Country French Toast

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There is nothing better than down home cooking.  The kind that reminds you of your mom's or grandma's food.  It's comfort food for sure, but also the kind that sticks to your ribs and keeps you wanting more!

Our weekends are for lazing around and having big breakfasts.  Especially on a Sunday.  It's something we look forward to each week, so last night I went digging in the family heirloom recipe box and came across a real winner.

COUNTRY FRENCH TOAST

This recipe comes from my mom's Aunt Grace.  She lived in Oklahoma and really new he way around "country food".  Her Buttermilk Pancakes are to die for and you should definitely check them out.  So I knew that her Country French Toast was going to be a winner as well and boy did these not disappoint!  Light and tender, fluffy thick pieces of country bread fried to a golden brown, and smothered in real maple syrup.  It doesn't get much better!

These are easy to whip up.  Just a few ingredients and you are set.  Using a thick sliced county bread makes these decadent and really "country style".  And don't substitute the butter for margarine as it makes a difference in the flavor and end result.

So thanks again to Aunt Grace for another wonderful recipe!  Try this next weekend and you and your family will be sure to want this in your breakfast rotation!

Enjoy!









Country French Toast

8 slices country bread (such as Italian country bread - thick sliced bread)
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons real vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter
Pinch of salt

Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.

In a large bowl, and eggs, vanilla, milk, and salt.  Beat until combined.  

Melt butter on your skillet or griddle.

Place bread into batter to coat the first side, then flipping to coast the other side. Place the coated bread on the griddle and cook 1-2 minutes on the first side until golden brown.  Flip and cook until golden and cooked through.  

Serve warm with butter and warm maple syrup.  

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

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So I have to admit that this is a rare posting of a "fishy" dish.  I don't eat fish but MGG loves it.  So I will on occasion make him fish while cooking a piece of chicken for myself.

Since I hadn't made him a salmon dish in quite awhile I thought it was time to do just that!  It just so happened that this particular salmon dish came out fabulously delicious that I had to share it all with you.  You are gonna love this.

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

The flavors in this dish just POP!  The salmon is bursting with a chili lime seasoning and I use a searing and roasting method that produces a crispy fish on the outside and juicy and succulent on the inside.   This method is really easy to do and is perfect if you are cooking four or less fillets.  The best tool that you can use for this is a cast-iron skillet.  It cooks the fish beautifully!

Serve along a combination of roasted potatoes, green beans, and butternut squash.  A great combination that turns out to be the perfect side dish to the fish. 

This is one easy weeknight meal, that is perfect for the fish lover!

Enjoy!

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

serves 4

2 tablespoons of butter
4 salmon fillets
2 Tablespoons chili lime seasoning (such as Mrs. Dash)
3/4 lb fresh green beans
1 1/2 lb baby gold potatoes (halved or quartered)
1 lb cubed butternut squash
olive oil
salt & pepper

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a sheet pan place the butternut squash and potatoes, spreading them out so they don't overlap too much. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat and spread out again on the pan.

Cook the vegetables for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and toss and add the green beans. Cook an additional 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cover with foil to keep warm.

Turn the oven down to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle the seasoning over the salmon fillets. In a cast-iron skillet over medium high, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the salmon fillets, skin side down and cook for 3 minutes over to brown the skin. Spoon some of the melted butter over the top of the fish as it cooks.

Transfer the skillet to oven. Roast until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

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Ever wonder how to get really, I mean REALLY crispy chicken in the oven?

Boy, I have a foolproof method to share with you today.  This recipe produces the crispiest oven-fried chicken you will ever make, straight from the oven.

The secret is in the method, so make sure you don't skip a step to ensure that extra crispy crust!  A few special ingredients ensure that crispy crust.

First off, you'll need a screaming hot baking sheet.  You just heat this up while the oven is preheating.  Then you melt butter on this sheet to cover it and provide a base for the chicken to cook.  It's really like frying in the oven with less fat.

Next you need to make sure to add breadcrumbs, and baking powder to you flour dredging mixture.  This gives the coating some lightness and plumpness while frying in the oven.

Beyond that these are prepared like your classic chicken strips.  The result though is a fabulous Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken that will knock your socks off!  Kids will cry for more, so make a big batch, because they go fast!  Oh! and don't forget to serve it with a homemade ranch dip.

Enjoy!








Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

Serves: 6  

Ingredients

2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoon bread crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds chicken tenders
3 Tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 420°F.  Place a large baking sheet in the oven to heat.

In a pie pan or dish whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk.

In another pie pan or dish mix together the flour, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, baking powder and all spices through the black pepper together.  Mix to combine well.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.  Then dip the pieces into the egg mixture turning to coat.  Place the chicken pieces back into the flour mixture coating well.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven (careful, it's hot!)  Place the butter on the hot sheet and allow to melt.  Spread to coat.

Place chicken pieces on the baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and flip the pieces over.  Return to the oven and bake for another 5-8 minutes, or until completely cooked and golden brown.  If needed you can broil the pieces to deepen the browning for a few minutes.