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Cooking with the Journal-Potato Chip Chicken


Last night when I got off work, God treated me to the vision of an almost complete double rainbow.  It was a gorgeous sight to behold.  What a wonderful world we live in.

Today's recipe is more of an inspired by a Farm Journal recipe rather than an actual Farm Journal recipe.  This is a great recipe to use up all those bits and pieces left in the bottom of potato chip bags.  Just save them up until there is enough for the recipe.  It is fine to mix different flavors together.  Any kind of potato chip may be used.  When I am using plain potato chips, I use the seasoning listed in the recipe.  If I am using other flavors, I skip most of the extra seasonings.  This is usually a hit with kids.

Here is the Farm Journal recipe, my recipe follows:

Oven-Fried Chicken
The Thrifty Cook
Farm Journal Books, 1974

1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb.) fryer, cut up
1/3 c. melted butter or margarine

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag.  Dip chicken pieces in butter.  Shake, a few pieces at a time, in seasoned flour.  Place skin side up without touching in foil-line jelly-roll pan.  Bake at 375 degrees 1 hour, until done.  Serves 4.

Variations:
Cereal Coating:  Substitute 2 c. crushed corn flakes or crushed crisp rice cereal for flour.  Place cereal in shallow pan.  Roll butter-coated chicken in crumbs.  Bake as above.
Potato Chip Coating:  Substitute 2 c. crushed potato chips for the flour.  Omit salt.  Place cereal in shallow pan.  Roll butter-coated chicken in crumbs.  Bake as above.
Corn Chip Coating:  Substitute 2 c. crushed taco-flavored corn or tortilla chips for the flour.  Omit salt.  Place cereal in shallow pan.  Roll butter-coated chicken in crumbs.  Bake as above.
Herb/Cheese Coating:  Substitute 3/4 c. packaged herb-seasoned stuffing mix, crushed, combined with 1/2 c.  grated Parmesan cheese for the flour.  Roll butter-coated chicken in stuffing-cheese mixture.  Bake as above.



My Potato Chip Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 oz. would be preferred, but mine were much larger this time)
2 c. crushed potato chips (takes 3-4 cups uncrushed chips)
1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. oregano leaves
1/2 t. basil leaves
1/2 t. celery salt
1/2 t. onion powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 T. lemon juice

For the most even cooking, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness.  (I did not do this to the chicken in the photo).  Combine flour and potato chips.  Add seasonings if using plain potato chips.  Mix well and place in a shallow pan.  Combine egg and lemon juice.  Dip chicken breasts in egg, then roll in potato chip mixture pressing down to help the coating adhere.  Place in a foil-lined jelly roll pan.  I use Reynolds Nonstick Foil.  Bake at 375 degrees 30 minutes to 1 hour or until done.  I know this is a big range of time.  If the breasts have been pounded to an even thickness they should be done in 30 minutes.  If not pounded even, it may take up to an hour for the thickest parts to be done.  Makes 4 servings.  Note:  The potato chips have plenty of oil in them, there is no need to add additional oil.

Linking to Totally Tasty Tuesday
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Craft: Epic Fail

I admit it...I'm cooked.

It's been one of those crazy days, where I haven't stopped running from the moment I got out of bed this morning.  The only time I've sat still is when I spent HOURS driving around town running errands.  It's been crazy.

Finally, about 4:30, I got home and started dinner.  While dinner was in the oven, I started working on a project for Mini Me's water birthday party this weekend.  We are going to have several different water stations and one of them was going to be a large sprinkler for the kids to run through made from PVC pipe.


I first got the idea from Come Together Kids here and since then Family Fun has a version here.  My version was going to be BIG and GRAND and the kids were going to LOVE it.  Well....this is what happens when you don't take a moment to totally read the directions, the reviews, and the "helpful hints" on a project.

EPIC FAIL!
(as my kids would say.)
Do you see how low he has to get to get any water? (pretty sad.)

I spent an hour trying to rework it to be able to maximize the water pressure so the water would even make it to the top and down the other side.


I finally got a little action on the far side and on the top, but it was still pretty pathetic.
I admit it.  I finally just let him run.  He had a ball.  He told me it was AWESOME and he LOVES it.  (I'm so grateful for my little one.  He makes my day.)

But I will have it awesome.  I will spend this evening (not moving...in my pajamas) reading all the extra helpful hints on these websites...then tomorrow...or the next day...I'll get back to it....and it will be AWESOME, or at least Super Cool.

(But don't tell him in the meantime, his Grandma and I rented him a 18 foot double water slide for the party too!  So if all else fails...he'll be in Splish Splash heaven.)

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DIY Groceries-Barbecue Rubs and Sauces 5


Well, I said last week that I was done posting barbecue rubs and sauces.  Turns out I'm not.  A local grocery store advertised pork riblets at only $1.39 a lb. this week, and I wanted to give them a try.  They are kind of like spareribs but much cheaper.  I generally buy country style rubs instead of regular spareribs because they are less expensive and have more meat.  Spareribs are always a little unpredictable as to the amount of meat one gets.

So with the riblets on sale and one more rub recipe I wanted to try, that is what was for dinner Saturday night.  I put the rub on the riblets and let them sit in the fridge for several hours.  I then cooked them in a 350 degree oven for about an hour, basting lightly with barbecue sauce the last 20 minutes.  I had a small amount of  Bulls' Eye Barbecue Sauce in my fridge I wanted to use up, so I just used what I had of that.  These could be served without any added sauce if desired.

The rub was very good but a bit spicy for me.  I think the next time I will cut the cayenne back by half.  When I use the rest of what I made up, I will not be quite so generous when I apply the rub as I was today.

My husband's verdict was that the riblets were very good, but a lot of work to eat.

The rub was part of a recipe called Spice-Rubbed Ribs which was for baby back ribs.  The recipe is from Taste of Home and was sent in by Cheryl Ewing from Ellwood City Pennsylvania.

Spice Rub

3 T. paprika
2 T. plus 1 t. salt
2 T. plus 1 t. garlic powder
2 T. cayenne pepper
4 t. onion powder
4 t. dried oregano
4 t. dried thyme
4 t. pepper

Mix ingredients together well.  Sprinkle on ribs or other pork, chicken, or beef  before barbecuing.  I like to apply the rub and chill the meat for several hours.  Store tightly covered in a cool place.  Makes about 3/4 cup.

Linking to Hunk of Meat Monday
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I Got the Happy 101 Award

A few days ago, J-Lee over at Domestic Engineer Extraordinaire gave me the Happy 101 Award.  Life has been so crazy lately that blogging has been sort of "back burner" so I am just now getting a post done about this.



Here are the rules:
     1.  Copy the award image into a post.
     2.  List 10 things that make you happy.
     3.  Tag 10 bloggers who brighten your day.
     4.  Put in a link to their blogs.
     5.  Notify the award receivers.
     6.  Recipients should link back to the sender’s blog. 
     10 Things that Make Me Happy
         1.  Just being alive and relatively healthy.
         2.  My husband and family and the fact that they are healthy.
         3.  That my 19-year old granddaughter who is following her dreams and living and going to school in
              California finally found a job she actually likes after looking for six months.
         4.  Reading blogs (which I spend way too much time doing).
         5.  New "virtual friends" I have met online.
         6.  My two, very spoiled "cat" children.
         7.  Cooking has always made me happy, now blogging about it does.
         8.  All the fresh fruits and veggies available this time of year.
         9.  A warm, but not too, summer day.
       10.  Living in America.

    Blogger I'm Passing this award on to:

    Eat at Home  If there was a "sweetest blogger" award, Tiffany would certainly be in the running.  I so appreciate all she has done for me, and that she liked my recipes and wanted to interview me.  Her blog is really great, and I visit every day.

    Jam Hands  Ali has great recipes, great photos and great info all around.  I always find new information and new blogs in the links posted in Ali's Notebook.

    Whoa, this got posted too soon.  I scheduled it, and thought I had plenty of time to finish it up; but didn't get back to it.  Sorry to those who only got a partial post.

    Mel's Kitchen Cafe  This was one of the first food blogs I discovered and started reading regularly.  Mel always has wonderful recipes, and this is where I found my husband's now favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe-Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies, which contain no eggs.

    Miz Helen's Country Cottage  A sweet Texas blogger who, like me is "over a certain age".  What that is, I won't tell.  She hosts Full Plate Thursdays.

    Fran's Faves  Another new blogger, I just discovered, who started blogging a little before I did.  Also "over a certain age".  She has great recipes and a cute husband.  I look forward to reading all her posts.

    Pinch of This, That, and The Other  This young, military wife is also a new blogger.  Her family just moved to Japan.  She posts the most wonderful desserts along with other goodies. She hosts Whisking Wednesdays.  I look forward to reading about her Japan adventures.

    Debbiedoos..Blogging and Babbling  Because life is not all about the food.  This is a very inspirational decorating blog.  Debbie is a great supporter of new bloggers and hosts a Newbie Link Party on Sundays and Mondays.

    Serenity Now  Again, because life is not all about the food.  A great decorating/life styles blog.  She has wonderful information on blogging and is doing a series on Blogging Myths right now.  She hosts Weekend Bloggy Reading.

    This Chick Cooks  Delicious recipes, fun to read.  She hosts These Chicks Cooked on Wednesdays.

    Mandy's Recipe Box   Another fun blog with delicious recipes.  She hosts Totally Tasty Tuesdays.

    If you haven't visited some of the above blogs, please go.  They are well worth the time.

    J-Lee, Thanks for the award.
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    Shout Out Sunday


    Here are some great party ideas from around the blogging world...

    Polka Dots on Parade shared her Beach Blanket Tic-Tac-Toe board.  I love this idea and how easy and fun it is.  I may actually make one of these for a non-water activity for our birthday party next week.  It might be a nice break for the kids to play with when they get 'watered' out. 

    ReMarkable Home shared her Trampoline Tent.  How awesome would this be for a camp out in the backyard?  Or a play date?  To have your own little world under the trampoline would be any kids dream. 

    ObSeussed shared these Lego Storage Jars.  With all the Lego parties going on right now, these cute baby food jars would be perfect to put those cute chocolate Lego guys or bricks in as a yummy party favor.  I love the idea!  You could actually use this idea on a larger scale for table centerpieces or balloon weights.  LOVE IT!

    Creative Mommas shared the tutorial on making this Dessert Table Awning.  I just love how fun and festive this makes the dessert table.  It has so many fun uses from lemonade stand to party table that I can't help but want to go buy some bookcases now just for the box!

    Choose to Thrive shared these DIY Travel Games.  After just coming back from a 2 week vacation, I can tell you how VERY much I wish I had seen this idea before going.  I love how easy it is to make your own games for travel.  With a little cute packaging, these would make great party favors for a game night too.

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    Shindig Saturday Weekly Linky Party #20


    So sorry for the lack of a Shindig Saturday last week.  I had every intention of hopping online sometime during the week and writing the post, but ended up not having any cell phone or Internet connections during our vacation.  Our moments out into the "real" world, were very few and far between, so things didn't go as planned. 

    But we did have a good time playing with cousins...

    Playing at the lake...

    Visiting Howe Caverns and gem sifting...

    And visiting Hersheytown!

    But I will admit, I'm REALLY glad to be back home.

    So back to work and the party.
    Our blog of the week is...
    The Exception, not the Rule who shared her Reptile Party Preparations.  Kara did such an amazing job on the treats for her party.  I am amazed.  Her invitations are so much fun and tie into the rest of the party perfectly.  These cupcakes are DIY and look like so much fun.  I'll bet the kids LOVED playing with the plastic lizards after eating the cupcakes.  I know MY boys are craving these while looking over my shoulder.  It looks like a little boys dream party.  (And those bananas are definitely calling MY name!)

    Our party favor of the week..
    Our Candy bar notebooks made from real movie theatre candy boxes.  These notebooks have 80 sheets of lined paper inside an up-cycled candy box.  This is a perfect treat for the candy lover to keep in their purse, beside the phone, or in their school locker!
    Now, let's party!
    Show us your newest party or fun creations by sharing your favorite party themed craft, table scape, photo, favor, or whatever! I'm pretty flexible since just about everything can be used at a party...that's the great thing about us moms! We can see the potential in ANYTHING!

    Linky Party Guidelines:
    * Link up to your OWN project post, not just your blog, but your actual post. (We want to see it!)
    *Grab a Shindig Saturday button for your post or blog page. (Hey, it benefits us all!)
    *Stay and enjoy the party by visiting and commenting on other's projects. (It's fun to mix and mingle!)


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    Splish Splash Birthday Invitation

    In planning our party, we wanted to invite and encourage excitement for the party by creating a fun invitation...so we decided to make Water Balloon invitations with the information inside the balloon.

    To do this, I started by using a plastic lid and cut out a rectangle for the information.  I used the plastic so it wouldn't be ruined when it got wet.

    

    But after doing that for the first invitation, I found my hubby had thrown my excess lids away (why do I always have a hundred until I need them?)  So I decided to use a cup from the movie theatre. (Is it bad that we have a hundred of these?)


    I cut the cup in half...


    Then cut it into 3 inch pieces.


    Then I cut it into 2 1/2 inch rectangles.


    On this plastic, I wrote the party information.


    Then I rolled it up into as small a roll as I could get,


    and inserted it into the balloon.  I had to use a 7 inch balloon so it would be big enough to fit the information.  It was a little difficult, but I squeezed it in.


    Then, I filled up the balloon with water.


    As you can see, the invitation information is floating around inside.


    On the front of the balloon, I wrote a little poem ditty so the guests would know what to do with the water balloon.  It reads:

    Splish Splash
    Join us for Zach's 7th
    Birthday Bash!
    (details inside)

    When you write on the balloon, be sure it's dry and to use a permanent marker.


    Zach wanted to see how it worked, so we let him pop a balloon as a trial.  It worked beautiful, and now he can't wait to spend tomorrow giving out the invitations to all of his friends!

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