Kid Pleasing Menu

I don't cater to "kid palates" because I believe all children should be exposed to a wide variety of "real world" foods. However, now and then I like to make something specifically designed to tickle the taste buds of my kids. Rather than heat up some frozen minced and formed chicken nuggets and fry up some frozen french fries, I try to keep the kid feasts wholesome, pleasing to the eye, and delicious for adults, too.

Here's a meal that kids can sink their teeth into right alongside the grownups in their lives. It uses chicken breast, almonds, Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and sweet potatoes. Mmm...

Chicken Breast Tenderloins with an Almond-Parmesan Crust & Sweet Potato Coins

serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb chicken breast tenderloin
• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup flour (I used 1/4 cup each whole wheat and white)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 eggs, beaten
• non-stick spray

How it's Done:

1. In the bowl of your food processor, combine almonds, flour, all the seasonings, and the cheese. Process until smooth. Keep processing while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Transfer breading to a shallow dish.
2. Dip each tender into the beaten eggs, then roll in the breading. Press the breading into the chicken to get as much to stick as possible.
3. Spray each piece on both sides with non-stick spray. Place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until no longer pink.
5. A yummy dipping sauce: combine equal parts honey and Dijon mustard. Much better than the store-bought honey Dijon.

For the Sweet Potato Coins:

1. Peel and slice into 1/4" rounds two sweet potatoes. Place on a cookie sheet with raised sides and drizzle with 2 tbsp each olive oil and melted butter. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then raise the temperature to 450 and bake another 20 minutes.