Fuss Free Fried Chicken

• 3-4 pounds Bone in, skin on chicken pieces such as breasts, legs, or leg quarters
• Large, Deep cast iron pan
• Oil, for frying (vegetable, corn, or peanut are good choices)
• 2 cups all purpose flour (if you have self rising, that will work just fine, too)
• Seasoning: 1-2 packages Ranch Dressing mix (or 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper in it's place)

Instructions

1. Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 - 1/2 of an inch into a deep cast iron frying pan or dutch oven. Place in oven and preheat to 450. It is very important that your skillet be in your oven while it preheats.
2. In a shallow dish, stir together flour and seasonings (either ranch dressing mix or salt and pepper, or seasonings of your choice).
3. In another shallow baking dish, pour about 1/4 inch of milk.
4. Dip each piece in the milk to coat all sides, then into the flour mixture, then milk again, and flour mixture again. Place on platter when done.
5. Five minutes after oven is preheated, remove your skillet and carefully, (using tongs) place each piece of chicken in the skillet, positioning so that they don't touch.
6. Return to oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, use tongs to flip each piece of chicken over, and return to oven for 15 minutes more.
7. Remove to drain onto paper towel lined platter. Enjoy hot or cold.

Warm Cinnamon Pudding Cobbler

• 1 cup self rising flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1+3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1+3/4 cup hot water

 

1. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, milk, oil, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Stir until smooth. Spread batter into an 8x8 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray or lightly greased.
2. In a small bowl, stir remaining cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of your batter.
3. VERY SLOWLY pour the hot water over the batter by pouring it gently from a corner of the dish.
4. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Frito Pie Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros, made our way

As a breakfast or as a dinner, I love this meal for so many reasons. It is delicious. It is EASY. It requires little to no prep in advance. I love it the most though, because it is the absolutely perfect meal for those nights when I am so distracted with baking and playing with my new dehydrator that I forget to thaw meat or even cook the meal I planned in advance. I can have this meal on the table in 30 minutes or considerably less every time. Everyone, including the baby, likes it and it is easily adapted to suit individual tastes. It is my oldest son's most often requested breakfast and dinner.

Huevos Rancheros, made our way
recipe adapted from several different recipes at For the Love of Cooking, thanks again Pam!

4 baked potatoes - diced into half inch pieces (I like to bake a few extra potatoes whenever I am making them for a dinner and leave them in the fridge for this recipe.) If you don't have pre-cooked potatoes, the frozen bags of diced hash browns work well too.
1.5 cups cooked pinto, red or black beans (or 1 can drained and rinsed)  
4-6 eggs
1/2 cup cheddar cheese - shredded
 Salt and pepper to taste
Red or green chile sauce or salsa
Flour tortillas

Optional additions:
1/4 cup onion - finely diced
1/2 cup red/orange/yellow/green bell pepper - finely diced
Bacon or sausage - cooked and crumbled

Drizzle olive oil (or use bacon grease) in a large skillet and add the diced potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring just often enough to prevent burning. Add onion and bell pepper, if desired, and then cook another 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

In a second non-stick skillet, cook the eggs over easy, just until the yolks are clouded over.

Once the eggs are cooked, layer the following ingredients on a plate (simply leaving off the items that don't appeal to each individual):
Tortilla
Potatoes, with or without bell peppers and onions
Beans
Cheese
Bacon or sausage crumbles 
Eggs, one or two depending on your tastes

Smother the plate in green chile sauce or salsa if desired.

Corn Pudding ~ Made From Scratch

Yield: 8-12 servings

4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 (15 ounce) cans creamed corn
4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup brown rice flour *
2 tablespoons potato starch *
6 tablespoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

* if you are not in need of a gluten free recipe, substitute 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons AP flour for the items marked with an *

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large cast iron skillet (or a 9x13 baking dish) and set aside. Whisk together the eggs and the sugar and then add in the sour cream, creamed corn and butter, stirring between each addition. Whisk together the dry ingredients and then add to the corn mixture. Stir until well combined.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, depending on your pan. When the pudding is golden brown and slightly firm to the touch, it is done. Let cool at least ten minutes before serving. Scoop with a spoon or slice into squares to serve. Enjoy!