Grilled Chicken with Chile Strips in Cream

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, grilled and kept warm
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped white onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 (7-ounce) cans whole green chiles, rinsed, drained and cut into strips
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Sprinkle flour over onion; cook, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes or until flour is golden brown.
Add milk slowly to skillet; bring o a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese and garlic salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and well combined. Stir in chiles; heat through. Top chicken breasts with chiles in cream. Sprinkle with parsley.

Manhattan Chicken

Ingredients

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and legs (or chicken breasts or combination)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup maraschino cherries, roughly chopped
1 cup pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons whiskey (optional)
3 tablespoons cold butter

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the chicken on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil. Finely grate the zest of the lemon and reserve for the sauce. Squeeze the lemon juice on the chicken and season with the salt and pepper. Rub the oil all over the chicken piece and then bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and the juice from the chicken runs clear when you pierce with a knife.
While the chicken bakes, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the zest of the lemon with the chopped cherries, pomegranate juice and whiskey. Bring to a boil and then simmer, uncovered until the liquid reduces by half and the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Stir the cold butter into the sauce to give it gloss and body. Taste the sauce and add some salt and pepper if needed. Reserve until the chicken is done.
To serve, spoon the sauce on top of the chicken or serve on the side.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fall Fruit Salsa

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Fall Fruit Salsa:

3 ripe pears, coarsely diced
4 ripe plums, coarsely diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons basil, minced
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F (175°C).
In large bowl, toss chicken thighs, olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Place chicken thighs in large roasting pan, skin side down. Roast 20 minutes. Turn thighs over to skin side up; roast an additional 20 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through, with an internal temperature of 180°F (85°C).
While thighs roast, make Fall Fruit Salsa by combining all ingredients in large bowl. Mix gently and set aside at room temperature. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
To serve, place thighs on serving platter. Spoon salsa over each thigh; pass remaining salsa at table.
If you drink wine, try this with a Zinfandel.

Fontina-Stuffed Pretzel Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup (about 1/2 medium) julienned yellow onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup roasted red bell peppers, cut in 1/2-inch strips
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
1 cup diced smoked baked ham
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 (6-inch) pretzel rolls

Method

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a small skillet, sauté the onion in oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
In a medium bowl, toss the sautéed onions with the peppers, parsley, thyme, cheese, and ham. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To hollow the pretzel rolls, cut off one end and set aside.
Using a thin-bladed knife, gently cut the center out of each bread, leaving 3/8-inch around the edge. Use a small spoon to scrape out the inside of the bread, and discard or save for another use.
Stuff one-fourth of the filling mixture into the pretzel breads by using the end of a wooden spoon to gently push the filling into the bread. Replace the cut-off end, and wrap each bread with foil, leaving the foil open on top.
Place the stuffed breads on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the bread is crisp and the filling is warm. Slice and serve.

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, cubed
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons black bean sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoon sherry
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup raw unsalted peanuts
1 to 2 dried red chilies, crushed (or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes)
Hot cooked rice (optional)

Method

Combine chicken, egg white and cornstarch in small bowl.
Mix next 7 ingredients in another small bowl. Set sauce aside.
Heat oil in wok or heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peanuts and chilies and cook until peanuts are golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Increase heat to high. Add chicken mixture and stir-fry until chicken is lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Return peanuts to wok/pan. Add sauce and blend thoroughly. Cook until heated through, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice, if desired.

Irish Colcannon with Spring Onions and Leeks

Ingredients

1 quart water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
3 medium Idaho® potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chopped cabbage
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped leeks
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method

Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to boil in a large saucepan, add potatoes, return to a boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain, reserving hot water and set water aside.
Place potatoes in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer,beat on low speed 1 minute, add milk and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Beat on medium until fluffy.
Add the reserved water to saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, add cabbage, return to a boil and continue boiling 5 minutes or until tender, drain.
Melt margarine in a large skillet over medium heat, add onions and leeks, cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Stir in the mashed potatoes and cabbage, heat thoroughly and serve topped with parsley.

Chicken Cacciatora with Fusilli

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 1/2 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes including the juice
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 flat anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and mashed to a paste
1 teaspoon dried orégano, crumbled
1 pound fusilli (corkscrew-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves if desired (flat leaf)

Method

In a kettle heat the oil over medium high heat until it is hot and brown the chicken in batches, transferring it as it is browned to a bowl.
Pour off and discard all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil and cook the onion and the mushrooms over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden.
Add the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes with the juice, the wine, the chicken with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, the anchovy paste, and the orégano and simmer the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
In kettle of boiling salted water cook the fusilli for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it is al dente, drain it well, and in a large bowl toss it with the chicken mixture. Sprinkle the chicken cacciatora with the parsley.