Breakfast tends to be laid back around our household--Mike takes things easily carried to work, the kids have things they can't make messes of, and I have something light because I am usually exhausted--and lunch tends to be harried, so close to nap and only having an hour before Michael has to get back to work. So, dinner is the only meal that I can afford any pomp and circumstance for, and even then I am usually too burned out to churn out anything decent.
Thus, today's menu was set as (for me, at any rate):
Breakfast--Strawberry Greek Yogurt, and Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Bakery Bread
Lunch: Steak and Cheese Chimichangas smothered in chili, cheese, lettuce, onion, avocado, and sour cream (*Note: my tummy did end up hurting after this meal, tragically--probably the chili or onion)
Dinner: Breaded Chicken Tenders, Jasmine Rice, Asparagus, and Corn
I had read that panko would be best for breading chicken strips, but I had none on hand so I put on Mike's big baggy shirt over my clothes and set up my assembly line.
First bowl was low fat milk, the second was egg and olive oil whisked together, the third was a plate of flour lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and...some green seasoning. I want to say sage maybe? I should probably pay more attention to what I am cooking with, but I didn't know at dinner time that I would be starting a blog about it tonight!
While I was having fun watching my hand getting bigger and more breaded as I prepped the chicken, I had the oven preheating and butter melting in the glass pan in the oven.
I never said this would be the healthiest meal I ever made, but I figure everything evens out--Jasmine rice cancels out chicken, asparagus cancels out corn. Bad logic, but good meals =D
The asparagus I was completely unsold on--I think asparagus is gag inducing. Probably because it smells quite strongly, and people always feel the need to inform me that they simply LOVE asparagus, but it makes their urine smell JUST LIKE IT. If this is not enough to drive a person mad, I don't know what is. At any rate, I am on the never ending quest to make this revolting vegetable edible. Today's endeavor involved sauteing it in olive oil and sea salt.
An aside here--I have never used olive oil before in my life, but I had cause to purchase it the other day for a new brussel sprout recipe I was trying. I was appalled to find the small jar was $10, but I have used it more over the last two days than I would have believed.
Anyways, the smell of the cooking asparagus was harshing the good mood I was in from listening to Led Zeppelin's "Fool in the Rain" for the thirty millionth time today, so I scrounge through my cabinet to find a spice that might salvage this monstrosity. The only seasoning I come across that deadens the smell is onion powder, so that along with some black pepper are tossed in the pan. Dancing resumes, though the song has shifted to "Legs" by ZZTop.
The chicken baking, the asparagus mildly less offensive, I steam the jasmine rice. This is my favorite rice that I have ever tried--it tastes delicate and girly and compliments any flavor you throw at it without missing a beat.
So, of course, Mike hates it.
Ah well--if I am making dinner, everyone is going to eat it and smile.
About this time, I noticed that I only made 8 chicken tenders. There are FOUR of us, and they are not giant tenders--I should have expected two per kid, three to four for me, and six for Mike (more if I counted that he would complain about the asparagus and the jasmine rice). So, after much mental debating, I toss a can of corn on the stove. Then I reconsider, open the can and dump the contents in a pot to warm up. (Heh). There's not much to be done to the corn, just some butter. For the kids, I warm up some frozen corn dogs, and I set up plates all pretty pretty.
A few hours after dinner, I am still hungry but we are long out of food, but it went over well--the chicken was buttery and tender and delicious, the rice was as good as I remember, the corn complimented everything nicely, and the asparagus...well, it was still disgusting. Maybe some other day. The good news is, nothing hurt my stomach or gave Mike heartburn. I consider this dinner a success =)
That's enough pratter out of me, I think--goodnight!
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