Cheesy Potatoes

Also known as Hashbrown Casserole.  Because that's what I've always known it as.

My first introduction to this hot dish of goodness, it was so amazing that I ate three helpings.  Large helpings.  Large helpings of cheesy, buttery, amazingness.  Oh my it was delicious.

I was sooooo siiiiiiick that night.

Remember, large quantities of fat doesn't agree with my system.  Yes, this can be a blessing but it can also be a curse.  Apparently there was so much butter in this casserole that three helpings of it was more than I could tolerate.  So I refused to eat this casserole for a long, long, loooong time.  Even when my mom swore that she used far less butter, I would only scoop about two bites on my plate.

Nowadays I'm less squeamish about taking a more acceptable helping, but it's still been on my mind to find a variation with little to NO butter in it, while still keeping all that same decadent flavor.

BINGO!!

Cheesy Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers
Prep time: 10 minutes   Cook time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

1 (10 3/4oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese NOTE: the sharper, the better
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 to 1/3 cup finely chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (32oz) package frozen shredded or diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup Panko

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. In a very large bowl, combine soup, cheese, milk, yogurt, scallion, and season to taste. Stir in potatoes. Spread mixture evenly in prepared baking dish.

Creamy, cheesy...what could be wrong with this??

Could not resist a shot of how gorgeously GREEN these are!

2.  In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and Panko.  Sprinkle evenly on top of the potatoes. 

This already looks fabulous.

3. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes more or until heated through and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

If the top doesn't get brown enough for you, turn on the broiler for a minute or two.

You'll notice, if you click through to the original recipe, that I took out every single "reduced fat" phrase on the ingredient list.  Why?  Because even though there are some things that I buy reduced fat (hello sour cream), others I cannot stand even the idea of getting low fat.  Cheese is one of them.  Have you tried reduced fat cheese??  Ew, ew, ewwwwwwwwwwwww!  I think you are far better off using a full fat cheese, but get something with a good sharp flavor so you end up using a little less.  So, if you normally buy a medium cheddar cheese, consider getting sharp, or extra sharp, for this casserole.  That more intense cheesy flavor will go farther to satisfy you.

Not that you won't take extra helpings of this casserole.  I made this for a cookout get together and I'm pretty sure every single adult there had at least two helpings of this dish.  Including me!!  It was so creamy, and cheesy, and rich (but NOT fatty!!), and wonderful!  I'm soooo thrilled with how this came out.  Now I can indulge my desire for this without fear!  WAHOO!!!

Baked Chicken with Parmesan Crust

In between massive mouthfuls of food, Gavin kept repeating variations of how much he liked this and that I should make this again.

Need I say more?

Baked Chicken with Parmesan Crust
Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine
Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 20 minutes

2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp dried thyme 
Salt 

Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup panko
Cooking spray

1.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 

2.  Mix the mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cayenne in a medium bowl. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat completely; set aside.

There's just enough to lightly coat the chicken.

3.  In a medium shallow bowl, combine the Parmesan and panko. Dredge the chicken pieces in the panko mixture, coating evenly and heavily, and pressing the coating into the meat.

Crunchy!!

4.  Put the chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet, spray with a quick burst of cooking spray and put the sheet in the middle of the oven. Bake until the chicken is golden and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting or serving.

Golden crusty perfection.

Yes, this is yet another variation on Chicken Parm.  But I really, really like this one!  I love when the breading process is simple and minimal.  I love baking instead of frying.  And I really love when my kids pretty much do a happy dance in their chairs in between bites.  This one's a winner!!

Cheesy Chicken Fingers

It's the first day of school around here!!  So it's only fitting that today's recipe be totally kid-friendly.

Or maybe I should say kid-exciting? Because Gavin kept checking on my progress of making these once I told him what dinner was.  I'm not sure I've ever seen him so excited to try a new recipe!

Cheesy Chicken Fingers
Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine, Kids Edition
Prep time: 20 minutes   Chill time: at least 30 minutes   Cook time: 17 minutes

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, each about 6 oz
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pieces of string cheese, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
Splash of milk
1 cup panko
1/2 tsp paprika, optional

1.  Place each chicken breast in between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/4" thickness.  Season with salt and a little bit of pepper (if your kid doesn't like pepper, leave it out).

Got some aggression you need to get out?  Beat up some chicken!

2.  Place 1/2 of a piece of string cheese along the edge of the chicken. Using the plastic wrap, lift the chicken up and over the cheese and roll into a tight log; tuck in the edges.

It's kind of like making sushi, but not really. ;)

3.  Prepare your breading station by placing the flour in one dish and season it with salt and pepper.  Break the egg in the next dish and beat it slightly with a splash of milk.  Mix the panko and paprika, if using, in the last dish.

4.  Holding the chicken log carefully so it doesn't unroll on you, dredge it first in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, and roll in the panko.  Place breaded log on a baking sheet and finish with the remaining chicken breasts and string cheese.  Chill the raw, breaded chicken fingers at least 30 minutes.

I only made up 3 for us as Rob was working late.

5.  Preheat oven to 450.

6.  Bake the chicken fingers on a greased baking sheet until the chicken is cooked through, about 17 minutes.

Cute little crispy chicken log!

Some things I really like about these little guys:

• They are super fun and got my resident Picky Eater excited about dinner for once.  I lost count how many times he said he was SO EXCITED to eat cheesy chicken.
• Because of the need to chill them a while, I could make them up ahead of time while my boys napped and the house was quiet.
• They used things I keep on-hand always, like chicken and string cheese.
• You can make these as flavorful as you like by just adding more seasonings and flavor combinations to your breading station.  This one is one of our favorites if you need an idea.

Black Bean Burgers

A while back my cousin asked me about veggie burgers.  Although I loooooooooove to experiment with new flavors and textures, I'm married to a Committed Carnivore.  Creating a dish that is normally, primarily, made of meat and making it completely from non-meat ingredients just hadn't crossed the threshold of my mind.  Sure I may have played around with adding veggies to burger patties, but a whole patty made completely from vegetables??  Yeah no.  I got nothing.

But her request stuck with me.  It bothered me that I had no answer.  I haaaaate when I can't help someone out.  So I thought on it.  And thought.  And thought.  Why couldn't I make some veggie burgers, alongside some regular ones for Rob to eat?

So pretty AND yummy!

Why not?

Black Bean Burgers
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes, based on recommendations by a reviewer

1 (15.5oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp Sriracha or hot sauce of choice
1/2 cup Panko

1.  After rinsing the canning juices off the beans, dry on a paper towel-lined plate*.  Transfer beans to a medium bowl and mash until thick and pasty.

Use a fork, potato masher, or, like I did, your hands.

2.  In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Line a sieve with a paper towel or coffee filter.  Pour pepper mixture into the liner and press out as much of the liquid as possible*.  Then stir into mashed beans.

You'll be amazed how much water is in this.

 
3. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties. 

Press into an even layer and score for equal patties

4.  Lay patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.  Freeze at least one hour.

Ready for freezing!

 

5.  FOR GRILLING: Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. Place frozen patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side.  FOR BAKING: Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet.  Place frozen patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side. FOR FRYING: Heat 1 tbsp of canola oil in a frying pan.  Fry frozen patties about 5-8 minutes per side, until edges get that yummy crispiness.

I wanted that flat-top-grill texture to my burger.

*You want to remove as much moisture as you can from the bean mixture to help prevent the patties from falling apart as you handle/cook them.  Freezing them also helps with this.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this.  I'd had the occasional veggie burger before but usually stuck with meat burgers.  At first, I wasn't too sure about the texture... I mean, it's just mashed up beans in the shape of a circle, right?  I chose to fry mine because I wanted that crisp burger-esque edge to them.  The result?  DANG tasty!! 

I also love that with this recipe you can make up a bunch of patties and keep them in the freezer.  Since there's no need to thaw them before cooking, this makes for an EASY long-day dinner with a tasty pile of chips and crisp salad.

Three more ready for later meals.  Woo hoo!!

p.s. Despite the amount of chili powder and hot sauce, these are NOT spicy.  It's just enough to give the flavor a little kick.  If you like spice, maybe use a hot pepper instead of a bell pepper.

Parmesan Potatoes

Mashed?  Meh.

Boiled?  No thanks.

Roasted?  Not in the mood.

Baked?  Yawn.

I like think that's pretty much what was going on in my mom's mind when she tried out this recipe.  Just goes to show you to never underestimate the power of boredom, my friends.  Boredom, when carefully channeled, can yield AMAZING results. 

And if it's not carefully channeled you get Toy Box Explosion that is my boys' bedroom.

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Parmesan Potatoes
Recipe from my mom, whom I think got it from my aunt

1/2 stick butter
4 potatoes, peeled
1 egg
Splash of milk
3/4 cup Panko
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/4 tsp Emeril's seasoning (or similar seasoning blend of choice)

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  While oven heats up, put the butter on a large baking sheet and stick it in the oven to melt.

That little half stick will coat the whole pan

2.  While the butter melts and baking sheet heats up, thinly slice the potatoes.  You want them about a 1/4" thickness.

Yeah, about that thick.  No need to be precise.

3.  Whisk the egg and milk in a shallow dish.  In another, combine the Panko, Parmesan, and seasoning.  Dip the potato slices in the egg mixture, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.  Place in a single layer on the butter coated baking sheet.

Like my fancy schmancy new breading trays??

4.  Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden.

Single layer.  Everyone shares a little butter bath.

I really can't decide how best to describe these delectable little beauties.  On the outside, they're like a potato chip: crisp from the butter and breadcrumbs, with a nutty saltiness from the Parmesan.  However they're waaaay thicker than a chip, which means the inside is still soft and velvety.  You think regular ol' chips are addicting??  I dare you to stop at just one of these.

You can serve these alongside whatever main dish you'd normally do potatoes with.  Since it is a slightly more involved side dish than I normally prepare, I like to make these on Grill Nights, when the main dish is left in Rob's care.  Makes it just a bit easier for me!

Chicken Parm Casserole

I started this blog because people seemed really curious about my cooking.  Either they were curious about what I was putting together that night (and usually wanting the recipe), OR they were asking how I managed to make home-cooked meals almost every night of the week.  I don't know about you but I'm having a good time with this!

Keeping up with the blog though has kind of had an unexpected effect on me.  I'm getting more and more urges to make things without a plan, without a recipe. It's seriously becoming almost like a game!  I deliberately leave a night's dinner unplanned and wander the grocery store to see what's on sale, what catches my eye. 

This dish came about because, while picking up some goat cheese, I glanced up to see fresh mozzarella on sale.  Mmmmm....fresh mozzarella....  The first thing that jumped in my mind was Chicken Parmesan.  But I didn't really want to make the pasta and sauce, bread and bake the chicken, .... it just felt like too many separate components and more than I felt like tackling.  If only I could have that same flavor but all mixed up as one dish.  Like a casserole or something.

Wait a minute....

Chicken Parm Casserole

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1 jar spaghetti or marinara sauce
1 lb whole wheat thin spaghetti
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
2 tbsp grated Asiago (optional)
Extra-virgin olive oil


1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil an cook spaghetti according to package directions, under cooking it by about a minute (don't worry, the pasta will finish cooking as the casserole bakes).

The bones and skin keep the meat moist and flavorful. 
You can use boneless, skinless though; just cook for 10-15 minutes instead.

2.  In a large skillet, heat the marinara sauce over medium heat.  Add the chicken breasts and spoon a little sauce over the top.  Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.  Turn off the heat, remove the chicken breasts from the sauce and LET REST for 10 minutes before shredding the meat.

Partially freezing mozzarella makes it easier to cut or shred.

3.  Return the shredded meat to the marinara sauce, along with the with the mozzarella and cooked spaghetti.  Toss to combine.  If the sauce gets too thick, use some of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.  (Remember, this is going into the oven and the moisture will be absorbed as it bakes.  You want a thinner sauce at this point.)  Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.

Or get ahead by putting into 2 8x8 pans and freezing one for later.
Wait on the topping until the night you bake it.

4.  For the topping, toss together the Panko, oregano, Parmesan, and Asiago (if using).  Sprinkle over the top of the casserole and drizzle with a little EVOO.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes, until top is golden and sauce/cheese is bubbly yumminess.

Creamy. Crunchy. Comforting.

This dish had all of the flavors and much of the texture of a traditional Chicken Parmesan dish.  I just wanted to give it a little bit of spin.  Actually, this would be a FANTASTIC way to use up leftovers!  Some extra pasta in the fridge, some rotisserie chicken,...you see where this is going?  With leftovers, this could seriously become a 30 minute, post-long-work-day meal.  Add a tossed salad and some garlic bread and you are set!


PSST!!  Not into eating meat?  Use grilled eggplant or zucchini instead of chicken. ;)

Shrimp Scampi

I love fancy-sounding and looking recipes that really take no time at all.  Don't you?

Shrimp Scampi
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

1 lb (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp
1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp minced garlic
1/8 cup minced shallots
1 1/2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup panko
Lemon wedges, for serving

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2.  Butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, salt, and pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while assembling the butter and garlic mixture.

The makings for a simple, fantastic marinade

3.  In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, salt, and pepper until combined.

Flavortown!  Why yes, I do watch Guy Fieri on occasion

4.  Starting from the outer edge of a shallow, oval or round baking dish (think pie plate or gratin), arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. 

The butter will melt away, leaving this amazing crust

5.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Ooooooooo.....

Now, this is the fancy schmancy version with the whole butterflying action.  If you making this to impress someone, totally go for it because it looks really cool.  However if you're pressed for time, tired, and dealing with cranky, screaming children, I'd just toss the shrimp around in the marinade as is (removing the tails first to make for easier eating later).  Just spread the shrimp in the baking dish in a single layer.

I think shrimp scampi is usually served with angel hair pasta.  A nice crusty loaf of bread works well with this too.  Throw in a lovely tossed salad and you absolutely have a gorgeous, company-worthy weeknight meal.  Enjoy!

Tonkatsu

My dad is retired Navy; have I mentioned that before?  Not sure...anyway, because of this career choice a brief snippet of my early life was spent in Japan.  I was really too young to know any different but our time there was truly amazing.  That country is GORGEOUS and man, I can't wait to go back some day.

Don't be scared.  I don't bring this up to try and force a sushi recipe on you.  So far the sushi technique has escaped me, much like grilling.  I leave that up to Rob.  Instead I have an extremely simple and TASTY dish that I bet any mid-westerners will L-O-V-E:  tonkatsu (aka breaded and deep-fried pork chops).  With me now? ;)

Tonkatsu
Recipe from Allrecipes

4 eggs
2 tsp milk
1 tsp minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
8 thin cut boneless pork chops (about 1/4" thick OR LESS; this is NOT a recipe for the Big Bertha pork chops I know you Iowans love)
1 1/2 - 2 cups panko crumbs

1.  In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place the panko crumbs in a shallow bowl. 

I love adding more flavor to egg batters

2.  Dip pork chops in the egg mixture. Coat with panko crumbs, dip in the egg mixture again, then coat with another layer of panko crumbs (the double coating process is messy but oh-so-worth it!). Lay coated chops on a plate until the rest are finished. If you have time, let them set for about 10 minutes, and the coating will set very well. If you wish to freeze the chops (Ooo!  A Get Ahead opportunity!!), now is the time. 

Cute little pork chops...ready for freezer OR fryer!

3.  When the oil is very hot, place pork chops into the pan, and fry for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.  

Drool-worthy golden color

I made some notes about this recipe...  

• Depending on the size of pan you're using, the oil may not completely cover the chops and that's ok.  This is more like shallow frying than deep frying.  
• The exact cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chops and how hot the oil is. If your chops are super thin, cook closer to 3 minutes per side. Remember, nobody likes a tough pork chop.  And contrary to popular belief, pork is NOT like chicken...it can be a little pink inside.
• ALWAYS make sure to let meat rest before eating!!  They will finish cooking while the juices redistribute.
• Though fine on it's own, the BEST way to eat tonkatsu is with sauce.  The best one I've had is a sweet plum sauce.  There are a variety of recipes out there though that range from sweet to tangy to spicy.  Try whatever suits your tastes.  If you're crazy busy some weeknight though and happen to forget about putting a sauce together (like some absent-minded Mommy of almost 2 kids who I think we all know), steak sauce works well too.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

So now you know my secret that sometimes I get bored with recipes, and sometimes I get stuck.  When this happens I like to ask Rob if there's anything he'd like for me to make that he hasn't had in a while.  Most of the time though he's so open and flexible to whatever I make that this doesn't work too well.  Occasionally I get a helpful response though, like the other day when he said he wanted Chicken Cordon Bleu.

*sigh*  I despise making Chicken Cordon Bleu.

Don't get me wrong I like eating it!  But I have remembering-to-defrost-the-chicken-ahead-of-time issues.  And then there's the whole pounding it out super thin, which I hate doing because raw chicken juice splatters everywhere and it's just a big mess for me.  Oh and the assembly of this....  Ack!!  Slippery raw chicken, recently beaten to death, topped with a just as slippery piece of deli ham and a usually less than flexible slice of Swiss cheese.  I end up using about 53 toothpicks just to get the thing to stay put, but then how am I supposed to get the breading on around all those picks poking out??

Yeah, do NOT love making this one.  But I love my husband and he really doesn't request dishes that often so, dang it, I'm going to make this.  I wonder if I can adapt this though to something that isn't going to drive me insane just in putting it together....hmmmmm.....  I've got it!! 

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Recipe from Jeanna's head

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-5 thin slices of deli ham
1/2 cup (ish) shredded Swiss cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (ish) flour
2 eggs
1 cup (ish) Panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp EACH butter and olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Start a skillet heating over medium-high heat.  Stack the ham slices together and roll into a log.  Slice up the "ham log" so you end up with little ribbons of deli meat (yes, like a chiffonade); set aside.  Create a pile of shredded cheese next to the ham and have 3 toothpicks handy.

A meat chiffonade!

2. Using a sharp paring knife, cut into the side of each chicken breast, but NOT all the way through, making a nice stuffing space (use your fingers a little to gently stretch the space bigger if you like).  Put a little of the ham and cheese inside the chicken and close it with a toothpick.  Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

Endless possibilities for that pocket...

Stuffed full of meat and cheese

See that one little unobtrusive toothpick?

3.  Setup breading station: pour flour into a shallow dish or plate.  Beat eggs in a separate dish.  Pour Panko into a third.  Season the chicken, flour, and Panko with salt and pepper.  Coat each chicken breast in the flour (shaking off the excess), egg, and then Panko.  If you like an extra crispy coating, repeat the egg and Panko steps.

Breaded chicken anxiously awaiting the skillet

4.  In the hot skillet, melt butter and oil together.  Add the breaded chicken breasts and brown on each side.  Transfer pan to oven and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Look at that crispy, golden perfection....

This variation on the usually rolled chicken dish is sooooooooooooo much easier for me to handle.  And with only using one little toothpick, I'm not creating a lumpy breading nightmare for myself either!  Yeah, I can do this. :)

[I have to interject at this point that I've really fallen in love with using Panko breadcrumbs.  For YEARS I have subconsciously resisted using Panko because it's a bit more expensive.  Plus all these chefs on TV keep making these "crispy" coatings using regular crumbs so the fact that I haven't been able to do it yet just means I'm doing it wrong, right?  Yeah.  If you like a great crispy crust, spend the extra pennies and get the Panko.]

Oh, and in case you're wondering, Gavin asked for thirds. ;)

Curried Chicken Tenders with Kicked Up Ketchup

I had this other post all prepared to share with you tonight....and then I made dinner.  And dinner was AWESOME.  And I got sooooooooooo excited about how this new dish turned out that I just couldn't wait to tell you about it!

So I'm jumping ahead of my game plan. Hope that's ok. ;)

This recipe caught my attention because I have a 3-year-old who's going through...let's say it's a Selective Phase.  When he was a baby, we called him Leftover Boy because he would eat everything.  I miss Leftover Boy.  I'm not sure what happened to Leftover Boy but he walked out of my house a looooooooooong time ago, and in his place I'm left with a kid who eats mac & cheese, pancakes, PB&J, and chicken nuggets.

Needless to say that dinners have become something of a struggle.  We are making progress with at least getting him to try things but it can get so exhausting.  I really try to incorporate dishes I know he'll eat and love but I also like to make sure that Rob and I aren't bored either.

Enter this risky recipe...

Curried Chicken Tenders with Kicked Up Ketchup
Recipe from Food Network Magazine

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips
2 large eggs
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp curry powder, divided
1 tsp cumin
Salt
1-2 cups Panko
3/4 cup ketchup
Juice of one lime

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Whisk the eggs, mustard, 1 teaspoon curry powder, the cumin and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl. Mix the panko with 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in another bowl.

Look at all those gorgeous shades of gold!

2.  Dip the chicken strips in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, then coat with the panko. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and mist all over with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

My assembly line

3.  Mix the ketchup, lime juice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in a small bowl. Serve the chicken strips with the curried ketchup.

Lined up like little solders

When I decided to make this for dinner, I hadn't fully grasped just how much curry was in it.  But as I was mixing things up and getting my breading assembly line ready to go, I started to get nervous.  Holy cow there's curry in every step of this!  So needless to say I was just about terrified when I saw Gavin excitedly grab the little chicken strip off his plate and sink his teeth in.

"Hey Mommy, I like it.  This is good!"

Former Leftover Boy

I think you could have scraped me off the floor I was so shocked and THRILLED!!!!  The chicken had this very light, but not super intense curry flavor that wasn't spicy at all (helps that I used sweet curry powder).  The panko helped ensure that no matter how I cooked this, they'd be crispy.  Now, I will say that I didn't push my luck with the ketchup; I gave Gavin plain instead.  Rob and I enjoyed the curried ketchup though.  At first I couldn't quite taste a difference, then the sharp tang of the lime came through and that flavor mellowed out with that delicious curry.  Really good with those chicken tenders!

But, what if you don't like curry?  That's ok, my feelings aren't hurt.  Check out the concept of the recipe, using your own favorite spices instead.  I love how this LOADS UP FLAVOR in the egg mixture, and then carries the curry flavor to the breading, and even to the dipping sauce.  Experiment.  Do what feels right and tastes good to you.  That's the fun of cooking!