Crispy Ranch and Cajun Fried Chicken

How to Make Tasty "Fried" Chicken in the Oven - Crispy Ranch and Cajun Fried Chicken Recipes

While fried chicken is a favorite of many, we are all more careful today about eating fried foods. Health experts constantly stress we should have less fried foods in our diets. My grandparents ate fried food all the time and lived to be in their nineties and very healthy most of that time. But today are lifestyles are different. They never owned a TV or had electronic gadgets. They were active from sun-up to sun-down. Since we no longer live that way, we can no longer eat that way! Here are a couple of chicken recipes to give you a fried chicken taste but they are healthy oven baked entrees. Try Crispy Ranch or Cajun Oven Fried when you want that fried chicken taste. These are both good recipes for diabetics, too. If there is a diabetic in your family or among your friends, you can serve them these entrees without worry about their blood sugar.

CAJUN OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tbsp salt-free Cajun seasoning
½ tsp salt
1 cup panko*
6 pieces chicken, skinned
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the buttermilk, Cajun seasoning, and salt in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in mixture, one piece at a time; dredge in panko.
Place chicken on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Light coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes if on the bone, or until done. Turn halfway through baking time.
*Panko is Japanese bread crumbs. They are available in your grocery store on the aisle with Shake 'N Bake, etc.

CHRISPY RANCH BAKED CHICKEN
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs or 4 skinless boneless breasts
2 cups crispy rice cereal, slightly crushed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 oz (1 envelope) dry ranch salad dressing mix
2 egg whites, beaten
2 tbsp melted butter, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a baking sheet that has sides with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the cereal, Parmesan cheese, and salad dressing mix in a large bowl.
Place the beaten egg whites in a medium-size mixing bowl. Dip each chicken piece in the egg whites, then in the cereal mixture. Turn pieces to coat evenly then place on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the butter over the chicken, if using.
Bake chicken until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork and the coating is lightly browned. This should take about 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

About the Author Linda Wilson
As a diabetic myself, I enjoy sharing recipes with others. Visit my blog at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/ or my other blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/main-course-articles/how-to-make-tasty-fried-chicken-in-the-oven-crispy-ranch-and-cajun-fried-chicken-recipes-4770129.html

Herb Encrusted Beef Tenderloin

Herb Encrusted Beef Tenderloin – Grill Time Special

A special event or holiday gathering with family and friends might just require something different than the normal BBQ fare. Beef tenderloin could be just the right alternative. Pound for pound it is a cost effective way to serve a quality main course and this herb encrusted receipt will be sure to please.
Beef tenderloin can range in price from $6.99 to $12.99 a pound, depending on where you buy it and how it is trimmed. Unless you have a brother for a butcher, look for whole tenderloin that has been vacuum sealed packaged. Many of the big box stores carry them and typically they are in the 5 – 6 pound range of weight. Most are Choice cut meats. You will need to do the final trim, which is not difficult, and takes just minutes to complete. If you don't want to fool with it, then expect to pay the butcher the upper end price and you will have the same result.

Preparing the tenderloin for the grill is key to an award winning result. Here's how:
Step 1 – Trim. – Trim the excess fat from the tenderloin. Also be sure to cut off the silver skin that is normally on the one side. Use a sharp knife to cut and peel it off and don't worry if you take a little meat in the process. Left on, this skin will cause the tenderloin to curl when cooking.
Step 2 – Tie. – You will need some butcher twine to complete this step. The tenderloin has a thick end and a narrow end, called the tail. Fold the tail toward the head and tie with the butcher twine. Before you do though, season the interior of the tenderloin, with ground pepper and organic thyme. Use about one tablespoon of thyme and be fairly liberal with the pepper. Tie the meat with twine about every two inches.
Step 3 – Herb Encrusted Seasoning. - Place the tenderloin in a shallow pan or baking dish. Pepper both sides and rub with garlic. Use crushed garlic and apply liberally to all sides of the tenderloin. Mix two TBS of organic rosemary and one TBS of thyme together and sprinkle over all sides of the meat. Finally, pour about 1/3 cup of olive oil over it and make sure all these ingredients are rubbed in well. Cover, set aside and let it marinate 2-4 hours.
Step 4 – Grilling Time. About an hour before you are ready to grill bring the meat to room temperature. If you are using a charcoal grill prepare the coals so they are red hot ready. Gas grill users will want to preheat and make sure the grate is hot. When ready place the tenderloin on the hot grill. Careful, it will flame up. Be sure to turn the tenderloin so that all sides are exposed to the hot grill and each turn results in searing the meat. That will require about 3 – 5 minutes a side.
Step 5 – Prepare to Serve. When the internal temperature of the tenderloin reads 110 degrees remove the meat and place on a platter. Cover the entire platter with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 -20 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to about 130 degrees which will result in a perfect medium rare cut.

About the Author Doug Stranahan

Doug Stranahan is the owner of http://www.organicspicesrack.com and knows the importance of picking the right organic spice for the right job.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/main-course-articles/herb-encrusted-beef-tenderloin-grill-time-special-4771749.html

Country Liver, Swiss Steak, & Beefy Buttermilk Balls

How to Make Beef Entrees Like Grandma Did: Country Liver, Swiss Steak, & Beefy Buttermilk Balls

Remember how it used to be to walk into Grandma's house and smell the delicious aromas coming from her kitchen. Or perhaps, the memory is coming home to Mom's house after being away at college, the military, etc. Maybe the recipes we are featuring today will bring some of those pleasant memories to life. Country Style Liver will certainly not be everyone's favorite, but it might be yours. Easy Country Swiss Steak has long been a family favorite and Beefy Buttermilk Balls is an unusual way to use ground beef.

LIVER COUNTRY STYLE
This recipe is from the community where I attended high school in the 1960s.
6 slices bacon, cut in pieces
1 lb beef liver, sliced thin
flour
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1/4 cup buttered bread crumbs
2 cups sliced onions
3 tbsps butter
Fry bacon until crisp; remove from pan and drain. Dredge liver in flour and brown in the bacon fat; remove from pan and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons four, salt and pepper to drippings, stirring until smooth. Gradually add milk; cook until thick and smooth. In a small skillet with 3 tablespoons butter, saute onions for 5 minutes. In a buttered casserole dish place alternate layers of liver, bacon, onions, and gravy. Top with the buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

EASY COUNTRY SWISS STEAK
Another recipe from my Southern Indiana childhood.
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 lbs round steak
2 tbsp shortening
1 tall can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 onion, sliced
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Cut the steak into serving pieces and dredge each piece in the flour mixture. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet; add the meat and brown in the hot shortening. Combine the tomato sauce and water; pour over the meat. Top with the sliced onion. Reduce heat and simmer for a couple of hours until tender. Remove the meat and thicken the gravy if necessary. Serve the meat topped with the gravy.

BEEFY BUTTERMILK BALLS
This is an old recipe my late mother clipped from a local newspaper column when I was a kid growing up in Southern Indiana in the 40s & 50s.
1 lb ground beef (let me add lean, to that)
Worcestershire sauce
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup buttermilk
dash ginger
salt and pepper
Combine ingredients, using about 1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Beat until light and fluffy. Drop by heaping teaspoonsfuls into deep fat about 300 degrees and fry 2 to 3minutes, or until done, and drain. Serve them hot as suggested above.
Note: "As suggested above" was with your favorite spaghetti and tomato sauce. Serve with hard-crusted bread, buttered green beans and a tossed salad for a complete meal.

Enjoy!

About the Author  Linda Wilson

I share my large collection of old fashion recipes at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com/ and my diabetic recipes and information at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/main-course-articles/how-to-make-beef-entrees-like-grandma-did-country-liver-swiss-steak-beefy-buttermilk-balls-4693380.html