Thursday, March 26, 2009

Chicken Drumsticks with Ranch Dressing

This is a favourite when I serve it up at party's.

Chicken Drumsticks

32 small chicken drumsticks. (get your butcher to french them...otherwise you will have to do this at home, cut of the wing tip and french around the thigh knuckle)
1 Tbs cracked pepper
1 tbs garlic salt
1 tbs onion powder
Olive oil for deep frying
1 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
40g melted butter
1 tbs white sugar  (can use brown sugar for extra caramelising)
Tabasco sauce to taste.

Ranch dressing

1 cup whole egg mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
Salt & Pepper to taste.

1.  Combine pepper,garlic salt, onion powder in a extra large plastic freezer bag. Give a shake.
Add the chicken drummies and toss around in the bag till coated.

2.  Fill a heavy based  pan one third full of oil. The oil is ready when you drop a cube of bread into it and it turns golden brown in 15 secs.
Cook the chicken in batches for 2 mins each. Drain on paper towels. This is to seal the chicken not cook it through.

3. Transfer the chicken to a large non-metal bowl. Combine the sauces,butter,sugar and tabasco. Pour over the chicken and stir to coat. Refrigerate, covered for several hours or better if overnight.  

4.  Cook the chicken on a hot oiled lightly bbq grill or a grill pan on your stove top. Cook about 20mins, or until cooked through.
Turn and brush with the marinade during cooking.

5. Serve with the ranch dressing dipping sauce.

7. To make the dressing, mix together all the ingredients and season to taste with salt & pepper.

This is great party food for kids too. Just eliminate the tabasco sauce.

Dont forget to pass the napkins around. 

Hope this recipe is easy to follow.....I typed it out with a toddler on my lap eating a very messy peanut butter sandwich. Thank goodness for wet one wipes!

Functions are booked

Well business is taking off!   I now have three booked functions and one pending. Two 40th birthday party's and a weekend retreat for midwifes and guest speakers. I'm very excited about this.

My business cards and letterhead artwork is looking great. I will post this up on the blog when I get it back from the printers. A wee hiccup on the printing of the cards but it should be fixed in the next week. I have a meeting next week with a potential client who is getting married.
I do love a wedding... 

On the home front my wee angel Jackman is a trick, he is so funny and makes me laugh a lot. Today I introduced him to baked pretzels (not homemade but I'm working on it...)  I asked him if he was enjoying it and he turned around, looking up at me and replied " mmmm not bad"
I nearly fell over laughing much to his delight. He is only 21 mths old!!!

Tonight I made the best organic Roasted Chicken, the secret is to squish a stick of butter up between the skin on the breasts. I usually roll this stick in chopped garlic,thyme,oregano and lemon zest first. (about 100gm sticks) on each breast.
Then olive oil the chicken skin and smother in sweet paprika,salt and pepper. Usual rule of thumb is for every 500gms of raw chicken you need to cook for 30mins on 200 degrees. I don't make stuffing, I just put in the carcass, the lemon you used to zest, a few whole unpeeled garlic cloves and 1/2 brown onion.

Well tonight I have to print up my menu. Will post this on the blog soon. Better be prepared for the meeting on Monday. 

Remember to always live in the now and lick the bowl...