Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Fingers with Caesar Dip

Definitely family friendly

1 ½ cups milk, divided

2 tbsp Dijon mustard, divided

1 ½ cups finely crushed crisp whole wheat crackers

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup all purpose flour

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450F.  Line a baking sheet with foil; butter or spray.
2. In a shallow dish, combine ¼ cup of the milk and 1 tbsp of the mustard.  Place cracker crumbs in another shallow dish.  Cut chicken breasts into about 3 inch by ½ inch strips.  Dip each chicken strip first into milk mixture then into crumbs, pressing to coat.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Discard excess milk mixture and crumbs.
3. Bake chicken fingers for about 15 min or until browned and chicken is no longer pink inside.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk flour into remaining milk; whisk in remaining mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.  Boil, whisking for about 3 min or until thick.  Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and parmesan cheese.  Serve chicken with hot Caesar dip.

Chunky Fudge Squares

1/2 cup whipping cream

8 oz (250 g)chocolate fudge, cut into pieces

3 cups broken shortbread cookies

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup melted butter

1. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with tin foil or parchment paper.
2. Place whipping cream in a small pot and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add fudge and stir until melted.  Set aside
3. Combine broken cookies, dark chocolate chips and chopped pecans in a medium bowl and pour over a little more than half of the fudge mixture (you need just enough to coat cookies).  Pack mixture into prepared baking dish and place in refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm.
4. Combine remaining fudge mixture with melted butter and drizzle over-top of cookie bars.   Chill.  Cut into 1 inch squares and serve.

Dark Chocolate Pecan Squares

A simple and yummy dessert

Crust:

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening, cold

3-6 tbsp ice water

Filling

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

2 cups toasted pecans

3 eggs

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup golden corn syrup

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Crust:  Blend flour and salt in a medium size mixing bowl.  Cut chilled shortening into 1/2” cubes.  Mix in chilled shortening cubes into flour mixture using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea sized pieces remaining.  Sprinkle half of ice water over the flour mixture.  Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly.  Add remaining water, 1 tbsp at a time until dough is moist enough to hold together.
2. Flatten dough into 1/2” thick round disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
3. Preheat oven to 375F.
4. Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14” square.  Transfer dough into a 9”x9” square baking pan. Trim edges to height of baking dish.  Roll edge under so dough comes 3/4 of the way up the sides of the dish.
5. Filling:  Spread melted chocolate over the bottom of the dough.  Refrigerate to set.  Cover with pecans once cooled.  
6. Whisk together eggs, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl.  Whisk in corn syrup.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour over pecans.
7. Bake in preheated oven until filling is puffed, about 50 min

Presto Pizza!

Homemade Pizza, doesn't get much better than this!

Crust

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

Topping

2/3 cup pizza sauce

1 1/2 cups diced vegetables

1/2 cup diced lean ham

1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

1. Place a large baking sheet upside down on middle rack of oven and preheat oven to 425F. Butter 1 or 2 more large baking sheets.
2. Crust:  In a large bowl, combine all purpose and whole wheat flours, baking powder, oregano and salt.  Pour in milk and butter; stir with a fork until soft dough forms.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead a couple of times just until smooth.  Divide into 6 pieces.  Roll or pat 3 pieces into 6 inch circles and place on prepared baking sheet.  
3. Topping:  Spread pizza sauce on each crust, leaving 1/2 inch border.  Sprinkle with ham and vegetables as desired.  Sprinkle with half of the cheese. 
4. Place pizzas on baking sheet on top of hot baking sheet in oven.  Bake for 12 to 15 min or until crust is golden, toppings are hot and cheese is bubbling.  meanwhile repeat with remaining 3 pizzas.  

Chunky Chocolate Cookie Squares

A simple dessert everyone loves! Switch the nuts to almonds or omit if you don't like them

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¾ cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup golden corn syrup

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 pkg 225 g semi sweet chocolate cut into large chunks

¾ cup chopped pecans, divided

1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
2. In bowl beat butter and brown sugar untl fluffy.  Gradually beat in corn syrup, then egg and vanilla.  Beat in flour mixture until blended.  Stir in half the chocolate chunks and ½ cup pecans.
3. Spread evenly in a greased 15 x 10 x 1 “ baking pan.  Sprinkle with remaining chocolate and pecans.
4. Bake at 350F 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool. Cut in squares and store in air tight container with wax paper between the layers.

Chocolate Tiramisu

Enough about the kids - back to chocolate :)!  Nothing healthy here - but definitely yummy!

2 cups cold coffee

1 container (500g) mascarpone cheese

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup whipping cream

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled

36 - 40 Italian ladyfinger cookies

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place cold coffee in a shallow bowl. reserve
2. In a separate bowl, beat mascarpone and condensed milk until well combined.  Reserve.
3. Whip cream in a large bowl until it holds stiff peaks.  Add vanilla into whipping cream.  Gently fold into reserved mascarpone mixture until combined.  Lightly swirl in melted and cooled chocolate.
4. Dipping both sides of each ladyfinger cookie into cold coffee, line bottom of a 9”x13” baking dish with 18 ladyfinger cookies in 3 rows, trimming edges if necessary.  Spread half the chocolate swirled mascarpone filling, about 2 cups on top.  Dip remaining ladyfinger cookies in coffee and arrange over filling inpan.  Spread remaining mascarpone filling on top.
5. Chill covered with plastic wrap, at least 4 hours

Fish Tacos

Another really great kid friendly one although they may not go for the fruit salsa - just leave it off if they won't eat it

1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 lb fish fillets - salmon or whatever they will eat
1/4 cup canola or olive oil
2 tbsp lime or lemon juice
1-2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper if needed

1 pkg taco shells or small flour tortillas

Fruit Salsa
1 kiwi, finely chopped
1/2 cup mango, finely chopped
1/2 cup pineapple, finely chopped
1/4 cup purple onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp lime juice

1. Put the onions in the bottom of a medium baking dish and top with the fish fillets, canola oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.  Cover and set aside for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for an hour or two.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet set over medium high heat.  Add the fish fillets and cook for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes, or until just cooked through. Set aside on a plate or keep warm in a 200F oven.
3. Add a little more oil and saute the onions, until soft and starting to turn golden.  Set aside in a separate bowl, or add to the fish.
4. to make the salsa, combine the fruit, onion, cilantro and lime juice in a medium bowl; gently toss to combine and refrigerate until needed.
5. To serve tacos, flake the fish with a fork and load taco shells or soft flour tortillas with some fish, and onions and top with fruit salsa.