Chicken Cutlets (Classic Italian Dish)

This is a classic Italian meal, as you can tell by the lack of amounts of ingredients.  This is one of those meals you just have to add a pinch or palm full ect… of the ingredients.  It is just up to you how much of each you want to add.  You do want to add quite a bit of Parmesan cheese, like almost the same amount of both the bread crumbs and cheese.

 This is my husband’s ultimate favorite thing to eat.  This is basically the recipe that his mom gave me, but she uses eggs instead of milk and does not use the flour.  John really likes it either way, I just had to put my own twist on it, southern fried chicken style.  It is really the best baked in the oven, even though you could finish it on the stove top.

 

Ingredients:

• 2-4 (or more) Chicken tenderloins
• Italian bread crumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Garlic powder
• Pepper
• Salt
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Milk
• Flour

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F with casserole dish inside it
2. Heat a skillet to brown chicken
3. Pull out 4 plates
4. Pour milk onto a plate
5. Pour flour on a plate
6. Pour bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, pepper, salt, onion powder, and paprika on another plate (use however much of each you think you will like, I never measure, just go for it)
7. Put out a tray or plate that is empty
8. Clean chicken
9. Pound chicken until thin
10. Dip chicken in milk
11. Dredge (coat) chicken in flour
12. Set on empty plate
13. Repeat for each piece
14. Take a piece of chicken and dip it in milk again
15. Dredge chicken in bread crumb mixture
16. Place back on plate
17. Repeat for each piece
18. Add oil to pan, only a couple tbsp at most
19. Quickly brown each piece of chicken
20. Place in warmed casserole dish in oven
21. Cover with tin foil or a lid and cook until meal is done and chicken is cooked through

Some people eat this with sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pasta- a la Chicken Parmesan style, or any way you like (we eat it with Mac & Cheese usually).

Chicken Cutlets

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“Johnny’s” Texas Hots

First, these are not named after my husband, but rather after the place where we would get them in Jamestown, NY, Johnny’s Lunch, just known locally as Johnny’s.  I grew up eating Texas Hots from a now closed diner in my hometown, Nestor’s, and my husband would get them when he was with his father who lived in Jamestown, so we both have a fondness for this deliciously bad for you meal.  

Best with a piece of American cheese melted on the burger!

A bit of history, the Texas Hot does not herald from the state by the same name, but rather specifically from Western New York.  Other states in the North East also have their variations on this sauce covered hot dog, but each does it a bit differently.  The only thing that is common is that they all have roots in the Greek community and are takes on a Greek Hot Dog, there are differences though, Greek Hot Dog’s do not typically have a tomato base, Texas Hots do.

 

This can be made on the stove, or in the slow cooker.

 

I hope you guys enjoy another one of my reminders of WNY!  Enjoy!

 

 

UPDATE: Frozen leftovers were just as good as the first time!  If you make them on burgers, a piece of American cheese melted on burger was super good, but is not the traditional way to eat Texas Hots!

 

Ingredients:

• Hot dogs (good kind- all beef if you can- I use Sahlen’s)
• Hamburgers (another option)
• Buns
• 3 onions, diced (dice two at the same time- and then the third is for topping)
• 1 Lb ground beef
• 3 tsp (heaping) garlic, minced
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 can tomato soup (10.75 ounce)
• 1 ½ c water
• 1 ½ tsp paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (plain)

Directions:
1. Brown Ground beef w/ 2 diced onions, drain grease

Can be done two ways- in the slow cooker or on the stovetop- combine the ingredients either in a pot or in the greased slow cooker

2. Combine the rest of the ingredients from the garlic to the bread crumbs
3. Allow to cook in slow cooker on High for 2 hours or on Low for 4 hours
4. If on stovetop- allow to simmer for ½ hour- 1 hour- or longer, the longer it cooks, the more the flavors mix together
5. If you want true Texas Hots, you should blend the entire mixture until smooth, I didn’t do that, I didn’t feel like pulling out my food processor
6. serve when ready

A proper “Johnny’s” Hot has yellow mustard, the hotdog or hamburger, the sauce, and is topped with diced onions.

If it is a burger you can add lettuce and tomato if you want.

My husband doesn’t like mustard but he says these are much better with it, he also eats his light on the onions, I like mine heavy, it’s up to you.

“Johnny’s” Texas Hots

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Panko Fried Chicken

I wanted to give fried chicken another try.  This time I combined good old fashioned Southern fried chicken with Panko breadcrumbs, and an Italian twist.  The result was awesome.  My husband grew up eating chicken cutlets (an Italian meal).  I recieved the recipe from my MIL when we moved away.  We love cutlets, but I wanted to try my hand at a deep fried version and no one does fried chicken better than Southerners.  The result was this recipe.

I served this with Parmesan Potatoes (also on this site).  It takes a bit of time to make, but is well worth the effort.  I will make this again, 100%.  We do not really love chicken with bones, so this a boneless recipe, you could very easily make this with bone-in chicken.  

Next time I will probably try pan frying this, with much less oil, I’ll post the results when I try it that way, deep fried food is not an every day occurrence in this house.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken (I use tenderloins)
• Flour
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Italian seasoning
• Parmesan cheese
• Panko breadcrumbs (in Asian section of grocery store)
• Milk (I used whole)
• Oil, about 2-3 inches- enough to cover at least half the breast- I use canola but peanut or vegetable would work too

Directions:

• Thaw chicken, if using breast, pound until flat
• Heat up oil to 300* – 350*
• Pour milk in deep dish (depends how much chicken you are doing)
• In a bowl or bag mix flour, garlic powder, and paprika (to taste)
• Dip chicken in milk a piece at a time and them place in flour mixture, coat
• Take chicken out of bowl and to set while you get the next step ready
• Mix Panko, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and paprika together on a plate or in a low bowl
• Dip chicken in milk again and then place in Panko mixture, coat piece of chicken
• Set aside
• Repeat for all pieces of chicken
• Place as many pieces of chicken in the hot oil as will fit comfortably
• Cover, allow to cook about 5 minutes
• Flip, and allow to cook about 10 more minutes
• Remove from oil when nice and brown, place on paper towels to drain
• If you are doing a large batch, keep warm in oven

Panko Fried Chicken

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Tin Foil Packet Swiss Cheese Fries

This is totally my invention.  My family loves it- meaning my parents and my husband and I.  This is usually cooked on the grill but could be cooked in the oven, I have just never made it that way.  It is a bit spicy and very flavorful.  goes great as a side with burgers, hot dogs, sausage- whatever.  and it is pretty kid friendly.

 

Ingredients:

 

4 Red Potatoes (any would work- just need to peel the others)

Swiss Cheese

Beef Bullion Powder

Garlic Pepper Salt

Paprika

Pepper

Butter

Tinfoil

Optional: Chopped Onions

 

Directions:

1. Cut Potatoes into fries or cubes
2. Parboil potatoes in water
3. Spray tinfoil with cooking spray
4. Place potatoes, seasoning to taste, and a couple handfuls of Swiss cheese on tinfoil
5. Mix together
6. Top with tabs of butter
7. Close up tinfoil and cook on grill for approximately 20 minutes or in oven at 400* F 30 minutes

 

Tin Foil Swiss Cheese Fries

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Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken

This was a super simple meal.  There are like dozens of this type of meal on the internet but this is my version.  The soups and frozen veggies make this a throw together quick and off you go type of meal.  This is also an easy way to get your kids (or husband) to eat their veggies.  You could also add more milk and make this into a soup.

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts cut into pieces

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 small can evaporated milk

1 medium onion chopped

2 cups frozen carrots

2 cups frozen broccoli

2 cups potatoes- peeled

Sea salt

Pepper

Paprika

Garlic

Directions:

• Put soups in slow cooker
• Place Vegetables in slow cooker
• Place chicken into the slow cooker
• Garlic to taste
• Stir together
• Cook on low or 6-8 hours.
• DO NOT LIFT THE LID!
• In last ½ hr add palm sea salt, pepper, paprika.

Makes a good gravy that is good served over noodles or rice.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken

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Slow Cooker White Bean, Tomato, and Sausage Soup

This looks a bit different than the recipe made as stated below because I was out of carrots so I used mixed veggies and I added potatoes to make it heartier this time. It still is super good.

I wanted to make a soup like this after I had something similar at a restaurant.  It was also something I wanted to try since it has beans in it- my new protein food.  It was super spicy from the sausage, but very good and filling.

Ingredients:

1 ½ c. (or 2 links) hot sausage (Cajun, Chorizo, or Hot Italian)

1 c dried white beans (2 cans)- soaked overnight- rinsed

2 c. chopped celery

1 c. chopped carrots

1 large onion- chopped

3 heaping tbs. garlic- minced

1 tsp. paprika

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

5 c water

5 chicken bouillon cubes

Palm of Salt

Palm of Pepper

Directions:

1. Soak the beans overnight in cold water in the fridge

2. Drain and Rinse beans

3. Add water, bouillon cubes, and bean; bring to a rapid boil over stove until bouillon cubes are melted

4. Add to the greased slow cooker

5. Cut up sausage into small pieces,  brown in oil

6. Add to Slow cooker

7. Combine all other ingredients in slow cooker

8. Cook for 7-8  hours on high

This looks a bit different than the recipe made as stated below because I was out of carrots so I used mixed veggies and I added potatoes to make it heartier this time. It still is super good.

Slow Cooker White Bean Tomato and Sausage Soup

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