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Food Friday – Baked and Breaded Eggplant

eggplant

So far, this is my favorite way to eat eggplant.

Breaded, Baked, Eggplant

1 medium eggplant
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt

1. Start by slicing your eggplant in 1/4 to 1/2 in. slices. Salt them and set them out on a cookie sheet. Place a second cookie sheet on top and press down onto the eggplant. Let this set for about 20 minutes. Rinse the eggplant slices under running water, set on a towel, and pat dry. This removes a lot of the extra juices from the eggplant and will help your breaded eggplant to not be too soggy.

2. Put the flour, 1/4 t pepper and 1/4 t salt in a bowl, mix. In a second bowl beat the egg with a fork. In a third bowl combine the cornmeal and parmesan cheese.

3. Dip the eggplant slices on both sides in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the cornmeal mixture. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, flipping halfway so they cook evenly on both sides.

5. You can serve as is or with a marinara sauce for dipping.

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Skillet-Fried Chicken

Last night I tried out a fried chicken recipe from my Feb. Bon-Appetit magazine. A lot of times I find the recipes in this magazine to be unnecessarily complicated, however, this chicken recipe was perfect!

I did use a package of chicken breasts cut in thirds and I cut the recipe in half since my meat weight was half of what the whole chicken in the recipe is. It tasted delicious!

2 Tbsp kosher salt, divided
2 tsp plus 1 Tbsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 3-4 lb chicken cut into 10 pieces, backbone and wing tips removed
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. conrstarch
peanut oil (for frying)

!hisk 1 Tbsp salt, 2tsp black pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Season chicken with spices. Place chicken in a medium bowl, cover, and chill overnight.

Let chicken stand covered at room temp for 1 hr. Whisk buttermilk, egg, and 1/2 cup water in a med bowl. Whisk flour, cornstarch, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 Tbsp pepper in another bowl.

Pour oil into a 10″-12″ straight-sided skillet (not nonstick) to a depth of 3/4″. Heat over med-high heat until 350 degrees. Meanwhile, set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet.

Working with one piece at a time dip chicken in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Dredge in flour mixture. Fry chicken, turning with tongs every 1-2 minutes and maintain a temp of 300 to 325 degrees, until skin is deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees, about 10 min for wings and 12 min for thighs, legs, and breasts.

Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet; transfer chicken to prepared rack. Let cool 10 min before serving.

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Sugar Cookies

Here’s the first of my favorite holiday snack recipes.

I’ve been hunting for a decent sugar cookie recipe for years. I finally found one a few months ago. It was in an old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook that I picked up at a yardsale about a year ago.

I’ve made it several times and it turns out right every time 🙂 Maybe I’m just really picky about my sugar cookies but I’m really happy to have found this recipe!

Sugar Cookies
2/3 cup shortening (I usually use 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup shortening – the shortening is necessary for the right texture)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
4tsp milk
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Thoroughly cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla. Add egg; beat till light and fluffy. Stir in milk. Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mixture.

I form 1in balls, roll them in sugar and then use my thumb to press them flat in the center (makes a slight well for icing).

If you want to roll them, divide dough in half, chill for 1 hour. On lightly floured surface roll to 1/8 in thickness. Cut with cookie cutters.

Baking instructions are the same for balls or shapes. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 about 6 to 8 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

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Apple Pecan Cake

I tried out this cake recipe yesterday. Unfortunately, I sent it to work with my husband before I got a picture. However, it was delicious, easy to make, and contained all ingredients that I keep on hand so I’m going to post it without a picture.

I got this recipe out of this month’s Everyday Food magazine. This is my favorite cooking magazine. Most of the recipes contain ingredients that I can identify and the recipes are not too time-consuming to make. A must with little kids!

This recipe did use a large number of bowls, which my kids appreciated since they got to lick out every one of them 🙂

Apple-Pecan Cake

1/2 C unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 medium apple, peeled and diced
3/4 C pecans, chopped
2 1/2 C all purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 C all purpose flour, and 1 C wheat flour)
2 t baking powder
1 t nutmeg (I did not add this – I don’t usually like the aftertaste of nutmeg)
1/4 t salt
3/4 C unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C plain yogurt
1 1/3 C sugar
1 t orange zest
3 large eggs
confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9in square pan. Line with parchment paper, butter parchment. In a med bowl, toss apple and pecans with 2 T flour to coat. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, combine applesauce and yogurt.

2. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest on high until light and fluffy, 3 min, scraping down bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions applesauce mixture, and beat to combine. Fold in apple mixture. Transfer batter to pan and smooth top.

3. Bake until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 min. Using parchment, lift cake from pan. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.