Ranch Chicken

Who doesn't love dipping chicken strips into Ranch Dressing?

I think most kids do, and if truth be told adults too!  I myself love the flavor combo but sometimes I don't want to take the time to make chicken strips...I know lazy, especially on a weeknight or a busy weekend. They really are easy to make and there's no excuse, but I came up with a way to have the same flavor combo without all the prep work.

This is a fun, quick dinner that the family and the kiddos will love.  The taste is 'ranchilicious' and the chicken is soooo moist.  MGG helped me with this dish and to his credit he was "MMmnnnning" all through the meal! 

You just take chicken breasts, we used one super large one ( I'm not sure where these chickens are from they are really 'healthy' sized!) and I cut in to two thin but still medium sized breasts, and dipped them in ranch dressing ( no egg here) and panko.  Cook them in a skillet and serve.  Done, presto, chango!  A really quick and tasty meal in under 20 minutes.  As you can see I served this with a combination of yams, sweet potato, and pumpkin roasted vegetables.  YUM! (to see how to roast vegetables please see my post here.)

This was so flavorful that I think the next time I'll use Blue Cheese dressing for the tang.  Can't wait.  Hope you enjoy this quick and tasty dish.



Ranch Chicken

serves 2

2 medium sized boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c ranch dressing
1/2 c panko crumbs
salt & pepper
2 T canola oil

Trim your chicken breasts of any unwanted fat or skin.  Place the ranch dressing in a dipping plate and the panko crumbs in another dipping plate.  Season the panko crumbs with salt & pepper to taste.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Dip the chicken breast into the dressing and then into the panko crumbs, pressing lightly to adhere.  Add chicken to the hot skillet.  Repeat with remaining chicken breast.

Cook on each side about 6 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the breasts.  Turning to cook another 5-6 minutes until done, and golden brown.  Serve and enjoy!

Grilled Vegetables vs. Roasted Vegetables

Lovin' the veggies!

The best way to eat them?  Seasonally.  If you eat what's in season your vegetables will be at their peak flavor, providing you with the best tasting dishes.  During the summer my favorite way to cook them is grilling.  We were grilling veggies all summer long, inside on the grill pan, and outdoors on the BBQ.  Some of my favorite summer veggies that repeatedly showed up in my house were:  Eggplant, Yellow Summer Squash, Zucchini, Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes, and Corn.

During the fall months and into the holidays I love to roast my veggies.  I love how roasting caramelizes them and brings that sweet wonderful flavor you can't find in other methods of cooking.  Some of my favorites are:  Acorn Squash, Beets, Yams, Sweet Potatoes, Bell Peppers, Celery Root, and Pumpkin. 

Let's talk about grilling.
Grilling is cooking over a direct heat source such as a fire or gas grill.  Grilling brings out vegetables natural sugars while infusing a smokiness   A key to grilling vegetables is to cook them briefly and simply on a hot indoor, or outdoor grill. 

 - Oil your vegetables for added flavor and to prevent sticking

 - A small grill pan or basket works well in grilling smaller vegetables that may fall through the rack.

 - Cook over medium-high to high heat for about 5-6 minutes per side, looking for some charred surfaces.

 - Good with a sprinkle of herbs or a citrus splash.  A light vinaigrette or sauces are also a good choice as a topping.

Here are some of my grilled summer veggies:

Let's talk about roasting.
Roasting is a dry-heat oven cooking method, using an open pan.  You can roast many items such as meat, fish, fruits and vegetables.  Roasting takes little prep work and once it is in the oven, it does all the work for you!  The high heat used in roasting allows the food sugars to form on the surface or carmelizing, and gives you that sweet flavor and brown crust, while the inside stays tender. 

 - Cook at a high temperature, usually 450 degrees, for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. You can toss or turn half way through the cooking cycle.

 - Vegetables are usually coated with  a little olive oil or melted butter to promote browning and keep them from drying out.  Season with salt & pepper or your favorite herb mixture for added flavors.

 - Use a roasting pan that is just large enough so that the vegetables are all lying flat and there is some space in-between.  Overcrowding will result in steaming instead.

Here are a combination of roasted yams, sweet potato, and pumpkin:

 

Kitchen tip #1:  Make sure to cut your vegetables in uniform sizes so that the food cooks evenly, and at the same rate.  Smaller pieces tend to cook best as they reduce the roasting time and allow for a deeper carmelization.

Kitchen tip #2:  when roasting pumpkin choose a small pumpkin which are sweeter and lend better to cooking.  Varieties to look out for are Sugar Pie, Baby Bear, or Cheese pumpkins.  The large ones don't cook very well.

Make sure to eat your veggies!!!



Southern Sundays

Welcome to Southern Sundays !

Before we get on to the party and the content of this post I wanted to let everyone that was affected by Hurricane Sandy know that our thoughts and prayers go out to you in this horrific time, and wishes for safety and endurance in the time to come.

*****
Well, we had quite a party last week!  Lots of entries, so many wonderful dishes, I don't know which one to make first! 

Before we start I want to share with you a picture that screams fall.  A little town north of where we live holds an annual scarecrow festival.  Everyone goes to great lengths and LOTS of imagination of create a unique looking scarecrow.  They are displayed all around the little town in odd places such as by the ocean, on the side of the highway, down in the village square...you name it, and they variety is amazing.

Here's one that caught my eye.

On to the party.  At the last party we had several wonderful dishes that we a big hit.  Congratulations to our creative cooks on your featured dish!

Everyone enjoyed this wonderful dish!
Scrumptious!

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
by Cooking with K

I'm spotting a theme here...
another wonderful pumpkin dish!


Favorite Pumpkin Bread
by Two Birdies and a B

and don't forget this decadent dish!


Homemade Caramel Dip
by My Biscuits are Burning

A personal favorite....
can't help myself
a definite muffinaholic!


Fresh Peach-Ginger Breakfast Muffins
by Dining with Debbie

All of these wonderful dishes have been pinned on Pinterest!

Ready to party?

Couple of reminders to make the most of your posts.  ** Make sure to tell all your friends so they can join the party as well!  **Please make sure to visit 1 or 2 other posts to share your compliments and enjoy their dishes as well!

Guidelines:

Please become a follower by joining my site with Google Friends Connect in the right side bar.
Link back to your specific recipe and not to your main site.
Link back to Southern Sundays either in your post, or grab my Southern Sundays Button located in the right side bar.
Please visit a few of the links in the post and say hello to your fellow bloggers!
Enjoy, have fun, cook lots of food, and relish your Southern Sunday!