The New Easter Egg

The Less Mess Easter Egg

Easter is another holiday opportunity that can bring the family together. While recently pondering this coming Easter I reminisced about coloring/dying Easter eggs when I was young. I had a blast, but it didn't come without the consequence of a mess and multi-colored fingers. The alternative? An easy, less messy, better looking, and tasteful decoration. I had heard about this trick several years ago but had forgotten until recently. Here is what you need and how to do it.


Ingredients
1.Cheap silk tie, silk boxers, or silk handkerchiefs. Cut into a large enough square to cover the egg.  (Thrift stores always has some silk ties or you might have some old silk material around the house. I wouldn't spend a lot of money.)
2. White cotton shirt (old used ones are fine), cut into squares large enough to cover the silk wrapped egg. The cotton square should be a little larger than the silk one.
3. Rubber bands or bread ties.
4. Raw eggs
5. Water, enough to cover eggs by 1 inch
6. 3 Tbsp White vinegar


Directions
Cut your silk and white cotton shirt into squares large enough to cover your egg. Wrap your egg with the silk print FACING the egg. (If it's a tie, the print is the part that people see.) Then wrap your white cotton shirt over the sik covered egg. Use either a rubber band or a bread tie to hold the fabrics on. (The rubber band will work a little better, but be careful because it is a raw egg.) Next, place your eggs in a large enough pot so that they are not on top of each other. Fill with enough water to cover the eggs by about an inch. Add 3 Tbsp of white vinegar. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Carefully remove eggs with a pair of tongs. Allow them to cool for a minute and then unwrap the fabrics. You should be left with a newly decorated Easter eggs. To add a little shine, just rub on a little vegetable oil.  

 Happer Easter to you and your families!

Chicken Tenders

Chicken Tenders

Ingredients 
3 Chicken Breast - cut into strips
1 Sleeve of Saltine crackers - Crushed
2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp Dry potato flakes - (Instant mashed potatoes)
2-3 Dashes of Cayenne pepper
2-3 Dashes of Paprika 
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste 
3 Eggs - beaten in a separate bowl
1 C Flour in a separate bowl
Shortening or Peanut Oil - enough for frying


Directions
Cut chicken breast into strips. Place Saltine crackers into a 1 gallon ziplock bag.  Add 2 Tbsp flour, potato flakes, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper to the ziplock bag and seal. (Make SURE it's sealed!) If you have a rolling pen, use it to crush/roll crackers into fine crumbs.  Toss the sealed bag around to mix its contents. Heat your oil to 350-360 degrees. Next, set up a little assembly line. Cut chicken strips, 1 C flour in a bowl, 3 beaten eggs in the next bowl, and the ziplock bag with your coating/crushed cracker mixture. Using a pair of tongs, dredge your chicken into the flour. Shake off the excess. Place it into the egg and then proceed to the ziplock bag. Do a few strips and seal the bag. Shake the mixture onto the strips coating them as good as you can. Open the bag, remove the strips with your tongs and carefully place into the hot oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes and turn to prevent burning. (TIP: I use a lid to keep some of the heat in and to ensure chicken gets cook throughly.) While these strips cook, you can begin the assembly line again with the remaining strips. Cook chicken until golden brown and juices run clear. Place onto a paper towel lined plate to drain excess grease. 

Picture tutorial of  my Chicken Tenders!

Ingredients 

3 Chicken Breast - cut into strips

1 Sleeve of Saltine crackers - Crushed

2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp Dry potato flakes - (Instant mashed potatoes)

2-3 Dashes of Cayenne pepper

2-3 Dashes of Paprika 

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste 

3 Eggs - beaten in a separate bowl

1 C Flour in a separate bowl

Shortening or Peanut Oil - enough for frying

Saltines, flour, potato flakes, salt, peppers, paprika in the bag

Sweet & Sour Chicken - A Chinese Classic

Sweet & Sour Chicken

This is a favorite of mine when I go to any of our local Chinese restaurants.  I always seem to order the "Sweet & Sour Chicken". I now can create this awesome dish at home when ever I want. Figured I would share it with some of you! Below, I have broken the sauce and chicken into separate sections. Hope it curbs your Chinese craving, Enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Chicken

• Sweet & Sour - Sauce

• Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
• 1/4 C cornstarch + 1/4 C water - mixed 
• 1 1/2 C water
• 3/4 C white sugar
• 1/2 C distilled white vinegar
• 2 drops orange or red food color

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, and orange food coloring. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat. Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; slowly stir into saucepan. Continue stirring until mixture thickens.

Sweet & Sour - Chicken

Ingredients

• 4-8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 1/4 C self-rising flour
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 C water
• 1 qt. vegetable oil for frying
• 
  
• Directions

1. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and egg. Add 1 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter. Stir to blend thoroughly. Add chicken pieces, and stir until chicken is well coated. (NOTE: This will look like a thick pancake batter. As you coat the chicken, you will notice that some of the chicken does not appear to be covered. During the frying the batter will "puff" and cover the chicken, so don't worry too much about a little uncovered chicken pieces.)
2. Heat oil in skillet or wok to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fry chicken pieces in hot oil 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels.
3. Serve with rice (fried or my personal favorite, white rice). Top rice with cooked chicken pieces and pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top.

(Tip: Use tongs to retrieve chicken from the batter and place into hot oil. This will prevent both battered and burned digets!) 

Chili Powder

Ever need an ingredient that you thought you had,  but at the last minute, find out you don't? It's a pretty common but unfortunate occurrence. This recently happened to me when I decided to make some simple hotdog chili and didn't have any chili powder. Fortunately, I have all if the things to make chili powder and thought I would share this easy recipe with everyone. You will never have to buy chili powder again if you have these pretty common ingredients.

Ingredients

1 tsp paprika 

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tap oregano

2 tsp garlic powder

Homemade Sliders -Better than the Restaurant!

Ingredients:
1 Lb hamburger meat - 80/20
1Tbsp mayonnaise 
3/4 pkg dry onion mix
6-8 oz shredded cheese of your choice
1 pkg dinner rolls halved - already cooked 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F