Pickle Marinated Chicken Nuggets, by Diane

The chicken was so juicy it soaked through the coating in places once I took it out of the air fryer!

This recipe is a mashup of 2 different air fryer chicken recipes I found online- pickle marinated chicken and southern style fried chicken. I’ve been on an air fryer kick lately, as well as a pickle kick, so when I saw these two I thought I’d combine them (what better combo than southern food and fried pickles)! The addition of marinating the chicken in pickle juice first was intriguing. I know from experience that brining in salt water makes chicken juicier, and I happened to have a bit mason jar full of it from my quickles of last week! The result was really good and flavorful, plus the new way of making chicken was a lot less messy! Yum.


Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, cut into large nuggets
1/2 cup pickle juice
1/2 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Tony Chacere's (or similar southern style season salt- this blend is my fave though!)
1 cup almond flour (you could sub regular breadcrumbs)
2 tbsp. arrowroot powder (you could sub flour)
1 tbsp. paprika
1/2-1 tbsp. Tony Chacere's (same note here, and taste mixture for saltiness to adjust this)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 egg

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken in the pickle juice for 30 min, discard marinade but keep the chicken in the bag.

2. Add to the bag paprika through Tony's (the next 4 ingredients) and mix well, marinate for another 30 minutes to 3 hours.

3. Mix all remaining ingredients except egg together in a large ziplock bag. Whisk the egg in a bowl.

4. Pour the egg into the bag of chicken, then dump the chicken in a colander to drain off excess egg (return the excess egg to the bowl).

5. Toss the chicken into the flour bag to coat.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for a double coating that makes the chicken crispier, tossing the egg out this time.

7. Spray your air fryer tray with cooking oil, and arrange the chicken so they don't touch each other.

8. Spray the tops of the chicken with cooking spray, and cook at 400 for 12 minutes. At the 5 minute mark, flip the chicken and spray the tops with cooking spray.

9. Let rest 5 minutes before eating, as the chicken is really juicy and the juice is HOT (learned this part the hard way!).

Nutella Stuffed French Toast, by Cheryl

I need a better picture! I'll replace with another one when I make it again!

For Mother's Day this year Jon had made me one of my favorite breakfasts, biscuits and gravy! So this Father's Day I decided to make him a sweet breakfast since that's what he usually gravitates to. While he's more of the baker in the family and made the biscuits from scratch, I was looking for a more quick and easy approach to this meal. It's sooo easy to make and very good! Julia has requested this for breakfast several times over the last couple of days and Jon loved it as well so this will probably become a treat for breakfast on the weekends. You can also put slices of bananas or strawberries inside the sandwich as well, which is what I did for Jon's. Not a bad way to start the day. Yum!

Ingredients, (recipe from here):

1-2 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread
2 slices cinnamon raisin bread
1/8 cup milk
1 egg
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
butter or cooking spray
powdered sugar, optional

Directions:

1) Spread some chocolate hazelnut spread onto both slices of bread (recipe calls for spread on one slice). Put the two slices together to make a sandwich.

2) Beat milk, egg, and extract together in a shallow bowl until smooth. Soak the sandwich in the bowl until bread is moistened, about 20 seconds each side.

3) Melt some butter in a pan over medium heat.

4) Cook sandwich in pan until browned, about 2 minutes first side, one minute second side. Dust with powdered sugar.

Scallops Provençal, by Diane

This was my first attempt at scallops and I couldn’t believe how fresh and easy they were to make! This recipe was the other 1/2 of my virtual dinner with friends and everyone was very impressed. It was a delicious mix of flavors and took about 10 minutes in total, 15 with prep. Recipe by Ina Garten.


Ingredients:

1 lb sea scallops
Flour, kosher salt, black pepper
4 tbsp butter
2 large shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 lemon


Directions:

1. Pat the scallops dry and coat them in flour, salt and pepper.

2. Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a sauce pan until hot, then add scallops. Cook 2 minutes each side until golden brown.

3. Add the shallots, garlic and parsley and stir for 2 more minutes.

4. Add in the white wine to deglaze the pan for one minute.

5. Remove from pan and squeeze lemon juice over scallops.

Fresh Corn Salad, by Diane

This was a part of a dinner I made virtually with a friend last night- it was delicious!! The best part is that it came together in under 10 minutes, and was just really great with the ripe summer corn and fresh basil. I will definitely make this again!! Recipe by Ina Garten


Ingredients:

5 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 red onion, chopped small
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp each Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned


Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and prepare and ice bath.

2. Boil the corn for 3 minutes, then place in the ice bath until cool.

3. While the corn cools, mix all ingredients together except basil and toss well.

4. Cut the kernels off the cobs and mix them into the salad along with fresh basil. Toss well and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Melanzane A Funghetto (Eggplant cooked like mushrooms), by Cheryl

In Italy I took a cooking class with some friends. This recipe comes from the teacher who shared with us many different Neapolitan recipes. I love eggplant so I decided to whip up this yummy side dish... I'm surprised I never posted it before! Usually this dish is used as a vegetable side, but it's so versatile, you can make it for bruscetta or use it as a sauce for pasta! I made one change though - the Neapolitans love frying the eggplant in oil, which can lead to a greasy consistency if not done right, and can have a ton of hidden calories since eggplant absorbs oil like crazy. I baked my eggplant cubes with oil first and then continued on with the recipe. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
salt
EVOO
1 clove garlic, minced
20ish cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup water
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
fresh basil

Directions:

1) Place the cubes of eggplant in a strainer and sprinkle salt generously on top. Mix around. Place a place and something heavy on top in order in order to get out the bitter juices. Leave for at least an hour.

2) Preheat oven to 430. Rinse the eggplant and dry thoroughly.

3) Put the eggplant in an oven dish with a few tablespoons of olive oil and mix well. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4) Meanwhile, add some olive oil to a pan over medium heat and add the garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and squash the tomatoes to release the juices. Cook for five minutes, stirring.

5) Add the eggplant, water, and balsamic vinegar. Cook for around 5 minutes. Cool before serving.

6) Garnish with fresh basil.

Garlic Spinach, by Diane

I whipped this up as a side dish for lunch and it was really good! All in all it was filling, full of healthy ingredients, and quick! I would definitely make this again.


Ingredients:

1 tbsp EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup coconut milk (or any other milk on hand)
1 tsp arrowroot powder
1 bag frozen chopped spinach
2 tsp each onion and garlic powder
Salt to taste


Directions:

1. Heat EVOO in a large saucepan, add in garlic and stir until golden brown.

2. Add in coconut milk and arrowroot, whisk until sauce thickens.

3. Add in frozen spinach and remaining seasonings and stir until the spinach is heated through. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Quickles, by Diane

True story, our family used to be heavy into the pickle making game. My great grandmother escaped from Poland with a barrel of them, and once in the US they had a statue they would place over the spot in the ground where the pickles were buried as they fermented called the Pickle God. Unfortunately, this tradition wasn’t passed down to my mom or I, although I remember playing around the Pickle God in my grandparent’s backyard.

With the success of the Korean pickles behind me, this week I decided to try regular pickles and came across this version of quick pickles, aka “quickles” on from @sophisticatedcaveman. I can feel my grandparents disapproval at the quick part of this process, but it appealed to me for that very reason! Because this was a last minute decision, I had to use a lot of subs like mustard powder for seeds, or cracked pepper for peppercorns (I couldn’t get them out of the jar!), or dried dill instead of fresh (more disapproval I’m sure).

The end result was way too sour/tangy, and tasted a lot like mustard (I guess that’s why mustard powder isn’t a good sub for mustard seeds!!), so next time I would actually just follow the recipe! But overall they were great and way easier to make than I expected!





Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 peppercorns
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 sprigs fresh dill
1 lb pickling cucumbers, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup white or rice wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 tbsp kosher salt or pickling salt


Directions:

1. Place garlic through dill in the bottom of a mason jar, then pack cucumbers in as tightly as possible. Leave an inch of space at the top of the jar.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt has dissolved.

3. Pour the brine into the jar until the cucumbers are just submerged, cover with lid and allow jar to cool slightly.

4. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours, and keep up to 6 weeks.

Summer Steak Kabobs, by Cheryl

I forgot to take a picture! This is from Taste of Home

I see a lot of kabobs in my future...

Ever since Jon showed me how to use the grill last fall I've been open to a whole new way of cooking. Kabobs have been a favorite for me this year and this marinade really hits the spot! We ate them as is with a tomato salad side, but on rice or in a tortilla like my daughter did is great too! You can change up the meat or veggies to your liking. Yum!

Ingredients (from here):

1/2 cup canola oil (I think I used olive)
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1.5 lbs top beed sirloin steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch slices
Hot cooked rice

Directions:

1) In a large bowl combine the first 6 ingredients. Add beef, turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

2) On metal or soaked wooden skewers, thread beef and veggies. Discard marinade. Grill kabobs, covered, until beef reaches desired tenderness, about 10 minutes. Turn occasionally.

Whole30 Cheesy Garlic Air Fried Chicken Fingers, by Diane

I whipped these up for lunch this week and they were so good! The flavor combo went well together and the air fryer made them healthy to boot! The double coating made them crunchy and extra juicy- yum!


Ingredients:

1 package chicken tenders
1.5 cups almond flour
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp each garlic and onion powder
1 tbsp Goya seasoning (or any other salt based blend)
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 egg
5 tbsp arrowroot powder


Directions:

1. Set up 3 bowls- one with arrowroot powder, one with a whisked egg, and the last one with all remaining ingredients except chicken mixed well.

2. Coat the chicken first in the powder, then egg, then the almond flour mixture. Repeat in the egg and then almond flour mixture. Shake off any excess and place evenly spread in the air fryer (spray some cooking spray on the tray of your air fryer first so they don’t stick!).

3. Spray the tops of the chicken with cooking spray for an extra crisp, and cook at 400 for 9 min. Flip halfway and spray the tops again.

Korean Bulgogi Burgers, by Diane

This burger recipe was pretty decent! I wanted to make them because I love bulgogi and they seemed easy to throw together. I would increase the soy sauce and sesame oil next time, and I also let them marinate a bit like true bulgogi, which I’ll include below. I ate them with a kimchi mayo I whipped up and Korean Pickled Cucumbers, so good!!!


Ingredients:

For the burgers:
1.5 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp gochujang (or more depending on heat preference)
2 cloves garlic, minced


For the mayo:
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup kimchi plus 2 tbsp liquid (gochujang also makes a great sub here)

2 tbsp sliced scallions


Directions:

1. Mix all the burger ingredients and form into patties and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

2. Grill the burgers until cooked to preference.

3. While the burgers cook, combine the mayo ingredients in an immersion blender until thick and smooth.

Korean Pickled Cucumbers, by Diane

These were sooooo good and easy!! I love the banchan (little small dishes) that are served at the table before a meal in Korean restaurants, and these tasted exactly like the cucumbers in banchan. They are also a delicious snack to have on a hot day like today, or a great topping for burgers like the Korean Bulgogi Burgers I made to go with them! 

Recipe from: https://www.thespruceeats.com/spicy-korean-cucumber-pickles-2216857


Ingredients:

1 lb. Kirby, English, or Hothouse cucumbers
1.5 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp gochujang
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2-3 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic, minced


Directions:

1. Slice the cucumbers 1/2 inch thick (I used a mandolin) and sprinkle with salt. Mix well and place into a colander to release the water for 30-60 min.

2. While the cucumbers sweat, mix the remaining ingredients well. Taste to adjust ingredients to make the sauce to your preference.

3. Strain the cucumbers well in a tea towel and add to the mixture. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. These only get better through the week and retain their crunch!

Pesto Corn Salad with Shrimp, by Cheryl

This was very tasty! I made it for dinner with a side of grilled eggplant, but I think it would be better as a lunch or mid-afternoon snack. I used my own basil as the base and fresh corn and tomatoes from a local farm. And I love the taste of grilled shrimp... it adds such a nice flavor. It really hit the spot! Yum!

Ingredients (recipe from here) :

4 medium ears of corn, husked
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/8 tsp pepper
1 medium ripe avocado, chopped
1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

1) Cook corn until tender (about 5 minutes) in a pot of boiling water. Drain, cool slightly.

2) Meanwhile in a food processor, blend basil, oil, and 1/4 salt until blended.

3) Cut corn from the cob and place in a bowl. Stir in tomatoes, pepper, and remaining salt. Add avocado and 2 tablespoons of basil mixture. Stir to combine.

4) Thread shrimp onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Brush with remaining basil mixture. Grill, covered, over medium heat until shrimp turn pink, about 2-4 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from skewers and serve with corn mixture.