Creole BBQ Chicken & Bleu Cheese Dressing

My fall menu is good. Like I said yesterday, I made it last year when I was catering/personal cheffing hard core. It's still a valid menu. I just decided to bring it out again to get ideas.

I am inspired now. I went to the grocery today to purchase the foodstuffs for my next cooking class (which is tomorrow) and I think I got my groove back.

Tomorrow's menu:
Fish & Potato Chowder
Crispy Veal Cutlets with Buttery Caraway Noodles
Curry Carrot Cream Sauce
Linzer Cookies

I'll post about that tomorrow.

Today, let's talk about today's lunch.

Since I've been eating nothing but crap lately, this salad was a great departure from the heavy food I've been making & eating.

I felt good about this salad. It was cool, crisp, hot, crunchy, creamy, spicy & tangy all in one.

Spicy Creole BBQ Chicken on romaine with fresh pears, taleggio, & bleu cheese dressing with mini apple-cheddar-poppy seed muffins.




Spicy Creole BBQ Chicken
Serves 6

2 Tbsp oil
4 cloves sliced garlic
2 cups onions, julienned
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups green bell pepper, diced
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups white wine
Large pinch of cayenne
6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and black pepper, to taste

In a saucepan, heat oil & 2 Tbsp garlic over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, remove the garlic and add the onions, celery, and green peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Saute the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables start to wilt. Return the garlic to the pan with tomatoes, herbs, & cayenne. Continue to saute for 1 minute. Stir in the BBQ sauce and white wine. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 12 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chicken and butter. Cook an additional 10-15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

The milder the BBQ sauce, the better. I used Hunt's regular BBQ sauce. It's a pretty standard flavor that isn't too sweet, salty, smoky, or vinegary.
Watch your face after you add the sauce & wine. That cayenne you just put in the pot might come back & sting you in the eyes.

Nikki's Bleu Cheese Dressing
There are no real measurements here because I just threw it together. Make sure you taste periodically because you can always add more, but once it's in, you can't take it out.

sour cream
mayonnaise
buttermilk
6 oz bleu cheese crumbles
Worcestershire sauce
hot sauce (8 to 10 drops)
chives, chopped
parsley, chopped


Mini Apple-Cheddar-Poppy Seed muffins
makes 45 mini muffins

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
2 cups apple, peeled, finely chopped
2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
1/4 cup poppy seeds
3/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cream the butter and sugar together and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl, mix lightly. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the mixture. Add the cheddar and poppy seeds, mixing well after each addition. Gradually add the milk, stirring until all the ingredients are just moistened. Grease the muffin pans and fill each cup 2/3rds full of batter. Bake 10-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.