How To Cook Bacon in the Oven

Continuing with the little How to Cook series, this is an easy and less messy way to cook bacon.  It takes a little longer but the bacon retains its size and is evenly cooked. Because it takes a while, you can get the strips to the desired crispness that your family enjoys.

The first time I had bacon prepared this way, my sister had broiled it in the oven.  The flavor and crispness were perfect.  I have never perfected the broiling technique, but baking works well.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Using the broiling pans, (they came with the oven), lay strips of bacon across the top portion and put the two pans together.  Place in the oven to bake 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the desired crispiness.  Start checking about 15 minutes into baking.  Ovens differ some and I would not want you to overcook the bacon.  Once the bacon has reached the desired crispiness. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Printable Recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/basilandrosemarys/how-to-cook-bacon-in-the-oven

How To Boil a Chicken

Sometimes I forget that not everyone grew up on a farm, having to use everything down to the nibs.  Or that they did not have a mother or mother-in-law who were wonderful, ingenious cooks, and knew how to improvise.  So I was surprised when asked the purpose of  and to share how to boil a whole chicken.
First, the reason that I boil a whole chicken is simply convenience. It makes it easier to prepare meal later.  I try to keep cooked meat in the freezer for when the mood and need strikes me. This also cuts down on having to run to the grocery store to purchase canned chicken or a rotisserie chicken. 
Looking at my recipes, you probably do not realize that I ATTEMPT to avoid heavily processed food.  I do use heavily processed on occasion, but this is limited.  It is not that I am against big boxes of yummy, sugary, carb laden food, I am not.  Those of you who know me, know this to be true.  But the bottom line is that purchasing that stuff is expensive and can not be healthy for you, if consumed over long periods of time.  I truly believe that this is the reason for the national obesity levels and general bad health. There are other reasons for this epidemic, but this is not a political blog and I will not go down that path.  So before y'all start emailing me, agreeing or disagreeing, just know that I will not respond.

This can cooked in a slow cooker, as well.  Cook 4 to 6 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.

The second part is the recipe, so here it is.

1 4-5 pound Chicken
the ribs from 1/2 a stalk of Celery, washed and cleaned
1 large Onion, peeled but only cut in half
1 large Carrot, peeled but not cut up
Salt, Pepper, 3 Chicken Bouillon Cubes, Garlic Powder, Lawry's Poultry Seasoning

In a large stock pot, place the ribs of half of a celery stalk, 1 large onion peeled, and the peeled carrot. 
Wash the chicken and place it on top of the vegetables.  Remember to sanitize the entire area of sink and cabinets! Fill the pot halfway with water.  Add 3 chicken bouillon cubes, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, garlic powder and Lawry's poultry seasonings.  Cover and bring to boil over medium heat.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low and let simmer about 3 to 4 hours.  Check on the pot, occasionally.  You will see that the volume of liquid increases.  If the liquid volume decreases, add more water and lower heat, a bit.  When the chicken is thoroughly cooked it will look like this-

The leg will separate easily from the body of the chicken and the bones will loose the pink color.  The liquid will have just about doubled in volume.  Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.  Then refrigerate for 8 hours.  This allows the fat to come to the surface and then it can be removed.  If we were in France, we would save the fat for cooking.  But I live in Texas and it is not going to happen in this kitchen.  If anyone has any ideas what to do with the chicken fat, let me know.  What you end up with is this-

Skim the fat from the top and discard. Remove the chicken from the pot of stock.  If the chicken falls apart, do not worry.  That indicates that the chicken is completely cooked.  Pour the stock into a freezer container, be sure to mark the date and contents.  Remove and discard the skin and the bones from the cooked chicken. Now you have cooked chicken for use now or later.  If you freeze all or part of it, notate the date and contents.  This will last about 2 months in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Oops!  The link to this recipe says " how to bake a chicken" but it is this recipe. Sorry :(
Printable Recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/basilandrosemarys/how-to-bake-a-chicken

How to set the table

This is a guide to setting the table.  I have used different colors and styles of tableware so that you can see what changed in each photo. The charger is there only to hold the place, like zeros.  If you have chargers and want to use them, by all means do so.  However, chargers are meant to be removed prior to the meal service. Most people do not do this, me included.  Just a little note on the side.


the charger

 Next, if you are serving in a formal manner, you will need to have a helper if you have more than 2 guests. Get your honey or one of your older children to help.  Children love to do this but remember that they need to be old enough to handle china. Practice with children before the event. Remember to serve with your right hand. When serving, place food from the guest's  left and take the serving piece from the right. Okay, enough instructions,  here we go!

This post assumes that you will be serving a seafood appetizer, salad, soup, main course, dessert, iced tea, red wine, and white wine.  This is only so that you will see all of the pieces needed for each. The water or iced tea glass in this case is placed directly over the knife.  Honestly, iced tea would not be served with wine but I wanted you to see where the iced teaspoon was positioned in reference to the plate. Next to the water (iced tea) glass is the red wine glass.  The mouth of the red wine glass is open. It sits next to and slightly below the water (iced tea) glass.  The white wine glass has a closed mouth and and sits next to and parallel to the red wine glass.  Water should always be served with a meal. If you are serving iced tea, the ice tea glass should be placed where the red wine glass is in this photo. The bread and butter plate is placed above the forks and slightly to the left of the plate. The butter knife is placed across the upper portion of the plate. All other flatware should be placed parralell to the bottom of the the plate, not the charger. The flatware should be held in the right hand like a pencil not like a drumstick except for the knife which should be held in the left hand. Both should be replaced to the plate between uses. If both red and white wine is being served, each would have a course that was paired with the wine. When that course is finished, take that glass away.



seafood appetizer

 This starts from the the outside left.  Next to the napkin is the seafood fork.  This can also be used for shelled escargot. The appetizer dish has an underliner (small plate) because it is footed.  When removing, take the seafood fork with the small plate and footed dish.




salad service

 So now you have the salad plate and the fork is the smaller one on the far left. The salad fork should be removed with the salad plate.







soup service

The soup should be served with an underliner, as well.  The soup spoon is second to the far right.  The far right (an unfortunately placed crooked) is the iced teaspoon.  The soup spoon should be removed with the soup bowl. 



Main Course

 Notice that now there is only the one fork on the left, the knife and the spoon.










dessert service

 Now all of the flatware from the meal has been removed and clean utensils have been brought out for dessert. If coffee is being served, the cup and saucer are placed above and to the right of the plate.  If small dessert glasses are being used, be sure to include the underliner.






Informal Service

 Now for the informal setting.  Notice that the bread and butter plate is gone and the butter knife is placed above the center of the plate.  The salad plate is centered in the larger plate.  The seafood fork is on this table indicating that a small appetizer is planned. 


I truly hope that you try these table settings at home. 
Have a happy and stress free Thanksgiving!

Deloris