Hello Old Friend

We visited the ocean today with my parents.

Mom and I searched for seashells.

Dad and Jon played in the waves

I gathered a bunch of small crab shells. Jon named it the crab graveyard.

After Dad grilled chicken for lunch, we spotted this little gal across the parking lot.

Isn't she cute?! She is a gopher tortoise. She's on the endangered species list in FL so we put her down to wander back to her burrow.

We had a lovely day visiting and playing. Tomorrow will be a busy day as we get settled into our house. And yes, my foodie friends, we will get back to the cooking of it all :) In fact, today I made pot roast. Threw it in the crock and went to the beach. It was yummy.

Last night my mom made some fantastic pan seared chicken. It will be added to my keepers book. And so, I am sharing it with you. (I know, YAY! A recipe, FINALLY!)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Mom's Crispy Chicken
Serves 6-8

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast- boneless, skinless
flour
egg beaters
Italian seasoned Panko bread crumbs
olive oil

Cut chicken breasts in half width wise.

Set up your coating station: 1 dish with flour, 1 dish with some egg beaters, and 1 dish with panko crumbs. Place a cookie sheet with a wire rack at the end of your line up.

Coat the chicken halves in flour. Shake off any excess.

Dip the coated chicken in egg. Shake off any excess.

Finally, coat in panko crumbs. Lay each piece out on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. This step is critical to keep the coating on the chicken.

Put 2 TBS of olive oil in a large skillet. Heat over medium high heat.

Add chicken pieces, do not over crowd the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes . Flip chicken (add more oil if needed) and cook 4-6 more minutes until cooked through(about 12-15 minutes total cook time).

Repeat steps as needed, cooking chicken in batches until all the chicken is done.

A tip for knowing if your chicken is done- touch the tips of your thumb and ring finger(the one closest to your pinky) together. Using your free hand, feel the pad at the base of the thumb that is touching your ring finger. This is the texture the chicken should be when it's done. If it's still mushy, it's not done. If you are unsure- USE A THERMOMETER. ;) Unlike steak, chicken shouldn't be pink!