$5 dinner mom--mmm...., yummy!

I've been enjoying my new $5 Dinner Mom cookbooks, and so have my kids.  Tonight we had our favorite recipes...they are so delicious and well-received here, I thought I'd share.

Baked Parmesan Chicken Fingers

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins

1/2 c. fine cornmeal

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (leave out if you have milk allergy)

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 large egg

2 T. milk or milk substitute

1 c. spaghetti or marinara sauce for dipping (I used pizza sauce, recipe to follow)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  In small mixing bowl, whisk together egg and milk.  In another small bowl, toss together the corn meal, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Dip each tenderloin into the egg-milk mixture and then coat with cornmeal mixture.  Place coated tenderloins into the prepared baking dish.  Bake in preheated oven 25-30 min. or until cooked through.  Serve with sauce for dipping.

Homemade pizza sauce

1 can tomato sauce

1 t. oregano

1 t. dried basil

 1 t. garlic powder

1 t. onion powder

2 t. extra-virgin olive oil

In a small saucepan, whisk the tomato sauce with spice and olive oil.  Simmer for 6-8 min.  Store any extra sauce in freezer for next time!

My oldest has always had a thing for lemon, even more so than chocolate.  We are once again trying gluten with good success (we are wondering if MSG or some other chemical is responsible for his digestive issues).  He loves this recipe (in spite of the coconut, which you could leave out but why would you?) so I double it to freeze the extra loaf.  He can take the extra one with him to Niagara Falls next week.

Lemon Coconut Bread

3/4 c. sugar

4 T. butter or margarine

2 T. canola oil

2 T. baby pear sauce (for FG stage 1 kids like Josiah) or applesauce

2 large eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

1 t. lemon extract

2 t. lemon juice

2 1/2 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 c. sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.  In bowl of stand mixer, stir the sugar, butter or margarine, oil, pear or applesauce, eggs, vanilla and lemon extracts, and lemon juice until smooth.  Then mix in flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir until a batter forms.  It will be thick.  Stir in coconut flakes.  Spread batter into prepared pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 min., or until a toothpick comes out clean from center.  Let cool before serving.