Everything Seasoned CHICKEN TENDERS

Chicken tenders are pretty much a staple food when we go out to eat. With chicken tenders your can’t go wrong because they are always delicious! We often make chicken at home but when it comes to recreating those restaurant-style tenders it is not easy to do unless you want to use a lot of oil to cook them in.

Ingredients
24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1¼ cup panko crumbs
⅓ cup flour
2 eggs
⅓ cup buttermilk
5 Tbs everything but the bagel seasoning (Trader Joe's)


Instructions

• Add cooking spray to the bottom of the frying pan and warm over medium heat, add the panko crumbs, stir occasionally for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the crumbs are a nice brown toasted color. Place crumbs on a flat plate.
• Preheat oven to 400F
• Cut the chicken into strips
• Mix the flour with 1 Tbs of the seasoning and put on a flat plate.
• Whisk the eggs with milk and place in a bowl big enough for dipping the chicken pieces in.
• Add remaining 4 Tbs of the seasoning to the toasted panko
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Dip each chicken piece into the flour, then the egg mixture and finish off with the panko mixture. Place on the baking tray, repeat with all cut chicken strips.
• Bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes. Makes approximately 5- 5oz servings
• Store any leftovers in the fridge, these chicken tenders will freeze well.

Tupps Tibits: When browning the bread crumbs, watch your temperate of the pan and make sure to stir "frequently" to avoid burning! We adjusted the recipe and used skim milk in place of buttermilk.

We were determined to try our best to make them crispy and tasty, these everything seasoned chicken tenders are good!  We enjoy adding Trader Joe's seasoning to dishes.  It consists of sesame seeds, sea salt flakes, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds. You can just add these simple spices yourself. As you see in the picture, we made homemade crinkle fries too! This made an awesome, quick week night meal. KEEPER RECIPE at our house!

Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno

We love Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno. This is a copycat recipe using marinara, alfredo, mozzarella, fontina, romano & parmesan cheese and baked with a panko bread crumb topping.

There is little doubt that COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every aspect of your/our lives. Please observe public health measures and reduce exposure to the virus to slow the spread of the disease. 

Healthy eating is especially important for keeping your immune system in top condition. Our blog offers many easy meal ideas!

Pasta:
1 pound ziti pasta
4 cups marinara sauce
2 cups alfredo sauce
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Fontina Cheese shredded

Topping:

2 cups mozzarella Cheese shredded

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup romano cheese grated

1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated

2 cloves garlic minced

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees
2. Cook the pasta one minute shy of the directions and drain.
3. In a large bowl add the pasta, marinara sauce, alfredo sauce, ricotta cheese and fontina cheese and mix.
4. Pour in to a 9x13 pan
5. Mix the mozzarella, panko, romano, parmesan and garlic together, add this over the pasta
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes uncovered until golden brown and bubbly.

Tupps Tidbits: you can use low fat cottage cheese in place of ricotta cheese

Just put a salad together & fresh garlic breadsticks and enjoy an Olive Garden meal at home, safe and healthier!  This recipe is definitely A KEEPER at our house.  It heated up great for lunch leftovers!

Cheesy Rosemary and Pecan Snack Mix

Need a new 2021 football snack this year? With the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications hanging over games, will there be a 2021 Super Bowl?  Either way, on game day, plan to try this!

3 cup pecan halves
2 cup oyster crackers
2 cup square white cheddar cheese crackers
1 ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cloves minced garlic
½ cup melted butter

In a large bowl, combine pecan halves, oyster crackers, cheddar cheese crackers, Parmesan, pumpkin seeds, brown sugar, rosemary, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Drizzle in melted butter; stir gently to coat. Spread on a large, foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. 

Bake at 300° for 15 minutes; toss, then bake 15 minutes more. 

Let cool, then store in an airtight container. 

Tupps Tidbits:  Make sure to toss or stir frequently, the parmesan cheese will stick to the pan!

Don't discard your mom's original Chex/party mix for this one. It was OK - but probably would not make it again. If you are looking for something new, give it a try but this recipe is NOT A KEEPER at our house!

Effortless Eggnog

This is a wonderful holiday beverage brings back memories of the old-fashioned eggnog.

Eggnog, egg nog or egg-nog, historically also known as milk punch or egg milk punch, is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based beverage. 

It is traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, whipped egg whites, and egg yolks but check out this "Effortless" idea below:

1/2 gallon cold milk, divided

1 package (3.4 ounces) Instant French vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

In a large bowl, whisk 3/4 cup milk and pudding mix until smooth.

Whisk in the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. 

Stir in the remaining milk.  Refrigerate until serving.

Tupps Tidbits:  Add  some, rum, brandy or bourbon. 

The higher alcohol level will cut through the sweetness of the rest of the ingredients.

It was Christmas Eve, friends were all in town & singing Christmas songs.  As the snow was falling down & I don't know for certain, how it happened, or who's to blame. But someone at the party...Tell me who, who spiked the eggnog?

DEFINATELY A KEEPER RECIPE!
Merry Christmas to all & to all a GOOD NIGHT!🎄 

Honey-Oat Pan Rolls

We really enjoyed these for Thanksgiving!

The  rolls are relatively quick to make. 

Whole wheat flour and oats make them nutritious, too.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
2 pkg. ( 1/4 oz. each) active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey
5 Tbs. Butter, divided
1 large egg, room temperature

1. In large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, and the whole wheat flour, oats, yeast and salt. In small sauce pan, heat the water, honey and 4 Tbs. butter, add to dry ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes . Add egg, beat on high for 2 minutes.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough, dough will be sticky.
   
2. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic about 6-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, divide and shape into 24 balls. Place in greased 13 x 9 in pan. Cover with kitchen towel, let rise in a warm placeh, until doubled, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375.  Bake 20-22minutes or until golden brown. Melt remaining butter and brush over rolls  Remove from pan to wire rack.

Tupps Tidbits:  We used margarine (not butter) and egg whites (not whole egg)

Nothing better than smelling fresh bread baking in the house.  

This is definitely a keeper recipe at our house!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Good thing about working from home now, I can throw everything in crockpot at lunch & be ready for dinner! I am hoping that all the flavors of a loaded baked potato can come together in this satisfying comfort soup. One of my first thoughts were...where are the onions? But hey, let's go for it, with melted cheddar and the crispy bacon bits, how can you resist?

26 oz  Shredded Frozen Hash Browns
16 oz  Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
32 oz  Chicken Broth
1 package  Cream Cheese
1 small can cream of chicken soup 
1/4 cup bacon bits

Place everything in crockpot & cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

TUPPS TIDBITS: use frozen, not dehydrated hash browns

This did not exactly come out as soup for us. It was more like, Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes!  We decided at the last 1/2 hour to add diced ham. We did use dehydrated hash browns, instead of frozen, so that may have been the reason for "no soup" but the plus side of this, IT WAS Delicious!   

KEEPER (side dish) RECIPE at our house.👍

Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Cheese and potatoes? Plus a healthy dose of Broccoli? I am in!

Ingredients

2 (6 oz each) raw Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and dried

1 tablespoon light butter
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup skim milk
1.5 oz 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup fresh raw broccoli florets

DIRECTIONS:

1. Arrange the racks in your oven so that one is in the top half and one is in the bottom half.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. 
2. Use a fork to poke holes around the surface of your potatoes, about 6-8 times each. Sprinkle with salt, to taste.
3. Place the sheet pan on the bottom rack and position the potatoes directly on the rack above it 
4. Bake for an hour or until cooked through.
5. Remove from the oven and set aside.
6. When the potatoes are done (or almost done), place the butter in a small saucepan and bring over medium-low heat until melted. 
7. Add the flour, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. 
8. Add the milk a little at a time and whisk the flour mixture into the milk each time until smooth. 
9. Add the shredded cheese and whisk into the milk mixture. Cook, whisking on and off, for 1-3 minutes until thickened and remove from heat.
10. Place the broccoli florets in a microwave-safe bowl and cover the bowl with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. 
11. Slice open each potato and fill them with broccoli, evenly distributing it between the two potatoes. Pour 1/3 cup of the cheese sauce over the top of the broccoli in each potato and serve.

TUPPS TIDBITS:  Honestly, I would just purchase some Velveeta cheese & add a bit of milk instead!

This recipe is definitely not worth the time &  NOT A KEEPER!