Showing posts with label mashed potatoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mashed potatoes. Show all posts

Thursday, August 23

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. 








Friday, February 24

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.