Baked Chicken

This is the easiest and best tasting way to cook Chicken or Chicken Breasts in the oven.  Once you have this down you can cook extra to have on hand for a myriad   of dishes.

Roast Chicken

I use the breast but you can use this method for the whole chickens and parts too.  Be sure to wash your chicken when you get home from the store.  Just put in a colander and run cold water over it to get rid of any surface bacteria or debris.  Pat dry and then:

Rub chicken with Olive Oil – do both sides if it is in pieces.  Then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Finally add some DAVIS DUST or other seasoning to bring out the flavor.  Bake in a convection oven at 350 for about 1 hour or until the internal temperature is 165 - 170.  You can also bake in a regular oven but a convection will really crisp up the skin!  Yes I cock with the skin on and the meat on the bone.  It tastes better.

I usually do 4 - 8 breasts and then freeze several for later meals. 

Easy Chicken Curry

I use this recipe for a quick easy and tasty meal.  I usually get a rotisserie chicken for this but any left-over chicken or even turkey will work.  I also use cooked rice in this version.

2 cups of cooked rice

1 -2 cups of cooked chicken – cut up or torn into bite size pieces.

1 stock of celery diced

½ of an onion –diced

1 teaspoon Madras Curry

Olive Oil and butter

Heat a skillet to medium and add the oil.  Heat the oil and then add the celery and onions sautéing until tender.  Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is hot.  Add the curry powder and stir.  The curry will want to stick to the pan.  That is ok for a few minutes.  After that deglaze the pan with ¼ cup of Dry Vermouth.  Reduce the Vermouth – add the rice to heat.  Just before serving add about a tablespoon of butter and stir in.  Take off the heat and serve. 

Note – go easy on the Curry until you taste the dish.  Too much will be bitter and overpower the rest.  Better to add – you can’t remove it.

Great Cake for Summer

SIMPLE EASY CAKE

This recipe will make a 9 x 9 cake.  It can be doubled.  I looked at many recipes and after several trials and outcomes this was the best.

Preheat the oven to 350 f - spray a 9 x 9 pan with food release spray.

Have all ingredients at room temperature

½ cup of unsalted butter

1 cup of sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon of good vanilla

Cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Then add the eggs one at a time.  I crack the eggs into a small bowl to make sure that no shell gets in the cake.  It also makes it easier to add the eggs.  Make sure that the first egg is fully incorporated before adding the second one.  Scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla

Sift the following together

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼  teaspoon Lemon Zest

Add to the wet mixture with the mixer on low and mix just until it is mixed in.  Then add

½ cup milk.  Mix until the batter comes together – about 1 minute.  Scrape down the bowl and place in the prepared pan.  The batter is thicker than a normal cake batter.  Tap on the counter to release any bubbles.

Bake for 30 minutes

Cool completely before you cut into it.  You can split the pieces of cake and add fresh fruit and whipped cream, or you can ice the cake.  Simple easy and tasty!

© Wes Davis 2012 – all right reserved