Crispy Chicken

Crispy Ranch Chicken

Made: March 26, 2012

Ingredients:
- 2 cups crisp rice cereal
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
- 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray
- Pour the cereal into a large ziplock bag and seal tightly
- Roll over the bag with a rolling pin until the cereal is crushed
- Combine the cereal, Paresan and salad dressing mix in a shallow bowl
- Dip the chicken in the egg whites
- Coat evenly with the cereal mixture
- Arrange the chicken on the baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between each one
- Top each piece of chicken with a pat of the butter to aid in browning
- bake for 25-30 minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted in the middle the meat reads 180 F (or until no longer pink)

I didn't use chicken thighs (even though thighs and legs are my choice of chicken), I used 4 chicken breasts for my family. It came out just the same, only I had to cook my chicken for 35 minutes to have the centers no longer pink. But I see myself making this again :)

(Recipe used: Everyday cooking my way)

Luck O' the Irish Potatoes

"Irish" potatoes

Made: March 17, 2012

Ingredients

- Potatoes (6-8)
- Creamed Spinach
- 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

- Peel potatoes and cut into chunks
- Put potatoes in pot and cover with water
- Boil potatoes until tender enough to mash
- Drain and mash potatoes
- Add in creamed spinach and butter
- Mix until spinach is throughout potatoes and butter is melted

I found something similar online with no recipe, so I played this one by ear. I didn't use Kale, I prefer Spinach as my green of choice. I used little red potatoes and cooked 8 of them for this batch. Overall, it was pretty yummy. :) The creamed spinach made the potatoes moist; although Rob said it needed some salt and pepper. :x

Jello and Pudding O' the Irish

St Patricks Day Poke Cake

Made: March 16, 2012

Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 package white cake mix
- 2 3-oz packages lime gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup cold water

Icing:
- 1 cup cold milk
- 1 3.4-oz package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 8-oz carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
- Green sprinkles

Directions
- Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a greased 13x9x2-in baking dish
- Cook on a wire rack for 1 hour
- In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water
- Stir in cold water and set aside
- With a meat fork or wooden skewer, poke holes about 2 in apart into the cooled cake
- Slowly pour the gelatin over the cake
- Cover and refrigerate
- In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes
- Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set
- Fold in whipped topping
- Spread over cake
- Decorate with sprinkles
- Cover and refrigerate until serving

First time making a "poke cake" I didn't use as much gelatin as the recipe requested. So it's not as green as it should've been. I was worried my cake was going to be a soggy mess though. But overall, it came out moist and delish! I added a couple of drops of food coloring to the frosting to add more green for St Patricks Day :)

(Recipe used: Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations)

Mustard and Fish

Baked Salmon Fillets Dijon

Made: March 16, 2012

Ingredients
- 4 4-oz fillets salmon
- 3 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Italian-style dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Line a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil
- Place salmon skin-side down on foil
- Spread a thin layer of mustard on the top of each fillet, and season with salt and pepper
- Top with bread crumbs, then drizzle with melted butter
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork

I bought the salmon from Target (on sale!) and I didn't know they had skin on them. Even though I cleaned them up (as best as I could) it still had scales. :( Boo. I also baked them for about 17 minutes at 350 degrees as it said on the packaging. But the salmon with with Dijon Mustard was quite tasty! :) Rob sided it with steamed green beans & pasta bowties :)

(Recipe used: allrecipes.com)

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts & chicken

Baked Coconut Chicken

Made: March 3, 2012

Ingredients

- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup panko
- 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup mango cutney
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise

Directions
- Heat oven to 375 F
- Line large baking sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray
- Whisk eggs and milk in medium shallow bowl until blended
- Combine panko, coconut and butter in wide shallow bowl until well mixed
- Sprinkle chicken with salt
- Dip in egg mixture, roll in coconut mixture, pressing to coat completely
- Place on baking sheet, pressing any excess coconut mixture over chicken
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center
- Meanwhile, combine chutney and mayonnaise in small bowl, serve with chicken

A couple of differences. I didn't use Panko bread crumbs, I used normal Italian bread crumbs instead. I also used Mounds coconut flakes (yum). My chicken took a little longer to cook, about 35 minutes. Didn't make the side sauce to go with it though ... But overall, it came out extremely moist and delish! We paired ours with asparagus and cheesy mashed potatoes :)

(Recipe used: Cooking Club magazine)