This week was busy but tasty! I was able to make a few new recipes which I would recommend. The best being "Tyler Florance's Ultimate Fried Chicken" (recipe posted below). He brines the chicken to insure juiciness and then heavily seasons the dry and the wet parts of the coating. It was very good! Juicy, flavorful, and crunchy. I give it 2 thumbs up. I had a bit of trouble with the oil. When I had it at the right temperature (he says 350) the chicken was undercooked on the inside, so I had to turn it down and cook it a little longer to make it just right. Maybe my thermometer was not reading right? I don't know.

The second winning recipe this week was "Muffaletta Salad" (recipe posted below). I chopped the ingredients instead of putting them in the food processor so I could have larger pieces and it was perfect! Bailey loved it so much she even had it for breakfast and snacks!

Tyler's Ultimate Fried Chicken

1 (3 to 4 pound) chicken, cut up into 10 pieces
Kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
1 quart buttermilk
2 tablespoons hot chili sauce (recommended: Srirachi)
Peanut oil, for frying
1/4 bunch fresh thyme
3 big sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 bunch fresh sage
1/2 head garlic, smashed, husk still attached
Lemon wedges, for serving

Put the chicken pieces into a large bowl. Cover the chicken with water by 1 inch; add 1 tablespoon of salt for each quart of water used. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

In a large shallow platter, mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne until well blended; season generously with salt and pepper. In another platter combine the buttermilk and hot sauce with a fork and season with salt and pepper.

Drain the chicken and pat it dry. Dredge the pieces, a few at a time, in the flour mixture,
then dip them into the buttermilk; dredge them again in the seasoned flour. Set aside and let the chicken rest while you prepare the oil.

Put about 3 inches of oil into a large deep pot; it should not come up more than half way. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage, and garlic to the cool oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil registers 350 to 365 degrees F on one of those clip-on deep-fry thermometers. The herbs and garlic will perfume the oil with their flavor as the oil comes up to temperature.

Once the oil has reached 350 to 365 degrees F, working in batches, carefully add the chicken pieces 3 or 4 at a time. Fry, turning the pieces once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 12 minutes. Total cooking time should be about 30 minutes. When the chicken is done, take a big skimmer and remove the chicken pieces and herbs from the pot, shaking off as much oil as you can, and lay it on a tea towel or brown paper bag to soak up the oil. Sprinkle all over with more salt and a dusting of cracked black pepper. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Once all the chicken is fried, scatter the fried herbs and garlic over the top. Serve hot, with big lemon wedges.

Muffaletta Salad

1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup olive juice from can
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced black olives
1/2 cup diced green olives
1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts, diced
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 red onion, minced
3 cups cooked orzo
1 cup feta cheese
8 to 10 Bibb lettuce cups
1/2 cup diced Roma tomatoes

In a food processor, combine the garlic, vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, olive juice, lemon juice, red chili flakes, pepper and all vegetables up to the red onion. Pulse until well chopped but not pureed. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, place into refrigerator and let marinate for 2 to 4 hours.

Add orzo to marinated vegetables, toss, then add feta and toss again.

Serve in lettuce cups and top with tomatoes.