Best Ever Fried Chicken

For the past two years the day after Christmas we make fried chicken and waffles for breakfast for all the family that sleeps over on Christmas night and it's a big hit. This recipe is fantastic. We are having work done on our kitchen this week so my oven and microwave are out of commission & I have been using my deep fryer more than I usually do & my boys couldn't be happier about it! Below is my recipe for fried chicken.. Hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

4 tbsp salt

3 tbsp fresh ground pepper

2 tbsp cayenne

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dry mustard

2 cups flour

8 drumsticks, 8 thighs

4 cups buttermilk

Canola oil

Mix spices in one bowl adding half to flour in seperate bowl. With remaining spices rub chicken. Poke chicken with fork to aid in flavor absorption. Pour buttermilk over chicken to marinate overnight. When ready to cook dredge chicken in flour & spice mix. Add to oil heated to 360 degrees. Cook @ 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. 

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Last night was a test run for an appetizer to serve for Christmas dinner and I am pleased to say we have a winner! These were the most AMAZING stuffed mushrooms I have ever had. Yay!!  I made some Parmesan roasted potatoes with it that are always easy and good. All you have to do is coat baking sheet with EVOO, salt, pepper and Parmesan and bake at 400 for 45 minutes.

 

SAUSAGE STUFFED MUSHROOMS

16 extra large mushroom caps, stems separated and chopped

5 TBSP EVOO

2 1/2 TBSP marsala wine

3/4 lb sweet Italian sausage

3/4 cup minced scallions- white & green part (6 leeks)

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2/3 cup plain panko

5 ounces Mascarpone Italian cheese

1/3 cup grated Italian Parmesan

2 1/2 TBSP minced fresh parsley

 

Separate stems of mushrooms chop and set aside. Toss caps with 3 TBSP EVOO and Marsala wine.  Heat remaining EVOO and sauté sausage crumbling it as it cooks. After browning add chopped stems and stir for 3 min. Add in scallions, garlic, s & p, and cook another 3 min. Add panko and combine. Finally swirl in mascarpone until creamy. Take off the heat and add in Parmesan and parsley. Fill each cap generously and bake for 50 minutes at 325

 

Panko-Parmesan Chicken & Spring Green Risotto

Well I wont lie.. this was pretty labor intensive... between the prepping, measuring, ladling, stirring, dredging, blanching, ice-bathing all at the same (while helping kids with their homework I might add) was a bit tough but the final product was well worth it. The picture doesn't do it justice as you cant taste the leeks, fennel, Parmesan, Mascarpone, lemon ect but trust me when I say it was so good even my kids ate it!!

PARMESAN CHICKEN

6 boneless breasts, pounded 1/4 inch thick

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 eggs, whipped

1 1/4 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

butter & EVOO

 

Combine flour S & P on plate. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan on another plate. Whisk eggs in bowl. PAY ATTN TO THIS ORDER!! I thought it was weird at first but I think it was the secret. 1) Dredge chicken in flour mixture. 2) Dip both sides of chicken in eggs 3) Dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture. Pan fry in EVOO & Butter for @ 3 minutes per side.

 

SPRING GREEN RISOTTO

1 1/2 TBSP EVOO

1 1/2 TBSP butter

3 cups chopped leeks, white & green parts (2 leeks)

1 cup chopped fennel

1 1/2 cup Arborio rice

2/3 cup white wine

4-5 cups chicken broth

1 lb asparagus, sliced in 1.5 inch pieces

1 1/2 cup frozen defrosted peas

1 TBSP grated lemon peel (2 lemons)

2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup Italian mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup grated Italian Parmesan

3 tbsp. fresh chives

 

Heat butter & EVOO and sauté fennel and leeks @ 5-7 minutes in medium to large saucepan. Add rice and stir to coat in butter. Add wine and simmer until liquid is dissolved. Add chicken broth 1 cup at a time and frequently stirring, waiting for all to be absorbed before adding more. takes around 25-30 minutes before done with all 4 cups. Meanwhile blanch asparagus and peas 4-5 minutes and put in a ice bath. When risotto has been cooking around 15 minutes add in lemon zest, 2 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper along with peas and asparagus to further their cooking. Continue adding stock until rice is soft and tender. Blend lemon juice, mascarpone and Parmesan cheese with chives and fold into risotto. You are good to go! You wont be disappointed!

 

Quinoa Quinoa Quinoa!!

Did you know Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain? It provides all the amino acids the human diet needs and it's gluten free. Quinoa dates back over 5,000 years with strong ties to the Inca civilization. The culture called it the "mother grain" and they were right it surely is a SUPERFOOD!! Check out 3 tried and true recipes below.. and say HELLOOOO to diet food that's actually good!!

 

Quinoa Tabbouleh with Chickpeas

 

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1 cup green onion, sliced

1 cup flat leaf fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/2 lb cucumber, seeded and sliced

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup cooked quinoa (cook as package directs)

S & P

1/3 cup EVOO

 

Quinoa with Feta & Dill

 

1 cup quinoa (cook as package directs)

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced

3 TBSP chopped fresh dill

1/3 cup green onions, minced

3-4 TBSP fresh lemon juice

S & P

 

Southwestern Black Bean & Mango Quinoa

 

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 cup corn

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon (juice only)

1 cup fresh mango, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 cup jalapeno, diced

1 cup quinoa (cook as package directs)

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1.5 TBSP EVOO

1/2 tsp cumin

 

Mix spices and olive oil separately and drizzle over finished product while mixing well.

Sweet Sweet Sweet Potato Hash!

This summer my family and I vacationed in California and my super cool aunt prepared a wonderful meal with a side of sweet potato hash topped with a delicious vinaigrette. I think she said she saw it on the TV show Restaurant Impossible. I searched the web and couldn't find it but found one similar by Bobby Flay so I used that and just added bacon to it (6 pieces cooked crispy, chopped and added in at the end). My husband is the guy that refuses to eat any leftovers no matter how good they are & he ate this for lunch for two days afterwards. HA!!

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:

1 cup sliced green onions (green part only)
3 TBSP white wine vinegar
1tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup EVOO
2 tsp honey
S & P

FOR THE HASHBROWNS:

1/4 cup canola oil
2 TBSP butter
1 medium Spanish onion (halved and sliced thin)
pinch of sugar
1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves, chopped
6 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1 inch dice

If you have a bullet blender or small smoothie blender this works perfect!!  I was amazed how it transformed once emulsified. Combine onions, vinegar, mustard and a few tablespoons of water and blend until smooth. Add EVOO and continue to blend until emulsified. Add the honey and some salt & pepper and pulse a few more times until blended. For the hash browns heat half of the recipe's portions of oil and butter and cook onions with a pinch of sugar until they are caramelized. Add thyme salt & pepper and set aside. Parboil potatoes for 10-12 minutes until tender and drain. Add remaining oil and butter to the sauté pan and add drained potatoes until browned (and carefully flipping as to not mash). Add in the onion mixture (and bacon if you want.. I think it added another dimension to the dish). Transfer to a serving platter and top with the green onion vinaigrette. Enjoy!!

Who says Mexican can't be healthy?

I love Mexican food but often feel too guilty to enjoy it but these were delicious and so good for you too!! The only thing prepackaged were the flour tortillas but once I get my tortilla press I will be making those from scratch too ;) I originally got this recipe from Pinterest where it is all over the place labeled spinach and black bean enchiladas but I added chicken (for my carnivorous husband) and red pepper  for color. Here she is!!

FOR THE SAUCE:

3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp. EVOO
2 tsp cumin
1/4tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
S & P

FOR THE ENCHILADA STUFFING:

15 oz can black beans rinsed & drained
1.5 cups thawed frozen corn
6 oz fresh spinach (cooked and drained prior to adding)
6 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
3 cups shredded cheese (reserve 1 cup for the top)
6-8 flour tortillas

To make sauce heat EVOO and spices and flour until bubbly. Slowly add in broth and whisk. Combine all ingredients for stuffing. Spray casserole pan with PAM and ladle sauce on bottom to prevent sticking. Wrap up enchiladas top them with sauce and cheese and bake for 30 minutes at 375. That's it.. super easy & super delish!

Book Reccomendations - The Kitchen House and The Secret Life of Bees

If you enjoyed the book The Help by Kathrynn Stockett...you will absolutely LOVE these novels!!

The Kitchen House: Orphaned Irish 7 year old Lavina arrives at a tobacco plantation where she will live and work alongside it's slaves. Under the care of Belle, the masters illegitimate daughter she becomes very attached to her stand in family yet is separated from them from the color of her skin. As Lavinia matures she is accepted into the world of the big house where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. So much more happens after this but you must read it to find out!!

The Secret Life of Bees: Lily Owens is a motherless child who lacks memory of her mothers presence and the cause of her death. She lives in a lonely abusive house with her father who is rarely home and when he is it is far from pleasant. When Lily's housekeeper whom serves as a stand in mother for her insults racist locals and gets herself beaten and jailed Lily bravely sets out to set them both free. They escape to South Carolina and are taken in by eccentric bee-keeping sisters who hold not only the secrets to the past but hope for the future.

Back to LIVING IN THE NOW & counting all my blessings

I cannot believe it has been so long since posting on this blog. My sole purpose of initially starting this project was to record wonderful recipes of foods I have cooked or books that I have read. I have a tendency to be enthralled in a good story to whereas I stay up through the night to read only to sadly forget it’s storyline or the enjoyment I received from it. On vacation this summer I was discussing books with my aunt and couldn’t remember reading a book that I apparently raved about on facebook. It was then I decided to start writing here again.

The past year I have spent chasing unfulfilled childhood dreams and trying to insert myself into a world I didn’t fit into. It took me sustaining a broken arm, several false friends and blowing A TON (like a year or two’s  worth of college tuition TON) to realize the saying “It’s never too late to follow your dreams” is not only false but often irresponsible too. Just because YOU CAN.. doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

Which leads me back to why I am here. I am no longer looking elsewhere for a definition of “who I am”  or “where I belong” but rather knowing I am already proudly doing it. I have a wonderful life denied to many.  I am fortunate to be able to be “just a mom” with a physically able body, a mind that loves to explore, hands that can create, a beautiful home and a husband that still loves me even after all these years.  I seek nothing but ways to improve what I have already been blessed with.  Cheers!! It’s good to be back :)