The food of your childhood is always the best, and my mother’s fried chicken was absolutely world class.

We had chicken every Sunday, and it didn’t come from a store, but from our own backyard.  It was a gruesome task, dressing a chicken, but we were country people and lived off the land.  The meat was amazing, you simply can’t get farm raised chickens now unless you find a grower and pay a premium price, but with a few tips as to how Mother made her chicken, I’m sure that yours will turn out very well.

The first thing she did was to soak the chicken pieces overnight in buttermilk.  She always cut the breasts so that there was a “wishbone” and it was the most tender, coveted part of the chicken.

She would heat lard in a black iron skillet, which is a tricky thing, because iron heats so quickly, that when you put your chicken pieces in to fry, you turn it down to medium or even medium low, or your chicken will brown too quickly and by the time it’s cooked it will burn.

She would salt and pepper the chicken, wet from being soaked in the buttermilk, and then put it in a brown paper sack and shake it until coated, then drop it piece by piece into the hot fat.

Here’s how she cooked it, resulting in the best chicken you’ve ever eaten:

She always let her fat get really hot before putting in the chicken, if you don’t, it will stick to the skillet and the crust pulls away from the chicken.

She never put a lid on it when it was frying, this steams the chicken and results in a soggy, not crisp crust.

She turned it often, very often, like every 5 minutes, taking the wings and legs out first and blotting them on a folded paper sack, we didn’t have paper towels in those days.

She cooked the breasts for approximately 35-45 minutes until a deep golden brown, remember, keep turning

Gravy:

The best part, drain the skillet of all but 2-3 tablespoons of fat drippings, stir in 2-3 tablespoons of flour,  salt, pepper and cook until a very light brown, then stir in milk, approximately two cups, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t lump.  Today we use a whisk, she always used a wooden spoon.  Cook until thick, add more milk if needed, or if the gravy  seems thin, just cook it down to the right consistency.

Black iron continues to cook after it’s removed from the heat, you may need to add a bit more milk to the gravy before stirring.

And that’s it, the recipe for the best fried chicken you will ever eat.

Enjoy… ~ Jan

Even they aren’t trendy, sausage balls have been around forever, and they’re still one of the most requested recipes on Betty Crocker’s site, people love them, and even if they aren’t tres chic, they are absolutely delicious.  I’ve blogged about these before, but some things are definitely worth repeating.

There are lots of variations, but I never deviate from the original, sometimes you just don’t mess with the classics.  Super Bowl Sunday will be here soon, pick up a box of Bisquick in your local market, put together this recipe and you’re in for a treat.  It’s an oldie, but definitely still a goodie.  ~ Jan

3 cups Original Bisquick Baking Mix
1 pound pork sausage (I like Bob Evan’s Hot)
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 
12 cup milk
12 teaspoon rosemary leaves, crushed
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon parsley blakes

Barbecue or chili sauce, if desired

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan.

2.  Stir together all ingredients using hands or spoon.  Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in pan.

3.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown.  Immediately remove from pan.  Serve warm with sauce for dipping.

Photo and recipe courtesy of You Sweet Talker, Betty Crocker :-D
 

 

Ree just posted her favorite kitchen utensils and links to them, but thanks to dear hubby, I already have a couple of her favorites. I mentioned often that I loved her flat whisk and her slotted (fish) turner and last December he actually called Ree’s assistant to find out what they were, and he ordered them both for me, the Stainless Steel Flat Wisk and also the LamsonSharp Pro Slotter Turner.  I meant to blog about it, totally forgot, but you can imagine how thrilled I was to think that he took the time, actually made several phone calls, eventually getting to the right person to find out what they were.

So now I’m looking at the rest of the things she loves, and I’m thinking that I really need her offset spatula.  *grin*  And the knife, heart be still, but dang, it’s pricey!

I continue to be such a fan of Pioneer Woman.  She’s just the best!

Here’s the link to the tools, and you can also enter her win them, along with the other 1,478,972 people who are trying to get them.

Oh, I do love what he got me, in case you’re interested, they’re just awesome!  ~ Jan

 

 

This just might be the best hot chocolate ever.  No more nasty chemical laden Swiss Miss at my house, this is so easy to put together, it tastes sinfully delicious and this is under 40 calories a cup.   I adapted this recipe from Hershey’s Cocoa, it’s SO good, just the perfect finish to a cool winter evening. ~ jan

1 cup Unsweeted Almond Milk (I use Silk, 30 calories, <1 carb per cup)
2 Tablespoons Splenda
2-3 teaspoons Hershey’s Cocoa
dash salt
1/2-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Microwave your milk in a mug until hot, mine takes about 1.5 minutes.

Meanwhile stir the rest of the ingredients together, except for vanilla.  Add to mug of hot milk, and whisk to blend, then stir in the vanilla.  Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Note:  The first time I made this, I added a splash of half and half, the next time I didn’t.  Of course it was a bit richer with the half and half, but still amazing without.  You can also add just a dash of cinnamon to make Mexican Hot Chocolate.

This is a keeper, Almond Milk rocks, I will never look for another hot chocolate, this one, as Hershey says, is perfectly perfect...

Carb count - 5-6 carbs 

Photo courtesy of Hershey’s Chocolate

 

Every year I post my Sloppy Joe recipe.  It’s been a Halloween tradition in our family since the boys were little.    It was always so easy to just make Sloppy Joes earlier in the day on Halloween, and serve them with potato chips before the boys headed out for the evening.  Oh, how I miss those days, but the tradition continues and now their families have Sloppy Joes on Halloween.

So here is the recipe again, it’s my annual halloween post.  It’s just the easiest and the best recipe, ever.  Pinkie swear it is.  ~ Jan 

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped 
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 Tablespoon white vinegar 
2 heaping Tablespoons brown sugar 
1 Cup Heinz Ketchup 1/4 cup water 
Cayenne Pepper to taste

Brown meat and onion, season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Drain, add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  If mixture gets too thick, add a bit more water. 

Note:  I ALWAYS double this recipe.   If you double it, don't double the water, 1/4 cup is enough.  

When the boys were little, they loved Velveeta Cheese melted on the top of the sloppy joes.  I would put the joes on the bun, top with the cheese, leave the top bun off, and nuke it until the cheese melted.  Velveeta is so “not cool” these days, but for some recipes it will always be the best! 

 

Mother made old fashioned chicken salad with ingredients she had in her fridge.  This doesn't have fruit or sour cream or nuts, like a lot of chicken salads today, it's just a basic old fashioned chicken salad and it's so good.

 She always ground her chicken salad with a food grinder, I prefer just chunking it.

There isn't an exact recipe, you just adjust ingredients as you go along.

Cooked chicken breast
Hard Boiled Eggs
Chopped Green Onions
Diced Celery
Celery Seed
Pimentos (Mother didn't add pimentos, but my friend Jean does, and it's a nice touch)
Sweet pickle relish
Mayonnaise
Pepper 

Just blend ingredients, adding enough Mayo to make it creamy, chill and enjoy.  It's wonderful, great made with turkey, too...
 

I've lived the low carb lifestyle since May of this year, May 23rd, 9:30 am to be exact, only veering away  for a few meals, mostly pizza. and never eating sugar.  And how's it working out for me? Oh, I did gangbusters at first, dropped eighteen pounds, then stalled, and have gained and lost the same pound since the beginning of September.

I keep telling myself that it's a lifestyle, but we all know I've lost and gained back a badzillion pounds over the years and have little hope for anything long term.  But that's not the point of this post to talk about my success or lack there of with what I put in my mouth, I merely wanted to some recipes because they're really good.

oa know, it's not all that bad.  I'm sitting here sipping a cup of that wonderful Trader Joe's Ruby Red Chai tea, liberally laced with cream. It's a perfect treat on a cool fall day.

And dinner tonight?  Sausage pumpkin soup, such a good recipe,  (I'm trying it tonight with Italian sausage) you really don't taste pumpkin at all, it just thickens it and gives it depth and richness.  Also Cheddar Bay Biscuits (leaving out the Old Bay Seasoning, I'm not a fan), they're almost a dead ringer when they're warm for Red Lobster's Biscuits, except made with almond flour.

And dessert?  Warm, Brownie in a mug with a scoop of Breyers Carb Smart Ice Cream.  It's pretty awesome, too.

I know, I know, you're saying to yourself, "no wonder she hasn't lost weight."  But this shouldn't affect any weight loss, it's the way you eat on low carb, it's normal to stall for a month or two, and at least I'm not gaining.

So, do you want a look at the recipes?  Just click on the following pictures.  I've made all of these, they're  "tried 'n true."  It's what I do, I cook, every.single.day and I'm always trying something different.   If anybody is interested in low carb links and more recipes, just email me.  ~ Jan

 

Soup Tweaks:  Simmer the soup uncovered so that it reduces and thickens.  Warm the cream in the microwave for 1 minute before you add it to the soup.  Cream curdles easily if you pour cold cream into hot soup, heating it prevents that.  I don't add the half cup of water at the end with the cream, I just stir in the half cup of cream and simmer it for a minute until it all blends.  If you add water, then you have to reduce it again.  Too much trouble.  I also added diced red pepper to this.  I prefer the Italian sausage to regular sausage, it gives it a really good flavor.

 

 

 

Soup Tweaks:  Simmer the soup uncovered so that it reduces and thickens.  Warm the cream in the microwave for 1 minute before you add it to the soup.  Cream curdles easily if you pour cold cream into hot soup, heating it prevents that.  I don't add the half cup of water at the end with the cream, I just stir in the half cup of cream and simmer it for a minute until it all blends.  If you add water, then you have to reduce it again.  Too much trouble.  I also added diced red pepper to this.  I prefer the Italian sausage to regular sausage, it gives it a really good flavor.

 

I'm a huge fan of pumpkin pancakes, and also a huge fan of George Stella's Still Livin' Low Carb Cookbook.  His other books are good, but his latest is my favorite, he's switched from using that nasty soy flour to almond flour, with wonderful results.  Almond flour wasn't around a few years ago, and low carb eating has vastly improved because of it.

I make his Cinnamon Toast Pancakes weekly, but our family loves pumpkin pancakes in the fall, so I modified his recipe with amazing results.  This one is a keeper, it's so yummy!  ~ Jan

• BATTER
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup almond flour (Bob's Red Mill sells it in your grocery store, I get mine at Trader Joes, MUCH cheaper)
• ¼ cup milled flax seed (available at WalMart)
• ¼ cup bulk sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 heaping teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin

1. Grease a griddle or large skillet with vegetable oil spray and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Mix all the batter ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon until well blended.  You may have to add a bit more water if the pancakes are too thick, pumpkin is dense.  If you think yours are too thick, just stir in a bit of water until they look right, it's not rocket science, it's just cooking… ;o)
3. Pour approximately 6 large pancakes onto the hot griddle, and cook on the first side for 3 to 4 minutes until almost done, and then flip and cook for just another minute or so to finish. 

Old fashioned church socials have the best food.  Every summer we go to a local Parish for their wonderful summer social, and this year was no exception.  My son and his wife were visiting, and he just loved the coleslaw.  And because church ladies are so congenial, they shared the recipe with me.  This is a keeper, it's different because it's vinegar and sugar based, but has no oil.  If you use Splenda instead of sugar, you don't lose any of the taste, but it takes away the calories.  It keeps well in the fridge, too, in fact, it's better after it sits for a few hours.  I jar mine up in a Ball wide mouth quart jar, I do love those Ball jars... ~ Jan

I tweaked the original recipe a bit, I used pre bagged coleslaw mix, so I had to adjust the liquids.

1 bag coleslaw mix
1/2 green pepper, chopped (I used food processor)
2 carrots, chopped (food processor again, let the machine do the work :-)
4 chopped green onions (food processor)
1/4 cup chopped celery (food processor)
-------------------------------------------
Mix together:
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar or Splenda
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 heaping teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon salt

Stir all together until sugar or Splenda dissolves and pour over coleslaw mixture.  It wilts down after a few minutes, this is enough dressing for the entire bag of coleslaw mix.