Baked Paprika-Parmesan Chicken

I had a whole, cut up chicken that needed to be cooked, but I didn't want to just do shake-n-bake. So I went looking and found an recipe to experiment with. This was quite possibly the moistest, tenderest and tastiest chicken I've ever had.

1/4 cup all purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup to be sure, but the 1/4 would have been enough)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I used a heaping 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons paprika (I used probably 4 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used about 1/8 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I used a whole cut up chicken, bone-in)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside. In another bowl combine egg and milk.
Dip chicken pieces in the egg/milk mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture. Place in a baking dish.
Pour melted butter over the chicken.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes in the 350F oven, then to crisp it up some, raise the temperature of the oven to 450F and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.

Lactation Cookies

I got this recipe off http:theleakyboob.com which is where I've spent a lot of my time since becoming a mother. Well, mostly their Facebook page, but still. Recently, since I've started pumping instead of directly breastfeeding, I've noticed a bit of a dip in my milk supply, so I decided to try lactation cookies to see if I could boost my supply back up. I can't tell you yet if it works or not as I just made these today, but I can tell you that even if they don't work, I think I'll be keeping some of these in the house constantly from now on. They are THAT good. Many thanks to Krista at TLB for the recipe. :)

1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
4 tablespoons of water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons brewer’s yeast
3 cup rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips

Soak the flaxseed in the water for a few minutes to soften.
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar, add eggs, flaxseed and vanilla.
Add to dry ingredients, mix well.
Drop on cookie sheet, bake 8 – 12 minutes on 375F. (I actually baked mine for 14 minutes and they're perfect. Crispy around the edges, soft in the middle, just the way I like cookies). This recipe made 49 cookies (and I'm horrible at making all my cookies the same size, so it probably could have been more had I been more consistent with my cookie sizes).

Vegetable Mash Casserole

I found this recipe in a magazine we got in the mail, and decided to give it a try. I didn't follow the recipe exactly, so what I will do is provide the recipe as it was printed in the magazine and then detail what I did differently.

4 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 cup cauliflower, cut into large pieces
1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups provolone cheese, diced
2 tablespoon parsley, freshly chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

In a large saucepan, boil some salted water
Add vegetables (potatoes, carrots and cauliflower) and cook 20 minutes or until tender
Preheat oven to 400F
Drain vegetables, add onion and garlic, then mash thoroughly with a potato masher
Add butter, 1/2 cup cheese and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mash again.
Spread mixture into a 9" baking dish (round or square)
Cover with remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs
Bake 10 minutes to melt the cheese and serve

Differences: Instead of the cauliflower, I used broccoli (because Alex and I both hate cauliflower), instead of the provolone, I used old cheddar, I used dried parsley flakes instead of fresh, I used 3 cloves of garlic instead of 2, and I did not use any salt or pepper. I also didn't really measure anything: I used 4 medium/large potatoes, 3 good sized carrots and one bunch of broccoli. I also don't have a 9" baking dish, so I used our large casserole dish and it worked quite well.

Verdict: Alex hasn't tried it yet, but Charles and I absolutely loved it. It's a fantastic way to get someone who doesn't like broccoli to eat it (I'm not a huge fan, and this is now a way I will eat it willingly) and I will most definitely be making it again. It makes a lot.

ETA: Alex loved it as well. This is definitely going to be something we make again and again and again!

Easy Mexican Casserole

A few months back, one of my FB friends, Brittany (someone I know due to a mutual love of all things DTBH) said in her status that she was making "Mexican Casserole" for supper that night. I was intrigued, and asked her for the recipe. It sat on a sticky note on my desktop since that day, waiting for the time when I decided to finally make it. The other day when I was making my meal plan for the next two weeks, I decided to do it. Tonight was the night. I have to say, it is absolutely delicious and was a total hit with myself, Alex and Charlie. Alex said the only things he'd change would be to have more tortilla chips and less sour cream.

1 lb lean ground beef
2 cups salsa
1 can chili beans, drained
3 cups crushed tortilla chips
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 small can black olives, drained (optional)
1/2 cup chopped tomato (optional)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain fat off.
Add salsa, stir, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
Stir in beans, heat through
Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish
Spread crushed tortilla chips on the bottom of the baking dish, then spoon the meat mixture on top of the chips.
Spread sour cream over the meat. Sprinkle with green onion, olives and tomatoes.
Top with the shredded cheese.
Cover with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.