Fried Chicken

I know it has been a "wicked" long time since my last post, but that is due to good reason:

1. I was taking classes finishing up my last semester to obtain my Masters in Elementary Education at UMass Boston

2. A large part of my time during my last semester was devoted to Student Teaching at a local Boston Public School (tear I miss those little munchkins!).

3.Along with student teaching, in the evenings I was also working my sales job.

Phew...I am exhausted thinking about it!  All of these factors contributed to my lack of time and energy to devote to my blog. :( Not only was my energy used up by school, teaching and working but during this time I found out my husband and I are expecting our first child come July. :)  Therefore, I was finding it difficult to find time to write and cook when I was falling asleep on the couch drooling on myself at 7:30 at night. Simple put, I was wiped.

However, I am now 14.5 weeks along in my pregnancy and feeling great! I have finished my Masters program and I am back on my regular schedule of work and devoting time to cooking and uploading recipes to share with you all!

It seemed fitting my first post would be about a pregnancy craving I had the other day...FRIED CHICKEN!!! I served it up with some homemade honey mustard sauce, biscuits and sweet potato fries. This meal not only satisfied my own taste buds, but it satisfied baby Dumonster as well, YUM!

Ingredients
1.5 lbs of skinless boneless chicken tenders
1 egg beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup of seasoned bread crumb
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 quart of oil for frying

Directions:
1. Place chicken strips into a large, resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl mix egg, buttermilk and garlic powder. Pour mixture into bag with chicken. Seal and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (this is VERY important, it really kept the chicken moist).

2. In another large, resealable plastic bag, mix together the flour, bread crumbs, salt. paprika and baking powder. Remove chicken from refrigerator and drain, discarding buttermilk mixture. Place chicken in flour mixture bag. Seal and shake to coat.

3. Heat oil in large heavy dutch oven or pot until 375 degrees.

4. Carefully place coated chicken in hot oil (don't over crowd only do a few at a time!). Fry until deep golden brown and juices run clear (about 5 minutes). Drain on paper towels.

**tip I kept the thermometer in the oil, as the temperature dipped after chicken was added**

(I took and slightly altered this recipe from one I found on allrecipes.com under Breaded Chicken Fingers)