By Andy Bedwell
You know sometimes you just want to save time and money by serving an all-in-one meal. Add a few delicious sides and presto, your dinner is done!
Chicken Cacciatore
4 large boneless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup of flour
¼ cup Crisco oil
Mince garlic (I use the minced garlic in a jar)
2 ½ cups canned
or fresh tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
1 bay leaf
Rub chicken well in garlic. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly with flour. Quickly brown chicken in oil in a Dutch oven. Remove chicken and pour off any remaining oil in pan. Return chicken to Dutch oven. Add tomatoes, onions, green pepper, sugar, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer covered, basting occasionally with sauce, about one and one-half hours or until chicken is tender. Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.
Andy’s Note: Doug walked in my kitchen this morning with all my fresh vegetables from the garden to add to this dish. Gardens are such a blessing. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful this is for a family. Pat Davis, I was thinking about you making this for your family. Pat has always been one of my great supporters and follows my recipes in The Messenger.
Slaw Salad
1 medium head
cabbage, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup vinegar
½ cup oil
Let sugar, oil and vinegar come to a boil. Boil five minutes. Pour over cabbage and onion. Let stand in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Andy’s Note: This little slaw will add a little “zip” to the chicken cacciatore dish. I sometimes add a small bell pepper to this.
Chocolate Fudge Cake
1 cup water
1 cup Crisco oil
1 stick margarine
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine first four ingredients over medium heat and bring to a boil. Pour over flour and sugar. Sift flour and sugar together. This will be a smoother batter without lumps. Mix well. Add eggs, buttermilk, salt, baking soda and vanilla. Blend well and pour batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Frosting:
1 box powdered sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick margarine
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix ingredients well in boiler and let come to a small boil. Pour over warm cake.
Andy’s Note: This recipe is fantastic! No mixer, no lumps, one bowl and so moist that you can barely hold it to eat. I made one yesterday and half of it is missing this morning. A lot of chocolate cakes are dry, but not this one. Be sure and pour the frosting over a warm cake. Doug ate a tiny square last night with a small bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream.
Happy Cooking, Andy
“Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” may be purchased at The Messenger newspaper at 1957 Rainbow Drive in Gadsden.