Make your own KFC!

Now, here in New Zealand, we are not allowed to refer to KFC as "Kentucky Fried Chicken", even though it is the same. In New Zealand, KFC is "Kiwi For Chicken".

Legality gone mad! Just like Cadbury "copyrighting" the colour purple!

Anyhow, here is a recipe for KFC, no matter WHAT you call it!


KFC


150 grams of all purpose flour, mixed with “secret” spices, as listed below. This gives the KFC original fried chicken its crispiness. KFC is famous for its extra crispy recipes. It has its own patented cooking appliances. Check the list below for 11 secret herbs in KFC’s original fried chicken.

1 can of Tomato Soup.

2 eggs

The eggs not only provide flavor to the chicken but also help the spiced flour adhere. If you do not add eggs, the flour may not stick to the chicken. The eggs give a good flavor to the chicken and make it sticky enough for plenty of seasoned flour batter to stick to.”
2/3 cup of milk.

Milk provides required amount of moisture to the fried chicken.
Vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan, about 1/2 inch deep.

The 11 secret herbs in KFC’s original fried chicken recipe are as follows


1/3 tablespoon of salt
1/3 tablespoon of oregano
2 tablespoon of garlic salt
1/2 tablespoon of thyme
1 tablespoon of ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon of basil
1 tablespoon of celery salt
1 tablespoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon of dry mustard
4 tablespoon of paprika
2 tablespoon of Mono Sodium Glutamate (Accent)

How to make KFC original fried chicken?


Read the steps and you can easily learn.

Take a bowl and beat the eggs thoroughly with the help of rotary eggbeater. Pour the milk into the beaten eggs and whisk the eggs and milk to blend them.

In another bowl mix the flour and soup.

Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and milk batter. Make sure the batter covers the chicken completely. To get the perfect marinade and to allow time for the milk to make the chicken juicy inside, soak it for 12 hours.

Then roll it in the flour mixture to coat it completely.

Repeat the above two step to make it extra crispy.

Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan. Fry the chicken pieces in the frying pan on a low frame. KFC uses pressure fryers for this, to ensure the perfection of its chicken delicacies. Cook for 20-30 minutes, turning frequently, until golden-brown.

Place the fried chicken pieces on a paper towel to drain the oil.

Serve it with gravy for better flavor.

Orange Muffins

Orange Muffins

These muffins are so fluffy, barely sweet, with a fresh orange flavor. They really just melt in your mouth. Perfect for breakfast or a mid afternoon snack. You can even have one with tea after dinner.  The recipe calls for sour cream which I believe is what makes these muffins cake-like and very moist. You will really enjoy this one.

Ingredients:
For the muffins:
1 cup milk
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
½ cup sour cream
2 large eggs
2 sticks (16 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Zest of 1 orange

For the glaze:
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1-2 tsp. orange zest

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line muffin pan with paper liners.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the milk, orange juice, sour cream, eggs and melted butter.  Whisk together to blend.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend just until incorporated.  Fold in the orange zest with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups.  Bake about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

To make the glaze, combine the orange juice, confectioners’ sugar, and orange zest in a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth, adding more juice if necessary to achieve your preferred consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins while they are still warm. Allow the glaze to set before serving.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: The Pastry Queen

Chicken with Green Olives over Couscous

Chicken with Green Olives over Couscous



This is a North African dish that I highly recommend you try. The recipe is from the Cooking Light Chicken cookbook that I purchased from TJ Max. I really enjoyed the flavors that the olives brought to this dish. Did you know that 85% of the caloric content of olives is monounsaturated fats? The monounsaturated fats in olives helps lower LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) levels and also prevents the buildup of plaque along artery walls. But me mindful that some olives may be high in sodium. So enjoy in moderation.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
4 chicken thighs, skin removed
1 cup chopped onion
3 lg garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp minced ginger (I used the ground ginger in a jar)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
dash of red pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cups (about 16) pitted green olives
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
 chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper (I always "wash" chicken with some lemon juice before seasoning), add to the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes on each side until browned on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside.

Reduce head to medium. Add the onion and next 8 ingredients to the same skillet. Season with black pepper. Cook for 5  minutes then add the broth and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until the chicken is done. Discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.

The recipe says to put the olives in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, drain, and repeat this procedure once more. I was reluctant whether or not to do this step. I boiled the olives in water once then decided it was a waste of time.

Add the olives and lemon juice to the chicken mixture. Serve over couscous. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Source: Cooking Light Chicken

Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/8 cups sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Directions: 

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the ice cream machine and let mix until thickened, about 25 minutes. The ice cream will have a soft creamy texture at this point. Transfer to an airtight container and in place in the freezer.

Source: Cuisinart Recipe Booklet