Texas Chicken Quesadillas

These are quesadillas filled with chicken cooked in barbeque sauce, caramelized onions, Cheddar and Monterey jack. Serve with plenty of guacamole, sour cream and chunky salsa!

Makes: 4 quesadillas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 tablespoon honey
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
1/2 cup barbeque sauce
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
8 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Slowly cook and stir onion until translucent. Mix in honey. Stir until onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Place remaining oil and chicken in the skillet over medium high heat. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in barbeque sauce and evenly coat chicken.

Layer 4 tortillas individually with chicken, onions, Cheddar cheese and Monterey jack cheese. Top with remaining tortillas.

One or two at a time, place layered tortillas on a large baking sheet. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Do not let tortillas become too crisp. Remove from heat. Cut into quarters to serve.

Texas Chicken-Fried Steak With Cream Gravy

Makes 6 large servings (2 steaks each)

Steak:
3 pounds round steak, 1/2-inch thick
2 cups all-purpose white flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Vegetable oil (corn, peanut, safflower oil) for frying (see note)

Gravy:
1/4 cup pan drippings
1/4 cup all-purpose white flour
3 cups warm milk
Salt
Black pepper

To make the steaks: Trim the fat off the meat, remove the bone and cut the meat into 6 equal-size pieces. Use a meat mallet to pound the steaks on both sides, until they are 1/4-inch thick. Then cut each pounded piece of steak in half (making 12 pieces total).

Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large shallow bowl. Beat the eggs and milk together well in another large shallow bowl.

Dredge the steaks in the seasoned flour, coating them well on both sides. Then use the meat mallet to pound the flour into the steaks. Dip the steaks in the egg-milk mixture, then dredge them again in the remaining flour. Set the steaks aside in a single layer on a large piece of wax paper.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Pour the vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2 inch into 2 or 3 large heavy-bottom skillets (iron skillets are best). You will have to cook the steaks in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the number of skillets you have. Set the skillets over medium heat. The oil will be hot enough for frying when it pops when you sprinkle a few drops of water on it.

Carefully put the steaks in a single layer in the hot oil and cook over medium heat until the bottom side of each steak is golden brown (about 7 to 8 minutes). Turn the steaks over, cover the skillets, reduce the heat to low and cook until the bottom sides are golden brown and the steaks are tender (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Transfer the steaks to a heatproof platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil and keep them warm in the oven while you cook the remaining steaks and prepare the cream gravy.

To make cream gravy: Pour the remaining oil out of one large skillet into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup, but leave in the skillet any particles of batter that stick to the bottom of the pan. Return 1/4 cup of the oil to the skillet and stir in 1/4 cup of flour. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, but don't let the mixture brown.

Slowly add the warm milk to the pan, stirring with a fork or wire whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the gravy is smooth and thick. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve the chicken-fried steaks with the cream gravy poured over them.

Texas Two-Step Chicken Picante

1 1/2 cups picante sauce
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 cups hot cooked rice

Mix picante sauce, sugar and mustard. Place chicken breasts in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour mixture over chicken. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve over rice.

Texas Butt Chicken

1 whole fryer chicken - 4 pound or more
1 to 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse ground garlic with parsley -
California Style (Lawry's or other)
1 can beer, any brand

Combine black pepper, Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and ground garlic in a separate cup and mix well. This is your dry rub. Sprinkle a liberal amount of dry rub over the whole chicken, both inside and out. Depending on the size of the chicken the amount of dry rub used can vary. You may already have a favorite dry rub or seasoning you prefer so don't be afraid to use a little creative liberty when seasoning the chicken. It's encouraged!

Now it's time to prepare the chicken for the grill. This is where the can of beer comes into play. Simply take the can of beer - any brand and/or flavor you prefer (can only!), drink two-thirds of the beer (or pour out) leaving the remaining beer in the can. Insert the can of beer into the cavity of the chicken, open end up, and carefully place the chicken with the can inside on the grill.

The chicken should look as if it's standing up on the grill, with the legs facing you. Adjust the legs to help balance the chicken so it will stand up on the grill. Be sure to place the chicken to the side of fire or flame but not directly over it.

Cook 2-4 hours, depending on the size of the chicken, type of fire or other method of cooking being used. If chicken appears to be cooking too fast on one side it may need to be turned around, but only once!

Either a wood burning pit, gas grill or conventional oven can be used.

Chicken Ala King South Texas Style

7-8 chicken breasts
Stock from chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
Tortilla chips
2 c. grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 lb. Velveeta cheese, grated (jalapeno flavor, if spicier taste is desired)
1 can chopped green chilies
Tabasco sauce and/or juice from jalapeno peppers (opt.)

Cook chicken breasts, bone and cut into bite size pieces. Reserve stock. Combine 1 1/2 cups stock, soup, tomatoes, Velveeta and chilies. Warm mixture to melt cheese and blend well. Taste for seasoning. If a spicier taste is preferred, add Tabasco sauce and/or jalapeno juice. Grease a 9"x12" casserole. Layer crushed tortilla chips, then chicken, then onion, then Cheddar cheese. Pour cheese sauce over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Freezes beautifully. Best if made a day ahead.

Texas Chicken Vegetable Chowder

2 c. cooked chicken
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of potato soup, undiluted
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (11 oz.) can Mexican style corn, undrained
1 (4 oz.) jar sliced mushrooms
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, undrained
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. chicken broth or 1 can
1/3 c. sliced green onions
1 1/2 c. (6 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese

Combine first 9 ingredients in Dutch oven, stirring well. Cook over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Garnish with sliced green onion, sour cream. Serve over crushed plain Dorito chips.

Texas Chicken N Rice

2 lb. chicken parts
1 can mushroom soup
1 can French onion soup
1 can chicken broth
2 c. raw rice
Seasonings

Put all in a pan. Cover and bake 1 1/2 hours.

Chicken Spaghetti East Texas Style

1 lg. hen or 2 fryers
3 qts. broth
2 c. finely chopped celery
2 c. onions
2 c. finely chopped green pepper
2 (12 oz.) pkg. spaghetti
8 tsp. chili powder
1 (3 oz.) can mushrooms
1 (2 oz.) can tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato juice, to thin (if necessary)
1/2 lb. American cheese, grated
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated

Cook hen in enough water to make 3 quarts broth. Take chicken off the bone and set aside. Add celery, onions, green peppers and spaghetti to boiling broth. When tender add chili powder, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. May add tomato juice if mixture appears dry. Add chicken.  Put into baking dish and cover with grated cheese. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Freezes well. Serves 16 to 18.

Texas Chicken Spaghetti

2/3 tbsp. butter
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. chopped green pepper
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. pimento, sliced
1/4 c. sliced olives
1/2 c. butter
1 chicken, cooked & diced
3-4 c. cooked spaghetti

Saute onion, celery and green pepper in 2/3 tablespoon butter in a skillet. Add a tablespoon flour and stir to thicken. Add chicken broth, milk, cream of mushroom soup, pimento, olives and butter. Dice cooked whole chicken. Cook spaghetti.

In 9 x 13 inch casserole layer sauce, spaghetti and chicken. Repeat layers. Top with grated cheese and cracker crumbs. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes (until bubbly). "Texas Italians will love it!"

Dr. Pepper Roast Turkey

Source: Dr. Pepper

1 (6 to 8 pound) turkey or chicken
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) bread cubes, 1/2 inch
l teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
I egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup Dr. Pepper (plus 10 ounces Dr. Pepper for basting)

Rinse turkey or chicken in cold water, pat dry. Remove neck, wing tips, giblets and simmer in small amount of water to make broth (about 2 cups).

Melt butter or margarine and saute onions and celery until tender but not brown, cool.

Combine bread cubes, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley. Add sauteed vegetables and toss lightly. Add beaten egg, the 1/2 cup of Dr Pepper, and broth.

Spoon about 1 cup of the stuffing into the neck cavity. Fasten skin to back with skewer.

Spoon stuffing into body cavity (do not pack), close body cavity by skewering skin together and lacing it closed with heavy string. Tie drumsticks to the tail.

Place turkey in roaster or pan breast side up and roast at 325 degrees F for about 3 hours or until done.  Baste frequently, first pouring from the bottle of Dr Pepper, slowly over the bird. When all is poured, baste from the liquid in the pan, spooning over the bird at frequent intervals.