tomorrow - Sunday

[Kitchen Witch]

Well - you all know I am an "adopted" gram of the two most beautiful babies in the world - 6 and 4 years of age.

And since it is sooooo cold - and this winter seems to be starting all over again instead of winding down - and I will have my babies tomorrow - I've decided on an indoor picnic. Also - I let them decide what they would like to eat on our "picnic".

So it's breaded oven-fried chicken and honey chicken, jo-jo's, tomato and green been salad with rolls, chocolate milk and I will make iced tea for the adults (and coffee). For dessert it's chocolate cake with ice cream, hot fudge syrup with sprinkles and strawberry banana jello with sliced bananas in it and whipped cream and more sprinkles (got to have lots of those!!!)

I will lay a king-size comforter in the middle of the living room floor and we will "picnic" and play games. I've got their capped drinking cups ready so there are no spills. If the comforter gets food on it - I have another to put down. And a toy fishing line with a magnet at the end so we can "fish" magnetic "things-to-do or pretend". Dora's Candyland game and Old Maid will be fun as well and as a last resort - plenty of DVD's! While watching DVD's we can color the "summertime" pictures I copied out of a summertime/beach coloring book - THINK SUNSHINE AND WARMTH!! Looks like I will have plenty of refrigerator art too!



HONEY CHICKEN

1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 T. soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350* F. Combine flour and salt. Dip chicken and arrange in baking dish. Pour melted butter over chicken and bake for 30 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken. Bake 30 minutes longer, basting often. Remove from heat and serve hot.


OVEN FRIED CHICKEN

chicen pieces
flour
seasoned salt
fresh ground pepper
finely grated fresh garlic
paprika
fresh chopped parsley
dry bread crumbs
beaten egg

Combine flour and seasonings in one pie plate; bread crumbs in another; egg in another. Dredge and coat chicken pieces. Bake on sprayed baking sheets in 350* F. oven.


JO JO's

Scrub potatoes; cut into wedges. Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and chopped fresh parsley; spread on baking sheet and bake until done.


TOMATO AND GREEN BEAN SALAD

Halved grape tomatoes (they love those) with green beans tossed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, basil.


CHOCOLATE CAKE from the following mix in my pantry:
DUNCAN HINES MOIST DELUXE DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX

MIX:
2 c. flour
1 ¾ c. baker?s sugar (superfine sugar)
¾ c. cocoa
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 ¼ t. salt
4 T. shortening

TO MAKE CAKE:
1 1/3 c. water
½ c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Stir to combine. Add shortening, then use an electric mixer on medium speed to blend shortening into dry ingredients. Mix until no chunks of shortening are visible. This is your cake mix, which you can keep in a sealed container for several months until you are ready to make the cake.

TO MAKE CAKE: Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease sides and bottom of two 9-inch baking pans or one 13 X 9-inch pan. Lightly flour greased pans. Blend dry cake mix with water, oil and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. Pour batter into pans and bake for 30 to 33 minutes for 9-inch pans, and 35 to 38 minutes for 13x9-inch pan. You can also make cupcakes with the mix. They take 19 to 22 minutes.

But I will bake it in a bundt pan and glaze with:

Chocolate Glaze

1 square unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsps. butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 to 5 Tbsps. milk

In a saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and blend in vanilla, powdered sugar and enough milk for desired glaze consistency. Use while hot.


HOT FUDGE SAUCE

* 1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
COMBINE evaporated milk, sugar, butter and corn syrup in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in morsels and vanilla extract until thickened and smooth.

SERVE over ice cream or cake. Store leftover sauce in refrigerator; reheat before serving. If needed, add water to thin to desired consistency.

And I can't forget the bleu cheese dressing for dipping their chicken and
jo jo's!!