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ByMelissaD'arabian The Associated Press Years ago, a friend took me to one of his favorite restaurants in New York City. Dinner was fan- tastic, the company riveting, but what stayed with me most was dessert: maple budino. One bite and I was smitten. The pudding was luxuriously fatty and creamy, and the fla- vor was incredibly clean: ma- ple and maybe a little floral va- nilla. Budino is simply Italian for pudding, but this was unlike any pudding I'd ever eaten. For the re- cord, I am a pudding fan. I grew up having "pudding parties" with my sister, the two of us making pudding out of the box, lightly scorching every saucepan in the house over the years. Chocolate pudding and the "Love Boat/Fantasy Island" lineup pretty much punctuate my entire childhood experience. Later, I learned how easy it is to make a quick stovetop pud- ding from scratch. Simply fol- low this formula (which is easily scaled up): 1 cup milk plus 1 table- spoon cornstarch plus 1 to 2 table- spoons sugar plus flavorings (va- nilla, chocolate, cinnamon, etc.). The trick to a smooth stovetop pudding is to whisk the corn- starch and sugar first in the cold saucepan to break up lumps, then whisk in the milk. Heat over me- dium and allow to boil gently for 2 to 3 minutes, constantly whisk- ing. Pour into ramekins and chill. Or eat warm while watching Ju- lie McCoy. Making your own puddings means you control the ingredi- ents. Since milk already is a lit- tle sweet, you don't need a ton of extra sugar. And you can slowly reduce the amount of sugar over time, so your family grows accus- tomed to a healthier dessert. Fat, too, is under your control. You can use whole milk for restau- rant-creamy results or skim milk if you don't mind a less-lush tex- ture in exchange for a skinny cal- orie count. I also love baked custard pud- dings. They require more effort, but they are more likely to feel at home at a dinner party. This ma- ple budino is a baked custard, but feel free to make a stovetop ver- sion using my formula above. Maplebudino Starttofinish:1hour(15minutes active), plus cooling Servings: 6 1cup 2percent milk 3/4 cup whole milk 1/2 vanilla bean pod, scraped 2tablespoons packed dark brown sugar 1/4 cup maple syrup, plus extra 1/4 teaspoon table salt 2eggs Flaked sea salt Heat the oven to 325F. In a medium saucepan over me- dium, combine both milks. Heat until they just come to a simmer. Add the vanilla bean, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt, whisking until uniform. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until smooth and pale yellow. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mix- ture into the eggs, whisking all the time. Once mixed, add another 1/4 cup of milk, again whisking. Add the remaining milk mixture, and mix gently just until well com- bined. Remove and discard the vanilla bean. Pour into six 4-ounce ramekins. Carefully set the ramekins into a large baking dish with sides higher than the ramekins. Pour boiling water gently into the baking dish, adding enough to fill halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Be careful not to splash water into the ramekins. Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake until the budinos are set (the centers will still be jiggly), 30to 40minutes. Once the budinos are cooked, immediately remove the ramekins from the hot water bath. Let them cool a few minutes, then refriger- ate to finish setting, at least 1 hour. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and a few flecks of salt, if desired. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEAD — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS This maple budino is a baked custard, but a stovetop version is also doable. DESERTS A true and still healthy decadence By Elizabeth Karmel The Associated Press We've all suffered through cardboard-dry chicken breasts. We do it because periodically we commit (or recommit or re- recommit) to healthy eat- ing. And boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a fine and filling lean protein well suited to the job. Except for one thing... Because boneless, skin- less chicken breasts are so lean, they overcook and dry out heartbreakingly fast. Doesn't seem to mat- ter whether I grill them or bake them or saute them. I always end up with dry, chewy and unpleasant chicken breasts. No won- der everyone gets irritable when they're trying to eat healthy. But I have a secret for cooking chicken breasts that produces moist, ten- der meat every time. In fact, it's so foolproof and effort- less, you don't even need to watch the clock. Though the chicken takes just 30 min- utes to cook, you can let them go for as long as an hour and you won't risk ru- ining them in the slightest. The secret? Poaching the breasts in a blend of stock, wine and seasonings. But my poaching technique is slightly different than what you're used to. And that's what makes it so forgiving. First, I use a flavor- packed wine-infused stock to poach instead of water. The flavor difference is big. Second, I use mostly resid- ual heat to cook the meat. As in, I bring the chicken stock, wine and aromatics to a boil, then add the raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I bring the liquid back to a boil, then turn off the heat, put a lid on the pot, then let the chicken cook. That's it. This method allows the chicken to cook slowly, ab- sorbing the seasonings and letting the wine in the broth deepen the flavor of the meat. The chicken is never tough and doesn't taste "boiled," which sometimes happens when you put raw chicken in cold water and boil it. I started poaching chicken in this manner to use in chicken salad. Moist chicken just tastes better in salad than grilled or baked. And because the chicken is so juicy, you need less may- onnaise when you prepare it this way. But now I make poached chicken breasts for many other dishes — on a green salad; sliced and tossed with pasta; chopped and mixed into soup; mixed with barbecue sauce for an easy "pulled" chicken wrap; etc. However you use the chicken, be sure to season it with salt before serving, as there is no added salt in the poaching liquid. Wine-poached chicken breasts Start to finish: 45minutes Makes 6breasts 11/2 quarts low-sodium chicken stock or broth 3cups white wine 3medium carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks 3stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks 2medium yellow onions, halved 4cloves garlic, smashed 4sprigs fresh thyme 6boneless, skinless chicken breasts In a large (at least 6-quart) stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high, combine the chicken stock, wine, carrots, celery, onions, garlic and thyme. Bring to a boil, then gently add the chicken breasts one at a time. If the chicken breasts aren't en- tirely covered by liquid, add a bit more stock or water. Return the liquid to a boil. As soon as the liquid boils, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Allow the breasts to poach for 30minutes, then use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove from the liquid. Chicken can be used immediately, or refrigerated for up to 3days. The poaching liquid can be saved for another use. It can be frozen, then thawed and boiled before reusing. CHICKEN Are you ready for chicken breasts that aren't bone dry? Findusonline! PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. redbluffdailynews.com • Choice of ad sizes • Free ad design • Free link to your webpage Now Look Here... Get All This ➞ 6,000 guaranteed online ad impressions For $ 99 CallyourDailyNewsadvertisingreptoday! (530) 527-2151 advertise@redbluffdailynews.com 365-7194or365-4322 OPEN 7 DAYS 6am-10pm 8080 AIRPORT ROAD Your full service: Meat Department, Deli & Groceries www.kentsmeats.com On-site HARVESTING CUTTING & CRYOVACING Open7Daysaweek:4amto10pm (530) 727-6057 •DozenDonuts (mixed) $8.99 "The best donut in town!" 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