Country Fried Chicken

I have always wanted to make fried chicken but thought it looked like a really hard thing to do. I finally found a recipe in Everyday Food that I tried out.  It was actually really tasty.  The kids even said "Mom, this tastes just like KFC." and yes to me that meant it was fantastic. 

1 1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 quart buttermilk
10 skin on legs or thighs
3 cups canola oil

In a pie plate whisk together flour, cornstarch, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Transfer 1 1/4 cups of the mixutre to an air tight container and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together buttermilk, 2 T salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour mixture, then submerge in buttermilk mixture.  Cover and refrigerate 3 hours for up to overnight.

Place a wire rack on a rimmed backing sheet lined with paper towels.   In a large cask iron skillet heat the oil to 350degrees.  I just used my candy thermometer. (A small cube of bread should brown in less than one minute.)

Put the reserve flour mixture into a pie plate.  Lift the chicken from the buttermilk.  Let the excess buttermilk drip off, then dredge in the flour again.

Fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through.  This will take 16-20 minutes.  Flip once.  Adjust the heat if browning to quickly.  With tongs remove the chicken and place on the wire rack.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Serve and ENJOY

Cake Pops/Balls

This is my debut post! Can you believe it, Megan? A while back, in April, I threw a baby shower for my good friend. The only party favor I could come up with were cake balls. It was actually a funny/sad story and I can't take full credit for the cake balls. I deal with chronic migraines and while I'm pregnant (I was 12 or 14 weeks along at the time) they get worse -- turns out the day of the shower I ended up in the emergency department early in the morning because of one of my horrible migraines. I felt horrible because I knew I wouldn't be able to get everything done in time without my husbands help. Anyway, to make a long story shorter, he ended up cutting up the cake, shaping the balls, and freezing them (he also helped out with a bunch of other things including watching our daughter -- super husband to the rescue).

Things you'll need:

Cake mix
9x13 inch cake pan
16 ounce ready made frosting (I used store bought pillsbury vanilla frosting)
Wax Paper
2 Baking Sheets
32 ounces (2 Lbs) candy coating (i used dark chocolate) and used vanilla for the decorating
microwave safe bowl
squeeze bottle
sucker sticks
styrofoam block

Here are the directions for the cake balls:

Step 1: bake the cake in the 9x13 in pan (I used a store bought pillsbury plus chocolate cake). I make the cake the night before so that it can cool completely.

Step 2: Cut the cake into eighths and crumble (take 2 pieces and rub them together like you would sand paper) into a large bowl. Make sure there are no large pieces.

Step 3: Add 3/4 of the container of frosting -- you will not need the entire container of frosting. Mix the frosting in with the crumbled cake.

Step 4: Once the frosting is mixed into the crumbled up cake it's time to make the balls. Roll them into 1-1/2 inch balls and place on wax paper on the baking sheet. Once you've finished rolling the balls refrigerate them overnight or freeze them for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Once the balls are cooled it's time to dip them in the melted candy coating (follow the directions for melting them on the candy coating bag). Take a few of the balls of the refrigerator at a time to keep the other ones cool. Place one ball in the coating at a time spooning the candy coating on the areas that aren't covered. Before I dip the call in the candy coating I place the sucker stick in the coating first and then into the cake ball. Avoid stirring the ball in the candy coating mix. Spoon it on and then when you bring the cake ball out roll the stick on the edge of the bowl and allow excess coating to fall back in the bowl.

Step 6: Once the ball is coated place the stick in the styrofoam block to allow it to cool. Decorate however you desire.

Brownies

Just the title of this post is enough to make anyone love it.  Okay, at least make me love it.  I am a HUGE brownie lover.  Do you  have a preference of what part of the brownie you want?  I am a corner girl.  There are only four corners in a pan and believe me, they are the coveted pieces around our parts.  That is why I am glad I'm the one making them.  Mwahahahah, mine, ALL MINE!!!  Now that I have let you know just how crazy I am I will tell you about this particular recipe.  My Aunt Marilee amazed me one day.  I needed a brownie recipe and off the top of her head she tells me hers.  I can't do that.  No matter how many times I have made something I always have to read the recipe.  Anywho, These brownies are soooo good.  And the best part is they are so easy to make.

 2/3 cup cocoa
2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash or two of salt

mix all dry ingredients together. 
then add:

4 eggs
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients with a fork until well blended.  Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.  Cool for 1 hour.  Enjoy...I know I will.

optional: Sprinkle with powdered sugar while cooling.

Strawberry Ice Cream

I have grown up my whole life eating my dads strawberry ice cream. I love that my dad makes it. This alone makes it special. Then you add the flavor on top and it is out of this world. I have so many memories attached to this ice cream. But my favorite memory is that of my dad crouched down checking on it to make sure it is freezing properly.  Kind of like this picture here.  I sure do love my daddy.

He takes such pride in it and it shows. I guess that is why it has taken me all these years to finally make it myself. Simply because I love having my dad make it.

3 cups Sugar
2 cups Fresh Strawberries
1 10 ounce frozen sliced strawberries
1/4 cup strawberry jello powder
1/3 cup hot water
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 can canned milk
2/3 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 1/3 cup whipping cream
Fill with milk to 2" from the top (or the fill line of your ice cream maker)
Mix all the ingredients together in the ice cream maker container.  Put the container in the ice cream maker then add ice.  Add one layer of ice then rock salt and repeat until it is level with the top of the container.  Turn the ice cream maker on and it will turn for about 20-40 minutes.  If it is not freezing you did not add enough rock salt.  Once done chill or serve immediately.  ENJOY

Red, White, and Blue Trifle

I of course found this on Martha. It is delish and looks so pretty. The new thing to do is put your treats in a mason jar.  Haha, like I really know what the new thing to do is.  I loved doing it this way.  You can serve it in a bowl but the mason jar is so fun. I love the 4th of July and wanted to make something extra special.  This really was a lot of fun for me. 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 store-bought pound cake (12 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 bar (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups fresh blueberries (three 1/2-pint containers), rinsed and dried
• 3 cups fresh raspberries (two 6-ounce containers)

Directions

1. Make lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, bring 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let cool completely, then brush over both sides of cake slices. Quarter each slice.
   
2. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese with remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and lemon zest on high speed until lightened. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add heavy cream in a steady stream; continue beating until mixture is light and airy (mixture will be like a very soft whipped cream).
   
3. Arrange half the cake pieces in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish or in a small mason jar. Spoon half the cream-cheese mixture over cake in dollops; spread to sides of dish. Scatter half the blueberries and raspberries on top. Repeat layering with remaining cake, cream-cheese mixture, and berries, piling berries in the center.  If you are using a mason jar cut a 2 in square to put in the bottom and layer just like above only in smaller amounts. 
   
4. Cover, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.  

I hope you have a fabulous 4th of July and remember to ENJOY!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Back when I was 16 I took Home Ec.  I loved when we were in the kitchen mainly because you might get paired up with some cute boy.  The food was so bad either.  I found an old recipe that I held onto.  I hadn't made them in years.  I had to tweak some of the ingredients and add a few but I think it turned out pretty good. 

3/4 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs slightly beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cups peanut butter chips

In a large mixing bowl mix together butter, sugars, vanilla, peanut butter until creamy.  add beaten egg.  Mix.  In a smaller bowl add all the dry ingredients together.  Stir lightly.  Add to the mix.  Once you have completely mixed it add in the peanut butter chips.  Scoop onto a ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool on pan completely.  Yields about 4 1/2 dozen.  Enjoy!

Fresh Tortilla Chips

I love chips from Mexican restaurants.  I have found that there are NO chips that compare that you can buy at a grocery store.  Recently I have started making tortilla strips for one of the salads.  It took me a minute to realize I could make chips.  It is really simple.  And we LOVE them.
 

5-10 Corn torillas (I use mission)
1 1/2-2 cups canola oil
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a small fry pan on medium heat.  While that is heating cut tortillas into 8 triangles.  Once the oil is hot place the tortillas in the oil about 8-10 triangles fit in mine.  Be careful it does splatter.  They will boil and come to the top.  Once they start to brown remove from the oil and place on a paper towel.  Immediately shake salt over the top.Repeat until you have desired amount of chips.  Enjoy.

Lime Cilantro Salmon

I'll have to be honest this is only my second time cooking fish EVER!!!! Yes, I know I'm so unhealthy, crazy, and WHAT!!! I have a husband that is well to put it nicely a food freak. That was nice I promise. He starts to dry heave if you even mention fish. So, I am just a little worried to see what would happen if there was actually fish on the table. When he got home tonight the first thing he said when he closed the garage door was "Something smells fishy." My heart sunk. Then he came up took a look at it and said "...hmm, that smells...good." It made my little heart smile. And after a couple of nervous bits he said "mmm, this tastes pretty good. No, really good." Ahh, sweet SUCCESS!!

1 pound salmon or 4, 6 ounce fillets.  
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. coriander
coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
Heat grill to medium high, rub the salmon with coarse salt, ground pepper, coriander, and olive oil.  Lightly oil the grill; place salmon skin side UP on the grill.  Cook for 5 minutes.  While cooking make your sauce.  Turn over with a spatula and cook 4 more minutes or until opaque and flaky.  Serve salmon and drizzle with Lime Cilantro sauce.

Sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 T soy sauce
3 tsp sugar

1 T Fresh cilantro chopped

Stir all ingredients together except cilanto. Then fold in the cilantro.  Spoon over the salmon. ENJOY

German Berry Pancakes

My family loves German Pancakes. I have decided if we are going to have these delicious but not good for you meals I need to at least start adding something good. It is the exact same recipe as the other German pancakes with the addition of berries. My kids LOVED them. They are getting antioxidants and I can't complain about that.

1/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
4-6 eggs
2 cups frozen berry mix

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the butter in a 9x13 pan and place in the oven to melt while the oven is preheating. While the butter is melting mix all of the ingredients together until well mixed. I use a hand mixer, my mom uses a blender. Either works well. Once the mix is mixed together, stir in the berries, get the pan out of the oven with a hot pad and roll the melted butter all over the inside of the pan. Then pour in the mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Place a toothpick in the middle and it should come out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar right away.

We used coconut syrup. It is delish. Mmmm Enjoy.

Coconut Syrup

When we went to DC last fall, my cute little sis made me the yummiest breakfast I have ever had. I have been wanting to make this since but for some reason it took until this Sunday for me to finally do it. It was just as good as I remembered. Everyone in the family with the exception of one loved it.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cool whip
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coconut extract

Heat all ingredients except coconut extract in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil.  Let boil 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in coconut extract. We serve over German Pancakes, or French Toast.   Enjoy.

Exciting News

I have been doing this blog all by my lonesome for some time now.  My first 50 posts were easy enough, but lately I have been struggling to come up with recipes I haven't already done.

I kept thinking it would be fun to do this with my cute little sis.   

Well, she has FINALLY agreed to become part of this with me.  

cheer!!

WAHOO!!

I begged, and begged asked her a few times to join and she thought she didn't really make anything all that special.  That is where she was wrong.  She doesn't think this but I know she is the talent in the family.  She tries things I have never even dared to attempt.  In fact she is going to show me up.  You might think it isn't fair that she gets the looks and the talent but really if Ive come to terms with it YOU should too.

Enough of my rambling,

here is the girl we have all been dying to meet....

My cute baby sister

MAREN

She is married to the love of her life Ryan.

She has been blessed to be a mother to a beautiful little girl Lucy.

She lives in our nations capital.

She enjoys the big city life.

She is preggers with her 2nd child.  Yipee

She is tall, dark, and beautiful.

She is freakishly smart.

She is good at every thing she does.

and she can COOK!

I could go on and on but that would be bragging about my most favorite sister.

I hope you are all as excited as I am.

Now go get your cooking on, and ENJOY

Black Bean Enchilada's

My mom saw this recipe on KSL a few years back and she thought it looked pretty good.  We have fallen in love with this one and it is now a family favorite.  I love enchilada's but this one just taste unique to most that I have had.  It is a fairly easy recipe and I usually have most of the ingredients on hand.

2-3 chicken breasts diced
8 slices of bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16 oz can black beans
1 red pepper
1 1/2 cup salsa
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
12 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large fry pan cook chicken and bacon, add the remaining ingredients except green onion, cheese, and tortillas.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat add in the green onion.  Fill the tortillas with the sauce amount to your liking, add cheese.  Roll.  Place in a 9X13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min.  Use the remaining sauce on top.  Place this on after 15 minutes will just a little more cheese.  Cook on broil for about 3 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown.  Serve with lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream.Enjoy.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Our good friends and us always have a dinner in December. We trade off every year the house we go to. One of the years we went to their house and Jana made the yummiest Sweet and sour chicken. My mom also makes a very scrumptious sweet and sour chicken recipe. The other day I was thinking this sounded like a great idea. That was until I went to make it and I didn't have the right ingredients. I hate when that happens. Luckily for me I had to recipes to go off of and so I tweaked them to make a recipe I had all ingredients for. So in this post you are getting to recipes of Sweet and Sour Chicken. Both of them are tried and true and both are yummy!!

Mom's Recipe:

1/2 Cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chicken or pork tenderloin cubed

Mix dry ingrdients then mix with water and oil to make a batter. Dip chicken pieces in batter. Fry in small amount of canola oil.

Sauce:

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 T corn starch
1 can (8 0unces) pineapple tidbits, drain and reserve liquid
1/4 cup vinegar
2 T ketchup
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced

In 2 quart sauce pan mix sugar, cornstarch. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Stir syrup mixture, vinegar, and ketchup into cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir constantly until it boils and thickens. Stir in pineapple, onions, green pepper, and celery. Cook until tender. Add chicken and serve over rice.

Jana's Recipe

5 chicken breasts cut up
Marinate in garlic salt

Sauce

1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup vinegar
3 T ketchup
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chicken broth

mix together

roll chicken in corn starch then egg deep fry. Set on paper towel. Dip in sauce place on cookie sheet. Pour remaining sauce over chicken. Bake at 350 30-40- min.

I hope you enjoy these to wonderful dishes.

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Easy peasy Spaghetti Sauce

I have been making this sauce since we first got married. I really do love it. It is simple, SIMPLE! There are fantastic spaghetti recipes out and this is definitely "Americanized", but it is yummy. I just love that it tastes great and is so easy. Everyone in my family likes it. Well except for Boo but she hates dinner. Who hates dinner? Weird child. My other child actually has this for her birthday dinner.

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion or 2-3 T minced onion
1 16 ounce can tomato sauce
1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef on medium heat add onion and mix together. Once the meat is all brown and the onion softened drain any excess grease. Add the sauce and diced tomatoes. Add all the spices (make sure to crush them in your fingers as you add them. This brings out the flavor) and bring to a boil. Place a lid on top and let simmer 30 minutes on medium low. Stirring occasionally. Enjoy!

Parmesan Cheese Green Beans

I love when I give my kids veggies and they LOVE them.  This happens almost never, unless I am serving these yummy little pieces of delicious heavenly goodness.  This is such a simple recipe and one that we make in our home about 2 times a week.  I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine does. 

2-3 cups frozen green beans
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh basil minced
Garlic powder sprinkled over (2 shakes)
Pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to garnish
In a medium fry pan pour olive oil in the pan.  Add green beans.  Cook on medium heat  until they start to soften (about 3-4 min) Once they have started to defrost add basil, garlic, and pepper.  Heat through.  Stirring often.  They cook in about 7 minutes.  Add Parmesan cheese once you remove from the pan.  Enjoy.9896

Spaghetti Pie

One of my most favorite dinners of all time is spaghetti.  When our family was just starting out we would make spaghetti and have so much left over.  I was so glad I had this back up option for the leftovers.  Now that our family has grown, we make it as the main meal because we no longer have left over spaghetti.  I have made this for a ton of people and they always say they LOVE it.  It is one of those dinner that seems impressive but is simple to make.  Get ready to please your taste buds with this one.

 I usually make this in a pie dish but now that I make a double recipe I use a 9X13

6 ounces cooked spaghetti
4 T butter
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
1 medium sized back Mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  While this is cooking in a mixing bowl add butter, Parmesan cheese, and eggs.  Mix.  Grease a pie pan and add a layer of half the cooked spaghetti, then half the Parmesan cheese mixture, then half of the Mozzarella cheese. Repeat.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through.  Serves 6  If you make this in a 9X13 double the recipe.  Top with your favorite spaghetti sauce.  Enjoy.

Grandma's Sugar Cookies

This is an old post but I just had to share again this close to Valentines. There is nothing better than sugar cookies on Valentines to tell the ones you love that you love them. About 4 years ago we got a cute arrangement of cookies from one of our friends. I had to re-create it because it is pretty fantastic. I loved making this.  It didn't turn out as cute as hers but it will have to do.  It tastes FABULOUS though:)

These cookies bring back so many fond memories from my childhood. I remember my mom making them on Valentines and secretly placing them on my pillow. I remember on Christmas my cousins and me all gathered around the kitchen table taking a peek at the green and red cookies that temped us all so. The taste is like no other cookie I have ever had. They tickle my palate. Yummy does not do them justice.

Sugar cookies and Frosting.

1 lb butter
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 t. vanilla
2 t. lemon extract
6 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and beat. Add flour and other dry ingredients. Chill and thinly roll out on a sugared surface or put on wax paper and roll to 1/4 inch. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

I WANT YOU!!!

I am kind of in a slump.  I was hoping my cute followers would help me out.  How would you like to put one of your recipes on here.  I think it would be so much fun to get to know each other and share something of yours.  Here are the requirements.

You have to tell me why you love the recipe.

Take a picture of the finished product.

Give me the recipe.

Email me at megardoodle@gmail.com with all the info.

Leave a comment telling me which recipes you have tried on here and either loved or hated.

Send a picture of the cute chef with it. (optional)

Isn't that simple.  If you are worried about the picture part I can make the recipe and take my own picture.  I would love to hear from you and share the magic that goes on in your kitchen. 

Caramel Popcorn

My hubby loves carmel popcorn. I myself prefer boring old regular popcorn. The other day my cute neighbor made some and brought it over. My hubby LOVED it. He asked her for the recipe. He got all excited when she text it to me. It is fairly easy but I will say it did make me extra nervous to pour it over the popcorn.

2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 can sweetended condensed milk
1 cup Karo syrup
5 bags of popcorn or if you air pop about 1 1/2 cups of kernels.  Pop it first:)
Boil to a soft ball stage. (235 degrees)  It is easiest to use a candy thermometer but if you don't have one click on the link. Once it has come to a soft ball stage remove from heat and let it cool a bit.  About 5-10 minutes.  You can check by placing a piece of popcorn in the caramel.  If it shrinks down it is still to hot.  If not proceed.  I poured little amounts, about a cup at a time, stirred, and poured again.  Do this until it is only poured over the top.  Enjoy.

*REMOVE ANY UNPOPPED KERNELS BEFORE YOU POUR ON THE CARAMEL

Soft Ball Stage

Making candy is fun but some of the terms are a bit unnerving.  Soft ball stage is 235-240 degrees.  If you don't have a candy thermometer you can just get a bowl of ice cold water and place a drop in it.  take that out and see if it will roll in your fingers without sticking to your fingers and form a ball that is squishy.  It takes about 5 minutes of boiling to reach this stage. 

Spanish Rice

I don't have any cute stories to use with this recipe. My hubby walked into the kitchen and said "I want Spanish Rice with our Fajitas". His wish was my command. It turned out really good, but really SPICY. I will put optional on what made it spicy. It was yummy, but it was HOT!

1 cup long grain white rice
1 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cube chicken bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, halved
1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
1/2 tsp Cheyenne pepper (optional)

In a medium sauce pan, cook rice in oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Stir in onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and diced tomato. Season with bouillon cube, salt and pepper, cumin, cilantro, chili powder, Cheyenne pepper, and garlic. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.