Friday, January 29, 2010

Quick and Easy Dinner Idea #1

Alright, ladies (and a few fellas)... I think you'll be able to relate to my next statement. There is one thing that I hate to hear when Blake calls to let me know that he is on his way home, especially if I haven't been to the grocery store yet that week.

"What's for dinner tonight?"

(Though I must admit, "I have to work late tonight" stirs even more dislike.)

Regardless, last night when Blake inquired as to what was for dinner, I was ready.

"We are having Crispy, Ranch Chicken." It is the easiest dinner in the world AND it takes less time than ordering a pizza. (I swear!)

So, I thought I'd share this with you all to save you the cringe of "the dreaded question."

Ingredients:
Two (or Three or Four) Boneless Chicken Breasts
One Package of Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix (I use Hidden Valley's.)
1/4 Cup of Bread Crumbs
Cooking Spray (or Butter) to Grease the Pan

Steps:
1. Preheat your oven to 375*F, and grease your baking dish to help prevent the chicken from sticking.

2. Trim as many chicken breast as you plan on making for your family. (In my case I used two, one for me and one for Blake.)*(Little * means there is a tip below!)

3. Combine 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and the package of ranch seasoning mix in a plastic baggie that can be sealed. Shake the bag a little to mix the mix and bread crumbs together.


4.  Throw the chicken into the baggie with the bread crumbs and seasoning mix. Shake, shake, shake! (It is important to remember to tightly seal the baggie shut. Trust me on this one.)
5. Remove the chicken from the baggie and place the pieces in your greased baking dish. 

6. Bake (at 375*, remember?) for 50 minutes or until the center is no longer pink and/or the juices are running clear when you cut into it. 
7. Devour! 

Seriously, how easy was that? And it was the tasty of all tasty meals! You can tell that Blake and I enjoyed ourselves.
 
*Kitchen Tip:
When I get home from the grocery store, I take the time to trim my meats and wash my fruits and veggies. I also put my meats that I'm not going to use in the next few days into the freezer in a air-tight container. It saves a TON of time during the week when you just want to get your food on the table and spend time with your family.

Enjoy!!!

3 comments:

  1. Yum! It's almost like shake n bake. I love new ideas for chicken! And, YES, I hate hearing every night..."What's for dinner?"

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  2. Sounds great, I cant wait to try it!

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  3. The iPhone has an app that I downloaded not too long ago. It's the Whole Foods App. You choose the course, the category and any special diet needs. It is the complete hookup. You can tag favorites. You enter in what ingredients you already have and it tells you what else you need to buy. It's really incredible and - best of all - it's free! (this post reminds me of the app) :)

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