Thursday, August 20, 2009

Crispy Provençal Chicken Nuggets

Crispy Provençal Chicken Nuggets
Source: Vintage Victuals

Ingredients:
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
2 TB vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts, cleaned and cut into 1" pieces
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de provence
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour your oil into a large baking dish or 9x13" pan, mixing the oils together. Set aside.

Next, you want to set up three shallow bowls on your counter for a dipping-assembly-line. Set up your chunks of chicken at the beginning of the line. In the first bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. In the second bowl, lightly beat your egg. In the third bowl, mix together your panko bread crumbs, the herbes de provence, and the second teaspoon of salt. Next, just take each chunk of chicken, coat it in the flour mixture, then coat it in the egg, and then roll it around in the panko mixture and put it in your prepared baking dish!

You should have just 1 layer of chicken on the bottom of your dish. If you have any panko mixture leftover, I would just pour it over the top for some extra crispiness.

Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for another 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of your nuggets).

Monday, August 17, 2009

Chicken Salad


Chicken Salad
Source: Food Network
Ingredients
4 cups diced cooked chicken
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced or 1/4 cup sweet onion cut into 1/4-inch dice (I omitted)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, scallions and herbs. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the chicken and mix gently until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Oreo's!


Homemade Oreos



For the chocolate wafers:


1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter

1 large egg


For the filling:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter,and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Then mold the edges of the cookie into neat round circles. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set cookies on a cooling rack to cool. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla alternating between the two. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.


Sunday, August 9, 2009

Chicken Pot Pie

My first attempt at making chicken pot pie.. and it's weight watchers friendly!

Chicken Pot Pie
Source: Skinny Food by Amy

Ingredients:1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
1 bag (12 oz.) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 egg

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F. In ungreased 2-quart casserole, mix chicken, vegetables, soup and 1/2 cup milk. Microwave on High 4 minutes; stir.
2. In small bowl, stir Bisquick® mix, 1/2 cup milk and the egg with fork until blended. Pour over vegetable mixture.
3. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 6 servings.
Calories: 220, Fat: 6g, Fiber: 2g
POINTS*: 5

Taco Pasta

When I saw this in my google reader, I knew I had to make it! My husband LOVED it!

Stove Top Taco Pasta
Source: About a Bit of Everything

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1/4 c taco seasoning
3/4 c water
1 pkg low fat cream cheese (8 oz)
1 box pasta (we used rotini)
optional: cheese of your choice to sprinkle on top (we used mozzarella)

Directions
Brown ground beef in a large dutch oven. Combine taco seasoning and water. Pour taco seasoned water over browned meat, stirring to ensure all meat is covered. Simmer to reduce amount of liquid (approximately 5-10 minutes) on low. Once reduced, add cubed cream cheese, stirring to incorporate fully. Prepare pasta according to directions and drain. Add drained pasta to dutch oven, stirring to coat completely.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Scones

Every couple of months, I go out with a group of wonderful ladies for a little time out and girl time. This time, we went to the Jefferson Hotel and had afternoon tea. It was amazing! I was so thrilled by the scones I wanted to come home and try my hand at scones.

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Scones
Adapted from: Good Things Catered


Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 egg
1/4 c. strawberry Fiber One yogurt
1/4 c. milk
1/3 c. chocolate chips


Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-In small bowl, combine egg, yogurt, milk, whisk to combine thoroughly and set aside.
-In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and whisk to combine.
-Using pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into flour until all pieces are smaller than pea-sized.
-Add chocolate chips, and toss to coat.
-Add wet ingredients to dry and mix in lightly with fork until dough just comes together.
-Turn dough out onto well floured work surface and pat into large ball.
-Shape dough into flat disk shape and cut with circle cookie cutter. Place on baking sheet. Sprinkle tops of scones with sugar and place in the oven.
-Bake until turn slightly brown, about 22 minutes.
-Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
-Transfer to a wire rack and let cool