Chicken, Corn and Bacon Chowder 1 2 3 1 ½ 4 2 ¼
pack of bacon cans of whole kernel corn boiled chicken breasts clove garlic, minced chopped onion cups of chicken broth cups of heavy cream cup all-purpose flour Salt and pepper to taste Cayenne pepper, optional, to taste
Cook of the Month Whitney Bennett, Wiregrass EC
Cut bacon into small pieces and fry, reserving the grease for later. Drain and set aside. In reserved bacon grease, cook chopped onion and minced garlic until transparent, about 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and add ¼ cup of all-purpose flour, mixing well to create a roux. Once the mixture has thickened, gradually whisk in chicken broth. Add onion, garlic, corn, chicken, bacon and spices. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat. Once it is warmed through, add heavy cream and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes. Add water if the chowder becomes too thick. Cook's note: 1 rotisserie style chicken may be used in place of boiled chicken.
My Good Cornbread Cake (Vegan-friendly)
1 cup unbleached flour 1½ cups Martha White Corn Meal Mix (Hot Rize) 1 cup almond milk ½ cup maple syrup 2 tablespoons egg replacers (can also use flax seed) Vegetable oil Mix dry ingredients first. Then add almond milk, syrup and egg replacers to get the consistency like pancake batter. Add extra milk, if you have enough, or water until you get the pancake consistency. Put ¼ cup oil into a cornbread pan or a cast iron skillet to coat, and put the pan into a 425-degree oven. Heat until hot. Remove the pan and pour the oil into the batter and mix very well, then pour the batter back into the pan. Cook for approximately 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees. Editor’s Note: A common formula for replacing eggs with flax seed is 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds plus 3 tablespoons of warm water-equals one egg. Wilma Jackson Central Alabama EC
36 JANUARY 2017
Whitney Bennett has been making her homey, hearty Chicken, Corn and Bacon Chowder for about three years. She adapted a basic corn chowder recipe to fit her family’s tastes. “We like meat, and my three girls love chicken, so I added that. And then bacon makes everything better,” she said. She loves that the rich and creamy soup is easy enough to make any time, although she usually reserves it for the colder months. “It’s so simple to do. We eat it mostly it the winter,” she said. “It really warms you up from the inside out.”
New Orleans Red Beans and Rice 1 pound small red beans, rinsed and soaked at least four hours, or overnight 2 cups Kielbasa sausage, cut into bitesized pieces 1 cup cooked ham, cubed 1 large onion, chopped ½ cup celery, chopped 3 large garlic cloves, minced 4 cups water (or enough to cover bean mixture) ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1 large bay leaf 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon hot sauce 3 cups cooked rice Combine all ingredients except rice into slow cooker. Cook 6-8 hours on low, stirring once. Serve over rice. Cook’s note: Remove some of the beans and juices just before serving, mash them, and pour back into the pot for a thicker mixture if desired. Tammy Formby Marshall-DeKalb EC
Chicken and Dumplings 3 2 2 1 1 ¼ ⁄ 1 1 ¼
cups boiled, cut up chicken quarts chicken broth boiled eggs, chopped can cream of chicken soup cup plain flour teaspoon salt teaspoon baking powder tablespoon shortening egg yolk cup broth or milk
Mix flour, salt, baking powder and shortening together; add egg yolk and milk or broth. Mix together to make a stiff dough. Roll the dough thin on a floured surface and cut into small squares. Lay squares on waxed paper about 30 minutes to dry out. Drop the squares into boiling broth and chicken soup. Cook 8-10 minutes, gradually adding the chopped chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped eggs. Cover with tight lid and let sit 30 minutes. Cook’s note: The dumplings can be made ahead and frozen. Place them on cookie sheets until frozen, then put into freezer bags for later use. Philena Peterson Baldwin EMC
www.alabamaliving.coop