New Meal Monday: Panko Breaded Chicken with BBQ Sauce on Bun

Nick is a list maker.  He is always carrying around a piece of folded paper, taking notes, writing down ideas, plotting his world take over.  His list making extends to our grocery shopping.  We make a menu for the week (from the list of meals he has complied) make a grocery list, and hit the store…with a strict stick to the list policy. (I on the other hand get distracted by the shiny sparkly objects on the shelves at the store)

Last week while list making Nick suggested chicken sandwiches.  What kind of chicken sandwiches I implored.  He apparently had a vision, of chicken and bbq sauce on a bun

This is what we came up with

This week's selection: Panko Breaded Chicken with BBQ Sauce on Bun

This week's verdict: not quite the vision Nick had, but a good flavor

This week's maybe next time: cut the chicken breast thinner.   As much as we liked chomping into a 1.5 inch thick piece of chicken that took FOREVER to cook, our jaws only unhinge so much. 

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Panko Breaded Chicken with BBQ Sauce on Bun

servings: 8

2 tbsp flour

1 egg beaten

1 cup panko bread crumbs

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness (oops should have read that)

BBQ sauce

place flour, egg and bread crumbs on separate plates

coat chicken with flour, dip in egg, then coat well with bread crumbs

heat oven to 375 F.  Spray baking dish.  bake chicke 20-39 min until thickest part is 165 F

serve on bun with BBQ sauce and your choice of condiments.

New Meal Monday: Sweet and Sour Chicken

for weeks I've been craving chinese food.  Apparently Nick was on the same page.

last time camping we made FANTASTIC sweet and sour foil dinners.  this week we decided to try our hand at the real stuff.

Nick said he'd make the batter if I'd do the frying.  He mixed, i fried, we did and we did good.

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Sweet and Sour Chicken
Servings: 8
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 egg
1 1/2 cups water
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
2 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and egg. Add 1 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter. Stir to blend thoroughly. Add chicken pieces, and stir until chicken is well coated.
Heat oil in skillet or wok to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fry chicken pieces in hot oil 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels.
When ready to serve, layer green peppers, pineapple chunks, and cooked chicken pieces on a platter. Pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top.

New Meal Monday: Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni

October was rough.

there were no blogs.

many days there were barely meal much less new meals.

but then came November.

and here came Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni

I've been hanging onto this recipe for a long time because it has 2 of my favorites, italian sausage and sun dried tomatoes.  I havent made it because I didnt know if I could get nick on board. This week I made it.  This week nick was 100% on board.

This week's selection: Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni
This week's verdict: 100% DELISH add it to the recipe database, and is next week too soon to have it again?
This week's maybe next time:  I don't know that perfection can be improved upon.

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Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni
Servings: 4 2-cup servings
4 cups rigatoni pasta uncooked
1 lb italian sausage, cut into chunks
1 red onion
1/4 cup tomato Paste
1/2 cup sun-dried tomato dressing (I used Kraft sun-dried tomato vinaigrette)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (I used about 1 tbsp dried)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta.  Brown sausage in large nonstick skillet.  Drain grease.  Stir in onions and tomato paste, cover.  Cook 15 minor until onions are tender and sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally.  Stir in dressing, toss sausage mixture with pasta.  Sprinkle with parsley and cheese.

october recap

so apparently I haven't posted since September and a whole month has passed by.  who knew.

I have however written several posts in my head.  they somehow just didnt make it here.

there was the one about the 1000 mile project....which I finally completed...thanks to a 70 mile bike ride in the cold rain...stupid ILieAboutTheWeather.com.  but i did successfully complete my first metric century and then some.

There was the one about camping.  and how it was glorious.  3 fantastically glorious campsite lounging, mitten kitting, bags throwing, delicious food eating, dune climbing, days.

there was the new meal monday post about the pot roast that was meh but served with YUMMY cranberry orange couscous.  (make plain cous cous as directed, substitute orange juice for water, add cranberries, walnuts and enjoy)

There was the one about spirit week and how I rocked first the baby spice, then the faculty flash mob, and then minnie mouse.  (needless to say my costume mojo was about burnt out before halloween.)

and speaking of halloween, there was the one about how i turned out on halloween dressed as an atom, nick as wolverine, and piccolo as a pumpkin. 

Instead there is just this one...the quick october recap...and the promise to try and actually bring the occasional blog to the world this next month.

New Meal Monday: Salmon with lemon-cilantro vinaigrette

last week was stretch-that-food week.

yesterday we ate soup and french fries.

today we went to the store.

tonight was new meal monday---tuesday edition.

This week's selection: Real Simple's Salmon with lemon-cilantro vinaigrette.
This week's verdict: good .... worth repeating ... nick didn't like the vinaigrette....i thought it had a delightful zing.
This week's well-maybe-next-time: couscous for one.  couscous for two is still a TON. 

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Salmon with lemon-cilantro vinaigrette
servings: 4
1 10 ounce box couscous (1 1/2 cups)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 skinless salmon filet (1 1/4 pounds), cut into 4 portions
1/2 tsp paprika
kosher salt and black peper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 scallions, thinkly sliced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

cook the couscous according to teh package directions.
meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the salmon with the paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook until opaque throughout, 3-4 minutes per side.  
In a bowl, combine the cilantro, scallions, lemon jice, remaining oi, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.  Drizzle over the salmon and couscous.  

New Meal Monday: Pot Roast and Mashed Potatoes with Peas

Nick likes to make lists.  lots of lists.  one of his lists: the what-are-we-going-to-eat-all-week list.  which is nice on the day-to-day, when the decisions are already made, but a real pain on the we-want-to-go-shopping-quick-come-up-with-7-meals-Sunday.  And so Nick has created a data base of our meals for quick choosing, and we have instituted New Meal Monday (though it seldom happens on Monday, but alteration is cool)

the premise is simple....I spend a large chuck of change on subscriptions to 3 cooking magazines, because i  like to look at the pretty recipes...and so now we use them, and pick one new meal a week to try out.  sometimes they are keepers, often they require some notes to self for future attempts, and always are an adventure.

Our first endeavors, which unfortunately we failed to document, were a hit.  There was first Apple Honey Chicken courtesy of Food Network Magazine, which was DELISH, though our dark meat selections (as suggested) were more delightful then our chicken breast portions.  Next up was Chicken Flautas, also courtesy Food Network Magazine, and also a winner...though we learned small tortillas are key.

This week's selection: Classic Pot Roast with Garlic-Thyme Gravy and Mashed Potatoes with Peas from Cuisine at Home
This week's verdict:  Pot roast is a keeper, but maybe not this recipe.  it's just not the BEST pot roast EVER and there are lots of recipes out there
This week's well-maybe-next-time: dry white wine.  meh.  how 'bout a white wine we like instead.

This week's bonus: peas left over for Jamie Oliver's Minty Mushy Peas, the perfect side to our British meal.

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Classic Pot Roast with Garlic-Thyme Gravy
Servings: 6
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 boneless cuck roasst, trimmed, sesoned with salt and pepper (3-4 lbs)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups sliced onions
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
3 large celery ribs, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat.  sear roast on all sides, 10 minutes total.  Transfer roast to a 4-6 qt slow cooker.
Stir flour into saute pan; cool 1 minute.  Add tomato paste and cool 1 minute more.
Deglaze saute pan with wine. cooking until liquid evaporates, stir in broth and Worcestershire, bring mixture to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits.
Transfer broth mixture to the slow cooker; add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.  Cover and cook until meat is fork tender, on high-heat setting for 4-5 hours or on low-heat setting 8-9 hours. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves before serving.

why i am a teacher (kinda)

a student once asked me "ok ms. becker. you went to NOTRE DAME. you graduated with a degree in CHEMISTRY. and now you want to be a TEACHER? WHY do you want to be a TEACHER?"

i looked him right in the face and replied "christmas break and summer vacation. who wouldn't want to be a teacher"

ok yes, so of course this isn't the REAL reason I became a teacher, and of course i followed my witty remark with a real answer, but right now. a week into my summer vacation it certainly seems like a pretty good reason.

by memorial day weekend my day to day work had finished...I had final exams to grade, but they hadnt been taken yet, and I had a classroom to clean up, but I can't get in there over the weekend, so I celebrated the rainy holiday weekend with a cooking extravaganza.

i made ribs, chili potatoes, and oven roasted corn for claires, nickface and I on our memorial day staycation

and then I made 130 bandit paw print cookies for my students to celebrate the completion of another successful year. (see my students are the REAL reason I am a teacher)

you had me at free beer.

when my brother started working here I'd lived here a month. and I was good at going to the pizza places that make chicago dining famous. this after all is what people want when they come to visit. when my brother lived here he ate out every night and I tagged along often on Papa Deloitte's dollar. through my brother I found my favorite breakfast place, yolk, where I am more that willing to wakw up at the crack of dawn and pay the chicago parking meters, just so I can enjoy their oversized, underpriced breakfasts, I also discovered my favorite mac and cheese at bijan's bistro.....where your cravings can be cured till 4 am. and I discovered by bimonthly hangout, rock bottom brewery.

we made the unfortunate mistake of stumbling into the RB grille the first time we frequented the establishment. delightful if you are willing to pay a premium for tablecloths and hostess seating. trip number 2 we hit up the cheaper and more delicious uncovered tables, seat yourself side of the joint and I was hooked.

the chicken waldorf salad...perhaps one of my favorite salads EVER.

add to this the addition of mug club membership - FREE card, 20 oz beers instead of pints, and PRIZES after increments of visits. ( my pint glass count it 4)

add to this more with $5 appetizers including FULL pizzas during happy hour and I am there. I am there twice a month (if not more)

the newest addition...FREE beer. - not so good the the RB crowd,,,but new to me and simply delighful - every 3rd Thursday of the month, when they tap their new seasonal brew. 2 hours of FREE beer. FREE GOOD beer. I am 100% there.

I am 100% there AND I blogged about it.

squirrels

squirrels spend the summer gathering acorns and burying them beneath the ground to munch on through the winter months. i spend my summer gathering berries and burying them in the freezer to munch on through the winter months.

first there were the blackberries. 7 heaping full gallon buckets with the help of my family.

then the blueberries. 28 pounds with the help of my migrant worker team.

amy-squirrel is quite satisfied. AND we found some treasures on our way home...our secret beach, notre dame ave in the middle of nowhere, and a new favorite michigan city dining establishment.

what's in your freezer?

after 50 pounds of blackberries and 28 pounds of blueberries I think I'm ready for the winter.

blackberries!

for me the summer means fruit.

yes it also means no school, lots of bike rides, beach times, reading time, craft times, but most importantly it means fruit.

smoothies for breakfast, fresh fruit for lunch, fresh fruit for snacks, with yogurt and granola, on oatmeal in the morning, atop my salad, basically: fruit get in my BELLY!

so when the flyer for a market I'd never heard of crosses my path and they have blackberries on sail for $0.99 as opposed to the $3.49 my normal store was advertising...all I have to say is blackberries? YES PLEASE!

so I ventured to this unknown store....and bought 12. considered 20 but bought 12. 4 1/2 pounds of delicious blackberries for $11.88. I left a few out to be enjoyed in their freshness, and froze the rest to be enjoyed as the moment comes.

drool much?

I get on kicks...remember sewing kick not all that long ago....now I feel a baking kick coming on....nick brought me back an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie......and it was delicious and made me want to bake oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

so I went on a search.

I came across picky cook.

and want to make these

and these

and these

and that was just in the dessert section...

please enjoy my st. patrick's day wishes

and admire my green velvet cake (think red velvet but green) cupcakes.

the batter...it reminds me of the chicago river (pics to come tomorrow!)

The baked, but unfrosted cupcakes....

and the finished product....

baking extravaganza day 1

the baking list grew longer this year...and some christmas shopping still needed to be done. so extravaganza will be lasting two days this year. here are the moments of day one.

all the happy helpers

even the cookies are smiling

sugar cookies

dad tries to eat a cookie

and he cleans up the mess afterwards so he can eat more

baked today:

mexican wedding cakes/russian tea cakes

sugar cookies

ginger bread boys and girls

molasses cookies

peppermint chocolate meringues

chocolate fudge

triple chocolate chip cookies

oatmeal raisin walnut cookies

spritz

still awaiting tomorrow:

more fudge

chex mix

raspberry pinwheels

buckeyes

chocolate covered pretzels

that is if my minions don't start a revolt.

day 2 and all the finished products tomorrow!

16 signs christmas is coming

other people have been b-logging about christmas for days. I will provide you with a condensed version of my christmas cheer with 16 signs that christmas is coming. why 16? you ask. because that's how many pictures I have of christmas that doesnt ruin any christmas surprises.

1. we run around in the cold looking at lights and taking fantastic pictures incorporating ourselves into the shot. I piiiinch!!

2. when you participate in (or just cheer at) various athletic events they give your reindeer antlers! go rudolph rumble!

3. there are wreaths just asking for your picture to be taken with all over the city.

4. snowmen moon you at lighting parades

5. nick turns into a burly mountain man

6. we get up early in the morning so that little bear has time to write her letter to santa before we go to work.

7. I make a penguin cake

8. I steal music from church that is needed for flute wars. thank you camera and chruch hymnal

9. stocking extravaganza for my homeroom and advisory

10. I create assignments that require my students to bake cookies and bring them in for my enjoyment.

11. I eat, drink, and sleep with matching penguin attire thanks to my penguin fleece pants, pillow, mug and plate.

12. our Christmas tree gets turned into a homage to disney characters despite our best efforts. this is what happens when you have received at least one mickey mouse for the past 25 years and your sister at least one winnie the poor for the last 20 (and just about every other disney ornament for a period of several years

13. I make christmas baking extravaganza list. game faces and aprons on. (this is also the time of year when family and friends unfortunate enough to stumble upon my house become indentured servants)

14. the soldering iron comes out to fix broken light strands.

15. all the clothing I pack to come home is red or green. (and I have been wearing christmas socks for WEEKS)

16. I actually have time to write this blog