Chow

Good Morning.

Regular ol' food this time around. No cocktails, stuffed mushrooms, or chocolate mousse. Pass the grits and biscuits except we're not having grits and biscuits.

We begin with Old West Oven-Fried Chicken.

2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs

1 8 oz. jar taco sauce, your choice

1 egg, beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups crushed corn flakes

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

6 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a shallow dish, mix together the taco sauce, egg, and garlic. In a large plastic baggie, combine the corn flakes, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Shake well. Dip the chicken thighs in the sauce, then place

in the baggie and shake to coat. Place the thighs in an oblong glass baking pan. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake 50-60 minutes or until golden and the juices run clear when you stick the biggest thigh with something like a toothpick.

This chicken has a kick to it. Any chicken part will work with this recipe but thighs are among the meatiest and I shall not comment further.

The first side dish is a Corn Casserole.

1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup Half and Half minus 2 tbsp.

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

2 8 oz. cans creamed corn

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Paprika

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the cornmeal and melted butter until smooth. Stir in the sugar, eggs, and Half and Half and mix well. Add the thawed corn, creamed corn, and salt and pepper. Pour into an oblong glass baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray, and bake, uncovered, for one hour. Sprinkle with paprika when it comes out of the oven and serve.

Notice that the chicken and corn take about the same time in the same oven.

Now we head south for Pineapple Beans and Black Eyed Peas.

2 cans pork and beans

2 cans black eyed peas

2 cans French fried onions

1 cup molasses

1 cup hickory smoked barbecue sauce

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 pound bacon, fried crisp, drained, and crumbled

Mix all of the above together, minus one can of the French fried onions and the bacon. Throw it in a casserole and top with the crumbled bacon and the reserved can of French fried onions. Bake in a 350 degree oven for an hour.

In the interest of convenience, I'd put this thing in the 375 degree oven for maybe 45 minutes so it can cook with the other stuff.

We also need a bread but not the biscuits that quickly come to mind. We suggest something slightly sweeter like Pumpkin Bread.

1 15 oz. can pumpkin filling

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

3 cups granulated sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, and sugar until mixed well. In a separate bowl, stir the dry ingredients together, then combine with the pumpkin mixture. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans. This amount

should fill three of them. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Freeze whatever

you don't eat.

We also need dessert but with the pumpkin bread maybe not a big ol' pie. These Cowboy Cookies are just right. Serve

them with coffee in mugs, preferably ones that don't match.

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups quick oats

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

Make these ahead in a 350 degree oven. Grease a cookie sheet. In a bowl, mix up the flour, baking soda and powder, and salt.

In another bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar until well combined. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture, combine well, then stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and pecans by hand. Drop

the dough with a teaspoon onto the cookie sheet, two inches apart, and bake for 10 minutes. Store the cookies in a large food bag, tightly sealed.

This very fine cookie is a combination of chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal. I once took them as a hostess gift

when I was spending the weekend with friends at their lake cottage. They tasted a heap better than a bunch of flowers.

Best regards,

Elisabeth