Tag Archive for chicken

Brunswick Stew Hits the Spot

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A dish of Brunswick stew always hits the spot

A dish of Brunswick stew always hits the spot

Living in the South when the weather has a touch of Autumn in it, you can’t help but think of good old Brunswick stew. It always hits the spot.

Of course you can buy Brunswick stew by the gallon container, but the real fun comes when you make your own. Some people  cook the stew outdoors in cast iron pots. Some recipes are handed down from generation to generation and guarded as prized family secrets.

For those of us who have busy work schedules and little time to spend  watching stew cook, I use a slow cooker.

I adapted my Brunswick stew recipe from a 100-year-old recipe given to my mother by the pastor’s wife of her church a number of years ago. I left a few ingredients out and added several new ones.

I started by skinning and cooking 7 leg quarters in a slow cooker. Be sure to save the broth for stock. You can freeze the broth in ice trays and use the cubes when needed. Each cube holds about 1 and a half tablespoons of broth.

Brunswick stew is delicious as temperatures cool

Brunswick stew is delicious as temperatures cool

When the chicken was done and deboned, it made approximately 5 cups. I placed that in another slow cooker and added the following ingredients: 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) cream style corn; 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) tomato, okra, corn mixture; 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) cut okra (this I drained); 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) petite diced tomatoes; 1 1/2 cups of ketchup; 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce;  1 tablespoon of sugar; 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon of Lawry’s Garlic Salt; and 3 (3 1/2 ounces) jars of cocktail onions. You could use 1/2 cup of chopped onions instead, but I had the cocktail onions and wanted to see how they would do. They turned out great, but look like peeled white grapes in the stew.

Once all the ingredients were in the slow cooker, I gave them a good stir and added 2 cups of the chicken broth I had saved. Once everything was combined well, I set the slow cooker on low and let it cook for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, the stew was ready to eat. However, I continued to let it cook on low for several more hours just to allow all the ingredients to blend together well. Besides, everyone knows the longer you cook Brunswick stew – the better it gets.

Thanks for stopping by today. Do you have a favorite Brunswick stew recipe or a traditional way of preparing it? If you give this a try, be sure to drop back by and let me know how it turns out or tag it with #thesurprisedgourmet. I’d love to know how it went.

Cucina Felice!

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Brunswick Stew Hits the Spot

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Serves: 8 servings

Brunswick stew is a Southern tradition that hits the spot when temperatures begin to cool.
Ingredients
  • 5 Cups of cooked chicken
  • 1 Can (14½ ounces) cream style corn
  • 1 Can (14½ ounces) tomato, okra, corn mixture
  • 1 Can (14½ ounces) cut okra (drained)
  • 1 Can (14½ ounces) petite diced tomatoes
  • 1½ Cups of ketchup
  • ¼ Cup of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon of sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Teaspoon of Lawry's Garlic Salt
  • 3 (3½ ounces) Jars of cocktail onions (or ¼ cup of chopped onions)
  • 2 Cups Chicken stock
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Stir well and cook on low for 2 hours. It can be cooked longer, if desired.

 

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My Take on Chicken Gumbo

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My take on Chicken Gumbo

My take on Chicken Gumbo

Do you sometimes find your refrigerator is filled with the past week’s leftovers, but not enough of any one thing to really make a meal?

As long as the leftovers are fresh, you don’t want to throw them out. That’s not only a waste of food, but a waste of money too.

If your family tires quickly of leftovers then it’s time to get a little creative and see what you can prepare from what you’ve got left. With a little imagination and the leftovers, you soon have a new dish to serve your family.

I gave this a try recently when I found a leftover chicken croquette in the refrigerator, but not enough for a complete meal. Checking further I found I had my usual stock of staple ingredients: minced garlic, celery, and onions. I also had a small portion of leftover mashed potatoes.

As I was putting the food out on the counter to see what I could pull together, I decided to add a can of diced tomatoes and a can of mixed vegetables. Looking over the ingredients I wasn’t sure what I was going to put together and then it came to me — my own take on Chicken Gumbo.

I started by crumbling the chicken croquettes I had into small pieces. Next I cut up a rib of celery into large dices about 1/2 inch or so and a 1/2 cup of onion. The onion dices were about 3/8-inch each. I put a skillet on medium heat and added about 2 tablespoons of Canola oil. I sautéed the celery about a minute and then added the onion and sautéed for another three minutes. I added a pinch of fresh ground kosher salt to the onions and celery while it was sautéing.

Delicious served with toasted cheese bread

Delicious served with toasted cheese bread

Next I added a tablespoon of minced garlic (I use Spice World brand), a can of diced tomatoes (I didn’t drain these), a 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper and the crumbled chicken croquette. I gave all that a good stir and added 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 2 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of powdered chicken bouillon, a can of mixed vegetables (didn’t drain these either), and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

I stirred all this together, making sure it was well incorporated and then I let it simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes. I checked it often and gave it a stir. It ended up cooking for about 30 minutes total.

I poured the gumbo into bowls and topped it off with shredded Mozzarella cheese. Shaved fresh Mozzarella would have been great on it, but unfortunately there wasn’t any in the refrigerator. I also served it with a couple of slices of toasted cheese bread, about 1/2 inch thick. The bread really isn’t necessary, but we found that it was a great way to make sure we got every last drop of the gumbo.

This recipe of mixed leftovers is a good way to use what’s in your refrigerator and have a delicious meal too. You take a few leftover items, combine them and ‘awesomize’ a new dish.

Do you have a gumbo recipe you’d like to share? What do you do with your leftovers or do you even have leftovers?

Thanks for stopping by.

Cucina Felice!

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My Take on Chicken Gumbo

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Serves: 4 servings

This is my take on the traditional chicken gumbo recipe with a few new added ingredients using leftovers for a delicious meal in a hurry.
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup chicken croquette, crumbled
  • ½ Cup mashed potatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons Canola oil
  • 1 Rib of celery, diced into large cubes
  • ½ Cup chopped onion (approximately ⅜ inch)
  • 2 Cups water
  • 1 Can (14½ oz) mixed vegetables
  • 1 Can (14½ oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • ½ Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • Pinch of fresh ground kosher salt
  • 2 Teaspoons powdered chicken bouillon
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. Crumbling the chicken croquette into small pieces. Next I cut up a rib of celery into large dices about ½ inch or so and a ½ cup of onions in ⅜-inch dices. Heat a skillet on medium heat and added about 2 tablespoons of Canola oil. Sauté the celery about a minute and then add the onion and sauté for another three minutes. Add a pinch of fresh ground kosher salt to the onions and celery while it sautés.
  2. Next add a tablespoon of minced garlic, a can of diced tomatoes (don't drain), a ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper and the crumbled chicken crochets. Give all that a good stir and add ½ cup mashed potatoes, 2 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of powdered chicken bouillon, a can of mixed vegetables (don't drain), and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
  3. Stir all this together, making sure it is well incorporated and then let simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes. Check often and give it a stir. Can take up to 30 minutes depending on stove temperature.
  4. Pour into bowls and top with shredded Mozzarella cheese and serve with toasted cheese bread.

 

 

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