Southern Fried Chicken with a surprise

Okay I am from the South in the good old USA and we like to think our fried chicken doesn't get any better. BUT, I came across this suggestion and it is worth considering. It's not completely as good as KFC but it is close . . . .It just needs that "something" else. I am going to try adding Thyme and see if that does it. So let me know if you try something and get that "special taste we all know and love".
Cover your ears "Colonel".

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 c bread crumbs
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp Ranch dressing powdered mix
oil to fry
salt and pepper to taste

First, thing pre-heat your frying pan with oil, not on high but just below it. And make sure you have enough room in your pan so they're not too crowded. I probably had a good inch or inch and a half of oil in my pan and added more as needed. I want it to "fry" not pan seared or anything like that. And no lid on the pan either we don't want it to steam and go soggy. We're looking for crispy chicken here.

Take your flour, eggs and bread crumbs and put each into a separate bowl. Add the paprika and powdered Ranch dressing mix to your bread crumb bowl and mix around.

Then dip your chicken into the flour and coat good, then over in to the egg and coat good, then lastly into your bread crumbs and coat as good as you can. Place in frying pan, add salt and pepper and fry each side until golden brown. Then turn down the heat to finish off the chicken.

Those bread crumbs just add a little bit more crunch to the chicken and make it look so much more evenly browned. Just remember it's easy to burn the crumbs.

Let me know how you get along with this. It is worth the effort. We ate it for two days and enjoyed it each time.

Cauliflower and Cheese Bake

Cauliflower and Cheese Bake

This delicious, cheesy casserole is a great way to enjoy cauliflower, and it makes a wonderful addition to the dinner table. I don’t know about you but I am always looking for something else to add as a side. And this looks like a good one.

Ingredients:
• 1 large head of cauliflower, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, cut into flowerets
• ***Sauce***
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) Cheddar cheese, mild or sharp
• ***Topping***
• 1 cup soft fresh bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter
Preparation:
Boil or steam cauliflower in water until just tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Grease a 2-quart baking dish. Heat oven to 350°.
In a medium saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until smooth and just bubbly. Add salt, pepper, and milk. Cook the sauce, stirring, until thickened and bubbly. Add the mustard and cheese and continue cooking, stirring, until cheese is melted.
Combine the cauliflower with sauce and spoon into the prepared baking dish.
Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over the cauliflower mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and topping is browned.
Serves 6.
Original recipe from : http://southernfood.about.com/od/cauliflower/r/r81030e.htm?nl=1