Baked Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders with Mustard Cheese Sauce

 

Cooking with kids can be such an adventure. Well, actually cooking with a teenager and adult child can be such an adventure. One of them was in charge of crushing pretzels and even though I mentioned no big pieces, there were many big pieces. And of course she said it was fine and would be okay. The chicken was good and we all enjoyed the pretzel crust, but smaller pieces would have been a bit better. 

After storing the leftover chicken in the refrigerator the pretzel coating got soggy and reheating it in the microwave definitely did not help. When I make this again I am going to have to see if reheating it in the oven will help crisp it make up again.

What really made this chicken is the mustard cheese sauce. With just a few minutes and a handful of ingredients, this delicious sauce comes together easily. 

Baked Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders with Mustard Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

Chicken Tenders

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups pretzel sticks, crushed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water

Mustard Cheese Sauce

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch strips.
3. Place the pretzels into a shallow dish.
4. In a small shallow, whisk together the eggs and water.
5. In another shallow dish, whisk together the flour, chili powder, garlic powder and black pepper.
6. Working with one chicken strip at a time, coat in the flour mixture and then the egg mixture. Finally place the chicken into the crushed pretzels, press down to help them stick. Place the chicken onto the prepared baking dish. Repeat until all chicken has been coated.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.
8. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute whisking constantly. 
9. Slowly whisk in the milk and then the mustard. Continue to whisk constantly and allow the mixture to cook until slightly thickened. Add in the cheese, one handful at a time, continuing to whisk until completely melted. Season with black pepper.
10. Once the chicken is done, top individual servings with some of the sauce.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 425
Total Fat		14.4g
Saturated Fat		6.9g
Trans Fat		0g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat		0.1g
Cholesterol		203.7mg
Sodium		895.9mg
Total Carbohydrates		23.4g
Dietary Fiber		0.8g
Sugars		2.3g
Protein		48.1g
Calcium		33.4%
Iron		6.3%
Potassium		162.3mg
Vitamin A		8.1%
Vitamin C		0.8%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Creme De La Crumb and Taste & Tell.

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Dill Pickle Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

 

Every time I make a sandwich using the bread my girls use for sandwiches, I think man this would taste good on sourdough bread. I love sourdough bread, but one of my girls does not so I do not have it in the house often. I think I need to keep a loaf in the freezer for when I want to make a delicious sandwich.

Sloppy joes are an easy and delicious sandwich, especially if made from scratch. I am not a fan of the canned stuffed, but homemade is definitely the way to go and easy to make. Add some dill pickles to the sloppy joe mix and it takes it to the next level. Combine that dilly sloppy joe mix with the classic grilled cheese and you have a filling and delicious sandwich.

Dill Pickle Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
• 8 slices bread
• 10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
2. Add in the ground turkey and onions and cook until the turkey is completely cooked. Drain any liquid.
3. Stir in the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper and diced pickles. Remove the skillet from the heat. 
4. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat.
5. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of butter on each slice of bread. Place 4 slices of bread butter side down and top with 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Spoon on 1/2 cup of sloppy joe mix followed by an additional 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Place another slice of bread, butter side up on the top.
6. Place the sandwiches into the preheated griddle or skillet and cook until the cheese is melted and bread is toasted, about 1-3 minutes. Carefully flip the sandwich over and cook on the other side until the cheese is melted and bread is toasted, about 1-3 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 754
Total Fat		47.1g
Saturated Fat		25g
Trans Fat		6g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0g
Monounsaturated Fat		2g
Cholesterol		170.9mg
Sodium		1436.6mg
Total Carbohydrates		39.7g
Dietary Fiber		2.6g
Sugars		14g
Protein		48.5g
Calcium		56.5%
Iron		15.1%
Potassium		64.8mg
Vitamin A		0.1%
Vitamin C		2%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Kitchen Funny with My Three Sons.

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Make Again Monday: Hard Boiled Egg and Bacon Grilled Cheese

 

I need to make hard boiled eggs more than once a year. I really like them and they have some good health benefits too. Not to mention they taste delicious in this sandwich.

To see the recipe and original post click here.

Enjoy!!!

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Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

I already have a cinnamon roll pancake recipe that you can find here. But decided to make this one for several reasons. The main reason being the recipe said quick. The recipe I already have is not hard, but it takes a bit of time. Also this recipe makes a bigger batch so I do not have to worry about doubling the recipe I currently use. Lastly, this recipe uses buttermilk instead of regular milk like the other recipe.

Unfortunately, I would not say this recipe is quick. Like my other recipe it is not hard, but does take more time and more work than most pancake recipes. But thankfully, it is delicious and makes plenty of pancakes, which gives me leftovers to enjoy on another day.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients:

Cinnamon Filling

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon milk

Pancakes

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Cinnamon Filling

1. In a medium bowl combine the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
2. Scoop the filling into plastic bag or piping bag with small/medium sized round tip in place.
3. Set aside to let the filling firm up.

Cream Cheese Glaze

1. In a small pan, over low heat, melt the butter.
2. Turn of the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until it is completely melted and incorporated.
3. Stir in the powdered sugar and then the milk and vanilla extract.
4. Set aside while cooking the pancakes.

Pancakes

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
2. In medium bowl whisk the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until well combined.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir jut until incorporated. Let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Give the filling a quick stir in case the butter has separated. Also if the filling has not firmed up let it sit longer. You want the filling to be thickened, but still squeezable.
5. Heat a griddle over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.
6. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter onto the hot griddle and reduce the heat to medium-low.
7. If using a baggie, snip off the corner and squeeze the filling down into the opening.
8. When the pancakes start to form bubbles squeeze the filling onto the pancakes, by starting at the center and forming a swirl. Be careful not to get the filling to close the the edge of the pancake.
9. Cook the pancakes for about 2-3 minutes or until the bubbles on top begin to pop and the bottom side is golden brown.
10. Carefully and quickly flip the pancakes, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Before cooking more pancakes clean off the griddle with a paper towel.
12. Rewarm the glaze if it has thickened too much and drizzle over the pancakes.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:

If your cinnamon mixture gets too thick place in a bowl of warm water to soften.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 382
Total Fat		16.3g
Saturated Fat		9.7g
Trans Fat		0g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat		1.9g
Cholesterol		87.7mg
Sodium		414.4mg
Total Carbohydrates		50.9g
Dietary Fiber		0.8g
Sugars		26.8g
Protein		8.3g
Calcium		16.7%
Iron		2%
Potassium		109.4mg
Vitamin A		5.9%
Vitamin C		0%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Yummy and Full.

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Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 

I have always been a fan of grilled cheese with a bowl of warm and creamy tomato soup. The combination is best. This sandwich reminds me of that delicious combination, but a bit more grown up with some basil pesto on the sandwich.

This sandwich is oh so very good. So good that I could have eaten two of them. I did not buy my normal sourdough bread for this recipe and definitely wish I had. The bread I used did not hold up very well to the grilled cheese with the tomatoes in it. Next time I will definitely use sourdough since that bread will hold up to the tomatoes better.

Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon basil pesto
• 1 roma tomato, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet, over medium heat.
2. On one slice of bread spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Turn the bread slices over and spread the basil pesto on the other side of the bread. Place half of the cheese on top of the bread followed by some tomato slices and the black pepper. Place the remaining cheese on top.
3. On the other slice of bread spread one side with the remaining 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Place the bread slice down on top of the sandwich mayonnaise side up.
4. Place the sandwich down into the preheated skillet and cook until toasted, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the sandwich over and cook on the other side until toasted, about 3-4 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 798
Total Fat		49.6g
Saturated Fat		26.2g
Trans Fat		0g
Polyunsaturated Fat		4.1g
Monounsaturated Fat		2g
Cholesterol		129mg
Sodium		1557.2mg
Total Carbohydrates		51.5g
Dietary Fiber		1.1g
Sugars		1.6g
Protein		38g
Calcium		87.4%
Iron		29%
Potassium		321.6mg
Vitamin A		11.8%
Vitamin C		14.4%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Lord Byron's Kitchen.

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Make Again Monday: Loaded Bacon Jalapeño Deviled Eggs

 My oldest likes to say she made these all by herself, however, I made the hard boiled eggs and peeled them, she put it all together. I consider it a joint effort. Instead of cooking bacon for these, she used bacon bits because they were out for another recipe and to quote my daughter "work smarter not harder". She also decided to sprinkle some extra bacon on top "to make them look better".  Although I would have preferred our normal turkey bacon, these were absolutely delicious, better than I remembered. I love the flavor and spiciness they have from the pickled jalapeños.

To see the recipe and original post click here.

Enjoy!!!

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Chocolate Lemon Curd Cake with Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

It is really hard for me to let my oldest decorate cakes. She does not want to bake the cake, but just decorate it. However, if I am going to do all the work of baking, stacking and making the buttercream, I want to decorate it as well. But I decided to let her decorate the cake since it was for her birthday. 

This cake came to be because of an idea she had. She loves lemon curd and wanted a chocolate cake with lemon curd filling. She left the frosting up to me, so of course I had to go with my favorite Swiss meringue. Since the cake filling was lemon it made sense to do a lemon buttercream.

The chocolate cake was so delicious. It was light and fluffy, nice and moist, everything a chocolate cake should be. The homemade lemon curd added a bit of sweet tangy brightness to the chocolate cake, making it a perfect combination. The buttercream was deliciously fluffy with the right amount of sweetness and a hint of lemon flavor. The lemon flavor was a bit subtle for my liking, I was hoping for a more pronounced lemon flavor. Next time I make it I might increase the lemon extract to see if it will give it a more pronounced lemon flavor without affecting the consistency of the buttercream.

Chocolate Lemon Curd Cake with Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder

Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 8 egg whites, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract
• yellow gel food coloring, optional

Filling

• lemon curd

Directions:

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. 
3. Whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar, whisking until well combined.
4. Add in the oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Mix just until combined.
5. Add the espresso powder to the boiling water and mix until combined. Pour the mixture into the mixing bowl and mix just until everything is combined. Batter will be thin.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans. 
7. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
8. Place the cake pans on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife between the cake and pan and remove the cakes. Place the cakes on the cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

1. In a clean heatproof stand mixer bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar.
2. In a medium pot, just big enough to fit the stand mixer bowl snugly without it touching the bottom, bring an inch or two of water to a simmer. Place the stand mixer bowl in the pot, making sure it does not touch the simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and the sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy, or reaches 160º F on a candy thermometer.
3. Place the bowl on the mixer, with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium-high speed until the mixture has formed stiff peaks and the bowl is no longer warm to the touch, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Remove the whisk attachment and add the paddle attachment. Add the butter in 1 tablespoon at a time mixing well after each addition. Continue to mix until the mixture is smooth. 
5. With the mixer running on low speed, add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon extract and yellow food coloring if desired. Continue to mix on low speed until everything is incorporated and frosting is smooth.

Assembly

1. Level the tops of each cake and place one on a cake stand or serving plate.
2. Add some buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe a border of buttercream around the edge of the cake. Fill the middle with about 1/4-1/3 cup of lemon curd. Repeat with another layer of cake. Place the last cake layer on top.
3. Frost the cake with a thin layer of buttercream to seal in the crumbs. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 
4. Frost the cake and decorate as desired.

Enjoy!!!

*Adapted from Live Well and Bake Often and Chelsweets.

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