Cold Cake Dippers:
We always have extra pancakes fresh from the griddle. I despise to waste such fluffy, yummy perfection so I cut the cakes into thick strips with a pizza cutter, store them in the fridge and serve cold, dipped in Honey for a mid morning snack, or a quick breakfast with a smoothie. The kids LOVE to dip them and have fun making their own dipping sauces (Yogurt and waffle sticks are yummy too)!
Honey-Balsamic Chicken Tenders:
I came up with this after I bought a glorious bottle of full-bodied balsamic vinegar from my fav grocery store, Trader Joes.
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup GOOD balsamick vinegar
- Italian style bread crumbs or Panko
- Chicken breasts
- Pepper, 1 tsp. minced garlic, and Olive Oil
- Mix the honey, BV, and Garlic in a bowl until dissolved. Put chicken in mixture and marinate 1 hour at least. No longer then 3.
- Dip marinated chicken in bread crumbs and pat to adhere. Place in baking sheet.
- Drizzle leftover marinade over chicken, and Olive oil if needed for browning and crisping.
- Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked.
I serve my husbands and mine as a whole breasts, and I don't use a dipping sauce.
***When I make mashed potatoes I use Red potatoes, peeled, cooked and then mash with a hand masher. I then melt equal parts butter and milk in a sauce pan and stir in potatoes to reach desired creaminess. Melting the butter makes a WORLD of difference.
Macaroni Cupcakes: From Giada, adapted my me.
- 2 cups dried bread crumbs, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 8 ounces ground turkey or ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
- 8 ounces small pasta, such as pennette, shells, or elbows
- 2 cups grated Parmesan or Italian blend
- 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 cups chopped broccoli,
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 2 (12-cup) muffin or cupcake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Using 1 cup of the bread crumbs, coat the inside of each muffin cup with bread crumbs, shaking off any excess.
- In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey or chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
- Spoon the prepared pasta mixture into the cupcake molds, filling evenly to about 2/3 full. Arrange a few pieces of tomato, and broccoli into each cup. Top with a thin layer of the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and carefully unmold with a spoon onto a serving platter.
Enjoy!
