It’s been a busy year for us at CFC and now it’s time for a break so that we can start fresh in the New Year!

We’ll be back with plenty of great blogs and we’ll be keeping you posted with new tidbits of information via Facebook and Twitter.  We’ll also be adding many more scrumptious chicken recipes to our web site so don’t forget to come back and visit us at www.chicken.ca.

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON!

Most of us like to keep our Christmas Eve traditions, but there’s nothing wrong with switching it up a little.  Although we all enjoy a good cookie from time to time, Santa Claus consumes more than his fair share of cookies in one night.  No wonder he’s so jolly! 

So this Christmas Eve, forget the traditional cookies and milk and consider some healthier food options for Santa.  You do want him to fit down your chimney after all.

So what are some healthy and easy alternatives?

Fruits such as apples and oranges are a good alternative especially for a sweet tooth like Santa.  Carrots and celery sticks and whole wheat crackers with peanut butter are healthy and nutritious.

But if you want to do something extra special for Santa then these kid-friendly oven baked chicken nuggets with sweet potato fries will keep Santa’s energy level at a peak.  Yes, they are kid-friendly which will be a perfect choice for Santa.  We all know that he’s a big kid at heart.

And of course, don’t forget the reindeer; they need their energy charged for the long trek ahead.

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years.

Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term.

A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods.

It's true, chicken soup is magical. Touted as a cure-all for colds and flu, an antihistamine and hang-over cure, it has justifiable earned the "Jewish penicillin" moniker. Real-deal scientific studies keep reinforcing what caring babbas have known for generations. A pulmonary specialist at UCLA Medical School, for example, has even discovered an amino acid that is released as chicken simmers which resembles acetylcysteine, a drug used in cold medicines and prescribed for respiratory problems and bronchitis.

BONE-UP

Fortunately you don't have to be a Jewish grandmother to stew up a satisfying broth. Rich flavours come when chicken bones are started in cold water with salt and a few vegetables (an onion, carrot or two, a few bay leaves and peppercorns) then simmered away for 2 to 3 hours. When strained it looks unassuming, but nothing you find in a carton can match its complex deep taste. For a more precise recipe, check out the low sodium broth on this web site.

This is the kind of broth that makes a magnificent soup with just added pieces of chicken, a few chunky vegetables and scattering of noodles. But don't despair if broth making doesn't fit into your day timer. The cans, cartons and jars of broth stocked by most supermarkets make a reputable base for a gratifying chicken soup especially with all the interesting adds-ins we now use to gussy up soup.

WORLDLY SIPS

Ones first thoughts when chicken soup is mentioned usually have to do with what they were served as a child. For some it was either - noodle or cream of - straight from a red and white can. If you came from a "everything from scratch" household, it may have been a tough hen simmered for hours and then the shredded meat, carrots and potatoes thrown into the broth. If seasoned at all, it was probably just a sprig of thyme.

For those with Filipino roots, evaporated milk was added for richness. In Hungary, the whole heart and liver went in along with peppercorns. Dumplings were usual in Germany: lemons and eggs and sometimes small pasta in Greece and ginseng with dried jujube fruit in Korea.
 
Today chicken soups are on many menus but rarely billed just as an old-fashioned classic soup. They come with roots as diversified as Indian, Mexican, Thai, Tex-Mex, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chilean, Brazilian, etc.
 
Plain chicken broth takes on a different guise when you add coconut milk or miso paste, hot-garlic chili sauce or a lacing of sesame oil. I sometimes add soaked dried shiitake mushrooms, green onions, and shreds of chicken for the Asian route. I go through phases of my favourite dress-ups for the classic soups. Starting with broth these days I go rustic with big pieces of chicken, chickpeas, squash, leeks and cumin. My current favourite is a Madras version with curry, cumin, sweet potato and rice.

In the Chatelaine test kitchen we often found an excuse to make chicken soup, partly because we loved having leftovers in the freezer for lunches and partly because we know our readers always loved them and we got tremendous feedback. Goggle chicken soup on the Chatelaine website (www.chatelainerecipes.com) and 125 recipes pop up. Among the first in the list

French Country:  The broth is spiked with big spoonfuls of Dijon mustard and a generous lacing of dried tarragon and dusting of nutmeg. Leeks also add to the French accent.

Italian Meatball:  Ground chicken seasoned with basil and Parmesan are rolled into small meatballs, and then simmered away with chicken broth, tomatoes, fresh basil and Italian seasonings.

Hot and Sour:  Inspired by the classic Thai soup, coconut milk is combined with chicken broth and flavoured with fish sauce and hot garlic chili sauce (all ingredients Thai lovers regularly stock in their pantry). Dried shiitaki mushrooms and bamboo shoots heighten the Asian experience.

Mexican: Green peppers (the least expensive of the bell peppers), jalapenos, corn niblets and lime juice give it that feisty south-of-the-border flavour.

Chicken Curry: Based on a can of cream of celery soup and everyday ingredients, you can have this number on the table in 10 minutes.

Classic Chicken Noodle: All that wholesome homemade flavour you expect from a lovingly made soup in under a half hour.

Chicken-and-coconut: A can of coconut with grated fresh ginger and lemongrass give it a distinctive character and a squirt of lime juice seems to wake up all the flavours.

So when you’re in the mood, a recipe to fit your current cravings is just a click away.  I have listed Chatelaine recipes because I have made almost all on the website - but you must check out all the appealing soup recipes on this site. This is a must if you cook for youngsters. There are recipes that include whole wheat macaroni, peanut butter, tortillas, meatballs and noodles.

Just remember when you are thinking about “What’s for dinner?” or “What can I cook on the weekend to last for a few days?” a simple message I wrote at the beginning of one of my classic chicken soup recipes.

“Whether you have a nasty cold or had a tiring day, a big bowl of broth packed with chicken and oodles of filling noodles is guaranteed to make you feel better. It truly is a soup to soothe the soul!”

Judy Scott Welden is a consumer advocate, nutritionist, and media spokesperson. She is passionate about bringing nutritious foods to Canadian families and we're happy to have her unique perspective in her series of posts at chickenfeeds.ca.

These days, we often eat on the run and rush through our meals at home and even when we’re supposed to be relaxing at a restaurant.  The problem when we eat too quickly is that we often overeat because we don’t give our bodies the chance to feel full.  That sensation of fullness triggers us to stop eating and consuming calories that add up to weight gain.  Eating quickly usually also means we’re not chewing our food properly and this may cause digestive problems, since chewing is the first step in digestion. So why not slow down and digest?

Taking the time to sit down to eat and really enjoy our food may help improve overall wellness. When mealtime becomes something to look forward to, you are more likely to put extra effort into preparing healthy foods, instead of grabbing less healthy choices for convenience’s sake.  Mealtime can be an excellent opportunity to spend time with family and friends.  Why not prepare meals together?  It not only shares the food preparation workload but communication in the kitchen can also help build better relationships.  It’s true, too many cooks can spoil the broth, but with communication and a coordinated effort, things can run smoothly. Younger kids can help with washing vegetables or measuring out ingredients (who says math isn’t part of the real world?).  Teens can take on a meal each week preparing their favourite foods, or up the adventure and try something new.  It’s a great way to explore different cultures, learn about unusual ingredients or experiment with an unfamiliar fruit or vegetable.  Prepare meals together and take the time to eat together to bring back the enjoyment of healthy food in your home.

Helpful hints:

• Don’t eat in front of the television.  Sit at the table with family or friends and rediscover the lost art of conversation.  Make each meal a social event!
• Chew your food properly.  This forces you to eat more slowly and you may find you develop a new appreciation for the flavours of food.
• Keep food and work separate.  Avoid eating your lunch while working or in class.  Try to make time to get away from your desk and enjoy your meal.
• Try new foods and recipes and excite your taste buds!  To help with meal planning have dedicated food nights like chicken, fish and vegetarian nights, but try different recipes each week.  Visit your local library or go on-line to discover what you’ve been missing.

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years.

Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term.

A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods.

I am totally addicted to fiery Thai chicken soup and proud of it. Canadians love heat, especially this time of the year, to help combat our dreary winters and for me there is no more appealing  way to clear the sinuses. A spoonful of cold remedy just doesn't cut it.

"Hot and fiery" resonates for most of us when it comes to satisfying dinner cravings. You don’t  often hear someone say they're craving a "cool" sandwich - but you often hear a cry for Mexican tacos, Sichuan stir-fries, 3-chili Thai noodles or spicy Portuguese chicken?

Having something erupt on your tongue can be as pleasurable as having a dynamite idea burst into your consciousness. The difference, of course, is the first can become addictive and while you can't go out and shop for a fabulous idea, you can go out for Hotter Than Hell wings.

I definitely suffer withdrawal symptoms when kept away too long from my beloved Asian noodle soup or the warm pleasures of a complex curry. But there is much more to a truly satisfying fiery dish than throwing in dried chili flakes or a couple of chopped jalapenos. My favourite Chili-basil noodles are laced with hot garlic chili sauce and fresh hot tiny red peppers plus lots of fresh ginger. An amazing curry I recently had, created by a chef from Goa, included coarsely crushed black peppercorns, minced fresh serrano peppers, fresh ginger and mustard oil.

When you feel the urge for a hot fix, starting with chicken is the perfect palate, since it gets along with almost any ingredient or sauce and it's fast cooking. Chilies, fresh and dried, and hot sauces  first come to mind to give that endorphin rush. All too often we forget about paprika (ground pepper after all), ginger, piri- piri sauce, salsa, horseradish, wasabi, cayenne, chipotles in adobe sauce, cayenne, chili powder, curry powder, ground peppercorns, mustard, chorizo and other hot sausages.

So when in the mood for a fix, whether it's for a few fiery touches or a big hit, check out these express ways to fire up your favourite chicken dinners

BUTTER CHICKEN - Follow your regular recipe but be sure to include grated fresh ginger, chopped fresh hot chilies, turmeric as well as saffron and crushed red or black peppercorns.

DOUBLE UP CURRY - Start with onions sauteed with ginger and garlic, then add a spoonful of both red and yellow curry paste. Saute for 2 minutes before adding the coconut milk. Chicken thighs are my cut of choice for this curry.

FIREHOUSE WINGS - Tumble wings into a plastic bag. Add a bottle of green (jalapeno) Tabasco sauce. Marinate at least a half hour or refrigerate overnight if you can. Bake at 375 F (170 C) until golden, then toss in a bowl with a mix of chili powder, cayenne and ground cumin.

PEPPERY POT PIE - Add ground white pepper, paprika or curry powder to the creamy filling and finely diced jalapenos to the crust.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH KICK - To add the Asian edge, stir in grated ginger, fresh hot chilies and chopped crushed lemongrass.

MODERN CREAMY SOUP - Dab hot sauce (whatever heat level turns you on) and add finely chopped hot peppers to cream of chicken soup.

TANDOORI  CHICKEN SALAD - Swirl a little tandoori paste into the mayo before coating the chopped chicken.  Add celery, green peas, cilantro and a light scattering of finely chopped jalapenos.

SASSY CHICKEN SAUTE - Coat chicken with flour mixed with paprika, a sprinkling of cayenne and ground white pepper. Saute in butter until browned, then remove and replace with julienned red peppers and sliced onions. When slightly softened, return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer to cook through. Finish with enough sour cream to lightly coat.

BANG UP CHICKEN BURGERS - Add instant fiery flavors with hot pepper sauce or salsa, dried chilies, cayenne, ground white pepper, ground ginger or a mix. Finely chopped jalapenos, white pepper and grated orange peel produces an extremely pleasant burger with kick.

PORTUGUESE CHICKEN - For that tangy spicy taste you get from take-out barbecued chicken, marinate in white wine spiked with lemon juice and lay on the heat with hot-garlic chili sauce, paprika, cayenne or dried chili flakes as well as freshly ground black pepper

REVVED UP SANDWICHES - Elevate by spreading with mayo spiked with wasabi powder or paste (be sure to add thinly sliced cucumbers and green onions to this one) or mash a chipotle pepper in abode sauce and stir into the mayonnaise. Roasted red peppers and cilantro would be good here.

CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH ATTITUDE - Whether using a store bought coating or making your own with bread crumbs, spruce up the crumb mix by blending in a light dusting of chili powder, cayenne, ground cinnamon, ginger and even dry mustard.

HOT STUFF BAKING BASTE - Whether roasting kebobs or large chicken pieces, begin by rubbing the chicken with a little oil and hot sauce. Near the end of baking, spiff up your fav barbecue sauce or plum sauce with more hot sauce, chili powder or Cajun seasonings and baste generously for the last 10 minutes or so.

TERIYAKI STIR-FRY - Before you begin cooking the stir-fry, pour the amount of teriyaki sauce you think you'll need into a small bowl. Fire it up with a squirt of hot-garlic chili sauce, dried hot chili flakes and grated fresh or ground ginger.

Weeknight meal planning can feel stressful, but it doesn’t need to be. All you need is a skillet, some vegetables, some chicken and a few spices, and you can have dinner on the table in no time! Sautées and are a great way to explore the flavours of a variety of cuisines while making sure your plate is full of nutrients. You just need a bit of oil, some aromatics such as garlic, onions, ginger, and spices, and some chicken and vegetables. Heat the oil and aromatics, add the chicken and brown slightly, throw in some vegetables to heat through, and your dinner is ready!

Here are 10 ideas to get you started:

1. Use butter and olive oil combined for the fat. Add shallots, tarragon and thyme for aromatics. Add some sliced chicken breast, blanched asparagus, and blanched green beans for a French-inspired sauté.
2. Use olive oil for the fat. Add minced garlic and chopped fresh rosemary for the aromatics. Add chicken breast chopped into chunks. Add a chopped apple and a chopped pear. This makes a delicious fall salad that’s great on a sandwich, topped with brie, or add some cooked barley for a substantial meal.
3. Use sesame oil for the fat. Add minced garlic and ginger. Add sliced chicken breast, snow peas, blanched edamame, and sliced red pepper. Serve drizzled with some low-sodium soy sauce and with a side of wild rice.
4. Use olive oil for the fat. Add minced garlic and dried oregano and basil. Add sliced chicken breast. Add roasted red peppers, sliced zucchini, sundried tomatoes and black olives. Serve over whole wheat pasta.
5. Use sesame oil for the fat. Add garlic, ginger, and Chinese 5-spice powder. Add sliced chicken breast. Add water chestnuts, strips of carrot, baby bok choy and bean sprouts.
6. Use butter or canola oil for the fat. Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder. Add sliced chicken breast or thigh. Add sliced carrots, red pepper, and some boiled sweet potato chopped into chunks. Finish with golden raisins and toasted sliced almonds. Serve with lentils or basmati rice.
7. Use olive oil for the fat. Add diced onion, chili powder, and a crushed chile for the aromatics. Add sliced chicken breast. Add sliced red and green peppers along with a minced jalapeño. Use as a fajita filling, served with sour cream.
8. Use canola oil for the fat.  Add lime leaves, minced Thai chile, minced ginger, and bruised lemongrass. Add sliced chicken breast. Add sliced red pepper and sliced carrots. Finish with minced cilantro and chopped peanuts or cashews. Sprinkle with lime juice and serve over rice stick noodles.
9. Use canola oil for the fat. Add coarsely chopped red onion, garlic, and jerk spice mixture. Add sliced chicken breast. Add chopped fresh pineapple, mango, and yellow pepper. Serve with minced cilantro and unsweetened toasted coconut over rice cooked in coconut milk.
10. Use olive oil for the fat. Add minced garlic and pesto for the aromatics. Add sliced chicken breast. Add yellow pepper. Serve over pasta or use as a topping for pizza.

As you can see from this list, the flavour combinations are endless. Simply by switching the fat, the aromatics, and the vegetables (or fruit), your dinner table is opened up to a wide array of possibilities. Sautées make good use of leftover roast vegetables or any frozen vegetables lurking in your freezer.
What’s your favourite sautée?  Let us know in the comments!
 

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years.

Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term. A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods.

Chicken in the fridge guarantees a good meal on the table no matter what I'm in the mood for. Whether I'm craving fiery or comforting, I know I can have something healthy on the table fast. Over my years at the magazine, we learned our readers also frequently turned to chicken for a family dinner. When not following a recipe, there were common questions they sent us time and time again. Here's a round-up of a few.

How can I saute boneless chicken so I end up with tender moist chicken without tough edges?

The trick is to not use high heat, no matter how much of a rush you are in, plus enough oil or butter in the pan to keep the chicken from sticking. For further protection for the tender chicken, begin by seasoning the chicken with salt, then lightly coating with flour and shaking off the excess, of course, just before putting it in the pan. This creates a thin barrier to protect the soft chicken from sticking, plus it encourages even browning and crisping. Then heat a frying pan over medium-high and add oil or butter. Better yet, add a little of both for even browning and buttery flavor. You need enough to richly coat the pan bottom. Once the butter's simmering hot, add the freshly coated chicken pieces. Whatever you do, don't crowd the pan.

As the chicken heats, it gives off moisture. A lot of moisture creates steam which prevents the chicken from browning. Cook until the underside is golden. This will take 3 to 4 minutes. Check the underside after a couple of minutes and if there is any burning happening, reduce the heat. Turn as soon as the bottom is beautifully golden all over. Then continue cooking until both sides are golden brown. To test if it is done, press down on the top of the breast with your finger - it should feel springy. If the chicken breast is huge, the outside may be browned to perfection before it is cooked through. If this is the case, reduce the temperature to low and cover. Continue cooking, turning occasionally, until cooked through. A large breast may need a total of 12 minutes to cook through.

Is it possible to roast a whole chicken in an hour?

Sure is, provided you have an average size chicken. To begin, preheat the oven to 450 F (230 C). While it heats, remove anything in the body cavity of the chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out with cold water, then pat the skin dry with paper toweling. So it will be easy to clean up, line a baking sheet or baking pan with foil. Put a baking rack in the pan if you have one. Place the chicken on the rack or in the pan. Rub the chicken all over with butter and generously sprinkle with coarse salt. Roast, uncovered, at 450 F (230 C) for about 15 minutes a pound (500g). I count on a 3 lb (1.5 kg ) chicken taking about 50 minutes and a 4 lb ( 2 kg) about an hour. Then if you like crispy skin, turn the oven off and open the oven door, but leave the chicken in the oven for 10 minutes. This gives the chicken a chance to rest before carving without covering it with foil to keep it warm. The problem with a foil tent - it softens the skin.

The most accurate way, of course, to test doneness is to insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. It should register 170 F (77 C). The ideal way to roast a chicken is to place it in the pan, breast-side down, for the first half of the cooking. This way the juices run down into the breast as the chicken heats up instead of collecting in the back. Then you turn it over for the final half of the roasting so the skin on the breast browns and crisps. When I am busy this is often more than I want to do, but it does make a difference in the juiciness. So consider this step if you have the time and the inclination. While this high heat method produces a very juicy bird with little prep involved, it also produces smoke. If you have a fan in the kitchen or a good exhaust system - that will take care of the smoke. Placing a big piece of foil loosely over the bird at the beginning of the roasting also helps as does loosely covering the pan all around the chicken with foil so the chicken juices and fat in the pan can't splatter.  

I often find it a struggle to pull the skin off chicken pieces?

The easiest way to remove chicken skin is with the help of a piece of paper towel. Begin by identifying the largest and thickest section of skin along the edge of the chicken piece. Loosen it from the chicken flesh underneath with your finger or the point of a paring knife until you have enough skin pulled away from the flesh that you are able to grab it with a piece of paper towel in your hand. Then pull away!

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years. Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term. A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods. This seasons hearty vegetables make it a budget treat to eat local. Part of the comfort eating I long for on chilly nights comes from heaping up my plate with substantial root vegetables - squash and sweet potatoes, for example - and all those other glorious vegetables that make a late season trip to a farmer's market a true joy. Another plus - these incredibly healthy late harvest veggies marry beautifully with chicken, even simple roasted chicken, so you can do a complete oven dinner with hardly a speck of work. SQUASH MATES This is the time of the year that the word “squash” takes on a broad meaning. As a matter of a fact, even the section in supermarkets piled high with strangely shaped gourds outranks most other produce sections. Giant hubbards with their flame orange flesh are at the top of the flavor meter. Getting into these big bruisers can be tricky. If you can squeeze the Hubbard into the microwave, cook on high a couple of minutes to soften the skin so it can be easily stabbed with a big chef's knife. Then back into the microwave for a few more minutes to make it easier to slice into sections. Scoop out the seeds. Put a few pieces of both hubbard and chicken in the oven together. Spice up the chicken with poultry seasoning, or sage and rosemary. When the squash is tender, roughly mash and jazz up with chopped fresh basil and butter, a swirl of pesto or cumin and curry powder. Now that's an easy super good-for-you dinner! Why not cook extra of both the chicken and squash. Cut them into large cubes and use for a creamy pot pie. Starting with a jar of Alfredo sauce or a can of cream of mushroom soup and using a puff pastry crust will fast forward the prep considerably. Then again, pastry's not the only way to crown this ultimate comfort casserole. Make the filling and heat thoroughly on top of the stove. Then pour into a deep pie plate and cover the surface with thick slices of garlic bread. Bake until the bread is golden browned. For a new riff on an old fashioned roast chicken dinner, heap acorn squash halves with a savory bread stuffing. Fast forward this by using a stuffing mix or sauteing onion and celery and adding croutons and poultry seasoning. Bake right alongside a whole chicken rubbed with butter, sprinkled with coarse salt and stuffed with fresh rosemary or sage as well as a cut-up orange or two. The insipid looking spaghetti squash takes well to microwaving so it can be toss-up ready in minutes. Pierce the skin, and microwave until fork tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Half lengthwise. Spoon out the seeds. Draw a fork lengthwise through the pulpy squash and you will see it separate into strands. Don't be dainty with this step - you may have to become downright aggressive to get it to separate into stands. Voila - you have now created the lowest cal "spaghetti" anyone can feast on. Top with leftover chicken pieces heated in a robust pasta sauce or toss with butter, lots of Parmesan, green onion and sage or fire up with jalapenos or hot chili flakes as a flavorful match-up for sauteed or roasted chicken. Or add chunks of cooked chicken to the spaghetti squash with enough sour cream to make it creamy, but not fat heavy. Herbes de Provence or tarragon are good seasonings here. VEGGIES GALORE Fortunately vibrant peppers are still at good prices. For a fast fajita saute, slice and saute up with onions. Remove, then brown boneless thighs or breasts. Return the veggies. Generously sprinkle with cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne and cook through. Wrap up in tortillas if you want or accompany with rice, sliced avocado and sour cream on the side. Luckily enough, red peppers can be roasted in the same time it takes to bake boneless chicken. Gently pound breasts or thighs. then spread with pesto or tapenade and add grated gruyère or crumbled feta. Roll up and roast beside halved red peppers. Mix the succulent roasted red pepper strips with rice and peas and Italian seasonings. Big bags of peeled garlic are a terrific buy in some supermarkets now. You can pick up a bag of 30 to 40 peeled cloves for less than a head of lettuce. It's a snap to use these to create a very good version of the famous French baked chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. Just cover the bottom of a slow cooker or big braising casserole with whole garlic cloves. You’ll need at least 20. Add a layer of chicken pieces. Sprinkle with a rounded spoonful of dried tarragon and then douse with a cup of white wine whisked with a dab of Dijon plus enough chicken broth to cover. Let it simmer away part of a day or bake at least 2 hours. You wind it up by smashing the soft garlic into the broth and the result - a very "haute cuisine" tasting sauce. When I see a gargantuan head of pristine white cauliflower that you only get this time of the year, I can't resist it. Teamed with chopped apples you can't get better partners for chicken in a creamy coconut curry. Use the beautiful gleaming baby eggplant and crimson tomatoes in your regular ratatouille recipe - but instead of stove top simmering, place in a oven dish, top with skin-covered chicken breasts and bake till golden crisp. All those marvelous chicken juices sink into the vegetable melange. Don't confine parsnips to a mashed destiny. Slice lengthwise and toss with olive oil. Mix with slim carrots and roast on a big baking sheet with chicken pieces. Liven up with slivers of sun-dried tomatoes at the end. Brussels sprouts tossed with lots of fresh dill, are a smart match for chicken seasoned with five-spice powder. Remember that the best temperature to bake sweet potato fries is 375F ( 190C) which is also the best temperature to roast chicken. So slip a pan with boneless breasts or thighs in the oven along with the pan of fries and they’ll be done at the same time. Try a shake of chili powder and salt or Montreal steak spice on the fries. While you may never have thought of cabbage and chicken in bed together, if you are a cabbage roll fan you have to try them with ground chicken subbed for the usual beef. Better yet go for a deconstructed version where you make up the filling and layer it between leaves of partially cooked cabbage, just as you layer a lasagna. Now that's guilt-free comfort cooking.

As the holiday season approaches, social calendars get filled fast. Cookie swaps, potlucks, open houses – each requires a good variety of food to keep guests happy. One of the least stressful ways to stock your party table is with appetizers. These portable morsels are a hit with everyone. Make-ahead appetizers will reduce stress, while wrapped or skewered appetizers keep things fun, mess-free, and delicious.

The best recipes during the hectic holiday season are those you can make in advance. Several appetizer recipes can be made and frozen a few days ahead of time and reheated in the oven when it’s time to serve. Other recipes make use of the trusty slow cooker.

The pot from your slow cooker is an ideal vehicle for easily transported appetizers, like meatballs. Try making our Chili Cranberry Fusion Meatballs for your next potluck.

On a buffet table, there’s nothing more appealing than an appetizer bundled into its own edible wrapper. Wonton wrappers, phyllo dough, and puff pastry can surround an infinite variety of fillings inspired by any cuisine you choose! Our Chicken Wontons with Raspberry Szechuan Sauce make good use of the wrappers, and because they’re neatly packaged, they’re perfect for cocktail parties.

In addition to the appeal of the edible package, food-on-a-stick is always popular. Portable and visually stunning, you can’t go wrong having skewers threaded with a variety of meat and vegetables on your table. They’re great for kids and grown-ups alike! Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce is the perfect dish to feature at your next soirée.

With a little inspiration, it’s easy to think outside the typical veggies-and-dip platter. There are endless flavour combinations to be tried in your quest for the perfect appetizer. For more ideas on what to put on your holiday buffet table, check out the Appetizers section of our recipe collection.

Welcome back to the new, and completely redesigned Chicken.ca. We’ve been hard at work since the summer planning, designing and coding a brand new chicken.ca with a ton of new features. The biggest change, of course, is the look of the site. We wanted a change to something that was brighter, easier to use, and that would showcase our mouth-watering recipe photos a little better. We’ve focused our content on the stuff that you told us you were the most interested in, and expanded it. We’ve also added a section for videos and how-to content, so if you’re stuck in the kitchen, we’ll hopefully have the content to help you out of a jam. If not, you can ask us anything through the “ask a question” section of the site. We’ll answer all the questions we get, and post the most frequently asked ones in that section. We’ll also be using those questions to shape our upcoming content, so please – fire away! Finally, the biggest change is to our recipes. You may remember that the old site could be a little hard to search and browse for recipes. That’s why we’ve developed an all-new database for our recipes that allows us to sort better, and you to use the recipes better. You can now comment on recipes, add them to a personal recipe box, share them on Facebook, and rate them for the world to see. But that’s not all, in coming months, we’ll also be implementing the ability to upload your own photos of our recipes, and to add your own recipes to the database. We’ve just launched today, so we really want to hear what you think. If you’ve got questions, comments, or you’ve found a nasty bug – let us know! So stay a while – play with the site, and have fun! Welcome!