Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Need something quick for lunch or dinner?  This chicken is so quick and easy and simply delicious!  I use chicken breasts and coat them with Parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs and then pan fry them until they are crispy. You can use chicken breast cutlets for an even quicker recipe.  I also like to slice them up and lay them on top of my salads.  So good!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

2-4 chicken breast or 1 pound of chicken breast cutlets

salt and pepper

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

 

Set up a breading station with three bowls. One bowl will have your beaten eggs. The second will have your parmesan cheese and the third will have your panko bread crumbs.

 

Lay the chicken breasts out on a cutting board and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. 

 

 




Strip the leaves from the fresh rosemary sprig and mince them finely with a knife. Add the minced rosemary to the egg bowl, then whisk the eggs and rosemary together until combined. Melt the butter and oil in a heavy skillet and set on medium high heat while you bread the chicken.  

 

 

  

 

First dip each chicken cutlet into the parmesan cheese.  Next dip the chicken into the beaten egg and shake off any excess. Finally dip into the panko bread crumbs.

 

Add 2 or 3 chicken breasts or cutlets at a time to the heated skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy. 

 Do not crowd  your skillet or they will not get crispy. 

 

Serve for lunch or dinner with a side or slice up for a salad!  Yum.

 

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Classic Deviled Eggs

I love deviled eggs. They are a staple all throughout the summer months and you'll find them on my holiday table whenever Easter or any other occasion comes along.  I make them just like my Mom....nothing fancy or complicated... and nothing much added other than a sprig of dill weed or sometimes a sprinkle of paprika.

Classic Deviled Eggs

6 large eggs

1/4 cup Hellmann's or Dukes Real Mayonnaise

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

salt and white pepper to taste

paprika, for top of eggs, optional

Boil your eggs in a pan large enough to hold 6 large eggs. Cover with cold water about 2 inches above the eggs. Heat over medium high heat until the water boils. Boil for about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, cover and let sit for 10-12 minutes.  Rinse eggs with cold water, until eggs are cool enough to handle. Drain water, crack the eggs and remove all shells.

After peeling, cut the eggs in half with a sharp knife. Gently scoop out the yolk into medium sized bowl. Place the whites on a serving dish.

Mash the yolks with a fork and add some of the mayonnaise and mustard and mix together.  Add more of each to get the consistency you like.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Mix on low speed with a hand mixture until smooth. If the yolks are not creamy enough, add a little more mayo, but just a little at a time.  You want it thick and not too thin. If the mixture is too runny, it will not sit up well in the egg white.

Snip the end of a Ziploc bag or fit the end of the plastic bag with a star tip. Use a large spoon and fill the bag with the egg yolk mixture, squeezing the filling into the bottom of the bag. Using a swirling motion, fill the eggs with the yolk mixture. 

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Mom's Southern Coca Cola Ham

I can't remember an Easter that my Mom didn't make this ham. It's magical how this simple soft drink can turn this into the best ham!  Try it!

 Southern Coca Cola Ham

(9-10 lb.) fully cooked, boneless Ham

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup of honey
1 can of regular Coke

Put the ham in a large baking pan, cut side down. Slice away hard outer skin from ham with a sharp knife, leaving a thin layer of fat. 
Score ham in a diamond pattern.

Put 1 1/2 cups of the brown sugar in a bowl and stir in just enough coke from the can to create a thick sauce. Pour sauce all over the ham. Pour the remaining Coke into the pan around the ham. Turn ham on it's side.

Bake ham on lowest oven rack at 325° for 1-1/2 hours. Remove ham from oven, leaving oven on. Brush ham with honey. Combine remaining brown sugar and spices; pat over honey, coating ham well.

Return ham to oven, and continue to bake at 325° for another 45 minutes uncovered. Cover ham with aluminum foil if necessary, to prevent excessive browning. Let ham stand 15 minutes before carving. 

This recipe is my own. Photo was provided Courtesy of  Good Housekeeping and Taste Of Home.

Oatmeal Raisin Cream Whoopie Pies

I love Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and I love anything cream filled so I already knew these would be a favorite before I made them. These kind of remind me of Little Debbie’s Cream Pies but they are not so cake-like.  They’re more like a cookie with the same filling.  I added a touch of lemon to offset the sweetness and they turned out great!  

Oatmeal Raisin Cream Whoopie Pies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups Uncooked oatmeal oats

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla.  Mix in the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.  Add the oats and stir until combined.  I also added just a quarter cup of raisins to my batter but that's optional.

Drop rounded spoonful’s on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. You want your cookies to be the same size so use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the dough.  Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely before filling them.

Cream Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons of whipping cream (heavy cream)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of a half a lemon

Combine butter, sugar, whipping cream, vanilla, and fresh lemon juice in a bowl. Beat on high until light and fluffy. Gently stir in your lemon.

Make a sandwich with the cookies. Using a pastry bag with a round tip makes it easier.

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Buttery Croissant Breakfast Casserole

I love this breakfast casserole!  I mean, what's not to like?  It has all my favorite breakfast ingredients....buttery croissants, sausage and this amazing Gruyere cheese!  Gruyere melts so nicely on casseroles or sandwiches or anything else and while it is a lot Swiss, it's really much better.  I have also made this using Monterrey Jack and that gives it a whole different flavor. For the best flavors you want to make this the night before and refrigerate it, although I have to admit, I have made it the same day and it turned out great! 


Buttery Croissant Breakfast Casserole

1 pound pork sausage (I use Bob Evans or Jimmy Dean)

1 1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

24 mini croissants, torn  (or use 12 larger croissants)

non-stick cooking spray

3 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.

Crumble the sausage in a large skillet and cook over medium high heat until no longer pink. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the torn croissants, the Parmesan cheese, and the salt.  Add the sausage and toss to mix.  Transfer from bowl to your baking dish.





















Next, whisk together the whole milk, the cream and the eggs and pour over sausage and bread mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6-8 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover casserole, and sprinkle with the two cups of Gruyère cheese.  Make sure you completely cover the top. Add more if you'd like. 



















Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden and no longer wet in the center. Use a cake tester or knife to make sure.  

Remove from oven and Let stand 10 minutes. Slice or scoop out and enjoy!

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