Fried Chicken Tenders and Mexican Cornbread

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:10-11

Jay and I need to eat healthier. I keep saying that I'm going to start cooking healthier but last night was not the night! I had heard a different way to cook fried chicken tenders that I wanted to try out and I also had a Mexican cornbread recipe from a friends mom that I had been wanting to try as well. If any of you have any healthy recipes, let me know!

Fried Chicken Tenders:

boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
flour
Paula Deen's House Seasoning (which is just salt, pepper, and garlic salt)
1 egg
1 tablespoon of mustard

Cut breasts into strips. Season with House Seasoning. Mix egg and mustard together. Coat the strips into the flour. Then dip and coat in the egg/mustard mixture. Then dip back in the flour. Then put into the heated frying pan (I use extra virgin olive oil for the cooking) . Fry until they are done and golden brown. They were good, had a little bit of a different taste because of the mustard.


Margaret McDonald's Mexican Cornbread

2 cups of cornmeal
1 small can of cream corn
1 bag of mexican blend shredded cheese (I only used half the bag)
1/2 tsp of sugar
1 8 oz of sour cream
1 egg
Jalapeno peppers (chopped, I didn't use much. A little goes a long way)

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased muffin tray. Bake at 350 till golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Very good!!

Stromboli's!!

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love." Ephesians 5:1,2

It's been awhile since my last post because the past week and a half have been crazy busy for me! But hopefully life is back to normal now and I can get back to cooking! We had Stromboli's for dinner last night. This is a recipe from an old friend who used to make them all the time back in the day and we always loved them! Thanks Daphne for sharing this recipe with me!

Stromboli:

1 lb of sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)
Pepperoni's
Mozzarella cheese
1 loaf of bread (I use Rhodes bake and serve white bread, comes with 3 loaves in a bag at Walmart in the freezer section, by the rolls and biscuits)
1 jar of pizza sauce

Put the loaf (or loaves, depending on how many people you are serving. 1 was just enough for Jay and me) out to rise for 5-7 hours. I found that the longer it was out, the easier it was to work with. Brown the sausage. Drain. Flatten the bread and place sausage, cheese, and pepperoni (or whatever pizza toppings you like) on it, towards the middle of the bread. Fold the sides over the top and pin together with tooth picks. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Heat the pizza sauce on the stove while the stromboli is cooking. You will use the pizza sauce for dipping! Cut in slices, serve and eat up!

This was Jay's plate. He said "Take a picture of my plate, it looks pretty." :) He decided to put pizza sauce on top and on the side. I have to agree, it was pretty and tasted so good!

A couple of Southern favorites and a guilt free dessert!

My cousin Dana, who I get a lot of my recipes from, just recently had surgery and I thought I would cook a meal for her, her husband, and two kids. The meal consisted of poppy seed chicken, corn salad, green beans, rolls, and a chocolate eclair for dessert. So of course I have to share a few of the recipes!

Poppy Seed Chicken

One of my favorites that I learned from my mother. The recipe is actually from an old church cook book.

2 tubes Ritz Crackers (crumbs)
2 sticks butter or margarine, melted and cooled
2 tbsp poppy seed
5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, boiled and chopped
1 8oz sour cream (I used light)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup (I always use healthy request)

Mix crumbled crackers, butter and poppy seed together and pat into a 9x13 casserole dish. (Save about one cup of this mixture for the topping). Place chopped chicken over cracker crust. Mix sour cream and soups and then spread over chicken. Sprinkle the last of the cracker crust that you saved on top and bake 45 min at 350. This is great if you are having company or going to a church function!

Corn Salad

Another one of my favorites from my mom!

2 or 3 cans of white shoepeg corn, drained
1 small bundle of green onions, chopped
1 large tomato, chop the outside of the tomato, you will not need the inside
Mayonnaise (I used light)

Mix corn, green onions, and tomato together. Mix in mayo, don't use too much. The mayo goes a long way and you don't want it to have too much and be soupy. I used about 2 tablespoons. Mix all ingredients together very well. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Chocolate Eclair

This is a low fat dessert but doesn't taste like it! The recipe is from a bible study/weight loss program called "First Place"

1 box of low-fat graham crackers
2 pkgs sugar free vanilla instant pudding
1 pkg sugar free chocolate instant pudding
skim milk
1 8 oz light cool whip

Place 8 graham crackers in a 9x13 dish. Blend both vanilla pudding mixes with 3 cups of skim milk with a blender. Mix well. Let sit for 2 minutes. Gently fold in about 3/4 of the cool whip. Pour half of this mixture on the graham crackers. Top that with another 8 graham crackers. Pour remaining vanilla pudding mixture over that set of crackers. Layer with the last 8 graham crackers. Blend the chocolate pudding mix with 1 and 1/2 cups of skim milk. Mix well. Gently fold in the last of the cool whip into the chocolate pudding mixture. Let sit for 2 min. Spread over the top. Refrigerate for 6 hours.

Girls Day Out!

"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17

Yesterday was a fun day! Kara, my sweet friend/old co-worker from UA, came to Birmingham with her pretty little girl, Lilly! I met them at The Summit for some California Pizza Kitchen and shopping! Well, Kara did the shopping but I window shopped and I enjoyed that!

I miss them!

This was after we had cookies from Mrs. Fields cookie company! YUM!

I'm so glad ya'll came for a visit! Hopefully I can get back to t-town in the next few weeks!

10 months!

"I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me!" Psalm 13:6

I can't believe it's been 10 months since we were married! It seems like yesterday we were planning the wedding and I was so ready to marry Jay! And in 2 months it will be a year! I am more in love with Jay today than I was 10 months ago, and I didn't think that would be possible! I thank God for giving me Jay and I look forward to what He has in store for us!

Mozzarella Chicken

Mozzarella Chicken was for supper last night. Jay gave this one a 5 star rating and he's a picky eater!

Mozzarella Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I only used 2 because it's just me and Jay)
6 oz of Mozzarella cheese (I don't measure this, I just put how much I wanted!)
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing
1/2 stick of butter, melted (I did 2 tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a shallow casserole dish with Pam. Place uncooked chicken in the shallow casserole dish. Layer the cheese on top of the chicken. Mix soup and salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour. (I only baked 30 min because of using the 2 chicken breasts). SO good and easy! I served over brown rice and with green beans.

Fun Filled Family Weekend and Red Velvet Cake Balls!

"Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall." Psalm 55:22

We had a great weekend. We left Thursday night and headed to Demopolis. Jay's grandparents came down from TN and it was good to see them.

One of the many reasons we go to Demopolis. Our beautiful niece, Eva Michael!

10 months old!!

Eva Michael in her Guatemala dress that Aunt Jeanette gave her with her Aunt Reba!

Jay and Pop

I made this recipe that I found on www.kellyskornerblog.com and took it this weekend, along with the peanut butter treats. It was easy and tasty!

Red Velvet Cake Balls:

1 box of cake mix (I used Red Velvet but you can use whatever you like)
1 can of frosting (I used cream cheese frosting to go with the red velvet)
White almond bark

Bake the cake according to the directions

After taking it out of the oven, while it's still warm, crumble it up in a bowl and mix in the can of frosting.
Next, refrigerate the cake and frosting mix for about an hour before you start making balls.

Melt the white almond bark ( or chocolate bark, depending on what cake mix you use) and dip balls in the bark. You could use tooth picks or a fork. I started off using a fork but then found it easier to use a tooth pick.

Place on wax paper and refrigerate ( they were better cold).

Southwestern Wraps and Peanut Butter Treats!

"Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Yummy dinner last night!

Southwestern Wraps...thanks again Dana!!! I love you and your recipes!!!

10 oz. spinach, frozen (optional...we opted no spinach because Jay is not a fan)
1 pkg of dry fajita seasoning
1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can of Mexicorn
Pepper Jack cheese
Grilled chicken tenders (we used Tyson's frozen chicken breast tenderloins) thawed
flour tortillas

If you are using spinach, you would thaw it in the microwave and then squeeze out the water. Put spinach in pan on the stove and mix with the fajita seasoning. But since we didn't use spinach, I started out with the thawed chicken tenders in the pan to cook and mixed in the fajita seasoning. Let the chicken cook for a little bit. Then add the black beans and mexicorn. Mix well.


After the mixture has cooked for awhile, and the chicken is done, add the pepper jack cheese to the top and continue to cook until cheese melts.


When cheese is melted, grab a tortilla, fill it up, and roll tightly. This can be served with a dab of salsa or sour cream.Enjoy!


I decided we needed dessert and I wasn't in the mood for one of my 100 calorie, littly bitty, very tiny Little Debbie cakes. So I found this easy and good recipe online....that is NOT 100 calories!

Peanut Butter Treats

4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup of brown sugar
8.5 oz of smooth peanut butter
1 and 3/4 cup of confectioner's sugar
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 extra tablespoon of butter

Melt the 4 tblsp of butter in a saucepan. (I melted mine in the microwave). In a separate bowl, put the brown sugar,peanut butter, and confectioner's sugar. Pour the melted butter over this mixture and blend with a mixer. (Mixture will be crumbly) Spoon the mixture into an 8x8 pan (I didn't have an 8x8 so I used a 9x9) and spread it out evenly. Press down firmly with a butter knife or the palms of your hands.

Melt the chocolate chips with the remaining 1 tblsp of butter. (I also did this in the microwave). Spread the chocolate over the peanut butter mixture. Chill until it has set but still soft enough to cut. When ready, cut into squares and remove them from the pan. Put back in the fridge to finish setting.
They are so good! Taste just like reese's peanut butter cups!!

Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie!

I love all things Paula Deen! She is my favorite cook! I was given as a wedding present one of her cook books,it was autographed by her, and I use it A LOT! I also registered for a bunch of her cookware from Walmart when we were getting married and I got it all! One day I would love to visit her restaurant in Savannah, GA! If you are in the mood for chicken pot pie, this is a good one to try!


Paula Deen's Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie:

1 and 1/2 cup biscuit mix ( I used Heart Smart Bisquick mix)
1 stick of melted butter
1 can of vegall (I used frozen mixed vegetables, thawed)
2 cups of chopped cooked chicken
1 cup of milk
1 can of cream of chicken soup
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced ( you can make this without eggs)
1 cup of chicken broth (I used the broth from the chicken that I boiled)

Preheat oven to 350
In a 2 quart casserole dish, layer the chicken on the bottom, then the sliced eggs on top of the chicken, then the vegetables on top of the eggs. In a separate bowl, mix the cream of chicken soup and the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour this mixture over the layers. In another separate bowl, stir together biscuit mix and milk. Pour this mixture over the top. Finally, drizzle the melted butter on top. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Yum! Thanks PD!

Unredeemed

I am in love with a song on this album and want to share the lyrics with you:

UNREDEEMED

The cruelest words, the coldest heart

The deepest wounds, the endless dark
The lonely ache, the burning tears
The bitter nights, the wasted years

Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are

[Chorus]
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
They may be unfulfilled, they may be unrestored
But when anything that’s shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see it will not be
Unredeemed

For every choice that led to shame
And all the love that never came
For every vow that someone broke
And every life that gave up hope

We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all …

[Chorus]

Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
They may be unfulfilled, they may be unrestored
But you never know the miracles the Father has in store
Just watch and see it will not be
Just watch and see it will not be

You can watch it/hear it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TC01HuKZRI

Pizza Casserole

This is what Jay and I enjoyed for dinner last night! It's very easy and very good! Thanks to my former co-worker Laynee for this recipe!

Pizza Casserole:
1 lb ground beef (cooked and drained)
1 box of elbow noodles (cooked and drained)
Pepperoni
Mozzarella Cheese
1 big jar of pizza sauce

After I cooked and drained the elbow noodles, I mixed some mozzarella cheese in to hold the noodles together. Layer the noodles on the bottom of an over safe dish. Then spread a layer of pizza sauce on top of the noodles. Then layer the beef. Then another layer of pizza sauce on top of the beef. Then layer as much pepperoni and cheese that you want! We like lots! Bake in oven at 350 until cheese melts...ours was in the oven about 20 minutes. This makes a lot, as you can see, and there is only 2 of us so Jay takes the leftovers to work! Hope ya'll enjoy!

That's what I love about Sundays

We are in the middle of a 7 week series called "How to live through a bad day" at the church we attend. Jesus suffered on the cross and lived through His worst day (and His worst day was a million times worse than any of ours!) so that we could live through our worst days! Yesterday was part four and the title was "Be Assured". This series has been so good but yesterday God really used the sermon to speak to me. I'm going to try and not write a book but I will summarize yesterday's message!

Our key bible verse for the series is Hebrews 12:2
"looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Powerful!

During these 7 weeks, we are studying the things Jesus said while he was hanging from the cross. Yesterday was Matthew 27:46 "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" "

We have all asked in one way or another "Why?" "Why me Lord?" or "Why not me Lord?" We've all done it! But we need to realize that until we get to heaven, there are some things we will never understand! Pastor Chris used the story of Job and how he lost everything but not once blamed or questioned God!

We need to:
1) Think eternal (Job 42:2)
2) Let go (Job 42:3)
3) Get close to God (Job 42:5)
-the enemies goal is to get us as far away from God!

Hebrews 10:22 "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith..."

We need to be assured in our faith:
1) God is there! (Psalm 139:7-8) (Hebrews 13:5) (Hebrews 4:13)
2) God is never late! (Acts 16:25-26)
-His timing is ALWAYS perfect!
3) God knows best! (Hebrews 11:39-40) (Isaiah 55:8-9)
4) God cares deeply about you! (Job 5:11)

"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God,born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!"

OK, so maybe this was a book but I just really felt the Lord moving in me yesterday and I wanted to share it with you all!

On another note, tonight we will be having Pizza Casserole so I will post pictures and the recipe tomorrow!

Saturday Date Night

This was for dinner Saturday night! We love Longhorn, especially when we have a gift card!

This is what I had! The 7-Pepper Sirloin Steak Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette! I recommend this!

Jay had the bacon topped steak with a bourbon glaze. He said it was OK and I didn't care for it. But their mashed potatoes were good!

After Longhorn, we hit up Dairy Queen for my snickers blizzard and Jay's butterfinger blizzard! Yum! So not on my diet, but it was date night!