Recipes

[momtochloe]

Good morning Kitchenettes, happy Marvelous Monday my friends . . . 

Been very quiet here, nothing new to report.  Waiting for my Jewel grocery delivery today and since I can't quite remember what I did order (except fingers crossed they send those yummy Pepperidge Farm frozen rolls, I love taking one out and tossing it in the air fryer) but I am always grateful for what is in stock.  I dry brined an enormous chicen breast overnight and popped it into the oven just now.  If you've never tried dry brining, I highly recommend it.  Chicken breasts come out so juicy and the skin is so crispy, yum!

Hope everyone is doing well and feeling good.  @tiny2, I hope you are hanging in there as I believe you should have/will have a treatment coming up and what a delightful surprise to see our friend @IamMrsG  this morning!  So good to see you, I think of you often and fondly my friend . . . 

Have a great week everybody! 

[RespectLife]

Oh @IamMrsG 

How wonderful to hear from you!

I'm so glad you are doing as well as can be expected during these times!  So many are either sick from Covid or sick from the vaccines!

That salad just reminded me so of you and all the fantastic recipes you have shared!

You fill my cook book!

I'm planning that Buratta cheese salad again soon....it was such a great find!  Had never heard of it and really enjoyed it!  And here Wegman's carries it all the time!

You stay safe...I will be praying for you!

Please join us on this Potsticker thread when you want to chat...or just read.  We have been blessed here with the most incredible, supportive women!  We'd love to keep chatting and sharing recipes with you!

[RespectLife]

Thanks @momtochloe  for the idea of dry brining!

DH 'wet' brines all poultry before smoking...but haven't tried dry!

[momtochloe]

Oh gosh yes @RespectLife , that dry brining was a game changer for me.  No more dry chicken breasts (even though someone wandered off and maybe left it in a tad too long . . . ) . . . hee!

Good news, the Pepperidge Farm french rolls have arrived and I couldn't be happier.  Well actually I was happier when I thought I lost my house keys when I was picking up my groceries and I was trying to sign off on them and my phone was ringing (twice and my phone NEVER rings!).  When I got back upstairs no keys . . . yikes . . . nope, not downstairs so now the hunt through the bags . . . and of course there they were in the last one thank goodness . . . sigh.  

Sigh.

[RespectLife]

I haven't made this yet, but as soon as I can score some ripe naners...I will be!

Jim Beam Honey Bourbon will be my choice!

BOURBON BANANA BREAD

3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted salted butter
3/4 to 1 cup  light brown sugar (depending on the level of sweetness you prefer, I always use the smaller amount)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon  vanilla
1 tablespoon  bourbon        (**ONE TBLS?? Is that even enough??  LOL)
1 teaspoon  baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Up to 1/2 teaspoon (1) nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices.
Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.
Add the flour last, mix.
 Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan.
Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean.
 Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

[RespectLife]

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@momtochloe wrote:

Oh gosh yes @RespectLife , that dry brining was a game changer for me.  No more dry chicken breasts (even though someone wandered off and maybe left it in a tad too long . . . ) . . . hee!

Good news, the Pepperidge Farm french rolls have arrived and I couldn't be happier.  Well actually I was happier when I thought I lost my house keys when I was picking up my groceries and I was trying to sign off on them and my phone was ringing (twice and my phone NEVER rings!).  When I got back upstairs no keys . . . yikes . . . nope, not downstairs so now the hunt through the bags . . . and of course there they were in the last one thank goodness . . . sigh.  

Sigh.

---

WHEW!  @momtochloe   Thank goodness you found them...

now don't tell me it was Spam calls???

I need to get those PP French rolls!   I have tried frozen dinner rolls, but not French.

[Writer with Flair]

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@IamMrsG wrote:

@RespectLife   First, I apologize for the delay in responding to your very nice, and pleasantly surprising, note I found in Chi-town Girl's Pear and Chicken BLT Salad thread.  You have always been one of the friendliest and most supportive people among these forums!  

I am 'getting through these days,' as they say.  Like so many others, doctors' orders have kept me quarantined all through this pandemic.  It's been a difficult year for everyone, but there seems to be a glimmer of light up ahead.

I sincerely hope you and yours are well and happy.  Blessings, Respectlife!                                                                                                        ---Mrs. G. 

---

Greetings IamMrsG!

     I don't think we have met before, but any friend of mtc and Respect certainly is a friend of mine!

     I will be praying for your health.  God Bless!

Writer with Flair

[momtochloe]

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@RespectLife wrote:

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@momtochloe wrote:

Oh gosh yes @RespectLife , that dry brining was a game changer for me.  No more dry chicken breasts (even though someone wandered off and maybe left it in a tad too long . . . ) . . . hee!

Good news, the Pepperidge Farm french rolls have arrived and I couldn't be happier.  Well actually I was happier when I thought I lost my house keys when I was picking up my groceries and I was trying to sign off on them and my phone was ringing (twice and my phone NEVER rings!).  When I got back upstairs no keys . . . yikes . . . nope, not downstairs so now the hunt through the bags . . . and of course there they were in the last one thank goodness . . . sigh.  

Sigh.

---

WHEW!  @momtochloe   Thank goodness you found them...

now don't tell me it was Spam calls???

I need to get those PP French rolls!   I have tried frozen dinner rolls, but not French.

---

Unfortunately I have some experience with this as it happened to me once with my car keys.  I finally calmed down when I pointed out (to myself) they had to be somewhere in the house as the car didn't magically drive itself home . . . 

And the calls were almost worse than spam.  They were follow up calls on things that had been taken of almost a month ago letting me know they were still waiting for me . . . ummm, no I don't think so as I have proof everything is fine . . . I saved the voice mails just in case but wow talk about bad timing (again, coming from someone who averages zero calls a day).

It's a gorgeous day here, cool but brilliantly sunny.  Have a great day my friends . . . 

[novamc1]

I highly recommend generously "dry brining" just about any meat if you want it to be tender and juicy.

In a glass baking dish, I coat the meat with  a mix of dried garlic, pepper and coarse salt (McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning works  for more than steak), and occasionally sprinkle on  a dried herb or two--whichever  herb will taste best on chicken, beef, pork or lamb.

Then cover and  refrigerate overnight, or at least for a large portion of the day when it will be cooked.  Let meat sit out of fridge for about 30-45 minutes before cooking.

The only alternative preseasoning I use for various types of meat  is often a  mix of Dijon mustard and maple syrup, along with garic/salt/pepper and one or two herbs and maybe a little soy sauce or Worcestershire mixed in.

Ever since I bought a  container of McCormick Italian Seasoning (also available in small containers labeled "Gourmet Italian Seasoning"), I use this often when roasting meats, potatoes, vegetables--just about everything tastes good with it.

It's a combination of marjoram, rosemary, thyme, savory, sage, oregano and basil. 

[RespectLife]

So interesting!   thanks @momtochloe  and @novamc1 

And I think I lied before....DH only wet brines poultry but DOES dry brine all meat b4 smoking.

I just never thought to do it myself in the house!  DUH!  Just thought it was kinda a 'smoking' step.

I have used 'wet' mixes like you describe @novamc1 ...anything with maple is a favorite of mine.

But I never thought to use just dry spices and herbs.

I'm going to have to get in the habit of doing that!!!!