Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips

Yum

Boy did I have a craving today!  Do you ever get those?

Out of the blue I started to crave chicken strips.  You know the kind.  The ones that kids are so fond of.  The ones that you dip in some tasty sauce and gobble down with a grin on your face?  Oh yea, those!

So what do you do when a craving is so strong?  Stop by the local fast food joint....I think not!  You make your own wonderful crispy juicy chicken strips.  That's right, they are simple to make and they taste 1000 times better.  Why bother with those deep fried things that may or may not be all chicken when you can have the real deal, only better.  I'll show you how...in under 16 minutes!

Grab your chicken breasts and cut them into strips.  Or if you have chicken tenders that's perfect as well.  We're going to turn these babies into some wonderful tasty Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips.

All you need is a skillet, oil, chicken and a coating mixture (eggs, flour, panko, and Parmesan)  You'll have a nice lunch or dinner on the table in no time.  A quick pan fry ensure tender yet crispy results.  And don't forget the dipping sauce.  It's crucial in my book.  Honey mustard, or in my case a nice ranch sauce is a must. 

This is one dish the kiddos will love and ask for more...even the whole family will enjoy them.

And if you happen to have leftovers (possibly not with these) they are the perfect take along for picnics or roll them up in a wrap with some lettuce and carrots, or even cut and tossed into a salad.  Heaven!

One last note:  I hope that everyone is enjoying their Father's Day and honoring those that are still with us, and thinking of those that are not.  I love my dad and miss him dearly.  Happy Father's Day!




Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips

serves 4

½ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1½ cups panko bread crumbs
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips, or chicken tenders
¼ cup vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce:  honey mustard, BBQ, or Ranch sauce (optional)

Add flour to a shallow pan, eggs beaten to another pan, and the panko bread crumbs and Parmesan into a third pan.  This will become your dredging station.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Take your chicken strips and place them first into the flour, 1 or 2 at a time, coating both sides.  Dip them into the egg, and then finally into the panko mixture.  Add them to the hot oil and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.  Repeat with all remaining chicken strips.

Remove cooked chicken and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off any excess oil.  Serve warm with dipping sauce.

Blueberry Muffin Bread

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What's in season now?  Berries...and I'm a big berry fan!

Let's talk a little bit about berries.  

Berry Basics
What are they?  Berries are small, succulent fruits that grow on bushes, vines or canes. (Some types are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries etc) You can usually find them available year-round, but they are more flavorful, plentiful and affordable in the spring and summer months.  

How do you choose the best ones?  Never buy them if they are moist, overly soft, pale colored or show signs of mold. Do not buy berries if their cartons are leaking and wet. We don't want any mold!

How do you prepare them?  Rinse berries, but never soak them as they will absorb the water and become mushy. Leaving berries whole is best for snacking. You can also macerate them by putting them in a bowl and sprinkling a tablespoon of sugar over them for every pint and allowing them to sit for 15 minutes. This will draw out the moisture and create a sweet natural syrup.  Perfect over yogurt or as a dessert over pound cake or ice cream.

How do you store them?  They are fragile, so handle them gently.  They all require refrigeration, and they freeze well.  I freeze a variety of them every year so we have fresh berries come winter. Make sure not to rinse them until right before use so mold does not accumulate.  When you freeze them you can place them in a single layer on trays and then freeze.  Then place them in a zip lock freezer bag or a plastic container.  I even mix some of the berries into portions for quick making smoothies.  It's all up to you and is as easy as that!  

Now that we have the basics out of the way let's make something with blueberries.  I typically turn to muffins but let's think out of the muffin pan for a minute!  What about a nice quick bread.  Similar to muffins but just different enough to make it feel a little special.  

This quick bread is soft and moist and just loaded with fresh blueberries! It is like the most incredible blueberry muffins you've ever had, but in loaf form.  Who says we can't have cake for breakfast?? Not me!  This Blueberry Muffin Bread would be perfect with a cup of coffee or tea in the evening, snacking after work or school, or have it for your weekend breakfast like we did.

So go forth to the farmer's markets or your local grocery stores and buy all the berries you can handle.  

Enjoy!

Other quick breads you may enjoy:

Strawberry Banana Bread
Lemon Blueberry Bread
Lemon Tea Bread
Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread





Blueberry Muffin Bread

makes 1 loaf

1/2 c Splenda Bend or 1 cup of sugar
1/2 c Butter, softened
2 eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 c 2 % Milk
2 c flour
2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c Blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

Cream together the butter and sugar using a stand or hand mixer.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and milk and mix together.   Turn off the mixer

At this point you can add the flour, and baking powder, and salt.  Using a rubber spatula mix until just combined.  Don't overmix.  Sprinkle the blueberries with a little flour then fold them in gently. 

Pour into the pre-treated pan and back for 60-70 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Invert the pan to release the bread and continue to cool on a wire rack to continue cooling.  Slice and serve.

Springtime Pasta Salad

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The weather is warming up, we are grilling outdoors more and I'm in the mood for summer.

Summer is "salad season".  Actually every season is salad season for those people trying to eat healthy.  I try, I really try. Fresh foods are our daily goal and we've been doing a great job of cutting out the processed foods.  Yea!

Summer reminds me of farmers markets with their abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables.  So this does spur me on to eat a lot more light and fresh salads.  

A sub-category of salads is Pasta Salads.  Hurray for pasta! I really like my pasta salads.  You can use all types of different pasta shapes and then you can customize what goes in it! Make a theme of it....are you feeling Greek today? How about a Greek pasta salad.  Or maybe you feel a little Mediterranean or even straight up American.  You can tailor a pasta salad by the veggie or ingredients you use to fit your theme.

Today, I'm feel Springy.  Fresh and light.  So I created a Springtime Pasta Salad loaded with asparagus, artichoke hearts and more.  It is the perfect as a side dish to a picnic, BBQ, or pot-luck.  

It's made with a vinaigrette so it keeps really well, and since there is "no mayo" you don't have to worry about the temperature.  

The 4th of July is coming up soon....keep this in mind.

Enjoy!




Springtime Pasta Salad

1/2 lb tri-color rotini pasta

1/2 bunch of asparagus
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1 c cherry tomatoes halved or quartered if large
1/2 can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped

1/3 c feta cheese, crumbled (more for sprinkling)
1/2 package dry, Italian-style salad dressing mix
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbls balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper 

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Cook al dente. During the last 1 minute of cooking add the asparagus to the water with the pasta. Allow to cook 1 minute and remove with a slotted spoon to a cutting board. Drain pasta. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Cut asparagus in 1 inch pieces and add to a large bowl.

Add red and orange bell peppers, tomatoes, chopped artichoke hearts and feta cheese to the bowl. Add cooled pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the dried salad dressing mix and cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

In a small mason jar add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Shake to combine. Set aside.

When ready to serve toss the pasta salad with enough dressing to coat well. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.