By Staff
McKenzie’s Monologue
By Adrienne McKenzie
With a wedding coming up next April, I have taken on the task of learning how to cook.
I am a girl who has never lifted a hand in the kitchen so this task could be a lot harder than it sounds. Sure I’ve cooked grilled cheese sandwiches and the occasional taco salad. I once cooked a very good soup that my dad gave me the recipe for, but those things do not really qualify as ‘cooking’ I don’t think.
As I write this column, I am thawing out some chicken to hopefully grill on my George Foreman grill tonight for supper. Maybe that will be the first of many meals that I will try.
After I decided to take on this task of cooking I began researching on the Internet different recipes.
I have come across a few that I think could be simple and yummy that perhaps my future husband Matt will enjoy.
At food.yahoo.com there are some recipes that I think would be enjoyable. The first one is oven-fried chicken fingers and fries. Now anybody who knows me knows I love chicken. It’s one of the foods that actually does not make me cringe.
The ingredients for the yummy chicken fingers and fries include, 2 large baking potatoes, unpeeled; 1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing; 1/4 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese; 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips; 1 (6 ounce) package SHAKE 'N BAKE Original Chicken Seasoned Coating Mix; 1/4 cup GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard and 1 tablespoon honey.
The directions are: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick strips; place in large bowl. Add dressing and cheese; toss to coat. Place in single layer on large greased baking sheet. 2. Bake 12 min. Meanwhile, coat chicken strips with coating mix as directed on package. 3. Turn potatoes over with large spatula; push to one side of baking sheet. Place chicken strips on other side of baking sheet. Bake an additional 15 min. or until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Mix mustard and honey; serve for dipping. Yield: 4 servings.
This sounds so simple and delicious that I am tempted to throw out the chicken for tonight’s dinner and cook this!!
There are many more recipes at food.yahoo.com that I am thinking about printing and trying out before the big day next year!
My fianc/ has said cooking is not an important thing to him because he knows how to do it, but I know that food is the way to a man’s heart so it’s something I am willing to learn.
For anybody who knows anything about cooking or has a favorite recipe, feel free to email that to me at lifestyles@atmoreadvance.com. Who knows, maybe some day I will be a famous chef and I can say I got my start in the little town of Atmore!
Adrienne McKenzie is managing editor for The Atmore Advance. She can be reached at 368-2123 or emailed at lifestyles@atmoreadvance.com