Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (14 page)

SERVES 4

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, salt it, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a shallow dish, combine the honey and Dijon mustard. Add the chicken to the dish and season with salt and pepper. Turn the tenders to coat the chicken in the honey mustard.

Place the bread crumbs in a second shallow dish, then add the coated chicken tenders to the dish a few at a time, covering them completely with bread crumbs (press down on the chicken to make sure the crumbs stick).

In a large skillet heat about an inch of canola oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the chicken tenders a few at a time until golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked, placing the finished pieces on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven to keep warm and crispy. (If you have a wire cooling rack, place it on top of the baking sheet for extra-crispy chicken.)

Heat an inch of water in a pan with a lid. When it boils, salt the water and add the broccoli. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan to trap the steam. Cook for 5 minutes or until the broccoli is just about tender but still bright green. Drain the broccoli and keep warm in the pan.

When the potatoes are cooked through, drain them and return them to the pot. Mash the potatoes to the desired consistency with the buttermilk, sour cream, hot sauce to taste, parsley, dill, chives, salt, and pepper.

Serve the chicken fingers alongside some taters and broccoli spears.

This is a decidedly light cousin to heavy beef or lamb and potato pies. This meal is perfect for spring and fall suppers. I taught it first as an easy Mother's Day supper.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Preheat the broiler, place an oven rack at the center of the oven.

Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with about 1 tablespoon of EVOO. Add the chicken, season it with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan to a casserole dish, add a drizzle of EVOO to the pan, then add the carrots, peas, and scallions. Season the veggies with salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Scoot the vegetables over to one side and melt in the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and cook for about 1 minute, stirring. Whisk in the white wine, cook 1 minute, then whisk in the chicken stock and cook for 1 minute to thicken. Season the sauce with mustard and tarragon then salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce and vegetables over the chicken in the casserole and combine.

Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot, then mash with the herb cheese, egg yolks, parsley, milk or chicken stock, salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes over the chicken in the casserole dish.

Put the dish under your broiler until the top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with paprika.

I'm an unconventional girl, but I do enjoy an occasional square meal. This one literally has four side dishes that come together to form a well-balanced dinner: potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and greens.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Cover the potatoes with water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Salt the water and cook the potatoes for 12 to 15 minutes until tender. Drain the potatoes. Return the same pot to the stove and warm the stock over medium heat. Whisk in the butter and marmalade. Add the potatoes and mash; they should be a bit chunky. Season with salt and pepper and a few dashes of hot sauce. Serve immediately.

Super Stuffing with Cider Gravy

SERVES 4

Preheat the oven to 325°F and scatter the bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with the poultry seasoning and bake to toast the bread cubes, 10 to 12 minutes.

Quarter the unpeeled apples and cut away the cores. Chop the apples into bite-size pieces.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the apples, onions, celery, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the chicken to the skillet, combine with the vegetables, and heat through for 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in the bread cubes and moisten with about 2 cups of the chicken stock.

While the stuffing cooks, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, cook for a minute or so, then whisk in the cider and the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes to thicken. Stir in the parsley.

Serve the stuffing doused with ½ cup of the gravy and with Smoky Greens with Cranberries and Mashed Sweet 'n' Bitter Potatoes alongside.

SERVES 4

Heat a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Strip the kale from the stems while the bacon crisps up. Coarsely chop the kale and add it to the pan, adding as much as will fit, then adding more as it wilts into the pan. Season the greens with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg. Scatter in the cranberries and stir in the stock. Simmer the greens for 10 minutes over medium-low heat to plump the cranberries and sweeten the greens. Stay warm!

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken with Blue Cheese and Pecans