Fried Chicken

This is a family favorite.  If you were traveling to my grandmother’s for a visit, this was the dish my grandmother made to welcome you.  Battles were fought over who got the first piece, and if you ask anyone in the family what their favorite dish is…it would be Mom-mom’s Fried Chicken.

1-2 chickens (cut into breast, back, thigh, wing & leg)
3 cups Flour
1 cup yellow corn  meal
1/2-1 stick of margarine (Blue Bonnet Light)
salt & Pepper to taste

Soak chicken in a salt water bath for at least 1 hour, then rinse and set aside on paper towels. (If you are on a low salt diet – soak chicken for an additional hour in plain water)

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cut up margarine into pats of butter (about 1/2 Tbsp) and spread evenly between 2 edged cookie pans or shallow baking pans.  Place in oven to melt margarine then take out and make sure it has evenly coated the bottom.  Set aside.

Take two 1 gallon plastic bags and place one inside the other.  Then place the flour, corn meal, salt and pepper inside the inside bag.  Mix thoroughly.

Take the chicken 2-3 pieces at a time and put them in the flour mixture to coat.  Shake off excess then place on the buttered pans skin side down.  Repeat until all pieces are coated and in the pans.  (If necessary make more of the flour mixture in the 3 to 1 ratio)

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.  Take pans out of oven and flip all pieces so they are skin side up.  Put pans back in oven and bake an additional 30 minutes or until skins are golden brown in the center and juices run clear.

All nutritional information is an estimate

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories:	240.5 kcal
Water	10.28 g
Carbohydrate* (42%)	24.59 g
Protein (7%)	4.46 g
Total Fat (51%)	13.72 g
Monounsaturated	7.5 g
Polyunsaturated	1.91 g
Saturated	3.54 g
Cholesterol	5.83 mg
Dietary Fibre	1.27 g
Alcohol (0%)	0 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A	637.01 IU
Thiamin	0.25 mg
Riboflavin	0.17 mg
Niacin	2.18 mg
Pantothenic acid	0.22 mg
Vitamin B6	0.04 mg
Folate	63.85 mcg
Vitamin B12	0.05 mcg
Vitamin C	0.18 mg
Vitamin E	0.69 mg ATE
Minerals
Calcium	14.15 mg
Iron	1.52 mg
Magnesium	10.56 mg
Phosphorus	48.03 mg
Potassium	62.83 mg
Sodium	128.51 mg
Zinc	0.31 mg
Copper	0.04 mg

*	Note: USDA factors are used in calculating certain foods and do not necessarily follow the “4-4-9″ method. Percentages may not always add up to 100.
	Data source: USDA Nutrient Database, R17

Mom-Mom’s Lemon Pound Cake

First I have to tell you that as a general rule I personally hate pound cake.  They are usually way too dry for me and kind of tasteless.  However my grandmother’s pound cake is moist and tasty, and I can’t get enough of it.  I have found that the key to this recipe is getting good extracts (www.watkinsonline.com/jenniferc-cherylm) and a good quality soy milk.

½ Cup Margarine (Blue Bonnet Light)
⅓ Cup Shortening
5 Eggs
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract (Watkins)
1 Teaspoon Lemon Extract (Watkins)
1 Cup Soy Milk (Silk)
3 Cups Flour
3 Cups Sugar

Blend margarine and shortening until soft.  Add eggs and sugar – Beat well.
Add baking powder and salt – beat until very fluffy.  Add vanilla and lemon.
Alternate additions of flour with portions of soy milk, mixing well between additions.
Bet until very fluffy.  Pour into prepared tube or bundt pan.  Place in cold oven, then bake at 350°F for 1½ hours or until done to the touch.

VARIATIONS:
Any flavor may be substituted for the lemon – orange, almond and vanilla all work well.

I would not frost this cake though.  It comes out too sweet for most.

Below is the estimated nutritional information for 16 generous slices:

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories:	346.2 kcal
Water	29.73 g
Carbohydrate* (64%)	56.4 g
Protein (6%)	5.12 g
Total Fat (30%)	11.58 g
Monounsaturated	4.9 g
Polyunsaturated	3.22 g
Saturated	2.58 g
Cholesterol	66.09 mg
Dietary Fibre	0.83 g
Alcohol (0%)	0 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A	422.43 IU
Thiamin	0.21 mg
Riboflavin	0.21 mg
Niacin	1.43 mg
Pantothenic acid	0.41 mg
Vitamin B6	0.05 mg
Folate	52.75 mcg
Vitamin B12	0.39 mcg
Vitamin C	0.01 mg
Vitamin E	1.65 mg ATE
Minerals
Calcium	27.76 mg
Iron	1.57 mg
Magnesium	11.11 mg
Phosphorus	67.67 mg
Potassium	68.36 mg
Sodium	118.87 mg
Zinc	0.4 mg
Copper	0.07 mg

*	Note: USDA factors are used in calculating certain foods and do not necessarily follow the “4-4-9″ method. Percentages may not always add up to 100.
	Data source: USDA Nutrient Database, R17

Soy Formula Smoothies

My son Ian never really liked the taste of the soy formulas, so I came up with the following formula shake.

1/2 container Silk Soy Yogurt

3-4 scoops Formula (Enfimil)

6-8oz Vanilla Soy Milk

Combine all ingredients together until there is no more formula powder visible.  If you are using one of the yogurts with fruit chunks in it you may want to use a blender to combine all the ingredients.  I use a Magic Bullet to mix mine because it is quick and easy.

Since I started making his “smoothies” this way he has loved to drink his formula.  I currently use the Next Step formula, and that is what the below nutritional information is based on.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories:	476.5 kcal
Water	635.88 g
Carbohydrate* (50%)	58.75 g
Protein (20%)	26.27 g
Total Fat (30%)	16.52 g
Monounsaturated	4.56 g
Polyunsaturated	5.56 g
Saturated	4.22 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Dietary Fibre	5.04 g
Alcohol (0%)	0 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A	2765.69 IU
Thiamin	0.42 mg
Riboflavin	0.36 mg
Niacin	2.98 mg
Pantothenic acid	2.72 mg
Vitamin B6	0.5 mg
Folate	93.5 mcg
Vitamin B12	4.94 mcg
Vitamin C	22.56 mg
Vitamin E	6.83 mg ATE
Minerals
Calcium	606.55 mg
Iron	8.63 mg
Magnesium	161.36 mg
Phosphorus	459.31 mg
Potassium	710.03 mg
Sodium	304.1 mg
Zinc	3.96 mg
Copper	0.73 mg

*	Note: USDA factors are used in calculating certain foods and do not necessarily follow the “4-4-9″ method. Percentages may not always add up to 100.
	Data source: USDA Nutrient Database, R17