Almost-Fried Chicken Tenders and Plan It, Don't Panic!

This week's recipe is one of my hubby's absolute favorites. He's a Mississippi boy and grew up on his mama's fried chicken.

Well, this isn't it. But it's...um...probably as close as I'll ever get! 

You see, when he married me, my poor hubby could actually cook better than I could. I had no.clue. Really. The only things I knew how to cook were: chicken pot pie, spaghetti pie and taco pie. 

If it didn't have pie in the name, I couldn't make it. 

I digress. 

Anyway, I still am not great at frying. I always seem to burn things when I try that particular method of cooking.

But almost-fried (using the oven?!)? Now that's something I can do!

Without further ado, check out this week's recipe for Almost-Fried Chicken Tenders--and scroll down for this week's meal plan!

Image by nosheep

Almost-Fried Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips/tenders*
• 1/2 cup whole wheat (or GF) bread crumbs (watch for recipe next week!)
• 1/8-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 clove chopped garlic
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
• pinch of black pepper
• 1/8 cup olive oil 

 Method

Place oil in one medium bowl and mix all seasonings, cheese and bread crumbs in another medium bowl. Dip chicken into oil, then coat it with the bread crumb/seasonings mixture. 

Bake for 25 minutes on 400 F or until no longer pink in the middle.

*There is no reason why you can't use bone-in chicken breasts or even thighs, legs, etc.

GF: Use GF bread crumbs and spices.
DF: Leave out cheese.

I adapted this recipe from this recipe. 

Image by sontran

Meal Plan for 10/31-11/6

Monday:
Breakfast-pancakes
Lunch-salmon pasta salad
Dinner-Modern Alternative Mama's sausage & peppers from Against the Grain

Tuesday:
Breakfast-Gallo Pinto-a traditional Costa Rican breakfast (recipe coming Wednesday!)
Lunch-leftovers/salmon pasta salad
Dinner-almost-fried chicken tenders (recipe above), mashed potatoes, green beans

Wednesday:
Breakfast-Gallo Pinto
Lunch-Kitchen Stewarship's black bean soup
Dinner-baked spaghetti

Thursday:
Breakfast-breakfast bars
Lunch-black bean soup
Dinner-rotisserie-style chicken in the crock pot, easy oven-roasted potatoes, broccoli or salad


Friday:  
Breakfast-bacon (eggs for me)
Lunch-leftovers 
Dinner-Slow-Cooker Lentil Rice Casserole

Saturday:  
Breakfast-pancakes and green smoothies
Lunch-leftovers
Dinner-leftovers


Sunday: 
Breakfast-pancakes
Lunch-chicken taco soup
Dinner-leftover soup
  
What's on your menu this week?  




Did you hear about the sale on The Everything Beans book?! Get it for $3 off, using code:FALL4BEANS! I will get a small percentage if you use my affiliate code, here. And THANK YOU if you do! I love this book!
 
Did you hear about the great sale over at Keeper of the Home for the remainder of the Plan It, Don't Panic challenge? Stephanie's selling her Real Food on a Real Budget ebook for 50% off! I own and LOVE this book! Use code MEALPLAN50! Get the book here. (This is my affiliate link.)

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts:

• via RSS (like Google Reader/Google Friends Connect) here 
• Subscribe to receive every post (3-4 times/week) via e-mail  here
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 I'm linking up with Plan It, Don't Panic, Menu Plan Monday, Good Cheap Eats, Make Your Own Monday

First Years Friday: Starting Solids

Image by pbboss

Welcome to this week's edition of First Years Friday! After spending several months covering breastfeeding, today marks the start to a 10-post series on starting solid foods!

My Story
When I became a mom in 2008, it seemed like everyone had an opinion about everything when it came to raising our daughter. 


"Let her cry it out!"
"Rock her to sleep!"
"Breastfeed! No, bottle feed!"
"Start putting cereal in her bottle at 3-4 months! She'll sleep better!"


Some words of wisdom I followed. I let others go in one ear and out the other. 


One of those was the whole "put cereal in the bottle" advice. 


Now, I'm NOT saying anyone who did or does practice putting baby cereal in a bottle for their infant is wrong in doing so. I believe every parent should research and PRAY about what is right for their own family.


After prayer and research, I just didn't feel right introducing solids at such a young age.Because I was exclusively breastfeeding, I felt like I could safely wait until at least 6 months.


And then start Little Girl on rice cereal. (Because that's what everyone.else.did.)


So, I bought some Happy Bellies brown rice cereal and mixed it with my breastmilk.


She took a little but wasn't too impressed. 


Hmmmm....Maybe she isn't ready, I wondered.


And, in fact, I don't think she was. 


With Baby Girl, I decided I would wait as long as possible to introduce any solids. I wanted to be absolutely sure she was ready.


It happened that she probably was more ready around 6 months. She would practically beg for table food when the rest of us were eating!


I ended up stretching her out until almost 7 months. Her first food was banana. 

Image by mwookie

When to Start
Next week, I'll write more on what foods I believe are best to start with.


Regardless of the food choice, I believe it's best for baby to show all of the following signs before starting solid foods:

• can sit up and hold head unassisted
• is interested in food
• has doubled in birth weight
• still appears hungry after nursing/giving bottle

I didn't start either of my daughters on 3 meals per day. I started very slowly, and at least in the beginning months, I always breastfed before a meal. 

But won't baby fill up on breastmilk and not want to eat? You may ask. 

I personally believe the nutrients in breastmilk far outweigh the nutrients in the table food for babies. I see eating solid foods as practice for baby. 

Breastmilk should still be the main source of nutrition. 

Come back next week to read about what foods to start out with!

When did you start feeding your baby solid food? What led you to that decision?

Did you hear about the sale on The Everything Beans book?! Get it for $3 off, using code:FALL4BEANS! I will get a small percentage if you use my affiliate code, here. And THANK YOU if you do! I love this book!

Did you hear about the great sale over at Keeper of the Home for the remainder of the Plan It, Don't Panic challenge? Stephanie's selling her Real Food on a Real Budget AND Healthy Homemaking ebooks for 50% off! I own and LOVE these books! Use code MEALPLAN50! Get the books here. (This is my affiliate link.)

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts:

• via RSS (like Google Reader/Google Friends Connect) here 
• Subscribe to receive every post (3-4 times/week) via e-mail  here
• Subscribe for weekly e-mails here
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Healing Ear Infections Holistically (at Keeper of the Home)

Image by Official U.S. Navy Imagery

Welcome to this month's Parenting on a Penny! Today, I'm giving some ways to save on antibiotics by treating your child's ear infections holistically.

You can find my post over at Keeper of the Home.

Here is an excerpt:

Last year this time, I prided myself on the fact that my 2 year old had never had a full-blown ear infection.

A strong proponent of breastfeeding and having nursed her until she was almost 2, I just knew my milk had protected her from ever really getting sick.

And I just knew it would protect my newborn as well.

I never imagined how sick my new baby would be most of the winter and into the spring.

And ear infections? She had several.

Read the read of this post here.  

Did you hear about the sale on The Everything Beans book?! Get it for $3 off, using code: FALL4BEANS! I will get a small percentage if you use my affiliate code, here. And THANK YOU if you do! I love this book!

Did you hear about the great sale over at Keeper of the Home for the remainder of the Plan It, Don't Panic challenge? Stephanie's selling her Real Food on a Real Budget AND Healthy Homemaking ebooks for 50% off! I own and LOVE these books! Use code MEALPLAN50! Get the books here. (This is my affiliate link.)


I'm linking up with: Homestead Barn Hop, Monday Mania, Traditional Tuesday, Frugal Tuesday Tip

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts:

• via RSS (like Google Reader/Google Friends Connect) here 
• Subscribe to receive every post (3-4 times/week) via e-mail  here
• Subscribe for weekly e-mails here
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• Follow me on Twitter here

Probiotic Pumpkin Dip

Forget the flu shot! This year, fight back with food instead!


I'm excited to be joining the following 5 amazing bloggers in hosting a 5-week series that will arm you with recipes to stay healthy this season!

Nikki @Christian Mommy Blogger
Mindy @The Purposed Heart
Anne @Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy
Leigh Ann @Intentional by Grace
Rachel @Day2Day Joys

Come back each Wednesday as we reveal five different foods that are purported to support your immune system in the fight against the cold and flu viruses that run rampant this time of year. 


What's more, each post will be opened up to all our readers, who will be linking up their favorite recipes, with ideas for creative ways to serve them to their families!

Image by clshearin 

This week's flu-fighting food is PUMPKIN!


Pumpkin has always been one of my favorite foods. Along with the crisp, cool weather and colorful leaves, pumpkins make fall my favorite season!


Not only are they super yummy, but pumpkins also contain immunity boosters, like:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• along with other healthy components, such as essential fatty acids, protein and magnesium
• it is also a natural diuretic, aiding in flushing out body toxins

Now, onto a recipe for Probiotic Pumpkin Dip-- where you can enjoy all these amazing health benefits AND indulge your sweet tooth!

Ingredients: pumpkin puree, plain yogurt, honey, cinnamon and ginger, pumpkin pie spice

Combine pumpkin and yogurt

Add spices

Add honey

Enjoy your yummy, healthy probiotic pumpkin dip!

Probiotic Pumpkin Dip
Ingredients:

• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup plain, whole milk yogurt (full of probiotics and great for overall health!)
• 1 cup honey (raw will yield even more health benefits!)
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• pumpkin pie spice, to taste (optional)

Method:
Combine pumpkin puree and yogurt. Add in spices. Stir in honey. 
Makes about 3 cups of dip. Serve with gingerbread or spice cookies.


Notes

• This dip is perfect to take to a holiday party. It tastes sweet, with just a hint of honey. Maple syrup may be an alternate sweetener, but I didn't test it. 
• You can even eat it by itself as a pudding, but you might want to cut the honey a tad. 
• Stir the dip into oatmeal or use it to spice up pancakes, muffins or breads. 

*I modified this recipe from Taste of Home's pumpkin dip recipe. 

For more information on the health benefits of pumpkins, check out this and this article.


I'm linking up with: Growing Home, Women Living Well, Raising Homemakers, Works for Me Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Turning The Table Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Cooking Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Creative Juice, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Live Renewed, Frugal Food Thursday, Frugal Friday, Fight Back Friday, Food Trip Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Friday Food, Sweets This Week, Living Well Blog Hop, Foodie Friday, Freaky Friday, Foodie Friday

Be sure to check out the great pumpkin recipes and tips shared by the other amazing homemakers hosting this series!

Pumpkin Cran Smoothie @Christian Mommy Blogger
Creamy Pumpkin Soup @The Purposed Heart
Pumpkin Pear Muffins @Day2Day Joys
How to Roast a Pumpkin @ Intentional by Grace
Pumpkin Soup @ Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy


Stacy Makes Cents also has some great pumpkin recipes--and check out my pumpkin recipe round-up from last week if you need even more ideas!

Now it’s your turn! Link up your delicious pumpkin recipes below.

There are only two guidelines for participation:

1. Your recipe must include PUMPKIN as an ingredient. Any entry submitted that does not include pumpkin will be deleted.

2. Please link your posts back to one of the hosting blogs. This way your readers can have access to all of the other great pumpkin recipes as well!

Hint for next week: Get your breakfast recipes ready!

Slow Cooker Lentil Rice Casserole & The Everything Beans Book Review (& Discount Code!)

I'm so excited to be able to share with you a review, recipe AND discount code for one of my favorite ebooks--The Everything Beans book!

I didn't really grow up eating beans, but when I discovered them sometime in my 20's, they quickly became one of my favorite foods! They are cheap, filling and full of good protein. 

But you know I'm the humbled homemaker, right? That means I'm a humbled--not a gourmet!--cook. Really, I'm learning as I blog. 

So, up until a few months back, I really didn't know how else to use beans except as a side dish. 

The Everything Beans book has definitely made eating beans so much more fun!

In this 95-page ebook, Katie of Kitchen Stewardship includes tips for preparing and storing beans, as well as 30 bean recipes!

Recipes range from sandwiches like chickpea wraps to soups like turkey vegetable chili to sides like chicken rice-a-roni substitute to pasta with white (bean) sauce to main dishes like Mexican stuffed peppers to the grain-free fudgy black bean brownies (my GF daughter's favorite!) for dessert!

With winter coming and no end in site for this tough economy, The Everything Beans book was a great investment for my family.

The book normally sells for $9.95, but right now you can use discount code FALL4BEANS to get $3 off!!

Want to try a recipe out yourself? 

Photo courtesy Kitchen Stewardship

Slow Cooker Lentil Rice Casserole

Ingredients

3/4 c. dry green lentils

1/2 c. brown rice

1 c. water

2 1/2 c. chicken stock

1 c. tomato sauce (8 oz. can) or 1 6-oz. can tomato paste + and extra 1/2 c. stock

3/4 c. chopped onion

1 c. chopped green or red pepper

1 grated or finely chopped carrot

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken

optional: other vegetables like spinach, broccoli

3 tsp. Italian seasoning or taco seasoning

2 cloves crushed garlic or 1/4-1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Dash pepper

1 c. grated cheese ( I prefer sharp cheddar, but try a Mexican blend with the

taco seasoning or mozzarella with the Italian)

optional: salsa or spaghetti sauce to serve

Method

Combine rice, lentils and water in crock pot. Soak overnight. (Do NOT turn crock pot on!) In the morning, drain the water and mix in all remaining ingredients except cheese. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Add cheese in 30 minutes before done. 

Serves 4-6. 

Do you have any favorite bean dishes to share?

Get The Everything Beans Book here!


New Series Announcement!


I'm THRILLED to be participating in Five Flu-Fighting Foods--a 5-week series with some amazing bloggers around the web! 


Come back tomorrow to read the first post, get a recipe for a yummy probiotic pumpkin dip and, if you have a blog yourself, link up your favorite pumpkin recipes as well!

Did you hear about the great sale over at Keeper of the Home for the remainder of the Plan It, Don't Panic challenge? Stephanie's selling her Real Food on a Real Budget AND Healthy Homemaking ebooks for 50% off! I own and LOVE these books! Use code MEALPLAN50! Get the books here. (This is my affiliate link.)

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts:

• via RSS (like Google Reader/Google Friends Connect) here 
• Subscribe to receive every post (3-4 times/week) via e-mail  here
• Subscribe for weekly e-mails here
• Find me on Facebook here 
• Follow me on Twitter here