Lemon-Pepper Drummers

• I saw this one on Rachael Ray and adapted it to what I had on hand.
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 large chicken drumsticks
• Kosher salt
• Poultry seasoning or ground thyme
• 6 cloves garlic, grated or pasted
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions or chives, to garnish

Directions

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in a large pan with a cover. When the butter foams, add the drumsticks and season with salt and poultry seasoning. Shake the pan and brown the chicken on all sides. Cover the pan and reduce the heat a bit. Cook for 20 minutes to cook through. Remove the drumsticks to a platter and add the remaining butter to the pan to melt. Add the garlic and pepper, stir for 2 minutes, and then add the lemon zest and juice. Swirl to combine and pour over the drumsticks. Garnish with parsley and scallions.

Edits/Substitutions:

I had thighs on hand, I halved the rest of the recipe and used four bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. I didn't have poultry season, I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper, onion powder, and ground coriander. I also added some lemon slices to the lemon-butter mixture before I poured it over the chicken as a garnish since I didn't have any parsley or scallions. Also, the thighs took a little longer than 20 minutes to cook through, it was probably closer to 30 minutes. 

Posted by: Erika

Awesome, Juicy Roast Chicken

I followed this recipe almost exactly (had to substitute an onion for the celery because I didn't have any), so I'm just posting the link. It came out really good, and the white meat wasn't dry at all.
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/juicy-roasted-chicken/Detail.aspx


Posted by: Erika

Asian Ribs

A friend of mine posted this in her status and I wanted to save it; what better place than the Recipe Swap page?!

2 lbs country style pork ribs, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 jalapeno peppers, 1/8 tsp black pepper - throw it all into the crockpot (leave jalapenos whole) on low for 6-8 hours. Remove peppers and serve with rice.


Posted by: Tabitha

Greek-Style Lemon Roast Chicken

Just had to post this! It looks SUPER easy and delicious & had great reviews!

Ingredients:
1 Whole roasting chicken (3-1/2 lb.) 
1 Lemon, washed, halved 
1/2 cup KRAFT Greek Vinaigrette Dressing
(I added an extra 1/4 cup of dressing half-way through cooking)

Directions:
HEAT oven to 350°F.

PLACE chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish. 

SQUEEZE juice from lemon into small bowl; place squeezed halves in chicken cavity. Mix dressing with juice; drizzle over chicken. 

BAKE 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is done (165°F), basting occasionally with pan juices. 


Posted by: Rachel

Pork Chops with Honey-Orange Glaze

I jumbled 3 separate recipes & came up with a dinner idea, last night, lol! It turned out very orange-y and sweet, it was very good & we had no left overs! This is the recipe from Pillsbury, the one I followed closest. I tweaked this to suit what we had.

1 lb Boneless Pork Loin Chops (we used thin-cut)
3 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup Honey
1 Tblsp Grated Orange Peel
1/4 tsp Salt

(We had juice & navel oranges, so I used garlic powder, juice and zest from both oranges & marinated them, overnight. Also, we didn't have Worcestershire sauce, so I used the same amount of Dale's. I also added 2 Tblsp of fresh orange juice to the honey-orange sauce. It produced a very distinct & floral orange flavor!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In shallow glass baking dish, place pork chops. 
Brush 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce over both sides of each. 
Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes to marinate.

In 2-quart saucepan, mix remaining 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, the honey, orange peel and salt until well blended. 
Heat to boiling over high heat. 
Reduce heat to medium; boil 1 minute.

Spoon half of honey mixture evenly over pork, place pork in oven, covered, for 15 minutes. 
Uncover. Turn pork & baste in some of the sauce. Cook for another 15 minutes.


We ate this pork sliced, over rice & mixed veggies. I made a double-batch of sauce to pour over the rice, it was great!


Posted by: Rachel

Bacon-Cheeseburger Roll-Ups

A quick-fix dinner idea from kraftrecipes.com :)


1 lb. lean ground beef
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped 
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 
1 pkg. (13.8 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust
HEAT oven to 400°F.

BROWN ground beef with bacon and onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Return meat mixture to skillet. Add VELVEETA; cook 5 min. or until melted, stirring frequently. Cool 10 min. 

UNROLL dough onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Press into 15x8-inch rectangle; top with meat mixture. Roll up, starting at one long side. Rearrange if necessary so roll is seam-side down. 

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown. 

** Kraft Kitchen Tips:

Serving Suggestion - Balance this indulgent "cheeseburger" with a mixed green salad and fresh fruit.
Special - Serve with your favorite condiments, such as CLAUSSEN Dill Burger Slices, mustard, ketchup, sliced tomatoes and/or TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa.
Variation - Prepare using VELVEETA 2% Milk Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product and substituting 1 can (7 oz.) chopped mushrooms, drained, for the bacon


Posted by: Rachel

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

I made this pretty much exactly as the recipe instructs, so I'm just posting the link.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-baked-chicken-and-pastina-recipe/index.html


Posted by: Erika

Shrimp and Linguine

**The recipe says to serve cold as a pasta salad, but I did it warm for dinner. Also, I didn't have everything called for, I made some substitutions.

1 8oz pkg linguine, broken in half (I had spaghetti on hand)
1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets (I had frozen peas on hand)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp finely shredded lime peel
2 tbsp peanut oil (I didn't have any, I used EVOO)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots (I used onion)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (I didn't have any)

Bring a 4-qt stockpot filled two thirds with water to a boil. Break linguine in half and add to stockpot. Cook according to package directions, adding the broccoli and shrimp the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain in colander and rinse under cold running water until cool; drain well.
Meanwhile, for the dressing, combine lime peel, lime juice, peanut oil, rice vinegar, shallots, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, salt, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl.
Gently toss noodle mixture with dressing in bowl.


Posted by: Erika

Red Enchilada Sauce

3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
3 c. water

In a med. saucepan, whisk together all of the ingredients except the water until it makes a smooth paste. Add the water and simmer over med-low heat for an hour, until thick.

The original recipe says it's enough for 8 enchiladas, but I made 10 and still had half the sauce left over, but it supposedly freezes well, so next time I make enchiladas, I've already got some sauce on hand!

(I filled my tortillas with a combo of chicken, ground cumin, and colby-jack cheese, put them in a 9x13 glass baking dish, topped them with half the sauce, sprinkled a little more cheese on top, and baked at 350 for 30 minutes.)


Posted by: Erika

Lazy Lasagna

I got this out of a recent Rachael Ray magazine and found the link so I could share it with you guys. It's not a saucy lasagna at all, so don't expect that; but it is really yummy! The only think I did differently was skip the nutmeg (I was going to use it from my spice rack instead of fresh, but completely forgot it all together). 
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipes/rachael-ray-30-minute-meals/Lazy-Bolognese-Style-Lasagna


Posted by: Tabitha

Mexican Fried Chicken

I'm just gonna post the link since I followed the recipe exactly (for a change). Well, almost exactly. I didn't use Mexican honey, I used regular plain old Fairhope, AL honey.
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/mexican-fried-chicken/


Posted by: Erika

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

4 large poblano peppers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
salt and pepper
1 bottle Mexican beer
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans (I would recommend 3, actually, but we LOVE black beans.)
2 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes (diced or crushed)
2 cups vegetable stock
1 lime, halved

Preheat the broiler to high.

Char the poblanos under the broiler to blacken their skins evenly all over, 12-15 minutes, turning as needed. Place the charred poblanos in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at least 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Peel and seed them, then coarsely chop and reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over med-high heat. Add the jalepenos, onions, and garlic to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, 6-7 minutes. Stir the beer into the post, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil the beer until reduced by half, 1-2 minutes, then add 1 can of black beans. Mash them into the onions with a potato masher or wooden spoon, then stir in the second can of beans, leaving them whole. add the chopped poblanos to the chili and season with the chili powder, paprika, and cumin. Stir in the tomatoes and stock. Bring the chili up to a bubble, add salt to taste, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the chili for 8-10 minutes to thicken. Squeeze in the lime juice and remove the chili from the heat to serve.

Note-- I had to add a CRAZY amount of sour cream to this in order to eat it, it came out really spicy. On the other hand, my hubby said it was perfect. So, it just depends on your own particular taste buds, I guess.


Posted by: Erika

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Double for a big family or big eaters :)

2 cups cooked chicken chopped
1 cup broccoli chopped (I have used both raw and thawed frozen)
4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 garlic clove pressed
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package refrigerated crescent rolls

Heat over to 375F Combine chicken, broccoli, cheese, garlic mayo and salt in large bowl.
Arrange dough with 12"x15" rectangle baking sheet. Roll dough to edges of stone. Cut dough on long side 1 1/2 inches apart 3 inches deep. Spread filling evenly over the middle. Lift dough across filling twist and press ends together. 
*This is MY variation* Scoop 2-3 spoon full of mix onto the single triangle crescent roll and fold dough around mixture. 
Bake 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. 

Posted by: Michelle

Smoked Gouda Grits

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1 cup freshly grated smoked Gouda cheese
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

1. Bring chicken broth and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until creamy.
2. Gradually stir in cheese, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in butter and salt; season with pepper to taste.

**I usually add more cheese, maybe 1/2 cup extra. 1 cup just isn't enough ;)


Posted by: Tabitha

Sticky Lemon & Honey Chicken Drumsticks

Preparation: 10 mins – Cooking Time: 30-50 mins

Ingredients

◦8 large chicken drumsticks, or more if they are small
◦sea salt and black pepper
◦45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
◦1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
◦few thyme sprigs
◦splash of sherry vinegar
◦30ml (2 tbsp) dark soy sauce
◦45ml (3 tbsp) honey
◦1 lemon, finely sliced

1.Season the chicken with salt and pepper and heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Brown the chicken pieces (in batches if necessary) over high heat with the garlic and thyme for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Return all the chicken to the pan, add the sherry vinegar and bubble until reduced by half. Drizzle over the soy sauce and honey and shake the pan to mix.
2.Pour in a good splash of hot water and add the lemon slices. Let the liquid bubble and reduce down until syrupy, which will take about 10 minutes or so. By not the chicken should be cooked through. 
3.Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve immediately. 

*Drumsticks were used in this recipe to ensure even cooking. You are welcome to use chicken wings, thighs or breasts instead. 



I didn't measure anything nor use Sherry vinegar. I used balsamic instead and although at the time I thought I had added too much I let it reduce and it worked wonderfully. Very good however it did seem like "something" was missing. Def would add more thyme next time and possibly some rosemary as the seasonings weren't quite strong enough for us. Definitely delicious though and a great way to "dress up" drumsticks.


Posted by: Ashley

Chicken Breasts with Orange Glaze

1-2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
3/4 cup all purpose flour
salt & pepper

Mix the corn starch, flour, and some salt & pepper in a shallow bowl. Heat the oil in a large skillet over med-high. Dredge the chicken in the flour then cook in the skillet 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Add the shallot and sautee just until softened. Add the orange juice and chicken broth, bring up to a simmer and put the chicken back in the skillet. Cover, simmer on medium until the chicken is cooked through. (The flour coating will get a little soggy. This is ok.) Remove the chicken from the skillet again, and add the honey and brown sugar to the juice and broth. Simmer until it starts to look like a glaze, then pour it over the chicken.
Serve over rice.

Pan Fried Tilapia

5-6 tilapia fillets
1 c flour
2-2.5 c panko bread crumbs
1 egg 
1 c milk (or 1 c buttermilk and no egg)
Old Bay seasoning
salt & pepper
vegetable oil (I like canola)

Preheat oil in a large skillet. I like 1/4" - 1/2" inch in the bottom of the pan, depending on how thick the fish fillets are. The thinner the fillet, the less oil you'll need. You'll want three shallow bowls or pie pans-- one for each step of the breading process. One with the flour (and some salt & pepper), one with the egg & milk (and some salt & pepper), and one with the bread crumbs (with salt & pepper, plus 1-2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning to taste). Dredge each fillet in the flour, dip it in the milk, then cover it with the bread crumbs, pressing a little to make sure they adhere. Let them rest on a plate about 5 minutes before cooking. When the oil is ready (put a little bit of flour or breadcrumbs in to test, if they sizzle it's ready) add the fish fillets a few at a time and cook 2-3 minutes on each side, until they're golden colored and the fish is cooked through. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Sausage Gravy

Here is the link to the original recipe:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,175,133181-245192,00.html?pg=2&opt=old


After reading the comments on it, I changed it up a little. Here are the changes I made-

-I used 1 lb of sausage instead of 3/4 lb (Jimmy Dean Original)
-I added 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil to the sausage after it was cooked because there wasn't much grease
-I used 6 tbsp flour
-I added salt & pepper to taste (not sure how much)

I didn't make my own biscuits; Grands Southern Style in a can works just fine for me ;)
Oh, and I cooked the sausage on medium, and turned it up to med-high after I added the milk, until it was boiling. Then I turned it down to med-low to simmer until thick. Make sure to stir frequently!


Posted by: Tabitha

Crispy-Skinned Roast Chicken

Ingredients
1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds), giblets removed and discarded (see note)
1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Instructions

1. Place chicken breast-side down on work surface. Use tip of sharp knife to make four 1-inch incisions along back of chicken. Using fingers or handle of wooden spoon, carefully separate skin from thighs and breast. Using metal skewer, poke 15 to 20 holes in fat deposits on top of breast halves and thighs. Tuck wing tips underneath chicken.
2. Combine salt, baking powder, and pepper in small bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with salt mixture. Rub in mixture with hands, coating entire surface evenly. Set chicken, breast-side up, in V-rack set on rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours.
3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Using paring knife, poke 20 holes about 1 1/2 inches apart in 16- by 12-inch piece of foil. Place foil loosely in large roasting pan. Flip chicken so breast side faces down, and set V-rack in roasting pan on top of foil. Roast chicken 25 minutes.
4. Remove roasting pan from oven. Using 2 large wads of paper towels, rotate chicken breast-side up. Continue to roast until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast registers 135 degrees, 15 to 25 minutes.
5. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Continue to roast until skin is golden brown, crisp, and instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 10 to 20 minutes.
6. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Carve and serve immediately.

Posted by: Rachel

Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks 
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce 
2 tablespoons brown sugar 
1 head iceberg lettuce, remove each leaf carefully
4 carrots, cut into matchsticks, or buy packaged shredded carrots!

In a large skillet with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, brown the chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes. 
Add the teriyaki sauce and brown sugar, and cook until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is cooked through, about another 2 minutes
Top with shredded carrots

Serve in lettuce leaves, roll & enjoy!


Posted by: Rachel