J & K's Chicken Nuggets

My sister Koms and I made our own chicken nuggets one day, and now it's become an regular home recipe. It's so easy, and the best part is no mystery meat parts. Make some packaged mashed potatoes, and mint butter corn, and you have a full meal.

Nuggets

What you need:

1. 4 Chicken Breasts
2. 1/4 cup of White Flour
3. 4 tablespoons of Milk (You may need more, use enough to make a batter)
4. 2 tablespoons of Spicy Mustard
5. 3 teaspoon of Salt
6. Pepper to taste
7. 1 tablepsoon of Garlic Powder
8. 1 cup of breadcrumbs

What to do:

1. Split chicken breasts in half and then cut into nugget pieces
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. Mix flour and milk in bowl with whisk to make batter
4. Mix in spicy mustard, salt, and garlic powder
5. Spray baking sheet pan with pam or coat with oil
6. Pour bread crumbs into a plate or bowl
7. Dip nugget pieces into batter, and then coat with bread crumbs and place on pan
8. Sprinkle pepper onto nuggets
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes until meat is cooked

Mint Butter Corn

What you need:

1. 3 cups of frozen corn
2. 3 tablespoons of butter
3. 10 leaves of mint, chopped
4. Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do:

1. Add corn, and butter into microwaveable bowl and heat for 2 minute and 30 seconds.
2. Mix in salt and pepper and chopped mint

Artichoke Nan Pizza

If you're ever have a craving for pizza, this is a quick recipe that's sure to satisfy it. With a few basic ingredients, and a few toppings, this can be made in mere minutes.

What you need:

1. Nan Pita Bread (The type of nan used for Falafels)
2. Ready made Pesto sauce
3. Parmesan cheese
4. Basil
5. Chopped artichokes
6. Thin slices of onion
7. Chopped garlic

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Put pesto sauce on Pita bread, then spread out artichokes, onion slices, and chopped garlic, and basil leaves.
3. Cover with parmesan cheese.
4. Bake on oven rack or pizza pan for 10 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

I've had an long term relationship with fast food. We've been together for years now. I've had multiple relationships, Chick Fil-A, Zaxbys, Steak 'n Shake, McDonalds, and so many more. I've loved all the gifts, fried chicken sandwiches, perfectly golden french fries, fried apple pies, and the list goes on. My last favorite was the Wisconsin Buttery. Thank you Steak 'n Shake, words are not enough. Unfortunately, it may be time to finally let you go. Our relationship is becoming toxic to my health. It's time to face the hard facts and make a clean break. I'm sorry Fast Food. It's not me, it's you. My stomach will miss you.

Grilled vs. Fried

I've had a long term dillema with choosing between grilled or fried. Honestly, nothing sounds tasty about grilled. All I hear is healthy, healthy, healthy. Now fried on the other hand is absolutely delicious sounding. I hear crispy yumminess. It comes down to healthy versus tasty. Example #1, the Chick Fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich versus the Fried Chicken Sandwich. There's no competition, fried wins. After looking up the nutrition facts it's obvious that their Grilled sandwich is so much better for you. I've made an real effort to like it, I even got it on a white bread bun instead hoping that it would be more appealing. It's not working. I've come to terms with I'm always going to like fried better, but it doesn't have to be the ultimate choice. Just because I go with grilled, doesn't mean I have to feel unsatisfied and sacrifice taste. So, I'm on the search now for a health tasty grilled chicken recipe that has me coming back for more. There's got to be one out there. I'll keep you posted, it may be a while.

3rd Place in the Office Chili Cook-off

In honor of March Madness, we had a chili cook off at work this week. I am a bystander in office events such as these. It's not that I am anti-social...no, I'm not. People really do like me...I just don't like to wake up early to prepare for things like a cook off. But today's competition is different. I pride myself on my chili. I try to make it on any occasion because I really do believe it tastes fabulous. So I couldn't stop myself when the email looking for contestants rang the bell in my Inbox.

K & I went to the grocery store and spent $33 of the $50 I was given (in advance) from work for supplies. I spent the 30 mins perfecting my chili recipe with hopes of getting the biggest prize of them all. I woke up this morning, packed everything up and off to work I drove. As I pulled into the parking lot at work, I thought to myself "how crazy, nothing split, nothing is burnt, nothing is wrong".

And then I walk into the break room where one person had already dropped off their chili in a CROCKPOT. AH! I had mine in an ordinary non-stick pot. How would I ever get this warm enough for the lunch time taste off. Something was bound to go wrong and this had to be it. But obstacle triumphed! I sped over to Steph's place (who is the only friend I have living out in the boonies where I work) and miraculously, she has a very adorable, red Crockpot. When I initially asked her if she had one, she gave me the sort of response that is interpreted as "Of course I have one, any red blooded American does." Well, I totally missed that day in home ec.

Back to the office and it's lunch time. Chili warmed up, sides already to go. Sri walks up to me and whispers, "which one is yours? I can only eat yours." I respond in a hushed tone with a huge smile "the red one, #4."

I hear people contemplating which ones they like best, #1 because blah blah blah, #5 ....on and on. I'm getting nervous but trying not to show, after all it's just a friendly team building exercise at work. The ballots are being placed in the voting box and then someone from marketing counts them - in front of everyone! I'm mortified. How many #4s will there be. I'm not sure....1, 2, 5, 10.

At last, the announcements and 3rd place goes to....Chili #4!! And the crowd goes wild! (Okay, so that didn't happen but I was really excited).

Who woulda thunk it, my 100% VEGGIE chili win 3rd place in a red-blooded, all-American office.

Quick & Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe

2 can Bush's Chili Magic

1 onion (diced)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 jalepeno pepper (diced)

1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Optional:

1 bag Morningstar Veggie Crumbles

1 pouch of Chili Seasoning

1) Brown the Veggie Crumbles

2) Sautee the onions in a little cooking spray for 1-2 minutes

3) Add jalepeno pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes

4) Add tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes

5) Add crumbles & seasoning. Stir.

6) Add chili and simmer for 5 minutes

7) Add cheese and stir until it melts completely

Serve!

Coming Home

For me, home is actually two places - one is my parents house in the town where I grew up and the second is Atlanta, where I went to college and some of my closets friends still live.

So today, my home is the latter of the two - Atlanta. Whenever someone comes home, "home food" is always on their minds (or at least should be; if you do not think of food when you come home, then most likely I am not coming home to you), you think of the food you eat at home, sitting around the dining table and the food you go out for, sitting around a restaurant table.
Tonight we're going to eat something Atlanta does much better than Chicago (where I live at the moment) - MEXICAN!!! Chicago has mediocre mexican food. It's not delicious, the queso is not worth your nickel and the prices are not less than $6.95...oh you can't order the #11 combination, with a chicken taco. But here, Atlanta - the home of my heart - has it. IT HAS DELICIOSO MEXICAN!
I know this will be a great meal tonight and we haven't even made it to dinner. But friends, this is Atlanta where you know good mexican is on every corner, every neighborhood, in every heart.

Yes, I will have the #11 with a chicken taco please. Oh and a side of queso and please bring me a Coke (as in Coca Cola "the real thing", not Pepsi). Thank you :)

Comfort Food

One of my favorite things is comfort food. There is nothing like that home feeling after eating comfort food like mac and cheese, chicken pot pie, or mashed potatoes and gravy. Comfort food is simple but delicious. One of my favorite comfort food recipes is veggie country fried steak. Yes, I said veggie. For this recipe, I'm using veggie burgers. I know you may have some doubt with this, but I guarantee you won't even miss the meat. Whip up some white pepper gravy, fresh or boxed mashed potatoes and some garlic green beans and you'll have a complete meal.

Veggie Country Fried Steak

Ingredients:

Morning Star Original Veggie Burgers (4 patties)
1/2 cup all purpose white flour
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of butter

What to do:

1. Defrost veggie burgers
2. whisk milk and flour together until no lumps
3. Add salt and pepper to batter
4. Dip veggie burgers in batter
5. Dip battered veggie burger in bread crumbs
6. Heat butter in frying pan
7. After butter is melted, add veggie burger to pan
8. After each side is browned, remove and add to plate with paper towel

White Pepper Gravy

Ingredients:
1 cup of all purpose white flour
1/4 cup of butter
1 cup of milk
2 teaspoons of salt
1 tablespoon of pepper


What to do:
1. Melt butter in nonstick pot
2. Add flour
3. Whisk in milk
4. Add salt and pepper
5. Whisk until no lumps

Alternative: Lily White Pepper Gravy

Garlic Green Beans

Ingredients:
1 frozen bag of french cut green beans
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

1. Add butter to non stick pot and melt butter
2. Add garlic and sautee for a minute
3. Add green beans
4. Add salt and pepper

Alternative: Canned Green Beans

Fat Pants

There is something so comforting to me when I hear the words "Fat Pants". It gives me the feeling of entitlement of being fat for the day. I could eat almost anything with absolutely no guilt. The elasticity of the pants help with comfort of expansion and there are no worries of button popping or unzipping. It's a perfect win win situation. The downfall, of course, is these pants aren't for public viewing. They're not flattering, and they scream I'm a "Fat Pant"! These pants haven't gotten the full appreciation they deserve. They've been stashed far back in my closet. I owe you an thank you Fat Pants. You've been good to me and I will no longer wear you with embarassment. I will embrace the freedom you give me and will wear you proudly. Thank You Fat Pants!