Cook This Now

Blog is moving

2008-07-20T11:18:00.000-06:00

I am consolidating my three blogs and moving to wordpress. Here is the new blog. The main reason for the move is that blogger does not have a decent "blogthis" button that you can put in your browser.

I want these tacos

2008-05-27T18:32:00.001-06:00

test

2008-05-18T10:14:00.001-06:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The Good The Bad And The Queen - Kingdom Of Doom

2008-05-11T10:22:00.002-06:00

If you loved The Clash, Blur and Gorillaza you might enjoy these guys. What does this have to do with cooking? You may ask. Just watch the video and see.

i wouldn't fucking feed that to my dog

2008-05-07T15:54:00.000-06:00

The Best Sandwiches in America and one of them is in Boulder

2008-04-26T15:01:00.002-06:00

"Unranked, unimpeachable, and incomplete, Esquire’s coast-to-coast list of the finest meals on sliced bread. No burgers allowed."
ONE MEAL TO GO..It would be a sandwich. Never been to Jimmy & Drew's but I will make it a top priority now.

ICONOCLASTS Season 1: Mario Batali on Michael Stipe

2008-04-16T18:25:00.001-06:00

I Like sandwiches and I am white

2008-03-04T16:58:00.001-07:00

Comon I love a good sandwich

Marco Pierre White risotto incident

2008-02-27T08:42:00.001-07:00

Danse la poutine

2008-02-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

I want some Poutine ever since I saw it on No Reservations.

How to make Pho

2008-01-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

How to cook Puerco Pibil by Robert Rodriguez

2008-01-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

is he text mssging?

2008-01-02T08:40:00.001-07:00

122006_23531.jpg
Originally uploaded by _derek

old skool baking

Baking with a good friend and great baker,Michael.

Games Sales International, Inc., Purveyors Of Exotic Meats And Specialty Foods

2007-12-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

Games Sales International, Inc., Purveyors Of Exotic Meats And Specialty Foods

FoodTube.net

2007-11-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

FoodTube.net it is a fun little site.

this looks real good

2007-11-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

and the bowls are pretty too.

Seasonal Ontario Food: Gordon Ramsay's Broccoli Soup, More or Less

noodles with a little stuff

2007-10-21T17:08:00.000-06:00

mpw

2007-10-15T17:01:00.000-06:00

how to make good bread

2007-10-13T18:13:00.000-06:00

get this mother fucking bread out of this mother fucking can

2007-09-25T18:19:00.000-06:00

Tokyo tinned treats

Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit Doughnuts and Coffee Cupcakes

2007-09-13T22:00:00.000-06:00

This is definetly worth a try.

Top Chef

2007-09-13T20:12:00.001-06:00

We Love Jam

2007-09-11T03:50:00.000-06:00

I love Jam Too.

What Did You Eat?: WHB: Asian Meatballs With Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce (Ginger Root)

2007-09-10T22:41:00.000-06:00

This looks very tasty.

Cyndi Lauper cooking w/ Emeril

2007-09-05T20:43:00.000-06:00

JUICE

2007-08-29T22:47:00.000-06:00

Home

Anthony Bourdain @ Barnes and Noble, June 18, 2006

2007-08-29T21:17:00.000-06:00

Paul McCartney making mashed potatoes

2007-08-25T01:56:00.000-06:00

Charlie Rose - An hour with author Bill Buford

2007-08-21T10:14:00.000-06:00

Julia Child- learns cooking, writes book

2007-08-18T12:28:00.000-06:00

No More Need for Water to Boil an Egg

2007-08-17T19:24:00.001-06:00

Expensive Desserts | ForbesTraveler.com

2007-08-14T11:27:00.000-06:00

Expensive Desserts | ForbesTraveler.com

Cooking with Christopher

2007-07-30T17:41:00.000-06:00

potage de poissons avec du pain rassis

2007-07-15T01:33:00.000-06:00

I like rice but not the apoKeLypse

2007-05-06T13:40:00.001-06:00

clipped from mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp

Steam rises from a box of the emergency food "Hotto! Raisu" as water is poured over it in a demonstration at the Tsukuba Municipal Government headquarters in Ibaraki Prefecture.

TSUKUBA, Ibaraki -- An environmental consulting firm and other developers here have come up with a non-perishable food pack that creates steaming hot rice with the simple addition of cold water.

By subjecting rice to 4,000 times normal atmospheric pressure, the developers were able to preserve rice for long periods in a soft form that holds moisture. When water is poured over an exothermic agent in the pack, steam warms the rice contained within, and after about 15 minutes, the dish is piping hot.

Reflected in the Nocturn

2007-05-02T08:38:00.000-06:00

http://www.livevideo.com

Dorayaki

2007-04-25T19:00:00.001-06:00

I have to go looking for a good recipe for this. it is a cross between a sandwich and a pancake.

clipped from en.wikipedia.org

short ribs uuhnahanah nah nah

2007-04-11T22:33:00.000-06:00

atavistic twin nature

2007-04-05T10:20:00.000-06:00

mmm bread

2007-04-01T07:42:00.000-06:00

Having a beer.

2007-03-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

Cooking and talking to my friend Dan

2007-02-26T05:59:00.000-07:00

Japanese/Thai tea commerical with caterpillars

2007-01-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

boiling down some stock

2006-11-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

2006-10-09T19:17:00.000-06:00

Night Club Sandwich

Beautiful. Watercress.

2006-10-09T18:21:00.000-06:00

10/2/06

Hey, just got my Director account approved and wanted to try some stuff out. My camera is gone but I should have a new one in a few weeks. With that I should be able to take some higher quality videos and may even try some videos of me cooking.

She was so cool

2006-09-25T19:22:00.000-06:00

A good guy and a great place

2006-09-25T18:33:00.000-06:00

I just use a peeler.

2006-09-25T13:14:00.000-06:00

Beef or chicken

2006-08-31T15:29:00.000-06:00

My work recently (this is the first week) went to a night bake. SO I work, generally, between the hours of 8pm-7am.
I have begun to enjoy music like this.

MMM Pirogi

2006-07-21T16:34:00.000-06:00

Here's the recipe for Pirogi dough
3 cups flour
3 eggs
3 to 6 half-eggshells full of water depending on the weather. Pinch of salt. Knead ingredients after conbining. Roll out with liberal use of flour.

I love them with potato.

Enjoy!

Good Bread

2006-07-15T18:38:00.000-06:00

The Tassajara Bread Book

by Edward Espe Brown

A bit dated but one of the best “1st” bread making books out there.

See more about The Tassajara Bread Book

The best recipe ever

2006-07-03T17:29:00.000-06:00

Clay pot Tandoori

2006-07-03T17:19:00.000-06:00

CLAY POT TANDOORI

PREPARE

1 whole fryer, skinned and cut up

COMBINE IN BOWL

½ cup yogurt

1 tbsp turmeric

slightly less than one tbsp. ginger powder,

4 large crushed garlic cloves

chili powder, no added spices, to taste (1 tsp- 1 tbsp)

a deathly hot chili powder, (death rain) to taste ¼ tsp

less than 1 tbsp. cardamom

FRY IN PAN

2 med. onions

2 cinnamon sticks

3 small bay leaves

MIX IN BOTTOM OF PRESOAKED POT

A thin layer of water ¼ inch

1 tbsp. soy sauce

½ cup yogurt or so

the fried spices and onions

LAY THE CHICKEN ON TOP

SPREAD THE YOGURT SAUCE ON THE FLESH OF THE CHICKEN

PUT IN COLD OVEN AT 475 DEGREES FOR ONE HOUR, MIDDLE POSITION

MAKE ONE CUP RICE WITH A TBSP GARAM MASALA AND BUTTER

MAKE SLAW WITH THE FOLLOWING

½ cup yogurt

1 peeled and grated green apple

1 bunch or less of finely chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

SERVE IT TOGETHER ON A PLATE AND ENJOY!

Why I recommend "The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great American Cooks"

2006-07-02T20:02:00.000-06:00

The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great American Cooks

by Edna Lewis

A beutiful book, with tasty grub.

See more about The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great American Cooks

Why I recommend "Heat : An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany"

2006-06-29T11:04:00.000-06:00

Heat : An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany

by Bill Buford

If you ever wanted to work in a NY times 3 star resturant or a butcher’s in Tuscany, this is the book for you. It is an engrosing read about Bill Buford’s journey from a home cook to a line cook at Babbo( Mario Batali’s resturant in New York) to Betta’s where he learns pasta making to L'Antica Macelleria Cecchini in Chianti where under Dario Cecchini and The Maestro (an amazing man) he begins to master the Pig and studies the thigh.

See more about Heat : An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany

Dario Cecchini

Pics of the Birmese Chicken Curry

2006-06-22T16:54:00.000-06:00

So I made the Burmese Chicken Curry and this time took some pictures. Here are a couple of the curry cooking

and a few of it all done.

Why I recommend "Spice : The History of a Temptation (Vintage)"

2006-06-20T13:07:00.000-06:00

Spice : The History of a Temptation (Vintage)

by Jack Turner

A interesting read about, what is now, something commonplace and the human experience with the mundane and otherworldly.

See more about Spice : The History of a Temptation (Vintage)

How "Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book : The Best Sandwiches Ever--from Thursday Nights at Campanile" changed my life

2006-06-16T16:55:00.001-06:00

Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book : The Best Sandwiches Ever--from Thursday Nights at Campanile

by Nancy Silverton

A Croque Madame on pain Poilane, that is a new goal in life.

See more about Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book : The Best Sandwiches Ever--from Thursday Nights at Campanile

Good Chips

2006-06-16T16:55:00.000-06:00

Read a story about one of my favorite potato chips over at Treehugger "They run their fleet of company vehicles on biodiesel which they make from their own safflower and sunflower cooking oils. Their factory runs completely on solar power — they have 600 solar panels set on roof-mounted racks, to run their plant with 120,000kWh of electricity per year. They have a wide selection of fully organic chips." Plus they are tasty.

Why I recommend "The Unprejudiced Palate : Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food)"

2006-06-15T07:31:00.000-06:00

The Unprejudiced Palate : Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food)

by Angelo M. Pellegrini

I need to live in a house. A house with a basement. A basement where I can make wine and cheese. A house with a yard so I can have fruit trees and a garden with fresh herbs and trucks pulling up to my house to drop off 1000 lbs of grapes and I shoo my chickens away as I move the grapes to the press.

This book is informative and belly laugh funny. It is full of common sense and culinary delights. Read this book and you will be a better person.

See more about The Unprejudiced Palate : Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food)

Naan

2006-06-14T11:03:00.000-06:00

Baked Leavened Bread

I made this to go with the curry. It was very passable and tasty but not quite the real thing. It also comes from The Encyclopedia of Asian cooking.

Ingredients

2 cups (225g) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried yeast
2/3 cup (150 ml) milk
2/3 cup (150 ml) natural yogurt
1 egg, beaten

Method

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a bowl. Mix the yeast to a paste with a little milk. Beat the yogurt into the remaining milk and heat until lukewarm. Stir in the yeast paste. Add this mixture gradually into the flour and mix into a dough. Knead well, add the egg then knead again. Cover with a damp cloth and let double in size (aprox. 1 1/2 hours)

Break the dough into 6-8 pieces, approximately 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) in diameter. Roll into balls and flatten with the hand. Place on baking sheets and bake in preheated oven (230c/450f) for 12 minutes or until the naan are puffed and blistered.

Chet-tha Hsi-byan

2006-06-14T09:16:00.000-06:00

Burmese Chicken Curry

This curry has quickly become one of my favorites. The recipe is from The Encyclopedia of Asian cooking.

Ingredients

1 chicken weighing 3-3.5 lbs( 1.5kg ) chopped into pieces
2 tbls soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 medium onions
4 garlic cloves
1 inch (2.5 cm) piece of fresh ginger
1-2 tsp chili powder
5 tbls vegetable oil
3 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick

Method

Put the chicken in a bowl with the soy sauce, salt and turmeric and mix well.

Pound 1 onion and 3 garlic cloves (I used my food processor) mix with the ginger (pealed and pounded) and chili powder, then rub into chicken.

Slice the remaining onions and garlic thinly. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions and garlic and fry gently for 5-10 minutes. Add the chicken and any of the remaining pounded mixture. Brown the chicken on medium high heat.

Add the bay leaves, cinnamon and enough water (I used chicken stock ) to just cover the chicken. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 35 minutes until the oil has risen to the surface, leaving a thick curry sauce underneath. Serve hot with rice.

Alright,

2006-05-21T16:25:00.000-06:00

We are back!

ENHANCED CHICKEN MEAD

2005-05-01T23:56:00.000-06:00

···Well folks, here it is, a soon to be classic in its tentative beginnings. But, before the recipe itself, a bit of interesting history.
···Mead is the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world. It has a long and illustrious history, being the preferred drink of Cavemen, vikings, Celts, Ethiopians, and more. It was the national drink of England as recently as 200 years ago. The Greeks used it in racy religious ceremonies, and Derek and I use it for our own nefarious purposes.
···In a bit of research, I recently came across a fantastic example of meads ancient pedigree; A tomb discovered in southwest Germany in 1979 was found to contain, amongst various other treasures, nine drinking horns and a golden bowl. The bowl was set inside a Greek bronze cauldron with three lions set on the rim. Tests showed that the drink inside the bowl was mead. Heres the kicker: The tomb dates to what scientists call the Hallstat period, an early stage in the development of Celtic culture, c.550 BCE.
···In recent times mead has been making a comeback. We in CO. have the good fortune of living near at least three meaderies that we know of.
···So, we cook with wine; Its found in soups, stews, sauces, marinades and desserts. We drink it by the gallon whilst dipping our mussels in it. Well what is mead but honey-wine? You see what Im getting at. Part of the goal of this site is to re-introduce this much loved historical drink to as many people as possible; to blend classic recipes with ancient brews and create some new ones to. Send us all your recipes using mead, well make em and just might publish em, (if they dont suck). Having said that, Cook This Now is proud to present:

ENHANCED CHICKEN MEAD

Ingredients:

3 medium sized whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. breadcrumbs
6 oz.Kerrygold Dubliner cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 jar creamy white mustard
½ to 2 cups sweat to semi-sweat mead
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon savory
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon garlic salt
black pepper to pleasure
1 stick butter

Procedure:

···Trim the chicken breasts of fat and cut into halves. Pound them thin with a tenderizer. If you hate your job, think of this while doing so. It will help you. Grab three bowls, and put them all in a row on yourcounter. In one, place the flour. In the next, beat the eggs and 4 tablespoon mustard until smooth. In the last, finely grate 3 oz. of the cheese and mix it with the breadcrumbs.
···One at a time, coat the chicken pieces in flour, dredge them in the egg-mustard
mixture, and coat them in the cheesy breadcrumbs. Set all the chicken on some sort of something and place in the refrigerator 15 minutes.
···In a large bowl, combine the mead, tomatoes (undrained), the spices and 1 ½ generous tablespoons mustard. At this point you will have about ten minutes of nothing to do. I suggest a silly dance or perhaps a few minutes of Red-Dwarf.
···In a 12-inch skillet, heat the butter over medium high heat. (If you think a stick of butter is excessive than you need more exercise. Remember, butter is good for you, it has vitamin b12, vitamin c, riboflavin, thiamine, magnesium, calcium, glutamine, omega 6 fatty acids, viable amino acids, antioxidants, potassium and the hitherto undiscovered vitamin f, which cures sadnessand rheumatism. ) Add the chicken and fry until golden brown. Turn, then again fry until golden brown. When that intention has been answered turn it again and add the sauce.
···Simmer on low heat for one hour, turning the chicken every fifteen minutes or so. Before serving, grate some of the cheese on the top. Serve over pasta or with bread to dip in the sauce. ( or both )

On cooking and such pt 1

2005-04-29T11:58:00.000-06:00

I sure do love cooking. I think I love cooking as much as I love eating. There is just something meditative about it. Or at least there is for me. The only thing I love more than cooking is my wife Jill.

There is something about sharing a meal that just gets right down to the core of being. At its simplest it's just "I like you enough to give you sustenance so you may stay alive" or, as Spock would say, "live long and prosper". It then moves into the realm of love.

A meal is only as good as its ingredients. If you start with fresh herbs and fresh produce then it is tough to make something inedible (though possible; I am reminded of a very bad dill cucumber salad I made when wooing previously mentioned wife. I blame that on nerves and not my skills in the kitchen) yet some of the best meals I have had have been a simple tuna sandwich with a friend or a box of Mac and cheese made by Jill. Now, that is not to say that I want to live on Mac and cheese alone, but it may be possible if it is made with love.

Hot Hot Hot with a pinch of cool

2005-04-27T11:46:00.000-06:00

Now Angus and I Love the hot sauce (Angus is a bit more passionate about it than I ) So I wanted to share a couple of good Hot sauce/powder links. First there is ISHSA the International Society of Hot Sauce Aficionados. Next, The home of Blair's sauces and snacks. And be sure to read A Brief History of US Commercial Hot Sauces while you are there check out the main site Fiery Foods. That is it for now but stay tuned for more Hot Food enhancements and recipes and later on this week the Enhanced Chicken Mead Recipe that is savory and not hot, I promise.

[Listening to: Arrakis - Trey Gunn - The Third Star (5:23)]

Southbound Seamus' Stew

2005-04-24T18:58:00.000-06:00

Part one ingredients:

2 tbsp. canola oil
4.8 lbs beef shoulder chuck
2 small bay leaves
sea salt
black pepper
garlic powder
2 tsp. Better than bullion
1 ½ quarts water
1 cup Buffalo Trace whiskey
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. paprika.

Part one procedure:

Heat the canola oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high to high heat. Cut the beef into five or six pieces. Coat it generously on all sides with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. When the oil is shimmering, begin to brown the beef. Use the bottom of a Dutch oven or heavy skillet to press down on the meat while frying, to promote even browning. After 5-7 minutes, or when a deep brown, turn and finish the other side.
Place the browned meat into a large pot or dutch oven and cover with the water. Add the better than bullion, bay leaves, the cumin and paprika, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and forget about it.
4-5 hours later, add half the whiskey, adding the other half in another hour or two. The meat should be totally on the verge of disintegration, 6-8 hours of cooking total. Strain the broth into a large container. You will have a big pile of beautiful meat with some weird nasty looking fat lurking around it. Only a true Irishman would eat this, so don’t feel bad about discarding it. Shred the beef with your fingers or two forks if you lack moral fiber. Add it back to the broth, cover and refrigerate over night. Drink the rest of the whiskey if you have trouble sleeping due to the excitement of anticipation. Bagpipe music will inspire you for the next days cooking. If not, Prince will do the job quite nicely.

Part two ingredients:

5 medium red onions
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 cubanelle peppers
2 anaheim peppers
5 jalapenos
4 fresno chiles
5 small Serrano chiles
3 tbsp canola oil
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cardamom
14 cloves garlic
9 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
two 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes
1 13.5 ounce can organic coconut milk
1 whole pineapple diced into ¼ inch pieces.
2 or so limes cut into wedges

Part two procedure:

Seed and core all the peppers, and cut them into strips. Slice the onions and put them all together. You should have what looks like the beginnings of fajitas. Heat the oil in your large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, add the onions and peppers followed by the brown sugar and cardamom. Stir fry this mix until the onions begin to soften, then use a garlic press to smash the garlic directly into the pot. Stir actively during this process.
At this point the onions will be soft and red and the peppers will have wilted slightly. Add the meat and broth, having skimmed the fat from the meat beforehand. Toss in the cinnamon sticks and a tea ball or spice bag containing the cloves. Stir, bring to a simmer and let ride for a few.
When you feel like it, add the tomatoes (drained) and stir well. Root around for the cinnamon sticks and cloves and remove them. Simmer for a short time then add the coconut milk, stir again, simmer two minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for another few minutes for the flavors to marry.
You may want to add salt and some I Am On Fire - Going To Heaven . Serve over rice, top with a slice of lime, a roasted chile and a scattering of pineapple.

RIP'S Tenderloin

2005-04-19T22:12:00.000-06:00

1/2 lb beef tenderloin
shot of vsop cognac
tablespoon delicious honey mustard plus some more (or whatever)
shake of dried onions
3 smashed garlic cloves
shake of black pepper
shake of I Am On Fire - Going To Heaven
small squirt of tamari
squirt of olive oil
gob of gooey honey
toasted bay leaf and Kaffir Lime leaf ( one each, broken up )
tsp or so salt

marinate in bag, see what happens, Grill It

Pasada

2005-04-18T22:04:00.000-06:00

The recipe unmodified comes from The Encyclopedia of Asian Cooking by Jeni Wright and is as follows
1 lb beef, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups unflavored yogurt
3/4 cups ghee
1 large onion peeled and sliced
3 garlic cloves, pealed and sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
1 teaspoon Garam Masala

Put the beef between 2 sheets of greaseproof (waxed paper) and tenderize with a mallet. Rub the beef with salt, then put in bowl and cover with yogurt. Leave to marinate overnight.

Melt the ghee in a heavy pan, add the onion and garlic and fry gentley until soft. Add the spices and fry for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly

Add the beef and marinade to the pan, stir well, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Serve hot.

Serves 4

Sorry it is not caviar vindaloo, sir. Half rice, half chips and lots more bread and butter to follow.

But i am on a budget.

Chicken With Mead

2005-04-18T22:01:00.000-06:00

This recipe is an adaptation from Northern Italian Cooking Revised by Biba Caggiano. This is definitely one of my favorite cookbooks and this recipe is a favorite amongst my friends, especially Chris A.K.A. Angus.

Ingredients:

4 whole chicken breasts
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Murray's Cheese Shop also has its own Blog)
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mead (for the batch I made last night I used Camelot from Rocky Mountain Meadery)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Remove skin from chicken breasts. Ease flesh away from bones with a sharp knife. Cut boned breasts in half. Beat eggs with salt and pepper in a bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a bowl. Spread on a sheet pan or aluminum foil. Dip the chicken in beaten eggs, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Press mixture into chicken with the palms of your hands. Let the coated chicken stand 10-15 minutes. Melt butter with oil in a large heavy skillet. When butter foams, add chicken breasts. Cook over medium heat 2-5 minutes on each side or until chicken has a slight golden crust. Add the Mead. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 20-40 minutes or until chicken is tender. If sauce looks to dry, add more Mead. Turn chicken several times during cooking. Remove chicken to a warm platter. Taste and adjust sauce for seasoning, the spoon over chicken. Makes 8 servings.

Chicken can also be served over rice, potatoes, or pasta.
Also All the links to ingredients are to what I would like to use. Sometimes you don't have the dosh so use what you got.

Enjoy!

BEEF EMPANADA with PEAR Filling

2005-04-18T20:54:00.000-06:00

3 medium onions, diced
4 pressed garlic cloves
1 large Kaffir Lime leaf
9/10 lb. ground beef (85% lean)
2 ts. Paprika
2 ts. Cumin
juice of whole lime
1 cup special broth (see below)
I Am On Fire - Going To Heaven powder to pleasure (alot)
hot red pepper sauce
1 ts. + small amount honey white mustard
black pepper
salt
1 tbs. flour
2 soft old pears, cubed ¼ inch
1 ts. Apple cider vinegar
2 ts. Oregano

BROTH
1 ts.Better than bullion , beef
1 cup water
1 pinch cardamom
1 ts. Cinnamon
5 cloves

On medium high heat, fry the onions until translucent. Add the lime leaf, garlic, sauté one minute. Add the beef, paprika and cumin, stir until meat loses its pink color. Add the lime juice, broth, hot sauce to pleasure (a lot) the Im on fire going to heaven to pleasure (a lot), honey mustard, black pepper, salt, and bring to a simmer. Add flour after 1 – 2 minutes, stir well, then throw in the pears, continue to simmer. After a brief period of daydreaming remove the mixture from the heat and pour into a bowl. Add the cider vinegar and oregano, stir well, and there it is then. Eat with chips if you like, or get fancy and wrap them in purses of filo dough and bake, serving with the tapenade or chutney of your choice.

BROTH: heat the better than bullion with the water in a sauce pan. Add the spices, warm up, strain cloves, and you know the rest.