Chicken Nuggets

I prepared these for dinner 2 days ago and I can say that are delicious :* :* :*.

The recipe I took it from Jamie Oliver, but I added some secrets from mama too ;).

Crispy outside and tasty inside...freshly made chicken nuggets can be partnered up with chips, salad or on their own with a saucy dip. A real favorite with the kids! 

You will need:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 150 g ready-made breadcrumbs OR
• 6 slices of cut bread (brown or white)
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp basil, parsley or both
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 50 g plain flour
• 1 blender
• 1 deep fat fryer or frying pan
• 1 sharp knife
• 4 small bowls or a tray
• 1 cutting board
• some kitchen paper
• 1 slotted spoon 
• 2 yoghurts

Step 1: Trim the chicken

Take the chicken breast and cut off all excess skin, fat and bones.

Mama's secret: Before I start to prepare the chicken meat (or beef meat) I let it for 2 - 3 hours and after this I take it out on a kitchen paper towel to dry and I pass it through yoghurt.

 Step 2: Chunk the chicken 

Cut the chicken into small chunks so they will fit into the blender. Option: Leave the chicken in chunks or slices if you prefer chicken tenders; in that case do not blend the chicken in step 5. (Me I tried both and I have to say - I love it in both ways).

Step 3: Dry the bread

To make your own breadcrumbs the bread you use needs to be dry. This means stale bread. If you only have fresh bread, then place the slices in the oven at 100 C for one hour until they are dried – not toasted. (I use already bread-crumbs... yeah...I m lazy :P...but I have one beloved husband and I want to learn "secrets" to have time for cooking and enough time for my husband too ;) ).

Step 4: Make the breadcrumbs 

Once the bread is dried, break it up into pieces and place it in your blender. Put the lid on and switch it on to the appropriate setting to make your breadcrumbs. Add any seasoning. Once the seasoning is nicely mixed pour the breadcrumbs into one of the bowls. 

TIP  

You can add any flavouring at this stage. From spices to herbs, garlic, salt to parmesan cheese. This recipe uses just some salt and pepper. I love to put many many many many manyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy condiments :D...

Step 5: Blend the chicken

Wipe out the blender with some kitchen paper and add the chicken breasts. Pulse the chicken until roughly chopped. Now add the herbs and switch on the blender again, making sure the herbs are blended well with the chicken. Once that is done, pour the mixture into one of the bowls.

TIP

You could add herbs at this stage too for example, 1 teaspoon of dried basil, coriander or tarragon and some more salt and pepper.

Step 6: Beat the eggs

Take the 2 eggs, crack them into a bowl and beat them together.

Step 7: Prepare the coating

Line up the chicken mix, the flour, the eggs and the breadcrumbs in the four bowls.

Step 8: Shape the nuggets

Rub your hands with some flour to avoid them becoming too sticky! Then take some chicken mixture and roll it in the palm of your hands to create a smooth ball shape about the size of a ping pong ball.

Step 9: Coat the nuggets

Now take the nugget and roll it in the flour. When totally covered, roll it in the egg. Next, roll the nugget in the breadcrumbs and place it on a plate. Gently press down on it with the flat side of a knife to form the perfect nugget shape.

Step 10: Fry the nuggets

Take your frying pan and put the vegetable oil into it. Heat the pan to medium so that the oil is hot but not smoking. Place the nuggets into the pan and cook gently on a low heat for about 5 minutes turning them every few minutes so they don't burn.

Step 11: Serve and enjoy!

Once cooked place the nuggets on kitchen paper to drain any excess oil. Then serve with salad, chips or a dip.

And that is one healthier chicken nugget done in a perfect way ^___^!

Life is a beautiful struggle... so necessary...

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.

The moth seemed to be stuck and appeared to have stopped making progress. It seemed as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. The man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth; so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But its body was swollen and small, its wings wrinkled and shriveled.

The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to and able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a small, swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

The man in his kindness and haste did not understand that the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was necessary to force fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight upon achieving its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets, and don't forget the power in the struggle.

The papyrus and the charmed stone

While the fire was put over the library (in Alexandria, Egypt in the year 640 AD), an old librarian hidden on a narrow alley, was watching how the flames rise to heaven. After a few days when the building, once so great, became just a ruin, the librarian started again his job, scratching among the debris with a stick. There remained no papyrus. 

With broken heart, he was about to leave when he kicked with his leg a vessel almost charred, from which came rolled thin and yellowed papyrus, the only remaining document from the Library of Alexandria. The librarian grabbed it and shook the ashes on the label because of shriveled heat. The titlu was: "The secret of magic stone." He looked around and made its way from the ruins, to research his discovery .

The secret of magic stone emerges as he was keep reading. Enchanted Rock was, in fact, a pebble, but this had magical powers. Any material in contact with the stone  turn in gold! 

The papyrus indicate that magic stone looks like thousands of stones covering a specific and isolated high cliff above a narrow beach where the waves struck the Mediterranean Sea with its noise. But the secret was the following: real magic stone was warm to the touch, while the rest of the pebbles were cold.

Librarian speed up to that cliff and began searching. He knew he should have a method of removal of all common pebbles, so he devised a plan: each time when he picked up a cold pebble, he throw it into the sea and like this the search will be easier until he will reach the hot stone, the magic one.

Spent his first day, from sunrise to sundown, picking up stones and throw them in cold whirling sea. He worked methodically, ensuring that no stone will escape. Days were made weeks, during which he divided into plots and he limited his search to a small plot of earth rocks.

"Now it can't take much longer - he said while climbing the cliff. I have to work two days, maybe three. Soon, the magic stone will be mine! "
He smiled and thought it picked up a pebble and cast it with an automatic gesture, then he collapsed on his knees. The last pebble was hot! 

Moral of the story:

Like the old library, we are all the result of our own habits. The custom of the librarian to throw stones of no value  was so well entrenched that when finally he found the magic stone so priceless, he threw it away on the sea withiut thinking.

So it is with opportunities too. If we are not careful, easily ignore an opportunity, especially if there is something familiar and found it right under our noses!

The Enchanted Bird story

This article is dedicated to my sister Heaven! Allah heal her and bring her back to us!

There was a gorgeous bird, adorned with a pair of beautiful wings. One day, a woman saw her and loved her. She was watching her stunning flight, with the heart beating faster and the eyes glowing with excitement. The woman urged to fly with her and both traveled across the sky in perfect harmony.

Although she was adoring this bird, it ran through her mind a crazy thought that maybe at some point the bird would like to know and see the far mountains. She was terrified with thought thinking that she will never have the same feeling for another bird and like this she will feel alone. To avoid this drama, the woman put a trap to catch the beautiful flying bird.  

The bird, also in love with the woman, came back the next day, fell into the trap and she was locked in a cage, from where her mistress looked at her daily. Meanwhile, the woman lost her interest for the one that use to make her dream ...

And the bird, unable to fly, began to weaken, losing her brilliance. One day, she lost her spirit.... She died. 

The woman was seized by a deep sadness and she was living her days thinking about her friend who died. But she could not remember the cage, just the day she had seen the bird for the first time flying happy through the clouds.
 

If she could have seen herself, she could seen that the freedom and the energy of bird's wings were the things that filled her heart with happiness and emotions. 

Without her daily companion, the woman's life has lost the meaning and Death came to knock at the door:
- Why you are here? the woman asked.
- For that you can fly again with the bird in the sky, answered the Death. If you would let her leave and return unhindered, you could love and admire her more. But now you need me to meet her again.

Greetings for Ramadan

Bismillahi Rahmanu Rahim

Since the Ramadan is so so so so close to enter in our homes, I was thinking that there is no Ramadan without the greetings and the good wishes we want to send to all our beloved ones, from relatives until friends or maybe just good, wonderful people that we met lately.

Considering this, I will post here a few messages that you can send through e-mail (and you can attach also a card made by you or picked from the sites of the internet) or maybe as a SMS.

So here we go:

1. Welcome Ramadan
Walk humbly
Talk politely
Dress neatly
Treat kindly
Pray attentively
Donate generously
May ALLAH bless & protect you!

2. It's the month when the devils are chained,
the gates of hell are closed and those of paradise are opened.
It's the month the holy prophet used to pray to witness.
It's the blessed month of ramadhan.
May Allah shower his blessings and
grant you forgiveness in this holy month.

3. May This Ramadan be as bright as ever.
May this Ramadan bring joy, health and wealth to you.

May the festival of lights brighten up you
and your near and dear ones lives.

May this Ramadan bring in u the most
brightest and choicest happiness and
love you have ever Wished for.

May this Ramadan bring you the
utmost in peace and prosperity.

May lights triumph over darkness.

May peace transcend the earth.

May the spirit of light illuminate the world.

May the light that we celebrate at Ramadan
show us the way and lead us together on the
path of peace and social harmony

Wish you a very happy Ramadan Mubarak!

4.May the festival of lights be the harbinger
of joy and prosperity. As the holy occasion of
Ramadan is here and the atmosphere is
filled with the spirit of mirth and love,
here is hoping this festival of beauty brings
your way, bright sparkles of contentment,
that stay with you through the days ahead.

My Best wishes for u on Ramadan!

5. As the mountain high,
U move without sigh;
like the white linen flair,
Purity is always an affair;
As sunshine creates morning glory,
fragrance fills years as Flory;
with the immaculate eternal smile,
attached to u mile after mile;
All darkness is far away,
As light is on its way;
Wish all of u a very Happy Ramadan Mubarak!

6. Today i pray that:-
Happiness be at ur door
May it knock early
Stay late & leave the gift of Allah's
Peace,love,joy & good health behind.

7. Dear!
May Divine Pour His blessings on you
like rain throughout this holy month
recite Quran for blessings
b caring about your prayers
the Merciful will give u more than
your heart desires.

"Ramadan Mubarak"

8. As the crescent moon is sighted...
And the holy month of Ramadan begins...
May Allah bless you with happiness
and
grace your home with warmth & peace !

 9. RAMADAN RECIPE

A Glass of Care
A Plate of Love
A Spoon of Peace
A Fork of Truth &
A Bowl of Duaas.

Mix with spices of QURAAN.
Enjoy This Meal.
RAMADAN MUBARAK

 

10.He is the one GOD;
the Creater, the Initiate, the Designer.
To Him belong the most beautiful names...
He is the Almighty, Most Wise.

Wishing you a blessed Ramadan..!

11. The holy month of Ramadan,
For all Muslims has begun.
Praising Allah through the day,
From dawn to dusk we fast and pray.
We pay zakah (charity) for those in need,
Trying hard to do good deeds.
Wishing you wonderful Ramadan.

 

12. As the candle light flame,
Ur life may always be happiness claim;

As the mountain high,
U move without sigh;
like the white linen flair,
Purity is always an affair;
As sunshine creates morning glory,
fragrance fills years as Flory;
with the immaculate eternal smile,
attached to u mile after mile;
All darkness is far away,
As light is on its way;

Wish all of u a very Happy Ramadan!

13. Fortunate Is The One
Who Has Learned To Admire,
But Not To Envy.
Good Wishes For A Joyous Ramadan
And A Happy New Year With A Plenty
Of Peace And Prosperity.

14.As the Fajar azan begins
And the 1st holy fast begins
May Allah bless you with happiness
and grace your home with warmth & peace.

15.Wishing u 1 month of ramadan,
4 weeks of barkat,
30 days of forgiveness,
720 hours of guidance,
43200 minutes of purification,
2592000 seconds of Nuur..!!

Ramadan Mubarak

16.Best
Leader - Allah
Guide - Quaran
Lyrics - Aazan
Loyality - Imaan
Request - Dua
Protection - Fitra
Oath - Kalma
Exercise - Namaaz
Self Control - Roza
So Good Luck 4 Ramazan

 

17. Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran,
as a guide to mankind,
also clear (Signs) for guidance
and judgment (between right and wrong).

18. Narrated Aisha:
Allah's Apostle said,
Search for the Night of Qadr in
the odd nights of
the last ten days of Ramadan.

19.Allah's Apostle used to
practice a aitakaf in
the last ten days of
the holy month of Ramadan,
May Allah removes all the hurdles
and make it easy to follow our prophet.

20. Prophet said:
"Whoever stood for the prayers
in the night of Qadr out of sincere
faith and hoping for a reward from Allah,
then all his previous sins will be forgiven".

 21. Prophet never proceeded (4 the prayer)
on the Day of Id-ul-Fitr unless he had eaten some dates.
Anas also narrated:
The Prophet used 2 eat odd number of dates.

 

22. "... turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque;
and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it... "
The Holy Koran [ 2:150 ]

Wishing you all the blessings from Allah
and praying for a blessed Ramadan !