Special Post: Chicken Strips with a Spiced Mango Dipping Sauce

This is a first for Il Dolce Bacio! Though this is not a dessert post, I had to share this post with you all. Last night, Mom and I prepared this wonderful chicken recipe for dinner!
Ingredients:

Boneless Chicken Strips:

2½ lbs. boneless chicken breast, sliced thin
3 sleeves of Ritz Crackers
4 tablespoons Living the Gourmet Dry Herb Rub
1 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
Vegetable oil
Dashes of sea salt
Dashes of fresh ground black pepper

Spiced Dipping Sauce:

3 tablespoons melted butter, salted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 12 oz. bag frozen mangos
A small handful cilantro, chopped
A small handful scallions, chopped
¼ jalapeno, chopped
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
3 tablespoons curry
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees:

In food processor, blend Ritz Crackers, 2 tablespoons Living the Gourmet Dry Herb Rub and a few dashes of salt, until a fine consistency. Set aside in a dish. In separate dish combine flour with 2 tablespoons of Living the Gourmet Dry Herb Rub.

Dredge your chicken strips in the flour mixture, egg wash and then bread crumbs. In a baking dish and drizzle some vegetable oil and place the chicken strips. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a beautiful golden color.

Dipping Sauce:

In a cast iron pan, melt butter and olive oil. Add frozen mangos, cilantro, scallions, marmalade and jalapeno. Season with dashes of curry, sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Simmer on low for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Tammy & Catherine

Diary of a Lazy Baker - Prt. 1

Lazy Baker [ley-zee bey-ker] : Someone who searches for easy to prepare and deliciously satisfying desserts.

Above is the newest definition. A definition I think seems to fit me rather perfectly.
Are you constantly on the lookout for home-baked recipes of simple sweet delights? Then you, my friend, are a Lazy Baker. :)



Raspberry Crumble Bars
Adapted from Time Life: Family Favorites Made Easy – recipe card 16 / Favorite Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

For bars you will need:

1½ cups oats
1 cup AP flour
½ cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup raspberry jam
7 Hershey’s chocolate kisses, chopped (or mini chocolate chips)
¼ cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 9 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, combine oats, flour, butter and sugar. Reserve about ¾ cup of mixture and press remaining mixture into prepared pan.

Spread jam and ¾ cup of mixture on oat mixture. Top with chocolate and almonds.

Bake until crumbs are golden, approximately 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and cut bars for serving.

You have just made an irresistible bar cookie that is sure to please your sweet tooth!

xx,
Tammy

Recovery, Banana Nut Muffins & A Beautiful Hydrangea

Three weeks ago, I was clearing out the garden patch and beginning some spring yard work. In the corner of our yard lies (well, did lie) a poison ivy bush. It appeared to me that it was dead. Little did I know, it was dormant and still very ‘poisonous’ even without its leaves.

So, I put some gloves on, and began cutting it back, breaking off the stems and tearing at the root. Hopefully, it is dead now and shall be replaced by a beautiful Hydrangea.

However, three days later, I woke up with a rash on my hand. It had been seventy-two hours since I was in contact with the ivy bsuh, which at first led me to believe it was just dry skin. But as the day grew on, so did the rash on my hand, and by the following morning it was red and blistering. It was then I realized I did indeed have poison ivy.

From there, it was all down hill. (Thank you by the way for all your wonderful comments and get well wishes! I carried them in my heart the entire time!)

It was safe to say that I had reached the point where I had to see the doctor. I was prescribed Hydrocortisone cream and was told to keep up with the calamine lotion and allergy medication. If it didn’t work, I would have no choice but to take corticosteroids.

I used the cream which worked literally overnight and brought down the inflammation immediately. I’ve been good for a few days now. The itching is completely gone and all that remains are a few scars.

So, I couldn’t wait any longer. Last night I was back in the kitchen doing what I love- baking of course! We had a few ripe bananas sitting in the fruit basket so I settled on making banana nut muffins by Tyler Florence.

Usually, banana nut muffins aren’t my thing- but I’ve already made banana bread and banana pie, so what was left? Besides, this recipe is really delicious. Not only are these muffins healthy, but they are also moist and super easy to prepare!
Banana Nut Muffins
Adapted from Tyler Florence

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

For muffins you will need:
2 cups AP flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
4-5 over ripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts & almonds)
½ cup Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips
2 tablespoons 1% milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tins.

In a large bowl combine flour and baking soda and set aside. In a small bowl, mash two ripe bananas and set aside.

Using an electric mixer fitted with wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar. Add melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well and mix in the dry ingredients until well incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips, nuts, mashed bananas and milk with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins and bake for about 18 – 20 minutes.

Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve with tea if you like!
(The Hydrangea that will be replacing the wicked poison ivy)

xx,
Tammy

P.S.
Happy Mother's Day to my own dear Mama Doll & all the wonderful mothers in the world!