Mushroom bacon brandy gravy & spicy fried chicken

1/4 package bacon sliced into 1/2 pieces
1 package mushrooms chopped up
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp pepper
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp garlic powder

In large saute pan saute bacon until crisp over medium high heat. Add mushrooms into bacon grease and saute until brown. Pour in brandy and light on fire. Wait for flame to die down and reduce heat to medium low. Pour in cream, stock and garlic, pepper and garlic powder and simmer until thickened. Serve over steaming hot bowl of mashed potatoes.

I also served it with my fried chicken.

12 chicken drumsticks
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup Franks Red Hot
2 tsp Tapatio
2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups flour
3 tbsp pepper
3 tbsp salt
3 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp ranch flavoring
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp poultry grill seasoning
enough vegetable oil to fill frying pan half inch

in large bag combine buttermilk, Franks, tapatio, red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp pepper and chicken. Let sit for an hour. On plate combine all dry ingredients on plate. Roll chicken in flour and put in hot oil. Reserve marinade. Fry until chicken runs clear inside.

In small sauce pot pour marinade in and simmer on low until thickened. Serve on the side as a sauce to dip chicken in. It will knock your socks off!

Sauteing mushrooms and bacon

After cream, brandy and bacon

As gravy on the tatoes mmmmm so damn good

Frying chicken

Finished product!

Salmon in crazy water

Salmon fillets
1.5 Cups water
.5 Cup vegetable broth
4 cloves garlic crushed up
2 Lemons one juiced one reserved
1 Tsp pepper
1 Tsp salt
1 Tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/2 Tsp Rosemary
1/2 Tsp Thyme
1 Tsp butter

Bring all ingredients but salmon to a boil in a large frying pan. Boil for about 6 minutes to develop flavor. Taste it, season accordingly. You don't want it overly flavored just a nice hint of each flavor. add in salmon skin side down and simmer on one side until pink. Flip and simmer till pink. Remove carefully as salmon will be very flaky and good. Squeeze reserved lemon juice on salmon. You can also make a second batch of the water and use it to make rice as a complimentary side dish.

VEGETABLE RICE

Carrots
Celery
Mushrooms
Onion
Garlic
Peppers in all colors
3 cans vegetable broth
Rosemary (fresh)
Thyme (fresh)
Salt
Pepper
1 cup of rice

I do not tell you an amount for the veggies above because it is up to you. I liked more mushrooms and celery then carrot but you may not. I would use at least a half cup of each chopped small.

Dice up all veggies. Put rice in rice cooker along with two cans of broth. Add veggies salt and pepper and season to taste. Allow it all to cook until broth lowers and add last container of broth. Let cook and serve.

If you don't have a rice cooker simply cook on the stove usig one can of broth at a time and let it cook down then add another and so on until rice is soft. Mmmmm

Guest recipe via Kari....super good chocolate pudding pie stuff

This crust will blow your mind people. I had it last week and can't stop thinking about it, not to mention I bothered her every day for a week for this damn recipe. This is super simple. Go make it now, and if you gain five pounds its not my fault!


First Layer - CRUST
1 cup flour, 1/2 cup marg. or butter (softened), 2 tbl sugar, 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (I used almonds) Mix w/a mixer

Smash crust into a greased and floured 9X11 pan
Bake at 375^ for approx 15 min or until golden brown

Let cool for 15-30 minutes before adding the next layers...

Second Layer - 8 oz of cream chees, 1 cup powdered sugar
Mix w/a mixer

Third Layer - 2 Packages of instant chocolate pudding (6oz packages) Add 3 cups of cold milk and mix w/a mixer

Top Layer - Cool Whip with sprinkled nuts (your choice)

Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to settle!!!

Enchilada Lasagna

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds chicken breasts*
1 large can red enchilada sauce*
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 can chopped olives
tortilla chips, crushed
2 tomatoes, chopped
pepperjack cheese, shredded
corn tortillas
garlic powder
salt
pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Bake chicken breast seasoned with garlic powder, salt and pepper at 350 F for 20 minutes. Turn chicken breasts over, and cook an additional 20 minutes. (Make sure chicken is fully cooked - no pink.)
2. Remove and cool. Cube up chicken breasts into about 1/2" pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a baking dish, coat the bottom of the dish with a little bit of the enchilada sauce. Just enough so nothing will stick to the pan. Add the remaining enchilada sauce to the chicken.
4. Stir about 1/2 cup green onions in with the chicken mixture.
5. In the baking dish arrange corn tortillas to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of chicken mixture and pepperjack cheese. Place another layer of tortillas and remaining chicken mixture and more pepperjack cheese.
6. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes.
7. Remove and top with crushed tortilla chips, olives, tomatoes, remaining green onions, and more pepperjack cheese. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until top layer of cheese is melted.



*Substitute for 3-4 cups of Slow Cooked Spanish Chicken, and skip steps 1-3. Coat the bottom of the baking dish with a little bit of the sauce from the chicken to prevent sticking.

Slow Cooked Spanish Chicken

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbl ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 small cans El Pato Mexican tomato sauce
1 small can Rosaritas enchilada sauce (red)
1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS
1. Spray inside of crock pot with cooking spray. Place all ingredients in the crock pot except for enchilada sauce.
2. Cook on low heat for about 8 hours. Stir chicken with a fork, this will easily shred the chicken. Add the enchilada sauce and cook another hour.
3. Stir again and serve. Serve with Spanish rice, or use for burritos or tacos.

NOTE: To speed up the recipe cook on high heat for 5-6 hours.

General Chicken

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lb chicken breast cubed
3 eggs
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus
4 teaspoons cornstarch
10 dried chili pods (more or less to taste)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons white rice wine
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
Peanut oil

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, mix the 1/2 cup of cornstarch and the eggs; add the chicken and toss to coat.
If the mixture is too thick, add some vegetable oil to separate the pieces.
2. In a small bowl, prepare the sauce mixture by combining the 4 tsp cornstarch with the wine, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce.
3. First-Stage Frying: Heat 1-2 inches of peanut oil in a wok to medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in small batches, just long enough to cook the chicken through. Remove the chicken to absorbent paper and allow to stand.
4. Second-Stage Frying: Leave a tablespoon or two of the oil in the wok. Add the pepper pods to the oil and stir-fry briefly, awakening the aroma but not burning them. Return the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until the pieces are crispy brown.
5. The Sauce: Add the sauce-mixture to the wok, tossing over the heat until the sauce caramelizes into a glaze.

* I like things HOT so probably used about 20 chili pods, use less to make it not as spicy.