Thursday, September 26, 2013

18 minute Parmesan Chicken!





 Can you believe how good this looks?  It is not fried or baked and it doesn't take an hour to cook!  This is one of my all time favorite chicken recipes.  When I was a young mom and just starting to raise my family, I would cut out recipes from the daily newspaper that looked interesting.  Chicken was inexpensive and so made a good meal on a budget.  This recipe came out just when I got my first microwave (that really dates me huh?, but I am still very young at heart!).   It came with regular oven instructions but I worked with it until I could make it even better and much faster in the microwave.  It is DELICIOUS!  I hope it helps you to pull this out on a busy night when you need a fast but filling home cooked meal!  (See my next post  for part 2 of What Do Your Kids Really Want for Dinner?)  This recipe can help you with that!!


18 Minute Parmesan Chicken

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese (bottled, powdered kind)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 1/2 lbs. Chicken pieces (I use 4 legs and 4 thighs)
1 egg slightly beaten
1 Tablespoon milk
2 Tablespoons to 4 Tablespoons margarine or butter (melted)

In a medium bowl, mix first 5 ingredients together.
I use a flat bottomed bowl so it is easier to roll the chicken pieces in the coating.  In a second medium bowl, mix the egg and milk and using a wisk or a fork beat until it is well combined.
Dip chicken first into the egg mixture and then roll in the flour mixture.
Set chicken pieces in a glass or other microwave safe baking dish. 
My oven will fit a 13 x 9 pan so this is what I usually use.  This is a smaller version in the picture.  When the chicken is coated, drizzle the melted butter over it until all pieces have a small amount on them.  Cover the pan with wax paper and microwave for about 18 minutes on high.


 ***This time will vary greatly with the amount of chicken baked.  If pieces are overly large, increase the time.  If you cut down to say, 4 small pieces, cut the time down to 13 minutes and cut a piece open to check for clear juice in the center of the piece.  Cook longer if needed and check often!  This recipe was used with 8 medium pieces of chicken and a turntable microwave with 1250 watts.  


This recipe was shared on these great blogs!
Made in a day 
The Country Cook 
Mommifried 
my personal accent 
Anyonita's Nibbles 
Four Seasons Blog Hop Party 
The sits girls
The wondering brain
18 Minute Parmesan Chicken

by Scrumptilicious 4 You!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Keywords: entree chicken
Ingredients (8 pieces)
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese (bottled, powdered kind)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • 2 1/2 lbs. Chicken pieces (I use 4 legs and 4 thighs)
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon milk
  • 2 Tablespoons to 4 Tablespoons margarine or butter (melted)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix first 5 ingredients together.
In a second medium bowl, mix the egg and milk and using a whisk or a fork beat until it is well combined.
Dip chicken first into the egg mixture and then roll in the flour mixture.
Set chicken pieces in a glass or other microwave safe baking dish.
My oven will fit a 13 x 9 pan so this is what I usually use. This is a smaller version in the picture.
When the chicken is coated, drizzle the melted butter over it until all pieces have a small amount on them.
Cover the pan with wax paper and microwave for about 18 minutes on high.
***This time will vary greatly with the amount of chicken baked. If pieces are overly large, increase the time. If you cut down to say, 4 small pieces, cut the time down to 13 minutes and cut a piece open to check for clear juice in the center of the piece. Cook longer if needed and check often! This recipe was used with 8 medium pieces of chicken and a turntable microwave with 1250 watts
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Monday, September 9, 2013

Family Time part 1: What do your kids really want for dinner?

    
 Last winter I was fortunate to be able to attend the 2013 Build Your Own Blog Conference put on by Six Sisters. It was held near my home in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I loved meeting so many new bloggers and it was super to see many very successful bloggers in person too.  One of the highlights of the day however, was hearing the keynote speaker,Brooke Walker from Channel 5's daytime lifestyle show, Studio 5.  I loved her talk!!! She challenged us to find a focus for our blogging, to figure out why we blog and share that focus with our readers.  That got me thinking about why I spend so many hours posting about cooking.  Obviously, I love creating and learning to cook new recipes but on a bigger scale,  I see a great need to get people excited about spending more time at home together especially at the dinner table.  

     Some of my favorite memories growing up are from when we were all seated around the table.  We always ate dinner together and that was basically the time we got to know each other and what we did with our day. My dad had a great sense of humor and very definite ideas on how you eat.  He wouldn't eat until his plate was dished up and totally picture perfect with seasonings and it was just so.  His motto was "Always leave the table a little bit hungry."  He said it and he did it and never had a weight problem through his life.  

     Good memories.  Some people are doing so many, many things in their life that they have forgotten how important these times are to spend with their families.  Even if there is just 2 of you.  It's quality time and it's important!

    
     So to help you along the path to more family time at dinner time, I have come up with this--

 Top Twelve List

Reasons To Eat Family Meals Together!

12.  Supper can be a stress reliever! ( See CNN Living, Sarah Klein here).

11.  You can lower your intake of processed foods. (See Deseret News Taking 
      back Family Dinner here). 

10.  Kids might learn to eat their veggies. (See CNN Living,
      Sarah Klein, here).

9.   Kids might learn to like a bigger variety of healthy foods!
      (See CNN Living, Sarah Klein, here).

8.   You control the portions.  
      See CNN Living, Sarah Klein,here). 

7.   Saves you money!  Studies found that when families eat out
      they spend an average of $8.oo per person.  Home meals 
      averaged at $4.50 per person. (See CNN Living, Sarah Klein,
      here).  I personally think home meals are much less than that!

6.   "Family Dinner can act as an intervention with children
       who are feeling down or depressed." (See CNN Living, Sarah  
      Klein, here),    

5.   Children get better grades and the conversation builds their
      vocabulary.  (See CNN Living, Sarah Klein,here).

4.  Dietary Problems such as obesity,over eating,lack of key 
      nutrients in diet. (see Newsobserver.com, here).

3.     Children may have fewer emotional and behavioral problems and     
      greater emotional well being.  (see USA Today, Sharon Jayson here).

2.   It gives parents time with their children and each other to set clear
      goals, set boundaries and talk and have a good time together. 
     (See Deseret News, Taking Back Family Dinner,here).

1.  "When Children have dinner with their families at least 5 to 7 times a 
      week they are 33% less likely to use alcohol or drugs." (See Deseret News,
     Taking Back Family Dinner, here).

  Wow! What a list. The articles linked to each reason are really very good so visit them if you can.  

     I hope that if you eat most of your family meals at home that this will make you feel very good.  I hope that if you haven't been taking time for this very important meal at home that you might be persuaded to rethink your time and make it a priority.  To help you out I have prepared a list of ideas to help simplify the tasks involved.  Watch for that next time! 

But just for now, What keeps you from eating at home at a regular time and what tips do you have for making time for dinner?

 Thanks for listening!  

This was shared on these great sites!
Mommifried 
The Country Cook 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Bannana Pie Pudding

Don't let this elegant and delicious dessert fool you into thinking it takes a lot of time and effort to make.  When my friend and co-worker, Kathy brought it to work it we all thought we had died and gone to heaven. It is so creamy and smooth you can't believe it.  If you like banana pie you will love this!  Thanks for sharing Kathy!

Banana Pie Pudding

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 (5.1 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding
1 pint whipping cream
3 medium bananas 
36 (about) vanilla wafers

Whip the cream and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk, water and vanilla pudding. Chill for 5 minutes in the fridge.  Stir pudding mixture and gently fold in the whipped cream.
In another large serving bowl begin 1st layer with 1/3 of the cookies, 1/3 bananas, then 1/3 pudding.  Continue with 2 more layers until all ingredients are used.  Garnish with crushed cookie crumbs and chill until served.   


Hope you love it!
This recipe was shared on these great sites!
Chef In Training
 Naptime Creations
A to Zebra Celebrations 
The Shady Porch 
Anyonita Nibbles
The NY Melrose Family
The Country Cook 
The Wondering Brain