Peanut Butter Chicken

You know that crispy peanut butter chicken you can often find on Chinese buffet tables? This is it. Or... a very close approximation of how to make it yourself.

 (Recipe adapted from this one)

Ingredients

1.5 lbs boneless chicken cutlets

3/4 cup milk

3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter (or maybe a little more)

1 egg

Salt and pepper

Approximately 2-3 cups crushed Corn Flakes

Vegetable/Canola Oil

For Sauce

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (or maybe a little more)

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

3/4 cup water (can reduce or adjust to get the thickness desired)

Drizzle of honey

Whisk together the milk, 3 tbsp of creamy peanut butter, and egg. Sprinkle in a few dashes of salt and pepper. Soak your chicken in this mixture for a few minutes while you get any other prep done (I did this while getting the carrots and broccoli ready to steam and starting the rice). 

While chicken is soaking, put all sauce ingredients in a glass measuring cup or other microwavable container. You might want to start with 1/2 cup of water and add more later to reach your desired consistency. Microwave this mixture for 30 seconds and then whisk to thoroughly combine. Microwave another 30 seconds until hot. At this point you can add more water if necessary to make the mixture a little thinner. This can be done ahead of time and just reheated when the rest of the meal is ready.

Coat soaked chicken pieces in Corn Flakes and cook in oil, flipping once, until browned on both sides and cooked through.

Serve with rice & veggies of your choice and drizzle with peanut butter sauce. ENJOY!

Dinner at Madeleine's

Saturday was my 23rd birthday, and my go to spot for birthday dinners in Evansville, IN is a fusion restaurant called Madeleine's. The menu changes monthly, and I have yet to go and try something that wasn't amazingly delicious. 

 Avocado and Crab Salad appetizer

 Duroc Pork Chop with Dijon Mushroom Sauce, Hericot Verts, and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

You can check out Madeleine's and their current menu by visiting their website (here). The menu they have up now is for the most part what they had this weekend, with a few minor changes. In a town with minimal fine dining options, this place is likely to continue being a favorite in our family.

(Note: Both the appetizer and entree I tried were changes on the menu, and I wish I could remember what the aioli was on top of the Avocado and Crab Salad because it was DELICIOUS!)

Harvest of Louisville

Last weekend I went down on an overnight trip to Louisville with my parents to look at apartments for my dad while he is working there. On Friday we went to lunch at Harvest, a locally grown restaurant, on East Market street. I'm always a little turned off when a restaurant has a very small menu, especially when the choices seem to be a little out of the ordinary, but this turned out to be DELICIOUS. 

We all got the burger either with different toppings or different sides, and it was one of the most amazing burgers I have ever had. It is served on a pretzel bun with chevre, lettuce, and bacon jam (pretty much just bacon). I chose the herb dijon potato salad as a side, and it might have been the best potato salad I've ever had. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you're ever in town and looking for a new place to try. I know I'll be back on what I'm sure will be many trips to come. 

You can check out Harvest and their menu here.