The Best Chicken Nuggets Ever

One of Munchkin's favorite foods is the almighty chicken nugget.  Oh how he loves chicken nuggets.  I've tried several at home versions of chicken nuggets and each one received lukewarm reviews.  But when I saw this one over on Health-Bent that uses ground chicken (genius!) I thought I might have a winner. 

Saying that Munchkin loved them is an understatement.  After one bite, Munchkin requested I feed him (his words) these best chicken nuggets and 'that good meatloaf' for dinner from now on.  Even Hubbers (who is not typically the biggest chicken nugget fan) loved them.  I made a few tweaks to the original recipe based on Munchkin's tastes and what I had on hand.  And the best part (in my opinion) is that they're wheat free and I know exactly what's in them :)

Here's what I used in our nuggets:

Nugget Mixture
1 pound ground chicken
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup almond flour

Breading
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup grated parmesan

olive oil & butter for frying - I used a 50/50 ratio, enough to coat the bottom of the pan

Check out Health-Bent for the how to method - I followed it exactly

Note on the cooking time - I found it took about 4 minutes of cook time per side.



I participate in the following link parties: Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Skip to My Lou, The Girl Creative, Making the World Cuter, Miss Crafty Pants, Super Stinky Boys, Mad In Crafts, Embellishing Life Everyday, Keeping It Simple, The DIY Home Sweet Home Project, Chocolate Drool & Kisses, Simply Cadence, Polly Wanna Crafter, Sew Can Do, Tip Junkie, My Frugal Family, Coastal Charm, New Nostagalia, Blessed with Grace, The Creative Itch, Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Home Stories A to Z, The Lettered Cottage, A Bowl Full of Lemons, At Home with K, All Thingz Related, Today's Creative Blog, Not Just a Housewife, Sew Much Ado, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Gluesticks, Extreme Personal Measures, The Thrifty Home, The Trendy Treehouse, Someday Crafts, All Things Heart and Home, Elements Interiors, My Girlish Whims, DIY by Design, Somewhat Simple, House of Hepworths, Seven Thirty Three, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Black Kat Design, Thrifty 101, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Finding Fabulous, Poppies at Play, The Inspired Room, KoJo Designs, Whipperberry, Inspiring Creations, Romantic Home, The Speckled Dog, At the Picket Fence, Little Brick Ranch, Designer Garden, Simply Sweet Home, Simply Designing, Tatertots & Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, Be Different Act Normal, Saturday Morning Blog, It's a Crafty Life, I Heart Naptime, Under the Table and Dreaming, Creative Jewish Mom, Flamingo Toes, The DIY Showoff, Marvelously Messy, Nifty Thrifty Things, Thrifty Decor Chick, The Cottage Chick, Running with Glitter, One Artsy Mama, Dittle Dattle, Southern Lovely, Naptime Creations, Ladybird Ln, Sew Many Ways,

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

This is my all time favorite vanilla icing.  It sweet and creamy and tastes amazing.  Just perfect for a Valentine that doesn't love chocolate (gasp!) 

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing


1 package cream cheese, softened
6 oz white chocolate, finely grated
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk

1 - With an electric mixer, whip cream cheese and butter until smooth
2 - Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, and grated white chocolate and mix until all of the powdered sugar is incorporated
3 - Whip in milk, by the tablespoon, until desired consistency is reached


You could melt the chocolate, but I prefer the delicious bits of white chocolate throughout the icing.

I like it on french vanilla cupcakes, but it would be absolutely heavenly on a gorgeous red velvet cake!


I participate in the following link parties: Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Skip to My Lou, The Girl Creative, Making the World Cuter, Miss Crafty Pants, Super Stinky Boys, Mad In Crafts, Embellishing Life Everyday, Keeping It Simple, The DIY Home Sweet Home Project, Chocolate Drool & Kisses, Simply Cadence, Polly Wanna Crafter, Sew Can Do, Tip Junkie, My Frugal Family, Coastal Charm, New Nostagalia, Blessed with Grace, The Creative Itch, Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Home Stories A to Z, The Lettered Cottage, A Bowl Full of Lemons, At Home with K, All Thingz Related, Today's Creative Blog, Not Just a Housewife, Sew Much Ado, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Gluesticks, Extreme Personal Measures, The Thrifty Home, The Trendy Treehouse, Someday Crafts, All Things Heart and Home, Elements Interiors, My Girlish Whims, DIY by Design, Somewhat Simple, House of Hepworths, Seven Thirty Three, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Black Kat Design, Thrifty 101, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Finding Fabulous, Poppies at Play, The Inspired Room, KoJo Designs, Whipperberry, Inspiring Creations, Romantic Home, The Speckled Dog, At the Picket Fence, Little Brick Ranch, Designer Garden, Simply Sweet Home, Simply Designing, Tatertots & Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, Be Different Act Normal, Saturday Morning Blog, It's a Crafty Life, I Heart Naptime, Under the Table and Dreaming, Creative Jewish Mom, Flamingo Toes, The DIY Showoff, Marvelously Messy, Nifty Thrifty Things, Thrifty Decor Chick, The Cottage Chick, Running with Glitter, One Artsy Mama, Dittle Dattle, Southern Lovely, Naptime Creations, Ladybird Ln, Sew Many Ways,

My Favorite Salad...For Now

I've been trying to eat a little healthier lately.  Kinda.  A little less bread, a little more veggies.  So I've been experimenting with some salads at lunchtime.  Here's my current favorite:

Some iceberg & Romain.  Tossed with red onion & strawberries.  Topped with a little maple honey ham and grated Havarti cheese.  Oh yes, Havarti cheese.  It's so good you don't really need salad dressing.  But if you must, I strongly suggest a toasted sesame variety.


I participate in the following link parties: Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Skip to My Lou, The Girl Creative, Making the World Cuter, Miss Crafty Pants, Super Stinky Boys, Mad In Crafts, Embellishing Life Everyday, Keeping It Simple, The DIY Home Sweet Home Project, Chocolate Drool & Kisses, Simply Cadence, Polly Wanna Crafter, Sew Can Do, Tip Junkie, My Frugal Family, Coastal Charm, New Nostagalia, Blessed with Grace, The Creative Itch, Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Home Stories A to Z, The Lettered Cottage, A Bowl Full of Lemons, At Home with K, All Thingz Related, Today's Creative Blog, Not Just a Housewife, Sew Much Ado, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Gluesticks, Extreme Personal Measures, The Thrifty Home, The Trendy Treehouse, Someday Crafts, All Things Heart and Home, Elements Interiors, My Girlish Whims, DIY by Design, Somewhat Simple, House of Hepworths, Seven Thirty Three, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Black Kat Design, Thrifty 101, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Finding Fabulous, Poppies at Play, The Inspired Room, KoJo Designs, Whipperberry, Inspiring Creations, Romantic Home, The Speckled Dog, At the Picket Fence, Little Brick Ranch, Designer Garden, Simply Sweet Home, Simply Designing, Tatertots & Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, Be Different Act Normal, Saturday Morning Blog, It's a Crafty Life, I Heart Naptime, Under the Table and Dreaming, Creative Jewish Mom, Flamingo Toes, The DIY Showoff, Marvelously Messy, Nifty Thrifty Things, Thrifty Decor Chick, The Cottage Chick, Running with Glitter, One Artsy Mama, Dittle Dattle, Southern Lovely, Naptime Creations, Ladybird Ln, Sew Many Ways,

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Hoagies

Only five more days till the Superbowl!  Not that I care about the game...I care about the food!  We're still completely undecided on the menu this year - it might be a gametime decision.  In preparation for the food fest big game, I've been making some fun possibilities.  This chicken popper hoagie is definitely on the short list (maybe in slider form):
 

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Hoagie
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin (1/2 inch)
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup milk
oil for frying

2 hoagie buns (12 inch)

4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup jarred jalapenos (or more to taste)
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
2-3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled


Chicken
1 - Heat oil over medium heat
2 - Dip chicken in milk and coat with bread crumbs
3 - Fry chicken in small batches until golden brown and juice runs clear, about 4-5 minutes on each side

Popper Spread
1 - Melt cream cheese over low heat
2 - Remove from heat and mix in mayonnaise, Monterrey jack cheese and jalapenos

3 - Return to low heat and continue stirring until Monterrey jack cheese melts
4 - Stir in crumbled bacon and remove from heat

Buns

1 - Slice buns lengthwise

2 - Spread each half with 1/4 of the melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder

3 - Place under the broiler (or on the grill) for 3-5 minutes until golden brown

To assemble

1 - Spread each bun half with 1/4 of the popper spread

2 - Add 1/2 of the chicken to the bottom half of each bun

3 - Add the bun lid

I participate in the following link parties: Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Skip to My Lou, The Girl Creative, Making the World Cuter, Miss Crafty Pants, Super Stinky Boys, Mad In Crafts, Embellishing Life Everyday, Keeping It Simple, The DIY Home Sweet Home Project, Chocolate Drool & Kisses, Simply Cadence, Polly Wanna Crafter, Sew Can Do, Tip Junkie, My Frugal Family, Coastal Charm, New Nostagalia, Blessed with Grace, The Creative Itch, Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Home Stories A to Z, The Lettered Cottage, A Bowl Full of Lemons, At Home with K, All Thingz Related, Today's Creative Blog, Not Just a Housewife, Sew Much Ado, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Gluesticks, Extreme Personal Measures, The Thrifty Home, The Trendy Treehouse, Someday Crafts, All Things Heart and Home, Elements Interiors, My Girlish Whims, DIY by Design, Somewhat Simple, House of Hepworths, Seven Thirty Three, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Black Kat Design, Thrifty 101, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Finding Fabulous, Poppies at Play, The Inspired Room, KoJo Designs, Whipperberry, Inspiring Creations, Romantic Home, The Speckled Dog, At the Picket Fence, Little Brick Ranch, Designer Garden, Simply Sweet Home, Simply Designing, Tatertots & Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, Be Different Act Normal, Saturday Morning Blog, It's a Crafty Life, I Heart Naptime, Under the Table and Dreaming, Creative Jewish Mom, Flamingo Toes, The DIY Showoff, Marvelously Messy, Nifty Thrifty Things, Thrifty Decor Chick, The Cottage Chick, Running with Glitter, One Artsy Mama, Dittle Dattle, Southern Lovely, Naptime Creations, Ladybird Ln, Sew Many Ways,