Homemade Pizza Night

I've been wanting to try these two new recipes for a while, I got them from my friend's blog (Thank you, Jesse!) When Lauren helped me plan the meals for this week, she asked for a homemade pizza night. We decided to make both the regular pizza for dinner and a fruit pizza for dessert. This was the result:

Regular Pizza Crust
*Makes one large or two small crusts.

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour

Combine water, yeast and sugar and allow the yeast to develop for a couple of minutes. Add oil, salt and flour. Knead for 7-8 minutes until smooth. Let the dough rest for 8-10 minutes. Roll out onto a greased  pan, and spread with sauce, cheese and your favorite toppings. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-13 minutes, or until crust is light brown and cheese has melted.

*We really liked this pizza crust! It's so simple. The dough is easier to work with than my previous recipe, and it was very tasty. I used a double batch to make this cookie sheet sized pizza, but the dough was a bit too thick. The kids loved it anyway, but next time, I'll try a 1 1/2 sized batch.

Fruit Pizza

*Makes at least 12+ slices

• CRUST
• 1 Yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup,) melted

Mix these ingredients and roll out dough onto a pizza pan that is covered with wax paper and sprayed with cooking oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before adding frosting and fruit.

• FROSTING
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cups powdered sugar
• 4 oz whipped topping

Whisk these ingredients together and spread over cooled crust.

Add your favorite FRUIT TOPPINGS: Bananas, mandarin oranges, kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.

*I liked these ease of this crust, but it was EXTREMELY rich. Lauren & I couldn't finish our slices because it was too rich. Some good things about the crust were it's flexibility, it sliced easily, served easily and didn't fall to pieces when you took a bite. I loved the frosting and the toppings we used, but I think I might experiment with the crust. I'll either try replacing some of the butter with water next time or try a different sugar cookie recipe.

Overall, the pizza night was a big hit.

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dough balls for freezing

If my Dad ever took us to the Mall when I was growing up, you can bet we found our way to the Mrs. Field's Cookie Store. He LOVED the semi-sweet cookies with walnuts. YUM!

My Mom eventually ran into this copycat recipe, and it became our family's favorite. I made a batch for the bake sale last week, and was reminded of how yummy they are. This batch makes 60 cookies (using my cookie scoop.) *I can fit 15 cookies on a baking sheet.

I baked half of the batch immediately, and used the following trick for the remaining dough. I make dough balls with my cookie scoop and store them in a tupperware container in the freezer. If I'm putting multiple layers of dough in the container, I simply separate them by cutting a circle of wax paper. This freezer method is SO convenient. Cookies are ready to bake in a snap. It's much easier than pulling out a log or lump of hard-as-a-rock dough and trying to cut uniform cookies. I highly recommend this tip!

And now for the recipe...

Mrs. Field's 

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

• 1/2 lb. butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 1/4 cup, white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 regular bag chocolate chips
• 1/2 to 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Cream butter and sugar together, and then add the remaining ingredients in the order listed.

Make sure the dough itself is well blended before adding chocolate chips and nuts.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool slightly. 

*These cookies are heavenly when eaten warm. Enjoy! 

Our Desparate Stand-by

This week is chaos!!! 

That's an understatement - Somebody call FEMA!

So, this is what's for dinner....

It's hot. It's ready. It's cheap. 

And the kids can eat it in the car as we race from one appointment to the next.

I should be buying stock in this company. 

Some months, I swear we single-handedly keep them in business.

Fondue Night

The Melting Pot restaurant makes absolutely scrumptious food at outrageous prices.
Their "Big Night Out" feast will cost 2 people about $100. Which is definitely out of our typical date-night budget. Consequently, I hunted for delicious recipes to help me duplicate the fondue experience for our large family at a fraction of the cost.

The meal is still not cheap because of the gourmet cheese it requires, but it is infinitely less expensive than the restaurant, and our family LOVES the result. This is a rich meal that we reserve for special occasions. We usually have it for our family Valentine's Day dinner, or Matt will request it for his birthday.

We also discovered that we don't really miss having the standard second course of meats. We just like warmed ham cubes dipped along with standard cheese fondue fare. 

This meal has two courses: 

     1) Cheese Fondue Main Dish

     2) Chocolate Turtle Fondue Dessert

It's also become a family tradition to prepare the meal together. The kids stem strawberries, cut vegetables, or warm up the ham. After all that family preparation, it feels so natural to gather around the pot of molten-cheese-bliss and dig in together too. :D

CHEESE FONDUE MAIN COURSE
Cut the following into bite size cubes for dipping. Use any combination you like:

• French Bread
• Celery
• Carrots
• Granny Smith Apples
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Red Bell Pepper
• Ham Steak

Basic Cheese Fondue

• 1 lb. of Gruyere Cheese, Shredded
• 1/2 lb. of Emmanthaler Cheese, Shredded
• 1/2-1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 cup White Grape Juice (*White wine is used traditionally, but we've been concerned about the alcohol not burning off, so we just go with white grape juice. We also found that the subtle sweetness added by the grape juice makes it even more delicious!)
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 1-2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
• dashes of nutmeg
• dashes of pepper 

TIPS:

1. Don't CHEAT on the cheese! We've experimented with a variety of less expensive cheeses, and I strongly advise you not to waste your time and money. You can get away with substituting the emmanthaler with a block of swiss, BUT there is no substitute for real Gruyere!  It MAKES this dish, and nothing else will get the job done. Be careful not include too much of the cheese rind in the mixture or it will give the fondue a sharper flavor. We usually slice off anything that looks waxy or overly hard. 
2. Cheese fondue is not difficult, but there is definitely an art and science to it. Because we don't use alcohol, the acidity of the fondue is altered and it needs the acidity of lemon juice or white wine vinegar to breakdown the cheese proteins. The cornstarch does wonders in smoothing the texture. And blending fondue is best accomplished by stirring in a figure eight motion - I don't know why, but it's TRUE.

 INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat the Fondue pot to about 225 degrees.
2. Sprinkle the garlic in the bottom of the pot and allow to sizzle for a half a minute.
3. Add the White Grape Juice.
4. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice & cornstarch so there aren't any lumps. Add to pot.
5. Slowly sprinkle in handfuls of cheese, stirring in a figure eight. Keep sprinkling until all the cheese is incorporated and melted.
6. Add nutmeg & pepper.
7. Keep stirring until everything is well blended and smooth.
8. If the fondue still needs a thinner or smoother texture, add a tablespoon of lemon juice or cornstarch and stir for another minute.
9. Check the heat as well to make sure the pot is warm but not overly hot. The cheese should NOT be boiling, but if your fondue starts to thicken or solidify then you need to raise the temperature a bit.
10. You will also need to stir the pot periodically while everyone is eating to keep the fondue smooth.

Chocolate Turtle Fondue Dessert

• 2 cups Real Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Caramel Ice Cream toppings (Hershey's is great. It's inexpensive, and it pours & blends easily.)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
• FOR DIPPING: Strawberries, bananas, apples, brownie bites, pound cake, rice crispy treats. *We've come to prefer just fruit for dipping with this course to contrast the richness of all the cheese and then chocolate. 

1. In a second fondue pot or double boiler, melt the chocolate over low heat (no higher than 135 degrees.) Stirring constantly. *There's no going back if the chocolate gets burned, but don't worry, this course is simple and always a hit. ;D
2. Stir in the caramel sauce and nuts, and serve immediately with fruit and desserts for dipping.  

Enjoy!

Peeling Kiwi

My son, Zach, LOVES Kiwi!!!

It's one of his favorite foods on the planet.

However, peeling big piles of little kiwi with a vegetable peeler was a  huge pain!

Then I discovered this simple trick in the "Tip-a-day Guide to Healthy Living."  My husband and sister were so enthusiastic when I shared this trick with them, that I'm passing it on to you...

*Special thanks to Gabe for being my "Camera-man." :D

Egg in a Hat

     Sometimes it's nice to find a new way to fancy up standard breakfast foods. We discovered this recipe while camping with extended family. Gabe is my pickiest eater, but he LOVES this for breakfast. The ingredients listed are for one serving (we usually need 12) but you can adjust it to your families needs. It's also flexible for individual preferences - I'll explain below.

Egg in a Hat

• Slice of Whole Wheat Bread
• Egg
• Thin Slice of Cheddar Cheese
• Slice of Extra Lean Ham
• Cooking Spray

1. Use the lid of the cooking spray to cut a hole in the center of each slice of bread. (*If you're feeling really festive you can use a small cookie cutter.) Set bread circles aside.
2. Heat the pan or griddle to medium,  and spray it with cooking spray.  You need the griddle hot to start so the eggs won't run away from the bread in the next step.
3. Lay out the slices of bread on the griddle. Crack an egg and drop it in the center of each slice of bread. Let the egg cook to desired consistency. *For instance, the kids and I like to use a fork to scramble the upper part of the egg and spread it across the bread. Matt likes his eggs untouched and over easy.
4. Flip the egg and bread to cook on the other side.
5. Add a slice of cheese and a then a slice of ham.
6. You can flip it back over to brown the ham and melt the cheese quickly. Serve hot off the griddle.
7. Toast the bread circles and serve as desired. 

*My kids like their egg in a hat cut like a pizza so they get a little of everything in each bite. Enjoy!

Hamburger & Vegetable Soup

Some of the best recipes I have from my Mom are the ones she never wrote down.

"Oh, you just throw it together," she would say.

This colorful soup is one of those "throw it together" kind, and I LOVE IT!

It's a simple, flavorful, and perfectly balanced meal. I love how the shredded cabbage takes the place of pasta so well. There's lean protein, whole grain, and loads of vegetables. They make a medley of deliciousness that doesn't require any fancy spices. I hope you enjoy it too!

Hamburger & Vegetable Soup

• 1 lb. extra lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 3-4 cups cabbage, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced
• 1 can corn kernels
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups potatoes, cubed (optional)
• 12 cups beef broth (low-sodium if preferred)
• pepper, to taste

1. In a large soup pot, brown the ground beef with the diced onion until completely cooked.
2. Add chopped vegetables and beef broth.
3. Open cans of corn and tomatoes and pour into the soup undrained.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Add pepper to desired taste.
6. Serve hot. *It keeps well in the fridge for a week. 

St. Patrick's Day Breakfast

We love St. Patrick's Day!

All the world gets to be Irish on St. Patty's, and so do I.

I start spouting Blarney in an irish brogue, and telling the kids how I chased a leprechaun through the house the night before. I usually catch him, but his gold coins always turn into chocolate ones, and he leaves something green for the kids to wear that day. ;D

This is our typically St. Patrick's Day breakfast. It's our favorite buttermilk pancake recipe died green and then cookie-cut into shamrock shapes. We eat it with "Gold Coin Topping."

Buttermilk Pancakes

• 3 cups buttermilk
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda 
• 2 cup flour
• *Green food coloring (used only for St. Patrick's Day)

Mix the wet ingredients and then add the dry ones. Whisk well to remove any lumps. The batter is more runny than most pancake recipes, but that's what makes these pancakes so light and magically delicious.

I usually cook them on our giant griddle set to 300 degrees, but if you're using a pan on the stove, you probably want to use a medium-high heat. Flip them when they bubble. The should be golden brown in color (well, unless of course their green. ;D)

We have half-a-dozen shamrock cookie-cutters because the kids like to cut out their own shamrock pancakes - so fun!

Gold Coin Topping

• 3-4 bananas, cut into coins size circles
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• syrup, 

Mix the bananas and nuts with just enough syrup to wet the topping and hold it together. However, the bananas shouldn't be swimming in syrup. This topping is great for everyday use because it cut's down on the refined sugars and replaces it with the healthy sweet of the bananas. It's a family favorite.

Spoon the "gold coins" over hot pancakes and enjoy.

And a Happy St. Patty's to you, me darlin's!!

Shrimp & Pasta Salad

When I was a kid, my mom would make this yummy salad for picnics up the canyon, and I LOVED it. I was simply craving it last night. It makes a great lunch or light summer dinner with a toss salad or fruit on the side.


Shrimp & Pasta Salad

• 1 box (13.25 oz) Whole Wheat Pasta Shells
• 1 1/2 cup celery, washed & diced
• 1 1/2 cup Bread & Butter pickles, diced
• 2 cups small cooked frozen shrimp, thawed & tails removed
• About 1 cup light or regular mayonnaise

*You'll notice that many of my measurements aren't exact. I tend to throw this together quickly and then taste it and adjust it to my mood. For instance last night, I wanted more pickles... maybe it's pregnancy thing ;D. But if I'm watching calories carefully, I'll add less mayo and more celery - you get the idea.

1. Defrost shrimp in a bowl of water. 
2. Boil the pasta according to the package directions and then rinse the pasta in cold water until it's completely cooled.
3. While the pasta boils and the shrimp thaws, chop the pickles and celery.
4. Drain the shrimp (remove tails if necessary,) and pat dry with paper towels. *Sometimes I will cut shrimp into smaller pieces depending on the shrimp's size. My mom used to use tiny little salad shrimp.
5. Combine cooled pasta, shrimp, celery, pickles and mayo in a large bowl. Stir well and adjust to taste.

This salad is best eaten fresh. Leftovers must refrigerated and are good for a day or two, but any longer than that, and the shrimp will start to change the flavor. The kids really liked this last night - most of the kids had second helpings. The boys avoided the shrimp, but that's okay, since it meant more for Lauren (she LOVES shrimp.)  Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Banana Bread

This is a healthier, more flavorful banana bread than many that we've tried. It's so moist and delicious that it doesn't need any butter to be fully enjoyed. In fact, there's very little fat in it at all. It can also be used as a zucchini bread recipe, just swap the bananas for shredded zucchini.
*This recipe makes 2 loaves.

Enlightened Banana Bread

• 2 1/2 - 3 cups bananas, mashed; or zucchini, peeled & shredded
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cup sugar (can be cut to 1 cup if using chocolate chips**)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 cups whole-wheat flour (can be whole-wheat pastry flour)
• 1 cups chopped nuts (optional)

I mash the bananas in the mixer first, and then add the wet ingredients, sugar and spices. Slowly add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutrition information for 1/12 of a loaf:

Calories: 140         Total Carbs: 25 g      Fiber: 3 g            Sugars: 13 g

Fat: 3 g                  Protein: 3.5 g           Cholesterol: 0 g

**My kids also really like it if I throw some mini, milk chocolate chips into the batter. Yummy! But it will change the nutritional values a bit. ;D

Vegetable Beef Stew

I love soups in general, but I think they're 

a MUST in these long winter months.

This Vegetable Beef Stew is usually made in a slow cooker, however, I had some leftover, cooked steak and threw this together pretty quickly on the stove.

The chopping is minimal and most of the prep work involves opening cans, so you're husband will think you slaved over this home-cooked meal when it only took you 10 minutes. ;D And if you're feeling guilty about how easy and delicious this easy, you could always bake some bread to go with it. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs.  Steak
• 8 oz bag Baby Carrots, cut into thirds
• 2 cups Potatoes, diced
• 1 medium Onion, sliced
• 1 can Corn, drained
• 1 can Green Beans, drained
• 12 oz. V8 Juice
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 packet dry Brown Gravy mix
• 1 tsp Beef Bouillon granules
• 1 1/2 cups Water

Combine all ingredients in a greased 4.5-6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. *Makes about 8 servings.

Cheesy Potato Chowder

This is not health food -
  it's Potato Bliss!!!

This is restaurant quality food. My sister-in-law, Betsy, got the recipe from a shop where she worked. My family loves this soup - it's fantastic!

Ingredients

• 4 cups potatoes, peeled & cubed
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 7 cups milk, skim
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 3/4 cup bacon bits (about 12 slices)
• 1 can corn, drained (optional)
• 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

1. Peel and cube potatoes and put them in a microwave safe bowl with a little water. Cook on high for 7 minutes or until tender. 
2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt butter in a large pot, and stir in the flour. Whisk until smooth.
3. Slowly add milk, stirring continually to avoid the formation of lumps.
4. Add sliced onions, bacon bits, corn, & potatoes.
5. Stir in shredded cheese, and keep stirring until melted.
6. Add sour cream, salt and pepper. 

Serve immediately. This is also wonderful in a bread bowl - Enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff

Well, I've fallen behind (you knew it was going to happen.) Life got hectic, and I was busy WORKING on a project instead of blogging about it. So the next question is, "Do I try to play catch-up?" or "Do I just let it go and move forward?" ... hmmm... If I start playing the 'catch-up' game, I think I'll always feel overwhelmed and behind. I just realized this will likely happen again, since I won't be blogging from Hawaii (unless I'm just posting pictures,) and I seriously doubt I'll be blogging from the hospital when this baby comes. SO,

Blogging By-law #3: ... Dump the guilt, pick-up the blog on the returning date, and keep moving forward.

I feel better already :D

BEEF STROGANOFF

                 by Zonya Foco

*Who new there could be a "light" recipe for beef stroganoff. This is very flavorful, Zach said at dinner tonight, "Mom, this is Divine!" I'll often make a double batch of the meat and freeze the leftovers for a handy meal.

• 2 1/2 lbs. lean steak, fat trimmed, & cubed
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 8 oz. mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 10 oz. can Cream of Mushroom Soup (Campbell's Healthy Request)
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp. corn starch
• 1/3 cup Marsala cooking wine (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups light sour cream
• 12 oz. bag of whole wheat egg noodles
• 24 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables

1. Spray a medium size slow cooker (I think mine is 4 quarts) with cooking spray, and put the steak in the bottom and around the sides. Fill in the center with mushrooms and sliced onion. 
2. In a seperate bowl, mix the soup, water, bouillon, spices, corn starch and Marsala (optional.)
3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 1/2 - 5 hrs. or low for 9 - 10 hrs.
4. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, boil water and cook the noodles according to package directions. 
5. Add frozen vegetables to the boiling noodles during the last minute. Drain and set aside.
6. When the meat mixture is done cooking, stir in the light sour cream. 
7. Serve meat sauce over noodle and vegetable mixture. Enjoy!

Nutrition information for 1 cup of meat sauce over 1 cup of noodles and veggies:

  403 calories,     39 g Carbs,    39 g protein,    6 g fiber,    9 g fat,     

Veggie Skillet

This month I wanted to focus on some of the simple and healthy meals that my family eats. I have more elaborate and decadent recipes, but those will come later.

When I was pregnant with Jared, I discovered a show on KBYU about healthy living and eating with nutritionist host, Zonya Foco.  I tried a couple of the recipes, worrying that they would be bland and small, and soon discovered that they were delicious and filling. I bought her book "Lickety-Split Meals for Health Conscious People on the Go" and started making dozens of recipes from it.  The kids would ask "What's for dinner?" and half of the time I'd say, "It's a new recipe." Matt and I love most everything we've tried, and the kids have their favorites from it. One remarkable thing I noticed as I cooked from the book, was that I felt so healthy during my pregnancy. I noticed a BIG difference toward the end of the pregnancy. The low sodium recipes prevented the swelling I would normally experience, and I felt really good during the last 6 weeks when I'm normally miserable. Jared was born at 38 weeks and weighed a healthy 8 lbs. 4 oz., but I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight within a month. It was a great experience.

This simple recipe comes from her chapter titled "15 Minute Meals." She points out that you can make a healthy meal in less time than it takes to pick up fast food, and these recipes are infinitely healthier and less expensive (the nutritional information and portion sizes are listed at the bottom of each recipe.)  

We like the Veggie Skillet for a FAST and filling lunch or dinner. It makes a LOT of food for very few calories.

• Few Tbsp Olive Oil
• 24 oz Frozen Hash Browns (Southern Style)
• 24 oz Frozen Mixed Vegetables
• 1 Red or Green Pepper, seeded & diced
• 2 Tbsp Dried Onion
• Black Pepper & Mrs. Dash to taste

Pour oil into a large skillet on medium heat. Add potatoes and vegetables, and let them cook for about 5 minutes while you dice up the pepper. Add pepper, onion, and spices. Mix thoroughly and cook for five more minutes. Stir again and cook for 2 to 5 more minutes until heated through. 

Serve with low-fat cottage cheese and fruit. The cottage cheese provides the protein for this meal, the potatoes provide the starch and then you have the vegetables and fruit to make a perfectly balanced meal. My family actually likes to mix the cottage cheese with the skillet mixture. I know that sounds weird, but it's a great substitute to smothering potatoes with butter, cheese and sour cream. 

If there are any leftovers (that doesn't happen often at my house,) I like to repurpose the mixture for an omelette. In fact, I ate this for breakfast.

• 1/2 to 1 cup Veggie Skillet mixture
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1 Tbsp bacon bits
• 1/2 -1 oz cheese, shredded
• Salt & Pepper to taste.

Put the skillet mix & bacon bits in a small pan on medium heat. Whip the eggs and egg whites together and pour over vegetables. Stir until eggs are thoroughly cooked, sprinkle with salt, pepper and cheese. Enjoy!

Honey-Mustard Chicken & Home Fries

Chicken nuggets and french fries don't qualify as health food, but that doesn't stop my kids from craving them. However, this meal is an easy, tasty, healthy & inexpensive alternative to a trip to McDonald's.

Home Fries

• Baking potatoes, or sweet potatoes
• A drizzle of olive oil
• Mrs. Dash
• Pepper

Wash potatoes and cut into wedges. Drizzle with a little bit of oil (enough to get the spices to stick.) Sprinkle with pepper and Mrs. Dash, and toss. I like to toss it in a plastic container with a lid.

Spray a cookie sheet with oil and spread wedges on the sheet. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 1 hour.

The fries are very low in fat, low in sodium and high in magical deliciousness. My kids repeatedly tell me that they like them better than restaurant fries. 

The kids like to dip the regular potato fries in ketchup or fry sauce, but the sweet potato fries don't need anything more - They are heavenly.

Honey-Mustard Chicken

• Chicken Breast
• Honey Mustard
• Bread Crumbs 
• A few Tbsp olive oil

These breasts were a little thick, so I cut them down the middle (lengthwise) to make them thinner & easier to cook. Pat the chicken dry and brush one side with honey-mustard. Dip the honey-mustard side in bread crumbs and then coat the other side with honey-mustard and crumbs. 

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Use just enough oil to thinly cover the bottom of the pan. Then cook the chicken on each side until done (about 5 minutes each side). Cut into the center of each piece to check that it has thoroughly cooked.

The chicken is very lightly breaded and fried, so this is much healthier alternative to fried chicken. The honey-mustard and breading lock in the juices and give the chicken a great flavor. 

I hope your family enjoys this meal as much as mine.

*Final Note: This post would not be complete without acknowledging a fantastic gift that my husband gave me for Christmas - A New Oven!!!  You have to understand that for the last 6 years, I have been cooking for my family of 7 people on a twenty-year-old stove that had 3 itty-bitty burners and only 1 large one - which had an electrical short in it, and would unpredictably ramp up to scalding high heat and burn whatever was on it without warning!

I am now in cooking HEAVEN!!! 
Thank you, sweetheart!