My Chicken Strip Basket

Ben introduced me to the chicken strips and fries baskets at Red Robin. We have taken to splitting the basket so we do not get too full. Plus, in doing so, we save room for dessert....(apple crisp!) A few months ago, I decided to create my own strips. They are healthier, not quite as tasty, but Ben loves them! For last week's meal (featured above), I added potato fries as well.

Chicken Strips Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Slice two breasts of thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts into four to five strips each.
3. In a shallow bowl or dish, (I eyeball this part) mix about 1/2 to 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, about 1T or so Parmesan cheese, some Italian seasoning, a couple pinches of pepper, and whatever other seasonings you see fit. That is all I usually put though. It is not necessary to over do it.
4. Individually place strips in crumb mix and turn to coat. Arrange on a wire rack set on top of a sheet pan.
5. Place in oven. Bake, uncovered, for about 12 minutes.
6. Remove from oven. Turn strips over.
7. Place back in oven and cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes longer, or until no longer pink inside.

Potato Fries

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Peel and slice 2 russet potatoes into wedges or strips.
3. In a plastic bag or container, mix 1T olive oil, a couple pinches of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoons of your desired seasoning (dillweed, parmesan cheese, basil, or a combination).
4. Place potato slices in bag, shake to mix.
5. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with PAM.
6. Lay potato slices in a single layer on the foil. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes. Check every 5 minutes to rotate the potatoes with tongs or a spatula.
7. Potatoes are done when lightly browned and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.

Thank you for reading about my dinner. Let me know if you try it yourself!

A Little Tuesday Morning Humor

Zits is always funny. Today is no exception. Enjoy!

Crafty Spiders

Aren't these spiders cute? My aunt made them for halloween. She said the candy spider was made with a Hershey's Kiss, black pipe cleaners, and googly craft eyes!

You Betcha Baby!

On a whim, I reserved "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" at the local library. I remembered reading a positive review of it, but I did not really know what it was about, nor if I would like it.

I am so glad I did! I loved it, and highly recommend it! Sadly, I had to return it before I could watch it again.

This is a sweet romantic comedy set in 1939 London. Frances McDormand plays Miss Guinevere Pettigrew, a middle aged governess who finds herself out of work and homeless. On a last try to gain employment, she poses as a social secretary for singer/actress Delysia Lafosse (Amy Adams).

Miss Pettigrew is the daughter of a vicar and she holds morals and ideas about love that stay strong throughout the whole movie. Lee Pace, Mark Strong, and Ciaran Hinds also star.

If you enjoy romantic movies, this is a must see!

Let me know if you enjoyed it!

More Cowbell!

Update: Just in case you are not familiar with it, the cowbell.dj website was inspired by a famous SNL skit with Christopher Walken. Watch it here...


I was listening to the radio the other day and they mentioned this website, More Cowbell.dj that gives any song a little more cowbell. Check it out! (note: it sounds cooler than it actually is, but Ben and I used this with a Mozart song the other night and he laughed a lot)

I posted a couple of samples below. (My apologies to Mr. Holst). It kind of sounds normal with the country song though....

	Make your own at MoreCowbell.dj

	Make your own at MoreCowbell.dj

Title IX

One of the concerns with Title IX....

"In 2005, a suspicious fire destroyed an old wooden snack shack behind the boys baseball field. In an amazing show of force, parents, players, coaches and community members raised money to rebuild bigger and better.

The end result, after more than a year of tireless volunteerism ---- hosting fundraisers, hitting up hardware stores and rebuilding things with their own hands ---- was a two-story concession stand, announcer's booth and tiered seating.

The project might have cost $750,000 if completed by traditional means, but the parents did it themselves without taking any money from the school district.

While the boys enjoy the fruits of their labor, the girls are still playing on the same old field. They can't share fields because the dimensions are different.

Now federal education officials are investigating allegations that officials at Temecula Valley High School discriminated against female athletes in violation of Title IX."

Keep reading the article here....

Thrifty Fun: Creating Cookie Tins!

Check out this great idea from Pink and Polka Dot for creating cute, stylish cookie tins out of old thrift store finds! (Hat tip, The Nester) I cannot wait to try it!