What's for dinner?

I am not a professional trained cook at all. But I have been cooking for a long time. I remember being really small (3? 4?) and having my own frying pan (it was yellow) for making scrambled eggs. My mom pretty much taught me everything I know about cooking and I still call her often to get help with things.

I have recently become addicted to the Food Channel and enjoying cooking new things that I have never tried before. Part of this probably has something to do with the fact that I am married to a guy who likes a variety of foods, so he is pretty much game for anything I make (as long as it is not cooked fruit or fruit and chocolate, but I will eat that all by myself). I have been trying to conquer the world of Indian cooking at home and pretty much being mediocre at it. I have also been reading several food blogs (see the links to the left), and getting ideas for new recipes. The other day I found raspberries and blueberries on sale and wanted to make some muffins for breakfast, since I have been attempting to wake up and go into a work place like a normal human recently. I took this recipe and just added the raspberries in, and they turned out great! And then last night I made a herb encrusted stuffed chicken that was really awesome! Afterwards I kind of wished I had documented the process to show you all that might want to try. So that is what this is - my first try to document food. If you hate it, feel free to let me know. I am no where near as fancy as the real food blogs and do not intend for this to become a "food blog."

Tonight we had Cornmeal chicken and cream corn, with some berry jello (it's a desert but not the kind that will make me super fat, right)....

Cornmeal Chicken
- cornmeal
- breadcrumbs (optional)
- paprika
- salt
-pepper
- salted butter
- chicken breast or cutlets

1. Set the oven to 425 degrees. Take the cornmeal (~1 cup), breadcrumbs (~.25 cup), paprika (~.5 tbs), salt and pepper (I used a grinder, about 5 turns each; these are random guestaments, I did not measure it out, just added until it looked right) and mixed together in a bowl (see below):


2. I also filled a separate bowl with milk (I used soy milk because that is what we have. I think half and half works really well too, although regular milk will also work).


3. Take the chicken cutlets or pieces and dip into the milk until covered. Transfer to the cornmeal mixture and coat both sides, pressing mixture to chicken. Set on plate and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. While the chicken is resting take 4 tbs of butter and melt in a baking dish in the oven (you could nuke it to melt it I guess). Remove the dish once the butter is melted and set aside.

4. After the chicken has rested, repeat step 3 and allow it to rest for another 5 minutes.

5. After the chicken has rested, transfer to the buttered dish and stick it in the oven for 15 minutes.


6. After 15 minutes, turn chicken over. Cook for an additional 15 minutes at 425 degrees.


7. Remove from oven. Allow it to cool for a bit.


Cream Corn
- flour (1 tbs)
- sugar (1 tbs)
- salt (.5 tsp)
- salted butter (3 tbs)
- milk (.5 cup)
- 1/2 and 1/2 (.5 cup)
- corn (I used frozen; 1.5 to 2 cups)



1. Mix milk and butter together on medium-high heat in a pot and allow the butter to melt (once again I used soy milk for the milk and half and half that you add in step 2. It taste the same).

2. Add dry ingredients and whisk together. Add corn and half and half.

3. Allow to cook on medium to medium-high heat for 10 minutes.


My jello was just your basic jello (Cranberry flavor!) with some left over berries from the muffins added in.

Plate, eat and enjoy!