MARYLAND FRIED CHICKEN WITH GRAVY - Chicken Maryland

Growing up in Washington, D.C. I spent a lot of summers in Ocean City, Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay beaches. I love Maryland Fried Chicken or Chicken Maryland. It is pan fried and seasoned with Old Bay. I like to take Old Bay to the table for anyone who wants to sprinkle a little more on their chicken. Chicken Maryland was even mentioned in the movie "Christmas in Connecticut". My mom always had country gravy with her fried chicken. Serve this with mashed potatoes and collard greens seasoned with Virginia ham or a smoked ham hock.

Lee's Kitchen Tips:
You can also deep fry your chicken for about 12 to 14 minutes total.

1 frying chicken cut into 10 pieces (breasts cut in half)

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 T Old Bay seasoning

1 T garlic powder

1 T dry mustard

2 t sea salt

2 t finely ground black pepper

2 t paprika

1 t onion powder 

1 t baking powder

1 t cornstarch

½ t cayenne pepper

3 cups peanut oil, for frying

In a medium bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix to combine.

Completely dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and place on a cookie sheet or pizza pan and set aside.

In a Dutch oven, preferably cast-iron, add the peanut oil.

If you have a candy thermometer, place it on the side of the pan, with the tip in the hot oil. 

If you don't have one, place the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and if it bubbles all around the handle, the oil should be hot enough to start frying. 

Heat oil to 375 degrees F, if you have a candy thermometer.

Heat oven to 225 degrees F.

Have a baking sheet fitted with a rack ready for the cooked chicken.

Add 4 pieces at a time and fry on one side for 7 minutes.

Turn over and fry about another 7 minutes.

Using tongs, remove cooked chicken to the baking sheet and place in oven while frying the rest of the chicken. Wings will cook a couple of minutes faster than the rest of the chicken.

While chicken is staying warm in the oven, carefully pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the hot oil into a heat-proof container. Leave the brown bits in the bottom of the pot.

Country Gravy

2 T unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken stock

2 cups half-and-half or milk

Sea salt and finely ground black pepper

In the Dutch oven that contains a little oil and the brown bits from the chicken, add the butter and let melt over medium-high heat.

Add the flour and cook, while whisking, until a light golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Whisk in the chicken stock and milk.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

VODKATINIS WITH BLUE CHEESE STUFFED OLIVES

Purests believe a martini is only made with gin and extra-dry white vermouth. This drink, made with vodka, is sometimes called a Vodkatini or a Kangaroo. I prefer it with blue cheese stuffed colossal olives and a twist of lemon. Buy a bottle of large or colossal olives stuffed with pimentos and remove the pimentos with a cocktail pick. Take a little bit of blue cheese and stuff into the olive holes. You can do this in advance and keep stuffed olives in the refrigerator until you are ready to make your cocktails.
A Gin and Tonic garnished with a cocktail pickled onion is known as a Gibson

2 martini glasses, placed in freezer for 1 hour

Ice cubes

6 oz good quality vodka

2 t dry white vermouth (Italian)

2 lemon twists (optional)

4 large (pimento stuffed colossal olives)

Blue cheese

In a cocktail shaker, fill ¾ full with ice cubes.

Add the vodka, vermouth, and lemon twists.

Secure the shaker with the top or an upside down beer glass and shake 50 times.

Using a strainer on top of the shaker, pour into 2 chilled martini glasses.

Garnish each with two blue cheese stuffed olives on a cocktail pick.

Makes 2 drinks

THIMBLE PRINT COOKIES WITH GLAZE

I only make these cookies at Christmas time and my family always looks forward to them. The dough can be made plain or you can add ¼ cup poppy seeds or finely ground nuts. You can also fill with chocolate ganache instead of jelly or jam.

½ cup strawberry, raspberry, or cherry jelly or jam

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

2 t vanilla or almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ t table salt

Put jelly or jam in a small bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
You can also do this with a hand held mixer.

Add egg yolks and vanilla or almond extract and mix well. 

Gradually add the flour and salt, beating on low until well combined.

Cover and place dough in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll dough into small balls and place onto a baking sheet. 

Press an indentation with a thimble or end of a wooden spoon (dipped in flour) on each ball and add a small amount (½ t) of jelly or jam.

Bake cookies until edges turn golden, about 13 to 15 minutes. 

Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Place wire rack back on baking sheet and let cookies cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing. 
The baking sheet will catch the overflow of glaze.

  

Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 T cream or milk

1 t vanilla or almond extract

Combine glaze ingredients in bowl and whisk until smooth. 

Drizzle over cookies with a spoon.

SNOWBALL COOKIES

My mother-in-law gave me this recipe. I make them every Christmas. My husband, son, and daughter would be very disappointed if I didn't make them every year.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 t vanilla extract

1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ t salt

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Confectioners’ sugar for coating cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until fluffy.  

Add vanilla and sugar and beat to combine.  

Add flour and salt and continue to beat.

Mix in pecans with a spoon.

Form into small balls and place on two cookie sheets.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. 

Let cool and roll in additional confectioners' sugar. You can also pour confectioners' sugar into a paper bag and gently toss cookies until well coated.

Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 5 dozen

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND BUTTERCRUNCH TOFFEE

This toffee recipe is also known as English Chocolate Toffee. It is easy to make and very addictive. You must use real butter in this recipe. If you only have salted butter, leave out the salt in the recipe. You can also use all semi-sweet chocolate, but I like using the dark chocolate along with the semi-sweet chocolate for a rich chocolate flavor. This makes a great hostess gift packed in a tin container or gusseted cellophane bag.

1 cup whole unsalted almonds, chopped

2 cups (1 lb) unsalted butter

1 ¾ cups granulated sugar

¼ t sea salt

2 t pure vanilla extract

1 cup 70% cacao dark chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pour almonds in a dry skillet and toast until golden, stirring often. Set aside.

In a large heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar, and salt.

Cook over medium heat, until butter is melted.

Allow to come to a boil, and cook until mixture becomes a light amber color, and the temperature reaches 300 to 310 degrees F. Stir occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour onto a large baking sheet and spread lightly.

Sprinkle the finely chopped chocolate and chocolate chips over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften.

When the chocolate has softened, spread the chocolate, with an offset spatula, into a thin even layer.

Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press in slightly.

Let cool completely and then break into chards. 

Store in an airtight container.

GRILLED FLAT IRON STEAK WITH RED WINE, SHALLOT, & MUSHROOM SAUCE

A flat iron steak is an inexpensive and flavorful cut of beef. In the U.K. it is known as a butler's steak. I paid a little over $14.00 (USD) for a 1.75 lb steak. The honey and Kentucky bourbon marinade is so delicious! This is my southern version of this steak.

1½ to 2 lb flat iron steak

3 T Kentucky bourbon

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T extra-light olive oil

1 T honey

2 t Worcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.

Place steak in baking dish. Pour marinade ingredients over steak, cover and let marinade in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Turn the steak over after 30 minutes. You can also do this in a zippered plastic bag.

While steak is marinating, prepare the sauce.

Red Wine, Shallot, & Mushroom Sauce

8 oz button or white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and thinly sliced

1 T extra-light olive oil or grape seed oil

1 large shallot, finely diced

½ t red pepper flakes (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T Dijon mustard

½ cup beef broth

1 T unsalted butter

1 T minced fresh rosemary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a skillet, cook the mushrooms in the oil until lightly golden.

Add the shallot and sauté another 5 minutes.

Add the red pepper flakes and garlic, and sauté another minute.

Stir in the mustard, beef broth, butter, and rosemary, and heat through.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Keep warm while grilling the steak.

Remove steak from refrigerator and let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

If using a charcoal grill, prepare a pile of coals on one side of the grill.

Sear the steak over the hot coals for 2 minutes on each side.

Move to the cooler side of the grill, pour the marinade over, and continue to cook for another 7 to 8 minutes.

Do not flip over again.

When done, place on a cutting board with a tent of aluminum foil for about 5 minutes.

Using a very sharp knife, cut steak diagonally into thin slices.

Serves 4