CHICKEN AL LA KING

As I mentioned, I have a friend coming over for our bi weekly Wednesday Night Dinner.

I have the little Apple Pies all ready to go, and now it's time for the main dish.

This is another one I found on my ROKU Player from Foodwishes.com

It's Chicken A LA King.

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/search?q=CHICKEN+A+LA+KING

I found this to be VERY similar to a POT PIE my wife makes. I love it.

In the video, Chef John serves this over Mashed Potatoes. I thought that was interesting. So let's try it. Maybe we should have some biscuits on the side?

Here is what you will need. There is a bit of preparation for this meal, so take your time and get all your stuff ready to go BEFORE you start cooking.

Ingredients for two large, or four small portions:

6 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 pound sliced mushrooms

2 large shallots, minced

1 cup diced sweet bell peppers

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, depending on how thick you want it

1/4 cup dry sherry (there is no substitute, except maybe a little splash of a mild,

sweeter vinegar)

3 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 tablespoon Italian parsley

1/3 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

4 cups cubed roasted chicken

fresh chives to garnish

I added:

½ cup of Frozen Peas

1 whole carrot chopped

Couple of shakes of Celery seed

1 Stock of chopped Celery

how to make

As always, I start with a cold refreshing adult beverage

For the chicken, we bought two pre cooked roasted chickens at the store. We removed the meat and chopped it into bite size pieces. 

All the left over meat we will freeze and the bones and stuff we will use to make broth.

Add butter to pan and melt on medium high

When butter is melted, add Mushrooms & a pinch of salt

Salute then cook for 5 minutes

Add Onions, Celery & carrots

Turn to Medium to make a roux

Add Flour and cook for 5 minutes.

KEEP STIRING

Add Peppers and Sherry and cook for 1 minute

Add your chicken stock

Set burner to medium high

When mixture 'bubbles', turn to medium low

Cook for 15 minutes

 

Add Fresh Nutmeg, Paprika, some ground Pepper and Celery seed

Stir and add Thyme & Parsley

Stir and add Cream and the Chicken Pieces

Reduce Heat to LOW and cook for another 5-10 minutes

See how easy it looks? Just have your crap together when you start and follow the bouncing ball.

(I watched WAY TOO much Mitch Miller when I was a kid.)

Full disclosure. I used pre made mashed potatoes. I know, I know. It's against my norm, but I wanted this to be easy for you.

 This is not what I used, bit it's close enough. I forgot to take a close up.

 

 I also used the Pop N Fresh tube stuff.

SO sue me. But enjoy the dinner first, before you call your Lawyer.

Next up is tomorrows Game Day Lunch. Loose meat sandwiches, with chips and baked beans. See you next week

MINI APPLE PIES

It's mid week and sunny here in Central Florida. It's a busy day as I have company coming for our bi weekly Wednesday night dinner. 

It gives me a chance to try out some new things and tonight is no exception.

Tonight we are dining on Chicken A La King on Mashed Taters and Biscuits. Also our usual salad.

But I thought I would change it up a bit with a nice desert. One that is quick and easy.

I love pie, it's one of my favorite things. 

Some day I'll tell you my favorite pie story, but that's for another blog. Anyway, I was messing with my ROKU player the other day, and I found the “ONE POT CHEF.”

https://www.youtube.com/user/OnePotChefShow    (I LOVE THE AUSTRALIAN ACCENT)

In looking at his shows I found one on MINI APPLE PIES. They looked so damn good, my mouth was watering and I could not wait to get into the kitchen.

I have to be honest, his theme was 'cheating in the kitchen'. In other words he used pre made pastry dough and pre made pie filling.

Since pre made Pie Filling is grounds for divorce in our house, I had to compromise with pre made pastry dough and HOME made filing.

 

I am making these early, so let's go to the kitchen and get this bus a rollin'.

Don't forget your beer.

First, the FILLING

3 GRANNY SMITH APPLES

½ LEMON ZEST

1/8 TSP GRATED NUTMEG

JUICE OF ½ LEMON

¼ TSP SALT

1 TSP CINNAMON

¼ CUP SUGAR

¼ CUP BROWN SUGAR

Do I need to tell you to peel the damn things first?

CUT APPLES INTO SMALL PIECES AND ADD THE ABOVE

INGREDIENTS.

STIR

ADD 3 TBL PIE THICKENER, AND STIR

MICROWAVE ON HIGH FOR 3 MIN

STIR

MICROWAVE FOR 3 MORE MINUTES

SHOULD BE SOFT BUT NOT OVER COOKED

MAKE THE DOUGH (THAW IT OUT)

TWO SHEETS OF PASTRY DOUGH CUT INTO 8 EVEN PIECES

Depending on the thickness of the dough, you might want to roll it out a bit. I thought my dough came out a bit too think, so I will try it next go around. And there will be a next go around.

PRESS PASTRY INTO MUFFIN TIN (CAREFULLY)

FILL WITH THE APPLE MIXTURE

ADD A SMALL PAT OF BUTTER

FOLD PASTRY OVER, THEN PINCH TO SEAL

GLAZE

WHISK ONE EGG IN A SMALL BOWL, AND BRUSH THE TOPS OF EACH PIE .

SPRINKLE TOPS WITH CINNAMON SUGAR

(2 TBL SUGAR & ½ TSP OF CINNAMON)

BAKE AT 400 DEGREES FOR 20-25 MIN UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN

HINT: IF THERE ARE ARE “UN USED” SPACES IN THE MUFFIN PAN, FILL ½ WAY WITH WATER

And yes, that is a 'flip fold'. Thank you Sheldon Cooper. We use the laundry room to cool baked goods. (we have dogs and cats)

These min pies can be served warm or cold. I opted for cold with a scoop of Ice Cream.

(IT'S NOT BURNT, THAT'S THE CINNAMON)

But that was after I tried a warm one..... (I couldn't wait).

Damn they were good.

Here is a link to David's blog. Check him out. 

http://onepotchef.blogspot.com/

B.T.W.,    Notice his small stove. If he can turn out these kind of meals, it proves that it's not the size of the kitchen that matters. It's the person standing in front of it.

Next up, we'll tackle the main entree. Chicken A La King.

But first, I need a beer. 

WINGS, FRIES & ONION RINGS

It's football Saturday again. Today our Gators play a late 

(7:30PM) game on the SEC Network taking on Kentucky and 

are trying to extend their win streak over the Wildcats to 31 

straight. 

The last time Florida lost to Kentucky was 1986, let's take a

look back in time.

 The Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX. Mike Ditka’s team beat the New England Patriots, 46-10.

            The New York Mets won the World Series. They beat the Boston Red Sox in seven games, the last World Series title for the club since. 

            Oprah Winfrey’s first television show aired. She’s been one of America’s most famous people for most of the time since.

            New Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley was 3 years old. In 2017, Riley replaced Bob Stoops, the brother of UK coach Mark.

            The Berlin Wall still stood. Ronald Reagan was serving his second term as president, and the wall didn’t come down until 1989.

 To say Kentucky wanted a win is like saying Hillary wanted

 the White House.

 

So instead of a half time meal, we are doing a pre game feast 

of Chicken Wings, Fries and Onion rings. YUM YUM.

Of course, we love deep fried foods. And recently I talked the 

boss into purchasing a deep fryer. They say in the south that 

you can deep fry anything, and it will taste good.

I don't argue with that.

Here is what you need to get it all going.

1 BAG OF HOOTERS WING MIX

16 CHICKEN WINGS

2 OR 3 TATERS (DEPENDING ON SIZE AND APPETITE)

 These were HUGE so I only used two, and they were MORE

 than enough

1 BAG OF NATHAN'S ONION RINGS

WARNING: I do not advise drinking beer when playing with a

deep fryer. Not cool. Leave it up to the professionals, like me.

CUT UP TATERS AND PLACE IN BOWL OF WATER

UNTIL READY TO COOK.

HEAT DEEP FRYER TO 350 AND THE OVEN TO “WARM

SETTING”

PUT WINGS ON PAPER TOWEL AND 'PAT' DRY.

PLACE WING MIX IN PAPER BAG, ALONG WITH 4 

WINGS.

SHAKE, SNAKE SHAKE

PAT OFF THE EXCESS MIX AND PLACE ON COOKIE 

SHEET ON TOP OF WAXED PAPER

REPEAT UNTIL ALL WINGS ARE COATED

I am NOT a fan of hot, wet, sticky food that I have to eat with

 my fingers. That's why I avoided wings all these years. Penny 

on the other hand, ends up with orange sauce all the way to her

elbows. I find that someone on the disgusting side.

BUT:

We figured it out. We bread em, and cook em. She has all the 

hot gooey stuff on the side. Makes her happy and makes me

happy. It all is good.

PUT THE WINGS IN THE FRIDGE FOR ABOUT 15 

MINUTES

DRAIN THE FRIES AND PLACE THEM ON PAPER 

TOWELS... MAKE SEVERAL LAYERS

CAREFULLY PLACE 8 WINGS IN FRYER. FRY UNTIL 

THEY FLOAT TO THE TOP

AND ARE A NICE GOLDEN BROWN

PLACE ON ANOTHER COOKIE SHEET ON TOP OF

PAPER TOWELS

REPEAT FOR LAST 8 WINGS

PLACE IN A WARM OVEN

FILL FRYER BASKET WITH FRIES AND SET IN THE OIL

COOK UNTIL THEY ARE A NICE BROWN COLOR.

REMOVE AND PLACE ON PAPER TOWELS TO DRAIN

JUST A BIT.

DO THE SAME WITH THE ONION RINGS, COOKING

UNTIL THEY FLOAT TO THE TOP.

Serve with beer. (of course) 

Get another beer and watch the game. 

Ball State was not on TV this week. It was a 

good thing as they got their butts beat.

 

Florida on the other hand was one of the best games I have

seen in years. Kentucky should have won.

Google it, and enjoy.

 

Unless your a Kentucky fan.

Up next is a noon time ESPN game with Vanderbilt. AND 

another LOOSE MEAT recipe.

See you next week.