Simple Baked Chicken

I like a simple piece of baked chicken. I buy the bone in quite often because it really does give the chicken so much flavor. Bone in chicken also makes the best chicken stock!

I got two Le Creuset french oven last year from a friend and the first time I made chicken in one of them I couldn't quit eating the chicken before I got it out of the pan!  It was so tender and had sooo much flavor!  I have one very large french oven and one that is smaller which is in the pictures below.  Le Creusets have a cast iron base that is covered in a coating of  porcelain enamel glaze so it has an even heat.  The french oven (similar to the dutch oven) was designed for slow cooking!

Le Creuset pans are pricey but a great investment!  They have a life time warranty on all their cookware!  I was blessed to receive two of them and then last year for my birthday I got one more so I now have 3!!!  Just to give you an idea of the cost....the large one I have cost $445.00 and the smaller one in the picture is $110.00.  You ave to can often find Le Creuset products at a much lower prices at Marshalls and TJ Maxx, you might have hunt but they do have them often !!

The key is to let the chicken cook at a lower temperature and for a longer amount of time.  With all meat there is a breaking point where it goes from tough to tender, you just have to be patient!

I like to just use Lawry's garlic salt, black pepper and then just dot it with butter.  If you don't have a Le Creuset french oven just use a dutch oven or you could even just cover a baking dish with a lid or foil.

Lately Kroger has had Chicken Breast with the bone in for .99 a lb! I have stocked up!

I couldn't cook without this!!!

Place in pan then season with black pepper, garlic salt and dot with butter.

Use a french or dutch oven with a lid if you can.  You can also cover a baking dish with foil

So tender that when you pick up a piece of chicken it falls apart!

3 to 4 bone-in chicken breast

Black Pepper to taste

Lawry’s garlic salt (green lid) to taste

3 T butter

Place chicken in a covered dutch oven or dish.  Season with Pepper and Lawry's garlic salt.  Dot with butter

Bake at 275 to 300 for about 3 hours.

Bread Pudding

I have never been a huge fan of Bread Pudding but then again I really never have had it much!  I did have some last year and it was full of raisins, cinnamon and some odd seasoning that I couldn't put my finger on! I once again wasn't impressed.   As I was looking for recipes for my class I came across bread pudding which looked really good and thought well we have never made it before in class so I decided to make it.

Wow, this is a good recipe! It's really good and I actually loved it!  I found the recipe on Paula Deen's website but changed a few things.  For one she only had 3 cups of bread and I added 5 cups which for me was key because it wasn't soggy at all.  I think the few times I ate bread pudding it was so soggy it grossed me out.  This was delicious and not soggy! She also used milk in this recipe but half and half in a few other recipes so I used half and half. 

The only thing I would change is I would probably add the sauce to each individual serving instead of pouring it on the whole pan at once.  It was good but there was a lot of sauce!  I think the presentation would be better too for each serving.

I used french bread but you can use really any kind of bread.  I saw recipes that used Italian bread, french, regular white bread and even hamburger buns!

Also the brown sugar mixture on top just makes this recipe!  The nuts can be optional but the brown sugar and butter give this a delicious flavor!

The sauce does have Brandy in it but you could use brandy flavoring.  I would start out with 1 tsp of brandy flavoring and a 1/4 of water, then add more for your liking if you would like.  I happened  to have a small bottle of brandy at home which I have had for I bet 7 years!  My friend Stephanie gave me a recipe for brandy sauce that you top a apple pie with so I had it for that.  I personally don't drink so I was like I hope it's still good (after 7+ yrs) !  A lady in my class says it gets better with age...I was like, I have heard that before! 

 

Cut bread into 1 inch cubes then let sit out either over night or all day so it can dry out

Combine the sugar, eggs, half and half and vanilla

Pour over dry bread and let sit for 10 minutes

Top with brown sugar mixture -brown sugar, butter and pecans

 

Bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes-- at this point next time I will dish out a serving then pour sauce over that single serving.

Make the sauce-- takes no time at all!  then pour over bread pudding or individual servings

Bread Pudding

2 cups sugar

5 beaten eggs

2 cups half and half

2 tsp vanilla

5 cups cubed Italian or French Bread, allow to stale overnight in a bowl

1 cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cups butter

1/2 cup pecans (optional)

For the sauce

1 cup sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

2 tsp vanilla

¼ cup brandy

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, and pecans.

Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

For the sauce:
Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, stirring well. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.

Sesame Chicken

I like Sesame Chicken and it's one of the 5 things I order when I am at a Chinese restaurant.  I was searching for something new for my cooking class and came upon this recipe.  I looked at a few sesame chicken recipes and compared them and thought this one looked like a winner!

It's easy to make but does have a few steps to it so seems hard but once you get into it, it's not so hard.

I did tweaked it some....The sauce seems a little sweet so I added more chili sauce and soy sauce.  I adjusted it to the recipe below.  I might even next time use 3/4 cups of sugar just to see although once I tweaked it the sweetness was fine.  I did however have about 1/2 cup sauce left that I didn't use.  Maybe I didnt' have as much chicken?

This really was good and I will for sure be making it again! 

 

This is what you will need for the marinade

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes or strips

Combine first 9 ingredients

Let marinade for about 30 minutes

This is what you will need for the sauce

This is the chili sauce I used which can be found in the Asian aisle

Add all ingredients for sauce then bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Turn heat to low while you cook chicken.  This will become thick, I just didnt' get a pic of the end result but you will see right after it boils it starts to thicken.

Toast your sesame seeds whenever you want to... I did mine while I did the sauce.  I just turned the oven to 350 and had them in there for about 5 minutes.

Heat oil then place a few pieces of chicken in at at time cooking on both sides until browned

Place on a paper towel...I should have doubled the paper towels but it was to late!

Place chicken on a platter or in a bowl and pour sauce onto chicken then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

This is really good!!!!  The chicken is so tender from being in that marinade!

Sesame Chicken

3  skinless chicken breast

Marinade

2  Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp  cooking wine or white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

¼  tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

1 tsp vegetable oil

Sauce

½ cup water

½ cup chicken broth

1/8 cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup cornstarch

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 or 3 tsp chili paste or chili garlic sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

Frying

Vegetable oil or peanut oil (enough to cover bottom of skillet ½ inch)

2 Tbsp Sesame seeds

 Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes

Marinade

Mix the marinade ingredients (first 9 ingredients)

Marinate the chicken for 20 to 30 minutes

Sauce

In a skillet add the next 9 ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Turn the heat down and keep on low while you are cooking the chicken.

Frying

Heat the skillet with oil then add the marinated pieces one at a few at a time and fry until golden brown.

Drain on a paper towels (you can place plate in warm oven if you would like while finishing the rest of chicken).

Turn the heat back up on the sauce until it come back to a boil.

Place the chicken on a large platter and pour sauce over it then toss sesame seeds on top. 

Serve with rice

Peanut Butter Granola

I saw this recipe on Pinterest the other day and decided to make it last night.  It took all of 5 minutes to combine it together (if that long) and all of 10 minutes to bake it!  Wow!  The longest part of this recipe is letting it cool so it will crisp up because it comes out of the oven soft, still tasty but soft. Granola should be crispy so the wait began! 

You could easily add some m & m's, dried fruit, nuts to this if you wanted. 

This has to be good for ya because it only has oats, peanut butter and honey along with some vanilla and cinnamon. 

*I just wanted to add a day later  that I picked up some M&M's and all I am going to say is mmmmmmm!!!!!  I then wished I had some dried fruit...I might have to go raid the pantry and see!

Just melt the peanut butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds

add vanilla and cinnamon (I just sprinkled a little didn't use the 1/2 tsp it called for)

add Oats to mixture

Stir until combined well

Pour onto a buttered pan or you can spray it with non-stick spray,  I used parchment paper

Just out of oven, now the waiting game!

Delicious peanut butter granola!

Peanut Butter Granola

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup honey

½ tsp cinnamon  (I used less)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups oats

Preheat oven to 325

Butter or spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray (I used parchment paper).

Combine peanut butter and honey in a bowl and place in microwave for about 20 seconds until peanut butter melts. Stir

Stir cinnamon and vanilla into mixture then add oats stirring until combined.

Spread oat mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and back for 10 minutes until granola is slightly brown.  Let cool until granola is crunchy

Chocolate chip Cookies

For many years I have always used Toll House recipe for chocolate chip cookies!  I still do love that recipe and pretty much only buy Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chips for when I need chocolate chips, however around Christmas at Sam's they carry Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips and each chip is larger in size making the cookie more chocolaty.  I can find them at the grocery store too some but I like buying the big bags! 

I love Paradise Bakery and for years you could only purchase one of their cookies at a Mall or at least around here.  Now they have stand alone stores so it can be pretty dangerous!  Thankfully there is not one right by me!  I have seen their recipe several times on the Internet so I decided to try it. The only difference between the two recipes is Toll House and 3/4 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of brown sugar.  The Paradise recipe has 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar and then 2 tsp vanilla compared to 1 tsp vanilla.

I often will put cookie dough in the fridge for an hour or so then bake them.  This allows the butter to get cold again which give you a crispy cookie on the edges and a chewy cookie in the middle!  My favorite combo!

I will have to say this paradise bakery recipe is good!  Nice and crisp on the edge and soft and chewy in the middle! 

I will use the recipe again for sure!

Here is what you will need!

Cream butter and add sugars

Add two eggs

One of my little secrets!  I buy this in the Hispanic foods  isle, it is just like the vanilla you buy in Mexico!  It's from Mexico and it smells soooo good and taste just as good!  Best thing is it's like less than $2 at Walmart! When you buy the imitation one it doesn't even smell like vanilla and it has a bad taste to it!  Anytime someone is going to Mexico I have them pick me up a large bottle of vanilla!

Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to cream mixture

Add Chocolate Chips

Combine together

 I used a small to medium ice cream scoop to make them even

I like to use parchment paper when I have it

Just out of oven... crispy on the outside and chew in the middle

They stack up nicely ;)

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1- 12 oz bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375

Cream butter then add sugars, beat in eggs and vanilla.  In a seperate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Gradually add flour to butter/sugar mixture, add chocolate chips.

Bake for 12 to 14 mintues.