Salmon

Salmon filets coated with Tom Douglas Salmon Rub and sauteed on medium heat until done. Served with Garlic Dill Potatoes and steamed broccoli. For the potatoes, boil 2 cubed potatoes until done (20 minutes). Saute 2 cloves of garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter until garlic if soft. Gently stir in potatoes and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill. Serves 2.

Pork with Apricot Chutney

Boneless loin of pork, pan-fried and served with warmed apricot chutney. Served with stuffing and green beans on the side.

Strawberry Jam Cake

6 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 whole eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the sour cream. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt together. Fold in the sifted flour mixture until barely incorporated. Stir in the vanilla and 1 cup strawberry jam. Mix the batter until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until done. Cool the cake completely and slice into three layers. Using a pastry brush, spread each layer with the remaining jam.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese
1/2 cup strawberry jam
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Using an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add the jam and mix until incorporated. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue whipping until the frosting is spreadable. **If the frosting is too thick, add a little milk. If the frosting is too thin add a little more powdered sugar. Spread a thin layer of the frosting on each layer. Stack the layers and frost the sides and top of the cake.

Chicken Confit

What I Made: Chicken Confit

Why: I've never made duck confit although I've been saving duck fat in order to one day make it. When I saw this recipe for chicken confit, I thought it would be fun to try and it's easier to get chicken legs than duck legs.

What I Did:

3 tablespoons salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 shallot, peeled and sliced
6 sprigs thyme
Coarsely ground black pepper
3 chicken legs with thighs
About 4 cups duck fat

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt in the bottom of a dish or plastic container large enough to hold the chicken pieces in a single layer. Evenly scatter half the garlic, shallots and thyme in the container. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, over the salt mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining salt, garlic, shallots, and thyme and a little pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days.

Preheat the oven to 225°F. Melt the duck fat in a small saucepan. Brush the salt and seasonings off the chicken. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single snug layer in a high-sided baking dish or ovenproof saucepan. Pour the melted fat over the chicken (the chicken pieces should be covered by fat) and place the confit in the oven. Cook the confit slowly at a very slow simmer — just an occasional bubble — until the duck is tender and can be easily pulled from the bone, 2-3 hours. Remove the confit from the oven. Cool and store the chicken in the fat. (The confit will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.)

Note: The duck fat can be strained, cooled and reused.

Review: The chicken was moist and tender although it worried me at first that the meat was still pink in places. But it was fully cooked and very tasty although hard to get all of the fat off. I scraped away what I could then microwaved it on a paper towel to absorb what melted off. I think I'll stick to duck confit in the end because it was a lot of effort for just chicken.

Plantain Chip-Crusted Chicken with Mango Sauce

What I Made: Plantain Chip-Crusted Chicken with Mango Sauce

Why: After seeing a show about the National Chicken Cooking Contest on the Food Network, I decided it would be fun to enter the 2007 contest. I already had an idea for an original recipe so I did a test run, wrote up the recipe and sent it in. Well, the list of finalists just came out and I didn't make it, but I still think my recipe is worthy.

What I Did:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup flour
4 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, beaten to blend
2 tablespoons milk
8 oz. plantain chips, finely crushed
8 oz. jar of mango in light syrup
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Combine flour, curry powder, salt and pepper in pie plate. Beat eggs with milk and pour into another pie plate. Place crushed plantain chips in a third pie plate. Dip chicken, 1 breast at a time, in flour mixture then egg mixture then plantain chips. Press chicken into chips to coat each side and ends completely and lay on prepared baking sheet. Bake chicken in middle of oven until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, make sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, add mango and syrup, vinegar, sugar, onion, garlic and ginger. Simmer for 20 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Strain sauce through a mesh sieve. Stir in mint and cilantro. Pour over chicken and garnish with green onions. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken and Dumplings

What I Made: Chicken and dumplings from a recipe by Paula Deen minus her dumplings, instead using a dumpling recipe from Emeril Lagasse.Why: Another hearty and warming dish for a winter evening at home. I was pretty sure this would be a hit with my comfort food-loving husband.

What I Did:

2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 chicken legs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. fresh thyme
2 (14 ounce) cans chicken stock
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup

Dumplings:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. minced fresh soft herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, and green onion tops
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute shallots, garlic, celery and onion. Add chicken, bay leaf, thyme and chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the chicken until it is tender and the thigh juices run clear, about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and, when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot along with the cream of celery soup. Keep warm over low heat.

Prepare the dumplings: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, herbs, baking powder, and salt together. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the butter and milk to a simmer. Add the butter and milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring with a fork until the mixture just comes together. Drop batter by spoonfuls into stew. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

To serve, ladle chicken, gravy, and dumplings into warm bowls.

Serves 4.

Review: It was a hit with my husband who declared he could eat it almost every night of the week. It was better than I thought it would be. The only part I didn't like was removing the chicken, waiting for it to cool then shredding it. I took my time though and didn't burn my fingers. This step does make for an easier to eat meal - all you need is a spoon.

Tilapia with Lemon and Capers

What I Made: Tilapia with Lemon and Capers Served with Carrots and Mushy Peas
Why: After the over-indulgence of the holidays, I felt we needed a healthy dinner and that means fish with lots of vegetables.

What I Did:

8 oz. tilapia
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. capers
1 tbsp. butter
Juice from one lemon

Heat olive oil in non-stick pan then add tilapia fillets. Cook for 1 minute on each side. Add capers, butter and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Serve with mushy peas (cook 1 cup of frozen peas according to package directions then mash using an immersion blender) and steamed carrots. Serves 2.

Review: The tangy lemon of the fish contrasted well with the sweetness of the mushy peas and the carrots add color. A flavorful and well-balanced meal (okay, so what if I had ice cream for dessert?). I experimented with the carrots by boiling them in orange juice and a little cumin, but it really didn't add anything.