Chik-Fil-A Nuggets

So, we are in the process of moving. My husband is already in the city we are moving to. With him not here I find myself trying many new recipe's. So, here is my newest one ( that was good anyways). Having kids we all know they love chicken nuggets and living where there is no Chik-Fil-A I saw this recipe and had to try it!! Now I don't go to Chik-Fil-A but, once or twice a year so, I can't say this was exact. My kids loved them and I thought they were pretty good too!!

Homemade Chik-fil-A Nuggets

(Recipe from A Zesty Bite)

Ingredients:
1 lg egg
1 cup milk

1/4 cup Pickle Juice (I used dill)------- I know sounds weird but you couldn't even taste it!!!
1 lb. skinless and boneless chicken breasts
1-1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
canola oil for frying

Preparation:
In a large bowl whisk milk and egg, pickle Juice together
Place chicken on counter and cut into cubed bite size pieces; trim any fat that you may see
Put the chicken in the milk mixture and mix so that all is coated and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
In another large bowl combine the dry ingredients listed above and stir
In cast iron pot or sauce pan pour in oil so that its at least an inch deep on med/high heat
Remove the chicken from refrigerator and place about 8 pieces in milk mixture and then into the flour mixture
Make sure all the chicken is coated with the flour and then place into the hot oil
Cook each side for at least 2-3 minutes or until golden brown (You want to make sure that chicken is no longer pink so you can cut one piece to test it out)
Place the chicken on some paper towels to soak up any oil
Repeat the same steps with the rest of the chicken and serve

Potato Cheese Soup

Okay, so I stole this picture online somewhere. So, I would like to thank that random person for a beautiful picture of Potato Cheese Soup. This is one of our families favorites on a nice cold day in Vegas. Okay, our cold isn't as cold as most of everyone else but, you get the point. It is pretty easy to make and if we have any leftover I just freeze it and pull it out on another random cold night :)

What you need:
3 quarts of water                                       1quart Half and Half
12 Chicken Bouillon Cubes                        2 Cubes melted Butter
1 Tbl Parsley flake                                     1/2 cup Flour
1 Tbl Minced Onion                                   1-2 cups Cheese
1-2 Carrots (Shredded)
  

Add bouillon cubes in 3 quarts of water. Let the cubes dissolve and bring water to a boil. Then add the potatoes to the water (I like a lot of potatoes usually I put 8) also add the mined onion.Cook until potatoes are tender with fork. Then add the Parsley Flakes, Shredded Carrots, and Half and Half. Again, bring to boil. While that is coming to a boil melt 2 cubes of butter (1cup) and add 1/2 off cup flour to the butter. Add the mixture to the soup and stir it in. The soup will then begin to thicken (about 10 mins or so) Then remove soup from heat and add the cheese. (I usually add the 2 cups) It will melt all on its own. Couple more quick stirs and it's ready. We sprinkle a little extra cheese on top, my husband might add a little bacon to his, or we even put it in a bread bowl once and awhile!! (Jaci)

BBQ Chicken Pizza

     My daughter, Jamie, makes the best bread sticks ever!  Sometimes she makes cheese bread sticks.  Sometimes she makes herbed bread sticks.  Nobody makes bread sticks like Jamie's bread sticks.  When we get together as a family (and there are a lot of us), she can't make enough cheese bread sticks to satisfy everyone.  One year for Christmas, she sent me the dry ingredients for her herbed bread sticks.  What a clever and delicious idea.  (Her's are better than mine were, but that wasn't her fault.)
    But this recipe isn't about bread sticks--it's about BBQ Chicken Pizza, also Jamie's recipe.  The crust is made from her bread sticks recipe.  It will make two round pizzas.  The directions are for a bread maker, but you can mix and knead by hand, as well.  So get ready to get a little flour on your apron.  (Terry)

BREAD STICKS
Mix and then let sit 10 minutes in a bread maker:  2 C warm water, 2 TB yeast, 1/4 C sugar.
Add:  2 TB oil (optional), 2 tp salt, 4 C flour.  Mix in bread maker for 10 minutes.  Roll or pat out onto cookie sheet or baking stone.  Sprinkle with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  Cut into strips.  Or could put shredded cheddar cheese on top before baking.  Or you can pat the dough out for pizza at this point.
NOTE:  This is how I have adapted Jamie's recipe for pizza.  Place dough in refrigerator overnight.  When ready to make pizza, take out of fridge, divide dough in half, and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Dough will now pat out onto your round pizza pan or baking stone without being so elastic that it keeps bouncing back.  But I have also made pizza without putting it in the refrigerator overnight.  Either methods makes great tasting pizza.

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA
Cook in frying pan until chicken is no longer pink:  1/4 C BBQ sauce, 1 chicken breast, cut into small pieces.
Spread additional BBQ sauce over pizza dough as you would pizza sauce.  Top with a small amount of Mozzarella cheese.  (This will help anchor the toppings.)
Put on toppings:  chicken, red onion, cashews, pineapple tidbits, green pepper slices, etc.
Top with Mozzarella cheese and bake at 350.

Artichoke Chicken

The toughest thing about this recipe--is trying to remember to take the chicken out of the freezer ahead of time.  I just put a pan of Artichoke Chicken in the oven, and I'll bet it took less than 10 minutes to get it oven ready.  Five ingredient.  That's my kind of cooking.  (Terry)

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN
1 can (14 oz) water-packed artichoke hearts, well drained and chopped
3/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 C mayonnaise
Dash of garlic powder (or so)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
In a bowl combine artichokes, cheese, mayonnaise, and garlic powder.  Place chicken in a greased 11x7" baking dish.  Spread with artichoke mixture.  Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.  Yield:  4 servings.
NOTE:  I cut chicken breasts into 3 pieces before placing in baking dish.

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

This has got to be one of my all-time favorite salad recipes.  In fact, I've decided "it's what's for dinner tonight."  I can get boneless, skinless chicken breasts at our local grocery store for $1.88 per pound--today only.  As soon as I post this, I am heading to the store.  Chicken cooked in BBQ suace is so good.  (Really like it on homemade pizza.)  The combination of the BBQ sauce and the ranch flavor is a perfect blend of sweet and savory.  And then top it off with feta cheese.  Love that stuff.  (Not quite as much as cream cheese, but it's in the running.)  Quick.  Easy.  Add some bread and a hot veggie and you' ve got dinner on the table.  Meet you in the meat department in a couple.  (Terry)
 

BBQ RANCH CHICKEN SALAD

1# boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (about 2 breasts)  NOTE:  I only use about half the amount of chicken called for

½ C BBQ sauce

1 pkg (10 oz) salad greens

1 large tomato, cut into wedges

½ C sliced red onion

½ C ranch dressing

¼ C feta

Cook and stir chicken in BBQ sauce in large skillet on medium-high heat 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Add additional BBQ sauce, if desired.

Toss greens, tomato, and onion in large bowl.  Top with chicken.  Pour dressing over greens mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Makes 6 servings.

Cream Cheese Filled Chicken

I just found this recipe on pinterest the other day.  I have tried so many recipe's from there and it's total failure.This is one of the reasons I thought the blog would be nice so, we can weed out the bad ones. Well, with the hubby working I thought the kids could be my guinea pig's tonight on a new recipe for dinner and it was total success. (Jaci)

 

What you need:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 ounces softened cream cheese

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 tablespoon of onion, minced

2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup flour

1/2 teapoon garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

Pre-heat oven to 350. Place chicken breasts between sheets of wax paper. Use a rolling pin, flatten to around 1/4 inch thick.In a bowl, beat cream cheese, parsley, onion, garlic salt and pepper and lemon juice until blended. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture on each piece of chicken. Roll chicken. Coat rolls with flour, dip in egg mixture, then roll in corn flakes. Drizzle some olive oil in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat. Make sure to brown on all sides. Place chicken rolls in a baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear.

Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

Okay, I have not been the best recipe blogger lately and I would like to thank Aunt Terry for keeping this going. I love it!! I just can't wait to see what she posts. I do have two recipe's that call for more cream cheese, and am I the only one who wants to know where all Aunt Terry's cream cheese is stored and what the heck other gems is she hiding with the cream cheese :) So, cream cheese recipe it is.

Cheesecake Thumbprints (Adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook)

For the cheesecake filling

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

For the cookie dough

16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour

To prepare cheesecake filling

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and salt until smooth. Mix in egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla - cover and place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare the cookie dough

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and salt until creamy and combined. Mix in egg yolk until incorporated. Gradually add flour and mix just until combined.

Scoop out level tablespoons worth of the dough and roll into balls. Place balls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the handle end of a thick wooden spoon, lightly dipped in flour, make an indentation in the center of each ball.

Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully use your thumb (or the end of the same wooden spoon) to press the middle of the cookies back down, remaking the indentations. Place cookies back into the oven, rotating them from their original position, and continue to bake until slightly golden around the edges, about 7 minutes.

Remove cookies from the oven and fill the indentations with the cheesecake filling using a teaspoon. Place back into the oven and bake for 7 more minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cook completely. When cool, place cookies into the refrigerator to chill before serving.

Makes about 30 cookies.


I think next time I make these I might roll them in sugar before I back them, and they are much better the next day cold straight from the fridge- who knew cold cookies tasted so good :)  (Jaci)