Old-fashioned Chicken Stew

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 onions, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 4 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
• 1 recipe of Basic RICE
  In a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, brown chicken pieces in oil. Remove from pot and allow to cool. Remove meat from bones and set aside.

Sprinkle flour in pot and stir until brown. Add onions and celery; cook until tender. Add a little of the water slowly, scraping brown bits from bottom and stirring to combine. Add remaining water, chicken and poultry seasoning.

Reduce heat and simmer until tender (about 1 hour), stirring occasionally as stew thickens. Serve over ----

 

Basic Rice

 

Yield: 4 servings

 

• 2 cups cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup rice

In a 2-quart saucepan with a tight fiitting lid, bring water, salt and butter to a boil.

Add rice and stir once with a fork; cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 20 minutes (do not lift lid).

Remove from heat, gently fluff rice with fork and let sit for a few minutes with the lid off. Fluff again and serve.