Real Simple for the Real Challenged

Happy Weekend!

My sunny days of bliss were short-lived as the bottom opened up this weekend and it is still raining. As of this morning Lexington had gotten a little over 3.5 inches of rain and it is supposed to continue through early tomorrow morning. I guess the sunshine was good while it lasted.

For those who have been reading the Daily Days from the beginning I have blogged that I am somewhat skill-less in the kitchen. I can clean and do laundry with the best of them, but somehow I missed the cooking boat. When the BF and I were traveling home from Dallas a few weeks ago we stopped at a magazine kiosk and I found a few celebrity mags that would provide for an easy read and I was hoping for a Southern Living or something similar but no such luck. I did however find Real Simple and I thought it would keep me occupied, I had honestly just thought it was a home organization/ cleaning/how to magazine. After flipping through I found this recipe and I was like OMG I can totally fix this. After much self-motivation and several self pep talks the recipe came to life on Friday. With the help of the BF (I had never even touched un-cooked chicken and was convinced that we were both going to get salmonella) we had a great dinner. I have included the recipe below, and you can check it out here.

Serves 4Hands-On Time: 15mTotal Time: 45m

Ingredients

• 16 buttery crackers (such as Ritz), crushed (about 3⁄4 cup)
• 6 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• wild rice pilaf and steamed green beans (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. In a bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2. Dip the chicken in the butter, then in the cracker mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle any remaining cracker mixture on the chicken and drizzle with any remaining butter. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with the pilaf and green beans, if using.

Don't judge... there wasn't that much macaroni, the picture is deceiving.

I can honestly say that this was a nice easy recipe for me to start my cooking adventures with, it was very good and I would totally eat this again, and the BF agreed. I think the title Real Simple is very true as this recipe was "Really Simple" and I am "Really Challenged" when it comes to cooking. The end result was attractive and edible. Watch out Paula Dean, MKH has figured out how to turn on the oven who knows what is next....

I hope everyone is staying dry today and is enjoying a lazy day!

Happy Sunday and have a great Monday-

LOVE, MKH

p/s- I was hoping to give Hagan a bite of the delicious cheddar chicken but the BF caught me before I could get it off the fork. Hagan was just as sad as I was, can't you tell....hahaha

Poor Baby...