Impressed Chicken

So I decided to make something up for dinner tonight. I thought about doing Chicken Kiev, but didnt want that much yummy butter. I already had the chicken defrosting so I thought about it.. and thought some more. And took cream cheese out of the freezer. (Yes, you can freeze it, but it gets drier) So here is the list..

3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
4oz (1/2 a block) cream cheese
2tsp garlic powder
tsp paprika
2tsp CRUSHED dried basil
2tsp CRUSHED dried oregano
2tsp CRUSHED dried parsley
1/2tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp minced dried onion
1/2 C seasoned flour (mix in some salt paprika garlic powder and pepper)
2 eggs mixed with about 1/2 C water
1C seasoned bread crumbs mixed with
1/4C crushed cheeze-its (left overs from the kids snacking)

pound the chicken thin
mix the cream cheese, paprika, garlic, onion, pepper, basil, oregano, and parsley together
divide the cheese into 1/3s and place each portion into the center of the chicken, fold the sides of the chicken OVER the cheese and then roll up.
Wrap in plastic wrap, and put into the freezer for about 30 mins or in the fridge for a few hours.
Mix up the seasoned flour, and bread crumbs.
Beat the eggs and water together.
roll the chicken in the flour, then egg then breadcrumbs.
preheat the oven to 400*
I would have liked to put the chicken in the fridge for another half hour at least, but didnt have time
Bake in oven for 30 mins uncovered (check temp at least 160* please!!)
Remove from oven and let set for about 10 mins.

YUM!!! This came out so good I was SO impressed with myself!! I served it with fruited couscous.

1 1/2 C water
1/2 tsp chicken base
1/8 C dried apples
1/8 C crasins
1 C pearl couscous
1Tblsp butter

heat water to boiling
add everything but couscous
simmer for 3 mins, add couscous
cook stirring occasionally for 5 mins
add butter and stir cooking for another 3-4 mins
let set for 5 mins
PERFECT!
Try it, impress everyone!!

Now how do I top it for dinner tomorrow?

blech...

So there is no way I am ever going to eat canned ham.. not ever again!! I had Asked G what he wanted to have for dinner on father's day.. he said canned ham... ok... so we got one.. I cooked it.. with pineapple and brown sugar on.. he heated the creamed corn (yea... I do NOT eat that either so I dont know how to cook it) and did the mashed taters.. (hey.. I was getting the kids outta the tub) he LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVED it all.. I ate mashed taters.. I knew I should have made pasta for me.. the girls liked the ham.. none ever again for me.. it tasted like THICK cut lunch meat ham, dipped in pineapple juice.. BLECH.. I should have had a cheese sandwich.. lol.. but we did bring some to his mom.. she loved it too.. keep in mind that I needed to ask her how to cook it.. the only thing I did different was not put cherries in the holes of pineapple (the jar would just go bad eventually) and I used fresh pineapple. (I only had chunks in cans, no rings, but did have a fresh one)

my newest project is going to be making re usable sandwich and snack bags for the bug to take to school, and for the rest of us to use when we do outings. Going to make a few for some friends too.. cause I am making them collect the chip bags I am needing to do them!! that makes me want chips...

new tasty EASY dinner

Ok, so here is the long and short of it.. I was trying to plan the meals for the week (at least roughly) and wanted tacos.. well.. no ground meat in the house.. ugh.. so I thought.. well.. restaurants make tacos out of LOTS of things.. pulled pork, chicken, beef.. why cant I?? so I took a pork roast and made this up.. and oh man it was GOOD..

2lbs boneless pork roast
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon garlic powder (yes, garlic powder, it just works better for this..)
1 teaspoon cyanne powder
1 cup salsa

toss everything together in the crock pot and let it go on low for 6 to 8 hours (I did 6, but think 8 might have made it fall apart more) then take the meat out and let it rest. Then take the liquid from the crock pot, put it in a pan and heat it to simmering, while that is going shred the pork and then toss into the liquid. heat thru and then thicken with a bit of cornstarch and water.. and then the best part.. MAKE TACOS!!! so good.. I was shocked at how good it was.. and thrilled!! try it!! you will like it!!

breakfast for dinner..

Yesterday was just one of those days where I couldnt think of what I felt like having for dinner.. getting ready to go back on the diet makes me want to enjoy a few things first.. and yet couldnt think of anything that we had in that I wanted. So I looked at the leftovers.. turkey pot pie filling.. nah.. (going to have that tomorrow night) oh.. a little hunk of steak.. lots of eggs (mostly raw lol) cheese.. you see where I am going here? well here is what I made..

Steak Quiche

8 eggs
2 tablespoons salsa
1/3ish teaspoon salt
1/3ish teaspoon pepper
1/4ish cup milk (I dont measure it, I just add how much I think I need)
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup leftover steak cut thin and small
pam

preheat the oven to 350*
in a large bowl beat eggs milk salt and pepper together
spray a 9" pie plate with pam, sprinkle the steak in as evenly as you can, same with salsa, and cheese. Pour egg mixture over everything. Bake for 30-45ish mins or till a knife can be inserted in the center and comes out clean. (WARNING: this will grow, eggs puff when you cook them, dont worry, they will deflate) cool for 5 mins serve and enjoy!

I also did this one..

Steak and Broccoli Quiche

8 eggs
1/3ish teaspoon salt
1/3ish teaspoon pepper

1/4ish cup milk (again no measuring)
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup leftover steak cut thin and small 
1/2 10oz package frozen broccoli, cooked and WELL drained
pam

preheat the oven to 350*
in a large bowl beat eggs milk salt and pepper together
spray a 9" pie plate with pam, sprinkle the steak in as evenly as you can, same with broccoli, and cheese. Pour egg mixture over everything. Bake for 30-45ish mins or till a knife can be inserted in the center and comes out clean. cool for 5 mins serve and enjoy!


I served these with french toast made with homemade challah bread.. Now I have no eggs, no bread in the freezer, and no leftover steak! I do have half of each quiche in the freezer and 6 pieces of the french toast as well. those will make for easy feeding later on of the rest of the house.

On the same line, you can put just about anything you like into quiche. there are only 4 things I find you MUST have.. eggs, cheese, milk and salt. I made one with no salt, bad idea. No cheese, why thats just silly, and the milk too, and as for the eggs.. yea.. I want to see you make this with out them (or egg substitute if you MUST) .

So I was told that it was like having steak and eggs, and I made a serving and a half of plain steak serve the 4 of us, and have leftovers!

things I have been making..

Ok, so there are a few things I have been making here at home instead of buying at the store..


chicken/pork coating

1c flour
1/4c salt
1/8c garlic powder
1/8c dried minced onion
1T chili powder
1t pepper

coat chicken or pork and bake at 350* till done, or fry in a small amount of oil till cooked thru

yea yea yea.. I know it has a bit of salt in it.. but it is soooo good..



seasoned flour

1c flour
1T salt
1T pepper
1T chili powder
1T garlic powder
1T cumin
1Tonion powder

This I use when I coat beef cubes to make stew, or other meats before breading (sometimes)

kids magic bath

3c epsom salts
1 packet UNSWEETENED kool-aid (or wylers) drink mix

put in container and shake to mix
Pour 1/2 cup into running bath water

I promise it wont stain the bathtub or the kids.. just makes it a fun color and fruity smell.. tho the lemmonaid doesnt work so well at all.. just smells nice.. no color really..

I think thats about it for the moment.. if I remember more up they will go!!

so yea...

Ok, so I know that I havent been on in a bit.. oh well deal with it..

So why is it that I go and get dish washing gloves and one gets a hole in it?? then I continue to wear it.. it no longer keeps my hand dry.. the only thing it does is leak water, and make it so the water isnt so hot.. I dont know.. I think I need to get rid of it.. or see if one of those vinyl repair kits will fix it..

been busy.. doing thing here and there with making this a home.. last night went thru all the clean laundry and got it put away.. now need to get into the closet and fix that all up.. hmm.. perhaps Sunday..

I want to know why people insist on thinking they know everything about everything. I know that there are things I dont know.. but there is quite alot that I do know.. and I will admit when I am wrong..

Well at the moment I cant think of the rest of what I had to say.. so here.. http://icanhascheezburger.com/2010/02/18/funny-pictures-cat-i-pout-because/

dishes..

I dislike doing the dishes. I use hot enough water to all but scald my hands. If I wear gloves, then my hands smell. I dont get it. Why cant there be a way to get the dishes done well and not make me miserable. I suppose I just like to cook more then I like to clean up. This does not surprise me, not in the least. Oh well. I suppose I will just have to see about teaching the DDs to do them soon. That would be a nice thing. Too bad they are still too short.

I do however love to be able to take a completed dinner from the freezer and just let it defrost to be cooked at dinner time. Such a time saver.. Really it is..

Now where is my mandolin... damn it..