Sesame Chicken Points - Fried Pizza Appetizers

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Yeap, just what it sounds like... Pizza, but fried!  It actually is a version of a Thai appetizer, shrimp points.  But where I came up with the idea for this is a bit of a story (long story if you like).

A couple of years ago I had an unusual opportunity.  My wife was taking a temporary job assignment in St. Thomas (one of the US Virgin Islands).  I was able to come along, basically as her personal cook and companion.  The LONG version of that was turned into a blog where I made a daily post about our adventures, what we saw and did... Daily Photos in St. Thomas!  If you check out the blog, work backwards from the first day, it does tell a story.

But I digress... My time on the island was well served towards my culinary education.  Mainly because the prices were outrageous.  Everything had to be boated in, so fresh vegetables were difficult to impossible to find without spending 2 or 3 times Stateside prices.  Same with milk or any meat.  Only two items on the island were roughly the same costs (or lower).  The only bargain I found was Rum... a bottle of Rum was cheaper than the same size bottle of Orange Juice.  I did learn to make an umbrella drink or two.

The other bargain was a Store Bought, Fully Cooked, Fully Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken.  Really!  In the land of $10 a pound ground beef, you could finds a rotisserie bird for about $6.  SO I learned to make a lot of things with chicken.

I also learned to stretch that bird as far as possible... Even 1/2 a cup of meat... The same amount I would usually just leave on the bones so I can flavor my stock now, Then I would shave off to make this dish.

As I said, I was inspired from a recipe for Thai Shrimp Points.  I was also making a lot of pizzas then (another way to stretch your food budget).  I was excited to try a fried pizza.  I eventually came up with this recipe that I could make for pennies (actually nothing as I was using ingredients that was salvaged from the trash pile of other dishes.

So... here's what I did...

First, you need some pizza dough.  You can buy a ball of dough from your local pizza shop (usually), or mast big grocery chains will now sell a ball.  Or, of course you can make your own (Click HERE for my easy, ready in 30 minutes Pizza dough recipe).

Here's the recipe for the topping and how to cook 'em...

Sesame Chicken Points

Ingredients

• 1 Ball Pizza Dough
• 1/2 Cup minced Chicken meat from a Rotisserie Chicken
• 1 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 TBS Minced onion
• 3 Cloves Minced garlic
• 2 medium Scallions, sliced green parts and whites
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
• Olive Oil Enough to coat the bottom of a frying pan

Cooking Directions

1. Divide pizza dough ball into 4ths. Roll each out thin, about 1/4 inch thick.
2. In a heavy bottomed frying pan, heat the oil to just before starting to smoke.
3. In a mini chopper blender or small food processor, Place Chicken, Olive Oil, Onion and garlic and process until you have a paste.
4. Smear the chicken paste over the dough rounds. Top each with 1/4th of the Scallions and Sesame Seeds. Cut into 4ths (toast points)
5. Place the points in the frying pan, goo side up. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes
6. Flip the goo side down and cook for another two minutes, until the goo becomes equally golden brown and DELICIOUS! you will start to smell the garlic and sesame seeds cooking.
7. Serve Warm and ENJOY!

******************************************************

This recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Uses For a Rotisserie Chicken"  (Now close to 100!)...I am so confused... $5.49 for a fully cooked, fully seasoned Oven Roasted, Rotisserie Chicken. Yet shop in the raw meat department and most raw chickens are at best $8 each and usually far closer to $10. Anyone have an answer??? Me either. So, I can either rail against the machine, or learn to embrace the beauty that is the $5 chicken! In this pin are recipes I have made, and recommend. MORE than 52 (I just can't stop)..
You get the idea.  From Scratch Pizza to Chinese Take Out recipes, Lots of Soups and Chili... Appetizers to Main Courses (Still can't find a dessert, but I am looking).  More than enough ideas for that store nought bird to shine with just a little extra work

***********************PINTEREST*********************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Easiest Recipe Yet - Chicken Fajitas with a Cajun garlic Aioli

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You can't swing a plush toy cat by it's tail in any of the casual dining Tex-Mex places without hitting a sizzling plate of Fajitas.  And for good reason, after all, meat, seasonings and grilled vegetables... Healthy, fast, easy and delicious.

Add a leaf of Romaine Lettuce a it gets even healthier.  Of course you can load up on the condiments and that delicious low calorie treat becomes a weight conscious no-no.  Dress these with Sour Cream, Guacamole or Cheese and the calorie count easily doubles.

Me, when I try for something lighter I use just a tsp of soy sauce and a TBS of my very flavorful Cajun Garlic Aioli (an easy to make fancy Mayo).  Serve with a fresh made (also painfully easy) Blue Cheese Tomato Soup and you have a full, filling and healthy meal!

BTW, Fajitas can join the list of dishes that can trace a big increase in the price of what once was considered a throw away VERY cheap cut of meat - the Skirt Steak.  In the 30's, when fenced in cattle ranches replaced open ranges, the very cheapest parts of a cow were regularly given to the Mexican ranch hands as partial wages.  Their families learned to cook these to overcome their presumed lower quality.  So while the ranch owners and selected field bosses were eating Porterhouse Steaks, the cheap labor was  enjoying a Fajita.  In the 70's when Tex-Mex started to become trendy, skirt steaks became all but impossible to find and when you could, you paid 4-5 times what you would have paid just 10 years earlier.  And so, the traditional original Skirt Steak Fajita evolved into simply a steak fajita (sirloin usually).  And now you can find Fish Fajitas and the most popular...

Chicken Fajita!

BTW again...

I am a BIG fan of tomato soup.  Possibly the easiest soup to make.  And easy to add flavors to... Like Blue Cheese. this is a bit of a left over recipe, as I am using some left over Blue Cheese Dipping sauce that I used yesterday for Chicken Wings on a Crostini meal.  Click those blue letters to see the easy blue cheese sauce.

The recipe for the soup could not be easier once you have the Blue cheese sauce (it includes a roux, which helps to thicken the soup (and makes it doubly easy to make as you do not need to add any more thickening agent)).

Easy as could be Blue Cheese Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 TBS Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
• 1 Pint Marinara Sauce (store bought works, or make your own for pennies)
• 2 tsp Italian Seasonings
• To Taste Salt and Pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Heat the marinara sauce
2. Add the blue Cheese dipping sauce
3. Add the seasonings
4. Stir and heat, taste, add more seasoning if you like
5. Use a hand blender to mix, or regular blender if you do not have one and blend thoroughly.
6. Serve HOT and Enjoy!

And just as easy... Let's make the easiest Chicken Fajitas EVER!

Here's what I did....

Easiest Chicken Fajita Recipe EVER

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Meat cut from a store bought, pre-cooked, pre-seasoned Rotisserie Chicken
• 1 Large Onion, cut into slices
• 1 Large Red Bell Pepper, cut into slices
• 4 Wheat Tortillas
• 4 Large Lettuce Leaves from Romaine Lettuce
• 1 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Dollop for each, Cajun Garlic Aioli

Cooking Directions

1. In a large Saute pan, melt butter and add the soy sauce, whisk to combine
2. Add the Onions and peppers and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to sweat the vegetables. Cook until the onions soften and become translucent.
3. If you are using tortillas, soften them by steaming them over the cooking vegetables.
4. When the vegetables are soft, add the chicken and saute to heat the meat!
5. taste and add Salt and Pepper to taste
6. And serve with tortillas (or lettuce leaves), a couple spoonfuls of the meat/vegetables, topped with the Aioli and ENJOY!

******************************************************

This recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Uses For a Rotisserie Chicken"  (Now close to 100!)...I am so confused... $5.49 for a fully cooked, fully seasoned Oven Roasted, Rotisserie Chicken. Yet shop in the raw meat department and most raw chickens are at best $8 each and usually far closer to $10. Anyone have an answer??? Me either. So, I can either rail against the machine, or learn to embrace the beauty that is the $5 chicken! In this pin are recipes I have made, and recommend. MORE than 52 (I just can't stop)..
You get the idea.  From Scratch Pizza to Chinese Take Out recipes, Lots of Soups and Chili... Appetizers to Main Courses (Still can't find a dessert, but I am looking).  More than enough ideas for that store nought bird to shine with just a little extra work

***********************PINTEREST*********************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Fast and Easy Chicken Wings on a Crostini

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Honey, Soy Sauce, Bourbon, Sriracha HOT Sauce and a Blue Cheese Sauce... key ingredients in a Chicken Wing... Well, my favorite chicken wing recipe anyway.

The title for this post is a bit misleading, I sauced these with my favorite chicken wing sauce and some Blue Cheese sauce.  All served on little toast (Or if you want to be fancy, a Crostini) and garnished with a few slices of celery.  The meat is close to a chicken wing meat, but still taken from my beloved Rotisserie Bird, making this one more of my "52 Uses for a Rotisserie Chicken".


Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe... with sauces!

These make a wonderful little appetizer slash open faced sandwich, with the drizzle of contrasting sauces... Nice enough for a party snack.

Of course, just mix the meat and sauces together and you have a wonderful sandwich... A perfect lunch!

And the sauces will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week (longer for the hot sauce).  So making the sauces in advance and using them for various dishes makes great sense.  After all, If I have a little blue cheese sauce around, Can a Bacon Blue Cheese hamburger be far behind???  And the sauce makes a terrific BBQ glaze over ham or chicken!

So, here's what I did...

The Corstini's are simply slices of fresh made herb bread, brushed with Olive Oil and toasted in a frying pan (both sides).

The meat is as I said, just the dark meat from a leg quarter (thigh and leg) of a store bought, fully cooked, fully seasoned Rotisserie Chicken.

As to the sauces... Here's what I did...

Honey/Soy Sauce/Bourbon/Sriracha Chicken Wing Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 TBS Butter
• 2 TBS Flour
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Good Kentucky Bourbon (I use Maker's Mark)
• 1 squirt (about 1-2 tsp) Sriracha Hot Sauce... Be careful, a little goes a long way
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger

Cooking Directions

1. First, make a Roux to help thicken the sauce... Over medium heat, melt butter. Add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
2. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir.
3. Taste the sauce. if it is too spicy, add more honey. If it is too sweet, add more Sriracha sauce.
4. Keep warm and serve over the meat of your choice... Like Chicken!

But no chicken wing would be complete without a Blue Cheese Sauce...

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 TBS Butter
• 1 TBS Flour
• 1/4 Cup 2% milk
• 4 OZ Blue Cheese, crumbled

Cooking Directions

1. First, Make a Roux... Heat the butter in a saute pan. Add flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes
2. Add the milk and stir to combine.
3. Add the cheese and stir over medium heat until melted
4. Add more milk if the sauce needs to be thinned
5. Served warm and ENJOY!

And decided if you want to serve a fancy appetizer (Crostini, topped by meat, topped by drizzle of sauces, garnished with thin celery slices)

Or just a sandwich... Chicken, sauced between slices of bread... But either way, a terrific little recipe, made easy with the addition of the meat from the blessed bird, making this a favorite one of my... "52 Uses for a Rotisserie Chicken"

******************************************************

This recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Uses For a Rotisserie Chicken"  (Now close to 100!)...I am so confused... $5.49 for a fully cooked, fully seasoned Oven Roasted, Rotisserie Chicken. Yet shop in the raw meat department and most raw chickens are at best $8 each and usually far closer to $10. Anyone have an answer??? Me either. So, I can either rail against the machine, or learn to embrace the beauty that is the $5 chicken! In this pin are recipes I have made, and recommend. MORE than 52 (I just can't stop)..
You get the idea.  From Scratch Pizza to Chinese Take Out recipes, Lots of Soups and Chili... Appetizers to Main Courses (Still can't find a dessert, but I am looking).  More than enough ideas for that store nought bird to shine with just a little extra work

***********************PINTEREST*********************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Chicken, Kale, Sweet Potatoes in a Silky Butternut Squash Soup

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Sunday was an exciting time in the Cul de Sac...  The weather was an Indian Summer Fall day... almost 75 degrees, with bright sunshine.  The perfect day for that Rites of Fall in the suburbs, the last mow of the year! Rough estimate, at least half of the yards were mowed yesterday.  A few Fall and Halloween decorations went up, but mostly it was about getting the yard the right length for winter.  And the thrill of knowing the mower was going to the back of the garage for at least 4-5 months!  To be replaced by snow blowers and shovels, but for now... The yard work is done!

And sure enough, on schedule about 2 PM, the weather changed.  In place of sunny 75, the wind picked up, the clouds moved in and the temperature fell by 20 degrees in an hour.

The perfect time to have a crock pot of soup waiting for the Cul de Sac warriors!

Today's soup wasn't waiting for Indian Summer, this beauty was made with a base of creamy silky butternut squash (thickened with a roux and pureed).  The meat of the soup was cubes of fried Sweet Potatoes for texture (and health), some Kale for color. texture and even more health and some of my beloved store bought, fully cooked, fully seasoned Rotisserie Chicken... Cause weekend warriors need a little meat in their soup once they've conquered the yard demons!

I LOVED this soup, silky and creamy sweet Butternut squash (pureed) makes such a delicious, full of flavor base.  With all the extra root, Fall vegetables added, it was hearty and thick enough to "stick to your ribs".  And the colors made it worthy of a presentation dish!

Happy Fall and Happy Last Mow of the Year Day from my Cul de Sac to yours!!!

Here's what I did...

Chicken, Kale, Sweet Potatoes in a Silky Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 3 TBS Butter
• 3 TBS Flour
• 1 Medium Onion, Diced
• 2 Cups Chicken Stock
• 2 Cups Butternut Squash, peeled and diced
• 2 TBS Fresh (or dried) Herbs (I Used Rosemary,)
• 1 Medium Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed about 1/2 to 3/4 inch size
• 2 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 Small Batch Kale, cut into bite size pieces, rib removed
• 1 Cup Meat taken from a Breast quarter of a Fully Cooked, Fully Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken, diced
• More Fresh Herbs
• To Taste, Salt and Pepper

Cooking Directions

1. First, Make a Roux... In a heated saute pan, melt 3 TBS Butter. Add the flour to the hot butter and stir constantly for 3 minutes.
2. Add the diced onion to the roux and continue to stir and sweat the onions until the start to turn translucent... About 5 minutes
3. Move the roux/onions to a crock pot, set to high heat and add the Chicken Stock and Butternut Squash and 2 TBS of whatever fresh Herbs you have on hand. I have a nice big Rosemary plant, if your herbs did not survive Fall weather change, add whatever dried herbs you have on hand.
4. Cover and allow to simmer for 3 hours, until the squash has softened and cooked through.
5. 15 minutes before you plan to serve, take a stick blender to the crock pot and completely blend the soup. If you do not have a stick blender, use a regular blender or a food processor, but make sure the soup is completely blended smooth. The soup should be slightly thick now. If it is still runny, add 1/4 cup Heavy Cream and heat and stir until the soup begins to thicken.
6. While you are doing that, heat another 2 TBS of Oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Saute the sweet potatoes, allowing one side to crust up (for a crunchy texture. Cove the pan so the potatoes cook through.
7. Add the raw Kale to the soup. As it heats, the Kale will soften but still retain it's unique flavor.
8. Add the cooked crunchy sweet potato cubes to the soup, add the diced chicken
9. Season with more fresh herbs (or dried), taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  Allow to cook for 5 minutes in the crock pot (covered) to heat evenly
10. Serve HOT and ENJOY!!!

This soup was TERRIFIC with the last of my copy cat Red Lobster Garlic Cheddar Biscuits.

*************************************************************************

So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Recipes for Soup, Chili or Chowder" (Now more than 52 and still growing)

Soup from Scratch is one of the great kitchen joys.  The house smells amazing and the soup warms to the bone.  From broth to chowder, vegetarian to loaded up chili... Even a great idea for a party (love the Potato Soup Bar idea).  Come take a look, sure to have something you might like to try.  All recipes have been tested and WORK!

*************************************************************************

So, I am pleased to add this as one of my growing list of "52 Uses For a Rotisserie Chicken"  (Now close to 100!)

MUCH more than a chicken sandwich.  From Scratch Pizza to Chinese Take Out recipes, Lots of Soups and Chili... Appetizers to Main Courses (Still can't find a dessert, but I am looking).  More than enough ideas for that store bought bird to shine with just a little extra work.  All recipes have been tested and WORK!

****************************PINTEREST**************************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Biscuits and Gravy and Potatoes and Rosemary AND Rotisserie Chicken

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Something about a Sunday morning makes me toss out my blogging plans.  And that something is breakfast! I love Sunday morning breakfast.  Curl up with the Sunday paper, the Sunday morning TV shows and a hearty breakfast.  It's the stuff of legends, the stuff of a million diners across the nation...

Rich, thick milk/chicken gravy poured over just about anything!

And I even get to show a use for a part of the beloved store bought, fully cooked, fully seasoned Rotisserie Chicken I have been cooking with so much lately (see my page of "52 Uses for a Rotisserie Chicken" for proof of that).

Anyway, when you buy one of those blessed birds, in the bottom are the fat drippings, sometimes they congeal into a jelly like substance, if you have a fresh hot bird they are still liquid and mostly clear (as in the photo).  Not one to throw away something great, I usually save the jelly and toss it in my stock pot when I make Chicken Stock.   But this morning I decided to use the chicken fat in the bottom of the packaging as a base for my roux, which is a base for my gravy.

I even rescued one of the chicken legs to add some actual chicken meat to the gravy.  I say rescued, since 9 out of 10 times I usually just twist the legs off as I am cooking something else and give myself a chef's reward.

But for this, the meat you can slice from a chicken leg is exactly the amount i wanted for my gravy!

 OK, now this post is all about the gravy.  The potatoes I simply added a few TBS of oil in the bottom of a frying pan, sliced up 2 large russet potatoes, and fried them up (seasoned with salt pepper and some fresh Rosemary).

The biscuits were left over from a creamy butternut squash, sweet potato and kale soup (tomorrow's post).

They are my ALL TIME favorite biscuits, I make a copy cat recipe for the famous Red Lobster Cheddar and GARLIC Biscuits (the same recipe makes an amazing dumpling... But I digress).  Feel free to double click the blue lettering or the photo below to see the recipe.

But today... It's the GRAVY!

Chicken White Milk GRAVY!

Ingredients

• 3 TBS Bacon Fat taken from the bottom of the packaging of a Rotisserie Chicken
• 3 TBS Flour
• 1/2 Half Medium sized sweet Onion, fine dice
• Possibly 1 TBS of Butter if needed
• 1 Cup Whole Milk, divided
• 1 TBS Fresh herbs (I used Rosemary)
• 1 tsp Salt
• Lots and Lots of Pepper (I Like lots of pepper in my milk gravy, please taste and add salt and pepper to your tastes)
• 1/2 Cup Minced meat from the leg of a Fully Cooked, Fully Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken

Cooking Directions

1. First, Make Roux... But this time, use the jellied bits that collect at the bottom of a Rotisserie chicken packaging as the fat. In a hot saute pan, add about 3 TBS of the jelly. Once this starts to heat, stir in 3 TBS flour.
2. Add the onions and continue to stir as the onions begin to clear and cook.
3. It is possible you will need to add a little butter to the roux if it is not thinning and making a paste that sticks to the onions.
4. Add half the milk and continue to stir. As the milk heats, the gravy begins to thicken.
5. Add the Herbs, salt and pepper.
6. Add the minced chicken
7. Add remaining milk slowly to desired thickness (some people like a thick gravy (me), some people like a thin gravy).
8. Pour over anything you like... Potatoes and Biscuits make a pretty heart breakfast!
9. Serve Hot and ENJOY!

Honestly, with the fresh rosemary, and the abundance of chicken fat, this was the BEST milk gravy I have ever made or eaten.  This is going to be a regular on my breakfast table now and more importantly, a VERY special occasion gravy for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!

******************************************************

This simple recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Breakfast Ideas!"

It's the most important meal of the day.  From fancy to simple, there are always ways to dress up a breakfast dish.  These are the meals that make Bed and Breakfast Inns legendary (and usually easier than you think).

Here's your chance to make your guests Ooh and Aah!

******************************************************

This recipe has also been added to my growing list of "52 Uses For a Rotisserie Chicken"  (Now close to 100!)...I am so confused... $5.49 for a fully cooked, fully seasoned Oven Roasted, Rotisserie Chicken. Yet shop in the raw meat department and most raw chickens are at best $8 each and usually far closer to $10. Anyone have an answer??? Me either. So, I can either rail against the machine, or learn to embrace the beauty that is the $5 chicken! In this pin are recipes I have made, and recommend. MORE than 52 (I just can't stop)..
You get the idea.  From Scratch Pizza to Chinese Take Out recipes, Lots of Soups and Chili... Appetizers to Main Courses (Still can't find a dessert, but I am looking).  More than enough ideas for that store nought bird to shine with just a little extra work

***********************PINTEREST*********************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest

Zippy Chicken Eggplant Parmesan

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I tried, I really did...

Meatless Mondays and all that, vegetarian dishes... I even enjoy the compnay of a vegetarian friend or two on occasion.  But honestly, I am just not a fan of vegetarian dishes that SCREAM, "I sure would be better with a little meat".

Like this Eggplant Parm.

 Eggplant Parmesan really is a pretty simple dish.  I zipped mine up just a bit with a secret ingredient I'll talk about in a second.

But really, Breaded fried eggplant, a jar of Marinara sauce, some grated Parmesan cheese (I am always amused when I see Eggplant Parmesan recipes that does not have Parmesan cheese... But I digress), and some mozzarella cheese for that gorgeous oozing melted texture.

OK, my secret ingredient...

Olive Tapenade!  More specifically, O Olive Oil brand Meyer Lemon Tapenade!  If you are lucky enough to find a store that stocks this, or smart enough to plan ahead and buy on-line, this is AMAZING stuff!  Adds the punch of fresh olives, just ooozing with the flavors of Meyer lemons and Champagne Vinegar!  If you are not able to find this luxury, some chopped olives, lemon juice and zest would substitute, but well...  Just trust me, if you can, give the O Meyer lemon Tapenade a try.

OK, as to the dish, it is a classic Southern Italian staple.  Shallow fried eggplant, covered with marinara sauce and oozing with cheese.  Often times (modern times) you will see a chicken cutlet or veal used as a meat substitute for the original eggplant.  But the dish was originally more of a peasant dish with readily available ingredients with the amount of cheese determining the luxuriousness of the dish.

I like my eggplant sliced fairly thick for this.  Thick enough to still have a bit of a chew when served.  I have seen the slices as a thin as a lasagna noodle.  But by the time these are fried and then baked, generally the eggplant is too mushy for my tastes.  And with a thick slice of eggplant, some tapenade, chicken pieces, more eggplant ant sauce and cheese, this turns into a nice tall dish that looks terrific paired with a simple green salad (like these Mustard greens gently sauted in garlic olive oil.

OK, Here's what I did...

Chicken Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil for frying, enough to cover the bottom of a frying pan bu 1/4 inch
• 1/2 cup Flour, for dredging
• 2 Large Eggs, whisked for dipping
• 1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs for coating
• 8 Half Inch thick Slices of Eggplant, skin removed
• 16 ounces Marinara Sauce
• 1/2 Pound Cooked Chicken (taken from the leg quarter of a fully cooked, fully seasoned store bought Rotisserie chicken)
• 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Cup grated Mozarella Cheese
• Pinches Salt and Pepper to tase
• 4 TBS O Olive Oil Meyer Lemon Tapenade

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat to just before it starts to smoke.
3. Prepare a dredging area with a pan of flour, a pan of whisked eggs and a pan of Panko bread crumbs. Dredge the eggplant slices in the flour, followed by the eggs followed by the bread crumbs and finally fry them in the oil just until they begin to toast golden brown and delicious.
4. Prepare a baking dish... spoon a small amount of the marinara sauce into the bottom. place 4 of the fried breaded eggplant discs in the bottom.
5. Top each disk with 1/4th of the chicken.
6. Top the chicken with the Tapenade
7. Top this with about 1/3rd of the Mozzarella Cheese
8. Top this with about 1/3rd of the Marinara Sauce
9. Top this with a second breaded eggplant disc
10. Top this with the Parmesan cheese
11. Top this with the remaining Marinara Sauce
12. and finally, top with the remaining Mozzarella Cheese
13. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese has melted, the sauce is hot and your kitchen smells DELICIOUS!
14. Serve HOT and enjoy!

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This recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Uses For a Rotisserie Chicken"  (Now close to 100!)...I am so confused... $5.49 for a fully cooked, fully seasoned Oven Roasted, Rotisserie Chicken. Yet shop in the raw meat department and most raw chickens are at best $8 each and usually far closer to $10. Anyone have an answer??? Me either. So, I can either rail against the machine, or learn to embrace the beauty that is the $5 chicken! In this pin are recipes I have made, and recommend. MORE than 52 (I just can't stop)..
You get the idea.  From Scratch Pizza to Chinese Take Out recipes, Lots of Soups and Chili... Appetizers to Main Courses (Still can't find a dessert, but I am looking).  More than enough ideas for that store nought bird to shine with just a little extra work

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