Thursday, January 19, 2012

My Favorite Teas

The flavor of tea depends greatly on which leaf was picked, how the leaves were grown and handled. Green tea is steamed. Black tea is fermented. Oolong tea is in between. White tea is allowed to whither.

I like to add sugar to all my teas.

And now for my top three favorite teas, in order:

1. Golden Dragon Oolong: We buy it at Peet's Coffee & Tea
    I like it best because of the flavor and because it's pricey.

2. Earl Grey: Found nearly anywhere tea is sold.
    I like the Bergamot flavor in this tea.

3. English Breakfast: Found nearly anywere tea is sold. Sometimes called "British Breakfast." Similar to "Awake" in Taoz-brand teas.
    I like to add milk to this tea. Remember! Add milk before you pour the tea. It tastes totally different.

Tea is a good drink on cold days and in the afternoon. If you can have a biscuit (cookie) with it, that's even better.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Breaded Chicken

The other night, I tried panko breadcrumb chicken. It was yummy. It was savory with a nice flavor. I didn't even add any condiments to it.

Panko bread is made by putting electric current through the dough, so there's no crust and it's crispier and airier than most Western bread. Panko breadcrumbs are used in Japanese cuisine. Panko crumbs are available at most grocery stores, either where the breadcrumbs are or in the asian food section or by the fish counter.

My mom used skinless, boneless chicken breasts. She dipped them in milk, then covered them in her panko crumb mixture (panko crumbs, dried onion flakes, dried parsley flakes, and a dash of sea salt). She placed them in a frying pan with hot olive oil and butter, and covered them with a lid for 15 minutes. She then took off the lid, turned over the breasts, covered with the lid, and cooked for another 10 minutes. She doesn't measure anything, so she doesn't know how much of the ingredients she put in.

She served it with sauteed potatoes and greens in olive oil and lemon sauce. I liked the potatoes, but didn't really like the greens. They were too lemony. But, I ate about seven leaves.

So, next time you have chicken breasts that you don't know what to do with, try using panko crumbs for a new taste.