CHICKEN AND CHIPS

Have you ever wondered what to do with the handful of broken potato chips that are in the bottom of the bag?  You don't want to throw them out - you love them - But, you really can't eat them ... they are just too small.

How about making chicken strips coated with them?  You already love the flavor of chips so let's pair them with a chicken breast cut into strips and quick fry them in a small amount of butter.  No extra seasoning is necessary.


Delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

- One chicken breast cut in half (like butterfly wings) and then cut into finger like strips.
- The remains of your favorite bag of chips (if the pieces are too big, crush them while they are still in the bag.
- Vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

- Put about a Tbsp. of oil in your heavy skillet to heat.

- After cutting up the chicken breast, wash it and dry it with paper towels.

- Drop the pieces of chicken in the potato chip bag, close the top of the bag and shake the chicken (remember Shake n Bake?) to coat the pieces.  (Be sure to throw the bag away after using it - even if all the pieces are not used up.  This is a one time use thing.)

- Remove the chicken from the bag one piece at a time and put them in the hot, oiled skillet.

- Cook over a medium/high heat until golden brown.

While the chicken is browning, fix your favorite side dish and a salad.  Your meal is ready to enjoy.

Experiment with different flavors of chips.  You'll be surprised at how different the chicken tastes.

Enjoy!

Here is my photo of the day from Redgage ...

http://www.redgage.com/c-mggnb

SWEET POTATO MUFFINS

These are delicious when eaten with a meal that is a little spicy, because they are slightly sweet.   

The original recipe called for the dough to be fried in a heavy skillet, but I prefer to bake them.  Either way they are a nice addition to a meal.

UTENSILS:

You will need :

2 large and 1 small bowl 

a sturdy mixing spoon.

an oiled muffin pan ... this should make about 12 muffins.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 lb. of cooked, drained and cooled sweet potatoes

3/4 Tbsp. active dry yeast

2 Tbsp. lukewarm water

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 - 2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup room-temperature water

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:  

  

In a large mixing bowl, mash the sweet potatoes (a few lumps are okay)

In the small mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and let sit for about 5 minutes.  It's ready to be used when the water looks foamy.

Stir the yeast/water mixture into the potatoes until combined.

Add the rest of the ingredients (flour, salt, water, oil) and mix well - until it becomes a soft, sticky dough.  (You may need to add more water if it's too dry or more flour if it's too wet.)

Oil the second mixing bowl and transfer the dough into it. 

Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest for about 30 minutes - or until it doubles in size.

Now flour a work surface and pour the dough on it.  Knead the dough, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking, until the dough is smooth.  Be careful not to add too much flour as the dough should remain as moist as possible.

Cut the flour into 12 pieces, gently shape each piece in a ball and "plop" it into the greased muffin pan. 

Cover the pan with the towel and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes. 

Just before putting them in the oven, I sprayed the tops with canola oil and then sprinkled then with a little garlic powder  ... but this is optional.

Bake at 350˚ for approximately 12 minutes.  Check with a toothpick.  If the toothpick is just slightly moist and they are springy to the touch - they're done.  (I hardly ever preheat an oven, you can if you wish.)

Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes.  This is so they don't pull apart when you remove them.  

Now take them out of the pan (I just turn the pan over and let them fall on a baking towel.) and place them on a baking rack to finish cooling. 

Another 10 minutes of cooling and they're ready to eat.

Enjoy!

Here is my picture of the day I posted on Redgage - 

http://www.redgage.com/c-meghbb

Mushroom and Bell Pepper Spaghetti "Risotto"

This is adapted from a recipe I found in Rachael Ray's "Look+Cook" cookbook.  I love this book because it has pictures!  I like to know what the dish is "supposed" to look like.  Left on my own the "presentation" is awful.  Luckily, my husband doesn't care how it looks, just how it tastes.  However, since I have been working on making food look as good as it tastes, he now makes comments like - "You get a 7 on presentation and a 10 on taste" - then he laughs.

INGREDIENTS (serving 2):

1 -2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO per Rachael)

1 Onion (white or Spanish, not a sweet onion like Vidalia)

2 cloves Garlic (chopped very small) (preferably fresh, but definitely not powder or the salt variety)

Pepper and Salt (lots of pepper, minimal salt)

A good handful of Mushrooms (I only had the plain white, but you can use whatever you have on hand)

Beef stock (I used about 1/2 of a can)

Spaghetti, broken into small pieces (I broke the long pieces into quarters, but smaller would work too.)  (You will need to determine the amount needed for 2 people.)

1/2 Cup Beer (I buy it in bottles instead of cans.  It's easier to recap and save what isn't used.  Or you could just drink the leftover!)

1 cup of sliced Bell Pepper (red, green, yellow, orange - whatever kind you have - just slice them small (nearly julienned)

Parmesan Cheese  (optional)

2 Cups of Lettuce (Rachael used Arugula.  I didn't have that in the house, so I used what I had - a mixture of green and red lettuces.)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large, heavy pan (like cast iron) heat the oil over a medium to medium to high heat.

Add the onions and mushrooms.  Sauté until tender - not browned.  This should take about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the uncooked pasta to the onion mushroom mixture.  Toast until slightly browned.  This will take about 5 minutes, depending on how hot your pan is and how much you turn the pasta.  Kitchen tongs will make the turning much easier.

  

Now add the sliced bell pepper and chopped garlic - combining with the browning pasta, onion and mushroom mixture.

Continue turning the mixture until the pasta is a deep brown (or until you're afraid you will burn it) and the peppers are cooked.

Turn the heat down a little and add the beer.  The pasta will now start to cook, giving off a terrific aroma.  

When the beer has cooked down some, add a little of the beef broth.  Let the liquid almost totally evaporate before adding more of the broth.  Then keep adding the liquid a little at a time until the pasta is cooked but there is still some liquid left in the pan.

Drop the lettuce on top of the pasta mixture and put the cover on so the lettuce will soften.  This should only take about a minute.

Take the cover off the pan and combine the lettuce into the pasta mixture.  

Sprinkle with a little salt and (at least for my family) a lot of pepper on the mixture and combine well.  

At this point I cover the pan and move it off the heat to rest for a moment so the flavors will be blended.

In another pan, I warm/brown up some sausages to serve with the pasta.  By the time thesausages are done, the pasta is ready to serve.

Now, just use the same tongs you turned the pasta with to put the pasta and a sausage (or two) on the plate.  Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Dinner is served (and there are very few dishes to wash.)!

My flower for the day can be found on Redgage by clicking on the link. 

http://www.redgage.com/c-mdbof