Breaded, Mango Salsa Chicken

Tonight’s dinner started off with the main course, pan fried breaded, mango salsa chicken.  That was easy to come up with, however the big question was what to serve with it.  When I think of mango salsa, my mind automatically meanders over to cilantro-line rice; once of my favorite side dishes with Mexican food.  While relaxing, before diving into cooking dinner tonight, my mind wander to some zucchini fritters that my wife made this past summer.  Since I had picked up a couple zucchini for later this week, I decided to search for a recipie to make these.

 

Having never had much luck having with pan frying breaded chicken I headed to the Internet and for some tips. What I found:  cook on medium heat flipping often until the juices come out clear.  I understand the medium heat and flipping often, but was not sure about the clear juice.  IN the past I think I have tried to fry them on much too high of heat.  After the first couple of flippings I press them with a spatula; white juices…. So that is what they mean.  Got it! Success!  The breast turned out tender and juicy.

 

Searching Youtube!  For zucchini fritters recipe I came upon the BBQMyWay channel and I great recipe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QQe9tFuQlU).. Check out the short video, to see cooking directions.  I found it to be very easy and tasty.

 

Salsa Ingredients:

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, minced

1 fresh plabano, seeded and chopped

1 Roma tomato, dices

½ lime

 

Mix all ingredients then squeeze lime half over the salsa and mix again.  Use as a garnish over the chicken.

 

Breaded Chicken

4 small chicken breasts (use meat hammer to pound to even, thin thickness)

1 egg

¼ cup bread crumbs

Chili powder to taste.

 

Mix beaten egg and milk together.  Dip breast into mixture then into bread crumb/chili powder breading.  Heat fry pan to medium then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Place breast in oil.  Cook 3 – 4 minutes ,then flip.  Afterwards flip every 2 minutes, until juices run clear when breast are pressed with spatula.

 

Until next week COOK ON!

 

Smoky Mountain Chicken

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner! And this week’s new recipe was a winner.  But then again, how can you go wrong when ham, BBQ sauce and melted cheese are involved.  I thought this recipe sounded good, but I was really surprised by the finished product.  The BBQ sauce blends wonderfully with the ham and melted cheese. 
 

 Ingredients:

·         4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

·         Black pepper to taste

·         1 teaspoon garlic powder

·         1 teaspoon Italian-style seasoning

·         1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce

·         4 slices black forest ham

·         4 slices Provolone cheese

·         1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

 

Directions:

·         Place chicken breast in a lightly oiled baking dish.

·         Season chicken with black pepper, garlic and Italian seasoning to taste.

·         Bake 25 -30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

·         Spoon BBQ sauce over chicken breasts.

·         Layer ham and cheese over chicken

·         Return to oven and cook 5 minutes until cheese melts

 

I sautéed up some zucchini and yellow squash sprinkled with parmesan cheese as a side. This is one recipe that will be making a repeat appearance.  Until next time Cook On!

Pine Apple Pork Chops

This was a tough week for me to create a menu.  My new recipe was easy, Pineapple Pork Chops.  However, besides this nothing sounded good to me.  I am tired of all my regular menu items.  It took me 3 separate sittings to come up with the menu, and I am still one dinner short.  I guess we will have to eat out that night.

 

Ingredients:

• Pork Loin Chops – no bone, thin cut

• 1/4 cup reduce-sodium soy sauce

• 1 ½ Tbsp brown sugar1 tsp minced ginger  

• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, partially drained

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place pork loins into greased (cooking spray) dish. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl, then pour over top of chops.  Cook for 25 – 30 minutes. Nice and easy.

 

Overall the dinner came out well. The chops were a little tougher than I would have liked.  Perhaps pound then a little first next time, or cook at a lower temperature. 

 Served Rice-a-Roni herb and butter?? rice and baked apples as a side.  The apples went well with the pineapple.  Week 3 and still going strong. 

 

Check back next week to see what’s for dinner. Until then Cook On!

Here Fishy Fishy

I love fishing; specifically fly fishing.  There is nothing like standing knee deep in a beautiful stream with nothing on, or clouding, your mind but a dry fly falling gently on the water’s surface. Until this weekend all the fishing that I do is catch and release.  I figure why remove it from the population, when I can comeback another day and try to catch it again. However, this weekend a friend of mine invited me and my son (3 1/2) to join him and his family for a day of ice fishing.  Now I had never been ice fishing before.  Frankly I thought it was just an excuse to drink beer away from the wife.  But with a group of us going I thought it would be a fun time and a good excuse to get my son out for the day (and to give mom a day of rest). 5 adults, 5 kids and my son was the first to pull in a fish. That’s my boy!! Since the lake was full of “stockers” we decided to keep the days catch: 4 Rainbow Trout for us.

 

Now being a catch and release fisherman I had never cleaned a fish before.  But luckily Steve was there for a quick tutorial.  Pretty easy!  As far as cooking, I went to the Internet and found a bunch or recipes on foil grilling techniques.  I chose to grill it mainly because I did not want the house to smell like fish.  Now, not only was this a new recipe for me, but it was also my first time every eating trout.

 

After removing the heads of the trout I put salt, pepper, Italian spices, butter and a lemon slice in the body cavity. Then I wrapped the fish in foil and tightly sealed the edges.  I placed the foil packets on the grill and cooked on each side for about 10 minutes, over a low flame.  The trick then was to de-bone the fish.

 

Steve assured me that it would be easy. Lift the tail and the bones would follow.  Then use a fork to separate the skeleton from the meat.  Surprisingly it worked just like he said. I did up with a few small bones in my meat, but managed to keep my wife’s pieces free of bones. 

 

As far as the taste… Not too bad.  The meat was tender and very mild in flavor. Not much of the spice and lemon flavor seemed to seep in.  I will have to go a little heavier on them next time.  Overall though I am quite pleased with myself for my first trout dinner.  This is one dinner I will have to try again.  Next time thought, over the campfire. 

 

Until next week – Cook On!

Happy New Year! -Caribbean Crockpot Pork

Happy New Year everyone.  Hope your New Year’s Eve was full of fun.  With the family being sick, I enjoyed the AMC Walking Dead marathon. Never thought I would like a show about Zombies, but I must say I love it.  I decided I needed to start the year off right with my new dinner. 

 

 

My Dad always says never at chicken on New Year's Day, because if you do you will be scratching for money all year.  Rather eat pork so you can root in money all year long.  I thought they were old wives tales, not old Dad's tales.  So tonight it was Caribbean Crockpot Pork.

 

While this is a quick recipe to prepare it has about a 6 to 8 hours cook time, due to being in the crockpot. 

Ingredients:

·            2 Tbsp. brown sugar

·            1 Tbsp. curry powder

·            1 tsp. cumin

·            1/2 tsp. salt

·            1/8 tsp. pepper

·            1 (2.5 lb.) boneless pork loin roast

·            2 onions, chopped

·            1/2 cup apple juice

 

First make a rub with the dry ingredients and rub it into the pork.  Place the pork over the chopped onions in the crock pot, then add the apple juice.  I cooked it for about 6 – 7 hours on high.  After 3 hours the aroma began to fill the house.  I would probably increase the brown sugar to give it a bit more sweetness, and perhaps add a little more curry as I like it spicy.  After cooking I made a gravy with the broth by adding some corn starch.  I served it over white rice with the onions and some yellow squash I had sautéed up.

 

Overall I really liked this recipe.  The pork came out tender and with a good taste.  The gravy was nice over the rice.  The source of this was the Safeway Recipe Center, find the complete recipe HERE.

Until next week - COOK ON!