Question of the Week - Fall into Autumn Swap
Here it is:
How about you? Are there any recipes you especially enjoy having in the Fall? Any foods that are seasonal that you especially enjoy? Feel free to share recipes with us too!
Here's my answer:
Because I live alone I don't cook much at all and if I do, it's fall or winter. Chico gets to 115 in the summer which is way too hot to cook. Plus without an air conditioner, cooking has to wait until cooler weather. So, given that warning...
I make peanutbutter fudge at holiday time and homemade sugar cookies with pink frosting are a family tradition. Even Ally does that now! But there are two things I love to make in the winter but only do if I can share them with someone. I used to cook and share with my neighbor since she doesn't cook either (two single women living in a duplex!) but I kinda fell out of that last winter. Not sure why. This is my third winter here and I may do more cooking and sharing this year. But the two things I love to make are...
Homemade beef stew and oven fried chicken.
The Oven Fried Chicken is the easier recipe. It comes from my Betty Crocker cookbook that my mom bought me in the early 60's. I went to their website to see if they have that recipe on there but the recipe for oven friend chicken they have is either the one that uses Bisquick (I have a family recipe for Bisquick Chicken that is also a real favorite!) or cornflakes and trust me, while the Bisquick chicken is good, this is REALLY good.
I use all drumsticks for this just because they are my favorite. You could use any cuts you like.
In a bowl put in about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the same of pepper. Since I typically double the recipe so there will be enough coating, these directions contain the double amount from here on. Add 1 cup of flour to the bowl. Add lots of paprika. I mean lots. When mixed together it should be a light red flour mixture. The paprika is really the kick.
In a metal, non-disposable and preferably non-stick coated rectangular pan, put 1/2 cup margarine and 1/2 cup solid Crisco. I use the butter flavored kind that comes in sticks. Preheat the overn to 425 degrees. Put the pan in until the margarine and Crisco are totally melted.
Wash and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. I don't try to coat more than 2 pieces at a time. Coat and put into the pan. Squish if you have to for everything to fit. One thing about using drumsticks is you can alternate them one going one way, one the other, and you can get a lot in the pan.
Cook for 30 minutes. Turn. Cook for another 20 minutes. Remove and place on racks to drain for about 3-5 minutes. Really... you don't need more time and all that happens is the chicken gets too cold to eat. This is the right amount of time for any leftover grease to go away and be the right temperature to just dig in.
I love this recipe. I won't tell you what my good friend (adopted brother) David has said about my chicken but it makes me blush.
If you want the recipe for homemade beef stew which is longer and harder, email me. I learned how to make homemade all-American beef stew from a Russian friend. Truly.
And now for the rest of the answer. Seasonal foods. I swear I am almost ready to kill for pumpkin pie. I haven't had the nerve yet to ask my mother to make one for me but I am thinking when I talk to her in another couple of days I am going to ask if she'd make one for me while I'm there. I'd love to do turkey, too, while I'm there and have everyone to dinner but that might be too stressful for my mother. But seasonally, I love turkey, pumpkin pie, my pink frosted sugar cookies and hot cocoa.
Oh, they didn't ask but I'm gonna tell anyway... I *hate* eggnog and fruitcake and mincemeat pie. Oh yeah, yams, too. I grew up on a farm where we had an acre of potatoes. Regular old russet potatoes. I'm a white potato kinda gal. But I do love pecan pie. Almost never get it but I do love it. I like most nuts except pistashios (gimme brazil nuts anyday!).
OK, enough of a post. I have to go to bed. Or knit and then go to bed. I will post a picture of what I started tonight which is just about done but not until after vacation. It's a surprise for Matt and if I post a picture, there goes the surprise.
I love autumn. And I've been having a blast with this swap! My package goes out to my spoilee on either Thursday night or Friday morning. She's too cool to not send it to until later. Gotta do it before I go. I'm anxious for her to know who I am so we can hopefully move this friendship forward in an easier manner.
BTW, I've got to say again that the Secret Pal swap where I met my friend Kaylee changed things for me. I got more interested in doing more things and learning more techniques for knitting and it introduced me to a really wonderfully talented lady. You should go see her website. You can meet her at: http://needleplay.wordpress.com
Forgive me Kaylee but I had to! :)
How about you? Are there any recipes you especially enjoy having in the Fall? Any foods that are seasonal that you especially enjoy? Feel free to share recipes with us too!
Here's my answer:
Because I live alone I don't cook much at all and if I do, it's fall or winter. Chico gets to 115 in the summer which is way too hot to cook. Plus without an air conditioner, cooking has to wait until cooler weather. So, given that warning...
I make peanutbutter fudge at holiday time and homemade sugar cookies with pink frosting are a family tradition. Even Ally does that now! But there are two things I love to make in the winter but only do if I can share them with someone. I used to cook and share with my neighbor since she doesn't cook either (two single women living in a duplex!) but I kinda fell out of that last winter. Not sure why. This is my third winter here and I may do more cooking and sharing this year. But the two things I love to make are...
Homemade beef stew and oven fried chicken.
The Oven Fried Chicken is the easier recipe. It comes from my Betty Crocker cookbook that my mom bought me in the early 60's. I went to their website to see if they have that recipe on there but the recipe for oven friend chicken they have is either the one that uses Bisquick (I have a family recipe for Bisquick Chicken that is also a real favorite!) or cornflakes and trust me, while the Bisquick chicken is good, this is REALLY good.
I use all drumsticks for this just because they are my favorite. You could use any cuts you like.
In a bowl put in about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the same of pepper. Since I typically double the recipe so there will be enough coating, these directions contain the double amount from here on. Add 1 cup of flour to the bowl. Add lots of paprika. I mean lots. When mixed together it should be a light red flour mixture. The paprika is really the kick.
In a metal, non-disposable and preferably non-stick coated rectangular pan, put 1/2 cup margarine and 1/2 cup solid Crisco. I use the butter flavored kind that comes in sticks. Preheat the overn to 425 degrees. Put the pan in until the margarine and Crisco are totally melted.
Wash and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. I don't try to coat more than 2 pieces at a time. Coat and put into the pan. Squish if you have to for everything to fit. One thing about using drumsticks is you can alternate them one going one way, one the other, and you can get a lot in the pan.
Cook for 30 minutes. Turn. Cook for another 20 minutes. Remove and place on racks to drain for about 3-5 minutes. Really... you don't need more time and all that happens is the chicken gets too cold to eat. This is the right amount of time for any leftover grease to go away and be the right temperature to just dig in.
I love this recipe. I won't tell you what my good friend (adopted brother) David has said about my chicken but it makes me blush.
If you want the recipe for homemade beef stew which is longer and harder, email me. I learned how to make homemade all-American beef stew from a Russian friend. Truly.
And now for the rest of the answer. Seasonal foods. I swear I am almost ready to kill for pumpkin pie. I haven't had the nerve yet to ask my mother to make one for me but I am thinking when I talk to her in another couple of days I am going to ask if she'd make one for me while I'm there. I'd love to do turkey, too, while I'm there and have everyone to dinner but that might be too stressful for my mother. But seasonally, I love turkey, pumpkin pie, my pink frosted sugar cookies and hot cocoa.
Oh, they didn't ask but I'm gonna tell anyway... I *hate* eggnog and fruitcake and mincemeat pie. Oh yeah, yams, too. I grew up on a farm where we had an acre of potatoes. Regular old russet potatoes. I'm a white potato kinda gal. But I do love pecan pie. Almost never get it but I do love it. I like most nuts except pistashios (gimme brazil nuts anyday!).
OK, enough of a post. I have to go to bed. Or knit and then go to bed. I will post a picture of what I started tonight which is just about done but not until after vacation. It's a surprise for Matt and if I post a picture, there goes the surprise.
I love autumn. And I've been having a blast with this swap! My package goes out to my spoilee on either Thursday night or Friday morning. She's too cool to not send it to until later. Gotta do it before I go. I'm anxious for her to know who I am so we can hopefully move this friendship forward in an easier manner.
BTW, I've got to say again that the Secret Pal swap where I met my friend Kaylee changed things for me. I got more interested in doing more things and learning more techniques for knitting and it introduced me to a really wonderfully talented lady. You should go see her website. You can meet her at: http://needleplay.wordpress.com
Forgive me Kaylee but I had to! :)
posted by The Mutant Penguin Herself @ 8:33 PM
1 Comments:
At 10:43 AM,
Anonymous said…
I'm not sure how I missed this post but I'm so glad I found it! (ohmigosh your cooking sounds delish!) You know, you were my first secret pal and I'm so glad we met, and continued to stay in touch long after the swap. You've been so much fun!
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