Panko

Crispy Parmesan Buttermilk Chicken Tenders (Baked and Air Fryer)

Totally healthy and surprisingly crispy, these juicy chicken tenders are crisped with a panko and Parmesan crunch with directions for baking or cooking in the air fryer.

I think my Smudge pretty much lived on Dino Nuggets from the day she began “choosing” her own solid food as she blossomed into a picky-eating toddler until the time she finally released her hold on those toaster oven chicks by the time she was 5 or 6 year old.

Whether you’ve had McDonald’s chicken nuggets, chicken tenders, chicken strips, or chicken fingers, the question has always been who has the best, and whether you can actually get a good and juicy, crispy piece of chicken without deep fat frying them in a tub of oil that only loads on the calories and the greasy bites. Because while there are times for enjoying a crunchy piece of finger lickin’ good fried chicken, weeknight dinners that need to be ready quick and with minimal mess isn’t exactly that time.

But unlike the deep fried variety, this buttermilk chicken tender recipe made with panko and a bit of Parmesan cheese delivers two wholesome methods to achieve that crispy, crunchy bite by simply baking or air frying for any fast weeknight meal. And they’re so good you just might break them out for the weekend too.continue to the recipe… about Crispy Parmesan Buttermilk Chicken Tenders (Baked and Air Fryer)

Easy Creamed Swiss Chard with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Healthy swiss chard gets the comfort food treatment thanks to a light but creamy sauce topped with crispy garlic panko breadcrumbs that make a recipe so good it’ll give creamed spinach a run for it’s “most-loved side dish” title.

This post is brought to you by McCormick

Swiss chard is one of those wallflower vegetables, sitting in the bleachers at the high school dance while watching the likes of spinach and kale bust their moves with all the hottest admirers.

But just like any wallflower, there comes a time for even the humblest of vegetables to burst out of the shadows and shine all on its own.

And that’s why I declare here and now, it’s high time that swiss chard get it’s dance in the spotlight, and there’s no better place to do so than at the head of the Thanksgiving table.

Growing up I don’t think I ever even had a bite of swiss chard. But like my latent admiration of Brussels sprouts, I’m more than happy to say those days are gone and this super easy, healthy-ish dish is going on my turkey table to balance out my splurging on my mom’s sage-flavored stuffing. I may not have room for my now-famous herb butter turkey! This year may be the year of Thanksgiving sides.

Bring on the turkey side dish disco ball, ’cause we’re gettin’ down tonight.continue to the recipe… about Easy Creamed Swiss Chard with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Crab Cake Poppers

These past few weeks I’ve spent an absurd amount of time with some amazing food bloggers. Absurd to me only because I’m not sure I could have ever imagined the reality of my journey from an office stiff to a travel-when-the-opportunity-strikes online content creator.

While the time I spend ensconced in my home office or toiling away at the library allows me plenty of alone time, these blogging trips and the relationships I’ve created with my fellow bloggers are the glue that binds my love for what I do.

I love creating ebooks, magazines and photography, but creating recipes is the part of the job that truly, mainly because it’s part of my life, it’s what I do to survive. To make food and eat it.

continue to the recipe… about Crab Cake Poppers

Fried Avocado Tacos Recipe

Creamy Avocados from Mexico might just be one of my favorite fruits.

I eat them for breakfast in my egg white omelets with a little feta cheese. I love them on turkey sandwiches with a little cranberry sauce and a thin slather of mayo on fluffy white bread. And I absolutely crave them as a base for tostadas topped with a ton of lettuce and spicy hot sauce.

I really don’t need much else.

continue to the recipe… about Fried Avocado Tacos Recipe

Spooky Fried Mozzarella Eyeballs Plus 5 Scary Recipes

Last Halloween I was beyond impressed with the number of creative and scary recipes I saw bounding about the blogosphere. How do people come up with this stuff?

I don’t remember this sort of thing happening when I was a kid. Or is it just because back then all that mattered to me was where Malibu Barbie, Francie, PJ and Skipper were going to head off to in the camper trailer and would they ever find Ken? Poor PJ, she never quite made the cut and always had to sit in the back.

This year I was inspired to throw my hat into the Halloween themed ring of fire and so I did what I always do when I need a creative consultation: I went to my partner in crime, G-Dawg—aka my husband who I think puts MacGyver to shame—and set him to task in scheming how we were going to create eyeballs out of cheeseballs.

After watching an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives a while back where I learned the secret to the perfect deep fried anything and everything I knew I wanted to create a recipe for deep fried mozzarella eyeballs. The secret dredge worked perfectly to form golden orbs of melty, bloodshot eyeballs.continue to the recipe… about Spooky Fried Mozzarella Eyeballs Plus 5 Scary Recipes

Chicken Piccata Pasta and Friday Faves

Seriously people, where does the time go?

I recently marked 5 years at my day job, my one year anniversary of blogging, today is the last day of this year’s school year and tomorrow is my baby girl’s 8th birthday. Seriously how does time whiz so quickly by?

Each of these milestones reinforces my resolve to take more time to enjoy the most important people in my life and take control of my own destiny. And I couldn’t be more determined, felt more inspired and have been given more encouragement to do so.continue to the recipe… about Chicken Piccata Pasta and Friday Faves