Baked Chicken Strips

This is a recipe we found in a young children's cookbook and have since adapted it to our liking. Easy. Fun for kids to help out with. Also a lot healthier than fried chicken strips.

What You'll Need:

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Milk

White Cheddar Cheez-Its (crushed)

Corn Flake Crumbs (either crush them yourself or we buy them in a box)

Seasoned Salt or Salt (for flavor

Step One:

Slice chicken. I always say about one inch thick and two inches long, but that's up to you. I only do that to speed up cooking time.

Step Two:

Make your coating. Two parts Cheez-Its to one part Corn Flakes. I will also add some seasoned salt or salt or any other seasonings you want. Feel free to make it your own. I don't give a true measurement because it is up to you how much or how little you want. Some nights I make just enough for myself and some nights I'll make it for a group of people. Also, pour a small bowl of milk. This will get you ready for the next step.

Step Three:

Coat your chicken. First, dip the chicken in the milk, then into the bowl of crumbs. After all of your chicken is coated, I suggest putting the chicken in the freezer for a little bit, if you aren't pressed for time. I've only tried that once, but it seemed to help the coating stick to the chicken better.

Step Four:

Bake the chicken. Place the coated chicken on a baking sheet. Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until there is no pink left in the chicken. The coating really won't change color, so don't rely on that. You'll probably have to cut one of the the strips open to check if the chicken is done.

Step Five:

Eat!

Hope you enjoy this recipe. I've found it's a good way to keep kids busy and let them feel like they're really helping out. It does get a little messy though, so plan for that if you let your kids in on it.

Homemade Onion Rings

This is one of my favorites. It's a little messy, and a bit time consuming, but I love it! Something mom and I whipped up one year for Dean during the SuperBowl, now we can't get enough of them.

What you'll need:

Red Onion (Any onion is good, but I prefer red)

Flour

Saltine Crackers (crushed)

Milk

Seasoned Salt or Salt (for flavor)

Oil (for frying)

Optional: Mandalin (for chopping onions, since I hate to chop onions)

Step One:

Chop onions. This is one of my favorite things about this recipe. I don't care for thick onion rings. I'm more of a breading kind of girl, not the onion. When I chop them, I do it rather thin.

Step Two:

Now it's time to coat your onions. This is the simple shortcut to remember. Milk, flour, milk, crackers. I normally add seasoning salt to both the flour and crushed crackers. Not required, just a personal love of seasoning salt. After you make them a few times, you can decide what suits you. Just remember there is already salt on the crackers, so if you don't want a lot of salt, don't add any.

Dip the onions in some milk, then coat thoroughly with flour. Dip in the milk again to make the flour 'sticky' more or less. Coat with crackers. Be careful though, the milk can make both the flour and the crackers a little clumpy. Try to let most of the milk drip off before putting it in the other mixtures.

Step Three:

Now it's time to fry your onion rings. You can also use a deep fryer, I just don't happen to have one at school, so I use a pot. If you are using a pot, be sure not to let it get too hot. Don't let it boil, it could start a fire. I let them fry for about three minutes, but it's easier to judge them yourself, don't rely on a timer or something. Just wait until they look good and brown.

Step Four:

Eat!

Hope you enjoy this recipe. I know I do.

P.S. Little time saver tip, cut some extra onions and save them in an airtight bag in the refrigerator. That way, you can make these whenever you want.

Food, Food and More Food

I love to cook, so I chose to start this blog to document all the food I make. I hope you enjoy!