Friday, January 27, 2012

January 27, 2012

Another week come and gone. I did try to make the waffles similar to the ones from Stratton, and they came out close! But...still need some work. I am going to try another recipe and see how they taste, and hopefully they will become keepers soon. Of course, we devoured the waffles that I did make with the first recipe, I just know in my heart of hearts that I can make them even closer to the real deal if I work on the recipe a little more. So...more to come on the waffle fronts!

This week we tried 6 new recipes (including the batch of waffles) and I am happy to report that three have earned keeper status. Two we tried and loved were sent from my sisters and both were voted keepers! Chicken with Mushrooms was an easy weeknight dinner that had a nice presentation and a great flavor, and Taco Burgers were a major home-run over the weekend.

I also tried a zucchini recipe that I have had for quite a few years, and boy oh boy, I wish I had made it sooner! The kids helped me make these, and then they tried them. I do find that the kids are more willing to try new foods if they help prepare the dish. In the end, the adults loved these, and the kids thought they were okay, but each still ate quite a few. We had them as our vegetable side dish with the chicken and mushrooms. You can serve the chicken with noodles or rice, but we served it with cauliflower rice.

So...some varied recipes tried this week and three winners made their way to the blog. If you have a recipe you think I would love, let me know! Have a great week!


New Recipes
Taco Burgers
Oven Baked Zucchini Chips
Chicken with Mushrooms

Taco Burgers


Ingredients
* 1 cup finely crushed corn chips
* 1 envelope taco seasoning
* 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, or 2 tsp dried onion powder
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
* cheese (your choice of flavor, shredded or sliced)
* Sandwich buns, split
* Lettuce leaves, optional
* Tomato slices, optional
* Salsa, optional
* Avocado, optional

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the corn chips, taco seasoning, onion and egg. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into six patties.
2. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear.
3. Top each burger with a cheese slice; cook just until cheese begins to melt.
4. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato and salsa if desired.

Notes
I cooked this on our indoor grill, and I think you could also do this on an indoor grill pan. Basically, however you cook your hamburgers, use the same method for these. I used 1 1/4 lbs of ground beef, and used the onion powder because I didn't have minced onion on hand. Everyone enjoyed these, and we'll have them again!

Chicken with Mushrooms


Ingredients
* 3 cups sliced mushrooms
* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* salt and pepper
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
* 3/4 cup chicken broth

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place half of the mushrooms in a 9x13 inch pan.
3. Dip chicken into beaten eggs, then roll in bread crumbs.
4. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Brown both sides of chicken in skillet.
5. Place chicken on top of mushrooms, arrange remaining mushrooms on chicken, and top with mozzarella cheese. Add chicken broth to pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Notes
30 minutes was perfect for us, and I used 3 large chicken breasts, each cut in half. I served this with cauliflower rice instead of rice or noodles, and it was a nice accompaniment. The kids devoured this, and Ryan and I really enjoyed it as well! Owen was raving about it! You can use a blend of mushrooms, or a single kind. I only had white mushrooms on hand and they worked well, but you could kick it up with all sorts of other kinds.

Oven Baked Zucchini Chips


Ingredients
* 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
* 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh grated
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/3 cup milk
* 2 small zucchini cut in 1/4-inch-thick slices
* Cooking spray

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Grease a large oven-proof wire rack set on a baking sheet.
2. Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt, garlic powder and pepper in a medium bowl. Place milk in a separate shallow bowl.
3. Dip zucchini slices in milk then in breadcrumb mixture, then place the slices on the rack. After all the slices are on, feel free to pat additional Parmesan breadcrumbs on top of the zucchini.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes
I cooked these for 25 minutes and the zucchini was tender and the topping golden and crunchy. The kids tried them because they like Parmesan, so it was a fun way to serve a vegetable that seemed a little more "hip". You can use onion powder instead of garlic powder, but I only had garlic on had, and they tasted great!