Great After Christmas Recipe: Chicken Parmesan

This is a recipe that my whole family really loves.  I think this is a recipe that every parent should have in their recipe collection.  It's Super easy, Super quick, and SUPER delicious.  I can't take credit for this though; this is a meal that Nick is in charge of making.  All I do is prep everything and cook the noodles.  If we have leftover, I take some hoagie rolls and make sandwiches.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.  


Recipe: Nick's Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients:
Boneless Chicken Tenders
Mozzarella Cheese
Shredded Cheese (Fiesta Blend or Colby Jack and Cheddar)
2 jars of Spaghetti Sauce (We mix up the types we use.  You can use any flavor you really like)
Alfredo Sauce (Our favorite is the Roasted and Garlic Alfredo Sauce)
1 large egg
Bread Crumbs
1/4tsp of Mustard
Milk
Seasoning
Pasta noodles
Seasoning (Salt, Pepper, Garlic, and Accent)


Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  In a large skillet, add some canola oil-about a 1/4 of a cup (not too much, you are NOT deep frying your chicken); the pan needs to be on medium high heat.  Make sure you clean your meat.  After your meat is washed, lightly season it with whatever seasonings you want.  In a separate bowl, mix your egg, milk, and a little salt and pepper.  Place your seasoned chicken in the mixture (we like ours to marinate for at least 30 minutes.  For best results, let it sit in them mixture for about 2-3 hours.

2. In a another bowl, mix Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs together.  Then, dredge the chicken pieces 1 piece at a time first in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs. Then lay the pieces in the skillet. Turn the heat to medium, then gently fry the chicken tenders until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.

3. While your chicken is cooking, in two separate pots (heat up your spaghetti sauce and your Alfredo sauce (both should be on a medium low heat).  We add a little hot sauce and grated Parmesan cheese to our spaghetti sauce and mix it thoroughly.  


4. After you fry your chicken, in a baking pan (I use my Pampered Chef Rectangular baker), add about 1/2 of your spaghetti sauce to the bottom of the pan.  Then place your chicken on top of the sauce.  Add a little more sauce on top of the chicken (enough to cover the chicken). Then add your cheeses (we normally use mozzarella, Parmesan, and shredded cheese.  Then, bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes (until the cheese is melted).  

5. Serve with spaghetti noodles.  I place some noodles on a plate, then add spaghetti sauce and Alfredo sauce, then some chicken, and finally some Parmesan cheese on top of that!  If there are leftovers, I serve on a hoagie roll.  

Enjoy!

A Very Harrell Christmas

Well, Christmas has come and gone.  During the week of Christmas, we made our third annual Gingerbread House.  All I did was put the icing on the house; Noah decorated the rest all on his own.  He would NOT let Jmak help at all.  He did a great job!

On Christmas Eve, when it was time to put put cookies and milk for Santa, we decided we wanted to be different.  We put out some of our delicious holiday mix; we figured Santa would be on cookie overload.   Noah was so funny; when I put out the holiday mix, Noah kept tasting it.  I told him to stop eating it, because it was for Santa and he told me, "I gotta taste it for Santa...just one more."  It was the cutest and funniest thing ever!

On the official Christmas day, since Nick was working, we went to my friends family dinner.  The food was so good (and the company too).  Noah got a sit and spin and Jmak got to open a box (she just wanted to rip the paper off, didn't care what was or wasn't inside).  I told my friend that anytime her family would have a function, I would be there.

A long time ago, I bought my daughter a dress to wear on Christmas day.  I knew we wouldn't really be doing anything on Monday, except opening presents (kids would play with them), eating, and just relaxing, so I let her wear the dress to our visit to my friends house.  She looked amazing...so innocent and so adorable.  She even had some shiny red shoes to match.  Throughout the day, she had a total of FOUR wardrobe changes...can we say DIVA?  And Noah, he wanted to wear his favorite Mickey shirt. he didn't care what pants he wore or if it was dirty (which it wasn't). His only DEMAND was that he got to wear his Mickey shirt.

Our Christmas day (the day after Christmas), was so much fun.  Noah and Jordyn loved all  of their presents.  Out of all the gifts Noah received, his favorite three are: a pair of Mickey slippers, a "Dinosaur Train" train set that Nick and I got him, and his first bike EVER that Nana got for him.  He wore his Mickey pj's and his Mickey slippers ALL day and ALL night.  Nick woke up around 4am to take them off his feet lol.  Jmak just liked opening all the gifts; she didn't care what was in the box.  Christmas was good to the kids.

Christmas 2011 is over and we are all looking forward to what 2012 brings us.  Nick and I are so blessed to have two smart, funny, and beautiful (inside and out) kids.  We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas as well.

On the First Day of Cooking/Baking

So today is the last day for me to post recipes for our 12 days of Cooking/Baking.  I think I have gained about five pounds just posting these recipes.  I have made several of the desserts and appetizers, so I probably gained about five pounds.  Please stay tuned as I will post after Christmas recipes as well as some healthy recipes for the new year.

For our cooking recipe, I have decided to post two great appetizers: Christmas Cheese Ball and a Ruby Red Pretzel Dip. I couldn't choose between the two, so I decided why not just post both!  Our baking recipe is a for sure crowd pleaser: Shortbread Lemon Bars.

Merry Christmas to all of you cooks out there!  Happy Cooking, Baking, and Eating!!!

Cooking Recipe(s): Christmas Cheese Ball (Courtesy of Esther Shank)

Ingredients:
2 packages (8oz) each cream cheese softened
2 cups (8oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1tbsp finely chopped onion
1tbs. diced pimentos
1tbsp diced green pepper
2tsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp lemon juice
Chopped pecans (toasted)
Assorted Crackers

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Mix well
2. Shape into two balls.  Roll in pecans.
3. Cover and chill.  Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers.

Ruby-Red Pretzel Dip (Courtesy of Grace Yaskovic)

Ingredients:

1 can (16 ounces) jellied cranberry sauce

3/4 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of vinegar

1tsp ground ginger

1tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp pepper

1tbsp all-purpose flour

1tbsp cold water

Red food coloring

Pretzels

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients. Whisk over medium heat until smooth.

2. Combine flour and cold water until smooth.  Add to cranberry mixture.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

3. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in food coloring.  Cover and chill overnight.  Serve with pretzels.

Baking Recipe: Shortbread Lemon Bars (Courtesy of Margaret Peterson)

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar

1tsp grated lemon peel

1tsp grated orange peel

3/4 cup cold butter or margarine

Filling:

4 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1/3 cup of lemon juice

1/4 cup of all purpose flour

2tsp grated lemon peel

2tsp grated orange peel

1tsp baking powder

Topping:

2 cups (16oz) sour cream

1/3 cup of sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine flour, confectioners' sugar, and lemon and orange peel.  Cut in butter until crumbly. Process until mixture forms a ball.  Pat into a greased 13x9 baking pan.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until set and the edges are lightly browned.

3. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Mix well.

4. Pour over hot crust.  Bake for 14-16 minutes or until set and lightly browned. 

5. Meanwhile in a bowl, combine topping ingredients.  Spread over filling.  Bake 7-9 minutes longer or until topping is set.  Cool on a wire rack.  Refrigerate overnight.  Cut into bars just before serving.