Boneless Fried Chicken, Corn Casserole, and Mashed Potatoes

Today was a comfort food day. I'd been hungry for good, deep fried, rib-stickin' yumminess for a couple of days and finally after much pestering from the 12-year-old, I gave.

It was all his fault. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Let's start with the corn casserole. It will take the longest to make. Yes I know, it is tempting to jump into the chicken part because... mmmm... who can resist fried chicken? (Other than veggie people?)
But we must do this in order to make it come out on time and hot, right?

Stop grumbling at me and just listen. Yes you could snack on the chicken while you make the rest but then not only will you jot have enough to feed the masses but it'll be all soggy and cold by the time you're done.

Ok. See. I told you.

Onward to corn casserole. You will need a stick of butter, a can of corn, a can of creamed corn, a box of cornbread mix, a tub of sour cream, and 2 eggs.

Melt the butter and dump into and 8x8 or 9x13 pan.

Mix corn bread mix with creamed corn, corn, 1/2 tub (8oz) sour cream, eggs and mix. Pour into pan.

Throw into oven at 350 for about an hour. 

Now would be a good time to chop your taters for mashed potatoes. I generally use 2 potatoes per person as we are mashed tater-aholics. Boil them in water infused with chicken bouillon, 1 tbs butter and a couple of garlic cloves.

Now you can start on the chicken.

Start your oil heating up. Or Crisco. Crisco is even better. If you have some bacon grease, mmmmmm.

Ok. So I have this weird thing about chicken. I can't deal with veins, dark meat, tiny bones and tendons. I grosses me out. I buy boneless breasts in giant bags at Costco. They are clean and require nothing but a tiny bit of trimming and de-thawing.

This recipe requires boneless chicken breasts, about 4 large ones, into 1-2" sized pieces.

You will also need two additional containers. One with 2 eggs slightly beaten, and one with 1c flour, 1/4 c bread crumbs, 1/4 c cornmeal, pinch of salt and pepper, dash of garlic, dash of chili powder.

Dredge the chicken first in the egg.

Then through the flour mix.

The into the pan with HOT liquid cooking lubricant.

Cook each 4-5 mins per side. Wait until the oil reheats between batches, you want it hot to get crispy chicken. Set the finished pieces onto a plate lined in paper towels or a cloth towel you don't mind being dedicated for this particular task. 

Drain the potatoes as soon as they are done, or keep the liquid and freeze for things like soup or bread. 

Squish them with some milk and butter and a pinch of salt. 

Check on corn casserole. Throw in next batch of chicken.

You chicken should be done about the same time as the casserole. Take it out and let it sit for a few minutes. 

Dinner is done. Proceed to serve to the masses.

Fried Chicken

1c flour

1/4 corn meal

1/4c bread crumbs

1Tbs garlic

pinch of salt and pepper

4 large chicken breasts

2 eggs

1 bar of crisco or vegetable oil for frying.

Heat oil or crisco in heavy skillet. Mix dry ingredients. Cut up chicken into 1-2" pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Beat egg slightly. Dredge chicken in egg then coat in flour mix. Fry 4-5 mins on each side until cooked thoroughly and brown. Drain. While warm, sprinkle again with a little salt or seasoned salt. 

Corn Casserole

1 box corn muffin mix

1 can creamed corn

1can kernel corn

1 stick butter

8 oz sour cream

2 eggs

Melt butter in bottom of 8x8 or 9x13 pan. Mix rest of ingredients together and spread evenly in pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hr for 8x8, 35-40 mins 9x13.

Mashed Potatoes

2 potatoes per adult. 1 per child, cut into chunks

3 Tbs butter

3 teaspoons chicken better than bouillon or 2 cubes of bouillon

4-5 cloves of garlic

1c milk

Boil potatoes in water with bouillon, 1 tbs butter and garlic. Drain. Heat butter and milk. Mash potatoes. Add milk and butter and mash some more. 

Cherry-Peach Sticky Rolls

This is one of my grandmother's recipes. She makes it only for Easter and Christmas brunch, so it's a rare treat. The original, hand-written recipe is for orange-caramel sticky buns. I am fresh out of marmalade, but had some beautiful peaches and cherries from the produce market, so as I cannot leave anything alone, I altered her recipe just a tiny bit.

There are actually a lot of different things you can use instead of marmalade or peaches if those are not available to you when the urge to make something sweet and sticky for breakfast arises.

Options:
Any jelly or fresh fruit will work. Berries especially. Pineapple and cherries would be good, apples and walnuts, pumpkin and pecans, blueberries and a squeeze of lemon juice, shaved chocolate and hazelnuts. Note: if you use fresh fruit it will be not as sticky, but more like a traditional cinnamon roll that isn't rolled.

The other ingredients:

• 2 cans biscuits. I use Grands, but the smaller ones work too.
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• nuts of choice; pecan bits, walnut bits or sliced almonds.
• butter, because you can't have good baked goods without it!

Equipment:

Bundt pan or if you don't have one, a loaf pan or other deep dish container will be fine. 

2 bowls: one for melted butter, one for cinnamon/sugar mix.

Cutting board and knife if you are using fresh fruit.

Ok got everything assembled? Fantastic. This will save you 42 trips to the pantry/cabinets getting stuff.

Assembly is easy. Cooking takes awhile, so plan at least an hour for these puppies to get all happy in the oven. 

First, slather some soft butter all over your baking container of choice.

Chop your fruit and sprinkle on bottom or drop tablespoons full of jelly/jam/preserves/marmalade along bottom so it covers in nice layer.

Sprinkle over nuts.

Melt butter in one bowl.

While it is melting, mix brown sugar and cinnamon in another bowl.

Get your biscuits unwrapped. I like the Grands style but you can use the smaller ones too.

Dip biscuits into butter then dredge in sugar mix. Place biscuit upright in pan.

Repeat a million times, or for, you know, however many biscuits you have.

Throw it in the oven at 300F for 45 mins then raise temp to 400 for 8-10.

Every oven is different. Mine is retarded so it takes awhile. 

When they feel firm on top, pull out of oven and place pan upside down on plate.

Let it sit for a few minutes. This will make all that yummy sticky juicy stuff run into the rolls.

MMMMMMMMM.

Ok stop drooling now. It's ok. It's almost ready. You can handle it!

Remove pan.

I wallop mine a couple of times to make sure everything is loose. 

Now you are all done! Isn't that easy? And it's pretty too!

Quick, take a picture of your accomplishment and post to facebook! your 1428 friends will be drooling on their screens!

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Strawberries 'N Cream French Toast with Bacon

Looks good right?

I had an epiphany yesterday when bringing home fresh strawberries and french bread still warm from the oven. You can see me in an 1800's style dress with a basket of fresh goodies right?

Ha!

Anyway, I thought... You know, cream cheese with those strawberries would be yummy... Ooooh! I could make a cream cheese filling for French toast and top that with fresh strawberries.

With this plan in mind, 5 seconds later, my children pipe up from the back seat. "Tacos sound good for dinner! LET'S HAVE TACOS!"
"But I was thinking french toast."
"I don't like french toast!" "I want tacos"
"Are you sure...? I have strawberries..."
"Ooooh! STRAWBERRIES!"

*shakes head*

So we had tacos. I didn't want friggin' French Toast anyway.

Tonight, I made dinner before they had the opportunity to tell me what sounded good.

See look at me being all sneaky and stuff. (They were outside enjoying the 2 seconds of sunshine we had today)

See my beautiful strawberries?

Unfortunately, we are going to have to murder them slightly to make dinner. But it's ok. They'll be yummy. I might add I bought this 3 pound container last night... and it's half gone. 

Nope. No strawberry-a-holics in this house. Not a one.

Ok. So let's start this the way I didn't cause I was being stupid.

Cut your now day old, lovely, crusty French bread into 1/4" to 1/2" slices. 

(insert french accent here) Lika dis...

Next, for this lovely loaf, get 2 eggs, some milk and almond extract. Or if you have no almond, amaretto will do in a pinch or if you have to, vanilla.

Yes, amaretto. No, the alcohol. Yes, seriously.

I used both. It was delish.

Onward.

Break open said eggs. (Do I really have to tell you this?)

Scramble the eggs.

(Insert accent here) Lika dis...

That funny looking thing is called a whisk. Forks do in a pinch. Don't panic.

Add milk. Oh. About...2 cups.

Add about 1/4 c of sugar, dash of almond or vanilla or amaretto or a combination. Whatever you have on hand. I wouldn't necessarily do almond AND vanilla, but almond and amaretto are very nice.

Sorry, no picture for that one, but trust me they are in there.

Whisk all together really well.

Do not put the whisk in the...sink.

Take it back out and wash it 'cause you will need to agitate (ooh big fancy word) the liquid to keep sugar suspended.

It's heavy. It likes to sink.

That's your physics lesson for today.

Next drown your lovely bread in the mix until happy (about 10-15 secs per side) and place on baking sheet. You will use said sheet later, again.

We wouldn't want you to have the whisk mistake again, no would we? See I warned you well ahead of time. Oh. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Less dirty dishes = happy cook.

Ok set the bread aside. If there is any dip left over, pour over the slices. They'll soak it up.

Get the bacon going.

MMMMMM. Bacon.

Time to murder the strawberries,

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ok. I'm done now.

Let's start the filling.

These are the ingredients in the filling. Plus a little almond extract. It ran away before I could take the picture.

Don't you hate it when ingredients grow legs and run off.

Grab the cream cheese. It's best if slightly soft. Makes mushing easier. Dump it in a bowl.

Add about 1/2c of yogurt, 1/2c marshmallow fluff and 2 Tbs sugar.

Squish together until smooth. Check on the bacon.

I cheated. I do that. 

Add almond extract. Mix in.

When it's done, it should look (insert accent here) lika dis...

So the bowl is messy. Cooking is messy. I'm a real cook, not food set person. 

Add a few chopped strawberries to the mix. I used maybe 4 little ones.

K. Throw it in the freezer to stiffen up a bit. 

Time to murder the strawberries a little. 

Chop them into bits. Check on the bacon.

Add sugar to make them happy. Add amaretto if you have no children to worry about. No intoxicating children, no matter how tempting to get them to sleep earlier.

Time to cook the toast. 

Heat up a skillet, griddle, or cast iron.

Slather it down with butter. 

Check on the bacon. Drain slices on paper towels. Throw on baking pan and into oven if they are done before everything else.

Cook on each side only until golden brown and return to baking pan. 

Once all of them are done, slide into the oven for about 7-8 minutes. 

Whew. Take a swig of that amaretto. Go pee. Dance a jig. Whatever.

Time to assemble.

Take one slice of toast and cut in half. Top one half with the filling from the freezer. Place other half on top. Cover in strawberries.

Grab some bacon and your good to go!

Shepherd's Pie with Homemade Mashed Potatoes

It has been an interesting week, my morale has been at an all time low. My computer is being stupid, or rather some of the software is and I am seriously ready for a vacation. It's always times like these that you need some serious comfort food. No meals tonight, but something simple.

Homemade Mashed Potatoes (the best way) which will go on top of a bunch of veggies and stuff to make Shephard's Pie.

The key to amazing mashed potatoes is...

Nope not butter...

Nope not cream...

It's....
...
...
Potatoes!

See you would never have guessed! The type of potatoes you use will determine the wonderfullness of the taters.

Yukon Gold are my personal fave followed closely by red.

Russets are nasty. Stop buying them.

Yes, Yukon's are slightly more expensive but when you taste there natural yummy, creamy, melt in your mouth texture without the need for a bunch of extra stuff... You will be hooked. I promise.

Yes, I will pinky swear too.

So to start off, figure out how many people you are feeding. Most people (except my son) adore mashed potatoes so plan on 2 potatoes per person to chop into bits.

So for a family of 5=10 potatoes. add a couple more if you want leftovers to make potato cakes with later... mmmmmm potato cakes.

So...
10 potatoes, chopped into bits (they cook faster this way)
1 tbs butter
1/2-1c milk
salt and pepper
ginormous pot with salted water

Dump the taters you chopped into the water and cook at boiling until just fork tender. My stove has issues so it takes about 30 minutes. Yours may be fabulous and take 10. Just keep checking them every few minutes, 'cause you don't want them squishy.

While potatoes are cooking and getting all happy, pull out your frozen veggies. Generally I stick to corn, peas, green beans and carrots... maybe add some onion and green pepper.

1 onion
1/2 green pepper
all of the leftover bits and pieces of frozen veggie bags.

Get the onion and pepper happy in a skillet with a little olive oil. Oooooh! Throw in some mushrooms! That would be awesome!

MMMMMM Mushrooms!

Whip out a packet of french onion soup mix, or if you HAPPEN to have some leftover french onion soup from a meal, use that.

Heat it up in a pot, add some cornstarch.

Brown hamburger or veggie crumbles.

Dump all of the veggies, soupy stuff and burger bits into a 9x12 pan or a casserole dish. Casserole dishes work best, but use what you have.

By now potatoes are ready for smooshing.

Drain them. Please do not burn yourself.

Steam is hot. I know right? Amazing!

Pour 1/2c milk and 1 tbs butter into the pot the potatoes were in. Get the butter all melty and the milk nice n warm.

Why? Because I am telling you too and I am the boss right now!

No, really, because the cold of the milk and butter cause the happy starches of the taters to seize up and become gluey. We don't like gluey.

Pour the taters in.

Get out you smoosher.

NO! Do not use the hand blender! Geez!

Get out you great great grandmothers rusted, bent, mangled smoosher and smoosh.

The one with a long handle and funny looking holes or squiggles in the bottom.

Ya that thing. No it's not a branding iron.

*Sigh*

Ok, sorry, I will get the pictures in, I promise...Computer... Stupid...remember?

Squish taters until nice and creamy. If they are being uncooperative, add a little more milk and keep going. They will become creamy without electronic devices, trust me.

Conserve energy and all that.

With a spoon, put taters on top of soupy stuff. Do not push it down or try to spread it. This does not work.

Throw the...

Stop eating the potatoes. You need them for...

I said stop it.

See I told ya so.

Would you put the darn pan in the oven please, before they are all gone...?

Ok. Good. 350. 15-20mins or until warm.

Add cheddar cheese on top. Shredded of course. (Although squishy plastic cheese is good too)

When nice and warm pull out of oven and serve. If ya want to get all fancy, chop some green onions to throw over the top and nuke some rolls or bring out the bread so you can sop up all that soupy goodness.

Or heck, serve it over the bread. I won't tell.

Simple, easy and relatively fast.

Maybe tomorrow I will tell you my secret potato pancake recipe... 'cause it's really yummy with scrambled eggs and bacon....

Mmmmm bacon.