I could have taken pictures, but didn't.

Well the garbage disposal clogged today. It has done it before, and Gweener was around to take all the pipes off to de-clog it... today, however, he was NOT.

I had to "get rid" of some spinach that i purchased but did not get around to eating or freezing. I was pushing small bits of it down the disposal and it was working fine... then the sink began to fill up.

"Crap" I said (more or less), after I had turned the disposal off, and waited to see if the water would go down. It did not go down, so I made my way out to the garage to get the bucket, which lately has been used for this instead of for washing my car, (which is very dirty).

So I had the pleasure of emptying many of the "under-the-kitchen-sink" items and placed the bucket under the pipes, unscrewed the U-joint pipe and worked the other connector thing loose. Green (chlorophyll whoohoo) water rushed out, and I had the pleasure of digging much of the now-chopped spinach out of the pipe joint before piecing it back together again.

The sink and disposal are now both working, but I feel that the pipes are the reason this issue happens... that and the fact that this disposal is old and probably a cheap piece of crap. Not that it matters MUCH, but it still matters.

Easy Bake Chicken

Ranch Breadcrumb Baked Chicken
2 Chicken Breasts (boneless / skinless)
1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
1 cup Plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesean cheese (grated)
2 tsp. Italian / Tuscan herbs (Oregano, Basil, etc.)
1 tsp. Ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt (if desired)

Preheat Oven 350F
Line a baking sheet with foil (shallow with sides, typically 10x13x1 inch). Spray foil with cooking spray to help prevent sticking.

Pour Ranch dressing into a small shallow bowl. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs, and spices in another bowl. Dip chicken breasts, one at a time, in Ranch dressing (turning to coat). Transfer to bowl with breadcrumb mixture, toss to coat evenly. Gently shake off excess, place on prepared baking sheet. Bake on center rack of oven for 25-35 minutes.

Serve with salad, steamed broccoli, and whole wheat rolls.

FOOD SAFETY TIP:**discard remaining dressing and bread crumbs; they are contaminated with raw chicken and pose a health risk if re-used.

Labels: Recipes

Take-Out Stay-In

Stir-Fry Chicken with Zucchini and Mushroom

1 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breast
--> Cornstarch (for dusting)
1 TB. Canola Oil
1 TB. Sesame Oil
2 TB. Soy Sauce
1 TB. Balsamic Vinegar
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1 pkg. White button mushrooms (cleaned & halved)
4 small Zucchini
1 small Onion (roughly chopped)

Cut zucchini into 1" chunks. Roughly chop onion. Cut mushrooms in half. Mince Garlic. Cut chicken into 1" chunks. Lightly dust Zucchini and Chicken (separately) with cornstarch, tossing to coat evenly.

Add oils to wok (or large frying pan). Heat over medium-high, being careful not to let oil smoke. Stir-fry chicken until golden brown; remove and drain.

Add zucchini, onion, and mushrooms, cook for a few minutes. Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, and ginger, stirring to coat. Cook until zucchini and mushrooms are fully cooked (desired tenderness).

Return chicken to wok, coating with sauce and heating thouroughly. Serve over steamed rice.