Tag: Mama D’s Kitchen of love

Smothered Chicken – a Lovely Comfort Food

We all love Chicken dinners. This economical and versatile protein appears on tables everywhere. Mama D’s Kitchen turns out a lot of Chicken Dinners as I’ve shared in previous posts, but there’s always room for another dish, especially one as sinfully delicious and full of love as this.

I adapted this from a Crock Pot recipe that used bone in chicken thighs. This skillet dish is far removed from that, but it uses many of the same ingredients from the original recipe which includes:  Kraft Savory Garlic Cooking Cream.

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Yes, Mama D will use something pre-packaged if it is good quality and enhances the recipe. Do you ever use cream cheese thinned with a little milk to create a sauce? That’s basically what Cooking Cream is. The mixing is done for you and there’s some serious garlic flavor going on. It comes in various flavors but, the Savory Garlic is the best, in my opinion.

I used chicken tenders in this recipe. These are available in most stores both fresh and frozen. These slender little morsels are pricey, but you can create your own tenders from whole chicken breasts.file5191339581170

Buy whole boneless – skinless chicken breasts when they are on sale (several small local chains sell them this way).  A few simple cuts with a good boning knife will give you tenders, filets and some chicken bits for casseroles, all at a much lower price. Cut the breast in half along its cleavage. Remove the tenderloin that runs along the underside. Cut some meat off the underside to give the filet an even playing field and you don’t need no stinkin’ pre-packaged tenders.

The sauce makes this recipe. Bacon, Onions and the Cooking Cream blend together into a velvety blanket for the Chicken. The Smashed Potatoes are a great base to hold the chicken and soak up the gravy. Add a salad or some sautéed green beans so that you have a balanced meal and can feel a little less guilty about the main dish. It can be on the table in relatively short order for a comforting weeknight dinner, but it would also dazzle company.

The season for “stick to your ribs” food is here. So give this recipe a try.

Love, Mama D

Smothered Chicken
Print Recipe
Decadent and creamy, chicken tenders become a satisfying weeknight dinner that would even impress company. Serve with sauteed green beans or a salad.
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Smothered Chicken
Print Recipe
Decadent and creamy, chicken tenders become a satisfying weeknight dinner that would even impress company. Serve with sauteed green beans or a salad.
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Place the potatoes and the smashed garlic in a pot. Add water to cover the potatoes by about an inch. Add salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the potatoes while you prepare the chicken and gravy. These can take care of themselves save a stir every now and then.
  2. In a large skillet cook bacon until it is lightly browned and has rendered some fat. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.The bacon will cook more later when it is combined with the onions. Leave 2 Tablespoons of drippings in pan.
  3. In a shallow bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour with the Paprika and Bacon Salt. Dredge chicken tenders in flour and transfer to the hot frying pan. Do not crowd the tenders. Brown in batches if they can't brown without touching. Turn to brown on all sides. This should take 7 -10 minutes or so. Remove from pan when browned and set aside.
  4. Return bacon to hot pan and add the onions. Toss to combine and coat with drippings. If the pan seems a little dry, add 1 - 2 tablespoons butter. Cook until onions are golden brown. Add remaining flour to pan and stir to incorporate the flour. Continue to cook 3 minutes or so stirrring often.
  5. Add the Chicken Broth and stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken and bubble. Reduce heat to low and stir in 3/4 cup of the Savory Garlic Cooking Cream. Return the chicken tenders to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated, stirring and turning the chcken until it is evenly coated with the gravy. Continue to cook over medium/low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  6. When potatoes are cooked, drain and return to pan. Combine remaining cooking cream and milk and add to potatoes. Smash, leaving more than a few lumps . Keep warm until ready to plate.
  7. Spoon the potatoes onto four plates. Divede the tenders evenly on top of the potatoes. Spoon the rest of the gravy over everything. Garnish with parsely if desired.
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Mama D’s Florida Adventures of Love

I just got back from a long weekend in Florida, specifically Sarasota and Bradenton on the Gulf Coast. We went down for our niece Kelly’s wedding, which by the way was absolutely beautiful. Besides the festivities it was the first time in many years that the clan was together. 053

Grandma and her wonderful Grandchildren

In between visiting, we got to experience several local restaurants and one incredible 022gourmet shop,  Vom Fass. I’ve been to many Olive Oil and Gourmet Shops and I know my way around Wine Shops and Liquor Stores, 021but Vom Fass has a little of all of those displayed in a beautiful environment.

Vom Fass is a franchise that is fairly new to America, but common in Europe. The company is headquartered in Germany and has received awards for their franchises. Debbie and John Kay have had their franchise for a little over 6 months and are rapidly building a loyal following in upscale Downtown Sarasota. They are proud of their products and very knowledgeable about their origins and uses.

019Products come from all over the world and are stylishly displayed. I counted no less than twelve Scotches and an assortment of Whiskeys. Rum, Vodka and Gin were there, too. These came from023 Yahara Bay Distillery in Madison Wisconsin. Fruit LIqueurs, Grappa and the mystical French Absinthe were also available. While all this marvelous liquor isn’t cheap, it is unique and would be 025perfect for a special occasion.

This shop doesn’t live on liquor alone. It offers an amazing array of oils and vinegars. Besides the usual Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars they offer Pine Nut, Pistachio, Pumpkin Seed, and Argan Oil which is used in Moroccan cooking and has recently become a health and beauty darling.

Everything is available for tasting which helps in making the right decision. Oils and vinegars 024are sold in 100ml increments. The bottles which range from whimsical stars and shoes to no-nonsense  litres are sold separately.

Since I was traveling light, I stuck to the 100ml bottles (these are 020within the allowed amount for the plastic bag in a carry on.) I sacrificed shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and bath gel and brought home a lovely Tuscan Olive Oil and Maletti Balsamico.

Sarasota has literally hundreds of restaurants. It is a very cosmopolitan city. We visited two restaurants that have been mainstays for many years.

Lunch one day were amazing hamburgers cooked perfectly to order at Patrick’s 1481. These were accompanied by well made martinis. Don’t judge me, I was on vacation.  Another evening we opted for an appetizer dinner at Mattison’s City Grill. Even though it was Sunday evening we were able to take advantage of the $4.00 Appetizers and $5.00 Martinis (vacation, remember?). The price was tiny but the flavors were big; Grilled Artichokes, Thai Lettuce Wraps, and Bruschetta all were well prepared and beautifully presented.

My niece’s wedding was in Bradenton and we found ourselves in need of sustenance, so off we went to The YachtSea Grille. When my brother-in-law told us about this place I thought he said the Yahtzee Grill and I was expecting dice and those little pencils. Instead it was a charming outdoor cafe that naturally specialized in seafood. We had Calamari served with a Spicy Remoulade that my have been the best we’ve ever had. It was just the right amount to tide us over.

So that about wraps up my weekend. It was nice to discover new places to eat, to walk along the beach, soak up the sun and play tag with the surf. Most of all, it was nice to be with family and friends to celebrate a joyous occasion.

Congratulations Kelly & Kenny. Have a beautiful life.

 

 

How Slumgullion Came To Mama D’s Kitchen of Love

Scan_Pic0007I’ve written about my mother and how she influenced my cooking. Besides being a wonderful cook she was a very well read woman. What she lacked in formal education, she more than made up for in general knowledge and an interesting and expansive vocabulary. She read the newspaper front to back everyday and always did National Observer Crossword Puzzles in ink. That’s an aspect of my personality that I can thank her for; I love to read and my facts of useless information are legendary among family and friends.

When my sons were growing up, I repurposed a lot of leftovers. I would combine meats and vegetables to get every bit of mileage out of the food I cooked. I’d add rice, pasta, or potatoes to stretch things a little farther. Scan_Pic0006When my mother saw me doing this she would always call it Slumgullion. An odd word that I honestly didn’t know the meaning of at the time, but it sounded sort of exotic and it became the name for any Leftovers of Love. I thought I should find out what the name actually meant. I looked it up a few years ago. According to the dictionary it’s a watery stew; mud and mine sluices; or whale blubber. Not very exotic after all. The name was already established so I set about to elevate it beyond its modest(?) origins. I even went so far is to make it with non-leftovers.

Surprisingly many people have recipes for Slumgullion ranging from a tomato based pasta dish, to a thin stew and even a tamales pie. What has become Slumgullion in our family however, is a skillet meal. DIGITAL CAMERAThere’s always some kind of beef, pork or chicken smoked sausage with Kielbasa and Andouille being my favorites. Peppers of any variety along with onions and garlic create the vegetable component and there must be potatoes. Yukon Gold or Red are my potatoes of choice. Spices and herbs vary and are often kept to a minimum.

DIGITAL CAMERA I even took it to the grill this summer and SlumgullionDIGITAL CAMERA on a Stick was born. The smokey taste that the grill imparted was a nice compliment to my standard ingredients. I’d always thought of Slumgullion as  a winter comfort food, but this grill interpretation was terrific and made this a year round meal. Production Note: I par-cooked the potatoes to even the cooking field. The peppers were Cubanelle. I also marinated everything in a balsamic vinaigrette and used it as a baste as well.

As with many of my recipes, the following is merely a suggestion. I never stick to it completely and I hope you’ll use it as a jumping off point to create your own Slumgullion Love. I’ve experimented with different techniques and cooking the ingredients in stages starting with the potatoes works best for flavor and texture. It’s one of those dishes that gets better after a day or so and you could easily double the recipe and freeze the leftovers. With cooler weather advancing every day, it’s a comforting meal that only needs some warm crusty bread and maybe a salad.

I think my Mom would approve.

Slumgullion
Print Recipe
Slumgullion is a skillet dish that has many interpretations...This is Mama D's version.
Servings Prep Time
6 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Slumgullion
Print Recipe
Slumgullion is a skillet dish that has many interpretations...This is Mama D's version.
Servings Prep Time
6 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat Olive Oil in a large skillet (with a lid). Add the Potatoes and toss to coat with the oil. Arrange in a single layer, cover and cook at medium heat for 3-5 minutes.Turn the potatoes and rearrange in a single layer. Cover the pan and cook fo another 3-5 minutes. The potatoes should be starting to feel tender. You no longer need the lid.
  2. Add the onions to the potatoes in the pan and cook for another 5 minutes until the onions are beginning to soften and brown. Add all of the peppers and cook, stirring occasionally 5 minutes or so until the peppers begin to soften.
  3. Raise the heat to medium high and add the sausage and garlic. Cook and stir until the sausage is beginning to brown. Keep the garlic moving do it doesn't burn.This should take 6 minutes or so.
  4. Add the Chicken Stock to the pan. Stir to loosen any brown bits and to coat the Slumgullion. Heat another 2 - 3 minutes. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve.
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A Visit to The Market At Gracious Hall

When I set out to create this blog, I wanted to  chronicle my food adventures in and out of DIGITAL CAMERAthe kitchen. Mama D loves to cook, but all cooking adventures  and no out and about adventures make for a boring Mama D. I began to remedy that this week. I just returned from my first field trip. Always liking to support local merchants I went to check out the Market at Gracious Hall.

DIGITAL CAMERAGracious Hall is a catering company owned by Rebecca Colburn in Geneva, Illinois. Rebecca has been catering large and small events for several years and has just expanded to a retail gourmet market.  The small space in front of her kitchen features foods and cheeses, many from local purveyors. The market also features “Grab and Go” items that Rebecca creates.

Rebecca trained at the French Baking School in Chicago and DIGITAL CAMERAbakes all of the breads and rolls sold at Gracious Hall along with preparing all the carry out lunch items not to mention the exquisite food she creates for her clients. When I arrived she was on the phone arranging a catering job. Catering is the backbone of Gracious Hall but the addition of a gourmet market will give her more flexibility in running her business.

I was there on their first official business day. Still very much a catering company, the retail space was furnished with the usual coolers for perishable food DIGITAL CAMERAbut the space was warmed by wonderful eclectic furniture pieces for display. Even though there were limited items available, everything was artfully displayed…I can envision the wonders the future will hold and look forward to the product expansion to come. Gracious Hall carries an impressive selection of cheeses.

This is possible through a partnership with Curds and Whey a local Fox Valley merchant.  Along with domestic and imported cheeses, there are sausages, salami, and lox. It was hard to choose, but the beautiful fresh mozzarella bocconcini sang to come home with me. These bite sized bits of heaven paired beautifully with what is officially the last of my garden tomatoes ( the cold night and my husband put an end to it) and basil to create an Autumn Kissed Bruschetta.DIGITAL CAMERA

So my field trip was informative and enjoyable. I have to do this more often.  The change of scenery was much-needed, and being able to talk to someone who is passionate about food and living their dream was inspiring.  Hmm…where to next?

Memories from a Kitchen of Love

Mama D’s Kitchen of Love came to be because of the cooking  I witnessed growing up.  It was the 50’s. My father went off to work every morning and my mom stayed home and took care of the house. Monday was laundry day, Tuesday was for ironing. I don’t remember what specific tasks were assigned to the rest of the days, but I know that everyday at around 4 o’clock it was time to make “supper”.

My mother was a great cook. She was creative and took great pride in the food she created. My father was an amazing cook in his own right and loved to eat. My mother cooked the dishes my father loved. That combination of love and pride are the memories that are foremost in my mind and have influenced how I cook today..

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Every weeknight, except Friday, we’d have meat. Lamb chops, sirloin steaks, and hamburgers were prepared in our electric broiler. This was state of the art for the time. It sat on the counter and had a cast iron broiler tray with a separate rack that fit inside. The plug was a massive three-pronged affair that had to use more electricity than the TV. My mother’s broiling technique was unique. Meat went into the broiler frozen. The seasoning was garlic salt and little else. As strange as this seems to me now, the meat was always perfectly cooked, juicy, and delicious.

I loved summer because the vegetables were always fresh either from my grandfather’s garden or the produce bus that came down our street twice a week. Yes, a bus full of fruits and vegetables. It was a converted school bus that boasted a large bell that announced its arrival and wooden bins heaped with produce where the seats should be. You walked through and chose your produce which was weighed on a hanging sale and put in brown paper bags. My mother brought it home and that’s when the food memories began.

My mother did wonders with those vegetables. The green beans would be cooked and then tossed with olive oil, garlic and fresh mint from the garden to create a beautiful salad.file4021339082680 Melrose peppers were fried in a large saucepan that I still use. file0001269469362They started with the cover on  with a little olive oil and a good dose of salt. Then they were  fried uncovered until tender and slightly golden.

 

 

Tomatoes, OMG the tomatoes! Sliced and served in carpese style (without the cheese). Tomatoes (5)She made the salad early enough so that it would have time to get happy in the refrigerator resulting in a generous amount of olive oily, vinagery, garlicky juice. This juice was the best part because you could bagnare bread. That’s dip in Italian. Italian was not routinely spoken in our home but certain things could only be described with the Italian word.

My mother was an excellent baker. She made pies and cakes and enough Christmas cookies to keep our holiday table loaded for the entire 2 weeks of the season. She made the best buttercream frosting in the world. It was a cooked frosting that was creamy and not too sweet.I have tried for forty years to make this frosting . I can’t do it. I’ve flushed more failed frosting down the drain then I’ve put on cakes in my entire baking career.

The first real food preparation I did was baking Christmas cookies. I started with sifting flour and chopping nuts and gradually worked into cracking eggs and finally running the mixer. We would make at least 10 kinds of cookies  Pinwheels, Candy Canes, Chocolate Chips and the oddly named but delectable Rocks so named because that’s what they looked like.

Rocks    

1 1/2 C Brown Sugar                                           2 1/2 C Flour                                                         1/2 C Butter                                                         3 Eggs                                                                   1 t. Cinnamon                                                      Pinch of Salt                                                       11/2  t Baking Soda –                                          1 large box Raisins                                              mix in 1/4 C hot water                                      1 pound Walnuts

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add cinnamon, soda, salt and flour and blend well. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by small balls on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes. This recipe makes a ridiculous amount of cookies. Fortunately they are very good.

Like most little girls I learned a lot about cooking from my mother but I learned even more about cooking from my Dad.

To be continued…