Bourbon Chicken

You can serve this as "bourbon barbeque chicken", with the sauce absorbed by the chicken. It is so fragrant, as it cooks.

Since I cooked it overnight, the first time, it made an excellent breakfast sandwich.

Grated ginger is a key ingredient. Avoid grating your fingers, when grating the ginger.


Ingredients

• 2 or 3 lbs chicken
• 1/4 C cornstarch
• 1/4 C sliced green onions (to taste)
• Bourbon Sauce

Bourbon Sauce

• 1/3 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• salt & pepper, if needed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation

1. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place chicken in slow cooker, pour sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on Low 6-7 hours / overnight.
3. Remove cooked chicken from pot, leaving the sauce.
4. Combine 1/4 C water with cornstarch. Turn cooker up to High. Pour cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Cover and allow sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally (5 - 10 minutes).
5. While the sauce is cooking, shred chicken using two forks. With chicken properly cooked, it will almost shred itself.
6. Stir shredded chicken back into the sauce and add green onions.
7. Turn cooker to Warm, cover, get the rest of the meal ready (if you can wait). Sample as necessary - and pour yourself a finger of bourbon. Cook until the sauce is absorbed by the chicken, to serve as barbeque - or serve over rice, as is.

Inspired by SpendWithPennies: Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken - and simplified by me. This was my first recipe using freshly grated ginger - and the grating was worth it.

Apple / Kale / Raisin Salad

This is a salad - but i will also eat it as a dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 apple, cored and chopped
• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1 C raisins
• 1 to 2 T honey (adjust as you like it)
• 2 T lime juice
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/8 t pepper
• 1/8 t salt
• 1/4 C plain yogurt

Preparation

1. Core and chop the apple. Halve the cored apple vertically, then chop each half 4 x 4 - 32 pieces.
2. Wash the kale - then chop into thin ribbons, and cross cut into pieces sized similar to the apple chunks.
3. Mix honey, lime juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt. Pour over kale, and toss carefully.
4. Add the chopped apple and the raisins, and mix well.
5. Chill for an hour or so.
6. Toss again.
7. Serve.

Skillet Cooked Apples

This is a perfect way to use up apples, getting slightly ripe in my refrigerator. It's healthy (if you use margarine or oil) - but tastes decadent.

I like an old fashioned cast iron skillet, from time to time - but a non stick pan made the picture taking easier.

>> See it done!


Ingredients

• 1/4 C butter (margarine / cooking oil).
• 3 lbs (8 or 9) apples, cored and chopped.
• 1 C ripe grapes, or 1/2 C raisins.
• 1/4 C brown sugar.
• 1/4 t cinnamon.
• 1/8 t ginger.
• 1/8 t nutmeg.
• 1/4 C bourbon / rum (opt).

Preparation

1. Core then chop the apples.
2. Heat up a large skillet on high heat, add butter (margarine) to melt. Or use cooking oil for low cholesterol.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and add apples and grapes or raisins.
4. Stir fruit so each piece is lightly coated in melted butter (margarine).
5. Sprinkle fruit with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, stir to mix thoroughly.
6. Sprinkle with sugar, stir again.
7. Saute fruit mixture, stirring frequently, until apple pieces are soft. Cover, reduce to low heat, simmer 10 - 15 minutes. The pan will have a good amount (1/4 C or so) of juice in the bottom.
8. Drizzle with bourbon or rum, if interested.
9. Spoon cooked mixture into serving bowls, decorate lightly with ice cream - or Yogurt Sauce (opt).

See it Done!

Apples (cored), spices, raisins, sugar.

Chop the apples.

Melt butter in the skillet.

Add the apples.

Add raisins. Add spices, then sugar, stirring each time. The aroma fills the house.

Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft. Cover, simmer on low 10 - 15 minutes. Drizzle with bourbon / rum if desired.

Serve hot, from the skillet.