Real Florida Chicken Thighs and Rice

Now you are going to think this is a chicken and citrus recipe because everyone equates Florida with oranges, grapefruit and of course the Key Lime. Well there is another part of Florida where the cowboys and Indians roam that brings another whole taste to the table. This is the central part of the state where they raise cattle and sugarcane.

Most tourist only see the beaches and what they think is Florida but there is another whole world to behold when you get into Desoto, Hendry and the other counties in the middle of the state. In Hendry county is a great place named Labelle. The people are friendly and the food is amazing. A butcher who lived there back in the 1940's always made a seasoning for his customers to use on their meats. It because very popular and a favorite of everyone in the area. He had began the development in Saipan when he was a mess sergeant in the army. He actually started to market it as Everglades Seasoning in 1976.  My chicken recipe is easy, fast and of course uses that great seasoning as its core flavor. http://www.evergladesseasoning.com/

Soak 4-6 chicken thighs (bone in and skin on) in about a quart of water and 1/8 cup of apple cider vinegar for 10 minutes or so and then rinse.

In your electric pressure cooker add about 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and let it heat on saute.
Add 1 tsp of Everglades Seasoning and smell the aroma
Slowly add a couple or three chicken thighs and brown on saute turn them and when brown on all sides remove and add the next two or three. You might want to shake in a bit more of the Everglades Seasoning to make sure they get to bathe in that great blend of spices.

When all the chicken are browned remove from the pressure cooker and add  2 cups of rice to the oil. Stir the rice around so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Then add either 1 Cup of chicken stock and 3 Cups of water or 4 Cups of water. The chicken stock will make it a bit stronger than just the water alone....just sayin- you be the judge of your palate.

Lay that chicken on top of the rice skin side down and place the lid on. Set the pressure cooker for 24 minutes on the poultry setting. When the  pressure cooker finishes let the pressure off manually so the rice doesn't get mooshie.

Then add one can of small red beans in chili sauce. This will add that one last taste to this already flavorful and aromatic dish.  Mix them in and serve. Now you are tasting the old Florida flavors which the pioneering families

came to know and love.

Everglade seasonings

Oriental Chicken Breasts

I found this recipe for garlic chicken and it looked oh so yummy. When I started the process of making it and adding the chicken stock laced with the spices it was so dull I knew it was not going to be a big hit. Then the Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce would have come out and that would be the end of the chicken ala garlic.

So below is the new and zingier version which we will see if it meets the taste expectations of the hubby.

Use the saute function of the pressure cooker and melt 3/4 of a stick of butter.

Rinse 3 large or 4 medium boneless, skinless breasts

Combine is a small dish:
1/8 tsp of salt  OR NO SALT AT ALL!!!
1 tsp of black course pepper
2 tsps of garlic powder

Coat the chicken with the above mixture and place in the chicken in the bottom of the pressure cooker to brown and seer in the coating

In a larger dish combine:
1 cup of chicken broth
1 minced clove of garlic
3 Tablespoons of honey
1/2Tablespoon of soy sauce (low sodium will work or teriyaki sauce for more zing)
1/2 tsp of Indian Curry mild not hot

Pour the mixture over the chicken and place the lid on the pressure cooker securely. Set on poultry for 10 minutes at high pressure.
When finished release the pressure manually and serve over noodles, rice or greens.

One Note : I cut the soy sauce and salt way back in this recipe because the broth had a very salty taste. If you like that taste up and it won't send your blood pressure through the roof, then add more soy sauce to taste and keep the salt in the beginning.

Fat Flush Soup in the Pressure Cooker

If you are not familiar with the Fat Flush Soup Diet, well this is a great one which is easy and satisfying. One of my sons, Steven, had moved his weight to almost 400 lbs due to becoming depressed about his life situation. He went to counseling and the  counselor suggested this great soup and Ann Louise, the First Lady of Nutrition.

He lost from the top weight of about 385 lbs down to 195 lbs by eating a veggie omelet for breakfast and about 11:30 AM when he got hungry ate a coffee mug full of soup every couple of hours or so until dinner time. Then he ate a small piece of meat, salad and if he needed more ate the soup. This took about six months and he never got bored because you can use different meats, veggies and beans in the soup to change the taste.

Steven has kept the weight off for over two years now and when he thinks he is going to fall off the good habits he has established goes back on the soup to get back on track. He has helped a lot of people lose and keep weight off too by telling them about the diet and how he has used it for his success.

Here is the link to Ann Louise's website and the basic recipe.

http://annlouise.com/2012/10/18/my-fat-flush-soup-diet/

http://annlouise.com/project/fat-flush-soup-diet-womens-world/

 Steven at almost his heaviest above....

This is a skinnier version but he is smaller than this now.

Chicken Fried Cubed Steak and Gravy

A couple of weeks ago I needed a really quick meal because I was home late from work to a starving husband. No he can't or won't cook. Anyway, I digress, I had some cube steaks in the fridge that needed cooking and thought I would just do in the skillet and serve over some rice I had made the day before. When I got them breaded and in the skillet they were not looking like I wanted so drug out my pressure cooker and put about 1/8 cup or less of oil in the bottom set the pot on saute. Then I just threw the steaks in a couple at a time and finished the browning process in the pot. Being tired and lazy I just added about two cups of water to them and some cumin on top and attached the lid. Set the pot on meat and let it cook.

Well as you can see in the picture below they were amazing. After 35 minutes in the Instapot I took the steam down and opened the lid they looked yummy. When I pulled the steaks out and added a about a 1/2 cup of milk to the gravy and stirred it was heaven for the mouth.

I put them on the plate with rice and the gravy on the side. Add a green veggie and your are done.
Here is the recipe:

In a bowl place a cup of flour, a 1/2 tsp of salt and black pepper to taste. Rinse the steaks under water and dredge through the flour mixture. I use a small paperbag like a lunch bag and put the flour in that then throw the steaks in one at a time so it is not so messy plus I shake the bag and get them really coated.

Make sure your pressure cooker is set on saute or brown and add about 1/8 cup of vegetable oil. Brown the steaks in the oil on both side and add 2 cups of water. Then sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of cumin on top of  the steaks.

Finally place the top on the pressure cooker, set on the meat setting which should be about 35 minutes. Take the pressure off as soon as its finishes remove steaks add either 1/2 cup of milk or sour cream to the gravy, more salt and pepper to taste then serve.

You will get rave reviews and it is all in the pot!!!