Sunday, June 24, 2012

Crispy Chicken

Erin: If you are ever looking for something new to do with chicken, look no further. Crispy chicken is so so good and easy to make. I am so disappointed I haven't considered making it before. I paired the chicken with potatoes au gratin and it was amazing!

Ingredients:

6 chicken tenderloins or 3 large chicken breasts cut in half
5 C corn flakes
3/4 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 C milk
6 T olive oil

What to do:

1. Crush the cornflakes into crumbs. You can either use a food processor or just put the cornflakes into a ziploc bag and mash it until you get crumbs
2. In another bowl, add flour and salt and mix
3. And put the milk in yet another bowl
4. Now dredge chicken pieces in the flour and place on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 5 minutes so that the flour sticks
5. After 5 minutes remove the chicken and dredge into the milk and then into the cornflakes, making both sides and covered nice and good
6. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and place chicken in the pan. Cook until golden brown and cooked through

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Asparagus Risotto

Erin: Two words. Asparagus Risotto. Oh my. I have always been a huge fan of risotto and make a point to order it whenever I am at a fancy restaurant. I was craving it the other day and figured I could just make it myself. I was a tad intimidated but it was not as hard as I thought it was going to be, and WOW. Seriously, this dish is heavenly. So. Freakin. Good. This is one of the best things I have EVER cooked (I think its a tie between this, the spaghetti with vodka sauce, and the quesadillas). You must try this!

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock or broth,
1 bunch asparagus, about 1 pound
2-3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium cup onion, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice (It comes in a big container next to the couscous)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 T unsalted butter
1/4 cup Fontina or Jack cheese, grated (I used Monterrey Jack)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

What to do:

1. Simmer the stock with the tough ends of the stems of the asparagus. Season the stock with a couple teaspoons of salt. Remove and discard the stems after 5-10 minutes. Slice the asparagus into 1/4 inch thick diagonal slices.

2. Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, and cook until soft but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the grains become opaque and white, another 2 minutes.

3. Add the wine and cook until it evaporates. Add 1/2 cup of the stock at a time, stirring and cooking until the rice is nearly dry. Add another 1/2 cup of the stock and continue to stir and cook, adding stock as necessary, until the rice is almost cooked, about 15 minutes. ( I didn't use all my stock) Stir in the asparagus slices. Continue to cook until the asparagus is just barely cooked, about 3 minutes or so. Risotto should take 18 minutes total cooking time.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cheeses. Let the risotto sit in the pot for a couple of minutes before serving. It should be soft and runny, not firm. If it is too dense, add a spot more liquid. Taste for seasonings--salt if necessary. Serve with more Parmesan cheese to top. Risotto should be al dente, not as soft as regular rice.

Mexican Pizza

Erin: Another pinterest recipe! I found a recipe for Mexican Pizza, based on the one from Taco Bell. (I loooove Taco Bell but I never get to eat it). This recipe was really really good but really really time consuming. I could only cook two at a time and I was cooking for 3 so we had to eat in shifts. Hmm.. maybe I need a bigger kitchen.. or maybe just a bigger oven ;)


Ingredients:
8 tortillas (I used corn because that is all I had, but you can use flour as well)

Canola Oil – very small amount to glaze both sides of the tortilla
1 can Refried Beans – 1 (1 pound) can
1/4 cup water
1 onion diced
1 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Taco Seasoning
Salsa
Mexican Cheese Blend

And you can add whatever toppings you want, here are some ideas:
Scallions
Jalapeno
Tomato

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Line a baking sheet with foil
3. Lighly brush both sides of the tortillas with oil, place them on the tray and heat them in the oven to make them crispy for 10 minutes (5 on each side)
4. Meanwhile, empty the contents of beans into a pot and add 1/4 cup water. Cook over low heat
5. Add onion and seasonings (pepper, paprika, taco seasoning) to the beans. Heat through
6. Once the tortillas are done, spread a couple of dollops of beans of them and top with salsa. Spread evenly
7. Place the 2nd tortilla on top and spread evenly with salsa. Top with veggies of your choosing and then top with cheese
8. Return to the oven and cook for 12 minutes :)

Breakfast Casserole

Erin: Wow, I have not blogged in a while! For Memorial Day Weekend (yes, I know that was almost a month ago), the boys and I decided to head to the beach for a few days. We met up here and I made breakfast so we could eat and then head out early. I found a recipe for a sausage breakfast casserole that I made the night before and popped into the oven the next morning and it was delish :)


Ingredients:
6 slices bread, cubed
1 pound sausage, browned and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
8 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon, salt
pepper to taste

What to do:
1. Cube bread and place evenly in greased 9x13 pan or baking dish.
2. Sprinkle evenly with sausage and cheese.
3. Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over ingredients in pan.
4. Cover and chill overnight
5. The next morning, bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees or until set. Cut into squares to serve. :)
Serves8 to 10

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Erin: I found a recipe for a quick and easy casserole to make during the week and this was definitely a winner. It's so yummy and reminds me of a type of comfort food, like something Grandmother would make. Sam & I couldn't get enough and there were hardly any leftovers. Let me know what you think

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of mayo
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup colby & monterrey jack cheese
1 bag chopped frozen broccoli, thawed (I bought a bag of frozen broccoli, let it thaw in the fridge for  a day or two and just added to the recipe. Buying it already chopped is a big time saver)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Mix all ingredients together
3. Transfer to a greased casserole dish
4. Cook for 30 minutes :)

So easy!