"Ritzy" Chicken

I made up the name. Really. No, really!

This is a recipe (I use that word lightly) that mom used to make with potato chips (so late 60's early 70's!) but I think I improved it dramatically as a missionary in Japan using Ritz Crackers. Hence, the clever name! (Actually, we couldn't get sour cream so we used unsweetened yogurt, but why do that when you can have a dollop of Daisy?) This is not a healthy recipe, which is probably what makes it so delicious. It's best to cook it on a Silpat so you can get all the crispy bits off easily to eat before you serve the actual pieces if chicken to your guests.

It used to be you only had a big bone-in chicken breast at the grocery stores. But now, with chicken tenders, the meat to breading ratio is much better. So,

1) Get as many packages of chicken tenders as you are going to want to bread and cook
2) enough Sour Cream (too much is OK too, just don't eat the left-overs after coating the chicken-open the other one for that!)
3) Ritz crackers - one box should do it

Crush the crackers in a large zip lock bag and spread on a plate

Pour the sour cream in a bowl and mix in any seasoning you favor (onion salt, garlic salt, seasoned pepper, Lawrey's salt, hmmm, or "nothin' at all" (Ned Flanders to Homer Simpson on the ski slope...anybody...?)*. Sour Cream is a stand-alone food. I prefer it by the spoon-full).

Cover the chicken tender with your sour cream then gently coat with the cracker crumbs. You might need to press more onto the chicken once it's on the cookie sheet if you see any bald spots.

Then you cook it at the standard chicken temperature which is think is also standard cookie temperature...350? For around...30 minutes? You'll know when they're done. About 5 minutes before smoke starts coming out of the crack in the oven door. They should be dark golden brown. Don't worry about undercooking the chicken. The tenders are so skinny they're probably done before the crust is brown!

Good Luck!

*I'm not sure what parenthesis within a parenthesis etiquette is so I just did it that way. Please straighten me out before I embarrass myself in my new Trilogy I'm writing about witches who love blood-sucking werewolves but have to live on Mars where men cannot go because they cannot feel gravity but the witches can go anywhere because they are magic so they go to a school on a mountain where all the greek goddess trained for their power but nobody did very well in school because it was an all girl school and they all missed the boys, I mean blood-sucking werewolves, so they flew to earth but they hadn't learned the secret of the greek goddesses for broom flying (they didn't yet realize the greek goddesses never did that) so instead of going to Earth (where the boys, I mean, blood-sucking werewolves lived) they went through a black worm hole and ended up in a land where everything was really really big and they were really really small so the witch magic they had learned so far was very very weak (like baby Tylenol for a migraine)...

So, that's as far as I've gotten. But I think it's going to be good. I'm going to have Tina Fey be the main witch. And probably Tracy Morgan for the boy, I mean blood-sucking werewolf. (I really like 30 Rock)

Thanks Claire!!!

Tortellini Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Chicken Broth
1 pkg. (8ozs) Cheese Tortellini
1 can (14.5 ozs) Italian Stewed Tomatoes
1 pkg. (10ozs) frozen chopped spinach

In lg. saucepan, coated with non-stick spray, saute the onion and garlic til tender. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and reduce heat, simmer 10 min til tortellini is tender. Stir in tomatoes and spinach. Heat through.
Makes 7 servings

Tortellini Soup

Claire's Baked Potato Soup

It's autumn time (or as close as you get to autumn time) in Arizona, so we hauled out the tradtional dishes for dinner tonight. Chili with all the toppings: grated cheddar cheese, fritos corn chips, sour cream, and green onions. YUM! As an added option (this is for you Bradley) Claire made a delicious baked potato soup. So we're putting that on the traditional autumn menu. Here's the recipe:

Claire's Loaded Baked Potato Soup

8 large potatoes, peeled & cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup diced leeks or diced onion

2 cups water

1 Tbs salt

In a large pot, combine potatoes, leeks, salt & water. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer.

Cook until potatoes are tender, stir occasionally. DO NOT DRAIN>

In another large pan ( yes, by now you've probably guessed, you'd better have your butler, or maid servant around to do the dirty dishes you'll generate making this soup!)

melt 1/2 cup butter, then add 1/3 cup flour. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stir to remove lumps. (those of you who just said to yourself, "that's just making a 'white sauce'", give yourself 10 gourmet chef points.) Now add 1 quart half & half (or milk, if you must. Honestly, if you can't take the cholesterol, stay out of my autumn kitchen!) Consistentlfy stir and cook until thickened, and voila! A lovely white sauce, which you will now pour over the potatoes and whatever liquid is left with them. Remove from heat.

Add: 1/3 cup Dairy Sour Cream and 1 tsp white pepper. Ladle into bowls to serve. Top each bowl with grated cheddar cheese, crisp, diced bacon, chopped chives, or diced green onion.

Serves about 6 to 8.

p.

Man oh man, just typing that made my arteries shudder, but it's so worth the 3 days of fasting you will have to go through after you enjoy this yummy soup. (Actually, it's not really THAT bad, when it's divided between 8 bowls, and all the dairy is REALLY good for you!)

This soup, chili and cornbread, followed by pumpkin carving/decorating and some homemade carmelcorn, is the perfect end to a perfect autumn day.

Remove from heat.

YAY! People are Posting!

I'm so happy that Mally left 2 recipes for us. Can't wait to try the chicken dish.
Now everybody, I don't want anyone to feel pressure here. Just post if/when you can, or leave a comment (just click on 'comment' at the bottom of the post. If I can do it, anyone can do it).
Or just come by once in awhile and read.
If you have had a recipe that did NOT go so well -
Joanna R's "Microwave Peach Cheesecake from Hell" comes to mind -
maybe you'd like to post that too. It would be funny, I think.
Also, think about any food memories you may have from childhood, that make you feel good
or not so good - (tuna melts, Claire, I'm talking to you!)
Or maybe something you liked, but have improved upon.
There. I've said my piece. I just get a little too excited about food, and with being in touch with all of you. It makes me happy, ok? I'm just sayin...

Stir Fry Basil Chicken

I found this recipe on melskitchencafe.com. It was so good and so easy to make. I omitted the red pepper flakes (we don't like that much kick) and used basil from a tube because I didn't have any fresh. Kurt gave it a 10 out of 10 and deemed it restaurant quality. I would have to agree. Needless to say, there were no leftovers.

1 tablespoon canola oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it – I used 1/4 teaspoon and it perfectly warm but not too spicy)
1 yellow (or other sweet) onion, cut in half and sliced in thin half moon strips
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pound), cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 bunch fresh basil (about 1/2 cup), torn into pieces
2 large tomatoes, chopped

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir constantly and cook for 30 seconds to one minute, until fragrant (don’t let the garlic burn!). Add the sliced onions. Cook until translucent, stirring every now and then, about five minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Add the oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and sugar and stir until everything is well coated. Reduce the heat to medium low and sprinkle the tomatoes over the top of the mixture. Tear the basil by hand and sprinkle it over the tomatoes. Over medium heat, let the tomatoes and basil sit, without stirring, for about 5-7 minutes. Stir the mixture until everything is well combined and heated through.

Serve immediately over rice.