COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN

One of my favorite cookbooks is one I ordered through the mail from Tabasco many, many years ago. It's called 16 CLASSIC AMERICAN RECIPES (and the stories of how they began). Unfortunately, it is no longer available. In the next few days I am going to be posting some hearty recipes for fall, several of which come from this book. I'll also try to paraphrase the stories of the recipes origin.

Country Captain Chicken is one of my all time favorite recipes! It is a very southern curry dish that has it's origins with the spice traders who sailed into Savannah from the Spice Islands. It was one of Franklin Roosevelt"s favorite dishes, and he always requested it when he was in residence at the resort in Warm Springs, GA. I served this at carry ins a number of times, always with great success. Now, if I could just find Grandma Clarke's recipe for Currant Tarts, which I used to serve along with it!

Ingredients:
2 3lb Chickens (fryers) , quartered (or cut up)
1 cp Flour, seasoned with 2 tsp Salt, 1 tsp. Paprika, 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/3 cp Peanut Oil (any oil will work, but I prefer peanut because of its higher burning temp)
3 Tbls. Bacon drippings
2 lg. Yellow Onions, chopped
3 lg. Bell Peppers (I usually use 2 green, 1 red)
3 lg. Garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbls. Curry Powder
1 28 oz can tomatoes (reserve liquid and chop tomatoes)
2 tsp. Tabasco
1 cp. Currants
2 cps. Long Grain Rice (cook as directed)

Directions:
Dredge Chicken pieces in seasoned flour and let sit on cooling racks for about ten minutes. In a large dutch oven (NOT cast iron) or high sided skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Brown chicken pieces, remove from pot and drain. Remove all but two Tbls. Oil from the pot. Add Bacon drippings and saute the Onions, Peppers, Garlic and Curry Powder over med. low heat until soft. Add Tomatoes w/juice, and Tabasco. Push Chicken pieces down into sauce and spoon some sauce over top of pieces. Adjust heat so liquid bubbles gently. Cover and cook for thirty minutes. Add Currants,cover, and cook for thirty minutes more or until Chicken is tender. Taste for salt and add as needed. Serve with Rice.

Caramel Dip for Apples

Ahh..another apple recipe for fall. This is every bit as good as it is simple!

Ingredients:
--one can sweetened condensed milk (either Eagle Brand or Carnation--store brands do not work as well)
--a little butter--maybe 1/2 tbls or so (or you can omit this, but the caramel won't be as rich)

Place the unopened can in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring water to boil. Boil for about an hour and a half, turning can over once or twice. Let can sit on the counter for a few minutes and then open and pour into bowl. (If you open too soon the contents will spurt out all over the place--trust me!) Add butter and mix.

Enjoy!

Barb

Apple Torte with Caramel Sauce

Hi! I'm so depressed that fall is creeping in so close. I know it is though, because the mice are moving inside (good thing I have cats!) and I was just attacked by the first Asian Lady Beetle of the year. On the bright side, fall does bring with it fresh apples. This is a very nice recipe that I was first served at a Ladies' Group at a church in Port Huron.

Cream:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar

Add:
1 beaten egg
2 cups diced apples
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Bake in greased 8" square pan 45 min at 350 degrees.

Caramel Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coffee cream
1 tsp vanilla

Combine ingredients in pan. Boil 1 to 2 minutes. Serve warm over torte.

Barb