Twice baked potatoes

 I have a story to tell you but promise not to make fun of me. No really, promise !! Its about my obsession with twice baked potatoes and how I've been in love with them since I was a child. 

Not barbies. Twice.baked.potatoes.

The first time I ever had a twice baked potato, my life was changed. I had to be around 5 or 6, at this big family party my grandfather has every year, and had no idea what is was. All I knew is that is was delicious. Really freakin' delicious and I never wanted to have a regular baked potato ever again.

I literally never forgot about them, and years later, my aunt ended up having her wedding at the same catering hall our family party took place. To this day she will tell you that I was so happy, I went around collecting extra potatoes for myself from my family members that didn't want theirs, then proceeded to sit there and eat them all.

Go ahead, laugh. I know you want to.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Makes 3

3 Russet Potatoes 

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon low fat milk

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 

1/4 tablespoon black pepper

1/4 tablespoon garlic powder

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400

Wash, scrub and dry your potatoes. Add them to a plate, pierce them with a fork all over, then cook them in the microwave on high for 15 minutes.

Let them cool enough to be able to handle, then slice in half stopping before you cut all the way through. Using a spoon, scoop the potato out of the skins and add it to a bowl. Add in your butter, milk, chopped parsley and black pepper. Mash and mix to combined, then one by one add the mashed filling back into each potato skin.

Sprinkle tops with garlic powder then cook in the oven for 5 minutes. If tops aren't crisping up, put them under the broiler for an additional 3 minutes.

Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wrap Egg Rolls

Did anyone else ever realize how much fun it is to wrap things up in egg roll wrappers and then eat them? Like, I just discovered this is a thing, and want to wrap everything up in egg roll wrappers now. 

Egg roll is the new black.

And funny thing - I don't even like egg rolls. I never order them, never eat them, never think about them, but now - now I can't stop. I can't stop thinking about egg rolls.

"Want to go to the mall?"

"Will there be somewhere to buy egg rolls?"

Its a problem, friends, and I don't see it going anywhere anytime soon seeing as I've already thought about 3 different versions of these that I want to make, so yea. The addiction continues.

BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wrap Egg Rolls

Makes 5

5 egg roll wrappers

1/2 cup cooked chicken, chopped

1 tablespoon BBQ sauce

1/2 cup chopped lettuce 

cooking spray

green onions for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 and lay out egg roll wrappers on a flat working surface. In a bowl, combined chopped chicken with BBQ sauce and coat evenly.

Add some chopped up lettuce to the bottom left corner of each egg roll, splitting it up evenly, then top with chopped chicken.

Fold the bottom left corner over the stuffing, then the two corners over that. Roll the wrapper up until you have formed an egg roll. Wet your finger, and press to seal down the edges. Your wrappers package should have visual instructions on the back.

Spray each egg roll with cooking spray and cook for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Skinny Chicken Parmesan

Today we're making Chicken Parmesan skinny so I can eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the summer and not have to endure an ounce of exercise.

Just kidding. You have to exercise, but I'll let you know when the angel of the pizza diet comes and visits me.

If you know anything about this blog, you know that my boyfriend, Mr. D, loves chicken cutlets. Chicken cutlet piccata, chicken cutlet parmesan, chicken cutlets cold out of the fridge at 3am - all varieties! He's flexible like that.

Oh also, I'm aware there is no mozzarella cheese on the very top of this chicken parmesan. I'd be lying to you if I told you I didn't have any on hand.

Honestly, I just didn't want to wait for it to melt.

Signed,
Mel the food blogger.

Skinny Chicken Parmesan

2 chicken breasts, sliced and pounded into cutlets (i was able to get 4 medium slices, 2 small)

1 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs 

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 egg

3 tablespoons low fat milk

cooking spray

1/2 cup marinara sauce

fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat your oven to 425 and grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Wash, slice, and pound your chicken breasts into cutlets. In a shallow dish, combined panko, olive oil and parmesan cheese. Mix until olive oil makes bread crumb mixture rustic and crumbly. In a separate dish combined egg and milk.

Dip your chicken cutlets in the egg mixture, then into the bread crumbs making sure each piece is completely coated. Transfer to greased baking sheet and lightly spray each chicken cutlet with cooking spray. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip over and spray again. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove from oven and top with marinara sauce. Return back to the oven if sauce needs to be heated. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy!

So I put two of my recipes together.

Call it lo mein? Call it vegetables with noodles? I don't really know what to call it except that I put two of my most frequently made recipes together. 

I was feeling dangerous, clearly. 

vegetable medley recipe + embarrassingly easy chinese noodles recipe

enjoy! xo

Its BBQ season.

my favorite part of summer.