step.
Twice-baked potatoes would be in the “Freezes Beautifully” section of this cookbook…if this cookbook actually had a “Freezes Beautifully” section, which it doesn’t. If I know I’m going to freeze the potatoes, I usually omit the green onions from the mix, as freezing can cause a strange chemical reaction in green onions; if you’ve ever taken a bite when that has happened, you know exactly what I mean.
But let’s not dwell on that nonsense. Let’s make twice-baked potatoes! Just listen: the utensils are already banging the table.
8 baking potatoes, scrubbed cleanCanola oil8 slices thick-cut bacon, fried ½ pound (2 sticks) butter, cut into slices1 cup sour cream½ cup milk¼ to ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s½ teaspoon black pepper2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese2 green onions, sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. With a paper towel, rub the outside of the potatoes with canola oil.
3. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked inside and the skins are slightly crisp. Turn the oven down to 300ºF.
4. Dice the fried bacon into bits.
5. Throw the butter, sour cream, bacon, milk, seasoned salt, and pepper into a large bowl.
6. While the potatoes are still hot, hold each potato in a towel and cut in half lengthwise. 7. With a large spoon, scrape out the insides into the bowl with the other ingredients.
8. Repeat until all the potatoes have been scraped. Reserve the potato shells on a large baking sheet.
9. Use a potato masher to mix the ingredients together.
10. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese.
11. Slice the green onions…
12. And add them to the bowl. Stir, taste, and adjust the seasonings as necessary.
13. Fill each potato half with the potato mixture and return to the baking sheet.
14. Top with the remaining 1 cup grated cheese.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are hot.
Serve with Braised Beef Brisket (Sweets), Rib-Eye Steak with Whiskey Cream Sauce (Supper), or Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich (Dinner).
How now, brown cow?
FRIED CHICKEN
Makes 8 servings
Fried chicken, while universally adored, may very well be one of the hardest things to learn to cook. At least it was for me. The trickiest part of the process of frying chicken is getting the chicken adequately cooked without also burning the breading on the outside. Another tricky part is the breading on the outside. Do you simply dredge the chicken in flour? Do a complicated egg bath? Soak the chicken in a brine solution? Stand on your head? Walk a tightrope? Sometimes, take-out chicken just sounds easier.
Problem is, I live in the country. So I learned early on that if anyone was ever going to eat fried chicken, I had to make friends with it—but fast.
This relatively simple recipe calls for frying the chicken first, then finishing off the cooking process in the oven, where the breading won’t be in danger of burning as readily.
Note: In case the appetites in your household aren’t as enormous as those in mine, this recipe can easily be halved.
2 cut-up fryer chickens1 quart plus ¼ cup buttermilk (if you don’t have any, see In the Morning)5 cups all-purpose flour3 tablespoons seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s2 teaspoons black pepper2 teaspoons dried thyme2 teaspoons paprika1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)¼ cup milkCanola or vegetable oil for frying
1. Thoroughly rinse the chicken, then cover all the pieces with the quart of buttermilk and soak in the fridge overnight, or up to 24 hours. My mom always did it this way.
When you’re ready to fry the chicken, remove the bowl from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, just to take off the chill.
2. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F and mix up the breading:
Place the flour, seasoned salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, and cayenne (extra cayenne if you like heat) in a very large bowl. Stir together
Twice-baked potatoes would be in the “Freezes Beautifully” section of this cookbook…if this cookbook actually had a “Freezes Beautifully” section, which it doesn’t. If I know I’m going to freeze the potatoes, I usually omit the green onions from the mix, as freezing can cause a strange chemical reaction in green onions; if you’ve ever taken a bite when that has happened, you know exactly what I mean.
But let’s not dwell on that nonsense. Let’s make twice-baked potatoes! Just listen: the utensils are already banging the table.
8 baking potatoes, scrubbed cleanCanola oil8 slices thick-cut bacon, fried ½ pound (2 sticks) butter, cut into slices1 cup sour cream½ cup milk¼ to ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s½ teaspoon black pepper2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese2 green onions, sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. With a paper towel, rub the outside of the potatoes with canola oil.
3. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked inside and the skins are slightly crisp. Turn the oven down to 300ºF.
4. Dice the fried bacon into bits.
5. Throw the butter, sour cream, bacon, milk, seasoned salt, and pepper into a large bowl.
6. While the potatoes are still hot, hold each potato in a towel and cut in half lengthwise. 7. With a large spoon, scrape out the insides into the bowl with the other ingredients.
8. Repeat until all the potatoes have been scraped. Reserve the potato shells on a large baking sheet.
9. Use a potato masher to mix the ingredients together.
10. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese.
11. Slice the green onions…
12. And add them to the bowl. Stir, taste, and adjust the seasonings as necessary.
13. Fill each potato half with the potato mixture and return to the baking sheet.
14. Top with the remaining 1 cup grated cheese.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are hot.
Serve with Braised Beef Brisket (Sweets), Rib-Eye Steak with Whiskey Cream Sauce (Supper), or Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich (Dinner).
How now, brown cow?
FRIED CHICKEN
Makes 8 servings
Fried chicken, while universally adored, may very well be one of the hardest things to learn to cook. At least it was for me. The trickiest part of the process of frying chicken is getting the chicken adequately cooked without also burning the breading on the outside. Another tricky part is the breading on the outside. Do you simply dredge the chicken in flour? Do a complicated egg bath? Soak the chicken in a brine solution? Stand on your head? Walk a tightrope? Sometimes, take-out chicken just sounds easier.
Problem is, I live in the country. So I learned early on that if anyone was ever going to eat fried chicken, I had to make friends with it—but fast.
This relatively simple recipe calls for frying the chicken first, then finishing off the cooking process in the oven, where the breading won’t be in danger of burning as readily.
Note: In case the appetites in your household aren’t as enormous as those in mine, this recipe can easily be halved.
2 cut-up fryer chickens1 quart plus ¼ cup buttermilk (if you don’t have any, see In the Morning)5 cups all-purpose flour3 tablespoons seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s2 teaspoons black pepper2 teaspoons dried thyme2 teaspoons paprika1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)¼ cup milkCanola or vegetable oil for frying
1. Thoroughly rinse the chicken, then cover all the pieces with the quart of buttermilk and soak in the fridge overnight, or up to 24 hours. My mom always did it this way.
When you’re ready to fry the chicken, remove the bowl from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, just to take off the chill.
2. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F and mix up the breading:
Place the flour, seasoned salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, and cayenne (extra cayenne if you like heat) in a very large bowl. Stir together
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