[quietreflection]

I read the other recipe thread and found that it's mostly for people who don't like to put much effort into cooking. I on the other hand, love to cook good homemade meals for my husband just about every night. Here are some of our favorite recipies:

Jerk Style Smoked Chicken

Ingredients

3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks)
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/3 cup finely chopped onion (1 small)
2 tablesthingys water
2 tablesthingys lime juice
1 tablesthingy cooking oil
1 tablesthingy Pickapeppa sauce (optional)
1/2 teasthingy salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 to 8 fruit wood chunks
1 to 2 tablesthingys Jamaican jerk seasoning
Lime wedges

Directions

1. If desired, remove skin from chicken. Place chicken in a self-sealing plastic bag set in a deep dish. For marinade, in a small bowl combine tomato juice, onion, water, lime juice, oil, Pickapeppa sauce (if desired), salt, and garlic. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.

2. At least 1 hour before smoke cooking, soak wood chunks in enough water to cover. Drain before using. Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Sprinkle jerk seasoning evenly over chicken; rub in with your fingers.

3. In a smoker arrange preheated coals, drained wood chunks, and water pan according to the manufacturer�s directions. Pour water into pan. Place chicken on the grill rack over water pan. Cover; smoke for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until chicken is tender and juices run clear (170 degrees F for breasts; 180 degrees F for thighs and drumsticks). Add additional coals and water as needed to maintain temperature and moisture. Serve chicken with lime wedges. Makes 6 servings.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teasthingy dried marjoram, crushed
1/8 teasthingy salt
1/8 teasthingy black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onion (2)
3 tablesthingys butter or margarine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry Marsala or dry sherry
Hot cooked pasta, such as capellini or linguine (optional)

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl stir together flour, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Place a chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly to about 1/4 inch thick . Remove plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves. Lightly coat chicken on both sides with flour mixture; shake off excess.

2. In a large skillet cook mushrooms and green onion in 1 tablesthingy of the butter over medium-high heat until tender; remove from skillet. In the same skillet cook chicken in remaining 2 tablesthingys butter for 5 to 6 minutes, turning to brown evenly.

3. Remove skillet from heat. Return mushrooms and green onion to skillet. Carefully add broth and Marsala to skillet. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Season sauce to taste with additional salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Sthingy mushroom mixture over chicken. If desired, serve over pasta.

4. Makes 4 servings

Fresh Pear Custard Tart

Ingredients
1 recipe Single-Crust Pastry (see below)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablesthingys cornstarch
2 cups fat-free milk
2 beaten eggs
4 teasthingys finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 teasthingy vanilla
2/3 cup pear nectar
1-1/2 teasthingys cornstarch
3 small ripe pears
1/2 cup fresh berries (such as raspberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries)

Directions

1. Prepare Single-Crust Pastry; set aside.

2. For vanilla cream, in a heavy medium saucepan combine sugar and 2 tablesthingys cornstarch. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into beaten eggs.

3. Return all of the egg mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the ginger. Cook and stir until bubbly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour vanilla cream into baked tart shell. Cover and chill until ready to assemble.

4. Meanwhile, for glaze, in a small saucepan combine the pear nectar and 1-1/2 teasthingys cornstarch. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Cover and cool to room temperature.

5. To assemble tart, peel, core, and thinly slice the pears. Arrange in a concentric pattern over the vanilla cream. Pour cooled glaze over pears, spreading evenly. Cover and chill 1 to 4 hours. To serve, top with berries. Makes 10 servings.

Single-Crust Pastry In a medium mixing bowl stir together 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teasthingy salt. Combine 1/4 cup skim milk and 3 tablesthingys cooking oil. Add oil mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir with a fork until dough forms. Form dough into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten the ball of dough with hands. Roll dough from center to the edge, forming a circle about 13 inches in diameter. Ease pastry into an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom, being careful not to stretch the pastry. Trim pastry to the edge of the tart pan. Prick the bottom, sides, and corners of pastry generously with the tines of a fork. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until pastry is golden. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare tart as directed. Cover and chill for up to 4 hours. Just before serving, top with berries.

Caramel Cream Pie

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablesthingys whipping cream
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
1 recipe Baked Pastry Shell (see recipe below)
2 2 cups half-and-half, light cream, or milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablesthingys cornstarch
3 tablesthingys all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
1 teasthingy vanilla
3 egg whites (let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before using)
1/2 teasthingy vanilla
1/4 teasthingy cream of tartar
6 tablesthingys granulated sugar

Directions
1. For the caramel layer: In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and bring to boiling. Stir in the whipping cream and return to boiling. Add the nuts. Pour into the baked pastry shell and set aside.
2. For filling: In a medium saucepan, stir together the 2 cups half-and-half and the 2/3 cup sugar. Heat to simmering, stirring occasionally. Don't boil.
3. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch, flour, the 1/2 cup half-and-half, and egg yolks. Stir into filling mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cover saucepan to keep filling hot while making meringue.
4. For meringue: In a large mixing bowl, combine egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute or until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add the 6 tablesthingys sugar, 1 tablesthingy at a time, beating on high speed for about 4 minutes more or until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks (tips stand straight) and sugar dissolves.
5. Pour hot filling over caramel layer. Immediately spread meringue over hot pie filling, making sure meringue seals to edges of pastry to prevent shrinkage.
6. Bake the pie in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Chill the pie for 3 to 6 hours before serving. Cover for longer storage. Makes 10 servings.


Baked Pastry Shell: Stir together 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teasthingy salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablesthingy cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 tablesthingy cold water at a time, until all the dough is moistened (4 to 5 tablesthingys cold water total). Form dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edge into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Generously prick bottom and side of pastry in pie plate with a fork. Prick all around where bottom and side meet. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 5 to 6 minutes more or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.