I Want This Book...

 
I got this book from the library a few weeks ago and couldn't put it down. I read the whole thing in one sitting...on the way home from the library (no, I wasn't driving). My husband got the boys out of the van and I stayed sitting and reading. It was great.

The stories are funny and the recipes are wonderful. I like this book because I have most of the ingredients already in my fridge or pantry. That's necessary for Ree since she lives out on the ranch and can't just run to the store. I appreciate that, because even though I live in town it's not very convenient to take two little boys to the store every time I need something "odd" from the store for a recipe that I want to try.

That's why I like this book!! And the reason I need to just buy the book is because of this:

Almost every page has a Post-it 'cause there's a recipe I want to try. :) There are a lot of Post-its. And considering I've only made two things out of the book and it's due at the library (and I can't renew it because someone's on a waiting list) I have a lot of Post-its to remove. :) So, this book is officially going on my Amazon wishlist as there's not time in three weeks for me to make every recipe that I marked.


I encourage you to stop over at The Pioneer Woman blog and check out her latest recipes, photos, family life, and homeschooling goings-on. Thanks Ree for the wonderful foodie inspiration. 

Do you have any library books that you've decided you just need to buy?

Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

My husband's sister-in-law made delicious Honey Mustard Chicken Strips over the weekend so I decided it was time to share my favorite chicken strip recipe. I'm allergic to processed meat so we don't buy chicken nuggets frozen from the store, but I loved them as a kid and was really missing them. This is a great recipe for chicken strips/nuggets from Rachel Ray's Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats.

Honey Nut Chicken Sticks
4 Servings (if you make nuggets you can serve more)

2 lbs chicken tenders (I just take chicken breast and cut them into strips or nuggets)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
a splash of milk
2 cups Honey Nut Corn Flakes (we use the generic brand of Honey Bunches of Oats)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
2 tbsp grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a large, shallow dish. Coat the chicken in the flour. Beat the eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Combine the cereal, bread crumbs, paprika, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning, and vegetable oil in a food processor. Transfer the breading to a shallow dish.

Place a nonstick baking sheet near the chicken breading station. In batches, dip the flour-coated chicken into the egg mixture and then in the breading and place on the nonstick cookie sheet. When all the tenders have been coated, bake them for 15 minutes, or until evenly browned and cooked through. Cool enough to handle and serve, or pack up for a picnic! This chicken may be served hot or cold.


This recipe is a 30-minute meal, but the first few times you make it, it will probably take a little longer than 30 minutes.

Perfect Cake-Mix Cupcakes

Here's the cake-mix cupcake recipe from Hello, Cupcake.

You can use any standard cake mix, but avoid those with pudding in the mix and steer clear of lighter cake mixes such as angel food, since cupcake projects need a firm cake that will hold up when it's decorated. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can make a fair substitution by adding 1 tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup whole milk. Let sit for 10 minutes to sour. (Actual buttermilk is better.)

1 box (18.25 oz) cake mix (French vanilla, devil's food, or yellow)
1 cup buttermilk (in place of the water called for on the box)
vegetable oil (the amount on the box)
4 large eggs (in place of the number called for on the box)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Follow the box instructions, putting all the ingredients in a large bowl and using the buttermilk in place of the water specified (the box will call fro more water than the amount of buttermilk you are using), using the amount of vegetable oil that is called for (typically, white or yellow cakes call for 1/3 cup; the chocolate cakes usually call for 1/2 cup), and adding the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer until moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and beat until thick, 2 minutes longer.
3. Spoon half of the batter into a ziplock bag. Snip a 1/4-inch corner from the bag and fill the paper liners two-thirds full. Repeat with remaining batter. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the baking pans, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool completely.
   

First Birthdays

On Sunday we celebrated my youngest son's first birthday. It was a modest party with friends and family from our church. We served cupcakes, ice cream and pretzel rods.


My cupcake idea came from a book entitled Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. They have some really creative ideas for decorating cupcakes. And they have a great recipe in the back for vamping up your cupcakes from a box mix. They also have "from scratch" cupcake recipes and frosting recipes too. Just can't get enough of it!!