Chicken Schnitzel with Cheddar Cheese Sauce

In 2010 we moved to South Africa for two years. While we were there I was introduced to a lot of new and tasty foods, like this Chicken Schnitzel with Cheese Sauce. I didn't have a recipe for the South African version of this dish, so I created one based on my limited knowledge of cooking a 'flattened' chicken breast and of making a cheese sauce... and of course relying on my memory of what that South African Schnitzel tasted like! The final product, I am happy to say, was good enough to empress my South African husband... I even received a 'this is better than the ones back home' comment! *Hurray! I'll take it!*

Ingredients: 

Chicken:

6 boneless skinless chicken breast

1/2 C flour

3 eggs- lightly beaten

1 1/4 C dry Italian bread crumbs

Oil for frying

Cheese Sauce: 

 2 1/2 tbsp butter

1 C milk

4 tsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 C (packed) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper {optional}

Chicken:

To flatten chicken, place a chicken breast between two pieces of wax or parchment paper. {Note: I remove any fat and then rinse/pat dry the chicken breast before I begin}. Using a meat mallet {or in my case a rolling pin...also hear champagne bottles and heavy frying pans work well, so use whatever you can come up with} gently flatten the chicken, careful not 'break' the meat. Flatten to approximately  3/8" to 1/2" thick. Do this for each breast. *Sorry I forgot to snap a photo of this part of the process, will add the next time I prepare*

In wide shallow bowls place your lightly beaten eggs, Italian bread crumbs and flour. Dredge chicken pieces in flour then egg then coat completely with bread crumbs. Place all the coated pieces in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to dry/set. 

In a large non-stick skillet, heat your oil {about 1/4"} over medium-high heat. Adding no more than two pieces of chicken at a time, cook until golden brown and cooked through {about 3 minutes on each side}. 

Drain off excess oil on paper towel lined platter and keep warm while you prepare the cheese sauce. 

To prepare cheese sauce, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. 

Add bit of the milk, whisking to incorporate all together smoothly. Then add remaining milk and the salt and  bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook for about 2 minutes until thickened. 

Remove from heat and add cheese, pepper and small pinch of cayenne pepper {optional}. 

Whisk all together until cheese is melted. 

Then serve {or smother!} this sauce over your chicken schnitzel... and that's it! I really really hope you find that you like this recipe as much as we do!!

*Note: this cheese sauce would also be great over fish, vegetables or as a warm cheese dip {my kids even love this as a dipping sauce for their beloved chicken nuggets}! 

 Dedra

Print this recipe here: Chicken Schnitzel with Cheese Sauce
Want just the cheese sauce? Can find that here: Cheese Sauce

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This is one of my favorite ways to make mashed potatoes. The garlic flavor really comes through and these are always a huge hit with everyone at our dinner table!

Ingredients:

1 garlic head
1 tsp olive oil
3 lbs baking potatoes
6 tbsp butter or margarine
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried parsley {or 2 tbsp fresh}


Roasting Garlic: Preheat oven to 400° F. Chop off top of garlic {about 1/2" worth} to expose the cloves.

Place on a piece of tin foil and drizzle with the olive oil. Close foil and roast on a baking sheet in oven for about 30 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned.

Set aside to cool a bit and then use fingers to just squeeze out the roasted garlic. Will come out easily... 

Potatoes: While garlic is roasting, peel and chop potatoes and place in large pot.

Cover with water by about and inch and bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain and return to pot.

Add the butter, cream, salt, the roasted garlic and parsley. Mash potatoes with potato masher {or just use a large whisk...worked beautifully for me}! Make sure everything is combined, careful not to over mix or you may get a pasty texture.

And that is it! Easy & delicious roasted garlic mashed potatoes!  

 Dedra

Can print this recipe here: Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

This recipe came from pinterest...I can not claim it, the site I got it from was skinnytaste.com...she has an amazing healthy website with really good recipes, no I don't know her from Adam, but always seem to be on her site looking for healthy tasty recipes, so if you haven't seen her, I highly recommend her site...Hope you enjoy this recipe....her calorie count on this was 184.7 one half pepper per serving.....cant beat that for dinner food..........



1 lb ground turkey
1 garlic, minced
1/2 onion
1 Tbsp Cilantro
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3-4 large red bell peppers
1 cup fat free chicken broth
1/4 cup cooked brown rice
reduced fat cheese to top each pepper, 1/4 to 1/2 cup

*I doubled the recipe, so the pics show more than what the recipe is asking for

Preheat oven 400 degrees, add a little olive oil to a saute pan and heat on medium. add onion, garlic, cilantro into the pan and saute about 2 min.



I have to say that this stuff right here was the best smelling stuff, I got seriously hungry just making this.



 add ground turkey. season with salt, garlic powder and cumin. Brown meat until completely cooked through...about 10 minutes maybe less



 add tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth..(the other half will be used when baking) simmer on low for about 5 min. In the meantime, prepare your rice as directed on package. Combine cooked rice to the meat mixture.



wash bells and cut lengthwise, remove the veins and seeds.

a paring knife works well at removing the veins....

 Place in a baking dish (9 x 13). fill each pepper with the meat mixture, don't be stingy, filler up good.

 Pour the other 1/2 of broth in the bottom of the pan, cover tightly with foil and bake for 30-35 mins...last few mins, remove the foil add the cheese toss back in the oven until cheese is melted...



this was one of the best stuffed bell peppers I think I have ever had.....AND its guilt free!!!!!!!!

you can print this recipe here: Turkey stuffed peppers

Debbie





Pastry wrapped asparagus

I saw this recipe on pinterest (you will see this allot, I am addicted) and thought OH MY WORD, I love asparagus, I have bacon wrapped them, I have baked with lemon and parm and I have used them in orzo...but seeing these puppies wrapped in pastry dough....I thought YES PLEASE.....the site I saw this on was simplify, live, love...I am not sure if its a website or a blog...I was on my phone and it wouldn't tell me.......SO check her out if you can, anyone creating this stuff, has to have good recipes all over the place....I didn't have time to check her out, I was running to the store to buy puff pastry...too excited about this!

2 sheets of puff pastry sheets

flour for dusting

10 pieces asparagus

1-2 ounces cream cheese

one egg, beaten

2 TBS Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Fold the puff pastry sheet out into a 10" x 6" rectangle.

Cover with cream cheese.

Cut the sheet into 10 thin strips.

Roll each strip around one spear of asparagus.

Brush with egg and top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes. 

 These were awesome, great side dish for a dinner party or a holiday meal...they are just so pretty, almost to pretty to eat!!!  ALMOST........

you can print this recipe here: Pastry wrapped asparagus



Debbie

Cloud biscuits

When I first got married I realized that my mother in law was an awesome cook. She never cooked anything unless it was homemade. This seriously intimidated me, I could cook, but never made dough of any form.....SOOOOO, I decided I wanted to learn to make homemade biscuits. My first batch was hard as a rock, I even had to ask my BROTHER in law, who was about 14 years old what kneading meant...hahaha...Well I followed the recipe but the first batch came out hard as a rock, the funny part was I wrapped the hard biscuits in tin foil, I wanted to show my hubby I at least attempted to make them, when I took them out of the tin foil, they were soft, I think I fell on the floor laughing.  I just kept practicing and finally got it right. No more hard biscuits.
This is a very easy recipe and after tweaking it a little, they came out perfect.


2 cups sifted all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cups buttermilk or whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1 more beaten egg for the egg wash

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Sift together all dry ingredients.

Cut in shortening till mixture resembles course crumbs.

you can use a fork or a pastry cutter to cut in the shortening

Crumbs.......





 Combine egg and milk in a separate bowl, beat well with a fork. Add in egg mixture to flour.





                                              

whip the egg first and then add milk and whip together

 knead gently with ball of your hand, about 20 strokes. form dough into a ball and lay out on a flour dusted surface.

 Roll out to about 3/4" thickness, using a cookie cutter, cut round circles out, lay on an ungreased cookie sheet.



rolled out with rolling pin

cut with cookie cutter



 Place the biscuits close together, this creates softer sides, brush on a light layer of egg wash over each biscuit....

Bake 10-15 mintes

YES!!!!!! Beautifully baked to a golden brown!!!!!

OK I have to go eat a biscuits now, or two or three.......See ya

 Debbie 

You can print this recipe here: Cloud Biscuits

Slow-Baked Kale Chips

I am a big 'muncher' throughout the day... and I love chips! But, let's face it, munching on chips everyday is not the healthiest snack choice one can make *sigh*. So when I discovered Kale chips.. I was in snack heaven! I admit  at first glance I was not totally convinced that they would hold up to the taste of my beloved chips... but they do! Even my veggie hating husband enjoys this green salty snack {that's really saying something, believe me!}. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

Ingredients: 

4-5 C Kale-roughly chopped

2-3 tsp Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Place the chopped Kale in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. {The Kale should be lightly coated in the oil}.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the Kale evenly.

Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until Kale is lightly browned and crispy. When done, add salt to taste.

 Place in a bowl and serve/eat just like potato chips...

It's as simple as that! I find myself making these almost daily because I am so addicted... Try it and let me know what you think!

You can print this recipe here: Slow-Baked Kale Chips


 Dedra