Recipe: Smothered Chicken w/Mushrooms

This recipe serves 4 people.

3 lb. frying chicken, in serving pieces
Salt & freshly ground pepper
¼ C olive or vegetable oil
1-1/2 C chopped onions
¼ C flour
2 C chicken broth
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
¼ C chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over high heat and brown the chicken pieces, turning when necessary.
Adjust the heat so that the chicken browns quickly but does not burn.
Transfer the chicken to a shallow casserole large enough to hold the chicken in one layer.
Add the onions to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until they are soft and lightly colored.
Stir in the flour and mix it in well with a spoon.
Pour in the chicken broth and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the chicken in the casserole, cover tightly, and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken, re-cover and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve.

Recipe: Poached Chicken

This recipe serves 4 people.

Chicken prepared this way stays juicy and moist for salads and sandwiches.
The broth may be saved and used for stock, for boiling noodles or rice, or for poaching another chicken.

3-lb. chicken, whole
Salt

Wash the chicken with cold water.
Truss and place in a large saucepan.
Add water halfway up to the chicken, with ½ teaspoon salt for every quart of water used.
Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour, turning the chicken over once or twice during the cooking.
Cool the chicken in the broth and refrigerate until needed.

Recipe: Rhode Island Chicken

This recipe will serve 4 people.

3-lb chicken, whole
1 stalk celery with leaves, in 4 pieces
½ onion, sliced
1 t thyme, crumbed
½ t freshly ground pepper
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, sliced
3 T butter
3 T flour
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 T lemon juice
Salt

Wash and truss the chicken.
Place it in a large saucepan and add water halfway up the chicken.
Add the celery, onion, thyme, pepper, parsley, bay leaf, and carrot.
Partially cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Remove the chicken and keep it warm in the oven.
Strain the broth, return it to the pan, and boil until reduced to 2 cups.
Melt the butter in a second saucepan.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring 2-3 minutes until smooth.
Slowly add the reduced broth, stirring over low heat for 3-4 minutes more.
Little by little, add ½ cup of simmering sauce to the egg yolks, beating constantly.
Return the sauce-egg mixture to the sauce remaining in the pan, and cook 1 minute more.
Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and then add salt to taste.
Serve the sauce alongside the chicken.

Recipe: Chicken w/Dumplings

This recipe serves 6 people.

4-5 lb. chicken, in 8 pieces
2 carrots, sliced thin
2 stalks celery with leaves, sliced thin
1 large onion, chopped
1-1/2 t thyme, crumbled
½ t rosemary, crumbled
2 t salt
½ t freshly ground pepper


Feather Dumplings

1 C flour
½ C fresh bread crumbs
2 t baking powder
¾ t salt
1 egg, well beaten
2 T butter, melted
¼ C finely chopped onion
1/3 C milk
1 T finely minced parsley
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Rinse the chicken pieces, put them in a large pot with a cover, and cover with water.
Add the carrots, celery, onion, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Combine the flour, bread crumbs, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, and stir to mix.
In another bowl lightly beat the egg, melted butter, onion, and milk together.
Stir into the dry ingredients to make a stiff batter.
Stir in the parsley and pepper.
When the chicken has simmered for 20 minutes, drop spoonfuls of dough on top of the bubbling broth.
Cover and steam for 20 minutes without lifting the cover.

Recipe: Corned Beef Pokies

1 12-oz. can corned beef
2 T prepared mustard
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 t prepared horseradish
½ C diced American cheese
6 hot dog rolls

Separate corned beef into small pieces.
Combine with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish and cheese.
Mix well; fill rolls with mixture.
Wrap each roll individually in aluminum foil.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until cheese melts.

Recipe - Grilled Corned Beef & Cheese Sandwiches

1 12-oz. can corned beef, shredded
4 oz. sharp American cheese, diced
½ C mayonnaise
2 T sweet pickle relish
1 T instant minced onion
8 hamburger buns, split and buttered

Mix corned beef, cheese, mayonnaise, relish and onion; spoon into buns.
Wrap in heavy foil.
Heat over medium coals for 12 to 15 minutes, turning several times.

Humour: Actual excerpts from Royal Navy and Marines officer fitness reports

Actual excerpts from Royal Navy and Marines officer fitness reports.

* His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity.

* I would not breed from this officer.

* He has carried out each and every one of his duties to his entire satisfaction.

* He would be out of his depth in a car park puddle.

* This young lady has delusions of adequacy.

* This medical officer has used my ship to carry his genitals from port to port, and my officers to carry him from bar to bar.

* Since my last report he has reached rock bottom, and has started to dig.

* She sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.

* He has the wisdom of youth, and the energy of old age.

* Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.

* This man is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.

Humour - Extracts from US and UK Military Officer Evaluations.

Extracts from US and UK Military Officer Evaluations.

One can almost see the civilian equivalents of the individuals concerned in the mind's eye:

Actual lines out of U.S. Military OERs (Officer Efficiency Report):

* Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

* Got into the gene pool while the lifeguard wasn't watching.

* A room temperature IQ..

* Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together.

* A prime candidate for natural deselection.

* Bright as Alaska in December.

* Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming

* So dense, light bends around him.

* If brains were taxed, he'd get a rebate.

* If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week.

* Was left on the Tilt-A-Whirl a bit too long as a baby.

* Wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead.

Recipe: Brunswick Stew

This recipe will serve 6 people

A southern stew, originally made with squirrel or rabbit, that is traditionally long-cooked so that the vegetables become soft and the potatoes are cooked to a thickening paste.

4-5 lb. chicken, in quarters
Salt
1 C chopped canned or fresh tomatoes
2 onions, sliced thin
1 C green lima beans
3 potatoes, peeled & diced
1 C whole-kernel corn
1 t sugar
1/8 to ¼ t cayenne pepper

Rinse the pieces of chicken and put them into a large pot with 2 teaspoons salt and water to cover.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the broth, take the meat off the bones, and set aside.
Put the tomatoes, onions, lima beans, potatoes, corn, sugar, and cayenne pepper into the broth and boil gently for 30 minutes, covered.
Add the pieces of chicken and simmer for 10 minutes more, uncovered.
Taste and add cayenne pepper and more salt if needed.

Recipe: Chicken Parmesan

Will serve 4 people.

1 egg, lightly beaten
1 C freshly made bread crumbs
½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 lbs. skinned & boned chicken breasts
1/3 C flour
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 T lemon juice
¼ t nutmeg
1-1/2 C chopped cooked spinach, or 1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, cooked
4 T butter
2 T oil
1 C heavy cream

Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons water in a shallow bowl.
Combine the bread crumbs and cheese on a piece of wax paper.
Coat the chicken breasts with flour, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Dip them into the egg and then into the bread crumb-cheese mixture; set aside.
Add the lemon juice and nutmeg to the spinach and stir over low heat until it is warm.
Melt the butter and oil in a large skillet.
When it foams, add the chicken and sauté over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until just done.
Spread the spinach on a warm platter, place the chicken on top, and keep warm.
Remove all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the skillet.
Place it over high heat and add the cream.
Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the cream comes to a boil.
Spoon a little of this sauce over the chicken and spinach, and pour the rest into a serving bowl.

Recipe: Nippy Beef Sandwiches

Makes 6 servings

½ C finely shredded dried beef
1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 T horseradish
1 T minced onion
1 T salad dressing
Soft butter
12 whole wheat bread slices

Combine beef, cream cheese, horseradish, onion, and salad dressing.
Butter bread slices to edge.
Divide beef mixture into 6 parts.
Place 1 part on each of 6 bread slices, spreading to edges.
Top with remaining bread slices; cut in half.

Recipe: Italian Steak Sandwiches

Serves: 4

Butter
1 Bermuda onion, sliced
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1/8 t salt
1/8 t instant minced onion
½ t oregano
Dash of pepper
Dash of garlic salt
½ t Worcestershire sauce
1-1/4 lb sandwich steaks
4 Italian rolls
Olive oil
2 medium dill pickles, sliced

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet.
Brown onion slices in butter slowly until tender.
Combine tomato sauce, salt, minced onion, oregano, pepper and garlic salt in saucepan; bring to a boil.
Stir in 1 teaspoon butter and Worcestershire sauce.
Cover; reduce heat.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Brown steaks on both sides in pan with onion.
Slice rolls; sprinkle with olive oil.
Place 2 tablespoons tomato mixture with olive oil.
Place 2 tablespoons tomato mixture in each roll; add steak and onion.
Top steak with remaining mixture.
Garnish with pickle slices and additional oregano.
Serve immediately.