Crispy Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken

Well I finally got back into the kitchen this week.  I could have made anything but what do I choose? Chicken! I am so predictable.

Despite it being boring old chicken this recipe really spiced it up! Such a simple dish but so flavourful. I do love a crispy piece of chicken.

A few simple sides, mashed potatoes and broccoli and you have a perfect weeknight meal.

What you need,

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2 chicken breasts trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise (to make 4 thin pieces)

1 cup Panko crumbs

1 tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning

¼ cup melted butter

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp. lemon zest

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray well with non-stick spray.

In a shallow dish combine the panko and lemon pepper seasoning.

In a separate dish whisk together the butter and lemon juice.

Pat each piece of chicken dry with a paper towel. Dip each piece of chicken into the butter mixture then press into the panko crumbs to coat.

Place the coated chicken on the prepared pan. Sprinkle the tops of each chicken breast with a little of the fresh lemon zest.

Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes until well browned and crisp and the chicken is cooked through.

I haven’t used lemon pepper all that much but it really made this recipe wonderful. The fresh lemon juice and zest really brightened up the chicken up.

We both really liked this dish; I would make it again for sure.

Enjoy!

Jen

My Dad!

Hey there, feels like I have been a very bad blogger as of late.

I have to say that the last 2 weeks of 2014 and the first week of 2015 kicked my butt… My Dad ended up in the hospital on Christmas Eve with a life threatening illness. We all went in to survival mode and did what needed to be done. Thankfully he is doing much better and I think he is on the mend, but we were all VERY concerned. Needless to say the last few weeks have been a blur. I am only just coming out of the haze now.

My Dad is one of the most important people in my life, we have a very close relationship and I am so grateful he is doing so well.

Dad is a huge part of the reason that I started this blog. He cooked for us all the time when we were growing up. He is a great cook and I have learned so much from him over the years.

I thought in honour of the Stan I would share a few of his signature dishes. These things have his influence all over them, I can’t make them and eat them without thinking of him!

First up my favourite breakfast of all time! Fried Red Tomatoes on Toast. We ate this for breakfast at least once or twice a week all summer when I was growing up. We would go out and pick a bowl of tomatoes while my Dad fried up a big pan of bacon, then we would toss in all the beautiful tomato slices and cook them until they were soft and delicious! Pile all of that up on some crispy toast and you have heaven on a plate‼

Steak Pie! My Dad is a hunter; we always had venison in the freezer, always! One of the families favourites was his Steak Pie! It is just a classic. Writing this is making me crave one right now!

Porcupine Meatballs! When I was driving my Dad home from Calgary to Regina after his release from the hospital we were discussing food, as we often do! He was listing all the things he felt like eating after all that hospital food. Porcupine Meatballs topped his list. So once we got home and settled we whipped up a huge batch, made from Moose meat I might add. They were so scrumptious! Dad loved them and he got to eat the left overs for a few days after I had to leave!

Stan’s Pasta, or as he used to call it Burger Shlaka! This simple pasta is fantastic. We have been eating this dish as long as I can remember!

It is one of my in house taste testers favourite now too!

For dessert 2 things really come to mind when I think of my dad, the first is Bachelor Button Cookies, soft cakey cookies with a sweet date filling. My Grandma Clarke used to make them for my Dad whenever he asked her to. The rest of us would try to get her to make them but she would only make them for my Dad. They are wonderful, if you have never made them I suggest you do!

And of course the classic holiday treat OACB’s (Only at Christmas Brownies). From the time I could stand on a stool and see the top of the counter I remember helping my Dad make these yummy treats. I started by breaking up the graham crackers then after a few years and I was old enough to use a knife I would cut the cherries, then I finally got the honor of stirring the chocolate mixture, it was a big step and remember feeling really proud that I finally got to do it. We even have a special pot and spoon that always have to be used when making OACB’s!

Luckily he had whipped up a batch before Christmas and he still had some in the freezer when I got to his house. They didn’t last long once I found them!

Thank you Dad for being such a wonderful influence on my life, not just in the kitchen but for everything!

I can’t even express the relief I have knowing that you are on the mend. Love you!

Jen

My Top Ten Favourite Recipes From 2014

I always love looking back at all the recipes I have made in the past year. I always seem to forget how many great things we have eaten over the year. I thought I would share 10 of MY favourite recipes from this past year.

10. Super Awesome Brownies – I have never been much of a brownie girl, but after making these ridiculously amazing brownies I am a total convert!

9. Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Dill Pickle Mayo – Crispy chicken and dill pickle mayo what else do I need to say, seriously!

8. Rhubarb Muffins – I love me some rhubarb, and these muffins were wonderful! Probably the best muffin I have ever had.

7. Creamy Balsamic Chicken Linguine – I am always looking for a new chicken recipe and as you all know I love my pasta so this recipe was a real winner for me. Great flavor and so simple, such a great weeknight dinner.

6. Fudgsicles – This classic summer treat is always a winner but I think this homemade version is the best I have ever had!

5. Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps – I have been obsessed with lettuce wraps the last year or so. This version was one of my fav’s! So quick to throw together and beyond delicious!

4. Fried Donuts with Chocolate Glaze – I have always wanted to make donuts from scratch and I am so glad I finally did it! They were amazing, almost too amazing! I can’t make them often because they disappear in minutes!

3. Chicken Tortilla Soup – If you are looking for comfort in a bowl make this soup. It is utterly fantastic‼ I have made it twice since and my sister and I whipped up a batch as freezer meals when we were getting ready for her baby to come. It is just wonderful!

2. Pumpkin Snickerdoodles – It is hard to find a bad cookie but I gotta say these cookies have moved into my top 5 cookies of all time. They are soft and moist and full of fall flavor!

1. Creamy Tomato and Cheese Tortellini with Sausage – This is one of my go to weeknight dinners! It is easy and fast and tastes so so good!

It makes great left overs as well.

So there are a few of my favourite recipes. I loved every one of them and can’t wait till I make them all again!

I hope I can keep you all inspired to make some new dishes in 2015! Thanks again for taking the time to stop by my little piece of the blogosphere!

Jen

Top 10 Most Viewed Recipes of 2014

Heeelllooo‼ Happy few days after Christmas! I hope you all had a fabulous few days.

It is that time of year again, time to share the recipes you guys, my most awesome readers, viewed the most in 2014!

There are some good ones on the list again this year. A few of them have made the list a few times, but I guess that means great recipes are always great!

So here we go the top 10 most viewed by you recipes of 2014!

10. Tater Tot Casserole – a total classic, comfort food to the max and simple to make!

9. Mushroom Roll-Ups – There really isn’t a better appetizer, seriously I could eat 40 of these little things!

8. Wifesaver Casserole – This perfect make ahead breakfast is great for any occasion especially Christmas morning!

7. Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken – You know what is great about this meal, it is so easy and it tastes amazing, seriously you should try it!

6. Christmas Sangria – This is such a great thing to make for a party, it is spicy and fruity and delicious!

5. Pan Crisp Salmon with Dijon Cream Sauce – If you think you don’t like fish, this is the recipe for you. The crisp bread crumbs and the tangy sauce make this salmon the utterly amazing!

4. Orzo with Parmesan and Basil – what can I say, this recipe has been on this top 10 list since the beginning. It is so darned good, so simple and it not only goes with just about anything it makes a great meal on its own!

3. Christmas Cranberry Cocktail – This beauty is my all-time favourite cocktail. It really just tastes like the holidays!

2. No Bake Cookie Butter Cookies – These little beauties are cookie perfection, first you don’t have to turn on the oven, and second they are full of cookie butter! I am drooling just thinking about them!

1. Cactus Cut Potatoes – who doesn’t love a crispy potato, add a spicy creamy sauce to dip them in and really it is the most perfect of recipes!

I hope you enjoyed the list, I know I did!

I just want to say thank you to everyone who takes the time to stop by this little blog and read what I have to say! You guys are amazing, thank you! Every comment I get makes my day, so thank you for being so GREAT‼!

Have a great few days recovering from the turkey and all the trimmings, or whatever it is you all eat over the holidays!

Jen

Butter Tarts – An update

So my mom’s classic butter tarts are the best. I have been making them forever. They are always a winner!

This year I made a couple of little changes, and as a result I made the best butter tarts I have ever had! My in house taste tester gave them an A++‼

I used dark brown sugar instead of light, and I used a mixture of light and dark corn syrup. Plus I used a mixture of different raisins instead of just all one kind.

The resulting butter tart had a great depth of flavor that wasn’t too sweet. FANTASTIC!

What you need,

Makes 36 tarts

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36 pre-made tart shells, I like tenderflake (you could make your own if you want to)

1 cup packed DARK brown sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup dark corn syrup

1 cup butter, melted

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. salt

1½ cup mixed raisins (if your raisins aren’t soft soak them in hot water for 10 minutes before using)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line the tart shells up on 2 large baking sheets. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla and salt until well combined.

Sprinkle a few raisins in the bottom of each tart shell, just enough to cover the bottom.

Pour in enough of the butter mixture to fill the tart shell up ¾ of the way. 

Bake the tarts one pan at a time in the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the syrup is bubbly!

Remove from the oven and let stand on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Then remove the tarts to a wire rack to cool completely.

You can store the tarts in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for 2 months, but they won’t last that long!

The dark brown sugar and the mixture of corn syrups really added a deep rich nutty flavour to the tarts. 

I hope you enjoy my updated butter tarts as much as we did! They are so darned good!

Enjoy!

Jen