Creamy sauces are kind of a love I harbor and this chicken is the best!  This is nearly creamy, nearly fruity sauce that is a lot like gravy - but isn't. It's better!  This dish is quick and easy to make but tastes as if you spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen.  Remember the Chicken Broth recipe I shared with your earlier? This is the perfect time to pull that out of the refrigerator (or freezer) and take advantage of its rich bodied flavor.  I never add the onion (because onions are nasty). The name is pretty fun, too! It makes my kids and me think about Pebbles and Bam Bam for some misguided reason. I always use chicken breasts for this dish and I usually serve it with rice because the sauce is to die for.

Chicken Alabam(bam)

8 pieces Chicken                                              5 T Butter

1/3 C      Flour                                                 ½ Onion (optional)

½  t        Paprika                                             1  C   Chicken Broth

½  t        Salt                                                  ½  C   Light Cream or Half and Half

Dash       Pepper                                             ¼  C   Lemon Juice

Dash       Thyme                                             2   T   Pimento

Mix all of the ingredients in the first column in a shallow dish. Dredge raw chicken in flour mixture and saute’ in butter.  Remove the browned chicken and place in a 3 quart casserole dish.  Saute’ onion (if you use it).  Stir excess flour mixture into butter and add chicken broth.  Cook and stir until thickened.  Add cream and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and pimento. Pour sauce over chicken, cover, and bake. Serve over cooked rice.

                                                                                                                              Bake covered 1 ¼ hours at 325°.  


Serving Suggestion: When you finish enjoying this meal, there is often quite a bit of sauce left over. I cut up any remaining chicken and add it and some rice to the remaining sauce then I slide it all into the refrigerator. It makes a fabulous casserole for a future omg-I-don't-feel-like-cooking-again day. Just microwave covered until it's warm.

I really love this chicken!  It can be a simple family dinner or an elegant dish at a dinner party. It’s always a hit: and the best part?  It’s very easy to assemble, toss in the oven, and come back just in time to make some rice.  I made this for dinner during the week we were on the Satan Diet. I ate the chicken with the requisite tomatoes while the rest of the family had rice and asparagus. It was delicious!  Try it, you won’t be sorry.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sauce: ½  C Vinegar
            2   T  Catsup
            1   C  Sugar
            1    t  Salt
            2    t  Soy Sauce
            1  Small can pineapple tidbits and juice
            2  Green Peppers (optional) cut into strips

Mix above ingredients in medium bowl and set aside.

6       Chicken Breasts
1 C    Cornstarch
½ T   Paprika
1  t    Garlic  Powder
2       Eggs  (beaten)
¼ C  Shortening or oil

Mix dry ingredients together in a shallow dish. Heat shortening in a large fry pan. Dredge raw chicken in the cornstarch mixture, dip into eggs, and brown in hot oil. Place browned chicken in a 3 quart baking dish. Pour sauce over chicken.  Cover.

                                                                                                                 Bake covered for 1 hour at 350°

If I’ve had a bad day or just want a tasty dinner that’s easy to throw together, this is what I make. Turn on some Cat Stevens or Joshua Kadison to set a mellow mood... But back to the casserole. I love it, my kids love it, my dogs would love if I’d let them have some, and my friends love it.  You can make this ahead and refrigerate it.   

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

3 C.     Shredded, cooked chicken

8 oz     chopped green chilies

1 C      Chicken broth

1 can   Cream of Chicken Soup (large can or 2 small cans)

2 C      Shredded cheddar Cheese  (reserve a little to sprinkle on top)

                                                          1 pkg   Corn Tortillas

In a large bowl, mix chilies, broth, Cream of Chicken soup, cheese, and chicken. Tear some of the tortillas into quarter pieces and place in bottom of large casserole dish (13x9). Pour half of the sauce over the tortillas. Repeat layers one time. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top.

                                                                                 Bake uncovered at 350˚ for 30 minutes.

When the recipe calls for chicken broth, do you head to the store and buy that thin, greasy stuff? I hope not! Making your own chicken broth is really the way to go. The broth is richer, more flavorful, fresh, and delicious in soups. Additionally, it's really good for you! The minerals, gelatin, and glycosaminoglycans in bone broths promote shiny hair, healthy joints, and strong nails. Bone broth may also provide relief if you suffer from digestive problems, food allergies, or lowered immunity. 

It’s very simple to whip up a batch of broth!  The added bonus of making your own broth is that you now have chicken to put in casseroles (like our Southwest Chicken Bake), soups (like our Ultimate Soup), or salads!

To help ally confusion, remember - chicken broth is thinner than chicken stock. Broth is made by using more meat than bones while stock is made by using more bones than meat. A broth stays liquid in when refrigerated and has a comparatively thinner taste. A stock becomes gelatinous when refrigerated and has a rich, full taste. (And the most of the commercially prepared stuff is completely watered down and inferior in taste.)

The proportionate balance of bones to chicken determines whether you choose to make this recipe into a broth or a stock. This recipe calls for one chicken (which makes a fine stock) but you can substitute a family sized package of chicken parts if you prefer. If you select chicken breasts, you’ll be making a delicious broth and you'll an easy time removing that all-white meat from the bone. Legs (or drumsticks) are less expensive, make great chicken stock, and removing the meat is a little more complicated but not too difficult. Thigh meat is the worst when removing the meat from the bone; it’s very messy and I don’t recommend it if you want to retain the meat (but it makes a fabulous stock).

Chicken Bone Broth
1                 Chicken
1                 Yellow Onion cut in large pieces
8-12 C.       Water to cover the chicken
1 C              Carrots (I use the baby carrots so I don’t have to cut them)
2 stalks       Celery
1 t.              Salt
½ T.           Thyme
1 t.              Rosemary
½  t.            Sage

Boil all ingredients together until the chicken is falling off the bone. Remove chicken from pot and place on plate. Strain broth into bowl using a colander.  Discard vegetables. Pour hot broth into mason jars and let cool. Fat will accumulate on top – do not remove it as it helps to keep the broth fresh. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze.  Remove meat from bones and enjoy! Makes 3-4 quarts of concentrated chicken broth/stock.

Pair these with Corn Fritters and you have created one of my favorite childhood food memories. Salmon patties are often called croquettes – they’re a Southern dish. But I prefer to call them Salmon Patties: a simple entrée with a simple name to remind me of days when life was simple and stealing an apple from the orchard was an adventure but wouldn’t get me arrested. I miss those days. Just like life back then, the recipe isn’t exact measures. Sometimes improvising makes life more interesting.

Salmon Patties

1 can  Salmon OR 2 vacuum packs of Salmon OR 15 oz. fresh salmon

15-20 Saltine Crackers, crumbled

2 eggs, beaten

3 T soft Butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

A pinch of dried Thyme

A pinch of dried Basil

Mix the ingredients all together. If you haven’t used can Salmon before, you might be shocked at the amount of skin and bones included in the can. The bones are soft and crumbly and actually add to the dish. If the skin grosses you out, pick it out. If not, don’t worry it won’t hurt you. To be honest, I usually pick it out. If you use fresh salmon or the vacuum packed salmon, you won’t be faced with the skin dilemma.  

Press the meat into patties. Heat oil to medium or high heat. Fry the patties until they are brown on both sides. Serve hot with lemon juice or a fresh lemon.

                                                                                                                                              Servings:  4+

Corn fritters are the perfect comfort food. The frying changes to texture of the corn to a slightly crispy and unexpected sweetness.  The breading that holds them together will remind you of a yummy muffin. This is considered to be southern cooking and all I can say is those Southerners sure do seem to do it right! Pair this up with Salmon Patties for the perfect light and cozy meal. Once you try this, you'll make them again and again. 

Corn Fritters
 Mix:
1 c   Flour
1 t    Baking Powder
½ t   Salt
1 T    Granulated Sugar

Beat together and add to flour mixture:
 1      Egg, lightly beaten
½ C  Milk
1 T    Cooking oil or melted shortening

Add:
1 ½ -2 C Frozen or fresh corn

Cook:
Heat ¼ c oil in heavy pot. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and flatten slightly with spatula. When browned golden, flip and continue cooking until they are a golden brown. Place on a paper towel to soak up residual oils and serve piping hot.

Serving suggestion: Serve with Salmon Patties and a tasty green vegetable.
                                                                                                                                            Serves 4+

This soup is as delicious as it is healthful!  It’s simple to make, rich in vitamins and minerals, and quite honestly the best soup I have ever made…and I make a lot of soups!  It boasts a full-bodied Mediterranean flavor and is tasty enough to be served at a dinner party.  You may be dubious as you put all the ingredients in the soup pot (I know I certainly was) but I guarantee you will not be sorry!   There have been no scientific studies, but I’m convinced this delicious soup boosts your immunity and keeps you healthy during the winter flu season. 

Ultimate Soup

1 T  Olive Oil
2 C  Carrots, sliced
1 C  Celery, Chopped
1     Leek, chopped
1 C  Onion, chopped
1 T  Fresh Ginger, chopped
4     Cloves Garlic, minced
1 C  Mushrooms, finely sliced
1 C  Cooked Chicken, cubed
8 C  Chicken Broth
1 C  Cilantro, chopped
¼ C Fresh  Basil, chopped
1 C  Broccoli Florets
2 C  Kale
2 C  Anaheim Chiles, w/seeds
2 C  Pureed tomatoes (canned)
1     Can Black Beans w/juice
1     Can Garbonzo Beans  w/o juice
2 T  Lemon Juice

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Coat a large skillet with Olive Oil and use to sauté Carrots, Celery, Leeks, Onion, Garlic, and Mushrooms.  Sauté for 10-15 minutes. (If you hate onions, cut an onion into large pieces and sauté with the rest of the vegetables - then simply remove the onion pieces before transferring the vegetable to the soup pot.)

Transfer to a large soup pot and cover with Chicken stock.  Add Chicken, Cilantro, Basil, Broccoli, Kale, Chiles, pureed Tomatoes, Black Beans, Garbanzo Beans,  Lemon Juice, and black pepper.  

Bring to a boil for ten minutes and then simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour.  Serve hot.

My kids started calling these Mom's Oatmeal Cookies when they were babies. I would have a fresh batch waiting for them with a glass of cold milk when they got home from school. Well, the last fresh batch....since I probably ate the first couple of batches myself as the cookies came out of the oven.  I just can't resist them! The combination of cinnamon, raisins, chocolate chips, and oatmeal are a delight beyond description. Warm cookies on a cool afternoon are the best. They also came in handy when I was in graduate school - nothing like a couple of cookies to reward me for an hour of work on my dissertation.  Okay...if I didn't have time to cook, I would subtitute chocolate covered gummy bears for cookies - but that's an entirely different story. 

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter (softened)
2 Cups sugar
2Tbs of molasses
2 eggs
Splash of vanilla
2 Cups flour
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1½ tsp soda
2.5 Cups oats (I use about 2.75)
1 Cup raisins
1 Cup chocolate chips
  
Directions:
  -Cream together butter and sugar until uniform in texture
  -add molasses, eggs, and vanilla again until uniform
  -Put ½ cup flour into a 1 cup measuring spoon, mix the cinnamon and soda into the same measuring spoon with the flour, and add to mixture
  -Add the rest of the flour
  - add oats
  -add about a cup of raisins and a cup of chocolate chips, to taste
  -put on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for ~11 minutes.