Homemade Chicken Fingers

Deceptive photo, they weren't burnt or dry.

My senior mom has become a very picky eater. The supermarkets where I shop don't carry Tyson's Chicken Tenders, meat in a form she'll eat, so I bought 2 huge chicken breasts (nearly 3 pounds at $1.99 per pound = $5.49), cut them into pieces with my trusty meat shears, and made homemade chicken fingers for the 1st time ever in my life. How hard could it be? Not hard at all as it turns out. So crispy, tender and delicious, I'll post my easy-breezy recipe below (so I too can make it again):

Debbie's Chicken Fingers

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts - I had 2.76 pounds.

For the crust:

1 cup oatmeal

3/4 cup dried parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon homemade saltless creole seasoning (I now made it without salt and add salt or bouillion cubes in recipes.)

1  1/2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt (It's what I had.)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons dried garlic

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1) Cut the chicken breasts into chunks or thick strips.

 

2) Into a food processor add the oatmeal flakes, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic, and creole seasoning. Pulse until finely ground and pour into a mixing bowl.

3) Spray an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray or grease lightly with butter.

4) Wet the chicken pieces with drops of milk and drop them into the dry oatmeal mixture. You need about 1/2 cup of milk to sprinkle on the chicken pieces.

5) Arrange the coated chicken fingers on a greased or sprayed baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven until brown. The chicken meat will turn from pink to white in about 20 minutes.

Chicken fingers (the whole breast) or tenders (the pectoralis minor part of the chicken) are about the only way my mom will eat chicken nowadays. She ate them, so tonight we got the job done.

Freeze the leftovers. 

A side dish: Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

3 potatoes, unpeeled and cubed

1 small onion, diced

olive oil

garlic powder

parsley 

tarragon

1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun or steak mix seasoning

A few turns of the peppermill

Directions:

1) Wash, slice or cube unpeeled potatoes (any variety) and onions.  

2) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the seasonings.

3) Transfer to an olive oiled, foil-lined baking tray.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

Another side: BBQ Beans

Bon Appètit!

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Ground Beef Stroganoff

Photo: Betty Crocker, the recipe is not Betty Croker.

I love one-skillet dinners. What's not to love? A mishmash of flavors and textures, and all your food groups tossed into one pan to cook a balanced meal. You can add a salad, grainy bread, and a glass of wine if you wish. After eating your meal, the breezy cleanup consists of a single pan and a few plates and utensils. Here is the recipe:

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 stalk celery including leaves, diced

1/4 cup red pepper, diced

1 - 1 1/2 lb ground beef

1/4 cup wine - red or white

4 cups water

2 large any flavor bouillon cubes, or 4 small cubes

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon each of dried chives, garlic, and parsley

A dash of Worcestershire sauce

8 ounces of curly noodles

1 cup of sour cream (which I never have so use plain Greek yogurt.)

Directions:

1) Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a 12'' chef skillet or a dutch oven and bring to a simmer to tenderize and brown the sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle in some salt. Set aside in a separate dish.

2) Use the same skillet to add another tablespoon of olive oil and tenderize the diced onion, garlic, celery, and red pepper (takes 3 - 5 minutes).

3) Toss in and brown the ground beef. A dash of salt and

pepper. It cooks for about 5 minutes.

4) Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour to coat the ground beef and cook for another 3 minutes so the flour won't taste raw.

5) Pour in the wine and 4 cups of water and dissolve the bouillon cubes. Use a wooden spoon to stir and mash up the bouillon into the liquid.

6) Add the dried spices and Worcestershire sauce.

7) Next toss the dried uncooked curly (egg or any) noodles into the dish and cook until al dente.

8) Return the mushrooms to the pan and stir. Turn off the heat.

9) Finish off with sour cream (or substitute Greek yogurt). If using Greek yogurt be mindful of curdling. Temper the yogurt with a small amount of stroganoff sauce before dumping it all into the dish.

A simple one-pan meal that sticks to your ribs. Delish!

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Beer Can Chicken

Photo - istock by Getty

I haven't thought of making Beer Can Chicken in years. My mother is European, and this is definitely Americana home cooking. What I like about this dish is its rub, a lot of it! A tasty and easy dinner to make over the weekend.

Beer Can Chicken

Ingredients For the Rub

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

Photo: allrecipes

2 tablespoons dry mustard

2 tablespoons basil

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ingredients for the Basting Spray

1/2 can of the beer

2 cups apple cider

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or whatever vinegar you have)

4 - 5 pound chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil (or butter)

remaining half of beer (and can)

Directions:

1) In a bowl, mix the dry herbs and spices to make the rub.

2) Rub the raw chicken with olive oil (or butter) and then rub the chicken inside and out with the dry spice mixture. Or you can wet the dry rub with beer and smear the mixture all over and inside the chicken as this works too.

3) Pour half the can of beer into a spray bottle with the apple cider and vinegar.

4) Leave about half the beer in the can and insert the can into the cavity of the chicken with the chicken resting on the can.

5) Suburbanites can cook the chicken for 2 hours over a medium hot grill (350 degrees) under a grill cover. City coop dwellers can bake it in the oven for 2 hours resting the can with chicken on a baking pan. The beer keeps the chicken moist, as well as, adds flavor. While cooking you can spritz the chicken with the basting sauce every half hour to give it additional flavor. The sauce adds a hint of sweetness without sugar.

6) The chicken is done when it's golden and crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Be careful removing it from the grill or oven and lifting the chicken off a very hot tin can onto a serving dish. Wait at least 10 minutes after removal from the heat before cutting.

Enjoy the weekend! Bon Appetit!

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Skillet Bruschetta

Photo: Pinterest

Are you ready for a late summer tomato dish that's perfect for the time of year when fresh tomatoes are plentiful? What are you going to do with all those tomatoes? I found this recipe in a newsletter and, of course, tweaked it. The original recipe called for marinating the chicken overnight, which I never do as I believe it does nothing for the meat, such as tenderizing or flavoring it. The benefit of marinating meat is a myth! All I think it does is add more work. Flavoring the dish while it cooks and after it's cooked works. I do think making the bruschetta topping hours ahead of time adds flavor, so let's start with that! BTW I also like the crunch and taste of onions and celery in the dish, so have added both vegetables (omit if you prefer).

Skillet Bruschella (with or without pasta)

Ingredients:

1 cup Italian dressing, divided (or use homemade vinaigrette dressing. You can then toss in Italian seasonings from your spice rack.)
2 cups (16 ounces) tomatoes, chopped

1 tiny onion, diced

1 celery stalk with leaves, diced

3 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped
2 whole garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

2 large zucchini - cut into thin strips 

Optional: Al dente cooked angel hair pasta; #8; or #9 spaghetti -- they all work.

Directions for the Bruschetta Topping:

1) Into a bowl or Tupperware combine chopped tomatoes, onions, celery, basil, minced garlic, 1 cup of Italian dressing, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate from 2 hours - overnight.

Directions For the Chicken:

2) In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, then add and cook the raw chicken for 15 minutes, turning it once. After the chicken is brown on the outside and white on the inside, remove it from the pan.

3) Add more olive oil if needed to the same skillet to grill the zucchini. The zucchini will tenderize in 6 -10 minutes. It will also cook down with the liquid evaporating. I scoop up some of the bruschetta topping (include some of the chopped onion, celery, and garlic) and toss it into the skillet to cook with the zucchini. Turn the heat off when everything is tender.

4) Plate your dish. Place cooked pasta on the bottom if eating it, chicken in the middle, and finish with the bruschetta topping. 

Adding al dente pasta to the dish gives you a one-pan meal ... protein, vegetables, and starch. Dinner is served. Tasty with fewer steps is THE SAVVY SHOPPER way! Enjoy.

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Blaukraut And Spätzle

Today let's eat, think and speak German! When I was a child my mom told me in Germany "red" cabbage is called "blue" cabbage (blaukraut). After I made the dish, I told my mom over the telephone ... out of the blue (pun intended😁), I'm having red cabbage and at first, she could not recall what the vegetable was.😂 Old names die hard! What's more although she introduced me to Spätzle (also called Spätzli), Bavarians consume far more potatoes than Spätzli. It explains why we ... and now I ... serve cabbage (red or green) with potatoes, a delicious combination, about 90% of the time. It's faster to get into the pot.

Nevertheless, let's take a few easy-peasy, extra cooking steps to prepare 2 scrumptious recipes for Red, or is it Blue Cabbage and Spätzle  ... or is it Spätzli? It all depends on where in the world you live!:

Red Cabbage (or Blaukraut in German)

Ingredients:

Red cabbage, a large head {blue cabbage, Mamma!}

1 medium onion

1 bay leaf

Red or green cabbage works in the recipe.

1 large bouillon cube, any flavor (or substitute 1 teaspoon of salt)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Sprinkle of soy sauce (or Maggi, a German soy sauce)

1 teaspoon dried garlic

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 finely cut up tart apple

Optional: The next 2 ingredients make the Blaukraut dish spicy. Not traditionally German.

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

Directions:

1) Using a knife, shred the cabbage. It shreds itself in minutes if you slice in strips. Toss the shredded cabbage into a large 12-inch chef skillet or pan. Lightly brush the bottom of the pan with butter or vegetable oil if you wish. I don't, and the cabbage still cooks without sticking. Butter adds extra flavor. 

2) Dice and add the onions. The dish will be delicious with or without a finely chopped apple, but if you decide to cut one up toss it in also.

3) Next add the seasonings: a bay leaf, bouillon cube (or salt), pepper, garlic, parsley, nutmeg, optional cumin and caraway seeds; and vinegar.

4) Cover with a lip and simmer on low-medium heat for 20 - 25 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Watch towards the end to not overcook. I aim for firm, yet fully cooked cabbage. I also give it a final taste and add another pinch of seasonings, or vinegar if needed. (Should the vinegar be too sharp for your taste, a pinch of sugar will temper it. Normally the cabbage tastes delicious and exactly right without any sugar.)

The dish is super tasty warm or at room temperature. Vinegar gives Blaukraut about a 2 week, refrigerated shelf life.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Spätzle (a pasta, or German dumpling)

Ingredients: 

(Makes about 2 servings and should be made fresh, not days in advance.)

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (I use a few turns of a nutmeg mill.)

1/2 teaspoon white pepper (I just give the white pepper a few shakes. Cooking is chemistry, yet not rocket science.🙂)

Directions:

1) Into a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, flour and milk. I like to pour the milk in last, a little at a time as I whisk, so the batter isn't too thin.

2) Add the salt, nutmeg and white pepper and keep whisking. You can always add more milk or flour to get the right consistency. (There's no risk of ruining the batch, only the risk of ending up with a bigger batch than desired.)

4) Boil a large pot of salted (use 1 teaspoon salt) water.

3) We don't own a Spätzle maker. (Unless you make Spätzle often it's not worth buying one. Also, we don't want to clean it.) We dip a teaspoon into the boiling water then scoop up the dough to drop into the boiling pot. Good enough! Work fast so all the dumplings have about the same cooking time. Should you make a big quantity, cook them in batches. Boil each batch of Spätzle for 2 minutes.

5) Strain and sprinkle with dried parsley Butter is optional, between you and the bathroom scale.

Red Cabbage and Spätzle are usually eaten as side dishes with ham or Bratwurst. Yet all by themselves, you have a protein, starch and vegetable. Guten Appetit! 

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Tex-Mex Taco Bowl Quick Meal

Photo: Debra Turner

Sometimes when I arrive home, I don't want to cook or wash lots of dishes, but I still want to eat a hot, healthy meal. So years ago I began making my version of a Tex-Mex Taco Bowl. A tortilla, or wrap is not something I usually stock at home (I'd have to go out to get it), so instead, I use brown rice. This quick and easy dish is a delicious mish-mash of textures and spicy goodness.

Debbie's Taco Bowl

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup of salsa (I like medium, or hot -- and chunky)

Photo: WiseGeek

1/4 cup diced raw onions
a protein: Choose one of the following: cubed tofu; cooked ground beef; diced ham, leftover and cubed beef, or chicken, etc.
1/2 to 1 cup beans, such as pinto, pink, kidney or black (Use what you have or like.) You can also open a can of refried beans.
sliced or shredded cheddar cheese
Seasonings to taste: I use --
dried garlic powder
onion powder
cilantro, dried or fresh
sometimes a few snips of a jalapeño pepper
lettuce, shredded (and whatever crunchies you wish to add. Sometimes I use a portion of a bag of salad.)
1/3 - 1/2 of an avocado, sliced or diced (or guacamole, if you have it)
salt and pepper to taste
sprinkle of rosemary, parsley, dried celery

Directions:

1) Cook the brown rice according to the package directions: For one serving: 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt; about 1 1/4 cups water goes into a pot. Cover with a lid. Bring the rice to a boil; reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until tender.

Photo: health.com

2) Transfer the hot, finished rice to a large soup bowl.
3) Top with the spicy salsa, raw onions, protein of choice, beans and slices of cheddar cheese.
4) Sprinkle on the seasonings to taste.
5) Microwave until the cheese melts and bubbles. About 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from the microwave.
6) Finally, top with the lettuce and avocado.
7) Optional: I sprinkle vinaigrette dressing on the lettuce and avocado.

The above ingredients are for one serving, if you have a huge appetite like me! Double the ingredients for two people. Triple for three, etc. The dinner has everything you need: protein, starch, vegetables, salad and flavor. Spear and mix with a fork and enjoy!

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