Oven Fried Chicken Parmesan

I love a good Chicken Parmesan, but the breading has to be light!  This is a bit of a twist on a classic, something we love on weeknight since it's quick and easy!  Pair it with some spaghetti or a green salad and you're good to go!!



Oven Fried Chicken Parmesan
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated + a little extra
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
4 chicken breasts
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbl milk
1/4 cup butter

Combine cheese, flour and seasonings.  Dip chicken in combined egg and milk, coat with cheese mixture.  Place in baking dish, pour melted butter over chicken.  Sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese on top of chicken.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.
Note:  I also use chicken tenders when doing this and cook for about 20-25 minutes.

  

Harvest Chicken Salad

It's Fall, but don't put your salad spinner away just yet!  I pulled together this amazing salad the other day and just had to share!!

Harvest Chicken Salad
2 cups Rotisserie Chicken
1 Head Romaine Lettuce, chopped
1 bunch Kale, chopped
1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 Apple (I used Fuji), sliced into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup Craisins
Pumpkin seeds, to taste
1/2-3/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
Croutons*
Creamy Apple Cider Vinaigrette**

Mix everything but dressing together and toss.  Add dressing to individual salads based on taste.

Creamy Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
1/3 c. Dijon mustard
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Blend all ingredients in blender.  Refrigerate for an hour prior to serving.

Lastly, I like to make my own croutons.  I take whatever bread I have and cube it.  Then toss with olive oil and favorite seasoning (it varies).  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Store in an air-tight container for about 7-10 days.

French Dip - Instant Pot

Pressure Cookers...  hmmm.... I think my mom had one of those??  Apparently they are all the rage again!  My sister told me a while back that she had an Instant Pot.  It's supposedly a new and improved pressure cooker. She's told me a couple of times how much she's liked cooking in it...  I'm a sucker for Amazon and of course in July they had the Instant Pot on special for Amazon Day.  Yep, I bought one.  I hadn't used it - kept it boxed up for the move, but recently got it out.  I wasn't sure exactly how to use it - honestly I wasn't super impressed with the recipe book and instructions that came with it, so I've been doing a lot of Pinterest searching and Googling!  I have to admit - this dinner was amazing!  I got this recipe from http://www.number-2-pencil.com/.  It was amazing so I had to share it!  Here's a direct link to the recipe:  french dip sandwiches
I followed her recipe exactly - again - AMAZING!!

Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

*Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine - 50 Things to make with Canned Pumpkin

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter
2/3 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup half and half

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice together.  Using a pastry blender, blend the butter with the the flour mixture.  Whisk pumpkin and cream; stir into flour mixture.  On a floured surface, pat into an 8-inch square.  Cut into 16 triangles.  Transfer to baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Maple Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar (powdered)
2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or 1 tsp maple flavoring and 1-2 tablespoons milk

Drizzle over scones once they have cooled for a couple of minutes.

Greek Salad

We love Feta cheese at my house!  Anything you can put it on/in - can only taste better, right?  Another favorite is fresh garden tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers....  Really anything from the garden! With our impending move, I'm really missing those garden fresh veggies!!!  I decided to make a stop at our local Farmer's Market (for those of in Utah - Petersen Family Market).  The girls and I decided to whip up a quick Greek Salad.  You can serve it as a side, a light main dish - use it how you'd like!

Greek Salad
3 med-large garden fresh tomatoes, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2-1 cup assorted olives (Kalamata/Greek/Black/Green)
1 can Garbanzo beans, rinsed
1/3-1/2 cup red onion, diced (thin)
1 cucumber, sliced and quartered
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Combine all the above ingredients in large bowl.

Dressing:
6 Tablespoons Red Wine vinegar
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1-1/2 Tablespoons Greek Seasoning
1 teaspoon salt

Mix well with whisk or in blender.

Combine dressing and veggies.  This salad is good at room temperature but best when it can sit for an hour or more to let the flavors blend in the refrigerator.  **This is very refreshing from the fridge on a hot summer day!
You can serve it as a side, a light main dish - put it on top of some crisp salad greens or add pasta to it!
Enjoy!!

"Chunky Cinnamon Bread" French Toast

We received an awesome gift basket from Kneaders (local in UT) last week!  The basket included a loaf of Chunky Cinnamon Bread.  If you haven't ever had this bread... you need to go get some!
We love to make french toast with this bread... Here's the recipe:

Cinnamon Bread French Toast
1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread, sliced about 1/2" thick slices
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbl brown sugar
Powdered sugar
Maple Syrup

Heat griddle and either spray with non-stick spray or use butter.  Whisk eggs, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar.  Dip both sides of sliced bread into egg mixture.  Cook on both sides about 2-3 minutes each side.  Top with powdered sugar.

Southwest Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad--- seems like a simple dish!  There are so many options!  Here's a classic with a bit of a southwest twist!  

Ingredients:

12 oz. Rainbow Twirl Pasta

15 oz. Black Beans, rinsed

Olives (large can), drained and sliced

16 oz. Italian Dressing - personal favorite - HEB Spicy Italian (yes, it's from Texas)

1 cup Frozen petite corn 

1/3 cup cilantro

1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, diced

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1.  Cook pasta according to directions on package.  Rinse with cold water and add to large bowl.  Add all remaining ingredients (except dressing).  Toss.  Add half of the dressing.  Refrigerate.  Add remaining dressing just before serving.  

Ideas for other twists on pasta salad:
Go Mediterranean!  Use:  Artichoke hearts, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese and garbanzo beans!
Go Italian!  Use:  Pepperoni, Salami or Proscuitto, tomatoes (fresh or sun-dried), olive (green/black), Italian parsley, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses

The possibilities are endless!  You could add grilled chicken, cubed ham?  What's your favorite combination???
-Tammy