ISLAND THIGHSServes 4 One of the best money-saving tips I know for buying food is one you can use in this recipe. A Pennsylvania mushroom grower told me that when you see slightly browned mushrooms on sale$and they're often a fraction of the price of the cosmetically perfect mushrooms$buy them. The mushroom flavor will be more intense since the mushrooms are older; they'll have dried slightly so you won't be paying as much for water; and you won't see the discolorations anyway if you're using the mushrooms for cooking. I've tried his recommendation many times, and I think he's right.

4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces) 1 cup thinly sliced scallions 1 cup chicken broth 1-1/2 cups fresh snow peas or 1 package (6 ounces) frozen snow peas, thawed 3/4 cup seedless, green grapes, halved 2 teaspoons slivered lemon peel 1 teaspoon minced, fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground Cut thigh cutlets into 1/4" by 2" strips. Toss with cornstarch to coat well. In a wok or large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and saute until browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and scallions. Saute, stirring until mushrooms are golden, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and smooth. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over rice.

POJARSKI STYLE THIGHSServes 4 Pojarski style dishes use ground meat. They are typically made from beef, veal, salmon, or chicken. One of the most famous Pojarski dishes is salmon shaped to look like a pork chop. Doing the same thing with chicken tastes and looks delicious and costs a lot less.

1 package fresh ground chicken (about 1 pound) 1/2 cup sour cream, divided salt and ground pepper to taste 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 cup flour 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or margarine 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces) 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley Mix ground chicken with 1/4 cup sour cream, plus salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes. Form mixture into four "chop" shaped cutlets and coat each lightly with flour. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt b.u.t.ter. Add cutlets and saute for 7 to 8 minutes on each side until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove to a serving dish and keep warm. Add mushrooms to skillet and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining sour cream and mix well. Spoon sauce over cutlets. Sprinkle with fresh dill.

STIR-FRIED THIGHS WITH BEANSPROUTSServes 4 Stir frying isn't more difficult than regular frying, but one big difference is that the pan is kept hotter than would be usual for American-style frying. To tell if it's hot enough, place your frying pan$or wok if you have one$over high heat. The pan or wok is hot enough if a drop of water dropped onto it sizzles and then evaporates. Add the oil, and let the oil heat until it's almost at the smoking point. When adding the ingredients, stir them constantly until done.

4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 egg white, slightly beaten salt to taste 2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil, as needed 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 red, sweet, bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions 1/4 pound (2 cups) snow peas, sliced diagonally 1/2 pound (4 cups) beansprouts, washed and drained 1/4 cup soy sauce few drops Tabasco, to taste Cut thighs into 1/4" strips. In a shallow bowl, combine cornstarch, egg white and salt. Add chicken, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate one hour. In a wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add thighs and garlic and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Add additional oil to wok, if necessary. Add pepper strips and stir-fry one minute.

Remove and set aside. Add scallions and snow peas and stir-fry one minute. Add beansprouts and cook, tossing, 2 minutes. Return chicken and pepper to wok and toss. Add soy sauce and Tabasco. Heat thoroughly. Serve over hot cooked rice.

SWEET AND SOUR THIGHSServes 4 Cornstarch yields a more transparent sauce, and has roughly twice the thickening power of flour. The transparency makes it appropriate for oriental recipes like this one.

4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 1/2 cups sliced green pepper 2/3 cup sliced celery 1/2 cup sliced scallions, stems included 1 can (8-1/2-ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained 6 ounces fresh or frozen (thawed) snow peas 1 can (8-3/4-ounces) pineapple chunks in syrup 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce Cut thighs into bite size pieces. In a wok or large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add thigh pieces and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add green pepper, celery, scallions and water chestnuts. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add snow peas, pineapple and syrup and chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. In a small bowl, blend together cornstarch, sugar, ginger, vinegar and soy sauce. Add to wok and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

SZECHUAN STIR-FRY THIGHSServes 4 The woman in charge of supervising the entire Perdue recipe program, says that this is her personal favorite.

4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 cup carrots, cut into matchstick strips 1/2 cup cashews 1 teaspoon hot chili pepper, finely chopped, or to taste 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup dry sherry 1 tablespoon cornstarch Cut boneless thighs into strips (about 1/4" x 2"). In a wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add chicken and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove chicken and reserve. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to wok and add carrots, cashews, chili pepper, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry 3 minutes until carrots just begin to soften. Return chicken to wok. In a small bowl blend together soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch. Add to wok and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

THIGH CHILIServes 4 This is a healthy, low-cholesterol chili.

4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped 1 can (16-ounces) tomatoes, chopped, with liquid 1 can (16-ounces) kidney beans, drained 1 tablespoon chili powder salt and ground pepper to taste Tabasco, to taste Cut chicken into bite size pieces. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken, onion, garlic and green pepper and cook, stirring until chicken loses its pink color. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Adjust seasonings according to taste.

THIGH FLAUTa.s.serves 4 You can tell if your avocado for the guacamole in this recipe is ripe by whether it yields to gentle pressure when you hold it between your palms. If there's some "give" to it, it's ripe. If it feels hard, like a baseball, it's not ripe. Wait a few days, and it will have a richer, creamer texture and flavor. You can speed the ripening by keeping the avocado in a paper bag, at room temperature, along with a banana or pear or apple. These fruits give off a ripening factor and the paper bag concentrates the ripening factor.

4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 1 quart chicken broth 1/2 pound Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, coa.r.s.ely grated (about 2 cups) 1/4 cup red or green chili salsa salt to taste 8 flour tortillas Vegetable oil, for frying 1/3 cup sour cream, optional Guacamole: 1 large ripe avocado 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice 1/2 cup chopped tomato 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon red or green chili salsa In a large saucepan over medium-high heat bring chicken broth to a boil. Add boneless thighs, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove thighs, reserving broth for other use. Shred meat and place in a mixing bowl. Toss with 1-1/2 cups cheese, salsa, and salt to taste. Divide mixture among tortillas and roll up, securing with a toothpick, if necessary. In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2-inch oil. Fry flautas in hot oil, turning to brown lightly on all sides. Transfer to serving dish and keep warm. To make guacamole, scoop out avocado flesh, chop and toss with lemon juice. Combine lightly with remaining ingredients.

Serve flautas topped with guacamole, remaining cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Chapter Two. Chicken for the Microwave

When I was organizing this chapter, I was tempted to include all of these microwave recipes in the "Cooking for Everyday" chapter. After all, the microwave is certainly becoming part of our everyday life.

The reason I didn't is$well, there are two reasons.

First, if I put all the microwave recipes in one chapter, you won't have to waste time hunting for them. Second, there are a number of tips on using the microwave successfully, and I thought you might like to have them all in one place, also.

The microwave is a wonderful convenience, but in my case, I used to use it for reheating foods or for boiling water and not much else. Are you the same? Ah, but there's so much more to it than that! Having spent time with the Perdue food technologists and home economists, and especially after studying the techniques and recipes from Rita Marie Schneider, the home economist who developed the majority of the Perdue microwave recipes, I'm a convert now. I've come to appreciate the versatility of the microwave as well as the speed.

There's a reason I happen to have spent time with the Perdue experts. Once when Frank was microwaving nuggets for himself at HIGH, he found that by the time all of them were heated, one of them was badly overcooked and therefore, dried out and$what a dirty word this is in the Perdue household!$tough. Frank didn't know that the microwave was the problem and instead a.s.sumed it was his product that was at fault.

How can I even tell you about the crisis that one tough "tender" caused! Frank didn't seem as upset when a whole processing plant burned down the year before. Because of that one tough tender, he called the plant manager, the quality control people, the packaging people, the man who wrote the cooking directions, the food technologists, the woman who runs the tasting lab, and probably half a dozen other people as well. It didn't matter that it was the weekend$the situation had to be addressed immediately! He kept repeating disconsolately, "I have no right to sell a product like this."

Eventually, one of the Perdue food technicians came out to our house and checked the microwave and suggested that we'd get more even cooking if we used MEDIUM HIGH. She said that at this setting, the microwaves reach an equilibrium so heating is much more even. And when there are no hot spots and no cold spots, the chicken gets uniformly warm with no dried out tough parts.

While she was there, she had a number of other tips for me as well, and as I talked with other Perdue people, I collected still more. By now, knowing a few little tricks about the microwave, I know how to make much better use of it. Because of the time it saves in cooking, and the time it saves in clean-up (no baked on bits of food to scrub), I use the microwave about as often as my oven.

Tips for Using Your Microwave

_The best microwave tip I know is, learn about the "cold spots" in your microwave so you don't end up with unevenly cooked chicken. To learn your microwave's "cold spots," line the bottom of your microwave oven with wax paper and then spread an eighth-inch layer of pancake batter over it. Turn the oven on HIGH, and then check it at 30 second intervals. At some point, (in my case after a minute and a half), you'll see that in some places the batter is dried out and hard, while in others, it's still soupy, as if the heat hadn't touched it. Once I made this check, I gained an immense respect for the fact that microwaves don't necessarily cook evenly, and I've made sure to compensate ever since by stirring or turning foods as directed in microwave recipes.

_Do not use utensils with metal trim (including the gold trim on fine china), handle clamps, or fastening screws. Metal trim can cause arcing (sparking). Aluminum foil, in small amounts on the other hand, won't cause arcing in most microwaves as long as it doesn't touch the sides of the oven.

_The coverings used in microwave cooking have definite purposes: use plastic wrap to steam and tenderize; use wax paper to hold in heat without steaming; use paper towels to absorb moisture, yet hold in heat.

_To obtain a crisp, crunchy crumb-coated chicken, first cook covered with wax paper, then switch to a paper towel covering and, finally, complete cooking with chicken uncovered.

_If the bony parts of your chicken are overcooking before the meatier parts are done, shield the bony parts by placing strips of thin aluminum foil over them.

_If you're microwaving chicken livers, p.r.i.c.k each one to allow steam to escape. Before I knew this tip, I've had them explode in the oven.

_Microwave recipes usually call for smaller amounts of seasonings than conventionally cooked dishes. Microwaving tends to intensify flavors, so you won't need as much seasoning.

_Don't ignore the standing time called for in some of these recipes. In microwave cookery, standing time allows further cooking to occur after you have removed the food from the microwave oven. Covering the food holds heat in and speeds this final, important step. When I've cheated on this step, I've found the chicken hard to carve and undercooked.

_When possible, arrange food in a circular or donut shape; without corners, food cooks more evenly from all sides. For example, if you're cooking drumsticks, arrange them like a wagon wheel with the meatier portions at the outer edge, and the drum stick end in the center.

_Thin foods cook faster than thick foods because microwaves lose power after they penetrate food.

_Ingredients also affect cooking time. Foods higher in sugar or fat heat faster and to higher temperatures than do those with lower sugar or fat content.

_When the recipe says "70% power," or MEDIUM HIGH, don't be tempted to get things done faster by going for 100% power. At 70% power, the microwaves cook the product more slowly but also more evenly, so there's less worry about cold spots.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH ALMOND SAUCEServes 4 Of course you can serve the pre-cooked chicken just as it comes from the store, without doing anything else to it at all. I've done this many times with our Perdue Done It!

roasted chicken when I've been in a hurry. But this recipe only takes a few extra minutes and you'll have a show piece at the end. As you're making it, be glad for a moment that you're not making this recipe in the year 1911. A typical recipe in a the December issue of The Wisconsin Farmer a.s.sumes that you've already plucked the bird and removed its head and feet. It directs you "to singe the bird over a burning newspaper on a hot stove." The stove would probably have been a wood-burning one, and in all probability, it would have been up to you to get the wood for the stove. When I think of then and I think of now, I'm glad that "We've come a long way, baby".

1 roasted chicken 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons Amaretto or other almond liqueur 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds Heat pre-cooked roasted chicken in its own microwave tray following package directions.

In 2-cup gla.s.s container, combine cornstarch, broth, liqueur and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 or 4 minutes until bubbly and thick; stir twice during cooking. Add almonds. Slice chicken onto a platter and top with sauce.

FIVE-MINUTE ROASTED DRUMSTICKS 1 package roasted chicken drumsticks (4-6 per package).

Following package directions, warm roasted drumsticks in a conventional oven or, using package tray, heat in a microwave oven. Brush with your favorite bottled barbecue sauce.

CHICKEN POCKET SANDWICHESServes 4 You could use regular chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s for this, but the roaster breast has a richer, more chickeny flavor.

("Chickeny" is a word, by the way. Frank uses it all the time, and he ought to know.) 1 roaster boneless breast 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper 4 pita breads Lettuce leaves 1 container (8-ounces) plain yogurt 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks. In 3-quart microwave-safe utensil, combine olive oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and Cayenne pepper; add chicken chunks and stir. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 10 minutes or until chicken has turned white. Stir mixture 3 or 4 times during cooking. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Cut each pita bread into 2 pockets, line with lettuce and spoon in chicken. In small bowl, combine yogurt and green onion; serve over chicken.

CHICKEN A LA MONTMORENCYServes 6 Any recipe with the word "Montmorency" is apt to have cherries in it. The sauce for this one is particularly good and Frank liked it enough to spread the leftovers on toast the next day at breakfast. If you don't want to microwave the roaster breast, just cook it in your oven, following the package directions. When I'm in a hurry, I use this microwave recipe, but b.r.e.a.s.t.s are the hardest part of the chicken to keep tender in a microwave because they're fairly dry to begin with, and if you overcook them, they'll get tough.

1 roaster breast 1 can (16-ounces) pitted dark sweet cherries 1/4 cup dry red wine Water 5 teaspoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons red currant jelly (optional) 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter or margarine Salt and ground pepper to taste Place breast, skin side down, on microwave-safe roasting utensil. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM HIGH (70% power) and cook 12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn breast, skin side up; brush with drippings in utensil. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink when breast is cut near bone.

Drain cherries, reserving syrup in a 4-cup gla.s.s container.

Place cherries and red wine in small bowl. Add enough water to cherry syrup to measure 1 cup. Stir in cornstarch, mixing until well blended. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes, stirring twice. Stir cherries with wine into thickened syrup. Continue cooking at HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture thickens and boils for 1 minute. Add jelly, if desir ed, and b.u.t.ter; stir until smooth.

To serve, slice chicken and place on warm platter. Spoon some of cherry sauce over chicken slices; pa.s.s remaining sauce.

CHICKEN A LA NANCYServes 4 Unlike me, Frank does not enjoy puttering around in the kitchen. He loves the results, but cooking is not his favorite way to spend his free time. (He'd be more apt to watch a game on TV or visit with friends.) When he does cook, I can almost guarantee that it will be something quick and carefree. But there is one exception, and it's this recipe. I've never dared ask just who Nancy is, but Frank once won a cooking contest using her recipe, so he's been fond of it ever since.

He says to point out that the cooked lemon with rind does remain as a part of the food. It adds an unusual taste and texture. If you don't like a strong lemony flavor, you might start by using half the lemon that the recipe calls for. That's what I do when I make this recipe.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced boneless roaster breast 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 lemon with peel, very thinly sliced 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon flour 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1 can (14-ounces) water-packed whole artichoke hearts, drained and quartered Place chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s between sheets of plastic wrap.

Pound to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 2 inch squares. If using thin sliced boneless Roaster breast, skip the pounding and simply cut into 2 inch squares.

Frying Pan Method: In a large skillet over medium heat, hat oil. Add garlic and saute until soft. Add lemon and mushrooms and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add all other ingredients except artichokes.

Fry, stirring frequently, approximately 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add artichokes and heat.

aMicrowave Method: In 3-quart microwave-safe round dish, combine oil, mushrooms, lemon slices and garlic; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 minutes, stirring once. In a 1-cup gla.s.s measuring cup, combine wine and flour; stir into mushroom mixture.

Arrange chicken pieces on top of mushroom mixture and cover with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 6 minutes per pound, stirring mixture 3 times. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Stir in artichoke quarters; re- cover and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

CHICKEN THIGHS PARMESANServes 3-4 The Dijon mustard called for in this recipe is quite sharp before it's cooked. After heating in the microwave, you'll find that it loses much of its sharpness and leaves behind a subtle spicy flavor. Yellow mustard won't produce the same effect.

6 chicken thighs 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup melted b.u.t.ter or margarine 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce Remove skin from thighs. On wax paper, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. In shallow dish, combine b.u.t.ter, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Brush thighs with b.u.t.ter mixture and then roll in crumbs to lightly coat both sides. Reserve remaining b.u.t.ter mixture and crumbs.

Arrange thighs in circular pattern on microwave-safe roasting utensil; cover with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn thighs over; spoon on remaining b.u.t.ter mixture and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

Cover with a double thickness of paper towels. Complete cooking; remove paper towels during last 2 minutes cooking time. Let stand, uncovered, 2 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN WITH MANGO SAUCEServes 6 Mangos, which are rich in vitamins A and C, make a delicious, colorful and unusual sauce for a roaster breast.

When mangos aren't available, try fresh or canned peaches.

1 roaster breast 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter or margarine 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 2 ripe mangos, peeled and cut into chunks 2 tablespoons cherry- or orange-flavored liqueur Salt and pepper to taste Place skin side down on microwave-safe roasting utensil.

Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn breast skin side up; brush with drippings in utensil. Re- cover with wax paper and complete cooking. Let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink when breast is cut near the bone.

In a 4-cup gla.s.s container, place b.u.t.ter. Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds or until melted. Stir in cornstarch until blended; stir in brown sugar and orange juice. In blender or food processor fitted with steel blade, puree mango chunks. Stir pureed mangos into orange juice mixture.

Microwave at HIGH 4 minutes, stirring twice. Add liqueur; microwave 1 minute longer.

To serve, slice chicken and place on warm platter. Spoon some of mango sauce over slices, then pa.s.s remaining sauce.