Best Damn Carando Ham

I borrowed the above image from the Carando website
as I didn't have the good sense to take a photo of our
Best Damn Carando Ham of Pure Perfection after it was baked the other night.
Full disclosure - this is Carando's photo and NOT mine! 

Many many years ago, I had a small paperback Spice Islands cookbook, from the '60's that came from my mom, probably in the '80's. The one and only recipe I ever tried in said cookbook was their "sweet and sour baked ham". It was worth having the whole damn book! Delicious! However, it wasn't soon until I took the original recipe and made it a throw 'n go, and even that has changed radically over the years. (Just now ordered from Etsy a new old original "The Spice Islands Cookbook" so I can compare the original recipe to the one I make now.) In the meantime, here's what's done today for the very best damn Carando baked ham you'll ever devour! Everyone who has ever had this has raved over it! Serendipity!

1 9 - 10 lb. Carando half ham, spiral cut

1/2+ C. Pompeian red wine vinegar (my favorite brand) not balsamic vinegar

1/2 scant C. brown sugar

2 or so T. grey poupon mustard

3/4 t. ground cloves

3 - 5  T. bourbon

4 - 6 T. any good orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)

Preheat oven to 300º.

Mix all marinade ingredients (not the ham) in a small pot and heat, stirring to boil and then till all is combined. Place hame, sliced side down in a large pan (remove plastic disc off the bone if there). Pour marinade over the ham, lifting it up so juices flow underneath ham as well. Cover tightly and roast 15 - 20 minutes per pound. Baste with the juices every once and a while. When done, remove ham to a platter and cover to keep warm. Place all juices in a pot and simmer down to thicken into a sauce. Separate spiral slices and pour sauce over all, or serve sauce on the side. The marinade is easily doubled if you desire more sauce.

The other night, we served this with Wolfgang Puck's macaroni & cheese, pureed butternut squash, a green salad and canned (!!) Le Sueur Peas. Delicious!

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Jambalaya

The beginnings of jambayala...YUM!

On March 29, 2014 cousin Julie and I threw an engagement party for our Miss Mary Shaw and her Richie. It was a Mardi Gras-themed party and I was tasked with making a NOLA jambalaya. Around 20 years ago, GB and I were at a party where the hosts served jambalaya. It was absolutely delicious so I'd asked them for the recipe, which they happily share. Fast-forward to the engagement party, and it was the very first time I ever used their recipe. I used the original recipe as a starting point and then ended up just doing my own thing - a throw-n-go type of thing for sure! Note: As basmati is my go-to rice, Frank's Original RedHot Sauce is our family's go-to hot sauce - nothing better out there! Just love cayenne pepper and can't stand Tabasco Sauce - don't like the pepper it's made out of.

Below is what I did, but, as it was for me with the original recipe, it's just a starting point - just throw and go! Delicious results will be in your future! (Below makes about 3 - 4 gallons; reduce amounts to suit your needs.)

olive oil

2.5 lb. package Costco AMYLU gluten-free Andouille sausage (or equivalent) 

6 lb. (approximate) package Costco boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 large yellow onions, chopped

2 large yellow peppers, chopped

2 large green peppers, chopped

4 large red peppers, chopped

6 garlic cloves, coarsely minced

4 to 5 -14.5 oz.cans petite or regular diced tomatoes 

4 to 5++ 32 oz. boxes chicken stock (I used Whole Foods 365 organic brand)

parsley, chopped

salt

Frank’s Original RedHot Sauce (I used 1/2 of a 12 oz. bottle)

cayenne

~Cajun Seasonings~ by Penzey’s (Hand-mixed from: paprika, salt, celery, sugar, garlic, black pepper, onion, oregano, red pepper, caraway, dill, turmeric, cumin, bay, mace, cardamom, basil, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. 

2 1/2 C. basmati rice, rinsed before cooking 

3 lbs. fresh shrimp, shelled, tail too (bay scallops could be used as well)

Cook the 2 1/2 C. rice in 5 c. water till just done.
Cut the sausage into 1/4” slices. Cut the chicken into chunks. Remove the tail from the shrimp and cut them in half.  

In a large skillet heat enough olive oil to smear the bottom of the skillet. Place sausage sliced in the skillet in a single layer and sauté until brown. Turn slices over and sauté until that side is brown. Do this in batches and throw done slices in a very large soup pot. (Mine is a 3-gallon All Clad soup pot that I absolutely adore - Thanks Kimmy!) Add the onions, peppers and garlic to the skillet (with more olive oil if necessary) and sauté until done. Do this in batches if necessary as you want the veggies to brown and not steam. When done, add veggies to the soup pot. 

Generously sprinkle the chicken with the Cajun seasonings and sauté in the skillet, adding more olive oil if needed. Do this in batches. When done, add chicken to the big pot. 

Add 4 of the 32 oz. boxes to the soup pot and also the rice. Bring pot to a boil and then simmer until the rice is done. Skim fat off if necessary. 

At this point, you can hold the jambalaya until 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve it. 

Add the shrimp about 15 minutes before you are eating, heat the soup, add more broth if it is too thick and serve. 

Crusty bread is a perfect side. Delicious!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala with Crumbled Crisp Pancetta

Above is one of our more delicious Sunday Family Dinner meals. Chicken Marsala with a secret ingredient added to it. No, those aren't diced tomatoes on top of the dish, it's oven crisped then crumbled pancetta. Talk about taking a delicious dish and making it absolutely awesome! Major yum factor going on here!

Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and pounded to an even thickness

eggs seasoned with salt and pepper

flour (or gluten-free bread crumbs) seasoned well with thyme, salt and fresh-ground pepper

olive oil

butter

1 large box (or 2 small boxes) sliced mushrooms

2 - 3 tablespoons flour

3/4 of a bottle of marsala wine

1 cup or so chicken stock

pancetta rounds

parsley, chopped

Heat oven to 400. Place pancetta rounds on a parchment covered cookie sheet, put in oven and bake until pancetta is very crispy. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn. Take out of oven and set aside.

Heat about 1/2" mixture of half oil and butter in a large (preferably) cast iron skillet over medium high. Dip chicken in the egg mixture and then the seasoned flour and place in the skillet. Do this in batches so the chicken pieces aren't crowded. (Be careful of the skillet temp as you don't want the delicious brown bits to burn and blacken.) As they are done, put them on an oven-proof platter and lightly cover with foil.

When all the chicken is done, add the mushrooms to the skillet, and more butter if necessary. Saute until the mushrooms have given up most of their moisture and are beginning to lightly brown. Add the flour at this point and cook for another 5 minutes or so, stirring constantly. Add the marsala and chicken stock and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce has reduced by about half. Taste sauce to check for seasonings.

Pour sauce over the chicken, crumble the pancetta over the top and then top all with the parsley.

We served our Chicken Marsala with buttered egg noodles, baby peas and a green salad.

~~~

Yum!

'till we feast again!

xoabb

Chicken in the Oven (3 Ways!)

Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken w/a Twist

Over the last week or so, we've had three chicken dishes for dinner that we all loved and will repeat again and again. The first one, pictured above, Remy made and I took the loverly photo. For the other two, I found their delicious-looking photos on pinterest.com and, after much clicking, was finally able to track down both recipes! Remy's recipe is only six ingredients, and the next two are only four ingredients!

Here's a tip I've found to be extremely wonderful: Toward the end of cooking any chicken in the oven (or anywhere else), start checking to see if it's done by using a meat thermometer. Before I started using one (a digital thermometer), I almost always overcooked chicken because I was scared of not getting it cooked thoroughly.

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Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken w/a Twist

2 - 2 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces - Remy used skin-on chicken legs. (Use your favorite pieces.)
flour for dredging
1/2 - 1 cup milk
1 egg
1 box Kraft brand Oven Fry for Extra Crispy Chicken
1 package Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup & Dip Mix
2 tablespoons canola oil

Preheat oven to 400º. Put oil on a cookie sheet and be sure all the sheet is covered in oil. Put flour in a bowl or bag. Mix together milk and the egg in another bowl. In your third bowl, mix together the box of Oven Fry and Lipton package. Dredge chicken pieces in the flour and shake off excess. Dip pieces in the milk/egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Roll pieces in the Oven Fry/Lipton mixture, pressing mixture into the chicken. Place on the cookie sheet. When all are coated, put pan in the oven and bake, if bone-in 20 minutes per side or until chicken registers 165º internally, if boneless, bake about 20 - 30 minutes in total, or until chicken registers 165º at the center of its thickest part.
Delicious! The onion packet gives it such a good flavor!

~~~

"Man-Pleasing" Chicken

From: Witty in the City

Please click on either of the above links to see a photo of this incredible chicken dish.

1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs, bone-in and with skin (or use whatever pieces you want)

1/2 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup real maple syrup

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
fresh chopped rosemary

Preheat oven to 450º. Mix together the mustard, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar. Put your chicken in an oven-proof baking dish; don't worry about crowding. Salt and pepper the chicken and then pour your maple-mustard mixture over them, turning to coat the pieces on all sides.  Put your dish in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until they are 165º at their thickest part. Let chicken rest, lightly tented, for 5 minutes before serving. Immediately after plating chicken, whisk in the 1 tbsp. of cornstarch into the liquid in the pan. You'll create a nice, thick sauce to drizzle over your chicken. You need to do cornstarch mixing immediately because the liquid needs to be hot in order for it to thicken properly. If it's still not thickening after 1 tbsp., you can add a little more. Be sure to spoon sauce over each serving, and add the rosemary.

*Witty in the City also sprinkled some fresh chopped rosemary over her chicken just before serving it. I didn't as I totally forgot to do this step - and I have a beautiful rosemary plant right in my kitchen! I'm sure it would have been delicious. 3/4/13 - this time I remembered to sprinkle the chicken with the rosemary - what a great additional taste! LOVE this dish!
I made a double batch of this for our Sunday Family Dinner, plus a double batch of the following recipe, thinking I'd have chicken to take to word all week. It's only Tuesday and every single morsel of both of them is history. Yup, they were that good!

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Easy Garlic Chicken

From: http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-garlic-chicken-5478

Please click on either of the above links to see a photo of this incredible chicken dish.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or whatever chicken pieces you enjoy)

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons brown sugar

3 teaspoons olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

(This dish makes for a very sticky pan. Do yourself a favor and line you pan with foil for easy clean-up.)
Preheat oven to 500º. Lightly grease a casserole/baking dish. In a small skillet, over low-medium low heat, sauté garlic until tender - do not brown. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Place chicken breasts in the baking dish and cover each with the garlic and brown sugar mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake, uncovered for 15 - 30 minutes; until the chicken is 165º at its thickest part. Just delicious!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again!
xoabb