Kentucky Fried Chicken at Home, Close as you will ever get.

In 1964, Colonel Sanders sold his chicken franchise to John Y. Brown, Jr, Jack C. Massey, Pete Harmon, and investors Lee Cummings and Harlan Adams, who in turn sold it to Pepsico, who in turn spun it off into Yum brands. I am not going to go into the entire history of the changing of the guard that brings us to today's KFC, you can read about it here: WikiPedia, HistoryofKFC. My only concern is a 1984 lawsuit between KFC Corp and Marion Kay Co,. Inc. You see Harlan Sanders was still operating restaurants up in Canada and felt the seasonings had been watered down, so to speak. He turned to an Indiana company, Marion Kay to reverse mix his seasoning blend. He was not able to tell Marion Kay what was in the blend for contractual and trademark reasons but to my taste buds, they hit the nail on the head in their recreation of the secret blend. You can read the lawsuit that later ensued here: KFC CORP. v. MARION-KAY CO., INC.

So what is the spice blend that Marion Kay created for Harlan Sanders? That I do not fully know, however you can purchase a container of it here: Marion Kay https://marionkay.com/?s=flake+salt&post_type=product recommends 2 tablespoons of the spice blend be mixed with 4 cups of flour, I actually bumped it up a bit and did 3 heaping tablespoons of the spice mix with 1 tablespoon of flake salt. I used a deep fryer and some of the Colonel's breading techniques based on the way he did it in a YouTube video, which can be seen here: Colonel Sanders making chicken at the Clinton KFC

Sanders also used soft wheat flour, I recommend cake flour such as Swans Down Cake Flour. https://www.swansdown.com/about/

4 Cups Cake Flour

3 Tbsp 99X Chicken Seasoning

1 Tbsp fine flake salt

1 brined chicken, patted dry. (see note*)

1 egg 

1 cup milk

Raised Cookie rack, set it over a large pan or cutting board.

Using a large mixing bowl, combine flour and seasonings using a whisk, set aside. In a pie pan whip egg and milk together. Coat chicken using a four-step process. Toss the chicken pieces through the flour mixture one at a time, setting each on the raised rack after it is coated. 2. Working with one piece at a time, dip the floured chicken into the egg wash allowing excess to drip off. 3. Toss the egg washed chicken through the flour, return the chicken to the raised rack. Allow the chicken to rest on the rack for 25 minutes until the flour has absorbed into the egg wash and the chicken looks gummy. Toss each piece through the seasoned flour again before frying. 

I move the pan and rack to an oven at this point and set the oven on its lowest setting. Move chicken to rack after frying and keep it warm till all chicken is fried. 

A word on gravy, I like to use the crackling grease (2 to 3 tbsp) from the bottom of the pot, then I use the seasoned flour, chicken stock, and milk to create a gravy.

Brine 

1 quart
1 Tbsp + 2 1/4 tsp sugar

1/3 cup kosher salt

1 heaping tablespoon chicken seasoning.

Brine for at least 3-5 hours
Here are some tips and tricks for turning out a crispy crunchy and juicy fried chicken.

1. Never fry refrigerator cold chicken, your oil temperature will drop the second you add the chicken to the oil. This will throw off the entire dish in more ways than one. Allow the temperature to return to 350 before adding the next batch. 

2. Never crowd the chicken in the fryer or the pot. That crust needs to have unfettered contact with that hot oil to crisp up and room to let the steam bubbles escape.   Cook only a few pieces at a time. It is worth the extra time and effort. 

3. Flour, use a softer lower protein flour. Cake flour is a great secret for fried chicken. All Purpose flour turns out a hard thick bready crust, rather than that delicate shattering crispy crust, I don't like it. 

4. Brining, definitely brine your chicken. Frying causes moisture loss, those bubbles in the frying oil, that is moisture escaping. I do a salt/sugar brine and water. drain the chicken well after brining and pat with a paper towel. Also, throw a tablespoon of the seasoning into that brine. 

5. Building a crust that sticks, it is a four-step process. 1. Toss chicken in seasoned flour in an oversized tall bowl. 2. Dip chicken in an egg-milk wash, let excess drain drip back into the bowl.3. Toss chicken through the seasoned flour. 4. Allow chicken to rest on the raised rack for 25 minutes and then one last toss through the seasoned flour. 

6. Use a raised cookie rack to set you chicken on after it is breaded, allow it to sit for 25 minutes till it starts to look a little gooey, toss it back through the flour for a double coating.

7. For a lighter coating only run it through the breading process once. Pure preference for single or double breading. 

8. Use popcorn or flake salt and fine ground seasonings.  Flake salt is usually a special order item, however, popcorn salt is easy to find. Why? Popcorn and flake salts are very light and float in the flour rather than sinking to the bottom. Your seasoning should all be finely ground so they float in your flour and cling to it.

9. Deep fryers are great to use, you can regulate the temperature easily and see if it drops. I now favor a cast iron deep fryer pot and a thermometer. Cast iron retains heat and prevents the temperature of the oil from dropping too much. 350 is the temperature you want. One other good option is a wok, the thing I find the most important is that the chicken floats, I don't like contact with the bottom like you get in a pan. 

10. Seasoning your flour, rule of thumb is 1 tablespoons seasoning to 2 cups of flour. I sometimes do a little more... again preference. 

11. Fry dark and light meat separately, breast meat cooks faster. 

12. Watch those bubbles, like popping popcorn when you hear the kernels almost stop popping you know it is done. When the bubbles slow down, the moisture level in the chicken has dropped. Having said that, see below for timing. *

13. Break the big thigh bone before cooking, this is a restaurant trick that allows faster cooking as thighs take the longest to cook. 

14. You can keep your chicken warm in the oven at 200, however, make sure it is sitting on a raised rack. Never set chicken onto paper towels or directly in a pan, the heat will steam your crust soggy.

15. Use an oversized tall bowl for tossing the chicken, toss the using your hands at least 7 times in the flour.

If you would like to make Kentucky Fried Chicken Cole Slaw, I have posted a recipe on this site here:KFC Coleslaw, not a copykat... the formula is more simple than you think..

If you are not going to buy the seasoning then below are some suggestions:

White Pepper

Black Pepper
Ground Sage
Ground Coriander
Ground Savory
Ground Rosemary
Ground Thyme
Ground Marjoram
Ground celery seed
Paprika (sweet)
Fine Plain Popcorn Salt
The two types of pepper and the flaked salt are very important. Table salt will fall to the bottom of your bowl rather than float in the salt. 

.

Pancit Canton beef

1/4-1/2 Pound tenderized sliced beef (use kiwi)
1 Pound Canton Noodles or spaghetti if preferred
1 Onion Sliced into slivers
8 Cloves Garlic peeled, smashed and minced.
4 Ribs Celery washed and sliced
3 Carrots peeled and julienned
2 Cups Chopped Cabbage
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tsp Fish Sauce
2 tbspToymansi
3 Cups Beef Broth
Pepper to taste

Optional, sliced portabella mushrooms


Green Onions to Garnish

Saute garlic and onion until it just tender, add beef, cook until browned, add vegetables, Toymansi, fish sauce, pepper and beef broth. Bring to a boil, add noodles toss noodles until separate and cooking, lower to a simmer.  Stir dish until liquid is absorbed. Garnish with chopped green onions

Potato Pancake

1 Jumbo Potato, baked and scooped out and cooled
knob of butter
2 Jumbo Eggs
1/2 Tspn onion powder
1 Tbsp sugar
A generous sprinkle of Salt
Nice Hint of pepper
Healthy pinch of salt-free blackening seasoning
4 Tbsp sweet corn
2 thinly sliced green onions (green part only)
4 Tbsp minced onion
1 Cup buttermilk pancake mix (instant, add water only type)
Water, a little less than directed


Scoop out baked potato into a bowl, using a fork work the butter and salt through the potato mashing as you go. Add eggs and incorporate, add all seasonings, onions, and corn. Add Pancake mix and water and stir. Use a gravy ladle to make dollar sized pancakes. Pan fry in avocado oil until crispy and dark golden.

Famous Barr's French Onion Soup, Susan's Version

2.5 lb. Sweet Onions Vidalia, Walla Walla or the like
2.5 lb Yellow Onions
2 Tbsp Olive or Avocado Oil

3/4 stick Unsalted Butter 

4 whole bay leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp Paprika (buy fresh, don't use cheap, Hungarian sweet)

4  Healthy Taps ground cloves

2 Tsp fresh Cracked Pepper

4 Tbsp A/P flour or 6 Tbsp Wondra flour

1/2 Cup Burgundy or Chardonnay, I use Burgundy

3 Quarts beef stock, au jus, or strong beef broth
1 or 2 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet, add a little at a time till you get the right color

French Baguette Crouton  
1 1/2 Pounds Swiss Cheese, grated or sliced

Slice onions 1/8 inch thick, Saute’ the onions until golden brown and caramelized but not burnt. Sprinkle a little salt and a pinch of sugar on onions while sauteeing.  When onions are golden brown, add paprika first and incorporate well, add cloves, salt, pepper, and glutamate if using. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook for a minute or two. Add Burgundy or Chardonnay and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Quickly stir in 3 quarts of clear beef stock, au jus or strong beef broth in about three additions stirring completely each time to work the flour through the broth.  Add bay leaves cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. If soup appears too thin, add  Makes 3 quarts.

 To serve: Ladle soup into earthenware cup or bowl. Place 2 slices French baguette (cut about ¼ inch thick to cover surface) on top of the ladled soup. Bread should cover the surface of the soup (you are building a life raft for the cheese).  Top with generous portion of grated Swiss Cheese.  Place in a 350-degree oven and bake until cheese has browned and formed a crust, about 10 Minutes.

Note (You really don't want to just broil this. It might brown and melt it, however, it will not form a crust and become sort of nutty in flavor). When baked, the cheese will puff up, form a crust and brown. Broiling simply melts it into the soup.

To prepare the baguette, place a whole loaf in a 350-400 degrees (depends on your oven) oven for 10 minutes The crust should be browned and crisp. Tip: Slice it on its side with a decent bread knife and it won't compress as much.

Remove and serve immediately. Serves 12. 

Notes.

Make the soup the day before and refrigerate overnight, the flavor is much better. Heat soup through and assemble the Gratin the next day.

I don't use the monosodium glutamate

Use fresh cracked pepper

Use Ground Cloves

Use "fresh" Sweet Hungarian Paprika (do not use old paprika or cheap, you will regret it).

In Search of the Famous Barr Soup of my memories

Which is the real Famous Barr French Onion Soup Recipe and who developed it? I think the answer is probably both Chef's Dahl & Zettl's recipe are correct and original depending on what years you ate there. Onion Soup Au Gratin' can be found on the Famous-Barr Tea Room Menu as early as 1942.

Erich Dahl was hired as the Food and Beverage Manager in 1948, Dahl speaks of researching the soup in Paris and specifically mentions the restaurant Pied De Cochon. Dahl said Chef Jan Verdonkshot took his suggestions and developed the French Onion Soup Recipe. Verdonkshot's daughter Renee claimed her father did not create the soup.

This brings us to Manfred Zettl. Zettl was the Executive Chef for Famous Barr during the years I walked to the Clayton, MO store to eat the soup. Zettl's recipe calls for paprika (probably Sweet Hungarian) Kitchen Bouquet Browning Sauce and Kraft Swiss cheese grated. Dahl's recipe calls for a hint of clove, no paprika, and Gruyere Cheese.

I could never bring myself to use canned beef broth and I think Famous Barr may have been taking some of their au jus drippings from the french dip roasts to strengthen the beef stock. I personally save juices from a roast in the freezer and make my own beef stocks. I know that many restaurants use Minor's Beef Base and or Au Jus Concentrate. This can be ordered over the internet or a restaurant store. There is also Better than Bullion Beef Base at most grocery stores. Famous likely used Minor's or a similar product.




Which Cheese to use? I have tried both Gruyere and Kraft Swiss and the latter had the right consistency. I recommend using both the paprika and a few taps of ground clove (just a little) along with the Kitchen Bouquet.

Which Onions to use, sweet Bermuda or regular yellow onions (you can't buy Bermuda anymore but they were sweet) I use half Vidalia and half Yellow.

Lastly, the cooking time on the onions varies greatly. Dahl doesn't specify a cooking time but states until golden brown. Zettle says about 15-20 Minutes and the internet recipe say's to cook the onions for an hour and a half. I think the most important thing is not to burn the onions as they turn bitter. I have always found an hour and a half excessive but have done it on the lowest setting stirring occasionally. I would do what Zettle says.

Compare all three recipes below:


CHEF MANFRED ZETTL'S FRENCH ONION SOUP

Executive chef Famous-Barr Company, St. Louis, 1964-1974

Ingredients

8 cups onions, peeled and sliced

1/8th-inch thick

2 ounces olive oil

2 ounces butter

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper (or 1 tablespoon of fine-ground black pepper). You may wish to grind your own pepper. Be sure to choose a coarse setting.

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 quarts beef stock

1 cup, optional, red or white wine

2 tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet liquid

seasoning

16 slices, 1/4 inch apiece, French bread

2 cups grated Swiss cheese

Loaf of French bread as accompaniment

Preparation

Peel onions, cut in half, then in half again, then in 1/8th-inch slices. In a large sauce pot, heat olive oil, and butter. Add and sauté onions over medium heat, until translucent. Approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Add all seasonings except Kitchen Bouquet. Blend well. Add flour, stirring constantly. Immediately add beef stock. Add wine, optional.

Bring to a boil, check for taste. Add kitchen bouquet for a bit of color. Simmer slowly for 20 minutes, when the soup is ready to serve.

Use oven-proof bowls or the traditional brown crock. Bowls should hold at least 8 ounces. Place 6 ounces of soup in the bowl, top with two slices of French bread and 1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese. Place in 450-degree oven, top shelf, for 10 minutes, until cheese starts to brown and soup bubbles. Be very careful when serving. Will be very hot.

French bread, as typically sold here, is white on the inside and "way underbaked." Put a loaf of store-bought French bread on a rack in the 350-degree oven, about 10 minutes. Bread should have "a beautiful crust," brown enough that "you can hear when you slice it." 

Recipe and article at the following link:

http://www.westendword.com/Articles-Features-c-2012-04-11-179903.114137-SOUPS-ON.html#123

 French Onion Soup

‘FAMOUS-BARR’ FRENCH ONION SOUP AU GRATIN

Chef and Famous Barr Food and Beverage Director Erich Dahl beginning in 1948

• l lb. Bermuda onions
• ¼ lb. butter
• 4 whole bay leaves
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. glutamate (opt.)
• 1 tsp. flour
• 1/3 c. Burgundy wine (opt.)
• 2 qt. beef stock, au jus, or strong beef broth
• French bread croutons
• 1 lb. grated French Gruyere or Swiss Gruyere

Slice Bermuda onions paper thin.  Saute’ the onions until golden brown in approximately ¼ pound of dairy fresh sweet butter.  (A copper-lined saute’ pan will give the best results.)  When onions are golden brown, add bay leaves, cloves, salt, glutamate, Burgundy wine (optional) and freshly crushed black peppercorns.  Add 2 quarts of clear beef stock, au jus or strong beef broth (bouillon cubes may be used as a substitute).  Simmer slowly for another thirty to thirty-five minutes.  If soup appears too thin, add Beurre Manie which consists of 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 1 heaping teaspoon of all-purpose flour.  Makes 2 quarts.

To serve:  Ladle soup into earthenware cup or bowl.  Place French bread croutons (cut about ¼ inch thick to cover surface).  Top with generous portion of grated French or Swiss Gruyere cheese.  Place under broiler approximately 5 minutes or until cheese melts.  Remove and serve immediately.  Serves 8.

Recipe and article at the following link:

http://archive.is/B509X



French Onion Soup recipe with purchase of McCoy Soup Crocks at Famous Barr

The above recipe can be found on multiple internet sites

This is one of my beef stock recipes.

(This is a double batch, I put half in my freezer for the next time)

6 Quarts Water
4 Tbsp Beef Better than Bullion or Minor's Beef Base
2-3 Meaty Beef Shanks
1 Cup Burgundy
10 Peppercorns
3 Bay leaves

Sear Shanks in a dutch oven with just a little butter and pepper. Add Water, bullion, bay leaves, clove, peppercorn, and burgundy. Cover and place in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, turn heat down to 325 degrees and let the ingredients braise for 2 1/2 Hours or until it is reduced by almost half. Remove from oven, allow to cool, *remove shanks and reserve for another use (think dogs). Pour liquid from Dutch oven, through a fine mesh strainer, into a soup pot.

Beef Shanks

The purpose of doing this in the oven instead of the stovetop is it reduces better in the oven.

Susan's Version

2.5 lb. Sweet Onions Vidalia, Walla Walla or the like
2.5 lb Yellow Onions
2 Tbsp Olive or Avocado Oil

3/4 stick Unsalted Butter 

3 whole bay leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp Paprika (buy fresh, don't use cheap, Hungarian sweet)

4-6  Healthy Taps ground cloves

2 Tsp fresh Cracked Pepper

1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. glutamate (opt.) I don't use this.

4 Tbsp A/P flour or 6 Tbsp Wondra flour

1/2 Cup Burgundy or Chardonnay I use Burgundy

3 Quarts beef stock, au jus, or strong beef broth
1 or 2 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet, add a little at a time till you get the right color

French Baguette Crouton  

1 lb. grated Swiss 

Slice onions 1/8 inch thick, Saute’ the onions until golden brown and caramelized but not burnt. Sprinkle a little salt and a pinch of sugar on onions while sauteeing.  When onions are golden brown, add paprika first and incorporate well, add cloves, salt, pepper, and glutamate if using. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook for a minute or two. Add Burgundy or Chardonnay and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Quickly stir in 3 quarts of clear beef stock, au jus or strong beef broth in about three additions stirring completely each time to work the flour through the broth.  Add bay leaves cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. If soup appears too thin, add  Makes 3 quarts.

 To serve: Ladle soup into earthenware cup or bowl. Place 2 slices French baguette (cut about ¼ inch thick to cover surface) on top of the ladled soup. Bread should cover the surface of the soup (you are building a life raft for the cheese).  Top with generous portion of grated Swiss Cheese.  Place in a 350-degree oven and bake until cheese has browned and formed a crust, about 10 Minutes.

Note (You really don't want to just broil this. It might brown and melt it, however, it will not form a crust and become sort of nutty in flavor). When baked, the cheese will puff up, form a crust and brown. Broiling simply melts it into the soup.

To prepare the baguette, place a whole loaf in a 350-400 degrees (depends on your oven) oven for 10 minutes The crust should be browned and crisp. Tip: Slice it on its side with a decent bread knife and it won't compress as much.

Remove and serve immediately. Serves 8. 

Notes.

Make the soup the day before and refrigerate overnight, the flavor is much better. Heat soup through and assemble the Gratin the next day.

I don't use the monosodium glutamate

Use fresh cracked pepper

Use Ground Cloves

Use "fresh" Sweet Hungarian Paprika (do not use old paprika or cheap, you will regret it).

Chicken Empanadas

Not yet Tested

3 Chicken Leg Quarters
2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Small Onion, cut in half
4 Garlic Cloves Peeled and Smashed
2 Tbsp Oil
Sautee then stew ingredients, add stock, cover, simmer for about 40 minutes. Remove chicken and cool. Strain and retain any broth left in the pan, discard garlic and onions. Skin, debone and shred chicken. 

2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
2 Tbsp Mexican Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Culantro (not Cilantro), fresh minced, omit if you hate Cilantro. Use a teaspoon of dried coriander instead. 
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
2-3 Tbsp Sofrito *
2 Tbsp fine Softassilk Cake Flour
1/4 Cup Strained Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Spanish Green Onions, sliced
1-2 Cloves Garlic Minced
1/4 Cup diced Onions
1/4 Cup Diced ajitos 

Saute Garlic, Onions and Ajitos in oil, add Cayenne Pepper, Oregano, Paprika and Black Pepper, continue to saute for another minute, add Sofrito, stir, add flour, cook for an additional minute or two, add chicken stock, stir to incorporate, add tomato paste, stir, add chicken and olives, simmer for 15-20 Minutes.

Basic Sofrito:
2 big Spanish onions
1 head of garlic
2 small tomatoes
1 red pepper
15 leaves of recao
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Rough chop in food processor
Put in glass jar and refrigerate

Susan's Fried Chicken

Here is my home seasoning. Make sure you use both white and black pepper.

1/2 tsp White Pepper

1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Ground Sage
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Ground Savory
1 1/2 Ground Thyme
1 tsp Ground Marjoram

1/2 tsp Ground Rosemary
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg (trust me)
1 tbsp Paprika (sweet)

Fine Plain Popcorn Salt or Flake Salt

For an extra kick add cayenne pepper and onion powder or even a salt free blackening seasoning.

Combine all ingredients (except salt) in a mini Tupperware or other airtight lidded container. Use about 3 tablespoons of seasoning to 4 cups flour, and a tablespoon popcorn salt to the flour, whisk ingredients together. Dip your finger in the flour... can you taste the salt and seasoning, because you need to be able to taste it in the flour, add a little more to both if needed. Divide the flour in half and store half in a ziplock for future use or additional flour as needed.

* Timing

Breast 12  minutes

Wing 7-8 minutes

Drumstick 12-15

Thighs 12-15 minutes

You want at least 165-degree center. Use a pen thermometer to check for doneness.

Brine 

2 quarts water

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup kosher salt

1 heaping tablespoon chicken seasoning.

Brine for at least 5 hours

Here are some tips and tricks for turning out a crispy crunchy and juicy fried chicken. 

1. Never fry refrigerator cold chicken, your oil temperature will drop the second you add the chicken to the oil. This will throw off the entire dish in more ways than one. Allow the temperature to return to 350 before adding the next batch. 

2. Never crowd the chicken in the fryer or the pot. That crust needs to have unfettered contact with that hot oil to crisp up and room to let the steam bubbles escape.   Cook only a few pieces at a time. It is worth the extra time and effort. 

3. Flour, use a softer lower protein flour. Cake flour is a great secret for fried chicken. Also good is self-rising flour. All Purpose flour turns out a hard thick bready crust, rather than that delicate shattering crispy crust, I don't like it. 

4. Brining, definitely brine your chicken. Frying causes moisture loss, those bubbles in the frying oil, that is moisture escaping. I do a salt/sugar brine and water. drain the chicken well after brining and pat with a paper towel. Also, throw a tablespoons of the seasoning into that brine. 

5. Building a crust that sticks, it is a three-step process. A. Toss chicken in seasoned flour in an oversized tall bowl. B. Dip chicken in an egg-milk wash, let excess drain drip back into the bowl. C. Toss chicken just (no more than two at a time) through the seasoned flour. 

6. Use a raised cookie rack to set you chicken on after it is breaded, allow it to sit for 15 minutes till it starts to look a little gooey, toss it back through the flour for a double coating.

7. For a lighter coating only run it through the breading process once. Pure preference for single or double breading. 

8. Use popcorn or flake salt and fine ground seasonings.  Flake salt is usually a special order item, however, popcorn salt is easy to find. Why? Popcorn and flake salts are very light and float in the flour rather than sinking to the bottom. Your seasoning should all be finely ground so they float in your flour and cling to it.

9. Deep fryers are great to use when you are a novice (that is how I started), you can regulate the temperature easily and see if it drops. I now favor a cast iron deep fryer pot and a thermometer. Cast iron retains heat and prevents the temperature of the oil from dropping too much. 350 is the temperature you want. One other good option is a wok, the thing I find the most important is that the chicken floats, I don't like contact with the bottom like you get in a pan. 

10. Seasoning your flour, rule of thumb is 1 tablespoons seasoning to 2 cups of flour. I sometimes do a little more... again preference. 

11. Fry dark and light meat separately, breast meat cooks faster. 

12. Watch those bubbles, like popping popcorn when you hear the kernels almost stop popping you know it is done. When the bubbles slow down, the moisture level in the chicken has dropped. Having said that, see below for timing. *

13. Break the big thigh bone before cooking, this is a restaurant trick that allows faster cooking as thighs take the longest to cook. 

14. You can keep your chicken warm in the oven at 200, however, make sure it is sitting on a raised rack. Never set chicken onto paper towels or directly in a pan, the heat will steam your crust soggy.

15. Use an oversized tall bowl for tossing the chicken, toss the using your hands at least 7 times in the flour.

A word on gravy, I like to use the crackling grease (2 to 3 tbsp) from the bottom of the pot, then I use the seasoned flour, chicken stock and milk to create a cream gravy.

Finally, if you want a foolproof fried chicken seasoning I recommend: You will never need another chicken seasoning recipe.

The Marion-Kay Spice Store
1351 West Hwy 50, Brownstown, Indiana 47220
Mondays – Thursdays, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. (Eastern Time Zone)
(1-800-627-7423) or locally (812) 358-3000

https://marionkay.com/product-category/blends/

Chicken Seasoning 99 X This is 25 oz seasoning without the salt, they do sell flake salt.
$ 30.00 

or

Chicken Seasoning Plus A 9 1/2 oz. bottle with the salt already added. 

$ 7.00

Bread Pudding with Pecans, and Whiskey

I did not use a recipe for this, I simply flew by my pants, from memory here is the approximate ingredients.

6-7 Large Cinnamon Rolls (I make this when I have leftover stale rolls)
4 Hamburger buns, Hawaiian rolls or brioche bread
6-7 Whole eggs
2 Cups whole milk or half and half
1/2 cup or so of Pecan Pieces
2 handfuls of Coconut (optional)
1 cup Raisins (optional)
4 tbsp of Whiskey (or more)
1 tbsp of Vanilla
3/4 Cup of white sugar
1/2 Cup of brown sugar
1 1/2  tsp Cinnamon or to taste.
1 tsp nutmeg


Break up rolls and bread into bite-sized piece into a buttered or non-stick medium casserole dish. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl adding the Pecans, coconut and or raisins last. Pour Mixture over the bread items and hand toss to distribute evenly. Pat down the mixture so all liquids soak in. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean, do not over baker.

You can make a drizzle glaze from brown sugar, butter, and whiskey with a little vanilla. You can also serve this with just a little cream.


This is a dish made from leftover breakfast sweets and bread. Although you can use any bread item, I prefer to make this dish when I have a significant number of stale cinnamon rolls. Softer bread such as hot dog buns, hamburger buns mixed with the cinnamon rolls is a winner. Other types of bread such as brioche or Hawaiian sweet rolls would be perfect as well.

Smoked Pulled Pork Enchiladas (leftovers)

So this is a dish made from leftovers, I always sneak a bag of pulled pork or chicken away into the freezer for this very purpose. I am not trying to remake the wheel here so I am using canned enchilada sauce, if you make and freeze your own then you are a superstar.

4 Cups Pulled Pork (leftover)
1 Onion diced
1 Bulb Garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 Poblano pepper, charred, peeled and diced
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
*1-1 1/2 Tsp Seasoning Mix
Corn Tortillas
Red Enchilada Sauce
Green Enchilada Sauce
Shredded Cheese blend or Oaxacan cheese and Cheddar shredded and blended.

Place the thawed pulled pork in a crockpot with diced onion, minced garlic, dice Poblano peppers, seasoning, and chicken stock. Heat on high for about 2 hours. Warm the enchilada sauce, dip each tortilla into the sauce, fill with pork and roll placing each enchilada seam side down in a casserole dish. I do one side of red sauce enchiladas and one side of the green sauce. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Top with the cheese halfway through cooking.  Bake at 3:50 for 30 Minutes.

Seasoning Mix:
1/4 Tsp Cayenne
1/4 Tsp Coriander
1/4 Tsp Oregano (Mexican)
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Paprika
Save the rest for something else

Slap Yourself Smothered Pork Chops

6 Bone in Pork Chops
1 Bulb Fresh Garlic, minced
5 Ribs of Celery chopped
2 Medium Onions, slivered
1 Medium Green Bell Pepper, slivered
1 Pound of Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Flour
4 Cups Chicken or Turkey Stock (I Use Better than Bullion Brand) Salt source
Cracked Black Pepper enough to season chops while searing
1 Envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix (salt source)
1 Tbsp Smother Seasoning
1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley or Celery Leaves
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoon Oil

Smother Seasoning
This is a basic blackening seasoning. I use Sensational Seasoning salt-free Cajun Blackening.
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp White Pepper
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Ground Oregano

This along with black/white pepper, onion/garlic powder is a basic chicken seasoning. I have a salt free mix by Marion Kay spice 99x chicken seasoning with these ingredients.
1/2 Tsp Ground Sage
1/4 Tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 Tsp Ground Savory
1/2 Tsp Ground Thyme
1/2 Tsp Ground Marjoram
1/2 Tsp Ground Bay Leaves
(Do not add Salt)

Mix both spice list together, do not add salt. Now you have a good smother seasoning that works great on smothered turkey wings or baked chicken. Use a heaping tablespoon in the smothered pork chops and store the rest. 

Plug in a Large Crockpot on high. Heat Oil and butter in a skillet and sear off pork chops, season generously with black pepper. Transfer chops to crock pot.

Add flour to skillet and cook flour while whisking, add stock and whisk scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add Smother Seasoning and Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Bring to a bubbling simmer, pour the sauce over the chops (scrape the pan with a spatula and get all of that good sauce).

Clean pan and add 2 tablespoons butter and oil and sear mushrooms on medium high heat, turn down the heat, add celery, onion and bell pepper, saute another minute.

Transfer everything into the crock pot. Lastly add in the garlic, raw along with the parsley/celery leaves.

Note:  Salt in the recipe comes from two sources, the chicken stock, and the Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Don't add any additional salt.

Cook on High for 5 hours. Walk away at this point, come back hours later with a pan of fluffy rice and enjoy... it is okay to cry when you taste it.

Tip: If the gravy is not thick enough, make a cornstarch slurry, stir into the gravy about 30 minutes before plating.

My Old School Lipton Onion Meatloaf

This recipe is the very first meatloaf recipe I ever created, I was about 17 when I first made this. It follows a lot of the ideas from the Lipton Onion Soup box recipe with my own twist thrown into it.

3 Pounds Ground Beef (lean)
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley/or chop the leaves from the celery
3 Cloves of garlic smashed and minced
1 Tsp black pepper
1  1/2 Envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
5 slices of white bread cut into little cubes, you can dry these out first if you like
2 Eggs

Wash and finely chop your celery, bell pepper, and onions. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut bread into cubes (it is easiest to do in a stacked grid pattern). Crumble the ground beef into a large mixing bowl 

Add all ingredients to the bowl, using two large forks toss everything together distributing evenly. Use one fork to make sure it is well mixed in a raking and tossing pattern (do not mash the mix, mashing makes meat tough and it can end up dry).

Scoop half of the meat blend into a loaf pan. You have enough to freeze the remainder for a second loaf or make a large meatloaf for a crowd. I press the meatloaf firmly to the sides so the glazed doesn't fall off.

I freeze the other half of the meatloaf for a second loaf. (my personal time hack)

Glaze
1 Cup Ketchup
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

This is a super easy topping for this meatloaf. I cook the meatloaf halfway, then pour and spread this glaze on top.

German Potato Salad

10 Slices of Bacon fried crisp, crumbled and reserved to the side
2-3 tablespoons bacon grease reserved
3 cups waxy potatoes like red bliss or new potatoes, slice into thin moons or small cubes
3 Tbsp finely minced flat leaf parsley
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup cane sugar (Philippine) or white wine vinegar
1/2 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp white pepper
1/4 Tsp black pepper
1 Tsp salt for potato boiling
3 Tbsp Water

Fry bacon crisp, drain and cool, crumble and set aside. Slice a small onion into half moon slivers, set aside. Pull celery leaves off of a celery bunch or use flat leaf parsley, rinse, shake dry and finely mince, set aside. Peel and rinse and cube or slice potatoes, cover with water, 1 Tsp salt and cook until fork tender. Slice potatoes drain and rinse in cold water, allow cooling.

Add sliced onions to reserved bacon grease, saute until tender and clear.  Add water, sugar, salt, peppers, and vinegar to the pan, deglaze the pan scraping the bottom as you go. After about a minute add celery leaves, toss together well. Add potatoes and bacon, toss till coated and serve immediately while hot.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

16 oz Elbow Macaroni Noodles
1/4 Stick Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp Soft as Silk or Wondra flour
1 Quart Half and Half
16 oz Kraft Extra Sharp Cheddar
8oz Kraft Medium Cheddar 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
3-4  Taps Nutmeg
Sprinkle sparingly to taste Slap Ya Mamma Cajun Seasoning
1/8 Tsp Black Pepper
2 Eggs

You can use whatever combination of cheese you like, however, the particular combination above is spot on for my tastes. The medium and xtr sharp have different notes and texture so use both and use the Kraft.

Boil Noodles in salted water, remove when very al dente (I cannot stress this enough). Immediately drain noodles and rinse in cold water tossing until they are completely cool to the touch and the cooking process has stopped., set aside to drain.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, add flour and cook using a whisk for a few minutes. leave the roux blonde, do not allow it to darken. Slowly pour in half and half while whisking, add garlic powder, nutmeg, and black pepper. Do not add the Slap Ya Mamma Cajun seasoning yet. When the mixture is heated, steaming and thickened add grated cheese a large handful at a time up to 1/3 of the cheese. and continue whisking until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Allow cooling for about 10 minutes. Add a little of the Slap Ya Mamma at a time in sprinkles, tasting careful not to oversalt. In a bowl crack and whip eggs, add a ladle full of cooled cheese sauce to the eggs whisking to temper. Add tempered eggs into the sauce and whisk to incorporate.

Place noodles in a nonstick or buttered casserole dish, add cheese sauce and stir together till well incorporated. Add 1/3 of cheese and stir to sink and distribute in casserole. Top the casserole with remaining cheese add a light sprinkle of garlic powder, slap ya mamma and black pepper. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler to crisp the top of the casserole until golden brown and bubbling. Watch it the whole time. It can burn fast.

When adding the Cajun Slap Ya Mamma, be aware it has a salt content and so does your cheese, add only a little at a time until you hit that sweet spot.

Greens simple and good

2 bunches collard
2 bunches mustard
1 smoked pork chop
1 onion slivered
2 Thai chiles minced
2 dried Chinese chilis crumbled
1 tbsp onion powder
1tbsp garlic powder
1/2  Tsp seasoning salt
*Philippines cane vinegar
a tablespoon or so white sugar
better than bullion ham broth prepared (1 tablespoon per 16oz water)
a little cooking oil


In a clean sink filled with cold fresh water submerge greens, add a bit of white vinegar to the water and soak. Scrub greens together gently, drain water and refill, soak again. Rinse greens well. Fold each leaf in half and remove stems, stack, roll and cut greens cross wise, then length wise. Chop some of the mustard green stems

In a large pot, heat oil on medium, add chop and saute, add onion and dried Chinese peppers, continue sauteeing, add greens, stems and cook down a little. Add prepared ham broth, onion powder, garlic powder, seasoning salt, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil, lower the heat and simmer for two hours.

*About the Philippines Cane Vinegar: it is a mild vinegar and nowhere near as sour as white or American vinegar. If you cannot find it adjust your recipe accordingly.

* Both the ham paste and seasoning salt are salty so combine as directed.

Chicken and Dumpling's

Chicken and Broth

One Whole Chicken or 1 package of skinned chicken thighs.
Hot Water enough to cover the chicken by about 3 inches
½ Teaspoon Celery Seed
¾ Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
½ Teaspoon White Pepper
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder (not onion salt)
¾ Tablespoon or 1 Whole Tablespoon Garlic Powder (not garlic salt)
1 Teaspoon Tarragon
1 Teaspoon Parsley
2-3 Bay Leafs
1/2 large onion

1 large carrot peeled and split

2 stalks celery

A couple of tablespoons of Better than Bullion Chicken Paste, Low Sodium or Regular.

Do yourself a favor and don't use Bullion; the salt content is atrocious and doesn't bump up the chicken flavor factor enough.

Bring to a boil, then knock it down to a simmer. Allow to simmer for an hour and a half to 2 hours.

Place a strainer over an equal-sized pot (I do this in the sink). Pour the contents of the pot directly into a colander; the broth will catch in the pot. Allow chicken to cool and debone, reserving the chicken. Discard bones, skin, and 1/2 onion, celery, and carrots. Return broth to the stove.

Rue:
3 Tablespoons of Butter
3 Tablespoons Flour
1 Cup of pot broth and 1 Cup heavy whipping cream combined

Do not cook the rue dark... this is a lighter-colored dish.

Return the empty original pot to the stovetop and make your rue. Set your strained chicken aside and slowly pour the broth back into your cooked rue, whisking rapidly so it does not clump.

Now add in your rough sliced veggies...

4 Lg Carrots sliced
4 Lg Celery sliced
1 Medium Onion Diced
2 Cups frozen peas

Debone and skin your chicken and add the chicken meat back to the pot. 

Dumpling's
4 Cups of Flour (I use bread flour)

8 Teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon White Pepper
2 Eggs
4 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Cup of Whole Milk; you can use half and half for a thicker gravy.
1 Cup Stock from the Pot
1 ½ Teaspoon of Tarragon or Parsley (I sometimes use half of each)

I do not sift the bread flour... I use a whisk on it after dropping it in the bowl... the same effect.

Place flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and whisk them together well.
Using a 3 Cup measuring cup, add:

1 cup hot broth
1 cup cold whole milk (in that order so your eggs do not cook)
2 eggs (whisk together)
3 tablespoons melted butter (separately)

Pour all wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir to incorporate; do not overmix.
Set aside and allow it to stand for about 5 minutes to give the baking powder time to activate.

Using an ice cream scoop treated with cooking spray, drop equal-sized dumplings into your gently simmering pot...do not crowd the dumplings; they have to expand and have a little wiggle room to cook up fluffy and light. Also, do not boil your dumplings; you want that broth at a gentle simmer. Place the lid on and cook for 7 ½ minutes... open the pot and gently flip the dumplings; replace the lid and cook for another 7 ½ minutes. Stick a knife in one dumpling to see if it is fluffy and cooked. Repeat and make a second batch.

While the first batch of dumplings is simmering, microwave the peas in a bowl with a lid for a few minutes until heated. Add the peas to the pot after you remove your last batch of dumplings and stir to incorporate.

A couple of tips and notes:
You can cut the dumpling recipe in half if you like; however, I find they all get eaten.

I use two large spoons to flip the dumplings; you don't want to break them. Again, only crowd a few in the pot at one time; they will not cook properly.

I use white pepper as it has a different taste and look.

A Rotisserie Chicken already has seasoning salt, so avoid adding salt to the dumplings. You can use a plain chicken instead of a Rotisserie; however, the cooking process of a Rotisserie tenderizes the chicken rather than toughening it.

That goes for the broth as well; better than Bullion Chicken Paste is the best product out there. It comes in regular and low-salt versions... however, it contains salt, so you don't want to salt that broth... I omit it from the recipe on purpose. You can always add salt and pepper to your serving bowl, but as the saying goes, you cannot remove it.

I know the recipe SOUNDS complicated, and yes, it has lots of steps... but once you get it down, it is like riding a bike.

Pot Roast with with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

1 Chuck Roast 3lb

1 Large Yellow Onion, peeled and cut in half

1 Whole Bulb Fresh Garlic, peeled, trimmed of top and smashed 

1 Tablespoon Onion Powder (not onion salt)

1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder (not garlic salt)

2 Cups Beef Stock, I use Better than Bouillon Beef Paste (prepare 8 oz with water as directed). 

1 Cup Dry Red Wine (not sweet) recommend Merlot or Burgundy

2 Bay Leaf

1 Pinch Rosemary

1 Pinch Thyme

Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste

1 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet 

Note on Salt. I do not add additional salt, the bullion has plenty. You can always add the salt on the plate. I love salt but it is not needed. 

Vegetables

5 Celery Ribs, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 lb Bag Carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

1 lb Bag Frozen Green Beans optional

You can use regular onions, a couple of smaller ones, or a quartered large onion. or Pearl Onions, parboiled and popped out of the peels (optional)

1/2 Pound Peeled Potatoes or Omit the potatoes like I do and serve mashed on the side. 

Thickening

Cornstarch and Water Slurry

In a hot lightly oiled pan, on medium-high heat, sear the chuck roast on both sides. Place it in an oven roaster. Add wine to the hot pan and scrape up any browned bits. Place onion, smashed garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, cracked pepper, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, simmered wine, prepared beef stock, and kitchen bouquet into the roaster. Cover the roast with lid and place in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 and cook for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours.  

The last hour of roasting add your vegetables. 

The last five minutes of cooking, remove the pan from the oven and turn the heat to 400. Using a slotted spoon, pile vegetables on top of the meat (making a well to mix cornstarch with broth) Prepare the slurry and using a whisk mix cornstarch into broth stirring, tilt the pan and incorporate slurry into all of the broth. Return pan without the lid to the oven, about 5 minutes until it comes to a full bubble.  Pull it out and serve.

I usually double the recipe as this gets eaten up and is great as a leftover. You don't need to double the onion.

(made from caramelized veggies, gives the gravy that beautiful dark color)

(concentrate, prepare with hot water as directed)