Sesame Chicken

December 4th 2006
Dine Without Whine's Weekly Newsletter
An Extension of our Menu Planning Service
www.dinewithoutwhine.com
Publisher ~ Christine Steendahl
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This Issue:

A Personal Note
Sesame Chicken
Christmas Cookie Swap - A Fun Tradition

A Personal Note

How’s it going? Has winter found you yet? It was so nice here and then it turned COLD. It is supposed to get down to 8 degrees tonight. I guess it is December in the Midwest… I got spoiled with Seattle weather the last few years. We were in MN for 4 years and it was cold, and then we were in Seattle for 4 years where it wasn’t so cold. (Although Seattle area has had more snow this year than we have so far this year.)

This week on Friday we take Dane in to see if he can get his cast off. I am hoping so! He has starting cruising around furniture the last couple days so he is getting more and more mobile. I can’t wait to throw him in the bathtub though! That and being able to go places again.

I hope your holidays are going well. I need to get my packages shipped out this week to all our family in WA. It feels great to be done shopping and able to enjoy the holiday season. We are working on a Christmas Holiday Meal and Planning Guide similar to our Thanksgiving one, if you need a little help deciding what to serve for your Christmas meal. That will hopefully be out by the end of the week. I’ll send you more details when it’s ready!

Happy Holidays,

Christine

“The Menu Mom”

www.themenumom.com

Recipe of the Week

Exerted from this week's family friendly menu plan and convenient grocery shopping list.

Have you tried our sample menu?

Sesame Chicken

Makes 4 servings

    2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    1/2 cup crackers crumbs
    1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
    1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
    1/8 teaspoon black pepper
    1 egg large
    2 tablespoons water
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    Dash black pepper
    4 chicken drumsticks and thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs.total)
    1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, cook sesame seeds until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. In a shallow dish, mix cracker crumbs, sesame seeds, tarragon, garlic salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; set aside.

4. In a second shallow dish, beat egg, water, salt, and dash of pepper; set aside.

5. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. Remove skin if desired. Dip each piece in egg mixture, then in cracker crumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place in an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Drizzle oil over chicken.

6. Bake 1 hour or until chicken is no longer pink along bone and juices run clear.

This Weeks Top Five Referring Sites
(These sites have a link to DWW somewhere on their site and have sent the most visitors to www.dinewithoutwhine.com this week)

http://www.snacksfortoddlers.com/
http://www.catholicmom.com
http://www.healthy-kids-snacks.com/
http://www.christian-homemaking.com/
http://www.practicalhomemaking.com/

Kitchen and Cooking Tips, Articles, And Product Reviews

Christmas Cookie Swap – A Fun Tradition

A Christmas cookie swap is as simple as it sounds. Friends gather together at another friend’s home, bringing their favorite baked cookies on a platter or tray. All the platters and trays are put on a table. The friends gather around the table; taking take two or three cookies from each dish or platter, to take home. This is the cookie swap. What makes this particular event so wonderful is each person may have a story about the cookies, i.e., where the recipe came from; anecdotes about preparing the cookies, etc.

Are you ready to plan your Christmas cookie swap? Let’s begin with the invitations.

Purchase or make your own invitations and send them to your friends. Set a date and time convenient for all, perhaps a late morning on a Sunday afternoon. Be sure to add an RSVP so you know how many are attending. This will determine how many cookies you need to bake.

The night before the event, begin baking your favorite cookies using either recipes handed down from your mother or grandmother, or new recipes you have made experimenting on your own. Place your cookies on your Christmas plate or tray, cover the cookies with wrap, and set aside in a cool area.

Decorate your main table with a Christmas tablecloth and matching napkins. Use your Christmas cups and saucers; dessert plates; creamer; sugar bowl; and flatware. Arrange a beautiful poinsettia centerpiece for the table. Next, prepare and decorate a second table on which the plates or trays of baked cookies will be placed.

On the day of your event, prepare your coffee pot and tea kettle about half hour before your friends arrive. Finally, your friends come bearing delicious baked cookies, filling your home with a wonderful aroma. Show your friends to the cookie table, and have each friend set down their plate or tray of cookies on the table.

After much conversation, call your friends together for the cookie swap. Gather everyone around the cookie table, and begin the process of each person walking around the table, taking two or three cookies from each tray. When finished, have everyone sit at your main table and the storytelling can begin. Every participant leaves with a selection of cookies that they can share at their homes with visitors and guests.

Planning a Christmas cookie swap is fairly easy. Having your friends come to your home with their own recipes and sharing stories is the icing on the “cookie.”