Back at it with Food!

Hello everyone!I know it has been so long since you have heard from me! Very sorry for the hiatus, but sometimes life happens and you need to take care of things before you can do anything else. If you come back and join me on my journey, I thank you. So I'm not going to go into detail about my absence, instead I'm going to get right back into the swing of things with a recipe. Because honestly, who doesn't love food? The other night I had to find something to have for dinner, but I was tired of the same old routine. So I took out some chicken that was in the freezer and just threw together some sauce to put over it. Once it was all said and done I came up with...

Brown Sugar Chicken Breasts

Spices

So to start off your are going to need the following:

2 chicken breasts

vegetable oil

2-4 Tbls flour

salt & pepper 

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I used hickory brown sugar flavor, but your favorite will work)

1 Tbls Molasses

1 Tbls Spicy brown mustard

Splash of balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp of thyme

I just eyeballed the rest of these spices to my liking

Chili powder

Chipotle chili powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Take the 2 chicken breasts butterfly them (here is a video example of how to do this), then season with salt and pepper.  Next, sprinkle with flour and heat a skillet with your oil over med-high heat.

Fry the chicken until light golden brown on both sides.

While the chicken is frying, put all your sauces and spices (BBQ thru chili powders) in a pot to simmer for about 5 mins.  Place your chicken in an oven safe cooking dish and coat with the bbq sauce mixture.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Final Product!

The result is sweet with just a hint of spice and a little crisp.  I served my chicken with scalloped potatoes and broccoli.

Let me know if you try it and what you thought, I love hearing from you!

Until next time...

Pinteresting Wednesday!

Hi all!

I feel like I have been MIA in Pinterest land, but when I found my way back I more than made up for the time lost.  I've pinned a little bit of everything in the past couple of days, and I think I even fell asleep pinning from my phone last night.  That sort of makes me sound addicted, huh?  Oh well, there are tons of great things to find and I'm on a mission to discover them!  I hoped to make this another themed week like "Spaces" from last week, but this time it will be just a bit of everything.  And of course I'll be linking up to the wonderful "Oh, How Pinteresting" link up over at The Vintage Apple.  So let's get this party started!

Creative Clock

Say Whatt!?! Awesome idea!

I was never this creative with chalk

Perfect for a kid party

I'm usually shy, which is why I blog! lol

I must have this closet

And this bedroom, just more color!

So cute! A must try.

Don't forget to head over to The Vintage Apple and link up if you're on Pinterest!  If you're not, let me know in a comment (and make sure you enter your email in the box) and I'll send you an invite.  You can follow me here!  Let me know if you've pinned any of these as well, or what you've found that gave you some inspiration this week.
Until next time...

Pretzel and Peanut Crusted Chicken Strips

Hello All!

It's that time...time for another great recipe.  And if you don't know already, I love FOOD!  As mentioned in an earlier post I've been surrounded by women that love to cook, and they do it very well.  So when I come across great recipes I can't wait to share them.  Today's recipe I found back in March while watching the Rachael Ray Show.  It looked so good and perfectly cooked on TV, so I figured I'd give it a shot.  The end result was very yummy, and much prettier than I expected my non-professional version to be.  Without further ado, here is what you need to do...

Ingredients

1 bag salted pretzels, any shape
1/2 cup coarsely chopped honey-roasted peanuts
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
Salt and pepper
2 eggs
16 chicken tenders or 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips half an inch thick
1/4 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil (eyeball it)
Honey mustard or barbeque sauce, for drizzling

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place pretzels and peanuts in a food processor or blender and grind until fine. Transfer to a shallow dish, add thyme, season with salt and pepper, and mix well.  I'd recommend using a rectangle or square shallow dish, just so the strips lay better.

A little blurry, but these are the 2 dishes I used.  And the pink gloves as  protection from the chicken.

Beat 2 eggs in a second shallow dish with a splash of water.

Coat the chicken in the ground pretzels and peanuts, then the egg, then the pretzels again.

Preheat a large skillet with EVOO, enough to go 1/4 inch up the sides of the skillet, over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces to the hot oil. Cook in a single layer, in two batches if necessary, about 3-4 minutes on each side, until juices run clear and the breading is evenly browned. Transfer finished chicken strips to the oven to keep warm as you cook remaining strips.

Ok, so they are not all pretty.  But a majority of them were.

Serve topped with a drizzle of honey mustard or barbecue sauce.

Mine

Rachael's

Substitutions

For this recipe we did not add the nuts, and used about 1 teaspoon of  dried thyme instead of fresh.

If you're like me, you agree that EVOO is expensive!  So when adding oil just eyeball it, start by just covering the bottom of the pan, and add more later if needed.

They really are very tasty, and can be served with pretty much any side dish.  Maybe some fries, a nice salad, or a simple veggie.  What is your weeknight routine?  Are there any favs that you like to have every week?  Let me know, I love comments!

Photo & recipe credit

Until next time...

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings

Hi again!

It's Sunday! And that means Independence Day is tomorrow.  Not only are we celebrating a great day for our country, but it's a day that seems to bring people together.  For me I like to think of the 4th of July as a way to get lots of the 3 F's.  Family, Food, and Fireworks....what were you thinking?!?

So what's on your menu for the 4th?  If you're like our family, you may need something small to hold your guests over until the BBQ is ready.  I found a recipe for some chicken wings that is quite tasty and has a sweet kick!

This recipe comes from HomeMadeSimple.com
Sweet Heat Barbecue Chicken Wings
Serves 6
Time for prep is about 10 minutes
Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients 
For the Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce
2 cups ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1/3 cup buffalo sauce (I used Frank's RedHot Sauce)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup packed light-brown sugar

The Sauce

After it's mixed

For the Chicken Wings
4-6 pounds chicken drumettes, patted dry

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, mustard, buffalo sauce, garlic and brown sugar.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then coat with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a large mixing bowl, toss chicken drumettes with 1 cup of the barbecue sauce. Arrange on prepared baking sheet, being sure the drumettes aren’t touching each other.
4. Bake until opaque and cooked throughout, about 30-35 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking.
5. Carefully toss with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. Serve with remaining sauce, celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

My version

Variations: Whenever I cook these I usually don't coat them again after they are cooked.  I know some guests don't like a lot of sauce, so we just stick to the dipping sauce.  From my experience they have not been too spicy, and my family has made them several times.  They are more on the sweet side, with just a little added spice.

Really, you can cook these any time, they make a great snack or meal if you can't stop eating them!
I'll be making these along with a big jug of party punch to serve throughout the evening.

So, what are you making for the 4th?  Any fun traditions?  Let me know below, I love comments!

recipe and photo credit

Biscuits and Buttons

Hello Again!

I hope everyone had a great weekend.  My husband was gone all weekend so I was home alone, which sucks because I never sleep when he is gone.  Luckily my family only lives about 5 minutes away, so guess where I was?  On Saturday my mother made some of her great fried chicken strips.  Maybe she'll let me post her recipe one day, they are delicious!  But anyway, to go with the fried chicken I made some semi-homemade cheddar biscuits.  You know, the awesome biscuits they serve at Red Lobster.  If you haven't had them before I suggest you try them, ASAP!  If you don't feel like spending an arm and a leg for your family to go to dinner, then I have a great alternative.  The internet is a wonderful thing.  I found this recipe for these biscuits several years ago, and it is pretty close to what Red Lobster serves.

So, for the dough you are going to need:

• 1 1/4 lbs of Bisquick (I calculated it to be 5 cups)
• 3 Oz. of shredded cheddar cheese
• 11 Oz. cold water

 Butter Spread:

• 1/2 cup of melted butter (usually 1 stick)
• 1 teas. garlic powder
• 1/4 teas. salt
• 1/8 teas. onion powder
• 1/8 teas. dried parsley flakes

Mix the Bisquick water and cheese in a large bowl until the dough is firm.  Use a small scoop to place the dough on a baking pan.

Be sure to line the pan with baking paper, like parchment paper.  Bake in 375 degree oven for about 10 to 12 minutes or until they are golden brown on top.

While the biscuits are baking, melt your butter and then add the garlic through parsley to the melted butter.  I like to add a little extra pinch of parsley flakes, but not too much.  Once the biscuits are done, brush them with the garlic topping.  Make sure to brush the butter on while the bread is hot.  Also, occasionally stir the butter mixture while the batches of bread bake, or before you use it again so it doesn't separate.  If the butter starts to firm up, just microwave it for a few seconds.

I usually get a little over 2 dozen using a small scoop.  You can make them bigger if you wish, but you may need to increase bake time by a couple of minutes.  Hope you try this out, and Enjoy!  Let me know if you make them.

One more thing!  I now have a button for my blog.  Woo hoo!  I made it myself, it's nothing fancy but I have to start somewhere right?  Check it out here, or in the sidebar.


<<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">br</span> /> <a <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">href</span>="http://<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">dreamcdesign</span>.<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">blogspot</span>.com" target="_blank"><<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">img</span> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">src</span>="http://i6.<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">photobucket</span>.com/albums/y208/abl7/dcdb2.<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">png</span>"/></a><<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">br</span> />

Weekend Recipe: Grilled Chicken Tacos

So in a previous post I talked about sharing recipes with you all.  I know I said I wanted to let you all decide where I should post them, but this one could not wait.  My mother recently found a recipe for grilled chicken tacos on the cover of Family Circle magazine, and so we made them the other night for dinner.

Family Circle- April 2011

My mom is known for experimenting, so I was a little skeptical at first.  But they turned out to be really good, and easy!  We set up each side on the counter in a "pick and choose" way, and my brother said he felt like he was at Chipotle.  The recipe itself is pretty easy, but somehow we always end up substituting ingredients.  And that is where the prep time increases.  Below you'll find the recipe and what subs were made.  Hope you try and enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Tacos
Makes: 8 (give or take)  Prep:15 mins  Grill: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs  boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets  *see below for sub
• 1  tsp.  adobo seasoning salt (such as Goya)  *see below for sub
• 1  package  small flour tortillas (8 per package) 
• Fresh Salsa (recipe at familycircle.com/salsa)  *see below for sub
• guacamole (recipe at familycircle.com/guacamole) *see below for sub

Directions

1. If needed, pound chicken to even thickness. Sprinkle adobo seasoning salt onto both sides of the chicken.
2. Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly coat grill rack with oil. For broiler method, see Note, below. Grill chicken until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board.
3. Cut chicken crossways into thin strips. To serve, spoon about 1/4 cup chicken strips onto a tortilla. Add Fresh Salsa, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream and Guacamole.
Note. Heat broiler to high. Broil chicken until
cooked through, about 6 or 7 minutes per side.

*Substitutes*
Chicken:  we used frozen pre-cooked grilled chicken strips.  If you choose to do this, set them out to defrost or defrost them in the microwave.  Throw the adobo seasoning on them and put them in a skillet.  Cook for about 8-10 mins and serve.
Adobo:  We could not find this type of seasoning in the store, so I searched around online and below is what I came up with.  It makes a good amount, so you can use it several times before having to make it again:

3 tbsp- sea salt or kosher

3 tbsp- onion powder

3 tbsp- garlic powder

3 tbsp- ground black pepper (freshly ground is preferred)

1 1/2 tsp- dried Mexican oregano

1 1/2 tsp- cumin

1 tsp- chipotle chile powder

If you choose to make this be careful spices can be pricey depending on the store and the brand.  You can often get lucky and find some of these spices for cheap at a 99 cent store or Dollar Tree.  Luckily we cook a lot and usually have all of those ingredients on hand.
Salsa:  We did not make this, just used our favorite packaged salsa.
Guacamole:  Same as the salsa we used the store bought stuff.

My version minus the guacamole, sour cream.  Added a side of Spanish rice.

Food For The Soul

Ever since I can remember I have been surrounded by food!  I know food and water are what keep us alive, but I'm talking about being surrounded by women that love to cook...and do it very well. 

Whether it was my great Aunt's salmon croquettes or my mother's...umm...everything, my family has been spoiled rotten when it comes to food.  Because of those amazing women I LOVE food but also love to cook!  Now that I am married I've started thinking about the recipes I would like to continue to pass down, and the new ones that I could throw in the mix.

So, I'm going to start sharing my food experiences with you all.  I just need your input on how or when I should share.  I'm placing a poll to the left so you all can vote.  Once you've picked a winner I'll begin posting, and I already have a couple recipes lined up.  If you all have recipes that you think should be shared with the world, email me and I'll include them.

Thanks for reading