Choices, choices.

Remember Choose Your Own Adventure books?
Where you got to choose what happened at the end of each chapter?

The only adventure this guy should choose is which is the way to the nearest manicure.

Pack your bags, friends.
Because today?
You are going on a Lemon Chicken Adventure!

If you choose the Martha Stewart way to make this chicken, go to page 34.

If you choose the McMommy way to make this chicken, skip to page 78.

PF Chang's Mongolian Beef {knockoff recipe}

For those of you who follow me on Instagram?   Ask and you shall McReceive.....

Here is the knockoff recipe for PF Chang's mongolian beef I told you about.  
I bet you have most of the ingredients in your kitchen right now.  And feel free to experiment....I've also tried this with chicken and it was just as fantastic as the beef.  Want to make a more healthy version?  Eliminate the 1 cup of vegetable oil and sauté in just little bit of olive oil instead.  ENJOY!

Ingredients

◦                      2 teaspoons vegetable oil

◦                      1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced

◦                      1 tablespoon garlic, chopped

◦                      1/2 cup soy sauce

◦                      1/2 cup water

◦                      3/4 cup dark brown sugar

◦                      vegetable oil, for frying ( about 1 cup)

◦                      1 lb flank steaks

◦                      1/4 cup cornstarch

◦                      2 large green onions, sliced on the diagonal into one-inch lengths

Directions

1. Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat.

2. Don't get the oil too hot.

3. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.

4. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

5. Remove it from the heat.

6. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices (Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts).

7. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef.

8. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.

9. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil).

10.           Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.

11.           Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges.

12.           You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later.

13.           Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly.

14.           After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet.

15.           Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.

16.           Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions.

17.           Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate.  Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan. Enjoy!

Eggplant Parm But Not Really.

Now I say "not really" because isn't true eggplant parm fried and layered with cheeses? Well, this eggplant is sliced into rounds, and baked...then the slices are served individually to everyone, with a small side of pasta. Does that make sense? No stacking, layering, etc. It is so incredibly delicious, even my kids inhale this. They call it "Mommy's Homemade Pizza". If they knew it was really eggplant, they would freak.

Swear these taste so much better than my picture would lead you to believe.

• 1 eggplant, peeled and sliced into rounds (not too thin but not too thick)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• Pasta sauce (My favorite is the Flora Tuscan Basil or Vodka Sauce)
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Basil (I like fresh but dried is fine too)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
I take a baking tray and line it with foil, then give a good drizzle of olive oil all over it.
I dip the eggplant slices in the egg, then the bread crumbs.. Give it a good breading on both sides. 
Then lay on the baking tray. 
Repeat for all remaining slices (do not overlap...make sure they are all a single layer) and then put in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Flip slices, add another drizzle of olive oil if needed, and then bake for another 10 minutes. (They will come out so delish and crispy this way!)

After they are done, drizzle (do I like that word or what?! Fo shizzle) some sauce over them. If you are short on time or trying to make this extra easy on yourself, (EARMUFFS, MOM!)...I highly recommend just opening a jar of sauce. (You can do your homemade sauce next time. Take it easy this time. You've worked so hard the whole week. In fact, here...have a glass of wine. What? You want me to have one with you?  Well, don't mind if I do!) 

Where was I? This is not a very professional way to write a recipe.  

OK, FOR REAL.  
Sprinkle some mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top. Also give it a nice sprinkling of basil. Bake for another few minutes or so, until cheese is nice and melty and golden brown and your house smells so heavenly, you think you just might be able to start speaking Italian.

Ciao!

You Must Have Time On Your Hands Lemon Chicken

So you like a challenge, do you?

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
Flour
Salt
Pepper
2 eggs
2 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil
3/4 cup of chicken broth
1/2 cup of white wine
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. In bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of flour, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.  In separate bowl, beat two eggs.  Dip chicken into eggs then coat in flour mixture.

2. In a large skillet, cook chicken on medium heat 3-5 minutes each side in 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil, or until juices run clear.   Set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine 1 tbsp of flour, 1/4 tsp of salt, and a 1/4 tsp of pepper.  Stir in 3/4 cup of chicken broth.

4. Add white wine to skillet and stir loose any bits.  Stir in broth mixture and bring to boil for 1-2 minutes or until thick and bubbly.

5.  Stir in lemon juice and cook for one minute.  Add 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of minced fresh Italian parsley.   Serve over chicken.

ENJOY!

{Are you tired yet?  Click to page 78 to see what McMommy is up to.}

McMommy's Most Favorite Lemon Chicken Ever

HEYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

WELCOME TO THE PAR-TAYYYYYYY!!!!!

Can I offer you a glass of wine?   I'm sorry? What?
SOMEONE TURN THE MUSIC DOWN, I CAN'T HEAR OUR NEW GUEST!!!!

Wow, who knew Lemon Chicken could turn into such a party?!!!

Ok, here's the reason you came.....

McMommy's Most Favorite Lemon Chicken Ever 

Ingredients
pre-breaded chicken breasts (you can get from your local grocery store or Costco)
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of butter
1 tbsp of flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup of white wine
Another glass of white wine for you to drink
1 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tbsp of Italian flat-leaf parsley minced

Directions
1. Stick your chicken in the oven or in a skillet or WHEREVER to warm it up.

2. While your chicken is warming, it's time to make the gravy. Or sauce. Whatever it's called.
In a bowl, make your flour mixture: mix 1 tbsp of flour, 1/4 tsp of salt, and 1/4 tsp of pepper.
In a warm skillet/sauce pan/whatever it's called (my culinary vocab is outstanding), stir in 3/4 cup of chicken broth and your flour mixture. Add white wine and stir any loose bits.  Bring to boil for 1-2 minutes or until thick and bubbly.

3. Stir in lemon juice. Cook one minute.  Add 1 tbsp of butter and the minced parsley. Serve over chicken.

ENJOY!!!

(What?! You are above buying pre-breaded chicken?!  Fine, chef.  Here's another version for you to try.)