Last weekend our friend Nicole Chubb Ralston came over to do a portrait session for us and we're pretty excited to get the shots back. Charisse and Nicole when to high school together and we've been hanging out more since we moved back from the city. Nicole started her photography business right around the time we started our blog, so we've both been enjoying going through the same experiences at the same time. Turning something you love and are very passionate about into something that puts food on the table (okay in our case, provides the money to buy the food) is a huge challenge that takes the kind of dedication and patience usually reserved for putting a rocket on the moon or getting that first real world job or making the perfect martini. Its really really hard. Okay so maybe every martini tastes perfect after the third one but still, you get the point. When you listen to someone talk about a business they started or a company they grew you never hear about all the nitty gritty details, nothing about how many forms you have to fill out to get a business license, how much time you have to spend on Google researching "business plan", how nothing goes "according to the plan" or how often that first big break they had was just dumb luck. Of everyone that we've talked to about this the two things that keep popping up are perseverance and knowing what it is that makes your thing different. If you have something you love, you can eventually find a way to make money doing it. Right now, we love these Lemon Chicken Tenders that Eric made. These are baked instead of friend, so we count them as "healthy" and they taste amazing. Perfect for the "big game" (we can't legally call it the Super Bowl) or when the kids are having a sleepover. They carry a ton of flavor that you wouldn't expect from chicken fingers but don't worry, the kids will like them too!
Lemon Chicken Fingers What you will need:
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
Set the oven to 400*. Mix together Salt, Pepper and Paprika in a bowl. Lay out your chicken slices and sprinkle the seasoning mixture over them, half on top then flip and sprinkle the remainder. Create an egg wash and breadcrumb dredge then put your chicken through it, egg first then breadcrumbs. Make sure you get every side of each chicken slice. Put the Chicken in the oven for 15 minutes turning once at the halfway point.
Over medium low heat stir sugar, lemon juice and curry powder together in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes). Once the 15 minutes are up on the chicken, remove it from the oven, drizzle your sauce over it (saving some for dipping) and return it to the over for another 5 minutes. Serve hot!
This like I'm reading to my thought. I totally understand what you're talking about and turning what you love into a business and $$. It's tough! I'm thinking of doing a business but the fear is much. Anyway, these chicken fingers sound delicious and the lemon sauce makes me drool!
These are a very appropriate condiment for the beer :)
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures...these look so tasty.
ReplyDeleteOh yum! I need a new chicken recipe! Thanks guys :)
ReplyDeleteIt's not easy but doing what you love is so important - and eating what you love! Looks too tasty.
ReplyDeleteI think I will really like these, thank you for sharing.....and your photos are fantastic!
ReplyDeletelooks delicious we like chicken like this
ReplyDeleteI love the curry powder in the recipe. Looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteThose look so tasty!
ReplyDeleteI am serioulsy in love with these chicken fingers - curry powder = brilliant! Great job, gorgeous photos (as usual!)!
ReplyDeleteThis like I'm reading to my thought. I totally understand what you're talking about and turning what you love into a business and $$. It's tough! I'm thinking of doing a business but the fear is much. Anyway, these chicken fingers sound delicious and the lemon sauce makes me drool!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the photo shoot!
These look delicious. Gonna give them a go this weekend. I love anything lemon and especially combined with curry powder.
ReplyDelete