Chicken Paprikas Hungarian Recipe ...by Noreen StephensonFamily

Noreen's Recipe would be more Red Sauce Color than Photo.

Chefette: Noreen Stephenson...

Noreen is originally from Perth Amboy and grew up on Front Street and graduated from PAHS. Noreen's Mother was 100 % Hungarian. The recipe is from her Hungarian Grandmother "Esther"...handed down to Noreen's Mother "Irene" and now handed down to Noreen. It is Bowl Licking good! A good "Hunky" dish for sure!

This Recipe is for a slow cooker which Noreen prefers to use. According to Noreen the chicken is so tender and so moist when it is done and the juices really stay in the Chicken. She cooks with a Waring 6.5 slow cooker and is delighted with the results. That she paid around $49.00 for.
 
Ingeredients:  

• A large pack of Bonelss Chicken Breasts nice and thick makes at least 5-6 big ones...no thin breasts...it is best to use boneless because this dish "stews" as it melts together and you can end up with a pile of little disgusting bones choking you or your family....UGH! 
• Your Choice of either regular, light or fat free sour cream. 5-6 Tablespoons any of these will do nicely. Noreen recently tried the Fat Free and was pleased with it and found it did not effect the flavor. 
• Two 28 oz cans of whole tomatoes...Hunts or your favorite brand (can have basile added to them) Please put them in a bowl first and cut through those Big whole tomatoes with a knife...break them down before they go into the slow cooker. 
• One 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes...
• Paprika...lots of it....it starts when browning the chicken breasts 
• 3 carrots cut up one inch or so in length (Carrots always add sweetness to a Recipe) 
• One Huge Spanish Onion...(Vidalia's Rock)....or a White Onion...NEVER use yellow onions...It has been proven that they have a negative ,horrible gastric effect for many people. 
• Pepper...HINT: Noreen prefers Pimenta Negra (sounds like a dance) ...the best large flake and milder pepper for cooking. Most Chefs or Chefettes use it..It can be found in Costco. Not to worry any pepper can be used. FYI: Those small pepper flakes can be deadly if you add too much...Pimenta Negra is forgiving... 
• Salt ...Noreen prefers Kosher course Salt for cooking. Any Salt can be used...season to taste at lease 3/4 tsp for the entire slow cooker dish...taste it... Shake and taste! 
• Parsley "Shake it up Baby"...and add to the slow cooker. Twist and Shout! Have on hand...corn starch or flour.....for the end result...Noreen prefers Corn Starch...

Ok we are moving along here...Now take the Chicken that is defrosted or fresh and DO NOT SLICE through those breasts...keep 'em large and rinse 'em off and get ready. Your Slow Cooker or Oven Pan is ready ...whatever...Ready....Set..Go! A Master piece in the making!!!! Calling all Hunkies!  
In a large Frying Pan with some oil added and heated and your chicken beasts all doused with Paprika...Nice and reddish and salt and pepper added add those breasts and brown 'em up ...turning over each side...

• then add that chopped garlic just for a minute or so...

after you see they are browning some.. ( I BRAKE FOR GARLIC...LOL) DO NOT BURN THAT GARLIC, Garlic is disgustingly bitter if you burn it. NOTICE: DO NOT COOK THROUGH!!!! Just Sear them ...let that garlic envelope them... add that chopped Onion for another couple of minutes, we are almost done......WHEWWWW!!!!!!! Moving right along.....  

OK it's time to have add it to that already heated pan or slow cooker.....dump it in there, let it rip.....all of it...dont forget those chopped carrots too...once situated...add the 2 cans of whole tomatoes (which you cut down smaller) and the whole can of crushed tomatoes (makes more juice we shall need)..Add at least a heaping tablespoon of the Hungarian nector of the Gods...'Paprika"...It calls for a lot of it...The juice you added should be covering that dish Now I set my slow cooker on 5 hrs and I leave for work..I work ...I shop ..I shop..and I am home....and it is just the way I like it...stewed down and so tender...the carrots, onions and the seasonings just melt into it. OK its 4.5 to 5 hrs later on the slow cooker...fork goes through it like butter...Take the sour cream and add a little of the dishes hot sauce in a cup and add at least 5-6 TBS of the sour cream and stir it like heck...Dump it into the cooked dish and stir and stir and stir and stir...Now I suggest you add a little corn starch or flour to thicken it...1 tsp ...maybe 2 or 3...keep stirring ...FYI...if adding flour do it with a cool 1/2 glass of water and mix till no lumps...you don't need to add lumps here...so be patient and smooth out this wonderful sauce.  
Noreen wishes you the best of luck here on making this wonderful Ethnic Dish and hopes you can understand it...She can always be reached by a mere post here on the "Food Group Site" for any questions...Mongia...well this is not Italian for sure! It's the sourcream that makes this dish!.

Ukrainian/Hungarian Cucumber Salad - Noreen Stephenson

Ingredients

• 3 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 dash white pepper
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt. Let stand 15 minutes*. Drain liquid. Add onions, vinegar and pepper. Just before serving, stir in sour cream.


*Hungarian Editor's Note: Mom let it stands for 2 hours before draining.


Serves 6 

Marinated Cucumbers - Noreen Stephenson

Cucumbers with a marinade of vinegar, water, dill, sugar, and seasoning.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• dash pepper

Preparation:

Combine sliced cucumber with all other ingredients; cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Marinated cucumbers recipe serves 4 to 6.

Stephenson's Family Pot Roast - Noreen Stephenson

FYI:This recipe is my Grandma's Stephenson's  Baked Pot Roast, a dish I watched her make  many times in the old house on Front Street. My Grandmother's family (on my Fathers side) were English. This recipe was handed down to her from her ancestors.   A "One Pot" dinner !

HINT: I like to use a Bottom Round Rump Roast. I find it is the most tender cut to use. The size you buy is up to you.  I duplicated her old her old pan from the 40's ...a deep lighter weight aluminum pan w/the handles on each side, that cleans up well w/brillo after it's all done. These pans can still be found in thrift stores or flee markets. 

The Secret: Preheat the oven to at least 350. You know your oven so you be the judge. I use convetion bake at around 360.  Dredge your Rump Roast in flour. Place the pan on the stove with oil aready heated in the pan (enough to cover the bottom) you may add more as needed during this process, then add a large sweet or white onion (sliced up not too small)  and add a fair amount of fresh garlic chopped up or sliced very thin.   Get the onions & garlic frying in the pan on a low heat. Add the floured roast. You are going to brown up the roast and turn it every 7 minutes or so to a different side. Add kosher salt &  pepper also. Stir those onions and garlic around. They will begin to carmelize (brown up) don't worry if they end up burning a little because that is the secret of this dish. The carmelization of all the ingrediants The smell is inviting as the garlic melts into it. 

In between carmelizing: Keep your eye on the roast!  Cut up carrots, slice celery, peel potatoes and cut up (not too small or you will have mashed at the end) I sometimes if they are small just leave them whole. If larger just slice in half. They will surround the roast when added to the pan for baking. Make sure liquid is sufficient or you will not have gravy.

Next: Remove the pan from the stove and now add *water to the pain DO NOT DRAIN OFF THE OIL or any of the carmelization. Most oil is absorbed by now. The bottom of the pan by this time may look like it is semi burnt...no problem, it all adds to the flavor in the end. *The water added should come up to about half of the roast you do not want to completely submerge it but you want to make sure you have enough liquid to cook in the potatoes, carrots & celery you will be adding. You will not place the entire 1 pot dinner in the oven. Cover tightly w tinfoil or lid. It will go for usually an hour and a half to 2 hours depending on the size of the roast. If you see your vegtables and potatoes are cooked. Remove them to a tin foil tray or a baking dish. Roast should be done when a large fork goes into it easily. Do not remove it too soon.

Final Step: Remove roast when done...remember those potatoes, carrots, celery you removed. Put them back into the oven under a low broil...you now want to dry them out a little and give them a nice browning. Oven browned potatoes are great and they look great when you serve this dinner.

The Gravy: If you did this right you will have wonderful gravy with a rich brown color. Remove roast from pan and add about a half a cup of flour int a glass of water or milk you will know if you need more. stir it up good or put it in a shaker to avoid lumps. Scrape the bottom of the pan as you are making the gravy...that is where the flavor is. 

The Best Part: Time to eat!  Serve the dinner on a large platter with the oven browned items garnished around the meat. Enjoy...and say..... "Thankyou Grandma Stephenson"

Noreen's Baked Chicken with Mango Coconut Glaze - Noreen Stephenson

Baked Chicken with Mango Mango Coconut Glaze, Panko Crumbs  

Ingredients: 

• I used chicken thighs but any chicken would work;
• Salt,
• Pepper, 
• Oil for the pan,
• mango coconut grilling & glaze sauce,
• Panko Crumbs  

NOTE:  I used a premade excellent bottle type of glaze and added a cup or so of fine chopped fresh pineapple I put in the food processor. 

Note: 1/2 cup cup of the glaze in the bottle mixed with the 1 cup of my fresh pineapple was plenty. If you eliminate the pineapple use more of the glaze in the bottle.  

Oil the bottom of a pan that will be roomy enough to hold the pieces (I used a corning pan) but any pan is fine. Place chicken in the pan and season w/salt pepper, kosher salt or any salt. You will add some of the glaze to each piece of chicken reserving the balance to add at the end. 

Bake for around 1 hour (I used convection bake at 375) 

NOTE: adjust the temp to your oven. 

NOTE: Drain off the liquid in the pan reserving a few tablespoons.  At the end I brushed on  the remainder of my glaze on each piece of chicken and added some panko crumbs and added some of the liquid to each piece on top  the panko crumbs.  I then put them on a careful slow broil so the sauce would set and the crumbs would slightly brown. Be carful not to burn them.

It is an inexpensive dish and a very tasty one. I had corn as a side dish and Baked Beans. 

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cake - Noreen Stephenson

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 oz. red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans.

Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside.

Place all the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together really good with another wire whisk.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.

Pour into cake pans and then drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

After about ten minutes, remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack. I also cover in plastic wrap while the cakes cool.

Then make the frosting.

Note: This cake has a pretty good amount of oil and is really moist. I haven’t tried this one with cake balls yet. But, if I did, I would either use less oil or less frosting to mix together. Next time I make it, I’ll do a little experimenting.

Icing: Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 cups confectioners’ sugar

Sift sugar and set aside.

Beat cream cheese and butter on high until creamy. Add vanilla.

Then, add the sugar in batches. Scrape down the sides in between each addition.

And frost away