Mrs. Peace asked:


What can beat a quick and easy recipe that is as good for your busy schedule as it is for your health?  Not only is baking considered to be the healthiest way of preparing chicken, but it is also one of the quickest and simplest ways to prepare a tasty meal. 

Chicken is loaded with proteins and has considerably less fat than red meat, making it an ideal source of protein.  

Whether prepared in whole or in part, it is recommended to keep the skin on the chicken while baking to prevent the meat from drying and burning.  The skin helps maximize taste and can be removed before serving.  For those who choose to leave the skin out entirely, baking chicken in sauce or as part of a casserole is a great way to serve a more juicy and tasteful entrée. There is a range of sauces and seasonings used to prepare truly mouthwatering chicken recipes.      

Follow this expert tip for getting the most taste out of your baked chicken dishes: once the dish is prepared for baking, place the contents in an oven bag to preserve flavor throughout the cooking process.  Your guests will taste the difference.  An alternative is to place individual pieces of chicken in aluminum foil, along with sauce and seasonings.  The foil should be folded in a way that would prevent the sauce from escaping.  Arrange the foil-wrapped chicken pieces on a baking dish or tray and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven.   Most recipes for chicken require a baking time of 30 minutes to one and a half hours.

Chicken lends itself well to a variety of flavors and seasonings.  Below are some of the most popular chicken recipes among home cooks.

Honey ‘n Garlic

Take a walk on the sweet side and add some honey flavor to your baked chicken.  Baked chicken works incredibly well in a honey garlic sauce. Although it may seem like an odd blend at first, the sweetness of honey and the intensity of garlic are a wonderful combination of spices to make a mouthwatering chicken centerpiece.  Honey has a tendency to mellow out the strong flavor of garlic, creating a smooth and flavorful taste to complement most side dishes.  Honey ‘n Garlic chicken tastes wonderful served alongside rice mixed with raisins and other dry fruits.


Barbecue Spices

The sweet tanginess of barbeque is a perfect complement for chicken.  Barbecue sauce bakes well and comes in a large variety of flavors.  From hot and spicy to sweet and tangy, there is ample variety to suit even the pickiest eaters.  Barbecue sauce makes chicken tender, juicy and flavorful and is very easy to prepare.  

Cranberry Sweetness

A special recipe to share with your loved ones is baked chicken with cranberry sauce.  Although cranberry sauce is most commonly associated with holiday turkey dinners, cranberries make a perfect complement for chicken.  Cranberry sauce adds much freshness and juiciness to the natural texture of chicken, and makes an enlivening sauce that is sure to be noticed.  Serve this chicken dish in the wintertime, when the cranberries act as an immune booster.  If fresh cranberries are hard to find, dried berries can be used instead.  Be sure to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe, as dried cranberries are usually pre-sweetened.  

Asian Sauces

Craving exotic Asian flavors? Chicken in teriyaki sauce is a popular dish that is a sure crowd-pleaser.   Homemade chicken teriyaki is healthier and tastier than takeout.  Instead of opting for bottled teriyaki, make the sauce from scratch for a more intense and fresh flavor.  Making the sauce yourself will also give you a great control over the final taste.  With a bit of experimentation, you can create a sauce that is perfectly suited to your liking.  You control the sweetness, thickness and the intensity of flavor.  There is nothing quite like a teriyaki sauce made at home!



Nicholas

Mrs. Peace asked:


What can beat a quick and easy recipe that is as good for your busy schedule as it is for your health?  Not only is baking considered to be the healthiest way of preparing chicken, but it is also one of the quickest and simplest ways to prepare a tasty meal. 

Chicken is loaded with proteins and has considerably less fat than red meat, making it an ideal source of protein.  

Whether prepared in whole or in part, it is recommended to keep the skin on the chicken while baking to prevent the meat from drying and burning.  The skin helps maximize taste and can be removed before serving.  For those who choose to leave the skin out entirely, baking chicken in sauce or as part of a casserole is a great way to serve a more juicy and tasteful entrée. There is a range of sauces and seasonings used to prepare truly mouthwatering chicken recipes.      

Follow this expert tip for getting the most taste out of your baked chicken dishes: once the dish is prepared for baking, place the contents in an oven bag to preserve flavor throughout the cooking process.  Your guests will taste the difference.  An alternative is to place individual pieces of chicken in aluminum foil, along with sauce and seasonings.  The foil should be folded in a way that would prevent the sauce from escaping.  Arrange the foil-wrapped chicken pieces on a baking dish or tray and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven.   Most recipes for chicken require a baking time of 30 minutes to one and a half hours.

Chicken lends itself well to a variety of flavors and seasonings.  Below are some of the most popular chicken recipes among home cooks.

Honey ‘n Garlic

Take a walk on the sweet side and add some honey flavor to your baked chicken.  Baked chicken works incredibly well in a honey garlic sauce. Although it may seem like an odd blend at first, the sweetness of honey and the intensity of garlic are a wonderful combination of spices to make a mouthwatering chicken centerpiece.  Honey has a tendency to mellow out the strong flavor of garlic, creating a smooth and flavorful taste to complement most side dishes.  Honey ‘n Garlic chicken tastes wonderful served alongside rice mixed with raisins and other dry fruits.


Barbecue Spices

The sweet tanginess of barbeque is a perfect complement for chicken.  Barbecue sauce bakes well and comes in a large variety of flavors.  From hot and spicy to sweet and tangy, there is ample variety to suit even the pickiest eaters.  Barbecue sauce makes chicken tender, juicy and flavorful and is very easy to prepare.  

Cranberry Sweetness

A special recipe to share with your loved ones is baked chicken with cranberry sauce.  Although cranberry sauce is most commonly associated with holiday turkey dinners, cranberries make a perfect complement for chicken.  Cranberry sauce adds much freshness and juiciness to the natural texture of chicken, and makes an enlivening sauce that is sure to be noticed.  Serve this chicken dish in the wintertime, when the cranberries act as an immune booster.  If fresh cranberries are hard to find, dried berries can be used instead.  Be sure to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe, as dried cranberries are usually pre-sweetened.  

Asian Sauces

Craving exotic Asian flavors? Chicken in teriyaki sauce is a popular dish that is a sure crowd-pleaser.   Homemade chicken teriyaki is healthier and tastier than takeout.  Instead of opting for bottled teriyaki, make the sauce from scratch for a more intense and fresh flavor.  Making the sauce yourself will also give you a great control over the final taste.  With a bit of experimentation, you can create a sauce that is perfectly suited to your liking.  You control the sweetness, thickness and the intensity of flavor.  There is nothing quite like a teriyaki sauce made at home!



Rosemary

Karen Ciancio asked:


Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Children especially love the season and begin to get excited from the beginning of December, waiting for that special day.

You can add to that excitement by letting your kids make special treats for the holiday season. They will be so excited about taking part in getting ready for that special time of year and it will help to teach them more about their food, where it comes from and how to create magic from a few ingredients.

Even small children can help. Just determine ahead what level of involvement is appropriate for your child. If they are too young to be around knives, try a recipe that doesn’t involve a lot of chopping, or do that part yourself, then let the kids measure and mix.

Here are two recipes that are perfect for the young holiday cooks in your family.

Uncooked Brownies

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

6 teaspoons cocoa

1/2 cup cold milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded coconut

2 cups quick oatmeal

1 teaspoon vanilla

Boil sugar, milk and butter for 2 minutes. Add vanilla, coconut, cocoa, salt and oatmeal. Drop on to a waxed paper lined square baking dish. Place in the refrigerator to cool. Cut into squares to serve.

How easy is that?

Peanut Butter Surprise Squares

3 cups Graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup melted butter

5 eggs, beaten (or 1 carton liquid egg replacement, well shaken)

3/4 cups brown sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

2 tablespoons corn starch

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

2 cups mini marshmallows

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line a 9″x13″ baking dish with aluminum foil, making sure to cover the sides of the dish.

Blend cracker crumbs with butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared dish. Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs with the sugar, corn syrup and cornstarch until well combined. Reserve.

Drop spoonfuls of peanut butter randomly over the prepared crust then scatter the marshmallows, chocolate and peanuts evenly over the base. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the other ingredients in the crust.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and set.

Tip: When using liquid eggs, you may need to increase the baking time to 40 minutes.

Makes 30 servings



Erik