there is a difference between whole grain, whole wheat, multi-grain, and other whatnots. And that is why it takes me about 15 minutes just to choose a loaf of bread in the grocery store.

Back to my recipe. I used my pesto recipe from here to sauce up my pasta. As for the chicken, those were leftovers from my Chicken Parmesan that I heated up and sliced to add some protein to the dish. Quick, easy, and yummy!


What you need: 

2 portions (about 4 ounces) of uncooked whole grain spaghetti
3 tablespoons of basil pesto, divided
2 pieces Chicken Parmesan cutlets, sliced
sprig of basil leaves (for garnish)


What to do: 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Divide the pasta and place in two bowls. Mix in 1 1/2  tablespoons of pesto per bowl. Add sliced chicken pieces and garnish with basil leaves.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Add more (or less) pesto to your liking!
2. Leftover rotisserie chicken also works well with this recipe. Just make sure it is not BBQ flavored or something.
3. A sprinkle of parmesan cheese would add extra flavor to the dish.

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Chicken Parmesan

This is my favorite go-to recipe for chicken. It is very easy to make, has few ingredients, and the meat stays moist! We try to do away with chicken because of its tendency to dry out, but not in this recipe! The mayonnaise coating does wonders to the dish, and the Italian breadcrumbs just give it so much flavor. We all love it!

What you need:

1 pound chicken cutlets

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

What to do:

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine mayonnaise and parmesan cheese. Mix well.

Coat chicken cutlets with the cheese-mayo mixture, then carefully dredge in the breadcrumbs. Place on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.



Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. You can use any part of the chicken, but cutlets work best.
2. If using chicken breasts or thigh, place chicken parts on the baking sheet and top them with the mayo-cheese mixture. Then sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
3. Substitute Italian breadcrumbs with regular breadcrumbs - just add a dash of your favorite herbs!

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Chicken Marinated in Garlic Oil

This was the first recipe I used the garlic oil with. It was from the same edition of Everyday Food Magazine (July/August 2011). The dish was very, very tasty and I tried to make it a bit healthier by removing the chicken skin.

Ugh. What a harrowing experience. I would have preferred pre-skinned chicken, but that was not what I had in my fridge. So I took it upon myself to "peel the poultry." DO NOT attempt to do so, unless you are very good with the knife and not squeamish. I mean, I wasn't squeamish - but the experience was still too much for me.

Anyway... my family loved this dish. The lemon really gave it a kick and went so well with the chicken. The garlic oil was superb and gave the chicken a subtle garlic flavor. Try it!


What you need:

1/4 cup garlic oil (with some cloves)
1 lemon, cut into thin rounds
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 pound chicken leg quarters, skins removed (about 3 pieces)
coarse salt and ground pepper


What to do: 

In a large ziploc bag, combine garlic oil and cloves, lemon, parsley, and chicken. Shake to coat, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is better).

Preheat oven to 450°F. Put the chicken leg quarters, lemon, and garlic cloves to a roasting pan or baking sheet covered in foil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until cooked through (about 170°F), around 30 to 35 minutes.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. I removed the chicken skin for health purposes. Feel free to try your recipe with chicken skin on.
2. If you have another lemon, squirt a  bit of juice on the chicken before serving.
3. Best served with steamed veggies or rice!

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Chicken-Macaroni Salad

This is one of those recipes that came about due to some left-overs that I didn't want to throw away. We bought a whole rotisserie chicken one afternoon, and we had a ton of extra! So the next best thing was to make another meal out of it (hurrah for austerity measures!).

I used two types of pasta (guess why!) in this dish - rotini and conchiglie. As usual, they were whole grain for that extra jaw exercise chewiness. It was tasty and filling. And I was glad to have used the leftover rotisserie chicken for another meal.


What you need: 

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups rotini pasta
2 cups conchiglie pasta (seashell)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 carrot, cubed
6 stalks green onion, sliced into rings
1/4 cup pineapple chunks
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste


What to do: 

Cook noodles according to package direction. Drain.

In a big bowl, combine all the ingredients by mixing and gently tossing. If it looks dry, add more mayonnaise. 

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. It does not always have to be rotisserie chicken - you can use leftover fried chicken, or any kind of cooked chicken you have.
2. Have you tried Kraft's Mayonnaise with lime? It is soooo good. You can omit the lemon in this recipe if using said type of mayo.
3. Don't like pineapples? Try using dill pickle relish instead.
4. Add hard boiled eggs to your salad.
5. Shrimp can also be used in lieu of chicken.

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Cream of Mushroom Chicken

A friend of mine once mentioned that her kids don't like mushrooms, but they would eat Cream of Mushroom Soup. Makes sense, because there are only a few slivers of mushrooms in a whole can, and you have to dilute it in water since the cream itself is so condensed. 

Poor mushrooms are getting a bad rap because of their growing conditions. We usually associate it with growth on trees or on the ground, when the truth is, these edible mushrooms are actually grown in a mushroom farm. They are also called the "meat of the vegetable world" because it packs a lot of protein, fiber, and other nutrients. Oh, and the flavor isn't so bad too. 

I actually meant to cook this dish in my slow cooker, but I took the easy way out and did it pan-style. It was very creamy, flavorful and hearty - the addition of chicken soup was great! Perfect for those cold, rainy days.


What you need:

2 pounds chicken breast, cubed
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (10.75 oz) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can (10.75 oz) Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup 
10 oz. evaporated milk 
1/4 Vidalia onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups frozen broccoli, thawed
1 medium carrot, coined
1 can (8 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste


What to do:

In a large pot, melt butter. Saute garlic and onion for about a minute, then add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add the carrots, broccoli, cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, milk and broth. Stir well. Season to taste.

Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and continue cooking for 5 more minutes. Remove heat and serve over rice.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Add in a teaspoon or two of rice wine vinegar.
2. Use other vegetables like baby corn, water chestnuts, etc.
3. If you don't have cream of chicken soup, just use 2 cans of mushroom soup. Or just halve the recipe.

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Lemon-Broccoli Rice with Chicken

*This is NOT a sponsored post. I have never made a sponsored post.

I love trying out new products, especially if they are on sale! So when I chanced upon this new Philadelpia Cooking Creme at its introductory price (plus my coupon = I got it for about 75 cents!), I thought that I couldn't pass it up.

This recipe came with the container, and I immediately wanted to try it since it had lemons! I LOVE lemon in savory dishes - so long as it is not overpowering. The tangy kick of the lemon leaves you wanting for more! And of course, it is a complete meal already - protein, veggies and rice. What more could you ask for?



What you need: 

1 tablespoon Canola oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tub (10 oz) Philadelphia Original Cooking Creme
2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups hot cooked rice


What to do: 

Heat canola oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, garlic and pepper, cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. 

Add cooking creme and broccoli; cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon zest. Remove from heat. Serve over rice.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. If you want tangier sauce, spritz with some more lemon juice before serving.
2.Try it with beef instead of chicken.
3. Add other veggies like baby corn or carrots!

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Penne-Chicken Soup

This for me, is truly comfort food. It's one of those dishes that I want to eat when I'm sad, or during bleak, rainy days. It wasn't really raining when I made this, I just wanted some hot, piping bowl of soupy goodness. 

On a side note, when my husband saw that I was adding evaporated milk to my bowl, he thought it was a bit strange. I tried to make him add milk to his bowl too, so he would know how good it would taste, and he did so but sparingly. Really, he missed out on a lot! The milk made the soup creamier and tastier. Do you add milk to your soup too? 


What you need: 

2 large chicken breasts
4 hotdogs, coined 
about 2 cups penne noodles
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic
1 large carrot, diced
2 tablespoons of butter
3/4 cup evaporated milk (plus more for serving)
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
grated parmesan cheese (for garnish)


What to do: 

Boil the chicken in a pot with lightly salted water for about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool, then shred. Save the broth.

In a separate pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and saute the garlic and onions. Add the carrots and shredded chicken, cook for about a minute, then pour in about 5 to 6 cups of the saved chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper, according to taste. Add the penne and coined hotdogs, lower the heat to medium, and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is soft (not al dente). 

Remove from heat and add evaporated milk and dried parsley. Stir. Ladle to bowls and garnish with grated parmesan cheese and more milk. Serve hot.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. When boiling the chicken, make sure it is submerged completely in water.
2. Use pre-packaged chicken stock or water if you don't have enough saved from boiling the chicken.
3. Other types of pasta would also work for this dish.
4. I prefer the noodles a bit soft for this recipe. You may want yours al dente. If so, lessen the cooking time to about 9 minutes.
5. Add more evaporated milk for a yummier soup!

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Spicy Buffalo Wings

Look closely and you'll see the dip at the end of the plate!

I was looking for a quick and simple recipe for buffalo wings when my search led me to (my favorite - of course!) Alton Brown's recipe. I was intrigued upon reading it because it called for steaming the chicken before putting it in the oven. Also, it only had 5 ingredients, which was very unlike Alton (see Thanksgiving turkey recipe). 

Later on, I found out that steaming the chicken and patting it dry with a paper towel would make for crispier skin, and a healthier version of buffalo wings since most of the fat has been rendered out. This recipe is really delicious, and the spice is toned down with the butter. Definitely one to make again and again! 

What you need:

12 pieces chicken wings
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sriracha
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt


What to do:

Place chicken wings in a steamer and steam for about 10 minutes. Remove and pat dry using a paper towel. Lay the wings on a cooling rack lined with paper towels and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat your oven to 425°F.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the wings about an inch apart from one another. Roast on mid rack for about 15 to 20 minutes, then turn the wings over and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more.

While the skin is roasting, combine all the remaining ingredients in a big bowl and mix well. Remove wings from the oven, transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve with your favorite dip.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. As always, it is important to wash your hands, especially when handling chicken.
2. Use Tabasco if you don't have Sriracha available.
3. If using salted butter, skip the kosher salt.
4. Importance of the refrigeration part - the paper towels would absorb more liquid from the chicken and would make skin crispier!

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Bourbon Chicken

I had a craving for Bourbon Chicken one night - you know, the kind that the sellers in the food court try to cram down your throat entice you with. 

I have to say, the dish I made looked very similar to the mall-type bourbon chickens, but my sauce was thicker and it tastes so much better. Mall bourbon chickens are very sweet, but this dish is a nice balance of sweet and savory. So yummy! (Even better as leftovers!)


What you need: 

1 pound boneless chicken thigh
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 stalks of green onions
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
5 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon canola oil


What to do: 

Wash the chicken thighs, pat dry and cut into bite-size pieces. 

Chop the green onions and place in a bowl along with the soy sauce, vinegar, bourbon, brown sugar, powdered ginger and garlic cloves. Whisk to distribute ingredients evenly. Set aside.

Heat the wok with peanut oil over high heat. Saute the chicken pieces for about 2 minutes or until lightly brown.

Add the liquid mixture to the wok, let boil then reduce heat to mediu. Cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until liquid is reduced to a glaze and chicken os cooked through. Serve with hot rice.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Don't have bourbon? Substitute with juice or vanilla extract. Check measurements here.
2. If using fresh ginger, use about 1/2 tablespoon. Saute it with chicken.
3. As always, cleanliness is important since we are dealing with poultry. Wash your hands!
4. If the bourbon taste is too strong for you, cut it in half.

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Turkey-Biscuit Pot Pie

This yummy dish was the January feature of the Betty Crocker 2011 calendar. The cooking of this dish turned out to be a family event since my mother-in-law and I did all the prep work, but we had to leave for an errand. We had no choice but to delegate the task of cooking to hubby. Apparently, he was misled when we said "all you had to do is put everything together..."

When we got back, the kitchen looked like it was mildly trashed was spotless, thanks to hubby's cleaning efforts. Even son helped! And to top it all off, the food was ready and waiting for us! It was surreal. Of course, hubby was fuming mad since the "just putting everything together" turned out to be a hundred different things that we conveniently (NOT!) failed to mention. Nonetheless, it was terrific, and probably one of the best turkey pot pies I have ever  had.  


What you need:

For the filling: 

2 1/2 cups baby carrots (12 oz)
2 cups cut-up fresh broccoli
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
2 cups cubed cooked turkey

For the biscuit: 

4 slices bacon
1 cup Original Bisquick mix
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 


What to do: 

Heat oven to 400°F. In a saucepan, heat 1 cup of water to boiling. Add carrots and broccoli and cook for about 4 minutes or until the veggies are crisp-tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a pan or wok, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Add the flour, broth and sage and beat with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Stir carrots, turkey and broccoli into the sauce. Spoon the turkey mixture into an ungreased 2-quart casserole.

Place bacon strips in a pan and cook until crisp. Let cool, then crumble and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine all the biscuit ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon this biscuit batter around the edge of the turkey mixture.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until biscuit crust is golden brown. 


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Not a big fan of turkey? Use diced ham or left-over rotisserie chicken!
2. Substitute Bisquick mix with regular pie crust.
3. If using dried sage - just use one teaspoon. Dried herbs are often concentrated and is packed with flavor. (Nothing beats fresh, though)

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Crispy Onion Wings

I love fried chicken, but I hate cooking it because it makes such a big mess. Not to mention, I could never get it perfect - crisp on the outside and juicy inside. But wings is a different story. Since they are smaller, they're easier to cook, and easy to eat, too - just pop them in your mouth and spit out the bones (haha! Just kidding!).

This recipe is from Taste of Home's "Best Church Supper Recipes." I just tweaked it to suit our taste. It was really yummy, and I'd like to think that it was healthy since it was baked - not fried! 


What you need:

10 pieces chicken wings
1 cup crushed potato chips (I used Lay's)
1 can (2.8 oz) french-friend onions, crushed
1 cup crackers, crushed (I used Ritz)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted


What to do:

Preheat your oven to 375°F. 

Line a 10 X 14 baking tray with foil and grease with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a shallow pan, combine the potato chips, crackers, onions, cornmeal and seasonings. Mix well. Dip the chicken wings in the beaten eggs, then roll in the potato chips mixture. Press the mixture onto chicken.

Place wings in prepared pan and drizzle with the melted butter. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F and coating is crisp.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. You can skip the cracker and use 2 cups of crushed potato chips.
2. Try using corn flakes instead of crushed chips.
3. Oregano has a strong flavor - use sparingly.
4. It is always better to have a separate cutting board for chicken. You don't want cross-contamination/
5. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling poultry.
 

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Oven-Roasted Cornish Game Hens

I couldn't pass up a pair of Cornish Game Hens in our local grocery store (yes, they were sold in twos due to their diminutive size) so I bought them without even having a clue on what to do with them. I thought of stuffing one (ala micro-mini turkey), but decided against it and roasted it  instead.

It turned out pretty good and juicy, and I loved the fact that I used calamansi in it to give it an ethnic flair. The heat of the red pepper flakes was a nice addition, too!


What you need:

1 Cornish Game Hen
4 tablespoon salted butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon calamansi juice
2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste


What to do: 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine melted butter, red pepper flakes, honey, and calamansi juice. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Mix well.

Cut the hen into 2 halves. Place under cold running water and rinse. Pat dry with paper towels. 

Brush the halved hens with the butter sauce (with a cooking brush, or course!). Place them on a roasting pan, skin side down, and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. Then turn them over and use the remaining butter sauce on the other side of the hen.

Bake for about an hour, or until internal temperature reaches 170°F.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Add more red pepper flakes if you want some serious heat.
2. Use orange or lemon juice if you can't find calamansi juice.
3. I used clover honey for a deeper taste, but feel free to use regular honey.
4. Always wash your hands thoroughly when handling raw meat.
5. It would be a better idea if you have a separate cutting board for chicken - less chance of cross-contamination.

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Roasted Duck Legs

Upon scouring the web for a recipe for crispy duck legs, I found out that duck is usually paired with waffles. Wow. I never saw that coming. But surprisingly, things that may seem weird together actually works well. Like pork chops and applesauce (never tried cooking them, but had them one too many times when dining out).

I didn't try to make waffles with my duck legs, I just simply roasted it and enjoyed it with Hoisin sauce (hubby slathered it with "toyomansi" haha). 


What you need:

• 2 duck legs
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• five-spice powder
• kosher salt

What to do:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. 

Rub the duck legs with salt and the ground ginger. Dust with some five-spice powder. Place the duck legs on a roasting tray and cook in the oven for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the doneness you prefer.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. If you don't have a roasting tray, you can cook it on a regular pan, but make sure to drain or spoon away the excess fat every 20 minutes.
2. Don't skimp on the salt - it pulls away moisture and would make the duck skin crispy.

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