Perfect Fried Chicken

Ingredients: 
 
2 1/2 lbs chicken pieces ( I use only skinless boneless chicken breasts, usually 2 or 3)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 or 3 cups Crisco (or enough for 2 inch deep fat -- I use Crisco vegetable oil)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups buttermilk

Preparation:

Add the salt, pepper and flour to a zip lock bag (1 gallon works best)

Roll the chicken pieces in the buttermilk and then put them into the bag, shaking well until the chicken is totally coated with the seasoned flour mixture.  (I put them into the bag twice, the second time just before adding them to the frying pan.)

Add the shortening or oil to the skillet and heat it to 375 degrees.   When the oil reaches that temperature, put the coated chicken in the skillet and turn the heat down to medium.

Let it cook for about 17 minutes until golden brown on one side.   Flip the chicken over and let the other side cook for about 17  minutes also until golden brown.

Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan and cook for 10 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through with no pink in the center.  (Important Note:   Don't leave the chicken in the buttermilk, just dip and then coat with flour.   Also make sure the oil is at least 375 degrees.)

Irish Soda Bread

1/2 cup white sugar
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups raisins
1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch round cast iron skillet or a 9 inch round baking or cake pan (I used a 9 inch spring form pan).

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour (reserving 1 Tablespoon), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins and caraway seeds.  In a small bowl, blend eggs, buttermilk and sour cream.  Stir the liquid mixture into flour mixture just until flour is moistened.  Knead dough in bowl about 10 to 12 strokes.  Dough will be sticky (VERY sticky!).  Place the dough in the prepared skillet or pan and pat down.  Cut a 4 x 3/4 inch deep slit in the top of the bread.  Dust with reserved flour.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 65 to 75 minutes.  Let cool and turn bread onto a wire rack. 

Chicken and Sirloin Tip Kabobs

4 C assorted vegetable pieces, such as red and green peppers, and squash
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon white vinegar 
1/4 cup McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Seasoning
1 tsp McCormick Italian Seasoning
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or sirloin steak tips cut into pieces about 1/2 inches


Combine vegetables, olive oil, vinegar, Montreal Chicken seasoning and Italian seasoning in a large self closing bag.  Cut chicken and/or steak tips into 1 1/2 inch cubes; add to bag. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes turning bag to coat evenly.  Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.

Spear chicken and vegetables on metal skewers.  Lightly sprinkle meat and vegetables with additional Montreal Chicken seasoning.  Grill kabobs 15 minutes on each side.

Bacon and Egg Cups

4 eggs
4 slices of bacon
4 slices of white bread
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Spray or grease 4 cups in a cupcake tin.  

Cook bacon over medium high heat and remove when it's pliable, not well done.  Place on paper towels.

Using a 3 inch cookie cutter, cut circles out of the white bread.  

Place butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan and cook on low/medium heat until butter melts.  Dredge bread circles in butter/syrup mixture and place in the bottom of the greased cupcake tins.  Line each cup with a slice of bacon.   Place shredded cheddar in each cup.  Crack one egg in each cup and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or to desired consistency.  

Adjust recipe accordingly for more than 4 bacon egg cups.

Glazed Walnuts

1 lb walnut halves
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread nuts in a single layer over a baking sheet.  Roast for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until the nuts start to turn brown.

Stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt and milk in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes or until the mixture reaches 236 degrees (soft ball stage).  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla immediately.

Add walnuts to sugar syrup and stir to coat well.  Spoon nuts onto waxed paper lined cookie sheet and immediately separate nuts with a fork.  Cool and store in airtight containers.

Pasta Salad

1 box vermicelli pasta
1 tomato
1 cucumber
1 green pepper
1 small onion (or onion powder to taste)
1 stalk celery
3/4 bottle McCormick's Salad Supreme
3/4 bottle Viva Italian dressing

Cook pasta to desired firmness and cool.  Wash and chop tomato, pepper, cucumber, celery and onion.  Add to cooled pasta.  Slowly add Italian dressing and Salad Supreme to pasta and mix well. 

Crockpot Beef Brisket

4 lb beef brisket 
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoons flour
1/3 cup water

Place onions in bottom of crockpot, then place brisket, fat side up, on top of onions.  Sprinkle garlic on top.   Add salt and pepper to brisket.  Combine ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar in small bowl and then rub into beef.  Add enough water to coat the bottom of the crockpot.  Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours.

For gravy, remove brisket from the crockpot, place on serving plate and cover tightly with foil.  Turn crockpot temperature to high.  Mix flour with a1/3 cup water, add to crockpot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently with wire whisk. 

Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang Shrimp

 
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
3 drops Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (or to taste)
1 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp
dry cornstarch
oil for frying
lettuce
chopped scallions

Mix mayonnaise with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.  Add hot sauce to taste.  

Dredge the shrimp in cornstarch.   I put the cornstarch in a zip lock bag and coated about 6 or 7 shrimp at a time.  

Either deep fry shrimp in a deep fryer or add oil to a deep frying pan.   I waited until the temperature reached 350 degrees before adding the shrimp and when they were lightly brown and had a bit of a crunch to them, I removed them and drained on paper towels.  

Add shrimp to the bowl with the mayonnaise and chili sauce mixture and coat the shrimp well with sauce.   I added another heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise, about another 1/8 of a cup of chili sauce and a few more drops of the hot chili sauce. 

Serve in a bowl lined with lettuce, top with chopped scallions.