Chicken Nuggets...

So I made these for the fam last night while I was going to book club.  They were pretty good and healthier than regular nuggets.  I served 'em up with some tater tots and carrots sticks.  Not the healthiest meal, but it could be worse!  Oh, and I also made the honey mustard at the bottom and Matt and Jace loved it. I am not a huge mustard lover, I prefer to dip all my stuff in homemade ranch!

Martha Stewarts Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound total)
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• Coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• Honey Mustard or Spicy Ketchup, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut chicken into 2-inch pieces. Spread panko on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a shallow dish, then add Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon salt; drizzle with oil and stir to combine. Place flour and eggs in separate shallow dishes. Increase temperature to 450 degrees.
2. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet; lightly coat rack with cooking spray. In batches, coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess, dip in egg, then coat with panko, pressing to adhere. Place on rack. Bake until chicken is cooked through, 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve nuggets with sauce.

Cook's Note

Honey Mustard
Combine 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons each mayonnaise and honey.

Spicy Ketchup
Combine 1/4 cup ketchup; 3 tablespoons spicy chili sauce, such as Sriracha; and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise.

PS I cooked them at 425 with the tater tots on the bottom rack.  I put the tots in first for their 20 mins and when there was 12 mins left, I stuck the nuggets on the upper rack.  I turned them and cooked them another 5 mins after their inital 12, just depends on how big and thick your nugget pieces are! :)

The BEST, EASIEST dessert...

 Ree Drummond's Easy Caramel Sauce:

1 packed cup brown sugar
1/2 cup half and half
4 TBSP butter
pinch salt
1 TBSP vanilla extract

Mix the sugar, half and half, butter and salt in a sauce pan over medium low heat.  Cook while whisking gently for 5-7 mins, until it gets thicker.  Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further.  Turn off heat and cool slightly.  Pour sauce in to a jar and refrigerate until cold.

Then, when dessert time, take fresh pears, pealed and halved or use home canned pears.  In a bowl put in a scoop (or lets be honest, 2 or 3) of vanilla ice cream, add a few pear halves and then warm up the caramel sauce and pour some of that over the ice cream and pears.... It's amazing.  Seriously.  So good.  And did I mention EASY PEASY!!!????!  

Divinity frosting!

This was my grandma Archibald's recipe, very similar to 7 minute frosting!

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon cream of Tartar

Combine all ingredients in the top of a double broiler and stir until well mixed. Heat over boiling water, stirring occasionally, until you can't hold your thumb in it. Pour into mixer and beat until it stands on peaks. May add food coloring.

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Cafe Rio Pork Salad...

We had this for dinner last night and I am enjoying it for lunch as I type! It's really not a lot of work, especially since you can do it in stages.
First: Make Best Bites Sweet Pork... it goes in the crock pot for all day, easy peasy!!
While that is cooking away, make Best Bites Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch and let it set up in the fridge all day.
Assembly: Cut up Romaine lettuce as your bed, add some canned, rinsed off black beans, (rice if you like, I was too lazy), add the shredded pork, a simple pico (tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper), make the crunchy tortilla strips (I made these right before serving), also in Best Bites (right next to the pork recipe) top it off with your creamy ranch and yummo!  Store everything separate and make individual salads the next day for lunch, it's so good and I say healthy! 

Roasted Veggies...

So I finally joined the bandwagon of Amber and Misti with roasting vegetables, and O MY GOODNESS... It is our new fave.  One of the few ways to get my kids to eat their veggies (and me, lets be honest) besides carrots and ranch...  Just cute up your vegges into bite sized pieces on an aluminum covered sheet tray,

Drizzle EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and then sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 10-15 mins. They will be dark and roasted and fragrant. Then sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan.  I do this with carrots, whatever veggies I have on hand.  Thank you girls for the suggestion, sorry I was so slow to join the party!!! I don't have an after pic because we ate them too fast before I remembered to take a picture :)

Pasta Salad...

1/2 lb spiral pasta (I use the multi colored ones) cooked, drained and cooled
Grape or Cherry tomatoes, halved (Add just enough to where it looks like it's enough)
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced into thick slices then quarter every slice
1/2 red onion, finely diced
banana peppers, chopped (if have)
1 small can sliced olives


Mix all together with about a half bottle of Italian dressing.  Mix well, and chill for at least 2 hours.  Right before serving, add fresh grated Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.

Martha Stewart Pineapple Salsa

I love this Salsa!!!

Everyday Food, March 2005
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Yield Makes 2 cups


Ingredients
1/2 small pineapple, cored for wedges, chopped, and juices reserved
1 small jalapeno chile (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired), minced
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper
Directions
In a medium bowl, toss together all ingredients. Serve as a side dish.