Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Makes 20-24 nuggets
1.5 lbs or so boneless, skinless chicken - I used tenderloins (Remember if you plan to freeze these nuggets, it's best to use fresh chicken to start with instead of buying it frozen)
1/2 cup oats
1/4 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Dash of seasoning salt
If desired, 3 TB minced onion and 1 clove minced garlic
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1. Preheat oven to 375ยบ F.
If using, onion and garlic, saute 2-3 min. in olive oil, and let cool.
2. Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor, and process until chicken is finely chopped and all ingredients are combined. If using, add sauteed onion and garlic, and pulse a few times in processor to mix in.
3. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow bowl or dish.
4. With moistened hands, rolls 2 TB of chicken mixture between your palms and flatten to create a "nugget" shape.
5. Gently press the nuggets into the bread crumbs, making sure both sides and edges are covered.
6. Place nuggets, spaced a little apart, onto a greased baking sheet (I lined our pan with foil before greasing).
7. Lightly spray nuggets with olive oil cooking spray.
8. Bake for 16 minutes, flipping nuggets halfway through cooking time.
*If you want them more golden in color, put them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes after cooking them.
Nuggets can be frozen after step 5. Place on a baking sheet, and put in freezer for 1 hour. Nuggets can then be put (touching) into a freezer bag or other container.
Showing posts with label freeze. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freeze. Show all posts
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Saturday, January 2, 2010
cook now, freeze for later
trips from FoodNetwork's Healthy Eats blog, great if you're expecting lots of guests or moms-to-be looking to prepare stuff before baby arrives!
Stocks and Soups
Tomato or BBQ sauces and soups such as minestrone or corn chowder are great for large batch cooking, too. Divide in them in small, freezer-safe containers and defrost when needed. Use the stove top or microwave to thaw them out.
Freezing stock in small batches is also a big money saver. At $2 to $4 a pop, those canned or boxed stocks can start to get pricey. Here’s a tip: for freezing a single-portion of stock, use muffin tins. Dana taught me to freeze pesto sauce in ice cube trays. Once they’ve frozen, you just pop the cubes out of the freezer trays and store in freezer-friendly bags or containers.
Don’t Forget the Sweets
Freshly baked brownies and muffins work in the freezer. Prepare raw cookie dough and freeze it in a roll for easy slicing. You can also spoon chocolate chip cookie dough onto parchment paper and freeze it; then place the pieces in a freezer bag.
Before You Freeze
Now, freezing cooked foods isn’t as simple as spooning it into a container and popping it in the freezer. Before storing your dishes, proper cooling is a must. Never put hot food in the freezer — it will raise your freezer’s temperature (and melt your ice cream); the center of the dish will not cool quickly enough and that leaves time for food to spoil. One way to avoid this is to divide food into smaller quantities.
Portion It Out
Think about what you’ll need the frozen food for. Are you going to reheat for a family of 4 or just make yourself a quick meal? Choose airtight contains that are designed for freezer storage and pre-determine the size you need. Using containers that are less than 1 quart, if possible. Freezer bags are great space-saver since they can easily stack up. Always date and label containers, too — that way you won’t chisel pull something from the back of the freezer later and wonder where it came from. Typically, frozen foods last about 3 months.
Reheat It Up!
Caution: Do not defrost on the countertop! That’s an open invitation for bacteria to come party on your food and a potential for disaster (who wants to poison their dinner guests?). Place frozen food in fridge the night before or use the microwave.
Stocks and Soups
Tomato or BBQ sauces and soups such as minestrone or corn chowder are great for large batch cooking, too. Divide in them in small, freezer-safe containers and defrost when needed. Use the stove top or microwave to thaw them out.
Freezing stock in small batches is also a big money saver. At $2 to $4 a pop, those canned or boxed stocks can start to get pricey. Here’s a tip: for freezing a single-portion of stock, use muffin tins. Dana taught me to freeze pesto sauce in ice cube trays. Once they’ve frozen, you just pop the cubes out of the freezer trays and store in freezer-friendly bags or containers.
Don’t Forget the Sweets
Freshly baked brownies and muffins work in the freezer. Prepare raw cookie dough and freeze it in a roll for easy slicing. You can also spoon chocolate chip cookie dough onto parchment paper and freeze it; then place the pieces in a freezer bag.
Before You Freeze
Now, freezing cooked foods isn’t as simple as spooning it into a container and popping it in the freezer. Before storing your dishes, proper cooling is a must. Never put hot food in the freezer — it will raise your freezer’s temperature (and melt your ice cream); the center of the dish will not cool quickly enough and that leaves time for food to spoil. One way to avoid this is to divide food into smaller quantities.
Portion It Out
Think about what you’ll need the frozen food for. Are you going to reheat for a family of 4 or just make yourself a quick meal? Choose airtight contains that are designed for freezer storage and pre-determine the size you need. Using containers that are less than 1 quart, if possible. Freezer bags are great space-saver since they can easily stack up. Always date and label containers, too — that way you won’t chisel pull something from the back of the freezer later and wonder where it came from. Typically, frozen foods last about 3 months.
Reheat It Up!
Caution: Do not defrost on the countertop! That’s an open invitation for bacteria to come party on your food and a potential for disaster (who wants to poison their dinner guests?). Place frozen food in fridge the night before or use the microwave.
tips for making your own applesauce
{from FoodNetwork's Healthy Eats blog}
First things first, applesauce is a healthy indulgence — it may taste sweet and like a sinful dessert, but a cup only has about 100 calories and lots of vitamin C and fiber.
The Apples
A combo of sweet and tart apples gives the best balance of flavors. Red-skinned apples like McIntosh and Macoun offer a good basic, sweetness (I also like golden delicious). Keep the red skins on; they’re packed with fiber and will give the sauce a rich and rosy hue. Mix in tart varieties like Granny Smith to cut through some of the sweetness. No matter what variety you choose, you should be good on texture; all apples contain high amounts of pectin, a natural thickener that gives applesauce its velvety consistency.
The Spices
Flavor up your applesauce with traditional spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. A bit of lemon or orange zest will also help enhance that apple-y flavor. For additional sweetness, melt in sugar, honey or brown sugar. There are always those wildcard add-ins, too. My mom’s recipe (below) calls for a pat of butter; this secret ingredient makes such a difference!
For a kicked-up version of applesauce, go for a chutney, a sweet-and-spicy condiment that’s made with fruit, vinegar and spices. Try it out on grilled chicken or fish or serve along with cheddar cheese and whole grain crackers.
Getting Saucy
Most applesauce recipes tell you to cook down the apples in a large pot along with some water and apple juice or cider, but your options don’t end there. You can also bake them for a richer flavor.
Once you cook and season your apples as desired, it’s time to turn them into sauce — there’s really no wrong way to go. A food mill is my tool of choice; it will make your applesauce smooth but not pureed and will remove any seeds or bits of skin. For a chunkier and more rustic applesauce, use a whisk or a potato masher.
Ways to Enjoy It
You can make large batches and store some in the freezer for up to six months; just put it into a freezer-safe plastic container or plastic bag. When you’re ready for some, leave it in the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Dish out your applesauce for a low-calorie dessert or serve it with your favorite chicken or pork recipe. You can also use it to add natural sweetness and cut some fat out of muffin and cookie recipes (Tip: replacing half the oil with applesauce usually works).
First things first, applesauce is a healthy indulgence — it may taste sweet and like a sinful dessert, but a cup only has about 100 calories and lots of vitamin C and fiber.
The Apples
A combo of sweet and tart apples gives the best balance of flavors. Red-skinned apples like McIntosh and Macoun offer a good basic, sweetness (I also like golden delicious). Keep the red skins on; they’re packed with fiber and will give the sauce a rich and rosy hue. Mix in tart varieties like Granny Smith to cut through some of the sweetness. No matter what variety you choose, you should be good on texture; all apples contain high amounts of pectin, a natural thickener that gives applesauce its velvety consistency.
The Spices
Flavor up your applesauce with traditional spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. A bit of lemon or orange zest will also help enhance that apple-y flavor. For additional sweetness, melt in sugar, honey or brown sugar. There are always those wildcard add-ins, too. My mom’s recipe (below) calls for a pat of butter; this secret ingredient makes such a difference!
For a kicked-up version of applesauce, go for a chutney, a sweet-and-spicy condiment that’s made with fruit, vinegar and spices. Try it out on grilled chicken or fish or serve along with cheddar cheese and whole grain crackers.
Getting Saucy
Most applesauce recipes tell you to cook down the apples in a large pot along with some water and apple juice or cider, but your options don’t end there. You can also bake them for a richer flavor.
Once you cook and season your apples as desired, it’s time to turn them into sauce — there’s really no wrong way to go. A food mill is my tool of choice; it will make your applesauce smooth but not pureed and will remove any seeds or bits of skin. For a chunkier and more rustic applesauce, use a whisk or a potato masher.
Ways to Enjoy It
You can make large batches and store some in the freezer for up to six months; just put it into a freezer-safe plastic container or plastic bag. When you’re ready for some, leave it in the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Dish out your applesauce for a low-calorie dessert or serve it with your favorite chicken or pork recipe. You can also use it to add natural sweetness and cut some fat out of muffin and cookie recipes (Tip: replacing half the oil with applesauce usually works).
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