GARLIC TERIYAKI WINGS & BOOK REVIEW: THIS THING OF OURS BY CAMMY FRANZESE

One of our new favorite local restaurants is The End Zone, here in Davenport.  The main reason we got stuck on them was because they serve.....FRIED FROG LEGS!  I haven't had frog legs since I left Kentucky.  My mother's family actually goes "frog-giggin'" to catch their own.  Not that we're like "Swamp People" or anything, but that's how we roll.  Anyway, the first time we went there and saw frog legs on the menu, I was hooked.  But, today's post is not about frog legs.  Mainly because I have never cooked frog legs before, and also because, where would I get frog legs down here?  Anyway, the last time we were there, Jorge ordered their Garlic Teriyaki Wings, and they were.....to use an over-used word.....DEE-LISH!  So, when we went home, I had to try to make them myself.  They may not be exactly the same, but they were close, and they were great.  : )

GARLIC TERIYAKI WINGS

1 pkg. (7-9) chicken wings, wingettes, or drumettes
Garlic powder, to taste
1 packet Kikkoman teriyaki sauce mix
10 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c soy sauce

Sprinkle wings with garlic powder and sauce mix. Cover and refrigerate a couple of hours or overnight. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for 20 minutes, 10 minutes for each side or until chicken is brown. Wings can also be cooked on the grill, if desired. Place garlic in mini-food processor. Place on grind setting for 5 seconds.

Add butter to processor an additional 5 seconds. Pour soy sauce into processor and mix until well blended.



Pour sauce into saute pan and cook on medium heat until butter foams. Add wings to sauce, cover and simmer 10 -15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

      

The finished product

MUSIC TO COOK BY

Mozart - Symphony No. 25 in G Minor K183 - Mov. 1/4

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BOOK REVIEW

This Thing of Ours by Cammy Franzese     

This Thing of Ours by Cammy Franzese is a story of God's grace in a turbulent marriage.  Camille Garcia was a naive, twenty-year old dancer when she met and fell in love with Michael Franzese on the set of Knights of the City, which he produced.  She had no idea the man she would soon marry had ties to the Mafia.  During the first decade of their marriage, he would be incarcerated more than once, for a total of eight years.  It was in the dark times of their marriage that she fully learned how God's grace can sustain.

While the author's many examples of God's faithfulness were uplifting, I felt that her message of total surrender to God's will was even stronger.  She makes the excellent point (more than once) that so many of our trials are a direct result of our choices.  It is when we fully surrender our life to God, that He is in control of our situation.  

Because of the message of this book, I would have liked to have given 5 out 5 stars.  Three  things stand in my way, however.  I found the writing style to be disjointed, with the narration jumping from one place or time to another with no explanation.  Also, while the author speaks of grace and surrender, there is no real depth to the subject.  If the reader is unfamiliar with the concepts, the book probably would not be clear enough to be understood.  Lastly, I found the author's repeated claims to naivete to be a bit unbelievable.  While I am not accusing her of knowing all of her fiance/husband's activities, it is difficult to believe that a 20-year old could have ignored all the warning signs.  Therefore, 2 out of 5 stars is more in line.

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595553657
• ISBN-13: 978-1595553652

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Until next time, Happy Cooking!  : )

Feeling a little blue in January is normal. -Marilu Henner

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TAGS:  CHICKEN
VERY GOOD RECIPES - KINGDOM OF CHICKEN

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POLLO AJILLO - GARLIC CHICKEN (AND RETHINKING MY FOCUS)

For Christmas, Jorge bought me an excellent book titled "Will Write for Food" by Dianne Jacob. I haven't even finished the book, but I've already learned so much from her. While reading her book, I have come to realize that I may need to rethink my focus for the blog. When reviewing my stats, it looks as if I have two separate audiences; one looking for Puerto Rican/Caribbean/Latino recipes, and one looking for Southern/slow cooker recipes. While it makes perfect sense in my head to combine the two (that's the way we eat at home), I wonder if it would be better to split into two blogs. I don't usually get a lot of comments here, but I'm hoping that my readers will give me some feedback on this. Two blogs means double work, but that's really not the issue. I don't want to look as though I'm dividing my readers and I certainly don't want to alienate one group of readers in favor of the other. So, I look forward to hearing from some of you.

Now, onto cooking.....

As you may have noticed by now, we eat a lot of chicken around here. We also eat a LOT of garlic. I love garlic. I don't think it deserves the bad rap it gets so often. According to Wikipedia, garlic has been around for over 6,000 years and has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes, as well as for food. Not that this probably matters, but did you know that garlic is grown in every state except Alaska? Now, Alaska is probably a fine state, and I've always wanted to go there, but they did just lose a point in my book when I found out there's no garlic growing there. Anyway, there are just so many uses for it, that it must be a good thing. Here is a great way to combine my love for chicken and my love for garlic.....

POLLO AJILLO (GARLIC CHICKEN)

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
GOYA® Adobo con pimiento, to taste
1/2 c vegetable oil
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 c cooking sherry
1 packet GOYA® chicken bouillon
1 c water

Season the chicken with Adobo, to taste. Cook the chicken in the vegetable oil over medium heat for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken, cooking 5 minutes on the second side. Remove the chicken. Add the garlic and thyme and stir for two minutes. Deglaze the pan with the cooking sherry and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet, add the water and bouillon, and lower to simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and cook for 10 additional minutes, covered. When serving, pour garlic sauce over chicken pieces.

As always, I cooked the chicken in a cast iron skillet.  Any heavy pan  will do.

MUSIC TO COOK BY

Until next time, Happy Cooking!  : )

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." Oprah Winfrey

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TAGS:  CHICKEN, GARLIC, PUERTO RICAN
VERY GOOD RECIPES - KINGDOM OF PUERTO RICO 

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BAKED SPICY WINGETTES

Lately, I've been going through my pantry and freezer trying to clear some stuff out to make room for all the Christmas foods in my future.  Sometimes, the best ideas happen when I'm just trying to get rid of things.  I had several packages of chicken wingettes taking up space in my freezer, so I decided to use them.  Even though we really like fried chicken (who doesn't?) I know we shouldn't eat fried foods all the time.  So, I put my little thinking cap on and came up with a recipe for baked chicken wings.  And since we didn't eat all of them the first night (there's just the two of us, and really, we don't eat as much as you would think from reading this blog), I had to do something with the leftovers.  And that's where the second recipe comes from.

BAKED SPICY WINGETTES

3 lbs chicken wingettes
1 c bread crumbs
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 c buttermilk
1 egg, beaten

Combine egg and milk in a small bowl. Combine crumbs and seasonings in a shallow dish. Dip wingettes in egg wash and then dredge in crumb mixture. Spray a baking dish or sheet with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven at 450 degrees for 45 minutes.

SPICY BARBECUE WINGETTES

leftover Baked Spicy Wingettes
2 c barbecue sauce
2 tsp Louisiana Original Hot Sauce
1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning

Mix barbecue sauce with hot sauce and seasoning. Place leftover wingettes in baking dish. Pour sauce over wingettes. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

The second night, we were hungry and ate them before I could get a picture. No self-control, whatsoever......

Until next time, Happy Cooking! : )


Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. - Washington Irving
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TAGS:  chicken, wings, baked, barbecue, leftovers
VERY GOOD RECIPES - KINGDOM OF CHICKEN
VERY GOOD RECIPES - KINGDOM OF AMERICAN RECIPES
VERY GOOD RECIPES -KINGDOM OF BARBECUE

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AUNT BARBARA'S SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND DRESSING

Just when you thought there were no more Thanksgiving recipes, here's one more.  This year, at Family Dinner #1, my Aunt Barbara (if you read Mamaw's Potato Salad, you may remember her) brought Slow Cooker Chicken and Dressing.  Nothing makes me happier than a new slow cooker recipe (which just proves that I need a life outside my kitchen), so I wasted no time asking for the recipe.  She was kind enough to share it with me, and now, I'm sharing it with you.  Trust me; it was great!

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND DRESSING

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

5 c cornbread crumbs

2 c biscuit or bread crumbs

1- 14 oz. can chicken broth

2 eggs, beaten

1 med onion, minced

1 c celery, minced

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp sage

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

1/2 c water

Cook onion and celery in butter until tender.  Pour water and 1/2 can of soup in slow cooker.  Mix crumbs, one can of soup, broth, eggs, onion, celery, pepper and sage.  Put a layer of chopped chicken in slow cooker and top with a layer of crumb mixture.  Repeat, making 3 layers.  Top mixture with 1/2 can of soup.  Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.

The arrow on the right is pointing to the
 chicken and dressing.

I know I didn't get a good, clear picture, but that's because as I was aiming my camera, I looked up and found my family looking at me like I had lost my mind.  Apparently, they don't take pictures of their food....oh, well.....

BAKEAHOLIC MAMA'S GIVEAWAY: 

CUISINART IMMERSION HAND BLENDER 

Bakeaholic Mama is giving away a Cuisinart Smart Stick 200 Watt Immersion Hand Blender.  I don't know about you, but I've been looking at these for quite awhile.  If I don't win, maybe Santa will read this and remember that I like Silver/Chrome appliances.  : )  Anyway, get over there and check out her blog.  And don't forget to tell her I sent you....

Until next time, Happy Cooking!  : )

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.  ~W.T. Ellis

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TAGS:  chicken, slow cooker, dressing
Very Good Recipes - Kingdom of Slow Cooker Recipes
Very Good Recipes - Kingdom of Chicken

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SAFFRON CHICKEN

Well, we have recovered from the flu, and the verdict is in on Casey Anthony (I'm still in shock over that one), so it's time to return to blogging.  During my most-recent "blog break", I continued to try new recipes.  Over the next few days, I hope to share some of them.  In my kitchen, a new chicken recipe is always welcome, especially if it is relatively healthy.  Besides, how often do I get the chance to cook with saffron?

SAFFRON CHICKEN

adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

(Makes 2 servings, recipe from Massoud and The Best Recipes in the World.)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 onion cut in lengthwise slivers 

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 Tbsp butter 

pinch saffron (about 1/4 tsp. or less)

3/4 cup Swanson® Chicken Stock     

1 1/2 Tbsp  lemon juice 

1/4 chopped fresh cilantro

Cut chicken in 1/2 strips diagonally.  Using a frying pan which is not too large and has a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil and butter, then brown the chicken quickly over medium-high heat.  (Don't let it cook long enough that the outside starts to get hard.  The chicken does not need to be cooked through.) 

Remove chicken to a plate, add onion, and brown over very low heat until edges of onion pieces are turning golden, about 12-15 minutes.  Remove browned onions. Add chicken back to pan, and cover with onions.  Heat chicken stock, add saffron and stir to dissolve, then pour over chicken and onions. Simmer on very low heat with pan covered 30-45 minutes.

Add chopped cilantro and lemon juice and simmer 15 minutes more. Serve hot over rice.

MUSIC TO COOK BY

Until next time, Happy Cooking!  : )

Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?  ~Author Unknown

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HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY (DR PEPPER CAN GRILLED CHICKEN)

It's Memorial Day, the first official day of the grilling season.  Don't get me wrong; we grill all year.  But summer is official.  So we started off the season with Dr Pepper Can Grilled Chicken.  Some people make their own chicken can stand, but we bought ours at Wal-Mart.  

In the pictures below, you may notice that the can is a Throwback Mountain Dew can.  We had a 2-liter bottle of Dr Pepper, and Jorge had just finished pouring a can of Mountain Dew, so he poured the Dr Pepper into the Mountain Dew can.  I'm sure this will be viewed as a sacrilege by fans of both drinks, but that's the way we roll around here.  

DR PEPPER GRILLED CHICKEN

1 whole chicken 

1 can of Dr Pepper

1 packet Goya Sazon con Culantro Y Achiote       

Goya Adobo con Pimiento          

Paprika

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Spray chicken lightly with olive oil cooking spray.  Rub Sazon into chicken skin.  Season inside and outside of chicken with Adobo and paprika to taste.  Pour half of Dr Pepper into glass with ice; you can drink this while grilling.  : )  Place can into chicken can stand (I just realized how funny that sounds) and secure chicken onto can.  Assuming that you are using a gas grill, heat grill to medium high and cook chicken using indirect heat to avoid flare-ups. 

Cook approximately 90 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers at least 180 degrees at thickest part of thigh.   

Now, I am aware that many people use Coca-Cola or beer, but we really prefer Dr Pepper.  Of course, the fact that I am a lifelong "Pepper" and usually have it on hand could have something to do with that.  

MUSIC TO COOK BY

Until next time, Happy Cooking!  : )

Summer afternoon -- summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. - Henry James

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CHICKEN IN LEMON SAUCE

Ok.  Confession time.  Last week, there was one night that I didn't cook dinner.  We ate...I'm so ashamed....pizza.  Not even a good delivery pizza.  Not that we ate frozen pizza.  That's the bottom rung on the ladder, if you ask me.  But I didn't make a fresh pizza, either.  It was that so-called "fresh pizza" they sell in the supermarket deli.  If you haven't tried it, trust me; it isn't that fresh.  It just isn't frozen.  

But I made up for it another night, and that's my blog post for today.  I am always ready to try new recipes for chicken, and this one turned out to be a keeper.

CHICKEN IN LEMON SAUCE

adapted from www.cooks.com

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts

All-Purpose Flour

Vegetable oil

4 Tbsp lemon juice

1 c. chicken stock

parsley, dry, minced

salt

pepper

Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess flour.  Fry in hot oil until golden brown.  Remove from pan.  Drain oil from pan, leaving only 1 tsp of oil in pan.  Add lemon juice, chicken stock, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.  Scrape bottom of pan to loosen chicken fragments.  Add chicken and stir gently.  Cover; simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve over white rice.

MUSIC TO COOK BY

Until next time, Happy Cooking!  : )

"Love is a game that two can play and both win." - Eva Gabor

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