Alice Springs Chicken Ranch Salad

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced to 1/2" thickness
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Seasoning salt
6 bacon slices, cooked
Ranch Dressing
1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained
1 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle chicken with seasoning salt.  In a large skillet heat oil.  Brown chicken on both sides.  Place in an 9 x 12 x 2" baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray.  Drizzle heavy with ranch dressing.   Break up bacon slices over chicken.  Add mushrooms evenly over bacon.  Cover with cheese.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  Serve over lettuce with Ranch Dressing.

Martha:  Sis, the 1st time I had this was when we did our book signing near your home in Florida.  Remember, we all went to Outback for dinner.  Your daughter Leslie suggested the Alice Springs Chicken which I loved.  Someone send me a copy of the recipe but I've never tried it.  Then, a friend and I went to Outback for lunch and I tried it again reminding myself how good it is.  Well, while eating I dipped a little in my Ranch Dressing instead of the Honey Mustard.  So good.  I actually went to bed that night trying to come up with an idea for changing it to the Ranch Dressing and finding a different way to serve.  Then it hit me... a salad.  Perfect and so good.

Lillian:  I love Ranch dressing and use it so often for more than on a salad.  I don't care for mustard much and I know that the original recipe calls for it.  However, I do like a bit of honey mustard in some things.  Chicken, in particular, lends itself well to honey mustard, as does pork.  This "twist" to the regular Alice Springs recipe will be a hit at any dinner table.  Good going, Martha!

Food Tester Carol:  I don't know if Alice Springs Chicken hails from Australia or whether it is just a figment of Outback's imaginative menu, but whatever the case, it is a delicious way to "dress" a chicken.  The sautéed chicken, still juicy and tender, is layered with mushrooms, crumbled bacon and grated cheese and heated just enough to melt the cheese.  It is usually accompanied by honey-Dijon dressing but in this version, it is also emphatically delicious with Ranch dressing!  Martha has used the Alice Springs Chicken recipe as a topper for a salad of crisp greens, tomato wedges and added the Ranch dressing to the salad.  My taste buds aren't accustomed to eating these flavors together and I found myself wanting more, more, more.

Martha:  I had some of the chicken with the cheese, bacon and mushroom topping left over.  I decided to see how this would be as a sandwich.  OH MY!  Heat and put it between 2 pieces of toast with just a little mayo and you have a great leftover sandwich.

Chicken Cheese Ravioli

4   ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 1/2  cups milk
1  cup grated Parmesan cheese
2  cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1  cup frozen broccoli, thawed & drained (chopped or florets)
1  box (7 oz.) Parmesan cheese filled Ravioli, cooked according to package directions

Heat the cream cheese and milk in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes.  Add the chicken, broccoli and ravioli to the skillet and toss to coat.  Heat through. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

Martha:  I found a recipe for Chicken Parmesan that used canned chicken and egg noodles.  I use canned chicken only when I have to so since I had plenty of chicken in the freezer I cooked up a couple breast halves and used that instead.  I had egg noodles but when I spotted a box of ravioli with parmesan cheese I decided to make the change.  The original also called for English peas which I substituted with broccoli.  I didn't cook my broccoli because I like the crunch and taste.  You could use fresh broccoli with this and make it even better but at the time I only had frozen.  This dish turned out wonderful!  The combination of the different flavors was balanced perfectly.  You can, of course, make your own changes or go back to the original recipe using the noodles and peas.    

Food Tester Carol:  Whenever I have eaten Alfredo sauce dishes in the past, I feel discomfort from their richness and heaviness later.  Martha’s Alfredo recipe is lighter than usual.  It is made with milk and cream cheese instead of the traditional heavy cream.  The cheese ravioli rounds out the dish and provides a tangy counterpoint to the cream cheese in the Alfredo sauce.  The broccoli in this dish is not pre-cooked so it  maintains some crunch as it warms in the sauce.  Be prepared for the excitement of following the varying subtlety of flavor.  Eat this dish slowly so that you can appreciate its depth of flavor. 

Lillian:  Wonderful!  I love Alfredo Sauce but limit myself to once or twice a year of indulging because of the richness and high fat content.  This is marvelous and, since I only use the 1/3 fat cream cheese, it is even healthier.  Martha, you have created a real winner.!

Tips:  All olive oils are not the same.  This versatile oil, made form pressed olives, is sold by grade from “pure” (a blend of lower and higher-quality oils) to “extra virgin” (the richest in aroma and flavor).  Color also indicates a flavor difference.  Green to greenish gold olive oil tastes slightly sharp.  Golden olive oil has a more delicate flavor.

Hidden Valley Ranch Chicken

2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
2 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (Original)
4 chicken breast halves (about 1 lb.)
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water

Whisk juice and dressing mix.  Marinate chicken in 1/2 of the juice mixture for 2 to 2 1/2 hrs. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake chicken 45-50 minutes or until done.

In a saucepan combine cornstarch and water with remaining juice.  Heat to thicken stirring constantly.  Brush chicken with sauce.

Lillian:  Pineapple is a wonderful juice in which to marinate chicken.  Ranch dressing is my favorite dressing and this combination is great!  This is another dish that is so easy to make and will garner appreciation from all who eat it.

Martha:  Sis, when I made this dish I knew I would love it.  I did do something different that gave me even more of the 2 flavors I love so much - pineapple and ranch dressing.  I decided to turn it into a salad.  I broke up my lettuce, cut up a piece of the chicken and placed it over the lettuce, added some pineapple chunks and drizzled it with just a small amount of ranch dressing.  It doesn't take much dressing because you get so much flavor from the actual chicken.  Which I have to say is delicious as it is.  It would be great served with a side salad and maybe some rice drizzled with a little of the drippings from the chicken.  

Tip:  When removing the skin from your chicken, hold the skin with a paper towel.  This gives a better grip allowing the skin to be removed with ease.

Twice Cooked Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup self rising flour
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
salt, pepper & seasonings to taste
Oil for deep-frying

Cut chicken breasts into 1/2" thick strips.  Place chicken in a medium size pot.  Cover with water and boil about 10-15 minutes or until completely cooked.  Stir a few times to cook all pieces.  Drain.  Place on paper towels to cool and dry.  In a medium size bowl mix egg, milk and melted butter.  Stir in half of the flour.  Add more as needed until mixture the thickness of gravy.  Mix in salt, pepper & seasonings to taste.  Heat oil to 380 degrees.  Dip cooled, dry chicken into batter and drop into hot oil.  Don't allow pieces to touch.  Turn as the sides brown.  Each chicken breast will yield about 6 pieces depending upon their size.

Martha:  I found a version of this recipe in an old cookbook.  It called for a whole chicken cut up, boiling the chicken with parsley, celery and onion.  I made the change to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts which I sliced into strips.  I added my salt and pepper to the batter and also added some no salt seasoning mix that had garlic, onion, etc.  The frying time is quick which keeps the chicken from picking up that much of the oil.  The seasoning added to the batter flavored the chicken with each bite.  Now for a trick I came up with (I'm sure someone else has already done this).  I speared my chicken pieces with a skewer and used it to hold the chicken as I dipped it into the batter and then into the hot oil.  I used a fork to lightly push it off the skewer.  This also allowed me to hold the chicken in the hot oil for a few seconds so it could start browning and not stick to the bottom of the pan.  This with some honey mustard and you have good food!

Tips:  Many recipes call for chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.  If you’re fresh out of canned broth, you can use bouillon granules or cubes as an easy substitute.  Just remember that 1 can of canned broth is equivalent to 1 tsp. of granulated or 1 cube dissolved in 1 cup of water.  

Chicken Tetrazzini

5 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 jar (8 oz.) mushrooms, drained
5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup evaporated milk
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups diced or slivered cooked chicken
1 pkg. (8 oz.) thin spaghetti
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in med. size saucepan.  Stir in flour.  Add chicken stock and stir till thick.  Add cream.  Add salt & pepper if needed.  Divide sauce in half.  Add chicken and mushrooms to one half of sauce.  Cook spaghetti according to package directions but don't overcook.  Drain spaghetti and stir in other half of cream sauce.  Pour spaghetti mixture into oiled 2 qt. casserole.  Pour chicken mixture over spaghetti.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Cover and bake 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

Martha:  I love just about any pasta dish but have to admit that in all of my years I have NEVER eaten Chicken Tetrazzini!  Don’t know why, just never tried it.  That is in the past.  This dish is so simple and so delicious that I will be making it often.  I did leave out the English peas from the original recipe but that can be added if you like.  I think it was 1 small can drained.

Food Tester Carol:  This dish is named for an opera singer named Luisa Tetrazzini in the 1900s.  The dish became very popular with Italian-Americans and later, with the American public.  My family was transferred from town to town every few years and one place we lived, my best friend was named Elena Bella.  Her Nonna (grandmother) would make Chicken Tet (as they called it) every weekend and one way or other, I finagled an invitation to dinner for this dish.  When Elena and I would come into the kitchen to check on Nonna’s progress with the cooking, she would kiss the top of our little kid heads and say something in Italian that I always thought was a blessing of some kind.  Martha’s recipe takes me right back to Nonna’s kitchen and tasting it makes me feel a little kiss on the top of my head with its companion blessing.  The flavors of the chicken, mushroom, cheese, cream and spaghetti are silken and oh, so easy to eat, just like Nonna’s.

Tip:  The secret to fresh-tasting pasta salads is to avoid overcooking.  Pasta cooked to just the right stage is called al dente, which means “to the tooth” in Italian.  At this point, the pasta has a firm texture and is slightly chewy.

Doug's Country Fried Chicken

4 lbs. chicken legs
1 cup flour
1 tsp. McCormick Rotisserie Chicken seasoning
1 tsp. Caraway seed
1 tsp. Adobo
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 gallon plastic bag
oil

In a large, deep pot (cast iron if possible) add enough oil to fill pot about 1/2 way full.  Heat to 350 degrees or until a pinch of flour sizzles.  In plastic bag mix flour and seasonings (more salt and pepper can be added at this time if you desire).  Place 3-4 chicken legs at a time into the bag and shake coating completely with flour mixture.  Using tongs, gently place into the hot oil allowing each piece to sizzle before releasing.  Don't crowd the chicken pieces.  Make sure each has room to sizzle without laying against another.  When done, chicken legs will rise to the top of the pot, approximately 8 minutes depending upon the size of the legs.  Place on paper towels to drain.

Martha:  I personally can't cook fried chicken.  Never have been able to so I decided to ask my friend Doug to cook up some of his delicious fried chicken, let me take pictures and, of course, give me his recipe.  The seasonings he used can all be changed to your own taste by adding and eliminating any and all.  The main things to remember when cooking fried chicken is to make sure the oil is hot, the chicken is well floured and they don't touch while cooking.  I do have a cast iron frying pan but for those of you who don't you can use a deep pot to cook your chicken in but unless the pan is thick/heavy, watch your oil temperature.  In a thinner pan, the oil can get too hot, boil over if too high and actually burn itself as well as the chicken.  I feel a thick/heavy pan has better heat control.  If you decide to cook chicken breasts instead of legs, you may have to cook 2-3 at a time depending on their size and the size of your pan.  Same with thighs.  Plus, your cooking time will be increased due to their size and thickness.  Wings will go the opposite due to their size and thickness.  I may break down and give Doug's fried chicken a try but until I do, I'll continue to enjoy what he cooks.  Also, what do you do with all that grease?  As long as you don't allow it to burn, you can strain and put it back into a container for your next frying.  Or you can do like Doug does after a couple of chicken fries... use it for a Fish Fry.

Lillian:  I do have my grandmother's cast iron Dutch oven as well as her frying pan and I used to use these when frying chicken.  I haven't tried the seasonings that Doug uses, though, and they are an interesting combination.  Well worth the bit of work to have something this good!!  I agree, also, that the grease can be used a few times and then go ahead and fry up those fish that you have in the freezer.  

Tips:  To evenly distribute garlic flavor to stir-fry ingredients, season the oil by cooking the garlic first.  Cook the garlic in the hot oil, keeping it moving constantly so it doesn’t burn.  After about 15 seconds, begin adding the other stir-fry ingredients to the oil.

Chicken Spaghetti

1 cups Cooked Chicken, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups Dry Spaghetti, broken into thirds
1 can Cream Of Mushroom Soup
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup Finely Diced Green Pepper
1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion
1 cup chicken broth
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook spaghetti until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.  Place mixture in casserole dish sprayed with non-stick and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).  Serves 4.

Martha:  This recipe is my version of Ree Drummond's (The Pioneer Woman) Chicken Spaghetti.  I cut the recipe in half from hers and made 2 changes.  She used a small jar of pimento, which I eliminated, and I added a cup of chopped broccoli.  I also used an Italian cheese blend instead of the cheddar.  This turned out so good.  Serve it with a salad and toast and you have a great meal.  

Tip:  When freezing chicken, remove the wrapper and tray.  Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry.  If the chicken is cut up, wrap pieces separately, then bundle together in a plastic freezer bag.  Label and date.  It is easier to defrost the separate pieces and it can be stored at 0 degrees for up to 3 months.

Marinade Chicken Salad

2-3 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbsp. oregano, dried
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. minced garlic

Cut the chicken up into 1/2" wide strips.  In a medium size bowl with tight fitting lid combine oil, wine, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic.  Mix well.  Add chicken.  Close lid and shake to coat chicken.  Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hrs. but best if overnight.  

To cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a roasting pan with foil to catch juices.  Place chicken evenly in dish, on a wire rack if possible.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until chicken is done. 

For salad, remove chicken from juice.  While hot sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Top chicken and cheese on your favorite salad.

Martha:  We have many restaurants here in Charlotte that have Greek owners.  I have always loved the taste of their broiled chicken either as a dish, on a sandwich or topped on a salad.  I've tried several times to copy the taste but to no success.  Then I met Catherine!  A neighbor who is Greek and has some wonderful Greek cookbooks.  After going through 6 of her books I finally found what I believed to be the marinade I was looking for.  I hit it right on the nail 1st time.  This is so good.  The oregano and garlic give this the perfect blend of flavors.  Now I can't wait to give this a try on full chicken breasts baked in the oven.  One thing I did do when cooking my strips was to place them on a wire rack inside my roaster.  This allowed the chicken to drain into the pan without actually cooking in the drippings.

Lillian:   We are also blessed with numerous Greek restaurants and Greek churches here.  The churches have dinners, open to the public and all have wonderful food.  We have a Greek community, a few miles south of us with wonderful restaurants, shrimp boats going out daily and even sponge boats.  It is a great place to spend an afternoon and then treat yourself to a dinner, such as your salad here.  I, too, have cookbooks filled with wonderful treats from Greece. I wouldn't change a thing about your recipe; it is great as is.

Tip:  Beer batter will fry crisper and lighter if allowed to stand awhile after mixing.  This gives the flour granules time to soften and absorb the liquid.

Chicken Fried Rice

3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 cup water
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
2 Tbsp. oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup bell peppers, red and green
2 cups cooked rice (2 boiling bags)
2 green onions, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

In a medium bowl combine soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil and water.  Add chicken.  Toss to coat.  (this mixture will be thick).  Preheat a large wok.  Add oil.  Pour in eggs and scramble until cooked.  Remove from wok.  Add onions and peppers to the wok and stir fry over med. high heat until fragrant.  Add chicken mixture, rice and eggs.  Stir to mix and heat.  Add green onions, salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 6

Martha:  I found this recipe in a circular that comes out in my local paper.  I did, of course, make a few changes.  I increased the soy sauce from 1 to 3 Tbsp. and added the water.  It was entirely too thick and dry without the water and I like soy sauce.  This still comes out a bit thick but it coats the chicken nicely.  The peppers were to be added at the end but I wanted to lightly sauté them so I added these with the onions.  I also increased the sesame oil by 1/2 Tbsp.  I like its flavor too.  This would be good with chopped water chestnuts too.

Lillian:  This dish is perfect as is!  I love Oriental dishes and this is a great example of their cuisine.  I also, would add the water chestnuts or sliced bamboo.  I'm going to try this with thinly sliced steak too.  Great dish!

Tip:  When planning an appetizer party, Think With Your Taste Buds.  Balance rich, highly flavored foods with simple, fresh ones.  Plan one or two hot appetizers that can be made ahead and heated just before serving.  Also select several chilled appetizers that can be prepared early and served without last-minute attention.  If you serve buffet style, choose foods that guests can pick up easily.  Too many choices that must be spooned out, sliced, or spread may cause people to bunch around the buffet table.

Mozzarella Chicken & Rice Casserole

2 chicken breast halves (about 1 pound), cooked and cut into 1" pieces
1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Celery Soup
1 cup chopped broccoli (thawed if frozen)
2 cups cooked rice (1 boiling bag cooked)
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 3 qt. baking dish with non-stick spray.  Evenly place chicken in the dish.  Top with drained mushrooms.  Spoon celery soup over the mushrooms.  Sprinkle with broccoli.  Evenly add rice.  Spoon the mushroom soup over the rice.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 20 - 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Serves 6

Martha:  I found this recipe on the internet and made my changes.  The original called for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I used bone-in which I feel provides better flavor.  They fried their chicken, I boiled mine.  Their recipe called for a can of peas (I assume English peas), drained.  I had no peas so I used the broccoli.  It also called for fresh mushrooms which I didn't have so I used canned.  My changes not only fit my own taste but it also fit what I had in my pantry, saving me a trip to the grocery store.  I do feel this would be delicious with English peas and I also think that a nice sprinkling of French fried onions added in the last 5 minutes would be delicious.  You could also use Panko bread crumbs if you don't want to add the onions.  Both would give another texture and added taste.  You could also use cream of broccoli soup instead

Lilllian:  My hubby loves this type dish as it has chicken , mushrooms and broccoli in it.  Each day, after he has finished his dinner, he says "Good dinner, Hon." and this is what I would expect from this casserole.  This is great to take to a pot luck dinner as well as for company fare.

Tips:  When entertaining,  keep hot appetizers warm simply heat one round of appetizers at a time.  This way, another batch will be coming out of the oven just as the last batch is eaten.  Or, if you own an electric skillet, hot tray, griddle, or bun warmer, use one of these appliances to keep cooked appetizers hot.