Parmesan Orzo

This recipe is one of my favorite easy recipes to make. I have been making it for a long time and can't for the life of me remember where it came from. For me, cooking with orzo is fun because a lot of people shy away from it since they don't know what it is. So, it seems like you are making a sophisticated dish when you use it. Aside from the orzo trickery, this dish is also very flavorful with the combination of chicken broth and fresh basil. Then you add the cheese on top of that and it is so creamy. It is a must make in my book. If you are looking for a quick, tasty dish, or another way to eat pasta, give this recipe a try. Enjoy this dish and your Labor Day weekend!

Parmesan Orzo

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon butter

1 cup orzo

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup fresh parmesan

2 Tablespoons fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo, cooking 3 minutes, constantly stirring.

Stir in broth and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Stir in cheese, basil, salt, and pepper. Serve.

August Birchbox Neil George Shampoo/Conditioner Review

Sorry for the lack of posts and being a day behind, but my in-laws were in town and we were busy having a blast! I don't think I'm fully recovered from our adventures, but it was fun and I can't wait to do it again!

The Neil George shampoo and conditioner was just alright in my opinion. I have been using it every time I wash my hair since getting it and haven't noticed any difference in my hair. I usually have issues with frizz and damage, which it's supposed to protect against, and saw no improvements. The scent, while faint, was a little on the masculine side for my tastes. I also thought the shampoo was a little runny or thin, so I used a lot more product than needed. I will continue to use it until it's finished and let you know if anything changes, but at this point I doubt it will. It does have a big celeb following if that's your thing. For now though, I will stick with my Davines shampoo and conditioner, which can also be found at Birchbox!

Liebster Award and My Nominees!

I would like to start off by giving a huge thank you to the two blogs that nominated me, Beauty Ignited and The Quest for Sanity. It was amazing to get one nominee, but I was blown out of the water with two! Beauty Ignited is about, you guessed it, beauty. She covers what she likes and doesn't like so it's a great one to check out for all your beauty needs. Tori, from The Quest for Sanity, has a super cute blog. She covers multiple topics, from fitness motivation and music to cooking. We have similar tastes and you should take a look when you get a chance!

The rules are as follows:

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.

2. Answer the 11 questions the person who nominated you asked.

3. Nominate 11 blogs with under 200 follower, let them know they have been nominated, and post 11 questions for them to answer.

11 Random Facts About Moi!

1. I have always wanted to learn French, so one of the first gifts my, now husband, ever bought me was the French Rosetta Stone and I have been slowly working on it ever since.  

2. I have no middle name, like my father.  

3. Speaking of dads, I was named after Dr. Casey Reed on the Young & Restless because he thought she was hot.

4. I am terrified of fish. I won't swim in lakes or anywhere I can't see the bottom. 

5. My biggest pet peeve is open cabinet doors. It just irks me when people get stuff out and can't take a couple of seconds to close the door.

6. I am OCD when it comes to my closet. Yes my husband has clothes in there, but I organize it all. It is separated into categories such as tanks, tees, long sleeve, and then from there, color coded. It's perfect because I know what section to go through when I'm looking for an item!

7. All of my dishes and serving wear are from Crate & Barrel and white. White doesn't go out of style and looks classy. Plus, you can add pops of color as seasons or trends change making it very versatile.  

8. I love going to sporting events, que happy husband, no matter what the sport! I'm not going to pretend to be one of those girls that can name every player and stat, but I do know quite a bit and that's good enough for me.   

9. I don't like laying out or going to tanning beds. A girl I went to high school with got skin cancer and it was enough to freak me out. When I do layout, I slather on the sunscreen and stay out for about an hour to read. I'd prefer bronzer or getting spray tanned to get a healthy glow.

10. Every year we have been together, my husband has gotten me a "French-themed" item. Rosetta Stone mentioned about, Louboutins, etc. I'm hoping this is leading up to something else........a trip to France?!?!

11. I have an artists mentality. Inspiration for anything I'm working on usually hits in the middle of the night and I have to get up and write in down or work on it because I won't be able to sleep otherwise.  

11+ (nominated by 2) questions to answer

1. Why and when did you start blogging? I started blogging in May, after my husband moved from IN to NJ. It was a way to keep our families in the know about our new adventures here without posting it al over Facebook. That way, they could decide what and when to look. I decided to add the cooking, and recently beauty, because they are things I love and let's face it, we aren't rich, so we can't go out and do things everyday.  Especially since everything is so much more expensive out here.

2. What is your ultimate dream job (BI)? My ultimate dream job would be a sports or concert photographer. What is something you live by? Live life to the fullest. We don't know how much time we have on Earth, so I would rather live and make memories as long as I can because one day you might not get a chance to again.
3. 1 beauty item you can't live without (BI)? Mascara. Right now it's Yves Saint Laurent faux cils, but I constantly switch it up. What is your favorite lip color? Hot pink. I love using the Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip pencil in 16 C all over my lips, then adding a hot pink or clear gloss over that.
4. Top 3 places I want to visit. I would love to go to Paris, France (obviously), Santorini, Greece, and anywhere in Australia.
5. If you could eat 1 meal for the rest of your life what would it be (BI)? I would say sushi, specifically the Spider Roll, a soft shell tempura crab roll. Then Grand Marnier Chocolate Soufflés  made by yours truly, and some Cabernet! What is your favorite cocktail? I love Blanton's with 2 ice cubes.
6. Who is the biggest inspiration in your life (BI)? My grandparents. They exemplify what true love is and how I want my marriage to look after 50 years. They still hold hands and sneak kisses, it's so romantic and sweet. Not to mention so is the only other high heel lover in my family, maybe it's because we are the shortest at 5'1". Favorite coffee shop? I'm ashamed to admit my generic answer, but Starbucks right now. I just have my drink I like and it makes it easy, but there are so many other options out here that I need to suck it up and try something new.
7. What is your favorite book (BI)? I read a variety of books, but my last favorite was The Fault in Our Stars. I lived around the area the characters did, went to the areas, including Amsterdam, and had someone going through cancer, so it all really hit home. Who is your favorite author? I don't know that I have a favorite just yet. I read a little bit of everything. One series that I have followed is Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic books because I do love to shop. They are light hearted and hilarious. I think I have one more to read Shopaholic & Baby that I'm saving ;).
8. What is your favorite quote (BI)? "Reach for the moon, because is you miss, you'll land with the stars." What is your dream job? see #2
9. What is your favorite alcoholic beverage (BI)? Red wine. Usually a cabernet or malbec. What is your go-to outfit? A Juicy maxi dress that I have had for years, when they were still popular, which I probably need to get rid of it. Havaiana flip flops and a fedora.    
10. Who is your favorite actor and actress (BI)? I have alway loved Scarlett Johansson and who doesn't love Bradley Cooper. What is one of your guilty pleasures? Getting tattoos. I have three and want more, but I don't like them shown.
11. What is your favorite cosmetic brand (BI)? Probably Make Up For Ever or Nars. How did you think of your blog name? It's a combination of my last name and since we moved to New Jersey, after The Situation from the Jersey Shore...........lol.


And my nominees are......
I have nominated these people because they cover some many areas of art. From photography and fashion, to cooking and drawing, they are all very talented. Look at their work when you get a chance!

Ally's Sweet & Savory Eats
I Want Crazy
Wildflowers Blog
fit for a femme
Vanilla Fringe
Jade Rose blog
Urban Fieldnotes
You'll Shoot Your Eye Out
sunflowers and stilettos
Pencils and Fireflies 
Art from the Heart


11 Questions For You

1. When did you start your blog and why?
2. How did you come up with your blog name?
3. If you were to go somewhere else for a year where would it be?
4. And, what would be in your suitcase?
5. Who or what inspires you?
6. How would you describe your style?
7. What is one beauty item you can't live without?
8. How do you like to unwind?
9. Where has been your favorite place traveled?
10. What is your dream job or are you doing it now?
11. What is one clothing or accessory item you always wear?

August Birchbox Stainiac Review

As promised, here is my review for the Stainiac by theBalm cosmetics in Beauty Queen. I am a lover of lip stains. I have stains from Laura Mercier (they don't make it anymore), Tarte, Stila and everything in between. Besides mascara, it is my other go to product when Im running errands or on the go. So I was a little too excited when I got the option to pick this for my birchbox this month. I immediately tried it and have been using it ever since. Below is nothing but lips, lips, lips (I didn't try it on my cheeks, I usually don't)! The top picture is au naturel, the middle is one coat, and the bottom is two coats with a clear gloss on top. The verdict: I loved it! It was very lightweight and went on even (some I've tried haven't). It also had a great color to it, very light and natural with the one coat. I didn't have to reapply once (the purpose of a stain, but I have had to before). My only con was when I originally put the one coat on, it made my lips feel dry pretty fast, so I just needed to put on a chapstick or gloss over it and I was good to go!  At $17 it is a really good price point as well! If you like lip stains you should defiantly try this one out!   

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

Sadly, this recipe didn't turn out as wonderful as I expected, but has tremendous potential. The gnocchi gave the mac and cheese and more hearty texture, but the flavor was really bland. I might try it again but substitute some other cheeses since these were pretty mild. We have this amazing market that my mother in law found, Maywood's Marketplace,  that would have some really great options! Maybe, add some other seasonings to it as well besides just the salt and pepper. If you make it, let me know if you changed anything, or your thoughts. Enjoy!  

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

Ingredients 

1 pound gnocchi

2 Tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

1/4 cup Mozzarella and Provolone cheese, shredded

salt and pepper

1/3 cup Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.  Prepare gnocchi according to package directions.  Drain and place in a single layer in baking dish.

Over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the garlic.  Cook about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.  Whisk in the flour until in thickens and bubbles.  Next, whisk in the milk and mustard.  Continue to whisk while the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.  

Combine the gruyere and mozzarella/provolone and add one handful at a time to the sauce, making sure it melts before adding the next handful.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Once it is all combined and melted, pour over the gnocchi in the baking dish.  Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top and bake about 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly (ours took closer to 35 minutes).  Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  

Colts at Metlife Stadium

Well, we got another sports stadium checked off our list when we went to see the Colts preseason game against the Jets at Metlife Stadium.  Boy was it quite the experience!  It was my first time ever encountering bad natured fans, which I knew has always been a possibility, but sad really.  We got yelled at that Andrew Luck sucks and Omaha chants (wrong QB Jets fans).  And that was just the walk in!  Once inside, we met a fellow Colts fan and he said to let him know if any funny business happened which was the midwestern hospitality that I truly missed.  Regardless of all that, we still had a blast!  Ain't nobody got time to let Jets fans bring you down!    

The stadium was pretty nice and super convenient being only 10 minutes away from us!  It seems to be our go to spot lately.  We've been to a concert and we have tickets to the Colts vs. Giants game in November!    

Even though the outcome wasn't in our favor, the Colts lost 13-10, we were still glad we went!  We love our boys in blue and will see them whenever we can!  

Angel Food French Toast

Happy Friday everyone!  Since the Hot Chocolate French Toast was so popular a couple weeks ago, I figured I would end the week with another delicious breakfast recipe to get your weekend off to a great start!  The recipe, found on how sweet it is,  is essentially like your normal french toast, just using angel food cake instead.  The texture was light an airy, but with a sweet crunch to it, different than regular bread.  I am pretty traditional with my fruit, whipped cream, and syrup toppings, but you can top it with anything really, the sky's the limit!  The only thing I changed was the portion sizes.  It seemed that cutting ours into 12 pieces would have yielded really small portions, so I did 8 instead.  Next time you buy an angel food cake and have some left, or want a different take on french toast, try whipping this up.  Enjoy!

Angel Food French Toast

Ingredients    

Angel food cake (cut in 8-12 pieces)

3 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 Tablespoon flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2-3 Tablespoons butter

Optional Toppings:

Syrup

Whipped Cream

Powdered Sugar

Strawberries

Blueberries

Peanut Butter

Chocolate Syrup

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and a couple Tablespoons of the milk to make a slurry and add back to the rest of the milk.

Heat a skillet over medium-low heat.  In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk with flour, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.  Fully submerge the angel food cake pieces, letting the excess drip off.  Place a little butter in the skillet and your cake on top, cooking 2-3 minutes per side (remember to do all three sides).  Repeat with remaining slices, adding butter each time.  Serve while warm with your favorite toppings!

  

Broiled Lobster, Saffron Rice and a Birchbox update!

As of next Wednesday, I am switching up my normal food post for a weekly Birchbox product spotlight.  They were looking for all types of bloggers, so I jumped at the chance!  If anything, you might find products you have never thought of before, or see my woes with products that don't work for me!  I hope you are as excited as I am for this new adventure!  Look next Wednesday for a review on the lip and cheek stain I received in this months box!  Did you notice the cute confidence builder on the packaging?  It's to The Brilliant Casey McClarnon.......thanks for putting a smile on my face! 

Now back to the last Wednesday food post.  I apologize for the lack of a recipe, but when I start cooking my own things, I get in the zone and just do everything by taste.  This meal was nothing short of delicious!  We were looking for an excuse to use some saffron we purchased, which apparently is the most expensive spice in the world.  So we felt our rice needed the proper main course be its side.  So lobster it was!  I also accompanied it with clarified butter for dipping and corn!    

Broiled Lobster

Lobster tails
Clarified butter
Salt and Pepper

Preheat your broiler.  Cut the shells with kitchen shears, slightly opening, and place, cut side up, on a broiler pan.  Brush with clarified butter and sprinkle on salt and pepper and any other seasonings being used.  Broil 5-10 minutes, until pink.



Clarified Butter

Stick of unsalted butter (may need more if doing a large quantity)

Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan.  Bring to a slight boil.  Skim off the impurities (foam) that form up top.  This can take some time so be prepared!



Saffron Rice

Basmati rice
saffron

Cook rice according to package directions.  Take a pinch of saffron threads and crush them in a bowl.  Add a little warm water to let them steep, about 5 minutes.  Add the steeped saffron threads to the rice and stir.  You should get a nice yellow color.
 

Monterey Chicken

I have seen this recipe, found here, pinned so many times on Pinterest that I had to try it.  Tired of seeing it over and over without making it, I decided to take it on!I mean how could you go wrong with chicken, BBQ, and cheese?  It was everything and more than I expected.  The chicken was super juicy and when all the flavors combined it was scrumptious!  It was too easy for you not to make instead of watching it continually show up on your Pinterest feed.  Play around with different BBQ sauces or cheeses for other flavor combination!  As always, enjoy!

Monterey Chicken

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1 (14 ounce) can Ro-Tel with Chilies, drained
Sliced Green Onion
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill until done (165 degrees).  We used our Foreman Grill for this and it worked great.  Place on baking sheet.  Top each breast with 1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup Ro-Tel, green onions, and 1 Tablespoon bacon bits.    

Place in oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Richard W. DeKorte Park

Since Kevin and I have been together, we've always been on the go, and I wouldn't have it any other way!  Well after traveling for a couple weeks and having a lot going on in the weeks to come, we decided to take it easy for a weekend.  Not wanting to travel far and a hike being decided, we settled on Richard W. DeKorte Park, which was about 5 miles away.  The park had great views of the Manhattan skyline one second, and then butterflies and flowers the next.  I was so glad I opted to haul around my camera to practice shooting nature shots.  

The Manhattan skyline is featured in the photo above.  Below were butterflies found in Jill's Garden.  A woman whose life was sadly taken on July 17, 1996, at the age of 23,  on a flight from New York to Paris.  The garden was absolutely beautiful as were the butterflies fluttering all around.  

There wasn't a shortage of flowers, or bees, around.  Although, some of the trails were closed from storm damage that occurred.    

While I'm not sure how much exercise we really endured on our hike, it was so refreshing and peaceful to walk around and feel like you are away from the city.  I look forward to checking out other parks near us before the weather gets cold.  Until next time, sayonara!  

Neiman Marcus Dip

Since we are going to see our boys in blue tonight, the Indianapolis Colts, beat the New York Jets.  I decided to showcase this tailgate worthy recipe from Flavor of Joy.  It is as easy as they come.  Just mix together your ingredients, chill, and serve.  Making it an absolutely perfect dip for a tailgate or cookout for that matter.  If you don't like almonds, or are afraid those eating won't, they can be eliminated and the dip still tastes just as great.  Serve it with your favorite crackers or even some veggies for a healthier alternative.  Enjoy!   


Neiman Marcus Dip

Ingredients
5-6 Green Onions
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups Mayonaise
1 jar bacon bits
1 package slivered almonds (half a package in our case)

Mix all ingredients together.  Chill for a couple hours.  Serve with chips or crackers.

Bacon, Ranch and Chicken Mac and Cheese

This recipe, which I found here, was made with my hubby in mind.  He eats way more ranch and mac and cheese than a normal person should consume.  With this recipe containing those key components, I figured there was no way I could go wrong.  Well, sadly I was wrong.  While the meal wasn't unbearable to eat, it lacked any flavor.  I even used a rotisserie chicken to give it a little extra flavor besides the bacon and seasonings.  For us this won't be a keeper since I have so many other recipes to work through.  However, if you do decide to make this, I suggest tasting the sauce before you add the chicken and pasta to it and add whatever you think is needed, maybe other seasoning or more bacon.  Let me know what changes you make!  Enjoy!

Bacon, Ranch and Chicken Mac and Cheese

Ingredients
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 slice applewood smoked bacon
8 ounces chicken breast, cut in 1/2 inch pieces (I used 1 cup rotisserie chicken, shredded)

1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 Tablespoon flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup cream of mushroom soup (I used cream of chicken)
3/4 cup Italian blend cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
cooking spray
1/2 cup colby jack cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Preheat broiler.  Spray a baking dish with cooking spray (I think mine is 8 x 11).

In a large, non-stick skillet, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan (reserving any drippings), chop, and set aside.  Add the chicken to the pan and cook about 6 minutes (until done or heated through in my case), set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together your milk and soup.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, pour in the oil and sprinkle in the flour.  Whisk constantly for 2 minutes.  Gradually add the milk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour.  Bring to a low boil for 2 minutes, or until thick.  Remove from heat and let stand 4 minutes.

Add the Italian cheese and seasoning to the milk mixture and stir until cheese melts.  Then add the chicken and pasta to the sauce.  Pour into your baking dish and sprinkle with bacon a colby cheese.

Broil for 3 minutes, or until cheese melts.  Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving.

Spicy Shrimp Sandwich

Don't let my subpar picture deter you away from trying this recipe, found here.   This sandwich had just the right amount of spice to it.  Then, you add the coolness of the avocado mayo, which when put together equaled perfection!  My one negative was that there were a ton of shrimp for one sandwich, but is that really an issue?  I sure don't think so!  If you aren't a fan of avocado, like my husband, feel free to substitute regular mayo or your condiment of choice.  I can't wait to try other recipes on Life's Ambrosia page.  There are a ton of spicy recipes that all look so delicious.  So go ahead and try this recipe, then check out Life's Ambrosia for many other great recipes!  Enjoy!

Spicy Shrimp Sandwich

*makes 2

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 pound medium shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined

2 French rolls

4 romain lettuce leaves 

Sauce

1 avocado, pitted 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 chipotle pepper

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine cumin, garlic, salt and chili powder in a medium bowl.  Add the shrimp and toss to coat.  

Place all your sauce ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook shrimp until cooked through and pink, about 5 minutes.

Toast your roll, add sauce, lettuce and half the shrimp to each sandwich.

Atlantic City

A couple friends of mine from high school, Joe and Kevin, decided to take a trip out to the east coast. Needless to say, I was elated when they asked if we wanted to meet them in Atlantic City for the weekend.  I hadn't seen these guys in such a long time and it was another spot to check out in our new state.  So with the dogs in tow, (maybe I should do a blog of the places they have traveled lol), and a 2.5 hour drive later, we were there.    

 

There were quite a few people on the boardwalk, so we decided to walk down a pier and take in the views of the beach.  It was really beautiful and seemed very clean, sadly, something I wasn't expecting.  Joe, being a wrestling fan, pointed out the building below to us.  It was where Wrestlemania 4 in 1988 and Wrestlemania 5 in 1989 were held.  Besides those cool facts, he also mentioned that it was before pay-per-view so everyone would watch it on closed circuit televisions and the movie theatre.  It's so crazy how times and technology have changed in our lifetime alone.      

It was still pretty early for dinner or casinos, so we decided on a beach bar with blaring music to see what the hype was about.  It was like being on spring break in your college years, but these people were now in their 30's.  The bikini-clad waitresses looked miserable and guys were getting thrown out and it was around 4PM!  The nicest thing I could say is that we got some really interesting people watching in.  Growing tired of the crazy shenanigans, we headed indoors to the casino at Trump Plaza for a little gambling before we headed to dinner.  I'm not a gambler, so I just put a few bucks in a slot machine and unfortunately didn't hit the jackpot.  So we headed to drown our sorrows in delicious seafood at Phillips Seafood Restaurant which, according to New Jersey Lifestyle,was award winning seafood.  If lady luck wasn't going to be on our side our award winning seafood had better be!  I got the jumbo sea scallops and Kev opted for the crab mac & cheese, shocker I know.  It was all exquisite!  I hope we go back again, maybe to one closer this time though.         

As our night was coming to an end we realized we hadn't taken a pic together, so we attempted a selfie above.  A passerby witnessed our struggle and offered to take the picture for us.  I think you can figure out which is which :).

The views of the boardwalk after dinner.  It really was a pretty place.  However, I think going there once is all you need.  A lot of places are closing down and I feel like if you are really going to gamble, Vegas would be a better option.  I am glad we did it though!  Overall it was a great time with great people!

Rice Krispy Popcorn Chicken

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope you get to have a fabulous weekend, whether it's relaxing or doing something fun!  Well, on to the good stuff, or in this case, not so good.  Now don't stop reading just because I said it wasn't good, it has potential and everyone has different tastes.   When I originally saw this recipe I became intrigued at the use of Rice Krispies for breading so I had to try it.  Something new and different. sign me up.  Now I'm really bad a pre reading recipes before I make them.  I usually read the tittle, look at any pictures included, and then get my ingredients.  I started the recipe and got to the point of mixing together my spices, that's when I should of known I was heading for disaster.  Why oh why are we mixing 8 1/2 Tablespoon of spices together when we only need 3 for the recipe?  Even cutting it in half is more than sufficient.  Then on top of that, the thyme was so overpowering that we could not even finish the eating the chicken.  I can usually suck it up and eat a not so great meal because I don't like to be wasteful, but not in this case.  Now I have a bag of this extra spice mixture that will just go to waste.  However, in the bite that I did have, the Rice Krispy breading did have a nice crunch to it and I look forward to trying that part of it again.  I will just have to adjust the seasonings to a useful amount for the recipe that is not overpowering.  If you decide to try it, because you still should, season at your own risk!  

Rice Krispy Popcorn Chicken

*made without modifications

Ingredients

 1-1 1/4 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

1 1/2 Tablespoons salt

1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated onion

1 1/2 Tablespoons dried oregano

1 Tablespoon granulated garlic

1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon sweet paprika

1 Tablespoon dried thyme

olive oil or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with oil or cooking spray.  *I used my Silpat.

Crush the cereal slightly in your hands, not making it into a powder, and place in a large bowl.

Mix together your seasonings in a small bowl and add 3 Tablespoons to the cereal mixture.  Save the rest for another dish.  *Spices can be expensive, at least half them if you are going to try it as is.

Add several pieces of chicken to the cereal mixture and toss to coat.  Place on the baking sheet in a single layer.   

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, cool for a couple minutes and enjoy immediately with your favorite condiments.