Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Chicken Fettucine Alfredo... the easy way.

This is the easiest way to make it... literally.

Ingredients:
1 jar of Alfredo sauce.
1 package of saltine crackers.
1 TBSP. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 handful of spaghetti (I use the thin stuff! not angel hair though)
1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast.
3 eggs.
Enough oil to cover the chicken breast, or flip them.

Start off my putting some water to boil on the stove. Throw about a 1/4 tsp. salt in there, about 1 TBSP. of oil in there, and then cover it up. The salt is to make it boil faster and the oil is to keep the noodles from sticking to each other.

While the water is boiling, we'll bread the chicken.
Start by dumping the package of crackers into a gallon size freezer bag.













Lay it flat on the counter and crush it with a rolling pin. The pieces should be about the size of pencil erasers.









Add the garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Shake it to mix the seasonings with the cracker crumbs. Occasionally I add a little bit of lemon pepper to give it even more flavor.
**You could also use bread crumbs too, depending on how "crispy" you want it.









Set aside.

Start heating up the oil. You'll know if its too hot if the only thing you can smell over everything else is oil.

Now start cutting your chicken. Make sure to trim all the fat off (unless you like it that way). Then cut them length wise, about 1/4 inch thick. The best way to cut them, is when the middle of the chicken breast is still partially frozen because its easier to handle.











































Beat 3 eggs in small bowl.
Put up to 4 pieces of chicken in the egg at a time.














Then place the chicken in the egg mixture, close the bag and shake. Only shake gently, or the coating will fall off.












Make sure the oil is hot enough, by dropping a small cracker crumb in their first. If it doesn't sizzle, its not ready.

When the oil IS ready, lay the chicken in the oil. Don't crowd the pan or the chicken won't cook evenly! And fry on one side for about 3-5 minutes. Flip, and fry for another 3-5 minutes.
You can also NOT fry these and bake them instead. Preheat oven to about 350 degrees until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear. This follows too for the frying process!




When the inside is no longer pink and the outside is crispy, take out and lay on top of a plate that is covered with paper towels to soak up the excess grease.

By the time you're about to cook the chicken, the water should be boiling for
the pasta. Break the spaghetti in half (over the sink lol) and put into the water. When the noodles start soften, stir them and make sure they're "broken up" so they don't stick together and cook all weird!
















When noodles are done, mix about half the jar of Alfredo sauce in with the noodles. Slice the pieces of chicken width-wise and put them on the noodles. You can mix them in, add more sauce, do whatever you want. I always add a little bit of garlic salt just for more flavor!
**They say that noodles are al dente (done) when they're tender but chewy. A lot of people say that you can throw a piece of spaghetti at the wall and if it sticks, its done. =) Or you could wait until a piece cools down and pinch it gently and its done if it comes apart.

















Seeee. When I said easy, I meant it! =)













Nolan Baking. =)





















Thursday, November 18, 2010

Salisbury Steak!



Ingredients Needed:

For "Patties":
1 (10 oz.) can condensed french onion soup
1.5 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

For "Gravy":
1 (10 oz.) can condensed French onion soup
2 TBSP. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ketchup
2 TBSP. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 cup water

In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup condensed french onion soup, ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, and pepper.

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I just mixed it with my hands. Its the easiest way that I found. =)
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Shape into 6 oval patties and brown on both sides for 4-5 minutes per side. They don't have to be browned all the way through, because they're going to sit in the "gravy" for a while, giving it time to cook. Your skillet should be on medium heat.

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While your "steaks" are cooking, you'll want to make the "gravy".

For the gravy, mix together the rest of the used can of condensed french onion soup, a long with one more can, ketchup, mustard powder, all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. I find its easier to whisk the flour in with the french onion soup to keep it smooth.
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Pour over the meat in skillet. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
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While the meat is simmering, clean and slice mushrooms. The best way to clean mushrooms is with a damp paper towel, and gently wipe them.
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After the 15 minutes is up, put the mushrooms in the skillet, stir so all is covered and simmer for another 5 minutes. Your skillet should still be on medium heat.
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After 5 minutes is up and the mushrooms are tender and have soaked up a little flavor, its time to eat! We decided to serve them with mashed potatoes and french cut green beans.

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ENJOY!