Oven Baked Corn Flake Crusted Chicken

The boys asked me what was going to be for dinner tonight and I said something with chicken. They asked me for Fried Chicken, but that's way too unhealthy for me. So I used this recipe instead! It was a hit and no one complained it wasn't "fried".

5 chicken breasts, cut into 3 strips each

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 tbsp seasoning salt

2 tsp frank's red hot

5 cups corn flakes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Combine milk and egg in a bowl and mix until blended. Add flour, salt and frank's and mix until everything is incorporated. Place in a shallow dish ( I used cake pan)

Place corn flakes in another shallow dish.

Dip chicken strips in batter and then roll in corn flakes to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked and no longer pink.

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

My cousin Blair always makes this salad when we have family get togethers in the summer. I didn't think to ask her until last year how to make it. It is soo easy to put together and a bonus, my teens love it! Which surprises me cause they hate broccoli and cauliflower and will occasionally eat with with cheez whiz. This will be on the menu more often.


1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
1/2 red onion
8 strips of bacon, cooked until crispy
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

dressing
3/4 cup light mayo
1/4 vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into tiny pieces (cut along the outside of the head). For both you do not want the stem pieces ( I don't waste them, I have and use them later for soups). Diced the red onion small.
Cut the bacon into little pieces and cook until crispy. Drain on paper towel.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and add cheese. Toss all together.

Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

This salad is best when left for at least an hour, but overnight is ideal. The flavours have time to mingle with each other.

Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins

This evening I was feeling like I should make something for lunches this week. I came across a recipe for Hot Cocoa muffins and decided to change it up a bit and put some espresso in them. I am sure these will not last long and I will have to make something else in a couple days. That is with hiding them and dishing them out as I please. If I left them out, they'd be gone by tomorrow.

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup hot cocoa mix 

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp instant espresso powder

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl combine, flour, sugar, hot cocoa mix, baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Set aside

In another bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla, milk and butter. 

Add wet mix to dry and stir until just combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide into 12 lined muffin tins.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

N&A's Hearty Chili

My boyfriend and I really like to make chili and we both like to make it differently. We combined our recipes and now have a new favourite!! There is everything packed into the pot, sometimes we make it spicy and other times not, depending who is joining us for dinner. 


That is Maple Corn Bread in the background. The recipe for that will be up shortly. It is delicious on it's own but also really good with the chili.


1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 onions, diced
2 bell peppers, diced (Any will do, we like to use red and orange as N doesn't like green pepper)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans beans (we use red kidney beans, white kidney beans and navy beans)
1 can green lentils
1 can baked beans
1 can "Manwich"
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 - 3 tbsp chili powder
salt

Cook ground beef in a pan and drain fat.
In a big stock pot over medium heat, cook onions for 5 minutes. Add pepper and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add ground beef and chili powder stir to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil and turn to low. Cover and simmer for 45min-1 hour. The longer is cooks the better it gets.

Serve with cheddar cheese and corn bread!

Cheddar Cauliflower Soup!!

I bought some cauliflower last weekend with the intention of making a few different dishes this week; which include this Cheddar Cauliflower Soup, roasted Cauliflower and Curry. I got around to 2 of the dishes. The Curry will have to make it to the menu this week. 


I love cauliflower soup and if I go to a restaurant and they have it on the menu I have to have it. I have been wanting to make some at home for a long time and finally got down to it today! It was the perfect day for it as well, chilly and cloudy. 


1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flower
2 cups vegetable stock (I used homemade but store bought it fine as well)
3 cups milk
1 head cauliflower, core removed and chopped
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

heat medium size pot over medium low heat. Add butter and onions, cook until translucent (5 min or so).
Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add Flour, stir well and cook until golden in colour. Add vegetable stock, water and cauliflower. Bring to boil and cook 10-15 minutes until cauliflower is tender. Turn off heat and then add cheese. Stir until melted.

Serve with extra cheese if desired.

Berry Breakfast Bars

I stumbled across this delicious breakfast and as you all may know I love breakfast foods. I love that this can be made the night before, as I do not have time in the mornings to make anything. I like my sleep and will not get up early! Early being before 7:45. I adapted this recipe from Dancing Veggies.

Dough

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

3/4 cup cold butter

2 tbsp cold water

1 tsp salt

Filling

1/2 cup apple sauce (I only had strawberry kiwi flavour on hand)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

3 cups berries (I used strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Add flour, sugar, brown sugar, cold butter, and salt into a mixing bowl. Mix until dough begins to form. Add cold water enough just until dough is moist.

Press half the dough into the bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake 10 minutes and then let cool 10 minutes.

Combine applesauce, brown sugar and flour in a bowl. Toss in berries and stir gently. Spread over baked crust. Crumble remaining dough over the top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

So there is a pot luck at work... I could not decide what to make and wanted something quick. I came across these delicious cookies on PheMOMenon blog and knew that was it! The cookie dough is like a cake batter and is delicious!! They are also good once baked! I adapted this recipe to include a variety of different chocolate.

6oz semi sweet chocolate chips

2 oz white chocolate chips

2 oz milk chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place 4oz of semi sweet chocolate chips and butter in a pyrex measuring cup. Microwave on 1/2 power for 60 seconds. Stir until melted.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl beat eggs, brown sugar and vanilla on high until light and fluffy.

Add melted chocolate and mix until fully incorporated

Add flour and mix just until combined.

Fold in remaining chocolate chips.

Bake 12-14 min until shiny and craked

Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe is one of my ultimate comfort foods. It started from a recipe I once saw on the back of a can of Campbell's Cream of Potato Soup and has been changed over the years. This makes a big batch, always thinking there will be left overs, but there never is.

3 cans condensed cream soup (I like to use Cheddar Cheese, Chicken and Celery)

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp garlic powder

3 cups chicken, cooked and diced

4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

3 cups frozen veggies, thawed (I like peas, corn, carrots and green beans)

1 can Pillsbury country biscuits

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine soup, milk, pepper, thyme, garlic in a casserole dish.

Add chicken, potatoes and veggies. Stir well to combine.

                                     

Bake 35-40 minutes until bubbly.

Lay biscuits in a single layer on top and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for another 15-20 minutes until biscuits are golden brown.

Skillet Peanut Butter Brownies

This was another find on the Secret Recipe Club Reveal Day this week. I enjoy finding recipes to make in my cast iron pan. Amy from A Little Nosh chose this recipe from Amanda at Amanda's Cookin' whose blog I have been following for a while. I am sure this will not last long, but will be a nice treat to enjoy while it lasts.

Peanut Butter Layer

3/4 cup light cream cheese

2/3 cup peanut butter

1/3 sugar

2 eggs 

1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream together cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar and mix for 2 minutes. Ad eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat well. Set aside.

Brownie Layer

3/4 cup butter

3 oz baker's unsweetened chocolate

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1/3 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease skillet lightly. 

Place butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at medium power for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another minute and stir again. Continue until all chocolate is melted. Stir in brown sugar and white sugar until fully combined. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, flour and salt and stir to combine. Set aside 1 cup of batter. 

Pour remaining batter into skillet. Spread Peanut butter mixture over top. Dollop reserved brownie batter on top and swirl with knife. Bake for 1 hour. Check after 45 minutes. It is done when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

Maple Brown Sugar Bacon Stuffed Waffles

Again I found something new to make for a weekend breakfast. The kids always ask me the night before if I know what I am going to make. I usually keep it a surprise as I often change my mind last minute. I spotted this recipe while looking through this weeks reveals on The Secret Recipe Club. Which I check every Monday. I almost contemplated making these for dinner this week. Thanks to Crystal at Mrs Happy Homemaker for posting this recipe and to Veronica from Veronica's Cornucopia who came up with this recipe.

This recipe has been adapted.

Maple Brown Sugar Bacon

10 strips of bacon

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/8 cup maple syrup

Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place rack on sheet and lay bacon on rack. 

Sprinkle bacon with brown sugar and maple syrup. Bake in upper 1/3 of oven for 10-15 min at 375 degrees (i used thick bacon so took 20 minutes). Remove from oven and transfer onto a cutting board (not paper towel it will stick). You can either chop the bacon or just cut the slices in half (which is what I did).

Waffle Batter

3 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup veg oil

1/3 cup plain yogurt

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups milk(or butter milk)

Preheat waffle maker.

Combine flour, baking powder, making soda and salt in a small bowl. 

In a large bowl combine brown sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and milk. Stir to combine. 

Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Pour batter into waffle maker and lay bacon strips on top. 

Cook waffles as per Waffle Maker instructions.

Serve with maple syrup.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

So my breakfast taquitos were so easy and delicious I thought I would try making a chicken taquito. They were delicious and gooey.

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/4 cup salsa verde

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

2 tbsp green onions

2 cups chicken, shredded

1 cup shredded cheese (monteray jack, Cheddar are my choice)

14 small flour tortillas

Combine all ingredients except tortillas in a bowl and mix well.

Place 3 tbsp of filling along bottom third of tortilla and roll tightly. 

Place on a lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. 

Once all are rolled spray tops lightly with cooking spray.

Bake 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes until browned lightly.

Serve with salsa and sour cream

No Knead Bread

For the Easter weekend  we headed up to my boyfriend's parents place on Manitoulin Island. I love it up there; it is quiet and away from all the busyness here. His mom made this bread and often does when we are there. I forgot just how easy it was and it is so delicious. I don't mind kneading bread, when I have time but this is great for those times when you just don't want to put in the work.

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

Combine ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon until you form a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and leave on the counter for 12-20 hours. 

**this is perfect as it gives flexibility for those busy days.

With a wet spatula dump the dough onto a floured surface. Sprinkle with flour and cover with a dry tea towel. Let rest 2 hours.

With 30 min left. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a covered dish in the oven to warm.

When ready to bake take the dish out. Dump the dough into the dish. Give it a shake and replace the lid.

Bake for 25 min. Remove the lid and bake for 5 more minutes to brown the top.

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

Yes it is that easy and soo delicious.