From A Past Edition Of The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Pepper Jelly Chicken With Blue Cheese And Spinach Salad This dish will help you get rid of some of that pepper jelly you're always getting as gifts (or the pepper jelly you made yourself that you can't seem to unload). Maybe the stuff would be in greater demand if it came with a recipe like this one. Or maybe the dish itself. This is also a recipe to remember when you have a chunk of opened blue cheese in the drawer and a bag of spinach. The pecan vinaigrette comes courtesy of the Gumbo Shop. I can't improve on that one. 1 cup flour 1 Tbs. salt-free Creole seasoning 1 Tbs. salt 1 stick butter 1 1/2 lbs. chicken tenders, or chicken breasts cut into thirds 1/2 cup pepper jelly 2 Tbs. orange juice 4 oz. crumbled blue cheese 1 10-oz bag fresh spinach leaves, well washed and dried 1/2 cup Pecan Vinaigrette (see recipe below) Preheat the broiler with the broiler pan about  four inches from the heat. 1. Blend the Creole seasoning and salt into the flour. Dust (don't dredge) the chicken tenders with the seasoned flour. 2. Heat 2 Tbs. butter in a large (preferably stainless steel) skillet over medium heat. When it bubbles, sauté the chicken tenders until lightly browned, about five minutes, turning every minute or so. (They will not be cooked all the way through at this point.) Add more butter as necessary to cook all the chicken. 3. When all the chicken is browned, thin the pepper jelly with the orange juice. Coat the chicken generously with the pepper jelly mixture, and place the pieces on the preheated broiler pan. 4. Broil the chicken tenders until they brown on top and are fully cooked. Allow them to cool for five minutes, then slice about three-fourths of an inch thick, on the bias. 5. Toss the chicken slices and spinach with the pecan vinaigrette and serve topped with the crumbled blue cheese. Serves eight entree salads. Gumbo Shop's Pecan Vinaigrette Dressing 3 Tbs. chopped onion 1 tsp. chopped garlic 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar 2 tsp. dry mustard 2 Tbs. dark brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup roasted chopped pecans 1. Combine everything except the olive oil and the pecans in a non-metallic bowl and whisk to blend. 2. While continuing to whisk, pour in the olive oil in a thin stream, increasing the flow as you go. After half the olive oil is in there, add 2 Tbs. water, and continue to add the oil. 3. Stir in the pecans, and serve tossed with greens of your choice. Makes about 2 cups. Click here for an index of recipes from past editions. © 2009 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com