Kevin's Oven-fried Chicken

Pete usually deep-fried his chicken so I came up with this recipe so that I wouldn't be trying to imitate his. It turned out that he loved this recipe and often requested it when he wanted chicken but didn't feel like making it!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lbs of chicken, cut up (legs, breasts, or whole chicken)
  
• 2 C flour
  
• 3 Tbs BAM
  
• Oil for frying (Olive oil or other cooking oil mixed with some bacon grease tastes best! Don't use shortening because it has a low smoke-point.)
  

Soak chicken for at least an hour (overnight if possible) in 1/3 cup of seasoned salt and cold water, enough to cover all pieces. Drain. Finish trimming pieces (cut off excess skin, etc.) and flour each piece in the flour and BAM mixture.

Heat the oil in a large skillet (about 1/4 inch of oil in the bottom) until it froths when you toss in a smidgen of flour. Add chicken pieces, dark meat first (thighs, then legs, then the white pieces about 5 minutes after). Brown each piece, turning to get the entire piece brown.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Now you have 2 options for finishing the bird:

Option 1(original method):Toss the entire frypan in the oven on the center rack. This only will work if the pan is not non-stick and the handle isn't plastic! A cast-iron skillet works best.

Option 2(low fat method): Put chicken pieces on a wire rack over large cookie sheet. Cover sheet in foil, if desired. Place the sheet w/racks and chicken in the oven.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a thigh or breast cut open at the bone is no longer red.

If desired, make chicken gravy in the used fry pan. Drain all but a couple tablespoons of the grease and mix with 1/4 cup flour (use the flour & BAM mixture if you like it spicy). Heat on high, adding milk (about 2 cups) and stirring constantly until boiling.

Turkey with Orange, Cloves, & Sage

Pete and I made this for the last holiday dinner that I got to spend with my mother, Martha. It was a special holiday, and he really went all out for her. She enjoyed spending the evening with us instead of at the nursing home and we all ate well!

Ingredients:
For the herb rub:

•  1 tablespoon rubbed sage
  
•  1 tablespoon kosher salt
  
•  2 tablespoons dried orange peel
  
•  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

For the turkey:

•  1 12-pound oven-ready turkey
  
•  2 small oranges
  
•  12 whole cloves
  
•  6 cloves garlic
  
•  1 bunch fresh sage, tied with butcher s string
  

Prep:
To make the herb rub, mix together all rub ingredients; set aside.

Rinse turkey and pat dry. Insert 6 whole cloves into each orange. Pierce each orange several times with a knife. Put oranges, garlic, and fresh sage bunch into turkey cavity. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Return legs to tucked position. Rub entire outside surface of turkey with herb mixture, pressing it into the skin surface.

Grilling directions: Set your grill up for slow cooking (coals on the sides and a drip pan in the center). Place turkey, breast side up, in a roast holder set inside a large heavy-gauge foil pan. Place in center of cooking grate.

Oven directions: Preheat oven to 325∞. Place turkey on a rack, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Place in center of oven.

Cook 11 to 13 minutes per pound to an internal temperature of 180 F in the thigh and 170 F in the breast (about 2-1/4 hours for a 12-pound turkey). Cover wings and/or drumsticks with heavy-duty aluminum foil if they brown too quickly. Remove turkey from grill/oven and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Whole Roasted Smoked Chicken

Ingredients:

•  4 lb roaster
  
• Marinade
  
•  1 TB parsley
  
•  1 Tsp celery seed
  
•  1 Tsp Marjoram
  
•  1 Tsp Sage
  
•  1/2 tsp Thyme
  
•  1 TB salt
  
•  1 tsp pepper
  
•  1 tsp garlic powder
  
•  1-2 TB lemon juice or vinegar
  

Mix dry ingredients (test spices by smelling - it should smell "green") and rub into bird, inside and out.

Sprinkle lemon juice over all and let marinate at least 1-2 hrs before cooking.

Spray bird with Pam spray before cooking. Cook over indirect heat until thermometer reaches 170 (about an hour). Add wet smoke chips after 15 min of cooking, keep adding them when smoke dies out.