Coconut Chicken Strips

I accidentally bought chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts the other day and needed to make them tonight!  I found a recipe (thanks to a Nestie) that was perfect for dinner, because I knew the girls and Joe would eat it, but also perfect for the "football food" theme in honor of the Giants being in the Super Bowl this week!   It's very simple, doesn't take much time and will wow any crowd, young and old.   Pair these chicken strips with some yummy dipping sauce of your own or use mine, and it's a sure to be a touchdown!!!!   (Sorry -- I had to).  This can also be made into a meal or an appetizer!   Follow the same directions using butterfly shrimp for a different taste!  YUM!

Coconut Chicken Strips

1-2 pounds -- chicken tenders (cleaned)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups planko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
salt (to taste)
oil (for frying)

Set out 3 bowls.  In first bowl combine and mix eggs and coconut milk.  In second bowl combine salt and flour and in third bowl combine planko breadcrumb and shredded coconut.

While your oil is getting nice and hot, dip each chicken tender first in the flour mixture, then egg/coconut milk mixture, and then coat it in the planko and coconut mixture.   Once oil is hot, place chicken into pan and cook approx. 3 - 4 minutes on each side and until chicken is golden brown and crispy.  If they are thicker tenders you may need to cook a little longer.

Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain excess oil and let sit for a few minutes.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.   ENJOY!!!

Here is what I whipped up for my dipping sauce and it was delicious


Dipping Sauce for Coconut Chicken or Shrimp
No recipe -- so add ingredients to taste

Apricot Preserves  (I used about 10oz) -- you can use Orange or Peach too!
Soy Sauce (about 1 tbsp)
Spicy Brown Mustard (about 1 tsp.)
Juice of half a lemon
Ground ginger (about 1tsp.)
Sesame oil (about 1/2 tsp)

Mix together and serve!

~Gianna~

Buffalo Chicken Dip (the lighter version)

My life has been overtaken by counting calories the past few months.  I actually really enjoy it, which is shocking because it's not something I ever thought I'd do.   BUT at the same time, it's also really awful because I actually see how many calories are in some of my favorite foods and it's depressing!   If anyone is interested in tracking calories....I use livestrong.com to track mine!  It's a super easy website and my favorite part is that I can plug in my favorite recipes and it tells me how many calories I'm actually eating in a serving!     Which leads me to my next Family Football Favorite......

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP!  YUMMY!!!   If you like buffalo-style chicken wings, you will love this dip!  It's creamy, with a little crunch and a whole lot of spice and it's really easy!  It's a perfect dip for anytime..but especially football season!   It's also one of my husband's favorites!

I tweaked my original recipe (which I got from one of my best friends, Alyssa) to make it a somewhat lighter version.   The only difference is to swap out regular cream cheese for the 1/3 less fat and serve it with crackers and tortilla chips instead of celery and carrots!    You decide which is the right fit for you!  :)

Buffalo Chicken Dip (the healthier version)

2 pkg. 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese (Neufchatel)

2 small or 1 large can of chicken (I use all white meat Swanson)

1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch (dry mix)

1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce (more or less to your liking)

1/2 cup diced celery

Celery, Carrots, Crackers or Tortilla Chips for dipping

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine cream cheese, hot sauce and ranch packet in a bowl and mix well with a mixer (hand or stand) until smooth.

Add chicken and celery and mix until it's incorporated.  

Pour mixture into an 8x8 baking dish.  

Cook for about 20 minutes or until it starts to bubble...stirring every so often.

Serve warm with celery sticks, carrot sticks, crackers or tortilla chips. 

ENJOY!

~Gianna~

Super Bowl Time!!!!

With the Super Bowl in 2 weeks and the GIANTS (YAY) playing in it...... I'm sure we will be invited to a bunch of parties (or have one of our own) since most of our friends and family are GIANTS fans. .....My little family of 4, we are not fans of the "the G-MEN",  we are JETS fans (and I'm a Mark Sanchez fan --swoon)... but I still root for the "home team", when it comes to post season football.   Even more-so when they play the Patriots!   So I'll be posting a lot of my family's favorite football foods (say that 3 times fast...family's favorite football foods) over the next few days!  We are a family who loves dips and appys and I don't know too many people who don't love finger (lickin' good)  foods.... 

Let's start with a dip.......sha'll we??

This is a favorite of mine and it's something that I have been making for years and years....I think the first time I brought it to a party I was actually in High School......sooooo it's OLD!   But it's something that never disappoints..well except this one time when I brought it to a party and some drunk friends decided to put it in the oven and cook it........people still ate it, but boy was it a disappointment!  PLEASE...DO NOT HEAT THIS DIP....TRUST ME!

The nice thing about this dip is that you can make it however you want.....and add or subtract ingredients....or add extra or less of others.....Just make it to your liking.  There really isn't measurements to it!



7 Layer Taco Dip

Can of refried beans
Container of Guacamole (or make your own, which I often do)
Container of Sour Cream
Package of taco seasoning
Tomatoes -- seeds removed and chopped
Olives -- sliced
Shredded Mexican blend cheese
Scallions
Tortilla chips (I like the bite sized ones....they are perfectly sized for dipping and enjoying!)

1.  Spread refried beans over a large circle serving platter.  I try to use one with a small lip.
2.  Spread guacamole on top of beans.
3.  Mix sour cream and taco seasoning in bowl and then spread over guacamole.
4.  Layer chopped tomatoes on top of the sour cream mixture.
5.  Spread sliced olives all around.
6.  Sprinkle cheese on top of the tomatoes and olives.
7.  Sprinkle chopped scallions over the entire dip.
8.  DO NOT COOK  :)
9.  Serve with chips
10.  ENJOY!!!!


Sorry for the picture quality (I warned you)....this was taken on my phone, as we were running out the door to a party!  Promise to eventually get a new one up of this yumminess!  :)

~Gianna~