Not Even Lions

Some things that I can't live without in my kitchen:

Cooking became a whole new experience, when I got new, nice knives. They are expensive, but totally worth it. I hope to get a new one for each occasion, they make me that happy. Now I feel old, wanting knives for presents....

What are some things you can't live without in your kitchen?

Last night I cooked one of Cayce's favorite meals. I thought that I would share the recipes. 

Oven "Fried" Chicken Tenders

Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

(Cayce actually prefers these to the real deal fried chicken strips)

This recipe was adapted from a Weight Watchers Recipe. I do everything by sight, so there aren't any measurements, and of course it depends on how many chicken tenders you want to make. I usually make these on a Monday, because they are great to eat for lunch throughout the week. 

*Ingredients*

-Total Whole Grain Flakes cereal

-Whole Wheat Flour

-Tony Chachere's Seasoning (careful-salty and spicy)

-Fresh Ground Black Pepper

-A little garlic salt

-Hot Sauce (I prefer Louisiana)

-Lowfat or Fat Free Buttermilk

-2 packages of chicken tenders

-vegetable oil

*Directions*

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

-Spray nonstick cooking spray on a baking sheet (DO NOT USE PYREX, it will stick, and you will lose all the crust)

-In a large bowl, soak chicken tenders with buttermilk and hot sauce mixture. Just eyeball how much hot sauce, until it turns pink. Soak the chicken for however long you'd like. The longer you do, the more flavor, obviously. 

-I use an electric chopper to grind the cereal. I use about 3/4 of the bag (you won't use it all, plus it gets kinda clumpy from battering the chicken, so you want a little extra).

-Transfer ground cereal to a ziploc and add whole wheat flour to the cereal. It should be almost half and half. You want more cereal than flour though. 

-Season flour and cereal mixture. 

-Place chicken tenders a few at a time in the bag and toss to coat with mixture.

-Drizzle with vegetable oil before putting them in the oven

-Cook for 30 minutes then flip each chicken tender, and cook for another 15 or 20 minutes. 

You will never want to eat sweet potatoes another way after having them like this. SO good!

*Ingredients*

-3 sweet potatoes

-1/2-1 stick of butter (depends on how big your potatoes are

-minced garlic (about 3 cloves)

-salt and pepper to taste

*Directions*

-Preheat oven to 350 (I cooked both at the same time at 400)

-Grease baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray

-Peel and chop sweet potatoes 

-Salt and pepper potatoes

-Pour melted butter and garlic mixture on potatoes and toss them to evenly coat. I use my hands. Get in there and get dirty :)

-Cook for 1- 1/2 hours, stirring periodically

(Yes, my oven is so old, it doesn't even have a preheat, digital thermometer. The knob is also 125 degrees off...)

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of cider vinegar

1/4 cup of white wine vinegar

1/4 cup of salad oil

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 tbsp of sesame seeds

1 tbsp of poppyseeds

1 1/2 tsp minced onion

1/4 tsp of paprika

Enjoy!