Fried Chicken and Gravy

Last night, other than the green beans, we had a meal of Pinterest recipes.  I have plenty to share this week, just from one meal!  (When I have time, that is...my school year is wrapping up and it is a bit crazy busy around here)

Anyway,  I have made fried chicken before but when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I was eager to try it.  I mean, gravy too?  That is just icing on the cake.  Or gravy on the chicken.

I followed the recipe fairly closely but next time I make this (and there WILL be a next time), I will make some minor changes.

Chicken Ingredients:
Chicken breasts or tenderloins (I used a couple pounds of tenderloins)

3 cups of flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed into little tiny pieces

1 Tbsp bacon fat (I have started saving bacon fat from when I "bake" bacon and freezing it...came in handy!)

Vegetable or canola oil (as needed)

Chicken Directions:
If possible, "brine" the chicken by placing it in a large ziplock bag filled with water and salt.  Keep in the fridge for a few hours.

Drain the chicken, then pound it with a mallet to make it thinner.  

Meanwhile, heat the bacon fat and the oil (I just did poured oil until the skillet had at least an inch in it) into the skillet.  Heat on medium heat.

Mix the flour and cracker crumbs together in a bowl.  Salt and pepper to taste. (The original recipe suggested 2 cups of flour with salt/pepper in one bowl, and then 1 cup of flour mixed with the cracker crumbs in another for a second dip. Honestly, in the future, I would just dip once (one bowl with 2 cups of flour and 1 sleeve of crushed cracker crumbs).    Saves on dirtying up the dishes. :)

Dip the chicken into the flour mixture(s).

Add to the skillet (when hot), making sure not to crowd them.

Heat/cook on one side until golden brown, then flip it.

When it has cooked through, remove from oil (and then add another).  We put a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet and let them sit on the cooling rack (covered by aluminum foil to keep warm).

Gravy Ingredients:
1/4 cup pan drippings (from frying chicken)

1/4 cup flour (you can use 1/4 cup reserved flour from the chicken but I just got a new 1/4 cup flour)

1 1/2 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste
 
Gravy Directions:
Remove about 1/4 cup of pan drippings from the skillet.  Heat in a saucepan or another skillet (or you can do the same one but I did it in a saucepan so my gravy would be ready when my chicken was) over low or low/medium heat.

Add in 1/4 cup flour.  Stir frequently until nice and smooth.

Slowly add the milk.

Continue to stir as it thickens.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat until heated through.

Serve over chicken and/or mashed potatoes.

YUM!

Buttermilk Pancakes

The last time I made these, I thought, "I need to post this recipe..."

But part of me thought, "For pancakes?"

I have a confession.

Ready?

I have always made pancakes from a mix.  Like a box mix.  Sometimes I use the ones you add water to, other times I actually add the eggs and oil.

But recently I have been trying to do more "home cooking".  So I have been searching for just the right recipe.

I have tried one or two that were so so.

Then I decided to try this one. 

I will admit: It is labeled as an IHOP copycat recipe. I am sure I have eaten at an IHOP.  I think.  Maybe once or twice a LONG time ago?  Not in any recent memory.  So I can't really compare.


But that isn't what inspired me to try it.

It was the picture, the easy recipe, the basic ingredients.

So I made them.

And they worked for me.

Tonight (breakfast for dinner) we had them again.

And I still liked them.

Which means NOW it is time to post the recipe.

By the way, this recipe feeds all 6 of us with just a few left over.  (Which I freeze...they warm up nicely)  If you want a smaller serving, check out the original recipe.

Ingredients:
3 3/4 cups of flour (I actually rounded up slightly. I used 2 cups of all purpose and 2 cups of white whole wheat flour)

3 tsp baking powder

3tsp baking soda

pinch of salt (or two or three :)

3 eggs, beaten

3 3/4 cup buttermilk (Note: If you don't have buttermilk, you can use regular milk and add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar for each cup of milk; let it sit for 5-10 minutes)

6 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Stir together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt).

Mix the eggs and buttermilk.

Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredient mixture.

Add the sugar and butter.

Stir until just mixed.

Fry on a greased griddle.  (I used my electric griddle set on 375 degrees F.

We butter them as soon as they come off the griddle.

Enjoy!

(PS Can be frozen; I would separate with wax paper or parchment paper or they will stick together)

Cheese Bread

I really wish I had a better picture than this.

I will make it again soon and hopefully will get a better one.

We were behind schedule for dinner so I had to just point and click.  Quickly.

Anyway, tonight we had the Grilled Shrimp Boil Kabobs.  Well, some shrimp. I made some without. 

Anyway, I was trying to decide what kind of bread to have, and a picture from Pinterest flashed through my mind.  Cheese bread.  You know, like the kind you get at a certain seafood restaurant? 

What I really liked about the recipe was that it makes one load, not biscuits.  That means easier for me which I am all about. :)

And it was good.

Or at least I thought it was. 

Took a good deal of willpower to not eat several slices.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour (I used all purpose)

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I omitted that)

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper (I just added some ground black peppercorn...didn't measure)

4 oz cheddar cheese, cut into little cubes (I used sharp)

1 1/4 cups milk

3/4 cups sour cream

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Grease/spray a 9 x 5 bread pan.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. 

Add the cheese so it is coated with the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, sour cream, butter, and egg.  Once mixed, pour into the flour mixture and stir until just mixed.  Do not overstir.

Spoon/pour the mixture into the bread pan.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.  After about 10 minutes, remove the loaf from the pan on a cooling rack.  Wait an hour or so to cut (unless you are in a hurry like me, then you just cut it as soon as it has cooled just a bit because it is time to eat). 

Then enjoy.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Pineapple Fluff

Not long ago, my Sunday School class had a little potluck after church.

One of my friends told us she would be bringing "Pineapple Fluff". 

I have to admit.

I am not normally a big fruit eater...in desserts. I like fruits alone. Just not in desserts. Usually it isn't a dessert to me unless chocolate is involved.

But I decided to take one little taste (to be polite).

But one taste turned to another and another and another.

I wanted to eat the whole pan!

Well, not the pan, but the contents of the pan.

Oh yum.

I begged for the recipe.  Okay, I really asked but begged sounds so much more dramatic.

And my friend shared the one she used.  She had gotten it from Pinterest. 

So I have made it.  Twice.  In like a week and a half.

Not for me...always for someone else.

Though I wish it were for me sometimes.

Or all of the time.

So here is the recipe. 

Ingredients for the "fluff":
1 box cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 20oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1 container Cool Whip

Directions:
Cream the cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy.

Add in the pineapple and Cool Whip and mix together (I used my electric mixer).

Chill until ready to serve.

Ingredients for the "crunch":
1 cup coarsely chopped pretzels (I just put some in a ziplock bag and hammered away with my meat tenderizer tool.
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
Mix pretzels, butter, and sugar together.  (I just used a spoon/spatula)

Spread into a 13x9 dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Press the pretzel mixture into the dish.

Bake at 400 for 7 minutes.

Once it has cooled, break apart and toss into the "fluff".

Note:  I do this part as last minute as possible to keep it crunchy as long as possible.

Enjoy!

Reba

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

You may remember that I love pumpkin.  Especially pumpkin muffins. I used to make them all of the time.  A cake mix, a bag of cinnamon chips, a can of pumpkin.

That was it.

Except those cinnamon chips...they have dyes in them.  Evil dyes (at least for one of my kids).

And the cake mix? Full of preservatives/artificials...which we also cannot have.

So my pumpkin muffin baking days came to an end.

However, I find myself STILL craving some pumpkin muffins.

So not long ago I did a recipe search.

And I happened upon this.

So a couple nights ago, I decided to just make them.  (I baked them at night since they would take a while.  I have been keeping them in the fridge, and we heat them in the microwave as needed)

And they are rather tasty.

Not as easy or as simple as the ones I used to make, but that hasn't stopped me from eating them.  I mean, these have a crumb coating. You can't go wrong with that!

Ingredients:
Filling
8 oz cream cheese block (softened)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Note-While the cream cheese definitely adds to this muffin, next time I will probably halve all of these ingredients so not have quite so much cream cheese involved.

Muffins
2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar (granulated)

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I didn't have any and left it out...it was fine without it)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin (I just used one regular size can)

3 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

3 tbsp butter (melted)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Filling-  Combine the cream cheese fillings in a bowl and beat (I used my little hand mixer) until smooth.  Place on a large sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a "log".  Place in the freezer for about an hour. 

Topping:  Just before removing the cream cheese from the freezer, put the topping ingredients in a bowl.  Use a fork to mix it.  It will form little clumps.  Resist just sitting and eating the topping...good stuff.

Muffins:  Preheat oven to 350.  Line muffin tin with liners.  This recipe easily makes 16.

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices/salt) in a large bowl.  Stir together.

In another bowl, combine "wet" ingredients (pumpkin, eggs, oil, vanilla).

Make a "well" in the middle of the dry ingredients.  Pour "wet" ingredients into the hole.  Stir all ingredients together until mixed.  Do NOT over mix.

Add about 2 Tbsp of muffin batter to each muffin liner. 

Slice the cream cheese log into 16 equal size pieces.  Like I said, I think next time I will half that...it is a lot of cream cheese :).  Place a cream cheese "slice" in the middle of each muffin liner.

Top the cream cheese with remaining muffin batter.

Sprinkle the topping on top, pressing it down to ensure it sticks.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

A Month of Menus

How did I get behind posting the menus for a whole month?

I know your life has been incomplete just waiting for me to do so.

Don't let me disappoint. :)

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Week of April 7

Sunday: Taco pasta bake

Monday:  Pancakes/bacon

Tuesday:  Chicken tetrazzini, cheesy garlic breadsticks, salad

Wednesday:  OYO (on your own)

Thursday:   Korean beef, honey rolls, carrots, basmati rice

Friday:  Pork chops in gravy with potatoes, carrots, leftover rolls (I am pretty sure we had something different since we ended up having this the next week but I can't remember what we did have...)

Saturday:  Popcorn/shaved ice (I don't think we really had that but I cannot remember what we had!)

Week of April 14

Sunday: Tacos, salsa, chips, refried beans

Monday:  Pork Chops in Gravy with Potatoes

Tuesday:  Steaks, hashbrown potatoes, cheesy garlic breadsticks

Wednesday:  OYO

Thursday:   Pepperoni rolls

Friday:  Swai, angel hair pasta, carrots, Rhodes loaf

Saturday:  Hot dogs/hamburgers, cole slaw, nachos, dessert- birthday cake with buttercream frosting...yum!

 Week of April 21

Sunday: Taco Pasta Bake

Monday:  Waffles, bacon

Tuesday: Fried rice ( with chicken, bacon, shrimp), cheese stuffed rolls

Wednesday:  OYO           

Thursday:   Roasted chicken, carrots/Ranch, Rhodes loaf, new potatoes with white sauce,

Friday:  OYO          

Saturday:  Pizza (herbed crust, one "meaty", one 4 cheese)

Week of April 28

Sunday:  Church lunch

Monday: OYO

Tuesday: Hamburger gravy over biscuits, hashbrowns, fruit

Wednesday:  Chicken spaghetti, cheese bread (new recipe), carrots/Ranch

Thursday:  Baked potato soup, French bread/dipping oil

Friday:  Shakes and Popcorn

Saturday:  Not sure yet. :)

I am sure you are breathing a sigh of relief now.  

I am.

I am caught up. :)

Reba

Roasted Chicken Thighs

I saw this recipe on Pinterest not long ago and thought it looked fairly easy and very good.  I actually bought the chicken a few weeks ago to make it then our menu got mixed up so I stuck them in the freezer.

Until yesterday.

I pulled them out and let them defrost in the fridge (then in the microwave for a little while). 

I didn't get to "marinate" as long as I should have (which is what happens when you forget to read over a new recipe the night before), but it worked.

And it was simple.

And good.

My picky eater walked through and actually jumped for joy seeing the chicken.  "That is REAL chicken, Mama!"  I guess the fact that there was even skin made it more real?

:)

Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs (bones/skin included)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 lemon juiced (or about 1/4 a cup of lemon juice)

Salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp grainy mustard (I used "spicy mustard")

2-4 tbsp honey

Directions:  

Pour the olive oil and lemon juice over the chicken.  (I used a ziplock)  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven at 375 for about 25 minutes (or a little longer if you didn't defrost in time :) with the skin down.

After 25 minutes, flip chicken over and return to oven for about 10 more minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the mustard/honey.  I used about 2 Tbsp mustard and 4 Tbsp honey.  

Remove from oven and brush the mustard/honey on top of the chicken.

Broil for about 5 more minutes.

Enjoy!

We ate ours with potatoes with white sauce, carrots/Ranch, and a Rhodes bread loaf.

It was enjoyed by all.

I will be making this again.  (And next time, I will "marinate" it a little longer...)

Reba