Iconic KFC Seasoning

 

Iconic KFC Seasoning

Discover the secret to the iconic KFC seasoning with this easy, flavorful copycat recipe. Perfect for chicken and other dishes, it brings the famous taste right to your kitchen!

Ingredients:
2/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/3 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried mustard
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons white pepper

Directions:
The seasoning spices are mixed with 2 cups of flour to create the iconic KFC breading.
Directions:                                                                                     Measure out each ingredient carefully according to your preferred 

taste or the exact proportions you’re following from a recipe.

In a non-slip mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Stir well until the spices are evenly mixed.
Once thoroughly mixed, transfer the seasoning blend into a glass spice storage jar for easy use. Make sure the jar is tightly sealed to maintain freshness.
To use, sprinkle generously over chicken before frying, or use it as a seasoning.

Brandied Pumpkin Pie ~ NY Times.

Brandied Pumpkin Pie,   NY Times

 Pumpkin pie made with canned pumpkin is all well and good, but pumpkin pie made with fresh butternut squash purée is even better. Thin-skinned and easy to cut, butternut squash turns soft and velvety if you roast it, and a quick whirl in the food processor or a blender quickly reduces to it to a luscious purée. Here we’ve kept the seasonings on the light side to best showcase the character of the squash. But feel free to amp up the cinnamon and ginger if you like a spicier slice. The brandy is optional, and if you’d rather not use it, you can leave it out or substitute another spirit; bourbon is excellent. Yield 8 servings
Ingredients:
Crust:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour (150 grams)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
10 tablespoons (141 grams) unsalted butter (1¼ sticks), preferably a  

   high-fat, European style, chilled and cubed
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, as needed
Filling

1¾ cups squash or pumpkin purée (see note)
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup dark brown sugar (160 grams)
2 tablespoons brandy
2 teaspoons ground ginger (4 grams)
1½teaspoons ground cinnamon (3 grams)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (3 grams)
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch ground clove

Directions:

Crust:In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms chickpea-size pieces. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet. On a lightly floured surface, gather the dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes.

While the dough chills, heat oven to 375 degrees. Line chilled crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed.

Filling: Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, cream, dark brown sugar, brandy, ginger, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and clove. Pour mixture into the cooled pie shell. Transfer pie to a large baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden and center jiggles just slightly when shaken, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

TIPSTo make butternut squash purée, peel, halve and seed a 2½ to 3-pound squash and cut flesh into 1½-inch chunks. Coat with melted butter or oil and roast at 400 degrees, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool, then purée in a food processor.                                                                                              

*To make the job even easier than above method, I cut the squash in half, scoop seeds, place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. No butter or oil needed. Bake at 300 degrees until you can "dimple" the thickest part. Cool slightly and scoop from peel. Puree in a food processor. DONE!

Pumpkin Latte ~ Pumpkin Pie Spice

This is the same spice for Pumpkin Latte or Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Warning: you might be tempted to put this tasty spice on just about everything.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

Combine cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg.  Whisk well to blend.

See recipe, Post of "Pumpkin Spice Latte".

Patty Melts With Cranberry Chutney

Patty Melts with Cranberry Chutney

Part grilled cheese, part burger, this patty melt offers the best of both worlds in one satisfying sandwich. Made with turkey, onion, sage and cranberry.  The recipe makes more cranberry chutney than you need, but it freezes well and is terrific with poultry or pork.
Ingredients:
Cranberry Chutney
1 cup (250 mL) water
3/4 cup (175 mL) sugar
12 oz (340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, about 3 1/2 cups 875 mL
1 cup (250 mL) grated peeled Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup (60 mL) minced shallot
3/4 cup (175 mL) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp (5 mL) yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground ginger
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground mace
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Burgers
2 lbs (905 g) ground turkey, preferably dark meat
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 mL) panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2/3 cup (150 mL) mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely minced fresh garlic
Canola oil for cooking
2 cups (500 mL) thinly sliced white onion
8 slices turkey bacon
8 slices pumpernickel bread
8 slices Swiss cheese, about 1 oz (30 g) each
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, softened, divided
Directions:
For the chutney, combine all ingredients in medium pot over high heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mixture is thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

For the burgers, combine ground turkey, egg, panko, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Using hands, mix thoroughly. Form into four equal oval patties to fit bread slices. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

Mix mayo, sage and garlic in small bowl to make an aïoli. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.

In a medium frying pan, warm a film of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a film of oil in a very large skillet over high heat. Add bacon and reduce heat to medium. Cook until brown and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel. Set aside.

Wipe out skillet, add a fresh film of oil and place over high heat. Add patties, reduce heat to medium and cook until well browned on both sides and an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Lay out eight slices of bread, spread a little aïoli over each slice, then place a slice of cheese on top. Divide onions between four slices. Place turkey patty and two slices turkey bacon on onions. Top with remaining cheese slices, then bread.

Melt 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter in very large skillet over medium heat; add in sandwiches. Cook until brown and crisp on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip sandwiches and add remaining butter into pan. Cook until bread is crisp and cheese is melted, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Cut each melt in half and serve immediately with cranberry chutney.
Serves 4

Spiced Miso Brown Butter Spread

 

Spiced Miso Brown Butter Spread

Spiced Miso Brown ButterBrown butter adds a gorgeous nuttiness to this condiment, while miso, a traditional Japanese fermented paste, brings some much-needed umami and a salty element to the drink. Find it at grocery, gourmet and Asian food stores.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) white miso
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground ginger
Directions:
Add butter to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let the butter melt and heat until it starts to foam (about 15 to 20 minutes). Swirl often, removing from heat once the butter turns a light brown and has a nutty aroma. Let butter cool and place it in the fridge to solidify.

Once butter is cooled and solidified but still soft, add to a medium bowl with brown sugar. Using an electric or hand mixer, whip until butter and sugar are fully creamed. Add miso, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and mix until thoroughly combined.

Divide into airtight glass gifting jars. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  Makes approximately 3/4 cup (175 mL)

Gifting Tip:  To gift, package the butter in an airtight glass jar like a mini Mason jar. Tie a tablespoon for measuring and stirring with ribbon around the jar or bottle as an extra garnish. Whichever rum you choose, include instructions to add 2 oz rum, 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the butter plus around 4 oz boiling water, or to taste, for each serving of Hot Buttered Rum. 

Gingerbread With Lemon Sauce or Bourbon-Chantilly Cream

 

Gingerbread With Lemon Sauce 

or Bourbon Chantilly Cream

James Beard Award-winning author Toni-Tipton Martin showcases the techniques, ingredients, and dishes of African American cookery in Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking. Paying homage to the “old-time ginger cake” she, alongside chef Joe Randall, creates her version of the dessert made even sweeter with lemon sauce and a bourbon-chantilly cream.

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup molasses
1 cup boiling-hot coffee
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
Lemon Sauce or Bourbon Chantilly Cream, for serving
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 13 × 9-inch baking pan with butter or shortening. Dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. In a bowl or measuring cup, stir together the molasses and coffee.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the melted butter, brown sugar, and eggs on medium speed until light. Beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the coffee molasses mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat for 30 seconds longer.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes. Cool the gingerbread in the pan on a wire rack, then cut into squares and serve warm with lemon sauce or bourbon-chantilly cream.The Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce is excerpted from Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking ©2019 by Toni-Tipton Martin. Photography by Jerelle Guy. Reproduced by permission of Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved. Serves 12 to 15

James Beard Award-winning author Toni-Tipton Martin showcases the techniques, ingredients, and dishes of African American cookery in Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking. Paying homage to the “old-time ginger cake” she, alongside chef Joe Randall, creates her version of the dessert made even sweeter with lemon sauce and a bourbon-chantilly cream
                                            Lemon Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
2 to 3 tablespoons butter (to taste), cut into pieces, at room temperature
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Directions:
In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until well mixed. 

Gradually whisk in the boiling water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thick and resembles syrup, about 5 minutes.
Add the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt, and stir until the butter has melted. Cool to room temperature to serve. Yield 1 cup

The Lemon Sauce is excerpted from Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking ©2019 by Toni-Tipton Martin. Photography by Jerelle Guy. Reproduced by permission of Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved.

Bourbon-Chantilly Cream

Ingredients
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons bourbon
Directions
In the chilled bowl of an electric mixer with chilled beaters, whip the cream to soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until blended, no more than 30 seconds. Add the bourbon, beating until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.

The Bourbon Chantilly Cream is excerpted from Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking ©2019 by Toni-Tipton Martin. Photography by Jerelle Guy. Reproduced by permission of Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved.  Yield 2 cups

Air Fryer Crispy Chicken

Airfryer Crispy Chicken

 The key to this recipe and getting Air Fryer Crispy Chicken is to coat the chicken with potato starch before air frying. Potato Starch is a classical way to make fried chicken, as it makes the outside crispy by trapping the moist and juices of the chicken inside, while outside, it creates a crispy exterior. Perfect for the air fryer. This is perfect for any Air Fryer Chinese Chicken Dish!

Items you need to prepare Air Fryer Sesame Chicken

Chicken cut in chunks and coated with Potato Starch

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs
Potato Starch
Olive Oil

Brown Sugar

Soy Sauce
Orange Juice
Hoisin Sauce
Ground Ginger
Garlic Powder
Water
Cornstarch

Directions:

Cut up the chicken into  1-2 inch pieces. Place the diced chicken into a large bowl. Add in the potato starch and use your hands to coat it evenly. Place the coated chicken onto the air fryer tray or in the air fryer basket. Spray the chicken generously with olive oil. Set the timer to 7 minutes, at 350 degrees F, air fryer setting. After the time, flip the chicken with tongs and air fry for another 5-7 minutes.

Chewy Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies

Chewy Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
1/3 cup molasses
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts

Directions:

Whisk melted butter, sugars, and molasses in a large bowl.  Whisk in fresh ginger, egg, and vanilla.  Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl and stir until combined. (dough will be soft).  Stir in the chocolate and or chopped nuts.  Chill dough for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Portion 1 tablespoon of dough into a bill.  Roll each cookie into granilated sugar to coat and place on the baking sheet 2" apart.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the crinkle and feel set edges when gently pressed,  Cool cookies on the trays for 10 minutes before removing.  Makes about 30 cookies.

Home Cured Corned Beef

Home Cured Corned Beef

How to Make Corned Beef from Brisket

Over the years, many of my friends have encouraged me to cure my own corned beef, insisting that it wasn't hard to do, and well worth the effort. After finally getting around to it, I'm happy to report that my friends were right! It really is easy; it just takes about 5 days to cure.

Directions For Brining

Remember this is a five day process.
Make a salty curing brine with pickling spices like mustard seed, allspice berries, coriander seeds, and peppercorns.
Marinate a beef brisket in the brine, for 5 to 7 days.
Simmer the brined and drained brisket in water with more pickling spices for several hours until tender.

How to Season Your Corned Beef 

Because you get to choose what pickling spices to use, you can make your own distinctively flavored corned beef. You know how BBQ masters have their own favorite homemade dry rubs? It's sort of like that.

Pretty much every packaged corned beef brisket I've bought tastes about the same. The one I home cured? Wonderful and different.

Ingredients

• Pickling spices:
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
• 1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds (brown or yellow)
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 9 whole cardamom pods
• 6 large bay leaves, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 stick cinnamon
• Brine:
• 1 gallon (3.8 liters) water
• 300 g Kosher salt (2 cups of Diamond Crystal brand Kosher Salt OR 1 cup 3 1/2 tablespoons of Morton's Kosher Salt)
• 5 teaspoons pink curing salt (NOT Hymalain)
• 3 tablespoons pickling spices
• 1/2 cup (90 g) brown sugar
• Brisket:
• 1 5-pound beef brisket
• 1 tablespoon pickling spices

Directions:

Toast and crush spices: 

You can either used store-bought pickling spices or you can make your own. To make your own, toast the allspice berries, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom pods in a small frying pan on medium heat until fragrant. Note that it is pretty easy to burn spices; you want enough heat to release their flavors, not so much that they get burned.

Remove from heat and place in a small bowl. Use a mortar and pestle to crush the spices a little (or the back of a spoon or the side of a knife on a flat surface). Add to a small bowl and stir in the crumbled bay leaves and ground ginger.

1. 
2. Make curing brine: 

   Add about 3 Tbsp of the spice mix (reserve the rest for cooking the corned beef after it has cured), plus the half stick of cinnamon, to a gallon of water in a large pot, along with the Kosher salt, pink salt (if using), and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until well chilled.
3. Brine the brisket for 5-7 days: 

   Place the brisket in a large, flat container or pan, and cover with the brine. The brine should cover the meat. The meat may float in which case you may want to weigh it down with a plate.

   Alternatively you can use a 2-gallon freezer bag (placed in a container so if it leaks it doesn't leak all over your refrigerator), place the brisket in the freezer bag and about 2 quarts of brine, squeezing out the air from the bag before sealing.

   Place in the refrigerator and chill from 5-7 days. Every day flip the brisket over, so that all sides get brined equally.

   1. 
   2. Cook The Corned Beef: 

      At the end of the cure, remove the brisket from the brine and rinse off the brine with cold water. Place the brisket in a large pot that just fits around the brisket and cover with at least one inch of water. If you want your brisket less salty, add another inch of water to the pot.

      Add a tablespoon of the pickling spices to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a very low simmer (barely bubbling), and cook 3-4 hours, until the corned beef is fork tender. (At this point you can store in the fridge for up to a week.)

      
   3. Cut across the grain: 

      Remove the meat to a cutting board. (You can use the spiced cooking liquid to cook vegetables for boiled dinner or corned beef and cabbage.) Notice the visible lines on the meat; this is the "grain" of the meat, or the direction of the muscle fibers.

      To make the meat easier to cut, cut it first in half, along the grain of the meat. Then make thin crosswise cuts, across the grain to cut the meat to serve.

      

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

 Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (I used salted)
1 egg
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup apple sauce (optional for moistness)
1/4 cup diced crystallized ginger (optional - for a Starbucks copycat recipe)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*F.

Prepare a bread pan by lining with parchment paper and spraying with cooking spray. This will ensure bread slips right out of your pan with zero sticking.

Blend sugar and butter together until fluffy.

Add egg and molasses and beat well, scraping sides as needed.

Add baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Mix well.

Add flour in 1/2 cup at at time and mixing between each addition.

While mixing, SLOWLY add water to thin batter out. Now is the time to add the apple sauce if you wish, though I didn't need it.

If adding the crystallized ginger, add now.

Pour mixture into prepared bread pan and bake for 55 minutes. Remove from oven and add create a tent over bread to prevent from edges getting to dark.

Place bread back in oven and bake for 15 - 20 more minutes.

Remove from oven when a toothpick inserted into the middle of bread comes out clean.

Notes
This can also be made into a 9x9 cake or 4 mini loaf pans. Total cooking time will be approximately 45 - 55 minutes for cake pan or mini loaf pans.

 

Curried Coconut Sweet Potato Soup

            Curried Coconut Sweet Potato Soup

Transform leftover Sweet Potato Purée (recipe follows) into a silken smooth coconut curry soup.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp (25 mL) finely chopped peeled ginger
2 tsp (10 mL) mild or medium curry powder
½ tsp (2 mL) each ground cumin and ground coriander
2 cups (500 mL) Sweet Potato Purée (recipe follows)
1 ripe pear, cored, peeled and chopped
400 mL can coconut milk
1 cup (250 mL) chicken broth
1 to 3 tsp (5 to 15 mL) lemon juice
Salt to taste
Strips toasted coconut or coriander leaves

Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly soft, about 3 minutes.
Stir in curry, cumin and coriander. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Whisk in Sweet Potato Purée, pear, coconut milk and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high, then reduce heat, cover and simmer gently to allow flavours to blend, 10 minutes.

Purée in a food processor until smooth. Then turn into a sieve set over a clean saucepan. Using the bottom of a ladle, press mixture through sieve into pan. Stir in lemon juice and add salt to taste after sieving. Reheat and garnish with strips of toasted coconut or coriander leaves if you wish.

Makes 4 cups (1 L)
Sweet Potato Purée
3 sweet potatoes, about 1¾ lb (875 g)
3 garlic cloves
½ cup (125 mL) milk
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground ginger
Generous pinch ground nutmeg
¾ tsp (4 mL) salt
Pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

2. Prick potatoes a few times. Place whole unpeeled potatoes on a baking sheet in centre of preheated oven. Bake 30 minutes. Place whole unpeeled garlic cloves on sheet and continue to bake until potatoes and garlic are tender, 15 to 25 more minutes.

3. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and garlic. Place both in a large saucepan set on low heat. Add milk, butter and seasonings. Mash until as smooth as you like.

Tip
If you're in a rush, peel and chop potatoes into chunks and set in a large saucepan along with peeled garlic. Cover with cold water, then add salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Proceed as above. The texture isn't quite as good, but they are still delicious.