Bakesale Betty's Fried Chicken Sandwich

Actual sandwich from Bakesale Betty

Bakesale Betty is a gem in California's East Bay, especially because of their famous Fried Chicken Sandwich. Owned and ran by Alison Barakat. Alison worked at Chez Panisse for 3 years then started to sell her baked goods at farmers markets and soon opened up a bakery in North Oakland Ca with her husband.... If you have not tried this sandwich yet and you are close enough to get to one of their locations, it is an absolute must and it will rock your little world. You will be hooked. There is usually a line out the door and you must go before 2pm or they will run out of this popular sandwich. Make sure to order their frozen lemonade to wash it down with.

So of course, this is one of those things I wanted to try and make myself at home. So instead of a copy cat recipe, I was able to find the exact recipe online. I made it and it came out exactly the same, there was no difference other than you didnt get to sit outside on their cool ironing board tables.....Try it out, you wont be disappointed.



Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts , about 6 ounces each

kosher salt

1 quart buttermilk

The vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (Edmond Fallot Dijon mustard is what Betty uses)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (Bariani extra virgin olive oil is what Betty uses)

The coleslaw

1 small red onion , very thinly sliced
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 jalapenos , seeded, cut in half and sliced crosswise (I've used a green bell pepper instead and it's still wonderful)
¼ cup parsley , chopped
½ green cabbage , core and outer leaves removed, and very thinly sliced
kosher salt

The breading

1 lb all-purpose flour 
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 
1 tablespoon kosher salt (or more to taste) 
1 ½ teaspoons fresh ground pepper 
2 quarts vegetable oil , for frying
4 rolls , sliced lengthwise (Betty uses Acme Bakery torpedo rolls)

Directions:

Season chicken breasts with kosher salt. Let sit at least 5 minutes. Fill a wide, shallow nonreactive bowl or casserole dish with buttermilk. Add the chicken and soak in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to overnight.

For the vinaigrette: Combine mustard, vinegar and salt in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well blended.

For the coleslaw: Macerate onions in the cup of red wine vinegar, and let sit at least 20 minutes. Remove onions and discard vinegar. Toss onions with jalapeno, parsley, cabbage and salt. Toss with vinaigrette until evenly coated.

To fry chicken: Pour vegetable oil into a large stockpot. Do not fill up more than halfway, or the oil could splatter. Bring oil up to 365°, using a digital thermometer/candy thermometer to monitor the heat. Prepare the the breading while waiting for oil to heat up.

In a wide shallow bowl, mix flour, cayenne, salt and pepper. Pull a chicken breast out of the buttermilk one by one, letting excess drip off, and dredge completely in flour. To create a thick crust, place in buttermilk and dredge in flour a second time. Do not drain or shake off excess buttermilk or flour during the breading process.

When the oil is at 365°, carefully place chicken pieces into oil one by one. Let it cook for a minute before disturbing chicken, then help it “swim” in the oil with tongs, until it is evenly cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels. Season immediately with salt.

For the sandwich: Place fried chicken breast on bottom of torpedo roll and top generously with coleslaw.

The results...D-licious

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Photograph by Con Poulos for Food Network

Potlucks are always fun and are becoming more and more popular again. Its always exciting to see and taste what people bring and be able to share those recipes with one another. For a recent potluck, my friend Leilani made Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, comes from the Food Network website, easy to make, and so much fun! It was a HUGE hit so I have to share the recipe. Thanks for bringing it Leilani!! It was delicious!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Ina Garten, another one of my favorite celebrity chefs. I love her recipes because they are simple to make and the recipes are spot on. I'll be sharing several I made from her but my most favorite I've made many times is her yummy and bubbly, Baked Shrimp Scampi. Make it for a crowd or single servings, its DELICIOUS and you will not be disappointed.... Give a try!

Serving size  6

Ingredients

2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 extra-large egg yolk
2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)

Lemon wedges, for serving



Directions..

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.





COPY CAT! Scolari's Buffalo Fries

Buffalo wings are one of my favorite finger foods... spicey, tangy and great for a crowd. I recently tried Buffalo Fries at Scolari's Good Eats, on Park St in Alameda Ca... DELICIOUS!!! Scolari's is an American Style takeout spot, located next to a popular watering hole where they also serve Scolari's food. They are open for lunch and dinner and their menu is kid friendly.

Ran by Chef Michael Boyd, this place has become a local favorite. From what I have heard and read, he uses only fresh ingredients bought from local resources such as local bakeries, farmers markets and local produce stores. Scolari's is known for their small but creative menu that includes daily specials along with vegetarian specials and on a regular basis include a classic stromboli, burger, deep fried hot dog, sandwiches, salads, pizza and the delicious buffalo fries which I had to recreated in my own kitchen. These fries are tossed in a buffalo sauce and topped with pickled veggies and blue cheese. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Please visit this little Gem, you will not be disappointed!

Now, here is my version of Scolaris Buffalo Fries and I must admit, I did a pretty good job recreating them. Hope I have done them justice Chef Boyd!
serves 2-4

Ingredients

4 Russet potato, skin on, and cut into 1/3 inch fries
5 tbsp of salted butter
4 tbsp of Tapatio Hot Sauce (any hot sauce can work)
1 carrot, julienned small (use a julienning blade if you have one)
1 celery, sliced very thin (use a mandoline if you have one if not cut as thin as you can)
3 green onions, chopped
1 juicy lemon
4-6 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
flat leaf parsley for garnish
pinch of salt
Vegetable oil for deep frying

For the pickled carrots and celery...
Mix julienned carrots, sliced celery, chopped green onions pinch of salt and lemon juice in bowl and toss. set aside in refrigerator.

Next make buffalo sauce.

In a small sauce pan start melting the butter and add the hot sauce, turn heat off and whisk until smooth and thick and set aside.


Heat vegetable oil in a large pot good for frying, such as a dutch oven to 350 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to check oil temperature. Have a paper towel lined bowl to place fries once they are done and also large enough to use for tossing later. Start frying cut potatos in batches until golden brown and crisp then place in bowl. Once frying is complete, remove paper towel from bowl, salt fries to your liking and pour all of the buffalo sauce onto the potatos and toss. Place tossed buffalo fries on a large serving plate, sprinkle blue cheese, garnish with the pickled carrots and celery and sprinkle with parsley.

Get your forks, your ready to eat!


Also try them the Mexican way!

Substitute...
blue cheese with cotija cheese.
carrots, green onion and celery with thinly sliced radishes and red onion
Instead of parsley, sprinkle with cilantro!
YUM!!!

Tyler Florence's Crisp Chicken Wings with Thai Chili-Lime Butter

Now if these wings won't make your taste buds dance, I don't know what will! From Tyler Florence's cookbook, Tyler's Ultimate, the Chicken Wings with Thai Chili-Lime Butter are absolutely delicious. Use the whole wing or drumettes, either way they are to die for. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!


Service 4-6

Ingredients

4 pounds chicken wings
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 big, fat rounded tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 lime, halved
Chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
Sliced red Jalapeno, for garnish


Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.


Rinse the wings under cool water and pat dry. Put them in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Toss to coat with the seasoning. Then spread the wings out on a baking sheet and roast about 25 minutes until the skin gets crisp and brown, and the meat is tender.


While you wait, throw the butter, red curry paste honey and soy sauce into a blender. Season with salt and puree. Scrape into a big bowl. When the wings come out of the oven put add to the bowl with the curry butter. Squeeze the juice of the lime over the wings. Give it a toss and you're done. Garnish with cilantro.

Chili Relleno Rice

One of my favorite celebrity chefs to follow is Tyler Florence. Besides his good looks and great personality (Ha!), he knows how to cook. His recipes are pretty spot on, easy to follow and delicious!  I'll be talking a lot about him and sharing a lot of his recipes I've used in future blogs. So if you don't own any of his books, stay tuned for more of his recipes here!


The latest book I own of his is Tyler Florence Family Meal. This book features great photos and has several great recipes from him being at home with his family, his restaurant Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco and a good old fashioned potluck with his neighbors. I would definitely recommend it for your cookbook library.


I have to share this recipe I tried from the book, Chili Relleno Rice. Definitely not low fat but pretty damn good. It's a recipe from his neighbor Christina Flach who brought it over for a potluck and as Tyler puts it, “It’s not fancy, but trust me, it is really amazing and everyone at the potluck walked out the door asking for this recipe.” Delicious, easy, feeds the family including kids and is great for a potluck.


I added my own little twist to the mix...

3/4 cup of frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup of diced yellow onion, cooked until slightly browned
1 jalapeño, finely diced for a kick

Next time, I will add chicken or even chorizo!


Here's Christinas recipe...

Serves 6-8

2 cups cooked white rice
2 cups sour cream
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 (7 oz.) cans diced mild green chilies, drained
2 cups cubes Monterey jack cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice, sour cream, condensed soup, chilies and cheese. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Spread the rice in the prepared baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

Serve it hot!
Yum!

Sangria

Sangria is one of my favorite mixed drinks. Refreshing, easy and inexpensive to make, it looks pretty and is great for parties. It's always a hit with my guest.

There are several variations of Sangria and it can be made with white or red wine but usually always includes fruits like apples, peaches, oranges, grapes and pineapple. The wine I use is inexpensive. No need to waste a really good expensive bottle...a cheap good one will work. If you have a Trader Joe's where you live, I use 2 buck chuck for this recipe and it comes out delicious.

I make 2 Sangria's using red wine, one has fruit and can be poured over ice...so refreshing! And another that I make with mulling spices, served at room temperature and usually only make during the Holidays. Either way you make it, I think you'll enjoy it!


Serves 6-18 (all depends on who is drinkin..lol)

Sangria

3 bottles (750ml ea) of drinkable Cabernet sauvignon (each bottle of wine serves 4 good glasses)
16 oz of Orangina drink (can be purchased at your local supermarket)
1/4 cup of spiced rum, I use Captain Morgan
1 small orange, sliced in thin rounds
2 medium Fuji apples, diced small


In a large pitcher, place your diced apples and sliced orange rounds, then pour your wine, Orangina and spiced rum. Stir and mix well and cover with plastic wrap. It will need to sit for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator or at room temp but great if made the day before. Serve it over ice or serve it at room temp, either way it's good!




Holiday Sangria
(should be made the day before)

3 bottles (750ml ea) of drinkable Cabernet sauvignon
16 oz of sparkling apple cider or 16 oz of Orangina drink
1/4 cup of spiced rum, I use Captain Morgan
2 medium Fuji apples, diced small
1 small orange, sliced in thin rounds
9 cloves, pierced in the peel of 3 of the orange rounds (I do 3 cloves per orange round)
3 cinnamon sticks
9 star anise
1 tsp whole allspice


In a large pitcher, place your diced apples, orange rounds and orange rounds with cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise and all spice, then pour the wine, Orangina or sparkling cider and rum. Stir and mix well then cover with plastic wrap and let sit over night at room temp.

Cheers!

Yum!