Thursday, January 3, 2013

Mollie's Tender Chicken


Mollie's Tender Chicken 

(originally known as Parmesan Chicken but renamed by my niece)

1 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons white flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
6-8 chicken breast strips (1/2 inch thick)
Oil for frying

Mix breadcrumbs, flour and Parmesan cheese together.  Put milk into a dish deep enough for dipping the chicken pieces.  Dip chicken in breadcrumb mixture, then in the milk and then back into the breading mixture.  Press the chicken pieces with your hands at this point to flatten them a little.

Heat oil in a frying pan and heat to a medium high temperature.  Place chicken pieces into the pan and lower temperature to medium.  Fry pieces until chicken is done and pieces are a crispy golden color.

Baked Chicken Tenders

Baked Chicken Tenders 

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or a heaping 1/2 Tablespoon of dry
salt and pepper, optional

1/4 cup milk
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
olive oil or melted butter

(Additional ingredients for Garlic Lover's Version)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Slice chicken breast halves into nice strips or leave whole.

Dip in milk.
Then in mixture of bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, and salt/pepper. For a thicker crust you could dip in dry, then wet, then back in dry.
Lay on greased cookie sheet.  Mist/drizzle with a little olive oil spray or drizzle with melted butter.
(If you are doing the garlic lovers version mix melted butter, garlic, and lemon to drizzle over instead.)
Bake tenders at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  If you do whole halves then bake for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy on a salad or dipped in your favorite dipping sauce (like Honey BBQ ) Great cold for school lunches.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Sausage Stuffed Squash

Sausage Stuffed Squash

1 butternut squash
Olive Oil
Salt
1 pound sausage (breakfast, pork, or Italian) You can even de-case brats to use.
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/3 - 1/2 cup diced onion
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Cut squash in 1/2 removing seeds.  Core out the neck by scoring and using a spoon to remove to a cutting board to dice.  You will use this in the stuffing. Place large halves on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until soft.  
You are only going to reheat so be sure squash is as soft as you like.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, drizzle olive oil, add in onions, apple, diced squash, orange juice, and syrup. Cook until soft.
Add in sausage and cook thoroughly. Be sure to break apart the meat. Drain or pat off the oil if necessary.
 "Stuff" into squash halves.  I sprinkled Parmesan on the one on the left.  They enjoyed them both ways. Return to oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Careful not to burn your sausage. 

The little one enjoyed it enough to ask for it as leftovers to eat in her lunch she takes to school.