Biscuits

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 stick butter

¼ cup butter-flavored Crisco

1 cup milk

Preheat oven 450º

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter and Crisco with fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk and combine just to moisten.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured pastry towel. Pat dough into ¾ inch circle. Using a drink glass or biscuit cutter cut rolled dough into a dozen or so circles. 

Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake 14-16 minutes until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and serve warm.

© Crackerberries 2014

Autumn Chicken

Autumn Chicken

2 chicken legs

2 chicken thighs

1 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ cup Dijon mustard

½ cup honey

2 slices bacon, halved

4 mushrooms, halved

2 slices Monterey Jack cheese, halved

2 slices Muenster cheese, halved

Combine lime juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard and honey in medium bowl and beat with electric mixer just until frothy.  Remove skin from chicken.  Place in zip lock bag and pour ¾ of the mustard mixture over the chicken.  Let stand for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 350º. In a cast iron fry pan cook the bacon until crisp; sauté the mushrooms briefly in the last minute or so of cooking bacon.  Remove bacon and mushrooms.  Sear chicken in pan for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown.

In same pan, brush each seared chicken breast with a little of the reserved honey mustard marinade.  Lay one half of bacon pieces on each piece of chicken, top with two slices of mushrooms and top with the cheeses. 

Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes until the cheeses are thoroughly melted and starting to bubble. 

© Crackerberries 2014

Baked Chili Casserole

Baked Chili Casserole

2 cups red kidney beans

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1 medium onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 cup chopped carrots

1 medium green pepper, chopped

2-3 oz. bulk sausage

2 slices cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 350º

Sauté onion, celery, carrots, and green pepper. In large bowl combine kidney beans, and vegetable mixture. Brown sausage until no longer pink. Add to beans with spices. Spoon into lightly greased casserole dish. Lay cheese over top. Bake 350º for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

© Crackerberries 2014

Chicken A La King

Chicken A’la Potato Dumplings

DUMPLINGs

4 cups mashed potatoes (about 6 medium potatoes or 2 lbs.)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

3 eggs, slightly beaten

¼ cup bread crumbs

1 tsp. garlic salt

Salt and pepper

A’La CHICKEN SAUCE

6 oz. rotisserie chicken, chopped

½ cup chopped onion

2 stalks celery, diced

¾ cup frozen peas

½ chopped green/red bell pepper

1 hard-boiled egg

5 small mushrooms, diced

1 14¾ oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1½ cups chicken broth

Combine mashed potatoes, flour, egg, bread crumbs, garlic salt, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Mix well. Shape into 16 balls. Heat large pot of water to boiling. Gently drop balls into water. Once they float to the top, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

In Dutch oven or other large kettle sauté onions, green and red peppers, celery until tender. Add mushrooms, mushroom soup, peas and chicken broth. Heat until bubbly. Add chicken and egg. Heat thoroughly and serve over dumplings.

(Optional: Sprinkle with bacon bits.)

© Crackerberries 2014

Fried Okra

Southern Fried Okra

1 lb. (or so) small okra pods (10-15)

1 cup cornmeal

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup milk

1 tsp. Texas Pete hot sauce

Salt & Pepper

Cooking oil

Slice okra pods into bite size pieces. The smaller the pod, the sweeter the taste. Combine milk and egg and hot sauce. Place pods in mixture. Stir to cover all and let stand for 15 minutes.

Heat up oil in deep fryer or large skillet. Dredge okra pods through cornmeal mixture and deep fry for 5-8 minutes, flipping often to brown. Serve with your favorite condiment. Here we have Chipotle Ranch dressing and fig chutney.

© Crackerberries 2014

Wal-Mart Pie

Wal-Mart Pie

Okay so I couldn’t think of a good name for it, if you have any swell ideas shoot me a message or comment. I used all Great Value brand ingredients so hence the name of the pie.

¼ cup butter

32 reduced fat butter crackers (1 sleeves, minus one --- yeah, I ate it)

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp. cardamom

1 5.1 oz. box vanilla instant pudding

1¾ cup skim milk

¼ cup fat free sour cream

Preheat oven 375º.

Place mixing bowl (preferably metal) in freezer.

Crush the crackers in food processor or other crushing gadget. Combine with sugar and cardamom and mix well. Melt the butter and pour over mixture. Press into pie plate up the sides making a crust. Bake in 375º oven for 10-15 minutes, (until golden).

In frozen bowl, combine milk, sour cream and pudding mix and blend well.  Pour into cooled cracker crust. Let set up for about 2 hours. Serve with chocolate syrup, or if you’re trying to be healthy, fresh strawberries and blueberries. YUM.

© Crackerberries 2014

Chicken and Spice

Spiced Chicken

2 lbs. chicken legs, washed

1 tbsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. curry powder

1½ tsp. onion powder

1½ tsp. garlic pepper

Combine the spices and rub all over chicken legs. Place in Showtime rotisserie basket and cook for 45 minutes. Let cool before serving. This can also be done in the oven in a cast iron fry pan. Spray the pan lightly with cooking oil. Bake at 375º for one hour, turning once half way through cooking time.

© Crackerberries 2014

Zucchini and Rice Amalgam

Zucchini Rice Amalgam

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 cups diced zucchini

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

3 fresh Chile peppers, thinly sliced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

¼ cup sweet pickle relish, or pickles, chopped

3 tbsp. rice vinegar

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. marjoram

1 tsp. onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine rice and veggies and mix well. In shaker container, combine vinegar, olive oil and spices.  Shake well to combine and pour over rice mixture. Stir to blend. Let stand in fridge for 4-6 hours before serving to absorb flavors.

About six servings

© Crackerberries 2014

Zucchini Tso Chicken

Zucchini Tso Chicken

 A new take on an old Chinese favorite for chicken!

1½ lb. chicken thighs

1 tbsp. soy sauce

2 eggs lightly beaten

1-2 tbsp. corn starch

Fresh ground pepper

Combine eggs, soy sauce, pepper and enough corn starch to coat the chicken well. Place in heated cast iron skillet and back 375º for 45 minutes, turning once.

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. dry sherry

¼ cup chicken broth

1 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1 tsp. minced garlic

2-3 tbsp. corn starch

3 fresh Chile peppers

½ cup chopped onions

1½ cup broccoli florets

1½ cup chopped zucchini

Oil for deep frying

Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir well before adding corn starch. Set aside.

Heat oil in Wok and add broccoli, zucchini, onions and peppers. Stir fry 3-5 minutes. Carefully add chicken from oven to WOK.  Pour in sauce and stir constantly until thickened. Mix with chicken and veggies. Serve over white rice.

© Crackerberries 2014

Potato Dumplings

Potato Dumplings

DUMPLING

4 cups mashed potatoes (about 6 medium potatoes or 2 lbs.)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, slightly beaten

½ cup bread crumbs

½ tsp. nutmeg

Salt and pepper

TOPPING

¼ cup butter

1/8 cup bread crumbs

1/8 cup chopped onions

2½ slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Combine mashed potatoes, flour, egg, bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Mix well. Shape into 15 balls. Heat large pot of water to boiling. Gently drop balls into water. Once they float to the top, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

In small sauce pan combine butter and onions and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until the butter slightly browns. Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs and bacon bits. Pour sauce over dumplings before serving.

Great side with any meal and so good.

© Crackerberries 2014