Thursday, May 3, 2012

Day 25 - Bill & Family Meal Dos

Today was softball game NUMBER ONE!!! So no cooking.
I told you way back on Day 11 I made Bill some deliciously tasty Coconut Chicken Tenders with Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes to cover this day. I got to try the chicken tenders, but not the potatoes. Very sad! But the chicken was oh so tasty that I don't even know what to do with myself! Seriously!

I gave you the recipes on Day 11 and I'll give them to you again now, because I'm just THAT awesome!!!!! Please try them now! You won't regret it, swear!

Coconut Chicken Tenders w/ Honey Marmalade dip

Ingredients:
Honey Marmalade Dip:
1/2 cup of Honey
1/2 cup of marmalade

Chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut in strips
1 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 egg
1/2 can of condensed milk
1/2 cup orange juice
salt & pepper to taste
peanut or vegetable oil for frying

Method:
Dip:
In a small bowl, add honey and marmalade. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Stir everything until mixed well and serve with coconut chicken tenders.

Chicken:
On a cookie sheet, season chicken tenders with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside. In medium bowl, mix orange juice, condensed milk and a beaten egg until your "wet" mixture is well incorporated. In another bowl, mix coconut & Panko breadcrumbs.

Heat Vegetable or Peanut oil in a medium skillet or pan on a medium heat. Fill pan about 1/2 inch with the oil. Dip and fully coat each tender in the egg mixture first, then the breadcrumb mix.

Fry each tender for 6-8 minutes or until all pink is gone. Tenders should be golden brown. Serve with Honey Marmalade dipping sauce.

Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

Ingredients:
Potatoes:
3 tbsp butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz)
26 oz bag frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 cup light sour cream

Topping:
3 cups corn flakes, slightly crushed
2 tbsp butter, melted

Method:
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened and translucent,a bout 5-6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Combine the chicken broth and milk in a liquid measure and slowly whisk in the mixture. Add the salt, pepper and thyme. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese until smooth. Mix in the frozen hash browns, lifting and folding the mixture until well combined. Finally, stir in the sour cream.
In a medium bowl, toss the lightly crushed cornflakes with the butter until evenly combined. Scoop out the potato mixture into a 9X13-inch baking dish and top with the buttered cornflakes. If baking the potatoes by themselves, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges. If baking the potatoes with a ham (my ham recipe bakes at 300 degrees), bake the potatoes for 90 minutes at 300 degrees then crank the oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes for 10 minutes more. In both baking situations, let the potatoes rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Day 24 - The Other Ridgway's

I call them the "Other" Ridgway's, not in a mean way, but just so you don't get confused and think it's my parents again. See I'm doing you a favor, spelling it out so you don't even have to think about it. Yep, I'm that nice!




Look at them & their awesomness! Mark(striped shirt) & I used to hang out like EVERYDAY growing up. Besides my sisters he was the best friend I had! Those were the good ole days! I'm glad I got to go over & hang out with them. Don't get to spend a whole lot of time with them outside of work. :)


Mmmmm mmmm mmmmm... This dinner was delish! Angel Hair Pasta w/ Chicken. It was light, yet filling. Wasn't a giant fan of the carrots & broccoli in it though. I'm just not huge on cooked veggies. But I ate them and survived. ;)


Simple, yet satisfying! Try it!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cubed
1 carrot, sliced diagonally into ¼ inch pieces
1 (10 oz) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz angel hair pasta
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried basil
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
(serves 4)

Method:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium skillet over a medium heat; add chicken.
2. Cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.
4. Heat remaining oil in same skillet.
5. Begin heating water for pasta.
6. Add carrot to skillet; cook, stirring for 4 minutes.
7. Add broccoli & garlic to skillet; cook, stirring for 2 minutes longer.
8. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
9. While pasta is cooking, add chicken broth, basil and parmesan to skillet. Stir to combine.
10. Return chicken to skillet. Reduce heat & simmer for 4 minutes.
11. Drain pasta & place in large serving bowl.
12. Top w/ Chicken & vegetable mixture. Serve immediately.

American Idol: Performance Night

I'm going to open today's post with a letter to Steven & a letter to Phil. 

Dear Steven Tyler
the grey chunk of hair you have up front there... LOOKS STUPID! Please do everyone a solid and dye it or shave it off. Your choice, just get rid of it!
Sincerely, The Whole Wide World.

Dear Philly Phil,
I found out you have a girlfriend tonight. I'm officially devastated.
How. Dare. You.
Sincerely, Heartbroken in White Lake

Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the performances shall we??

60's Jams

Hollie Cavanagh - River Deep, Mountain High -Ike & Tina Turner
Umm welcome to American Idol Hollie, glad you could finally join us! Seriously? Where have you been hiding all of that this whole dang show? Her first song of the evening was amazeballs. Just. Sayin'.

Phillip Phillips - The Letter - The Box Tops
I love you Phil. I love how every week you come in here and totally change a song to make it "Philly Phil Style", you just make them so different and new. Love it!

Skylar Laine - Fortunate Son - Credence Clearwater Revival
I HATED the song choice, but she sang the crap out of it! She performed her little butt off & I gotta give her credit for that.

Jessica Sanchez - Proud Mary - Tina Turner
Brace yourself... I'm going to defend Jessica in 3... 2... 1... She is SO much better than that song! I usually don't like her, but I really felt bad tonight! Again, song choice is key people! And Jessica dear, please don't try to dance again. Please.

Josh Ledet - Ain't To Proud To Beg - The Temptations
Josh to me, just looked bored the whole performance! I mean, I'm normally pretty hard on him, but if you aren't gonna put you're heart into it why be there????

Phillip Phillips & Josh Ledet - You've Lost The Loving Feeling - Righteous Brothers
Oh someone please stab my eardrums with a pencil!! Are you nuts AI??? That was the world's worst pairing ever! Ugh, way to bring them down when it counts the most! 

British Pop Tunes

Hollie Cavanagh - Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
Waah Waah... This song was really not the ending she needed. Her first song was so much better. Bad song choice Hollie, you're better than that. That last big note was killer though.

Phillip Phillips - Time of the Season - The Zombies
I don't know if I like that you sang the original melody. I just really don't know. You're very sexual though... Just thought you might like to refer back to the above letter. You have a GIRLFRIEND. I know I'm hot & all... but you're committed... Sheesh. And the high notes just didn't happen for you. Stop it, right this instance!

Skylar Laine - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - Dusty Springfield
Even just the rehearsal was amazing! That one long note hooked me. And she didn't disappoint in her live performance either! Much better song choice, much better performance! Great job Skylar!


Jessica Sanchez - You Are So Beautiful - Billy Preston
One word: BREATHTAKING. I think she finally remembered that this is a singing competition. (Man what is the deal tonight! I actually LIKED J. Sanchez!) This song was beautiful! That is the voice we know & love from her! I'm going there... She get's a Bomb-Diggity-Bomb-Dot-Com for that performance!


Josh Ledet - To Love Somebody - The Bee Gees

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzz... Oh sorry Josh put me to sleep. We can attribute that to the fact that his song was slow & boring or it was just so smooth & melodic. I'll let you decide.  And what's with the front of his hair? Are you going for a little frohawk? I don't get it, please stop.

Skylar Laine, Hollie Cavanagh & Jessica Sanchez - Higher & Higher - Jackie Wilson
The girls trio was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better than the stupid boys duet! They just mix together so much better! I think the producers are biased towards the girls this season. A girl hasn't won in 5 years for a reason! Don't sabotage the boys!

Well folks, there you have it. Performance reviews from yours truly. ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. Yea that's right, I'm on time & stuff. Oh snizap. You just got served. Goodnight.

My prediction for tomorrow:
Bottom 3 is Josh Ledet, Hollie Cavanagh & Jessica Sanchez.

I think Hollie is gonna go home this week. (and that makes me sad.)

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Day 23 - Tiffany & Jason

Today Mal-Pal & I drove out to Farmington to cook for my old friend Tiffany & her husband Jason. I don't like to follow directions so I got us a tad lost. I mean, I knew where I was, I just wasn't where I was supposed to be! We arrived at the house about 15 minutes later than we were supposed to and got right to cooking! Mal-Pal helped me cook Chicken Broccoli Supreme with Mashed Potatoes. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I have never had a meal so tasty! So cheesy, so vegetably, so yum yum in my tum!




Aren't they seriously just the cutest couple ever? And I clearly forgot to tell you about that adorable little beeb right there???? Noelle is 4 months and she is the cutest thing ever! She was a little cranky girl today, apparently she feels that she's just to old to take a nap now. Maybe she was just so excited that I was coming over that she just couldn't fall asleep. I'm thinking that's it. I just have that affect on babies. Tiff called me the "Baby Whisperer" yep, that's me. Babies just love me. 


I was really jazzed to find this recipe. Please try it, it's delicious beyond words!

Chicken Broccoli Supreme

Ingredients:
Chicken:
1 lb fresh broccoli - break in pieces and steam for 2 minutes
3 cups cooked chicken; diced
3 cups grated cheddar cheese; divided
2 tubes Ritz crackers
1 stick melted butter
1 tbsp poppy seeds

Sauce:
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup cornstarch; dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup of the above cheddar cheese

Method:
In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside. In saucepan over medium heat, combine the melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened. Turn heat down to low, and add 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top with 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese.
Melt the butter, and add the poppy seeds, and stir well. Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Don’t crush too small. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.

California Trip - DISNEYLAND!!!!!

Happiest. Place. On. Earth!

Oh yea baby! Disneyland is the bomb-diggity-bomb-dot-com! I would live there if I could. Applied for a job once, I guess I didn't meet the "Happiness Quota" that makes me super sad.





I love Disneyland's "It's A Small World" Ride because they have a bunch of Disney characters mixed in with all of the other dolls. Super cool!


Ummmm Hi... A Michael Jackson MOVIE. AT. DISNEYLAND????? Have I died & gone to heaven??? I do believe so! Someone bring the panels, this chicks about to code!


First MJ, Now Alice!!! You have GOT to be kidding me! Happiest place on earth, fo sho.


I'm hoping to get a disc from Sam with all of the good Disney pictures (because you KNOW we posed with the characters!) When I get them, I will update!

California Trip - Santa Monica Pier


Probably one of the most beautiful places on earth! I'm not going to fill this post up with words. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!








Ok this requires words. Seriously best buy ever! Skeleton MJ???? You can't find that just anywhere! Only on the Santa Monica Pier. I really want to go back there. Like NOW!

California Trip - Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Next to the Zoo, Aquariums are my next favorite thing! Sam & I went on a little road trip down to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and spent a few hours with the fishes!


Sharky hanging in the front gates.


Fishy Fishies!


The biggest starfish I've EVER seen!!!


Along with the biggest lobster I've ever seen! 


Random dude at the aquarium asked me to take his picture and send it to his phone so he would have something to show his class about his research at the aquarium. I tried about a million times to send it to him and it never went through. :( sorry guy I was supposed to send a picture to, You gave me a bad number!


SEAHORSES!!! I love them with all my heart & soul! I'm so glad we got to see some at the aquarium! they are just neat little guys! I want one!

Then me & Sam had a little fun in the common area:




Well, you get to see Sam have some fun. You see, All the pictures of me having fun are on Sam's computer & I have all the ones of her.

If you live in the LA area, or plan to visit there in the near future, I STRONGLY suggest you go to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. I'll even give you the address!

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
3720 Stephen M White Drive
San Pedro, California 90731
(310) 548-7562

GO THERE NOW!