Chicken Chips or Gribenes

Cut chicken skin into pieces about 2” square and spread out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with another baking sheet so the skin is squashed between the two sheets. Put something heavy like a cast iron skillet on the top sheet to hold it down. (Be sure to leave the hot pad over the handle on the skillet when you take it out so no one accidentally tries to pick it up or move it! It will be hot!) Bake for about 25 minutes with the chicken. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and pour off the grease. (I save the grease and use it for cooking.) Take the Chicken Chips off of the baking sheet; you may need to use a metal spatula to free them from the sheets. Salt, if desired, and serve. Best eaten right away. 

Salsa Chicken

Just season some chicken (taco seasoning is easy, or sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, and cumin) and then cook it either on top of the stove or in the oven until the chicken is done. Pour some salsa (you pick the heat) over the top of the chicken and sprinkle some shredded cheddar over the salsa. Cook it for about 10 minutes more or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Southwestern Roasted Carrots

(from a recipe in Top 30 Tex-Mex Vegetarian Recipes in Just and Only 3 Steps, by Annie R. McNeeley)

4 large carrots (8 ounces)

2 T olive oil

1/4 t chili powder

1/4 t cumin

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Julienne the peeled carrots. (Cut them in matchstick-shaped pieces, about twice as thick as matchsticks and about twice as long.) Toss the carrots, oil and seasonings until the carrots are evenly coated with the seasonings. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast them at 350 for 15 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and toss the carrots again, spread them out in the pan and put them back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Take them out and toss them again, spread them evenly in the pan, and roast them for a final 15 minutes. Check them after the second 15 minutes. The carrots should be soft and may not need the final 15 minutes.

Spicy Mexican Coleslaw

(based on a recipe at low-cholesterol.food.com)

3 c shredded cabbage (about 8 oz)

1 carrot

1 tomato, seeded and diced (about 4 oz)

1 minced seeded jalapeno

1/4 c chopped cilantro

2 T lime juice (bottled is fine)

2 T orange juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T sugar

1/4 t ground cumin

Combine the cabbage, carrot, tomato, jalapeno, and cilantro and mix well. In a small bowl or jar, combine the lime juice, orange juice, garlic, sugar, and cumin and mix well. Toss the dressing with the vegetables. Refrigerate until ready to serve. If possible, let it sit for at least a couple of hours so the flavors can blend.

Chicken with Chipotle

(based on a recipe at allrecipes.com)

4 chicken leg quarters

3/4 c milk

1/2 c sour cream

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (they come in cans in the ethnic area of the grocery store)

1 T chicken bouillon granules

1 T butter

Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Roast the chicken legs until the skin is crispy and the meat is cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. (It takes longer than that with the leg quarters I get at Walmart. I guess they’re bigger than usual.) Meanwhile, puree the milk, sour cream, chipotle pepper and chicken bouillon granules in a blender until smooth. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Pour in the chipotle puree and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and season to taste with salt. Add the cooked chicken legs and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the chicken has absorbed the flavor of the sauce.

Chicken Casserole with Green Chilis

(adapted from lowcarbfamily.com, where it was based on a recipe from Jennifer Elloff)

8 cups cooked and shredded chicken (from about 8 leg quarters)

1 onion, finely diced

1 c mayonnaise

1-1/2 c sour cream

7 ounce can of green chilis, drained

3/4 t salt

Pepper to taste

1/2 t cumin

8 oz pepper Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 c Colby jack or cheddar cheese, shredded

Saute onion in olive oil until soft and carmelized. While the onion is cooking, combine mayo, sour cream, chilis, salt, pepper and cumin in a large bowl. Add sautéed onions, cooked chicken and pepper Jack and mix thoroughly. Spread evenly in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with Colby Jack or cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Easy Mexican American Chicken with Chicken Chips

(from a recipe at allrecipes.com plus the reviews there)

½ c Mexican-style hot sauce (such as Valentina)

1 T paprika

1 T cayenne

1 T brown sugar, or more to taste

4 chicken leg quarters, skin removed but saved

Chicken

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease a baking dish. Mix everything but the chicken in a bowl and stir until the mixture is well mixed. Roll the skinned legs in the sauce, coating them thoroughly, then place them in a single layer in the greased baking dish. Pour any remaining sauce over the top. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the chicken is done and the sauce has thickened (which may not happen, but don’t worry about it) and started to brown, another 30 minutes or so.

Chicken Chips

Cut the skin into pieces about 2” square and spread out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with another baking sheet so the skin is squashed between the two sheets. Put something heavy like a cast iron skillet on the top sheet to hold it down. (Be sure to leave the hot pad over the handle on the skillet when you take it out so no one accidentally tries to pick it up or move it! It will be hot!) Bake for about 25 minutes with the chicken. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and pour off the grease. (I save the grease and use it for cooking.) Take the Chicken Chips off of the baking sheet; you may need to use a metal spatula to free them from the sheets. Salt, if desired, and serve. Best eaten right away. 

Honey Mustard Chicken and Apples

(foodnetwork.com)

8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (2 to 2-1/2 lbs)

Salt and pepper

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, cut into large chunks

2 cooking apples, cut into chunks

1 c low sodium chicken broth

2 to 3 T honey mustard

1-1/2 t butter, softened

1 T flour

1 to 2 T roughly chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 more minutes, then transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings.

Add the onion and apples to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Mix the broth with the mustard, then add to the skillet and bring to a boil. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, in the skillet. Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mix the butter and flour to form a paste. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken, apples and onion to plates. Bring the pan juices to a simmer, whisk in about half of the butter-flour mixture and boil to thicken, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, adding more of the butter-flour mixture as needed to make a slightly thick gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Spiced Beef with Apples

(southernfood.about.com)

2 lbs beef stew meat in 1” cubes

2 T cooking oil

1-1/2 c water, divided

1/4 c lemon juice

2 c onions, sliced

1-1/2 t curry powder

1/4 t ground cloves

1/4 t cinnamon

1 t salt

3 c tart apples, cored, peeled and in 1” wedges

Hot cooked rice, for serving

Brown beef cubes in hot oil in heavy skillet. Add 1 cup water, lemon juice, onion, and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add apple and remaining water, mix and cook an additional 45 minutes, or until meat is tender. Serve over rice.

Maple and Apple Baked Chicken

(modified slightly from a recipe at kraftrecipes.com, including reviews)

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb)

½ c sliced onions (red is best, but whatever you have)

2 red cooking apples, sliced

½ c maple or maple-flavored syrup

1/3 Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing (or whatever Italian dressing you have)

Heat oven to 350. Spray large ovenproof skillet with cooking spray. Cook chicken in skillet over medium high heat three minutes on each side or until evenly browned. Remove from heat. Top chicken with onions and surround with apples. Mix syrup and dressing and pour over chicken. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is done and apples are tender. Drizzle with syrup mixture from bottom of skillet.

Notes:

If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, cover the handle of your regular skillet (not electric) with several layers of foil before using as directed.

Substitute honey for the syrup and/or apple cider vinegar for the dressing.

Chicken and Apples in Creamy Sauce

(based on a recipe at foodnetwork.com)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 apple, cored and sliced (peeled or unpeeled)

¼ c butter

½ c heavy (whipping) cream or sour cream

½ c white wine or ½ c apple juice

1 t thyme

Pan fry chicken in half the butter just until no longer pink in the middle, turning once to brown both sides. Remove chicken from pan and keep in a warm place or cover with foil. Add the rest of the butter, apples and thyme and fry until the apples are as crisp or tender as you like. Pour apples over the chicken and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with wine, cider or juice, scraping all the browned bits off the bottom.

Apple Beef Stew

(based on a recipe at tasteofhome.com)

2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, in 1” squares

2 T butter

2 medium onions, cut into wedges

2 T flour

1/8 t salt

2 c water

2 T apple juice

2 bay leaves

2 whole allspice (or 1/4 t ground)

2 whole cloves (or a tad less than 1/4 t ground)

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 medium apples, peeled and cut into wedges

In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, brown beef in butter. Add onions; cook until lightly browned. Sprinkle with flour and salt. Gradually add water and apple juice. Bring to a boil’ cook and stir for 2 minutes. Place the bay leaves, allspice and cloves in a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag. Add to pan. (Or use a coffee filter and seal it tightly so the spices can’t get out. Or if you use ground cloves and allspice, just put them and the bay leaf loose in the pot.) Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until meat is almost tender. Add carrots and apples; cover and simmer 15 minutes longer or until the meat, carrots and apples are tender. Discard spice bag or loose bay leaves. Thicken if desired.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

 Just peel a couple of cucumbers, cut them into fourths lengthwise, and then cut into about ½” slices. Add a couple of tomatoes (like 12 ounces, since there are 24 ounces to a pack), cored and chopped into pieces about the same size. Add half a cup of sour cream, two or three teaspoons of vinegar (any kind will work, though balsamic will make it a funny color), a teaspoon or so of pepper, and just a bit of sugar or sweetener. Mix it all up and it’s ready to go, for a total cost of about $1.85, or about 45 cents per person.