Nuggets!

I think one of the number one foods that come to mind when I think of toddlers, is chicken nuggets.  I can't tell you how many of my friends always have them stocked in their freezer.  They're quick, simple, and yes, toddlers love foods that they can dip.  Here's my only issue with the premade ones- they aren't always chicken breast (sometimes they are chicken parts- EW), and they are packed with salt.

Laela is a chicken nugget lover.  She loves them grilled, baked, fried, spicy or sweet.  She'll eat them cold or hot.  This nugget recipe is such a hit, even my husband will take them into work and eat them cold for lunch.  They're also great tossed into a salad, or stuffed into a wrap.

The best part?  They're simple to make, easy to freeze, and taste great reheated in the oven- just like the premade ones.

Chicken Nuggets
makes about 50 nuggets

You'll need:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk (any type is fine)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Sprigs rosemary, chopped
• 2 Sprigs thyme (leaves only)
• Olive oil

Instructions:

• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg and milk, with a dash of salt and pepper.
• In another medium sized bowl, stir the breadcrumbs, rosemary, thyme, with a dash of salt and pepper.
• Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter.  After cutting off all of the fat from the chicken, place the chicken on the plastic wrap.
• Place another piece of plastic wrap on top of the chicken breast.
• Pound the chicken breast with a meat tenderizer until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Using scissors, cut the breast into 3-4 long strips, about 2 inches wide.  Then, cut each strip into nuggets, making them about 1-2 inches long, depending on how big you want to make them.
• Preheat a medium skillet to medium heat.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil into the bottom of the pan.
• Dip the nuggets first into the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumbs.  Make sure the nuggets are well coated in bread crumbs.
• Place the breaded nuggets into the hot skillet.  Cook for 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, or until the breading looks crisped on each side.
• Place on a paper towel to soak the oil.
• **If you make these in batches, make sure to keep adding a bit more oil to the pan.
• If you are planning to freeze these, let them cool in the fridge first.  Then, wrap them in batches (I wrap them by serving, so I can just pull them out as I need them) using aluminum foil or plastic wrap. (I prefer aluminum foil, so that I can just unwrap it, then bake them off using that foil if it didn't get ripped up when I unwrapped it.)
• **To reheat after frozen:  You can do this one of two ways.  1.  Let the nuggets defrost overnight, then bake them in an oven at 350-degrees for about 5 minutes, or until crispy.  2.  Take them directly out of the freezer, and bake them in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy.
• These can freeze in a standard freezer for 3 months.

Real Simple Chicken, Spinach, and Noodle Casserole

I don't make casserole's very often.  It's not that I don't love food that's cooked all together in a lovely mismash of flavor (I've been known to gross out my family a time or two by stirring my mashed potatoes, corn, chicken, gravy and whatever else might be floating around on my plate into a yummy mix), it's just that I really don't think to make them.  That, and maybe I have some horrid repressed memory of a tuna casserole floating somewhere in the recesses of my brain- because for some reason, that's what often comes to mind when I think casserole.

This month, in Real Simple magazine, they listed a few tasty casserole recipes.  I decided to test out the chicken, spincach and noodle casserole on my family.  I made a few little changes (like the addition of basil, as well as fresh thyme rather than dried, and frozen spincach rather than fresh), and it came out really well.

Real Simple Chicken, Spinach, and Noodle Casserole

*make ahead tip:

The casserole can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day in advance (but don't top with the bread crumbs.)  Sprinkle with the bread crumbs just before baking.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 8-10 minutes more.

You'll need:

• 6 Tb unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk (they recommend whole milk, I used 2%)
• 1 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 12 oz egg noodles
• 4 slices sandwich bread (or breadcrumbs if you don't feel inclined to use the food processor.  *TIP: Use the heels of the bread that you more than likely throw away to make bread crumbs.)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, or rotisserie chicken (I used 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked broth on medium low heat for 4 minutes per side, with salt and pepper to taste)
• 5 oz baby spinach, chopped (I used 5 oz chopped, frozen spinach, drained of water)
• 2 tsp dried thyme (I used three sprigs of fresh thyme.  Remove the leaves by running your thumb and pointer finger down the stalk.  Discard the stalk, add the leaves to the mixture.)
• I used 6 chopped fresh basil leaves.  Even if you have an herb mincer, I find that rolling the basil and using scissors to cut it works best.

Instructions:

• Heat oven to 400-degrees F.  Melt 4 Tb butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour an cook, stirring, until foamy, 1-2 minutes (do not let the mixture darken.)
• Slowly whisk in the milk.  Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thickened, 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper).
• Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions.  Drain and return them to the pot.  Pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. (Or just use 1 cup breadcrumbs)  Melt the remaining 2Tb butter in a microwave safe bowl.
• Add the milk mixture, chicken, spinach, thyme, and basil to the noodles.  Toss to combine.  Transfer to a 9x13 inch or some other 3 quart baking dish, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and drizzle with the melted butter.
• Bake until the bread crumbs are golden and the filling is bubbling, 8-10 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!