This is a rather long post, but it includes 3 recipes plus an announcement at the very end.

Do you love cookbooks?  I do.  I’m still sort of old-school when it comes to all of the technology.  I still love looking through cookbooks and magazines.  Actually I used to have a collection or obsession with cookbooks and had around 250 but have downsized this to only about 50.  I’m pretty picky about what I add to my collection, but when I found Christy Jordan’s Come Home to Supper, I knew I had to have it.  www.southernplate.com

Here are three recipes I prepared for dinner this week.  I have included her recipe then noted the changes I made due to my personal taste or using what you have on hand.

Hope you enjoy these.

Granny’s Oven Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing
• 3-4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, stir together bread crumbs, cheese, parsley flakes, garlic salt, and pepper. Pour Italian dressing into a separate shallow bowl.
3. Dip each chicken breast into the salad dressing to coat both sides, then dredge it in the bread crumb mixture and transfer it to a plate.
4. Place chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish and bake until they are cooked through, 30-40 minutes.

My revision:

In order to cook the chicken a bit quicker, I did cut mine into strips.  This cut cooking time down to about 25 – 30 minutes.

No black pepper – I have never used this since I don’t like it.  I keep trying it sometimes, but sorry just can’t do it.

With more pieces of chicken to coat, it did require almost twice as much coating.  Any extra I just sprinkled on top for a little extra crust.

Parmesan Oven Fries

Ingredients

• 3 Medium – Large Baking Potatoes
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Wash potatoes and cut each one into 8 spears.
2. In a shallow dish, combine parmesan, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl. Dip sides of cut spears into melted butter on all sides, then dip just cut sides into parmesan mixture.
3. Arrange in a single layer, skin side down, on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and browned.

Makes enough for about 4 people

My revisions:

With needing a larger batch for leftovers, I added a couple sweet potatoes to mine.

To cut down on calories and fat, I substituted olive oil for the butter (although if you know me, I LOVE my butter)

I used 1½ t garlic salt instead of garlic powder and salt.

Roasted Asparagus

I discovered a few years ago how much I love asparagus.  I have even roasted it on our grill outside.  To my knowledge, this is one vegetable which was never served in my home growing up.  Why?  I have no idea.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 T lemon juice or juice from ½ lemon
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Wash Asparagus and break off bottom two inches or so of each stalk.
3. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet.
4. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with kosher salt.
5. Place in oven for about 20 minutes, stirring once, until lightly browned on the edges.

My revisions:

In many recipes, I will substitute Wildtree Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil for lemon juice when appropriate since I always have it on hand, and not always fresh lemons.

I used sea salt, instead of kosher salt

You can find full versions of these recipes with pictures on Christy’s website, www.southernplate.com

Christy Jordan will be in Chattanooga at Barnes & Noble, Hamilton Place on Monday, March 24^th, 6:00 pm to sign her new book.  Please come out and get your very own copy.  PLUS – look for an autographed copy to be given away next week.