Fried Chicken and Waffles Recipe – Unfried

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Having recently been reminded of an ill-fated trip I took to Atlanta a few years ago, I began thinking back to some of the highs and lows of the journey.

1. I was there for work…low, but work meant interviewing Chris Robinson, a awesome music video producer and director of the movie ATL…high.

2. Diana Ross was staying at our hotel…high, but she refused to sign an autograph…low.

3. I didn’t get a part in the movie…low, but I did get to try Chicken & Waffles for the first time…high!

Chicken and Waffles are a southern tradition. The roots of the recipe are somewhat debatable. According to Wikipedia recipes for the famous dish appeared shortly after Thomas Jefferson brought a waffle iron back from France. The waffle iron had been used for quite some time in Belguim to make…you guessed it…Belgian Waffles.

When it made it to the plantations of the south, house kitchen workers learned the recipe and began to use it for special occasions and celebrations when they were able to get chicken. Today, Chicken and Waffles has become an art. With places like Cali’s famous Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles and Atlanta’s Gladys and Ron’s (owned by Gladys Knight!! – - clearly why I went there) giving it street credibility, the dish has now found a place in restaurants from fast food to full on gourmet!

The combination can be a little heavy though, so I tried to lighten it up a bit with Oven-Fried Chicken and Waffles.

Crispy but light Oven Fried Chicken

Oven-Fried Chicken

  • 1/2 cup nonfat buttermillk
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2-3 pounds Chicken Breast, Wing, Thigh, Leg
  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil cooking spray

Whisk buttermilk, mustard and garlic in a shallow glass dish until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.

Whisk flour, paprika, baking powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Shaking off excess marinade, place one or two pieces of chicken at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and place the chicken on the prepared rack. (Discard any leftover flour mixture and marinade.) Spray the chicken pieces with cooking spray.

Bake the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, about 25-30 minutes minutes.

Waffles!!!

Waffles

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk Maple Syrup

Preheat a waffle iron and lightly grease. Into a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. In a clean bowl, beat the eggs. Add the butter and buttermilk and beat to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix well. Pour the batter into the hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown and lightly crisp. Remove and if desired, top with a slice of butter, and serve with the chicken and maple syrup

National Catfish Day: Southern Fried Catfish Recipe

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Growing up in a household with southern roots, fried fish is one of those sacred recipes that is never to be touched. It has been, is and always will be made the same way as your great grandmother made it.

Luckily, I got my great grandmother’s fried fish, fried chicken, fried bread…fried everything recipes during a summer crash course in Littleton, NC. The thing with a town that small in rural North Carolina is, if you don’t cook, you don’t have anything to do.

So I cooked and I studied and I burnt myself and I laughed and I fished for my own Catfish in a creek. My previous experience with which amounted to the magnetic fishing game below.

Melissa & Doug’s Magnetic Fishing Game

I had a wooden rod, string, a safety pin and a cricket that my Great Grandma Dell had to hook because I was too squeamish. When we would return from our fishing trips (she caught about 20 and I hooked 4…maybe) I would take a tick bath and then get to work in the kitchen.

You would think that I am talking about some distant time between 1901 and 1955, but I am only 30! This was literally 1991 and 9-year old me learned to fry a catfish like a seasoned pro.

Today, most of our Catfish is farm-raised or aquacultured and has become one of the most sustainable and eco-friendly fish that we eat. Due to special programs that include free-flowing waters and diet regulation, these former bottom feeders have risen to the top of cleanliness and deliciousness in the past few years.

Southern Fried Catfish

So here’s to a good old recipe using the modern catfish!

  • 1 cup Cornmeal
  • 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 tsp Paprika
  • 2 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
  • 3/4 cup Buttermilk
  • 4 Catfish Fillets
  • 1/4 cup EVOO
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 4 Tbsp Green Onion
  • Small Slice Lemon Slices (optional)

Mix Cornmeal with Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Ground Pepper and Onion Powder. Sift on to a large plate and set aside. In a wide bowl, whisk together Dijon Mustard and Buttermilk.

With one hand (wet hand) dip Catfish Fillets in the Milk mixture and lay flat on the Cornmeal mixture. With the other hand (dry hand) dust top of fish with the dry mix until covered. Remove fillet and shake off all excess. Repeat with each fish fillet.

Heat large pan with 1/8 cup Olive Oil to medium high heat. Add 1 Tbsp Butter and lay two fillets in pan. Fry for minutes per side. Drain pan into hot oil safe container and repeat with remaining fillets.

Serve with over Rice Pilaf with diced and pan softened celery, peppers and onions. Top with Green Onion and garnish with Lemon Slices.

For Rice: Prepare Rice Pilaf using box directions and add sauteed Celery (small dice), Red Bell Peppers (small dice) and Yellow Onion (small dice)

For an additional recipe check out this video on How to Prepare Catfish Fillets:

Oven Roasted Pork & Apples Recipe

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Pork Tenderloin Medallions and Apple Slices

I don’t know where the line Pork Chops and Applesauce comes from, but I do know that it is said with the over-inflated swagger of a prohibition era gangster (at least when I say it). Feel free to comment below if you can identify the character, movie or context of the quote.

That being said, the quote did give me some sort of fascination with the idea of eating pork chops and applesauce. However, since I don’t like applesauce and I have a slight problem with being unable to leave recipes alone, I made some minor changes and ended up with a light and delightful meal that I hope still maintains the comfort of the original dish.

For starters, pork chops were a little large, so I went for the adorable and flavorful pork tenderloin medallions. They are perfect if you have friends who are always asking to share or cut things in half, which I find infinitely annoying. In any case, individually sized pork tenderloin medallions solve that problem and still take on a hearty nature when served with slightly sweet apples.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin Medallions and Sauteed Apples

  • 4 Pork Tenderloin Medallions
  • 2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 3 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Coarse Salt
  • 1 bunch Asparagus, white base removed
  • 2 Medium Gala Apples, Sliced Thin
  • 1 Medium Onion, Sliced Thin

Preheat oven to 350. Season Pork Medallions evenly with 1 tsp Pepper. In a bowl, mix 2 tsp Garlic, Honey, Mustard and Worcestershire Sauce. Marinate Pork Medallions in the mixture for 30-60 minutes. Place Medallions on a foil lined pan and bake for 20 minutes, spooning excess marinade over pork halfway through.

Toss Asparagus with 1 Tbsp Olive Oil, Salt, 1 tsp Pepper and 1 tsp Garlic. Place Asparagus on a foil lined pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Asparagus is done when color reaches a bright green.

In a large pan, heat 1 Tbsp Olive Oil over medium heat. Add Apple and Onion Slices and saute until softened and slightly browned.

Arrange Apples around the perimeter of the plate. Lay Asparagus across the center of the plate and top with Pork Medallions. That way, all the delicious juices will run down over your Apples and Asparagus – - that’s my favorite part!

Pork Tenderloin Medallions served with Asparagus and Apples

Fajita Smashed Burger…Yo Quiero!

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Short Rib Smashed Burger

As I have admitted to you before, I am a not so secretive hoarder of classic as well as unique cheeseburger experiences. What I may not have mentioned is that I am also very interested in the marriage of delicious and sometimes unexpected flavor combinations. I get this from my father…King of the Banana and Mayonnaise Sandwich.

While I don’t tend to get quite THAT carried away with my flavor profiles, I do love to bring two different cuisines together to create something bigger than the sum of the parts. Yes, I am still talking about food and yes, it deserves quite the dramatic introduction. The Fajita Burger is another gift from Chef Victor Orsini. Its like going out for Mexican and ordering a juicy cheeseburger or heading to a burger bistro and getting fajitas. In short, it’s delicious and the best of both worlds!

Fajita Burger

Season Smashed Burgers with Fajita Spice. Grill for approximately 4-5 minutes per side from frozen or 3-4 minutes per side from thawed, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Melt Cheese over Burger and place on Grilled Bun. Top with Peppers, Onions, Guacamole and Sour Cream to take the classic American Burger south of the border.

Check out this video of Chef Victor preparing Smashed Burgers: http://youtu.be/PpAdb6BW_HY

 

The Crave-Worthy Turkey Burger

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Turkey Burger with Diced Tomato & Red Onion

I crave burgers. I think its un-American not to indulge in the strong desire for a big, juicy, overly dressed burger at least once a month. Of course, I don’t suggest going to the drive-thru to get your fix. Mainly because the food is disgusting, filled with things you should never put in your body, and none of them can spell “through” correctly. The last part is a little off topic, but “thru” is a really annoying – - even unappetizing word.

When I get this craving for a burger, I rarely think – “You know what would really do the trick? A turkey burger.” That’s mainly because Turkey Burgers don’t usually have that guilty pleasure feeling that cravings are all about.

That changed forever when Chef Victor gave me his recipe for Aloha Turkey Burgers. Even the name sounded delicious and now I have a new, non-guilty pleasure! The recipe is below so you can say, “Aloha” to healthy cravings.

Aloha Turkey Burgers

  • 1/4 Cup Lite Teriyaki Sauce
  • 1 Can (8 oz) Pineapple Slices, drained and reserve 1/4 Cup Juice
  • 1/2 Red Onion, diced
  • 1/2 Tomato, diced
  • 1/2 Lemon, Juiced
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • 4 All Natural Breast Meat Only Turkey Burgers
  • 4 Whole Grain Buns (Scoop out optional)
  • Whole Leaf Lettuce
  • 4 Slices Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese

Stir Teriyaki Sauce and Pineapple Juice in a small bowl until evenly mixed. Toss Red Onion, Tomato, Lemon Juice and Olive Oil.

Grill Turkey Burgers, brushing with Teriyaki mixture until cooked through (approximately 4-5 minutes per side). Place Pineapple Slices on grill and cook until lightly marked.

Assemble Burgers on Whole Grain Bun with your choice of Pineapple, Lettuce, Cheese, Onion and Tomato mixture.

Click here to see Chef Victor prepare All Natural Aloha Turkey Burgers: http://youtu.be/WvK-7Hm1y84

How to Make Mussels Fra Diavolo

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Mussels Fra Diavolo

So…I was in the middle of reading Eat, Pray, Love and I got impatient so I bought the movie. Then I was in the middle of watching Eat, Pray, Love and I got hungry so I decided to make something that was authentic Italiano! Now, I am not one to take a risk like the main character in the movie. You probably won’t find me in an Ashram in India, although you might find me lingering over a glass of wine in the Piazza del Blah Blah Blah…

My love of Italian food and my jealousy at watching Julia Roberts gorge herself on pizza, pasta, bread, chicken and seafood, made Mussels Fra Diavolo (seafood that can be served with both pasta and bread) the obvious choice. However, since I am not Italian, I took a few liberties with the recipe.

  • 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Garlic
  • 1 Medium Onion, Sliced
  • 24 oz Can Peeled and Stewed Whole Tomatoes
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 2 tsp Oregano
  • 2 tsp Basil
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 2 tsp Ground Pepper
  • 1 tsp Hot Sauce

In a large sauce pan saute Olive Oil, Garlic and Onion over medium high heat. Stir in Tomatoes, Bay Leaves, Oregano, Basil, Salt and Pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add Hot Sauce and simmer an additional 15 minutes.

Spicy Marinara with Onion and Bay Leaves

  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic
  • 2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Cup White Wine
  • 2 lbs Mussels (Cleaned and Drained)

Heat Olive Oil over medium high heat. Saute Garlic until lightly browned. Add Olive Oil and Garlic to Tomato Sauce. Stir in Red Pepper Flakes and White Wine. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add Mussels and cook until opened (about 4 minutes). Serve over pasta or with crusty french bread.

Mussels open in the Spicy Marinara Sauce

Roasted Half Chicken and Soft Pears

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Roasted Half Chicken and Warm Pears

As families, so many of us are tied to the same old dinners. The week is so packed with activities and work that it can be hard to get creative when it comes to making meals. This is especially true when it comes to basics like chicken. We just buy the same tired chicken breast, season it with the same herbs or sauces and bake.

My favorite way to spice it up in the kitchen is to pair ingredients that you may not see giong together well at first. Adding fruit as a major part of a savory meal is a great way to do this. Apples, Pears, Oranges and Prunes (yes, prunes) are some of my favorites.

For this particular recipe, the mild sweetness of the pear was the perfect thing to offset the savory spiciness of the Chili Mustard marinade.

Preheat oven to 350 and pat chicken dry. Season Chicken with Salt and Pepper. In a bowl, mix together Mustard, Olive Oil, Chili Sauce and Rosemary. Toss with Chicken Halves and allow to marinate for 30 minutes to overnight.

Chicken Half in Mustard Chili Sauce

Heat a pan over medium high heat. Sear Chicken for 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to greased shallow baking dish and oven roast for 30 minutes, basting occasionally.

While chicken is in the oven, lightly saute pear slices, until just warm. Arrange in a fan on plate and serve with chicken.

Roasted Half Chicken with Anjou Pears

Tilapia Over Greek Salad

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Tilapia over Greek Salad

Sometimes, even when you have all of the ingredients, you just can’t seem to recreate the meal that you loved at your favorite restaurant. I often feel that way about salads. They may seem simple, but the dressing on a salad is often more important than the salad toppings themselves and can vary so much from restaurant to restaurant and from bottle to bottle.

There is a restaurant called Aegean, near my hometown, that has the best Greek Salad ever (well, not including the ones in Greece probably). They top the salads with amazingly fresh seafood and actually sell their house dressing in amazing bottles that you can refill at the restaurant for just a few dollars.

Sadly, I no longer live there and its a long commute for a meal, so I decided to recreate the meal to the best of my ability. The first step was finding an equally masterful greek dressing. I tried a bunch…I even tried making my own, to no avail. Enter Gazebo Room – - a secret family recipe for the last 50 years. At least according to their site.

When I can’t make something on my own, I really like to find something that says Secret Family Recipe…or Family Tradition. That usually means grandmama had something to do with it and that usually means it will be delicious.

  • 2 Tilapia Fillets
  • 1 tsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Chipotle Mayo
  • Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste
  • 4 Cups Sweet Butter Lettuce
  • 1/4 Cup Feta
  • 1 Medium Tomato, sliced
  • 1/2 Cucumber, sliced
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 2 tsp Lime
  • 1 tsp Garlic
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 2 Tbsp Gazebo Room Greek Salad Dressing

Brush Tilapia with Soy Sauce, Mayonnaise, Pepper and Garlic Powder. Toss Cucumber with Pepper, Lime, Garlic and Salt. Place both in the refrigerator and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Grill Tilapia for 5 minutes per side on aluminum foil or bake for 15-20 minutes at 350.

Toss Lettuce with Feta, Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Dressing. Top with Tilapia and serve.

Tilapia over Greek Salad with Marinated Cucumbers

Seafood Stuffed Avocado

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Crab Stuffed Avocado

Who cares about Spring Cleaning? Not this girl…I’m all about Spring Eating. That means getting fresh ingredients and combining them in interesting new ways. After all, isn’t the whole season about new beginnings?

Spring Eating is bright, light and colorful. I find that my healthiest meals have at least 3 colors (this one featured a few shades of green, red and white) to them and integrate fruit and vegetables with a lean protein. Cooking with color and lean protein is a great way to lighten your load right before beach season.

For a fancy cookout or luncheon this season, try Seafood Stuffed Avocado as a first course:

  • 1 lb Shredded Crab and Lobster meat (you can also use one or the other)
  • 2 Tbsp Flavored Mayo
  • 1/2 medium Onion, diced
  • 2 medium Avocado, peeled and halved
  • Salt & Pepper to Taste
  • 1 medium Tomato, chopped
  • 1 Cucumber, skinned and diced
  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic

Mix Crab, Mayo and Onion. Cover and refrigerate.

Lightly season Avocado with Salt and Pepper. Grill flat side down until slightly warm with grill marks on the flesh of the avocado. Stuff each Avocado half with 1/4 of the Seafood Salad mixture. Arrange on plates with Diced Cucumber and Tomato.

Crab Stuffed Avocado with Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Whisk together Lemon, Olive Oil, Pepper, Salt and Garlic. Lightly pour dressing over stuffed avocado and cucumber/tomato salad. Serve Cold.

National French Bread Day: Salmon Baguette “Hoagie”

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Le Hoagie Francaise: Salmon, Brie and Fresh Dill on French Baguette

I love France! I love the language, I love the atmosphere, I love the art, I love the music, I love the shopping. In short, j’aime la vie francaise! Most of all…I love the food!

Every meal in France is an event, even if you just go down to the corner cafe. The dishes are inspired from simple country cooking to fine dining in luxe restaurants. I was lucky to visit France while a close family friend was studying at the famed Le Cordon Bleu. I believe it was pastry week and I am certain it was a diet disaster! But as they say, “When in France…” or was that Rome?

Hmm, anyway to really immerse yourself in the French Cuisine, you don’t have to go all Julie and Julia cooking a million recipes in half a million days. You don’t even have to “Master the Art of French Cooking” (although it is my favorite cookbook). You just have to take simple, fresh ingredients that combine in bright and interesting ways to create excitement for your tastebuds.

As you may know, today is National French Bread Day. So, I figured I would take this opportunity to mesh my American heritage with a little French sensibility. Thus, I give you Le “Hoagie” Francaise…

  • 6oz Salmon Fillet
  • 1/2 tsp Lemon
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 12 inch French Baguette
  • 3 oz. Brie or Camembert
  • 2 Sprigs Fresh Dill
  • 1 Roma Tomato, Sliced
  • 1/4 Cucumber, Peeled and Sliced
  • 1/4 Red Onion, Sliced
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

Season Salmon with Lemon Juice, Pepper, Garlic Powder and brush with Olive Oil. Bake on 375 for 25 minutes (until just browning on the top).

Seasoned and Baked Salmon with Roma Tomatoes

Seasoned and Baked Salmon with Roma Tomatoes

Slice Baguette lengthwise and spread one side with softened Brie. Top with Dill, Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion.

Fresh Sandwich Toppings: Dill, Red Onion, Cucumber

Break up Salmon with a fork and place over the sandwich toppings. Spread remaining side of bread with creamy Dijon Mustard and Bon Appetit!

Not Your Typical Hoagie...Happy National French Bread Day!