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.

Yellow Rice

Yellow rice is very yummy. I like it with tacos.

Saffron makes the rice yellow. Saffron comes from the saffron crocus. Each flower has three stigmas, which we know as the spice, saffron. Like nutmeg, it is poisonous in large amounts. The cultivation of saffron goes back 3,000 years. Experts believe it was first documented in the 7th century BC, by Ashurbinpal, in an Assyrian botanical text.

We use Mahatma Saffron Yellow Rice. It's easy to make. Yellow rice is flavorful and mouth-watering.

I also like, because I'm practicing being rich, and saffron is the most expensive spice by weight.

Fish Pie

Fish pie is very tasty. It has vegetables, fish, pearl onions, and a cream sauce.

We've used cod once and tilapia another time.

I like it because it's very savory. I even have seconds!

My mom made up this recipe, so none of the measurements are exact. She says to just go with what feels and looks right to you.

Fish Pie
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 9-inch crusts (for top and bottom of pie)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 or 3 handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen pearl onions
Dash red pepper flakes (optional)
1 lb. cod or other white fish
1/2 lb. shrimp meat (optional)
1 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cream

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Place a large shallow cookie sheet on the middle rack, to heat up while you make the filling.

2) Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Saute for 10 minutes. Add spinach, frozen peas, frozen pearl onions, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 more minutes. Add fish, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Stir and cover with lid. Cook until the fish is cooked. Add cream and continue heating a few minutes.

3) Put one layer of pie dough in an ungreased 9- to 10-inch glass pie dish. Pour fish mixture into the pie dish. Cover with the other pie crust, seal the edges, cut vents, and carefully place the completed pie on the heated cookie sheet.

4) Bake for about 30 minutes, making sure not to burn the crust edges (cover with foil, if needed). When the crust is golden, remove the pie from the oven. Careful, the pie will be hot!

5) Serve hot or warm.