Roasted Chicken and Pan Gravy

I got this recipe from Reader's Digest about 6 years ago. It makes the nicest, juiciest chicken ever and the pan gravy turns out perfectly every time.

Roasted Chicken and Pan Gravy

1 whole chicken

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. melted butter

Wash chicken and dry with paper towel. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Put in roasting pan. Brush with melted butter.

Roast uncovered for 30 minutes @ 400 degrees. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Baste every 20 minutes. Cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until juices run clear.

Remove Chicken from pan and keep warm.

Skim all the fat from roasting pan.

Pan Gravy

2 cups chicken stock, divided

3 tbsp. flour

Place roasting pan over moderate heat. Add 1/2 cup of stock. Scrape and cook stock in pan for 1 min. to losen brown bits in bottom of pan. Blend flour with 1/4 cup stock in small bowl. Add to pan, (I usually add it through a small sieve to avoid lumps) Whisk until well blended. Slowly add 1 1/4 cup stock whisking until boiling and thickened. Salt and pepper to taste.

Best Bran Muffins

I got this recipe off of the back of the pakage of bran, and have been using it for years. In my opinion, they are the best bran muffins ever. They are very quick and easy to throw together in the morning.

Best Bran Muffins

1 1/2 cups raw bran

1 cup buttermilk, or 1 tbsp. lemon juice and enough milk to make 1 cup.

1/3 cup veg. oil

1 egg

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix buttermilk or sour milk with bran. Let stand while beating together oil, egg,brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk into bran mixture. Sift dry ingredients together then stir into wet mixture just until mixed.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Healthy Seed-Date Muffins

I adapted this recipe from an old cookbook I had, adding a variety of seeds to make it more healthy and flavourful. I've been making these muffins for at least 15 years. You make them the night before, so in the morning all you have to do is bake them.

Healthy Seed-Date Muffins

1 cup of raw bran

1/2 cup oats (not quick cooking)

1/2 cup raw sesame seeds

1 tsp. orange zest

1 cup boiling water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup veg. oil

1/3 cup honey

4 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cups chopped dates

1/2 cup chopped apple

In a large bowl, combine bran, oats, sesame seeds and orange zest. Add boiling water let stand 10 min.

In a large mixing bowl mix milk, juice, oil, honey, vanilla and sugar. Whisk in eggs. Add to bran mixture. In seperate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, chopped dates and apples. Stir into batter until moist. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 weeks.

Fill muffin cups without stirring. Bake 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are from a young married couple from my church when Fang and I were first married. They are the most wonderful tasting way to use old, very ripe bananas. A good tip is when you have some over-ripe bananas hanging around and you don't feel like using them for baking right away, throw them in the freezer, skins and all until you're ready to use them for baking. Just defrost and use as usual.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 large or 4 med. ripe bananas

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup of melted margarine

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mash bananas. (You can use a potatoe masher) Add brown sugar and egg. Mix well. Add melted butter, chocolate chips and cinnamon. Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet. Stir just until mixed. (Do not overmix)

Put in muffin tins and bake 350 degrees for 20 min or until brown.

Turkish Chicken Kababs

This is a recipe I got years ago off of an Italian cooking show. I just roughly wrote it down and tried it a few days later. We all loved it and I've been making it ever since. I mostly do it on the bar-b-que, but it turns out quite well under the broiler as well. Feel free to experiment with different meats and veggies.

Turkish Kababs

1 container of plain yogurt

1 tsp. of each tumaric, cumin, salt and cinnamon

2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced

pepper to taste

1 tbsp. lemon juice

chicken breast, cut in cubes

vegetables, peeled, and chopped into bit size pieces

(I usually use onion, zuchini, mushroom, cherry tomatoes)

mix all of the spices and juice into the yogurt. Assemble kababs on wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for about 1/2 hour, or use metal skewers. Put kababs on a shallow pan and pour yogurt mixture over them. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Cook them on grill about 20 minutes each side or under broiler for about the same turning until veggies are soft and meat is cooked.

Creton

As some of you may or may not know, I am originally from Quebec. There is not a lot I really miss about living there, but there are a few things I do. One of the things I miss is a French Canadian pate called 'Creton'. It has a very distinct smell and taste from other pates. One day I had a terrible craving for the stuff, but alas, there is none to be found anywhere in Ontario, unless of course, you live right on the border of Quebec. As I pondered the fact that I may never taste creton again, I remembered that you could find almost anything if you google it. Aha! I had never made it before, as it is readily available from any supermarket in Quebec, so I really had no idea what went into it. So, I looked over several recipes, noting the similarities between them. I happened upon a fast microwave version. I decided to give it a try. It almost seemed too easy. Voila! As soon as I got a whiff of it, I knew it was the right recipe. It passed the taste test very well, although, the next time I made it, I increased the amount of spices called for. Perfect and simple. I know the combination of spices with meat may sound unusual, but the French Canadians are famous for putting cinnamon and allspice into their recipe's that call for ground meat. Try it with toast and mustard.

The pictures don't do it justice, I must say.

Quick Microwave Cretons

1 lb. ground pork

1 cup milk

8 crushed soda crackers or 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 chopped onion

2 minced garlic cloves

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Put all ingredients into a microwave safe bowl.

Mix well.

Cook on High for 5 minutes.

Mix again.

Cook on High for 5 more minutes

Mix again.

Cook 3 more minutes.

Mix and let rest 6 minutes.

Process slightly in food processor. This pate should be course, so don't over process.

Chill.

Love Nest Tabbouli

I've been making this recipe for Tabbouli for many years but for the life of me, I cannot recall where I got it from. However, it tastes so good and I mostly make it up at the 'Lovenest'.

Tabbouli

2 cups dried bulgar wheat

2 1/2 cups boiling water

Pour water over bulgar. Mix and let stand 1 hour.

Add:

2 cups chopped tomatoe

2 cups diced english cucumbers (washed, skins on)

1 cup chopped green onion

2 small bunches of fresh mint

1/2 cup fresh parsley

Mix Well.

Dressing:

2-3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped finely

1/2 cup (about 1 lemon) fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

2-3 drops tabasco (to taste)

salt and pepper, to taste.

Mix well. Tastes best at room temperature. You will probably need to add more salt as the salt seems to get absorbed into the bulgar.