Coating Chicken -- For a great chicken crumb coating, place some stale bread and a package of seasoned dry-mix salad dressing in a blender and blend. Then bread the chicken as usual!!

Extra Crispy Chicken -- By adding 1 rounded tablespoon cornstarch for each cup of flour, your fried chicken will be the crispiest ever. After flouring chicken, chill for 1 hour. The coating will adhere better during frying. After frying the chicken, strain the oil to remove food particles; cool thoroughly. Place the oil in a covered container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month for the next time you fry chicken.
"Secret Ingredient" for deep-fried beer-batter chicken is 1 teaspoon of cinnamon added to the batter.

  CORNMEAL-COATED CHICKEN

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt, optional
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 pounds), cut up and skin removed
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

DIRECTIONS: In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first nine ingredients. Store in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
Yield: 3 batches.
To Prepare Chicken: Place ¾ cup coating mix in a resealable plastic bag. Dip chicken in butter; add chicken to bag, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. Place in a greased 15"x10"x1" baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 45 to 50 minutes or until juices run clear.
Yield: 4 servings per batch.

THANKSGIVING -- When the pilgrims had the first Thanksgiving in 1621, they probably ate turkey, which was native to America and in plentiful supply. However, it wasn't until the 1800's that turkey became commonplace on the Thanksgiving table. Thanksgiving wasn't celebrated in any official way until Abraham Lincoln declared in 1863 that the last Thursday in November would be Thanksgiving. We owe this holiday to the determined campaigning of Sarah Joseph Hale, editor of Godey's Lady Book, who worked for more than forty years to have Thanksgiving declared a national holiday.

Nonstick Turkey -- Line the bottom of the roasting pan with cleaned celery stalks and lay the turkey on top of it. The celery acts as a roasting rack, allowing the gravy to drain to the bottom of the pan. When the turkey is done cooking, it won't be stuck to the bottom of the pan. After taking out the bird, just throw away the celery.

Get Some GREAT TURKEY Recipes Here!

Extra Stuffing -- Since stuffing is such a popular dish, consider doubling the recipe and cooking the extra in a covered casserole for 45 minutes. You can freeze the extra unbaked stuffing to save time when you prepare a poultry dish again.

Quick Fixes for Cornish Game Hens  

Here are 7 ways to quickly enhance Cornish game hens (or roast chicken). Start with 4 hens weighing 1 to 1¼ pounds each and a quick fix of your choice. Roast the hens at 375° for about 1 hour, or until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a knife and a meat thermometer registers 170°F.

• Citrus Glaze -- Mix ¼ cup thawed, frozen orange juice concentrate, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons honey until well blended. Brush the glaze over the hens during the last 15 to 20 minutes of roasting.
• Asian Accent -- Mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Brush the mixture over the hens and pour a little into the cavities before roasting as directed.
• Apricot Glaze -- In a small bowl, mix ½ cup apricot jam, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons honey. Roast hens as directed. Brush the apricot glaze over the hens during the last 15 to 20 minutes of roasting.
• Mexican Spiced -- Rub the outside of the hens with packaged taco seasoning and lightly spray with non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray. Roast as directed.
• Lemon-Basil -- Rub the outside of the hens with a cut lemon and brush with melted butter. Place one lemon half and sprig of fresh basil into each cavity. Roast as directed.
• Mustard-Herb -- Coat the outside of each hen with about 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Sprinkle with a mixture of dried tarragon, basil and thyme. Roast as directed. Deglaze the pan with ¾ cup white wine and serve with the pan juices.
• Garlic-Herb -- Mix 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic, 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, and 2 teaspoons finely chopped sage. Loosen the breast skin of each hen and rub one quarter of the mixture under the skin of each bird. Roast as directed.

  All-Around Breading for any food -- 2 cups whole wheat flour, ½ tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon dry mustard, ¾ teaspoon ground celery seed, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon marjoram, ¾ teaspoon thyme.

How to "DEGLAZE" a Pan -- After cooked food has been removed from a pan, the pan is "deglazed" to save every bit of flavor in those tasty brown bits that cling to it. To deglaze, add a small amount of water or other liquid; bring to a boil as you scrape up the cooked-on or caramelized food. Use the flavorful brew in gravy.

Quick Honey-Dijon BBQ Sauce -- Mix 1 part honey-dijon mustard with 3 parts of your favorite BBQ sauce.

***FOR MORE "SAUCES", VISIT THE "DAIRY CATEGORY"***

BACK TO Dotti's PLACE MEAT, CHICKEN & SEAFOOD Category