Thursday, November 12, 2009

necessity is the mother of what?!


Delicious chicken tenders, that's what!

I'm working my way through the deep freeze. I typically try to keep it well stocked with beef and pork we purchase from our neighbors who still butcher, as well as convenience things for the kids...chicken nuggets, corn dogs, and all kinds of bulk things I can find at Sams Club. Lately though, for reasons both practical (trying to use it up before it goes bad) and financial (John's paydays were changed to every-other-week now...so as we adjust to the new budget, we can't run to the grocery quite as often) I've been trying to get a little more creative with the meats we have on hand.
Today I set a half-dozen chicken breasts out to thaw, and began wondering what I could make that would please most of the crowd. John and I LOVE chicken breasts...grilled, baked, marinated, whatever, but the kids...well they prefer the nugget.
I happened upon this recipe for oven baked chicken tenders. Thought it sounded a little "grown up" in that the parts wouldn't be shaped like extinct creatures, and hoped the kids would love it too. Boy did they! (Sam said he was "in love!") I cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces (more like popcorn chicken size) and followed the directions (mostly.) Of course I didn't have any bread crumbs on hand, so I substited crumbled Ritz crackers. YUMMY! Can you say, "all gone!" (both cookie sheets full!)
And to think, we thought chicken pieces came only from a box. hee, hee. ENJOY!