Homemade Baked Chicken Strips - Bake some tonight, freeze the rest

I love chicken strips but if you order them at a restaurant they're fried!  So why not make them at home yourself and bake them?  It's simpler than you think -- and much healthier! 

 

I will walk you through the foolproof steps.  At the end, there's a You Tube video for further guidance by Jane Nachbor at Tastefully Simple Headquarters. 

 

I like to add seasoning to my breading to make them even tastier.  If you have any shaker from Tastefully Simple you can do this too!  If not, just make 'em Original Style Baked Chicken Strips.  :)

 

           

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 6 chicken breasts
• 2 eggs
• 8 TBSP Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 C bread crumbs
• 2 C crushed tortilla chips
• 2 TBSP Tastefully Simple Fiesta Dip Mix or Howlin' Horseradish Dip Mix or Mama Mia Marinara (optional)
• If you do not have seasonings and want flavor, use 1 C Doritos or Fritos

 

(You may substitue 4 TBSP of the Whipping Cream w/ 4 TBSP milk, BUT, the breading does not stick as well!)

 

 

 

Preparation

 

Beat together in a small bowl:

2 Eggs
8 TBSP Heavy Whipping Cream

In a separate bowl:
Crush the tortilla chips (I use the bottom of a glass)
Add the bread crumbs
Add your choice of seasoning (optional)
Crush other chip flavors (optional)


Cut 6 Chicken Breasts into strips. 
Tip:  I devote a pair of scissors to cooking.  Once I'm finished using them, they go straight into the dishwasher!  I make my chicken strips by using a pair of scissors on thawed chicken breasts.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, and then in the mixture of crushed chips and bread crumbs.


Bake Now:  Place strips onto a cookie sheet lined with foil or non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 min.  The breading will slightly brown and the chicken will be sizzling.


Freeze for later:  Place strips in a single layer on a sheet of Press-N-Seal.  Top with a layer of Press-N-Seal, form a seal between EACH chicken strip.  (With your finger, press the top sheet onto the bottom sheet around each chicken strip to form an individual seal!)   Place the sealed chicken strips into a Freezer Ziploc bag to protect from freezer burn.  Label and freeze.

To prepare from frozen: Do not thaw!  Bake as many as many as you would like on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 350^o for 20 to 30 minutes.  This is the beauty of the Press-N-Seal method.  Any member of the family can take the chicken strips out of the package and bake their desired amount.  The remaining chicken strips are not disturbed!

Serve with ketchup, prepared Fiesta Dip Mix or prepared Mama Mia Marinara! (1 can tomato sauce + 1 TBSP Mama Mia Marinara)


You Tube Video demonstrating Mama Mia Chicken Strips
http://youtu.be/LEAo-Og72PA

 

Simple & Healthy Baked Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2 C seasoned breadcrumbs (if you're gluten intolerant, skip this step, they will still turn out!!!)
• 1/2 capful of Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic
• 1/2 capful of Tastefully Simple Onion Onion
• dash of Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt

 

Preparation Instructions

I double this recipe.  Bake half the meatballs today, put the other half in a labelled Ziploc Freezer Bag for later!
 

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. You may choose to add dashes from any of the other Tastefully Simple shakers (your taste preference). I like to add sprinkles of Fiesta Party Dip Mix or Howlin' Horseradish Dip Mix and/or Green Tea Peppercorn!!

 

Using an ice cream scoop, dish out meatballs and lay on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or lined with foil.

 

Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes.

Great to add to spaghetti sauce.

 

Have a can of crushed tomatoes in your cupboard? Add capful of Dried Tomato and Garlic Herb Pesto Mix.. wa lah! Sauce is done! Simmer on stove top while meatballs are baking.

 

Simple and depending on the leanness of your meat -- healthy!!

Baked Cavatini - Make one batch for today, one batch for later

Ingredients

• 1 Green Pepper, chopped
• 1 sm Onion, chopped
• 1 sm can Mushrooms, optional
• 1 sm can black olives, optional
• 1# Pork Sausage, browned
• 24 Pepperoni slices, chopped (I use Turkey Pepperoni)
• 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 TBSP  (capful) Tastefully Simple Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix
• 3 c uncooked, Radiatore noodles or Mafalda noodles (firm type noodles, can even use Pinwheel noodles for the kiddos)
• 1 TBSP (1/2 capful) Tastefully Simple Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning
• 2 c Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Preparation Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 350.

 

Boil the noodles according to the package and brown the sausage in a separate skillet.  If you are not a multi-tasker, you can do this in 2 steps.  :)

 

Chop the onion and green pepper.  Quarter the pepperoni.  Mix 1/2 capful of Tastefully Simple Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning in the 2 C bag of Mozzarella Cheese.

 

In a bowl, add crushed tomatoes and a capful of Tastefully Simplie Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto.  Mix well.

 

Drain the noodles.  Drain the sausage.  Put both into the bowl with the tomatoes.  Add onion, green pepper, and other optional vegetables (ie:  mushrooms and black olives).  Add Pepperoni quarters.  Mix lightly, do not mash the noodles.  Add 1/2 of the cheese mixture.  Pour the entire contents of the bowl into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.

 

Top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly.  Let rest for 10 minutes.

 

Suggested side:  Garlic Bread

 

Mix Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning with butter and spread on bread or French loaf slices.  Broil for 3-5 minutes or until toasted.

 

Tip:  I always make a double batch of this casserole.  Once the noodles are cooled, the 2nd batch goes into a gallon Ziploc Freezer Bag for later!!!  Put the cheese into a quart Ziploc Freezer Bag.  Put both bags into another gallon Freeezer Bag.  Label the inside bag so that the outside bag is clean and reusable. 

 

Take out of your fridge in the morning to thaw while you are at work.  Once you are home, bake as directed.  #simplifyyourlife!

Breakfast Protein Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 whole Ripe Bananas, Mashed Until Creamy
• ⅓ cups Peanut Butter, Creamy Or Chunky
• ⅔ cups Unsweetened Applesauce
• ¼ cups Vanilla or Chocolate Protein Powder (I use It Works! ProFit Protein Powder)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Butter Extract, Optional
• 1-½ cup Quick Oatmeal, Uncooked
• ¼ cups Chopped Peanuts, Optional
• ¼ cups Carob Chips Or Chocolate Chips, Optional

Preparation Instructions

Preheat heat oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, mix mashed banana and peanut butter. Then add in the applesauce, protein powder and vanilla and butter extracts. Mix again until completely combined.
Add oatmeal and nuts to the banana mixture and combine. (Add the optional carob/chocolate chips at this time if you want them mixed throughout.)
Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and flatten cookies into circles, about a 1/3″ thick. (If you want the optional carob/chocolate chips on the top of the cookies, push them into the cookies now.)
Bake cookies approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown and done. Remove from oven and let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack. (If you want the traditional fork tine marks on the cookies, do this on the tops of the cookies while they’re still warm.  Use the back of a fork or a knife or pizza cutter.)
When cookies are completely cool, store in a covered container. Enjoy!

Key Lime Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups cake flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cool unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 package Tastefully Simple Key Lime Cheeseball Mix
• 1 tablespoon key lime zest
• ¾ cup buttermilk (room temperature)

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt three times, set aside.
Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low until it’s softened a bit. Add the sugar and increase the speed to medium. Beat until fluffy, about four minutes. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the Key Lime Cheeseball Mix and zest; beat until mixed. (The mixture will look curdled.)
Add the flour in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Mix on low until just combined. Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full.
Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool completely and frost with cream cheese icing.
Makes 12-14 cupcakes.

Icing:
Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low until it’s softened a bit. Increase speed to medium and add the cream cheese one piece at a time. Reduce speed to low and slowly add powdered sugar until combined. Beat in zest.