yesterday i baked bread

it's been a while...... and i remembered, my oven isn't calibrated properly
damn
but it wasn't bad bread, not fantastic but not bad either
i didn't knead it long enough though
(it HAS been a while)

ok let's see, batch cooking and chicken

we usually get boneless skinless chicken breasts (chicken cutlets) at a local provisioner in allentown
B&M by the 40 pound box. when i do tend to bread half and can half

i dip the chicken in flour, then in a thick batter then in the following crumbs- then i freeze on waxed paper covered cookie sheets. i bag them in 2 gallon zip locks after and they seem to store forever in the freezer (however we do eat a LOT of them )

batter
2 or 3 eggs, flour, dash of salt, milk.....make it thick like pancake batter

 'bread crumb'

1 part corn bread
1part shredded wheat or all bran (without the raisins)
1 part rolled oats (oatmeal)
garlic powder
onion powder
parsley flakes
paprika
kosher salt

now to cook the cutlets, bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes one side and about 10-15 on the other
do NOT over back them
we drizzle the pan and the cutlets with olive oil and they oven fry

we use them plain like that
or with tomato sauce and mozzarella melted on them the last 5 minutes or so
or with mushroom gravy
or chicken gravy
or cheese sauce

sometimes i make chicken cordon blue, which also freezes well.

once the crumbed breasts are in the freezer, i can think about putting breasts in marinades in the freezer for fast skillet dinners
marinades such as red wine with garlic/onions
(anything with garlic and onion though i tend to want to use within 3 months)
lemon/lime/onion/ spearmint/garlic and honey
what's your favorite?

out of the marinated stuff
the one with the red wine i use as is.........or add dill and sour cream (after cooked) for a chicken stroganoff  over noodle

most of the marinades are over rice
add chopped fresh veggies to the last couple minutes......we like sweet peppers, onions and mushrooms
but you can also add stuff like zucchini or carrot shavings, chard, spinaches


*** remember after you roast a turkey to cube up and package 2 cup amounts of meat for casseroles, as that is about the right amount in a casserole for 4 people or so***
i roast a turkey occasionally just to can some and freeze some

now i also canned a lot of grilling sauces and sweet sour fruit things that we use over oven baked chicken as a sort of 'grill'
pineapple is great with peppers and onions and a bit of honey

however i have to tell you all, my very favorite is just plain roasted chicken breasts with the skin on and crispy... i love it!!!!

during the winter i do a stewing hen, at least once or so a month. it makes 5 gallons of broth that i usually can, and a bunch of chicken that i cut up for soups or sandwitches..
i highly recommend doing something along these lines
you always have a great base for suppers that way
i use the broth for gravy base or soup bases, in meat loaf and in casseroles. and i would be lost without this in the house.

so this is mostly the chicken post, i do chicken parts just like the cutlets, including the ones with the skin on... and i do a lot of the chicken on stove top.... or baked in the oven.
my standard oven baking starting point is usually 350 degrees for 30 minutes, check to see if it's done
let me know what you all think ok?

Wednesday, June 16, 2010 *** i lifted it and reposted it here
stock making for catherine

ok normally i start with a stewing hen, if you buy one it may be called a hen or a stewing fowl
or a 'fowl for stewing' or fowl for fricassee
i try to get a big one 6-7 pounds at least
if you are using carcuss, it's a bit different so i'll start with fowl and end with carcuss

i use a 20 or 25 quart stock pot
fill it about 3/4 of the way up with cold water
i add a carrot or two, an onion ( a BIG ONE) two stalks of celery
and about 4 garlic cloves....try to make sure they are BIG ones as well
it they are tiny, i may use the whole head
a bit of freshly ground pepper corns
some fresh italian parsley (dried if you don't have fresh)
sometimes dill..not much though
add your chicken and a bit of kosher salt and set it to simmer
i skim off the foamy protein and feed that to the cats
i simmer for at least 3 hours.....but i prefer 5 or 6
and i add water as needed
when it's done i set it in the cold......either on the deck (during the winter-during the day)
or in the fridge
i do sometimes defat it
but my dad said always keep some of the fat and he was right as there are soluble vitamins in it
i either can or freeze it
you can puree the veggies with some of the broth for a 'cream' soup
i pick over the chicken well as the meat makes the BEST salad and sandwitches
now for some stocks i will roast the veggies ahead and then put them in and do the stock that way
as to a carcuss
you can brown them first, sometimes i do put the carcuss back in the roasting pan and brown them then deglaze them with water
sometimes i just toss it in the water as if it was a fresh whole fowl
it all depends on what i have on hand and what i have time for
some times i will simmer off the stock when it's done until it condenses and i will can that
or use that condensed stock with saute'd mushrooms as a concentrate.......canning it in 4oz jars for soups and sauces and gravies
does this help?
some folks add a teaspoon of vinegar to the stock as it's simmering to get some of the calcium out of the bones
you can do that.....it wont' taste any different
usually 3 quarts make a supper soup for us
the basic stock can be used for almost anything after..... all sorts of soups and such