Ready for some good eats?

Hope you all haven't given up on me! Grad school slightly took over my life mixed with a side of half-marathon training.

Oak Barrel 13.1, Jack Daniels in Lynchburg, TN

Since my favorite posts are always recipe posts ... here is what I made just last night! I have been wanting to try this recipe for quite some time! I first heard the recipe on The Today Show this summer and unfortunately I didn't get around to whipping it up until now.

But no worries, I've already made it twice! It is very easy to make by yourself or with a kitchen elf. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures while making this simply because your hands will get dirty!!

1. GET SET UP! Promise you'll regret it otherwise.
2. Whisk 1/2C buttermilk, 1T Dijon mustard, 1t paprika, 1/2T sage, and a 'pinch' of cayenne pepper (I used crushed red pepper flakes) into a medium sized mixing bowl.
3. Pull out a salad plate and dump 1/2C flour with some salt and pepper. Mix these around in your fingers and evenly spread across the plate.
4. Using a metal pie pan or another salad plate, add 2C corn flakes. (I crushed them up in my hands and use as much or as little as you want)
5. Pour about 1/4" layer of EVOO (sunflower, canola, vegetable, etc) into the bottom of a baking dish. (I used my 9" x 11", glass Pyrex)
6. Align these accordingly, (1) flour plate, (2) dredging bowl, (3) corn flakes
7. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit - this is actually a recipe I preheat my gas oven for!
8. Take one chicken tender or beast at a time through the following process --> Lay chicken into the flour plate and cover with a layer on both sides; Dip chicken into buttermilk/Dijon mixture; Place cornflakes on both sides of the chicken
9. Gently lay chicken into EVOO'ed baking dish.
10. Bake for 40-50 minutes.

• You might have to rinse off your hands after a few because you'll look like your chicken, quickly.

Now, the food scientists in me FREAKED when I first read this recipe because it told you to rinse chicken and pay dry...I know chicken needs to be dried for flour to adhere, but washing chicken sends tiny microbes all over your kitchen! Not okay.

Make sure to check your chicken with a meat thermometer - it needs to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit and you've killed any harmful internal bacteria.

I've served this dish twice. First time with sweet potato chips (sliced, drizzled with EVOO and sprinkled with course ground  salt and pepper baked at 425 for ~40 minutes depending on thickness) and lemon, pepper green beans.

Second time around, I simply blanched asparagus (washing and snipped the bottom 1/2" off the stalk, placed into a pot of boiling water, bring back to a boil for ~5 minutes, remove and place into ice cold water) and sprinkled some Cavender's seasoning on top!


Happy eating!
Good Golly