It's actually pretty difficult to maintain a productive sleep schedule when one is unemployed; it's not like I have anywhere that I have to be. DH and I are going to try to get back to a proper sleep schedule this week, though.
I had originally planned to make a beef roast today, but due to my lazy morning, I had to think of something else. I decided tonight to make something fun and decently healthy... chicken burgers with guacamole! The guacamole is my own recipe, based off of just watching other people I know make guacamole, and the chicken burgers are just using Shake 'n' Bake in a slightly different way than usual.
Tonight we're having these with a simple side salad, but you could always use something else. I personally think that my sister's recipe for Greek Hummus Dip, from Keeping it Kait, and some veggies, chips, or pita (or even *gasp* pita chips!) would go quite nicely.
Just a food safety reminder -- As always with raw egg and meat products, make sure to wash your hands, cutting utensils, and work surface thoroughly after handling. If you are ever unsure about the doneness of your meat, invest in a meat thermometer. I have never experienced it myself, but I've heard food poisoning is no joke!
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| To be honest, I'm sort of wishing I hadn't packed my Gordon Ramsay plates away in our storage Pod. They make food presentation look so much more tidy... |
Homemade Chicken Burgers (makes 6-ish)
Ingredients
1 package chicken thighs, boneless and skinless (usually 6 in a package)
500ml Buttermilk (optional)
1 package Crispy Southern Style Shake 'n' Bake
Directions
Trim chicken thighs to desired shape and size to fit burgers. Sometimes, I find one that is really big can actually be turned into two. Place a piece of Saran Wrap over the pieces and flatten with the back of a spoon if necessary (sometimes the thighs are a little too big to fit comfortably on a burger).
Place chicken thighs into a bowl and pour buttermilk over, until they are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes; doing this tenderizes the chicken and makes it juicy. Do not let it refrigerate any longer, as the enzymes in the buttermilk will make it have a mushy texture after that time. You can skip this step if desired.
Next, follow the coating and conventional oven cooking instructions on the Shake 'n' Bake package for the amount of chicken that you have. It should be about 25-35 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on how much chicken you're cooking.
Allow to cool slightly before assembling burgers with the toppings you so desire.
Nessa's Guacamole
Ingredients
3 ripe avocado
1 Roma tomato, insides removed and diced
1 clove garlic (or 2 if you wish), finely diced or mashed
1/2 fresh jalapeno (optional, or you can use less)
Juice of 1/2 a lime (to taste, you can use less if it gets to where you want it to be)
Directions
Remove pits and skin from avocado and mash with a fork in a bowl. I like to leave a little bit of chunks so that there's some texture to the guacamole.
Add in garlic, tomato, and jalapeno. Stir until incorporated. Add in the lime juice to taste.
Add in salt and ground black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until chilled if desired (sometimes I just can't wait!).
Enjoy!
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