Menu Planning Thursday

This next week will be more challenging to plan with the holidays and a birthday party for my father.  Finally he and my mother will be the same age again (at least for the next six months) and all will be right with the world. 


Here is my menu for next week:
Sunday:  Christmas dinner at my parents
Monday:  Happy Birthday, Dad!
Tuesday:  Crock pot chicken noodle soup
Wednesday:  Spinach and cheese quiche with green salad
Thursday:  Lemon Butter Salmon (hubby) & Orange Chicken (me) in parchment
Friday: Paula Deen's Sesame Chicken Strips, rice, sauteed mushrooms and peapods
Saturday:  special New Year's Eve dinner at home (a surprise for hubby)

Sesame seeds come on a wide variety of colors.  
I think all are wonderful!

I love Paula Deen!  She is entertaining and we share a love of butter - but must admit that I usually reduce the amount of salt in her recipes.  I tried her sesame chicken strip recipe a few months back and we loved it -- hubby even had seconds, which is always a good sign.  If you are at all sensitive to salt, I would suggest not adding it to the marinade.  If needed, you can always salt them after they come out of the oven while they are still hot.  Or perhaps add salt to a dipping sauce.    

Ingredients:
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons celery salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup sesame seeds
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Directions:

Lightly grease a 15 by 10-inch jelly roll pan. Cut chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, lemon juice, celery salt, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix well. Add chicken to mixture, coat well, and cover. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In medium bowl, combine bread crumbs and sesame seeds. Remove chicken strips from sour cream mixture. Roll in crumb mixture, coating evenly. Arrange in single layer in prepared pan. Spoon butter evenly over chicken. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until chicken is tender and golden brown.