Frank's Crispy Chicken

Preparation Instructions: In a small bowl mix hot sauce, brown sugar, water and honey; set aside.

Bread each breast with panko bread crumbs and Italian seasoning.

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Place each breast in the pan and cook on each side until golden. Finish in a 350-degree oven for 20–25 minutes or until done. Drizzle sauce over each breast and serve.

Ingredients
1 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
1-½ cup Brown Sugar
¼ cups Water
2 Tablespoons Honey
4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning

Creamy Pasta Salad

I found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe and made it as a side dish and WOW was it good! I know you will enjoy it too!

1 12 oz. package tri-color rotini pasta, cooked and drained
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 can black olives, sliced
¼ cups red onion, finely diced
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons basil pesto
2/3 cup creamy Caesar dressing
2 teaspoons sauté spice (equal parts black pepper, salt, and garlic powder)
½-1 cup toasted pine nuts(I omitted the nuts because they were too expensive)

Cook pasta and coat with Caesar dressing while warm. Add the rest of the ingredients (minus the pine nuts) and toss. Top with toasted pine nuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Festive Flag Cheesecake

We were invited to our friends house for the fourth and I made this cheesecake. It was definitely a hit and I couldn't stop eating it.

*Makes about 48 squares

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
12 ounces (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
8-9 ounces (1-2 cups) blueberries
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise into thirds
12 ounces (3 cups) raspberries
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Coat a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Sift flour and 1 3/4 teaspoons salt into a medium bowl.(I know this makes a difference but I didn't and it still turned out yummy!) In a large bowl, cream the butter with a mixer on medium-high speed, occasionally scraping bowl, until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add light brown sugar, beating until very pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture all at once, and beat on low speed until just incorporated.

Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Press the dough into an even layer that covers the bottom of the sheet. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Bake the dough until the entire surface is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Let the cookie base cool completely in the baking sheet. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed, occasionally scraping bowl, until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream. Scrape the bowl, then mix in lemon zest, vanilla and a pinch of salt until well combined. Scrape the bowl, then beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated. The mixture should be very smooth; scrape the bowl as necessary. Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust and spread into an even layer.

Bake the cheesecake until the filling is set, about 20-25 minutes. Let the cheesecake cool completely in the baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm and cold, about 4 hours (or overnight).

Run the knife under hot water and dry well. Use it to cut the cheesecake into 48 squares, wiping the knife clean between cuts.

Decorate the top left squares (3 down and 4 across), with a mound of blueberries on each square. Use raspberries (about 4 per square) to decorate the 1st, 3rd and 5th rows (the 1st and 3rd rows are shorter rows since part of them are decorated with blueberries). Decorate the remaining rows in one of two ways: either dust them with powdered sugar for a completely white row or place three cut strawberries on each square and dust the tops of the strawberries with powdered sugar. If using this method (to dust the strawberries with powdered sugar), dust the strawberries immediately before serving as the powdered sugar will begin to dissolve into the juiciness of the strawberries.

Serve immediately (or refrigerate for up to 3 hours).

Pirate Punch

I made this punch up at Girls Camp and it was sooooooo good!

2 liter ginger ale
46 oz pineapple juice
64 oz white grape juice
1 bag frozen raspberries

Mix the juices then add the raspberries. Enjoy!