I ♥ Nigella: Chicken Schnitzel with Bacon and White Wine

It's been quite awhile since I participated with the group at I Heart Cooking Club. They have a new feature called Potluck allowing you to play along cooking with any of the former featured chefs. There are quite a few which I love but Nigella always wins out for me. I love her cookbooks.



This version of Nigella's Chicken Schnitzel with bacon and white wine is one our go to recipes. It's easy, it's flavorful and has bacon. Love me some bacon! In stead of breast halves or tenders we used chicken legs and thighs. And rather than use a skillet, this was tipped into a roasting pan. This recipe comes from Nigella Express.

You need just a few ingredients.......

1 teaspoon garlic infused oil
4 strips of bacon (I used 6 strips)
chicken tenders, breast halves, thighs or legs...whichever you prefer
1/3 cup white wine

After heating the oil a bit add bacon and fry up until crispy. Set aside and crumble when cool.
Fry the chicken in the leftover bacon grease for a few minutes, turning to assure browning. Now tip into a large roasting pan and cover with bacon bits and white wine. Roast until chicken is cooked through, roughly 50 minutes for legs and less time for breast pieces if you are using those.



Potluck is scheduled for the week of May 20th so be sure to check it out next month at IHCC and also right here at Squirrel Head Manor. I will be linking with them with another Nigella recipe...or perhaps Jamie Oliver. We'll see what's on the menu by then.

Sharing this with IHCC. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do. ♥ ♥

A Glock Rocks!

Previously I posted about my experience in a firearm safety class. If you missed it I broke it into two posts - Classroom and Firing Range. After all that I have shared let me introduce you to a new recreational pursuit as well as my first purchase. Before I do.....I want to sum up a few thoughts about my recent experience.

Education and training are critical components for firearm ownership and safety. Anyone legally eligible to purchase a firearm may do so without any training whatsoever – but I think that’s very foolish to skip out on the basics.



The training taught me critical safety procedures as well as defensive actions. As far as defense, I hope I never EVER am put in a position where I need to evaluate whether I should pull out my firearm to protect myself or assure the safety of my loved ones. A rational person (in my humble opinion) never wants to harm or take someone’s life; what an awful thing to carry with you forever, even if it’s justified.

That being said, if an intruder breaks into our home, I am not physically capable of stopping a man from raping and/or killing me. I don’t have the protection of armed guards or a policeman at the ready in case I am in trouble – but my gun is capable of making a criminal pause and retreat, or stopping them altogether while I call law enforcement.

Do I live in fear? No. No, I don’t. But I am prepared and trained for something I hope never happens. That’s called insurance. Good to have – hope you never need it.

Recreation
At this point I consider myself a recreational shooter. We have gone to several shooting ranges to target practice and it’s a blast (yes, pun intended). We shoot targets at 8, 15 and 25 feet. Practice is what I am needing for the 20+ foot targets. There is a camaraderie among the men and women who show up and practice with revolvers, semi-automatics and rifles. I love the sound of the neighboring rifles as you hear a whooshing crack…followed by a thump!

So, what did I end up getting for my first gun? A Glock 26, a sturdy 9 millimeter semi-automatic. It was a tough choice between that and the Smith and Wesson Shield (another 9 mm.) but I surely do love the hand feel of the Glock. It’s actually called a Baby Glock and fits well in my small hand.



Doug has a Glock 30, a hefty .45 cal which gives me too much recoil. Had to try it though. It’s a nice gun. He’s a great shot and quite enthusiastic!



For what it's worth, if you ever decide to own a semi-automatic weapon, buy a speed loader. Otherwise you'll feel the cramp and pain of trying to push bullets into a magazine and if you have small hands like I do, oh my. I wasn't the only one who had help loading the ammo but a speed loader makes life easier.

So there you have it folks………..thank you for taking the journey with me. I know that no matter what I have written, how I have stressed safety, handling and responsibility with gun ownership there will be some gun control advocates who disagree. But if you feel this way, I will politely ask you to please read my posts again so you understand this is about education and choice.

I am not a gun nut. I wasn’t before the class nor am I now. I am now merely an informed recreational shooter. It’s a continuing education….I’m still just a baker, a wife, a mom who worries, a dreamer and now a gun owner.




Thanks to the initial training I had at Talon I have the confidence in my ability to handle a loaded firearm. There is a Basic II class which my husband and I will take in the near future.

If you are thinking of buying a firearm – please take a safety course and let me know what you think!

Baked Turkey Sausage with Fennel & Book/Movie Talk

This healthy meal is a result of us wanting to cut back on calories and fat. I won’t make it again. It was….just ok. And I am being generous. I love turkey. I like fennel…and red onion and potato too. I love sausage. But I do not like turkey sausage. In my opinion it’s too dry, too bland and not tasty at all. This meal looks great and we endured it for one evening (this in spite of me making enough for two nights easily). The rest was used for a jambalaya type stew.



I made this instead of going with the Cumberland sausages mentioned in the last Inspector Banks books I read. The inspiration was the pub meal with sausage – but I decided to try a healthy twist on it all. That’ll teach me. Maybe.

My review of Peter Robinson’s book Hanging Garden may be found at Novel Meals.




As far as book talk, I just finished Maeve Binchy’s last book (A Week in Winter) and Rachel Joyce’s novel The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Reviews are in the works for those.

Movies have been so-so lately. I don’t know if you remember but we don’t have television feed – just own a TV set which plays DVDs. We tried Meserine (not recommended), U.S. Marshalls (I like just about anything with Tommy Lee Jones, Homeland (a television show which we could only take one episode before sending the disk back with 3 episodes unwatched) Some of my co workers raved about it but we just couldn’t get into it. I usually like Claire Danes but she was rather wooden in this, in my opinion.

Loved season 5 of Mad Men and of course we can’t wait for Breaking Bad to be available from Netflicks.


That’s the roundup here at Squirrel Head Manor. Hoping to visit our son soon and maybe I will have some good photos to share.



Hope you all are well!

Part Two - Firearms Safety Course

My last post was about a firearms safety class and I ended with the classroom portion. Trying to keep this informative yet compressed in detail, I'd like to share the range time experience now.

As I mentioned before, there were 11 women and 6 men in class. After the classroom experience they separate the males and females. The women headed to the firing range while the men stayed behind to participate and watch scenario training (more on this later).

We assembled around picnic benches housed under a covered area. The benches were covered with holsters, Glock 19s (a 9 millimeter semi-automatic), boxes of ammo and hearing protection. The instructors gave all of us holsters and explained we would be shooting at the targets lined before us, a backdrop of walled dirt was just beyond the targets. For the record, half of us were not wearing belts and had to shove the holsters onto the waistband of our trousers.....if you take a class like this, do yourself a favor and wear a belt. It will help with drawing the gun.



After being issued our unloaded Glocks we first tried drawing the gun from the holsters. Then we dry fired at the targets, scanned to the left and right behind us for additonal "threats" before reholstering the gun. Our stance was corrected, our arms were adjusted for proper stance and then we moved to loading the guns.

With loaded guns in our holsters we listen very carefully to our instructor who runs us through the drill we have practiced. He yells the commands so we can hear him over our ear protection.

"Shooters!" We take our stance, an Isosceles stance with the right foot back for support.



"Unholster!" We pull our guns out, leaving the trigger finger straight and away from the trigger; we do not want an accident.

"THREAT!" We take three shots into center mass of the target. Well, you hope you put all three into center mass.

"Scan!" which means to turn to the right and left; be sure of your surroundings.

"Guns in holsters!"

This drill went on while we shot toward center mass, reloaded magazines, shot again and again on command. Then we went on to head shots where we aimed at "the computer" - the center (brain) where you would take an attacker down.

(This target isn't the same as we used....but you get the idea)



My hand was achy after all that. I have never shot before my trip to see our son and that wasn't so...vigorous! The Glock seemed like it was too big for me but by the end of this portion of the training, it wasn't as alien to me. Yes, my hand was a bit sore but I wasn't used to holding a pistol and holding something up before me for an extended period of time. This would come with muscle memory.

The last part of the shooting was a scenario where you were up close, one foot from the target, as this may be a likely scenario if you were attacked. Honestly, I don't think I could do it justice, trying to describe it. But it was a method I will be practicing over and over in the event I am ever unfortunate enough to be in this position.

Next the men show up for their practice and instruction. The ladies moved to another area where a chest of guns - all sorts such as semi-automatic Glocks, a Sig, Taurus, etc and revolvers as well. Have you ever watched The Matrix? "We need guns, lots of guns"
That was what this looked like...on a smaller scale than the Matrix but more than what is pictured here below.



The class is invited to try out any gun they have. What's beneficial about this? Well, if you think you want to own a firearm it's a good thing to try firing it. Many people select a firearm based on size or how it feels in their hand. Shooting it is altogether different.

Think a small .22 will be easier to handle? The recoil is much greater with a smaller gun. Sadly, one woman had a semi-automatic her husband had bought for her and didn't care for the experience shooting it after the training. I tried a Smith a Wesson Shield, a Glock 26 and a Glock 27.

Back to the classroom building now. We participate in scenario training. Individual scenes are played out so we can see how we may react. One is being mugged at an ATM, another is having a stranger approach and ask for money but he's brandishing a knife, another is a scenario where a man is standing between a woman and her car at a parking lot. If you can retreat from confrontation this is the best course of action. Only draw your weapon if you mean to use it and there is no other recourse.



The instructor, dressed as the bad guy, is wearing a protective vest since we will be able to shoot him with a pellet gun. That way, the instructor isn't injured. It was very informative, very real and gave you food for thought.

It was a long day - 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm. But you sure come away from the class much better informed, well educated. It gave me lots of time to think about the responsibility of owning a firearm. It was also a fun experience.

That's it for the class...........I have made my decision but this post is already sooo long. I hope you enjoyed hearing about this wonderful educational experience.

Thank you to all the instructors at Talon!

A New Experience......Part One

This is a post I wanted to write and share for a few weeks. It may turn into 2 or 3 posts…we’ll see how articulate I can be here. First off, I know if I don’t write about food and/or foodie experiences there are some readers who skip by altogether. I can dig that, especially if my topic du jour isn’t about cooking.

Eating good food is the common ground where many of our friendships began. But if you’ll bear with me I would like to share some of my recent experiences and changing outlook on the subject of firearms. Owee – I just put that out there…the gun control issue is a passionate and heated subject with people solid in one camp or another.

I didn’t grow up with guns with the exception of the single time my father took me out to Tinicum Island (this is near Philly) and showed me how to fire a shotgun. BAM – and my 12 year old butt was knocked backwards, my ears ringing and I never, ever, ever wanted to have that experience again. As an adult, the idea of being around guns made my heart rate pick up. I just never thought about owning one, firing one, being around one ….it wasn’t on my radar at all. That being shared, I want to tell you about my first experience firing a revolver this past February and my experiences, viewpoint and education since then.

My first adult experience handling a firearm was in February, just 2 months ago. Our son is in the Army and we went to visit him prior to his possible deployment. He wanted to take us to an indoor firing range to shoot. I didn’t know how to load a gun. I didn’t know beans about gun safety or even range etiquette. I considered how strangers in a shooting stall right next to me were popping off live ammo as they fired away at their respective targets. . It was very sobering ….….all of it. My first shot with a .38 revolver was jarring. The recoil was expected but yet, surprised me. The one and only shot taken with a .40 Springfield semi-automatic pistol was absolutely jolting. I handed that one over to my son immediately!



My son wanted to share this experience with us and clearly hoped we were having a good time. You know how you can tell it’s important by their tone, by the cadence, by their look when your son (or daughter) asks you, “Are you having fun? You doing OK?” to whatever it is they are introducing you.

Yes, I was having a good time. But it was more about spending the few precious days with him than the shooting. It was a scary, impressive and intoxicating experience all at once. I never thought I would handle a gun again.

Wrong. After talking about the experience and getting pointers on why the recoil jarred me (as well as other factors), I realized I needed training on safety, stance, laws, etc. It’s always better to have an abundance of information to make an informed decision. Doug and I signed up for a firearms safety course at Talon Training Group



I wasn’t committed to owning a firearm but I did want to go through the safety and scenario course. Talon is….Amazing. I am so happy we took this course. Let me tell you about it but first, let me tell you the difference this 8 hour course made with some before and after examples.

Prior to the course

I did not know my rights or the laws concerning self-protection at my home, in public, stranded on a road, etc. I was unaware of the tricky legal stuff, meaning what actions I may legally take and what behavior is legally unacceptable.

I could not load a revolver or a semi-automatic firearm nor could I pull back the slide on any semi-automatic no matter how I struggled.

I did not know how to stand to support the best position for firing a gun…any gun.

I did not know about safety issues when handling a loaded firearm.

I did not know if I wanted to own a gun or just proceed with this safety education.

Now let me tell about the training and what I learned.

We arrive at 8:30 for the class. There are 6 male students and 11 female students. The instructors are from a local law enforcement agency and put you at ease immediately. They don’t pull macho crap and talk down to the women, they don’t treat any of us differently.

One of our instructors brought out several firearms, proceeded to show us they were unloaded and explained how to ascertain if any weapon was loaded, how to check it ourselves. As they passed around an unloaded semi-automatic for us all to inspect, load with snap caps (bullets without primer so…no firing ability) and practice the slide on top, I was already feeling out of my element.



I don’t have the strength to rack that top slide. I am a small woman and besides, if I choose to own a firearm I could just get a revolver. But I was there for the education and so I soldiered on while the guys handled these guns smoothly.

We were introduced to all various forms of belt holsters, pocket holsters and even purses specifically designed to safely carry a gun. We were educated on Florida statute and what constitutes legally acceptable use of force in various situations. Much praise to Detective Kevin Shea for his infinite patience explaining the hard to decipher statutes and translating so us average Joes can understand. Not to mention the endless questions we all hurled at him.

Again, I was there for education and had not made up my mind about ownership of a firearm.

Please walk with me through this class as I explored territory I never, ever, thought I would be exposed to and how it all shook out.

Please check out my next post.

Breakfast - I never miss it!

Recently I was contacted by MyBlogSpark to spread the word about General Mills breakfast cereals. I don't mind doing that at all since I eat Cheerios and other General Mills creals every single day. I am not a person who likes missing breakfast!



Do you use coupons? I try, just to save money here and there. Check this site HERE at Grocery Savvy for
good coupons. Also, I know Publix isn't a market in all locations but if you do shop there, check out their site for more coupons and deals - Click on the link PUBLIX.



MyBlogSpark provided me with a gift card so I could stock up on the breakfast items I enjoy most. Thank you!

April 1st – April 10th during the Publix® Breakfast Savings event, take advantage of great savings on some of your family's favorites like Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and other General Mills breakfast items. For coupon offers on varieties your whole family will love, visit the Publix Breakfast Savings page.



What breakfast items do you like to have on hand to get your day started? What is your favorite cereal combo? Usually I mix chocolate Cheerios with the Honey Nut and that's a pretty good combination. Feel free to share your favorites here!


Disclosure:
"The information, products and General Mills gift pack were provided by General Mills and Publix® through MyBlogSpark."

Chicken Frito Casserole...inspired by Gone Girl

I am looking forward to a vacation next week. There are all sorts of things I wanted to share with you recently but....busy, busy, busy.

Book reviews, our latest movies from Netflicks, a class Doug and I recently took together...lots of stuff. It's just been hectic. Some of the weariness from the last several weeks stems from work and a lazy git who left all of us in a bind with various projects. So I haven't wanted to get online much once I am home.

But enough of that - check out this amazingly delicious comfort dish called Chicken Frito Casserole. I just finished reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and this was a dish I made, inspired from the book. My book review, not too revealing cause it's just that sort of book, may be found at Novel Meals.



This has to be one of the easiest, best tasting toss-togethers I have made in a while. Seriously, it gets even better as it sits a day in the fridge.




Chicken Frito Casserole

Ingredients

1 (6 pound) chicken (I used boneless thighs to save time)

Sauce:
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoon oil of choice
1/2 cup chicken broth, divided
3 dried guajillo peppers, finely chopped (Nope, I couldn't add this)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes

Chili Base:
Oil or butter
1/2 Spanish onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup canned pinto beans
1 cup canned black beans


Serving suggestions:
Corn chips (recommended: Fritos), shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, sliced jalapenos

Directions

For the chicken: Add the whole chicken to boiling water and boil until thoroughly and safely cooked. (The skin should take on a visible color change, the temperature can vary depending on the stove, but typically, so long as the water is boiling, you are good to go.) Remove from the water and allow the chicken to drain and cool. Pull the meat in strips from the bone.

For the sauce: In a large saucepan, toast the garlic in the oil over high heat until lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Add half the chicken broth and the peppers and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Fold in the pulled chicken. Reduce the heat, add the remaining chicken broth, and allow the mixture to simmer 5 to 10 minutes while stirring continuously. Keep warm.

For the chili base: In a large saucepan, coat the bottom of the pan with the oil and sweat the onions and peppers over low heat . Stir often enough to avoid browning. Add the crushed tomatoes and spices and bring to boil. Add the beans and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the base reduce to the thickness you like in your chili. Mix in the chicken and sauce and bring back to a boil.

Serve the chili with corn chips, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and/or sliced jalapenos.

Obviously (well, for anyone who knows me), I didn't use jalapenos. I am a weenie, a big ol' baby, about spicy foods. Who needs heartburn ...but do as you will.

Cheers, all, and I will be back with info about our class, movies and more!