Chicken and Dumplings

Alright, for some reason I have been craving these for a bit, and they seem to be a famous comfort food.   I remember Mom didn't make them very often when I was a kid, but I remember liking it a lot when she did.  There are a couple of ways of making this recipe, and I chose to use the way Mom used to.  The alternative way is to roll out your dough and cut it into squares and pour all of your chicken and veggies in a casserole pan and then place your biscuit dumplings on top of it all and bake it.  My mom just makes basically a thickened chicken soup and then drops biscuit dough into the pot with the soup.   So that's the approach I used this time.  I hope you enjoy this tasty winter comfort food!

Chicken and Dumplings

3 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced fine
3 carrots, diced fine
3 medium potatoes, diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 quarts chicken STOCK (not broth, there's a bit of a difference, which I will go over at the bottom of this post)
1 tsp each of poultry seasoning, sage, and thyme
salt and pepper

2 1/4 c Bisquick or other biscuit mix
2/3 c milk
(you can also make homemade biscuit dough if you like.  my recipe is posted here.)

Melt butter in a large saucepan or stock pot.  Add onions and saute til translucent.  Add celery and carrots and continue to cook.  Sprinkle flour over veggies and stir till veggies are coated well.  Pour in your chicken stock and then stir;  add potatoes and chicken, and bring to a boil, then simmer on medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes--till the chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.  Add seasonings, and stir.

Mix your biscuit mix and milk together til you get a soft dough, but don't over mix.  Roll lightly into balls, and drop dumplings into your soup mixture, and then let cook for 5-10 minutes.  If you need to test them, take one out and cut it in half, it should look like bread inside but still have kind of a moist outside.

Serve warm.  You don't need any side dishes or anything for this because its kind of a one pot meal.  Makes it even better, not so many dishes to wash.  :)

NOTE:  When you see or hear the word stock versus the word broth, it basically means cooked down more.  So the flavors of stock are more concentrated and have more depth.  I am going to post my recipe for homemade chicken stock next, so check it out.  You can also buy stock at the grocery store in quart sized containers.  Yes, it is more expensive than broth because broth is faster to make and generally just made from chicken bones, rather than veggies too.

Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs have to be my main reason for going to Ikea.  Sometimes I go to look at dining tables and couches, but I generally always make my way to the restaurant on the second floor for a plate of those delicious meatballs and potatoes with extra lingonberry preserves.  I mean really, what could be better?  Maybe some of that yummy three layer chocolate mousse cake, or apple tart.  Yep, heaven.  So I found out this recipe online that's pretty close to what you can get at Ikea.  Not quite as heavenly, but still delicious.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.   I made a 2 and a half sized batch and froze a couple sheet pans of them for later.  :-)

P.S. You can go to Ikea and get a big bag of their frozen meatballs and a jar of lingonberry jam so you can enjoy them at home.  I just grabbed a jar of the lingonberry jam so I could make my own meatballs.  Remember to boil some red potatoes to go along with.

Swedish Meatballs

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 c milk
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil for frying
1-10 oz can of beef broth or stock
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/2 c heavy cream

Saute onion in first tbsp of oil til translucent.  Set aside and let cool.  Combine milk and bread crumbs and let soak for 10 minutes.  Combine both meats, breadcrumb mixture, salt, pepper, allspice, and onions in a large bowl.   Use a tablespoon or one of those spring loaded scoops about the size of a tablespoon to measure into meatballs and fry in second tbsp of oil in a skillet on the stove, turning on to every side of the meatball so they are cooked on all sides and through the center.  While you are frying all of them, you might want to keep the cooked ones warm in the oven.  Make the gravy by creating a roux with the butter and flour (melt the butter in the bottom of a saucepan, then whisk in the flour) and then pour the beef stock into the roux and whisk to combine.  Right before serving, whisk in the heavy cream and heat through.

Serve with Lingonberry Jam, and boiled red potatoes with the gravy on the meatballs and potatoes.  Enjoy!!

Beef Pot Pie

We had this for dinner tonight when my sister and brother in law came for dinner.  I took some ideas from Joy of Cooking, but mostly just inspiration and came up with my own filling.  It will definitely be a repeat though, we all liked it.   I will first give my pie crust recipe, also used in my Apple Pie recipe.  Here goes...

Beef Stew

Pie Crust

(for pot pie recipe, you will need two batches of the below recipe. But just to be careful, I always do pie crust one batch at a time.  Maybe I am paranoid, but pie crust is one of those finicky things that I am extra careful about.)

2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp cold butter
3/4 c cold shortening
6-8 tbsp cold water

(Make sure the butter, shortening, and water are COLD.  Very important.)

Sift flour and salt together (YES, this is important too.  Helps keep it light and flaky)  Add butter and shortening, and cut in with a pastry blender til butter and shortening and flour form small pea shaped lumps.  Add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, but using half of them during the first addition (4 tbsp first, then mix lightly with a fork, and then add the rest one at a time til the dough forms and comes together just barely).  Do not over mix, and once it combines, divide in half, and carefully form (DO NOT KNEAD) into 2 discs and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling out.

Stew Filling

2 lbs stew meat, but I would halve the pieces so they are smaller, and therefore mix into the veggies more evenly
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c worchestershire sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
pinch sage
1 c finely chopped carrots
1 c finely chopped onion
1/4 c flour
2 c diced potato
1 c finely chopped celery
other things you can add or substitute: sliced mushrooms, peas, corn, or whatever other veggies you like.

Marinate the beef in the balsamic vinegar, oil, worchestershire, and herbs for at least an hour, would be better if you did for 2 hours (right about the time you start making the pie crust).  After marinating for a good amount of time, dump the meat and marinade into a large skillet over medium high heat.   Cook til cooked all the way through, and then add onions, carrots, and celery.  When carrots are tender (they are the crunchiest veggie in the mix), sprinkle flour over all of it, and stir to combine.  Add potatoes and about a cup or so of water, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.  Potatoes do not need to be fully cooked, because they will finish in the oven, but you do need to take some of the edge off them so they are done at the same time as the pie crust.

Roll out your pie dough and place a layer of crust in the bottom of your pie dish or dishes (you can use these to make personal sized pies, or 2- 9 inch pies).  I put a crust in the bottom and on the top because I LOVE pie crust.  Fill the prepared pie dish with the stew mixture, and then top with another crust, and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour for 2 pies, or 25 minutes if you do personal sized pies.

Serve with your favorite veggie, or just by itself.  One personal sized pot pie covers all of the major food groups, so you're good to go if you just eat that.  Enjoy!!

Funeral Potatoes (aka Cheesy Potatoes)

Here in Utah we have a tradition of bringing a large casserole dish of cheesy potatoes to funerals.   Thus the coined phrase "funeral potatoes."  But you don't have to wait til someone dies to eat these!  We also have them at church parties, for Christmas, for Thanksgiving, generally with our ham for Easter....pretty much whenever we feel like eating them.  Everyone around here has their own recipe, and here is mine.  I made them last night and they were a hit.

Funeral Potatoes

2 lbs frozen southern style hashbrowns (country fried potatoes)
1 1/2 c sour cream (you can use the light stuff if you want, I did)
1 lb shredded cheese (I used a mix of pepper jack and cheddar, but traditionally it's just cheddar), plus extra for the top
1 can cream of mushroom soup (one of the few recipes I use this for)
1/2 c milk
2 c finely diced ham
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chives, dried or fresh
1 c french fried onions (some people like to use corn flakes, but I like the flavor of this better)

In a large mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and milk and spices.  Mix well.  Add potatoes and ham, and then combine til everything is coated and mixed well.  Spray a 13x9 casserole pan or baking dish with cooking spray and then pour the whole thing into the dish, and spread evenly into the pan.  Top with more cheese, the french fried onions, and then cover with foil.  Bake at 375 for 35 minutes, removing the foil half way through (prevents burning the onions, but lets them stay crispy at the end).

Serve with ham, chicken, whatever you like, or just by itself.  Generally I like to have a healthy serving of some green veggies to keep myself from eating piles of the potatoes--helps me keep my blood sugar in check!

**NOTE**  I don't thaw the potatoes before I mix them with everything else.  They defrost while cooking in the oven, and it turns out just fine.  You can also use Potatoes O'Brien, which adds more flavor.

Pork with Apples and Onions

This has to be one of my favorite ways to serve pork, and I thought since apples are in season right now, why not make it for dinner tonight?  It's in the broiler right now...and while I still remember what I did, I will tell you how to make it.

Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Onions

1-2 pork tenderloins
1/2 tsp each of coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger, and cloves
1/4 c salt, plus a pinch
1 tsp pepper
1/4 c brown sugar
4-5 medium to small apples, cored and sliced very thin
1 large white onion, sliced thin
2 tbsp butter
1/2 c apple juice or cider

About 2 hours before you plan to start cooking, mix together the spices, salt, pepper, and brown sugar in a large bowl.  Once you have blended everything well, place pork tenderloins into the bowl and coat well with your rub mixture.  Let sit in fridge for 2 hours.

Place tenderloins in a roasting pan and cover with all of the leftover rub (which will now be liquidy from the pork juices and sugar).  Melt the butter in a large skillet, and then sweat your onions in the melted butter.  Add a little salt and once your onions are tender, add your apples to the skillet.  Add your apple juice after a bit of cooking and just cook the apples to barely tender.  Dump this mixture over the top of your pork, and then broil pork for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through.

 Let the meat rest after taking it out of the oven and then slice into 1/4 inch slices.  Serve with either potatoes or rice and your favorite vegetable.

Meatballs and Biscuits

This one is a Prows family favorite that my mother in law, Cathy, makes all of the time.  My husband and all of his siblings really enjoy it, and I thought I would give it a bit of a face lift if you will.  The traditional recipe is based in basic meatballs, cream of mushroom soup gravy, and biscuits.  I decided to make homemade mushroom gravy, and upgrade the meatballs a bit, and take it to a different level.  Happily, the family enjoyed them and I was complimented on them and asked for the recipe.  I share it with all of you here!

Meatballs and Biscuits

I will start with the meatballs, then move to the gravy, and then move on to the biscuit dough....

1 1/4 lb ground beef
3/4 lb lean pork sausage (usually the size of the Jimmy Dean Lean tube)
1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 c breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tsp each garlic powder and onion powder
1/2 tsp dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix meats with all other ingredients til well blended.  Form into balls about a 1/2 inch thick, and place in a greased 13x9 in. baking dish, and bake for about 25 minutes.

While Baking Meatballs, make...

Mushroom Gravy

1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 can chicken broth (about 2 cups)
4 tbsp butter, plus 1 more (separated from each other)
3 tbsp flour
1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp worchestershire sauce

Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a skillet, then add mushrooms.  It will look like a lot, but they generally shrink when sautéed.  Cook them til they are about half their original volume.  While this is going, melt the other 4 tbsp of butter in a medium saucepan.  Add flour to the melted butter, and whisk.  It will be still kind of thin, not as thick and dough like as when I make a white sauce.  Add chicken broth to the butter mixture, and stir till all lumps are out of your roux.  Add milk and whisk well.  Add worchestershire, and stir well, and then add mushrooms (at this point, ditch the whisk and use a wooden spoon or something).  Simmer on Low for the rest of the time til the meatballs are done baking the first half of the time.

While simmering gravy and still waiting for meatballs to finish, make...

Biscuit Dough

2 c all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
7 tbsp COLD butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 c milk

Blend dry ingredients together with a fork.  Add butter, and rub in with fingers or cut in with pastry blender.  Add milk and continue to mix with hands.  Dust with more flour and then roll out to 1/4 inch thickness, and cut with biscuit cutter.  Should make about 12 biscuits.

Lastly, pull out the meatballs from the oven, and pour the gravy on top of the meatballs.  Top with biscuits, and bake another 20 minutes.   By then, the meatballs should be fully cooked and the biscuits will be golden on top.  Takes a bit longer because you're baking the biscuits at 375 instead of 425, but you don't want to burn the gravy and meatballs while baking the biscuits.  When you take it out of the oven, just to keep the top of the biscuits softer, it might be good to brush or rub butter on the top of the biscuits.

Enjoy!

Recycling Leftovers

So the other day I made enchiladas--both chicken and beef.  My chicken version can be found here, and the beef version is very similar. I just use red sauce instead of green, and I substitute ground beef in place of the chicken.  And because I use ground beef, I don't crock pot it, I do it on the stove.  Anywho, I had leftovers of both chicken and beef this last week and needed to figure out what to do with all of them.  Perfect timing, too, because today, I was facing brain block when it came to making dinner.  So I made this...quick, easy, and pretty much mostly done before I started....

Tamale Pie

4 c of leftover beef enchilada filling, recipe follows
1 1/2 c cornmeal
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c milk
6 tbsp melted butter

Enchilada filling
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can red enchilada sauce
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, break into pieces as it cooks. Add onion, continue to cook.  Add corn, beans, and enchilada sauce, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pour leftover enchilada filling into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt,  and baking powder.  Add milk, egg, and then lastly, stir in the melted butter.    Basically, you're making cornbread batter.  Pour this batter over top of the enchilada filling mixture, and bake for 25 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and whatever other toppings you enjoy (I liked guacamole on it too).

Enjoy!

 (If using the filling for enchiladas, I usually double the beef and use the large can of sauce, and then of course, stuff and roll the enchiladas.  In this case, just use the amounts above and then follow the directions.  Because I had this already made and leftover, I just dumped what I had left into the pan.)

Homemade Mac N Cheese

I know I posted a similar recipe before, with 3 cheeses and mild green chilies.  That one was good, and this one is too, just different.  More traditional, and a bit easier.  Jeff loved it and I think it will be a repeat recipe in the future.    If you want a fun idea for the leftovers, you can take a leaf from Alton Brown's book and dredge chilled pieces in egg and breadcrumbs and deep fry it for a change (though not the healthiest idea, sounds good to me!).

Macaroni and Cheese

1 lb whole wheat pasta (I used rotini, but elbow macaroni or penne would work too)
3 tbsp butter
2 heaping tbsp flour
1 can evaporated milk
1 c shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese, split in half
2 tsp cajun seasoning
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/3 c breadcrumbs

Cook pasta to pkg directions, just under al dente--still kind of chewy, because it will continue to cook in the oven.  While waiting for pasta to cook, make sauce.  Melt butter in small saucepan, then add flour and whisk together.    Add evaporated milk, and stir til smooth and thickened.  Add half the cheese, and whisk well til combined and smooth.  Add spices, stir to combine.   Drain pasta, add sauce and stir to coat.   Pour into 13x9 baking dish, top with the rest of the cheese and the breadcrumbs, and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees til cheese is melted and top is browned.

**Note** As I said, you can deep fry the squares the next day, after you refrigerate it overnight in the pan.  You can also add more cayenne if you like it spicy.  I found that if you use sharp cheddar, then you don't need as much and it gives you that strong cheddar flavor.  Also, you could also use regular milk, but evaporated milk is thicker because a lot of the water has been evaporated out of it, so you can get the smooth thickness without the fat of cream.  So even though you're using butter and cheese, it's not as bad as it could be.

Beef Stroganoff

So my mom used to make this for us when I was a kid, and I loved it.  She still makes it sometimes, but I don't get it as often because I don't live at home.  Maybe I will have to request it one of these times I visit.  It is still a favorite of mine, but for some reason I haven't made it in a long time.  I think I should make it this week if I remember.  You can serve it over rice or egg noodles, either way is really good.

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef
1 8 oz pkg sliced fresh mushrooms
1 pkt Lipton onion soup mix
1/2 c water
1 pint sour cream
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg egg noodles, cooked, or 2 c cooked rice

Brown beef in skillet, and break into small pieces as you cook.  Add mushrooms towards the end and cook til tender.  Stir in soup mix and W. sauce, and add water.  Simmer til about half of the liquid is reduced.  Right before serving, stir in sour cream until combined.  Serve over rice or noodles.

Easy Shepherd's Pie

Well, not quite traditional because I can't afford lamb or mutton, so I use ground beef.  But this one is pretty easy and versatile--you can change it if you like.  I like to use fresh veggies for mine, but you could get away with using frozen if stuck with no time (but if you have the time, chop your own veggies, its really worth it for the flavor and health benefits).   My dad loves shepherd's pie and my mom made it at least 3-4 times a year, and whenever she wanted to make Dad happy.   I thought it would be appropriate for St. Patrick's Day, and I hope you enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie

4-6 potatoes (depending on size--4 large or 6 smallish to medium)
1 lb ground beef
3 carrots, diced
1/2 an onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1/2 small bag of frozen peas (its the same as shelling your own)
1/2 small bag frozen corn
1-2 tbsp flour
1 c water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
pepper, seasoning salt

Cut potatoes into wedges or large dice, then place in large saucepan and cover with cold water (add a little salt too), bring to boil and then continue cooking til potatoes are tender, drain and mash with a bit of butter and some salt, maybe a 1/4 c of milk.  Set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, brown your beef, adding onions and garlic when it gets close to done.  Do not drain, add flour, and stir til flour coats meat and onions.  Add W. sauce, water, pepper and salt.  Stir til thickened, and then add corn, peas, and carrots.  Cook this mixture over low to medium heat til carrots are tender, but peas are still pretty color of green.  Pour mixture into 13x9 baking dish, then top with mashed potatoes.  I sometimes top the potatoes with parmesan cheese or breadcrumbs or paprika.  It's really up to you.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees, just til the potatoes get a kind of crust on top and the gravy mixture is a bit bubbly.  Everything is cooked so you are just trying to brown the top.  Serve by itself or with some other steamed veggies or a salad or some rolls (I forgo the rolls, this one has plenty of carbs on its own).

For my Honey

This is one of Jeff's favorite breakfasts, and I don't make it very often because its not the healthiest thing we could eat. Occasionally I make it for him on weekends, and I did this morning as a valentines treat (and I just happened to have the ingredients for it). We both enjoy it, and I am by no means trying to downplay it at all, its just not something people should eat more than a few times a year, haha. A country classic, and definitely tasty--try it out for yourself!

Biscuits and Gravy

2 c all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
7 tbsp cold butter, sliced, plus 3 tbsp
3/4 c cold milk

1 lb pork sausage, any flavor (I used sage)
1-2 tbsp flour
2 c milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch paprika

Preheat oven to 45o degrees. In 13x9 cake pan, place 3 tbsp butter, and melt while oven preheats. Mix dry ingredients for biscuits together, add butter, and cut in with pastry blender or 2 forks. Add milk, and use fork to combine to make dough. Use hands to knead gently til combined completely (not long, should be only about a minute). Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness, cut with biscuit cutter or round glass. Place biscuits in melted butter in pan, bake for 12 minutes.

While biscuits are baking, brown sausage in non stick skillet. When completely cooked, add flour and stir to coat sausage. Add milk, and stir til thickened; add more milk if too thick. Add spices.

Split biscuits in half, and pour gravy over top, enjoy! Might want to add some fruit or something to make you feel better about eating the smothered biscuits...haha.

Chile Ranch Mac and Cheese

Ok, another creation of mine. I worked on this one tonight because I have been craving mac and cheese for about 2 weeks. Jeff has been putting it off for a bit because mac and cheese isnt his favorite, but I finally just decided to make it. So here it is, a twist on Mac and Cheese, that I think its pretty darn good. I added mild green chiles and some ranch seasoning and 3 kinds of cheese. Hope you enjoy!

Chile Ranch Mac and Cheese

1 lb pasta of your choice (I used whole wheat penne)
1 can evaporated milk
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 c monterey jack cheese
1/2 c cheddar cheese
3 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp salsa
1 4 oz can of mild green chiles
1 tsp ranch seasoning

Cook pasta according to pkg directions to just under "al dente." While pasta is cooking, melt butter in small saucepan, and then add flour and whisk to create roux. Add evaporated milk, and whisk til smooth, then add cheeses and whisk til smooth again (you might want to add cream cheese first so it has time to melt down). Add salsa and chiles and ranch seasoning. Stir to combine. Drain pasta, and pour sauce over top, stir to combine til pasta is well coated, and then bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

And for good measure...

My sisters are coming tomorrow, and I am making up for lost time. So here is another today. Jeff and I like to try and experiment with different recipes and make them better. One of those recipes is french fries, and another example is fried fish. Put the two together and you get: Fish and Chips! I LOVE fish and chips! So here are the recipes for that.

Fried Fish

4 cod fillets
1 c instant biscuit mix like Bisquick
1/2 c water, plus more
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 tbsp cornstarch
vegetable oil for frying
salt
malt vinegar (optional)

Much like fried chicken. Preheat deep fryer to 375 degrees. Whisk together biscuit mix, water, cornstarch and cajun seasoning. Should be pretty thin batter (like tempura or crepe batter), so add more if not quite thin enough (you dont want pancake batter for sure). Add fish to batter, coat well. Fry in deep fryer for 3 minutes. Should be golden on the inside and heated through. Serve with french fries, recipe below.

French Fries

4 large russet baking potatoes
salt, pepper to taste, or seasoning salt
frying oil

The night before you want to make these, bake potatoes at 400 degrees for one hour. Chill overnight in refrigerator. The next day, preheat fryer to 375 degrees. Cut baked and chilled potatoes into strips for french fries. Fry in batches in deep fryer for 2 minutes. Salt and pepper as you like.

**Note** This is one twist we have found that has worked. I asked Jeff if it would be a good idea to make french fries out of our leftover baked potatoes and one night he tried it (while I was out of town, darn it) and said it worked beautifully. The reason we liked the baking of the potatoes first is because it cooks the inside completely, so all you are doing when you fry them is crisping the outside, and heating it through. So you're not under or over cooking them--the texture turns out fantastic! As if you fried them twice like restaurants do, but instead its a bit healthier beause they were baked first. Instead of expressly baking the potatoes for this recipe though, when we bake potatoes we generally make a couple extra for hashbrowns or something for another day. Try it out, we're pretty sure you'll like them.

Fried Chicken!

Jeff's favorite food is fried chicken. Give him some rolls or french fries and a big bottle of pepsi and he is good to go. Because of this love of fried chicken, and the gift of a deep fryer our first Christmas as a married couple, we worked out our own recipe and it is a hit! I cant believe I have waited this long to post this one because it's a family fave. We serve it with homemade french fries and ranch dip or bbq sauce. Enjoy!

Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders

2 c quick biscuit mix (bisquick or the like)
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
ice
2 tbsp corn starch
1 1/2 c cold water
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into tenders, or chicken tenders

Whisk together Bisquick with cold water. If too thick, add more water, should be a consistency of crepe batter--pretty thin. Add Cajun seasoning and cornstarch and whisk throroughly til combined. Add chicken and ice, and chill for an hour in refrigerator. Heat deep fryer to 375 degrees, add chicken in batches, and cook for 4 minutes. Chicken should be golden brown on the outside, and you might want to cut the first piece to check its not pink inside. We've made it a hundred times and 4 minutes is about perfect.

**NOTE** Got some recent feedback from a great friend of mine. I guess I need to explain the ice and cornstarch. Both are really there to make sure everything stays nice and crispy. The cornstarch makes the batter light and airy, and keeping everything cold just helps with the crispy part. Kind of like adding club soda to your tempura batter, if you know what I mean.