Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers

Erin,

I know I say this a lot, but I think I found my new favorite dish. I cannot stop raving about how fantastic these turned out. When I told Sam what I was making for dinner, he was all "oh, that sound great" and then when he tried them, he was all "holy crap, these are so freakin good". I mean, I know I am an excellent cook and all, but I even surprised myself with how tasty this dish is.

Ingredients:

Honey-Chipotle Sauce

2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper (McCormick makes a powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Batter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup chicken broth (Swanson)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Breading
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Plus, 12 chicken tenderloins and approx. 6 cups vegetable oil 

Directions:

1. Make honey-chipotle sauce by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Heat oil in fryer or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Whisk together all ingredients for the batter, excluding flour, in a shallow bowl for at least 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour.

4. Make the breading by combining all ingredients in another shallow bowl or pie pan.

5. When you are ready to fry the chicken, dip each piece of chicken into the batter. Lift the chicken out of the batter and let some of the excess drip off.

6. Toss the chicken into the dry breading and coat completely. Repeat with the other pieces.

7. Carefully drop the breaded chicken into the hot oil and fry for 4 minutes, or until golden brown.

8. Remove chicken from oil and allow to drain on paper towels. When all the chicken tenders are done, drop them into a large glass or metal bowl.

9. Pour the sauce over the top, and toss gently until all the chicken tenders are coated with sauce.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes and Eggplant with Shrimp and Feta

E,

Can you tell I have been experimenting with eggplant lately? Haha! This dish is so heavenly and because it's roasted, it takes such little effort to put together. It is very sophisticated meal, but also easy and delicious! The recipe calls for specific measurements but I kind of eyeballed it and it came out great!

Ingredients:
5 tomatoes, cubed
1 large eggplant, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
1 lb large peeled & deveined raw shrimp
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup crumbled feta

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread the tomatoes and eggplant over a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
2. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and stir in the raw shrimp, lemon juice and parsley. Then sprinkle the crumbled feta all over the top.
3. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and cooked through.

Strawberry and Chicken Spinach Salad

E,

It is officially starting to feel like summer! With the temperature rising, I thought it would be nice to enjoy a crisp and refreshing salad for dinner this week. I had picked up strawberries to make smoothies with, so I wanted to find a recipe that incorporated them along with some spinach I always keep on hand. Prepare to be awed by this delicious salad!

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

coarse salt and fresh black pepper 

 

Salad:

2 packed cups baby spinach

2 packed cups chopped romaine hearts

1 heaping cup sliced strawberries

1 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

 

Directions:

1. Whisk the honey, vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl toss the spinach, romaine and strawberries together. Drizzle lightly with dressing and toss. Divide among 2 plates.
3. Arrange the chicken over top and sprinkle with feta and walnuts. Serve with additional dressing, salt and pepper.

Ratatouille

Erin,

Ever since the movie, "Ratatouille" came out, I have been dying to try this dish. And then I finally found it on Pinterest! It is super healthy and because its all veggie, it is a nice change from the plain chicken dishes I seem to make over and over. It was a lot simpler than I had originally thought, but it was fan-freaking-tastic. Highly recommended! And it's even better when paired with a glass of wine and some crusty bread for dipping ;)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, peeled & minced
2 cups chopped sweet onion
1 large zucchini, chopped into chunks
1 large yellow zucchini, chopped into chunks
1 Eggplant, peeled & chopped into chunks
1 red pepper, chopped (I had two in the fridge, so I threw both in their and it was fab!)
3/4-1 cup marinara sauce or chopped tomato (I had both on hand, so I threw in 2 chopped tomatoes and about half a cup of marinara)
1-2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, to taste
1/4 cup packed fresh basil, finely chopped
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large cast-iron pot or skillet, heat the oil, garlic, and onion over medium heat for about 5 mins, stirring frequently and reducing heat if necessary.
2. Add the chopped zucchini, eggplant, and red pepper, as they are ready to go in. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in about  3/4-1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce along with fresh herbs and tomatoes if you are using them
4. Cook until vegetables are tender, but still a bit firm and not overcooked – about 5-7 more minutes.

White Cheese and Chicken Lasagna

E,

This is one of the best things I have ever made. It certainly wasn't simple, but it was so delicious. I literally wanted to bathe in the sauce. Paired with a glass of wine, this dish will certainly impress!

Ingredients:
9 whole Lasagna Noodles (not Oven-ready)
½ cups Butter
1 whole Onion, Chopped
1 clove Garlic, Minced
½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Chicken Broth
1-½ cup Milk
4 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, Divided
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, Divided, Plus Additional 1/4 Cup For Topping (optional)
1 teaspoon Each, Dried Basil And Oregano
½ teaspoons Ground Pepper
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
2 cups Cooked, Cubed Chicken
1 package (10 Oz. Size) Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed And Drained
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in flour and salt; simmer until bubbly.
3. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with basil, oregano and ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture on the bottom of the 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, and all of the ricotta and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken and layer with 1/4 of the sauce mixture, the spinach, and the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
5. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and additional 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional).
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!