- Make breaded chicken.
- Cook mushrooms.
- Make Marsala sauce.
- Put together.
- Enjoy.
(more details to come)
Author: LearnFall Editor
How to use Oil to Cook on the Stove
Put pan on stove, then oil in pan.
Turn on heat to desired setting.
Immediately, or after it has heated up, add your food. Place it going away from you so that it won’t splash you with hot oil. You might want to use an oven mitt and long tongs to place things from a distance.
As soon as food is in the pan, cover it with a lid or a screen. If you use a screen, cover it with a layer of paper towels because the oil will spurt through it.
When you need to look at the food, use an oven mitt in one hand to lift the lid slightly, and long tongs in the over hand if you need to poke at the food.
If you need to take the lid fully off to check your food or flip it over, first turn the stove down or off all the way. Move the pan to a not hot burner (or off the stove) and let it cool down. After 3-4 minutes it should have cooled enough that the oil is no long boiling/spurting everywhere when you take the lid off.
Once you have checked/flipped your food, put the cover back on, move it back to the hot burner, and turn the stove back on to finish cooking.
When cooking is done, repeat the above process of turning off the stove, removing the pan from the hot burner, and waiting at least 3 minutes for it to cool down. At that point the oil and food are still hot enough to burn you, but they probably won’t be spurting everywhere when you take off the cover.
If you’re cooking meat, remember to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Even if the outside is done, the inside could still be raw.
Breaded Chicken
Ingredients
chicken – preferably boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg
oil (for the pan)
breading mixture
– matzo meal
– salt
– black pepper
– Italian seasoning
– onion powder
– garlic powder
– any other seasonings
Tools
2 bowls
2 plates
1 fork
1 knife
1 pan
1 lid or screen that fits the pan
1 spatula or fork
1 meat thermometer
Instructions
Get boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Cut them in half so they are thin and flat, can also pound them a bit.
In one bowl, crack one egg and scramble it.
In another bowl, put the breading mix. I use a combination of matzo meal, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to make my own mix. You can make your own or use store bought.
Take one piece of chicken. Dip it in the egg so that it is thoroughly coated in egg.
Then lay it flat on the breading mixture, turn it over, and then move it around / pour more breading on top to make sure it is thoroughly coated. Then place on a separate plate.
Repeat with as many pieces of chicken as you have.
When they are ready, put oil in a pan on the stove. Make sure you have a lid or at least screen with paper towels to cover it that fits the pan.
Put the chicken in the pan. Cool on one side, then flip to the other. How long it takes will vary by thickness of chicken, breadcrumbs, how high the heat is, etc.
You can use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is above 169°F.
When it is done, serve to a clean plate and it is ready to eat! (Just make sure to wait a bit so you don’t get burned.)
Free Books Online Through the Library
If you have difficulty, get stuck, or just aren’t sure about any part of this process – go in person or call your local library directly! Part of their job is helping you access library services, such as online.
Librarians often know of resources that the rest of us have no idea exist!
- Go to the website of your local library.
- search for ‘[town, state] library’
- it will probably be the top non-advertisement link
- your local library could be part of a nearby city or area’s library system
- Look for information about eBooks. For example:
- a menu item titled “eBook & Audio”
- goes directly to instructions on how to use an app
- a menu item titled “Books & More”
- expands to a list including “Stream & Download”
- lists multiple services for accessing ebooks, audiobooks, movies, etc.
- clicking on a service goes directly to that service’s website
- expands to a list including “Stream & Download”
- a menu item titled “eBook & Audio”
- Log in with your library card information.
- If you have a library card but don’t know how to log in:
- Look for instructions on the library’s website, including on the Log In page.
- If you don’t have a library card:
- Find out how to get one! You might have to go to the library in person. Some libraries let you register for an e-card online without going to the physical library.
- If you have a library card but don’t know how to log in:
- Read (or listen to) some great books!
Questions? Leave a comment!
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Comics
Freefall – by Mark Stanley – freefall.purrsia.com
Life
Stone Soup – by Jan Eliot – gocomics.com/stonesoup/1995/11/20
Jumpstart – by Robb Armstrong – gocomics.com/jumpstart/1996/01/01
For Better or For Worse – Lynn Johnston – fborfw.com
Pickles – by Brian Crane – gocomics.com/pickles/2003/10/09
Other
Wizard of Id – by Parker and Hart – gocomics.com/wizardofid/2020/12/25
Calvin and Hobbes – by Bill Watterson – gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1985/12/06
FoxTrot – by Bill Amend – gocomics.com/foxtrot/1988/09/03
BC – by Mastroianni and Hart – gocomics.com/bc/2002/01/01
Peanuts – by Charles Shultz – gocomics.com/peanuts/1950/10/02
Animals
Mutts – by Patrick McDonnell – mutts.com/shop/strips/
Garfield – by Jim Davis – gocomics.com/garfield/1978/06/19
Marmaduke – by Brad Anderson – gocomics.com/marmaduke/1996/12/30
Heathcliff – by George Gately – gocomics.com/heathcliff/2002/01/01
Work
Working Daze – by – John Zakour & Scott Roberts – gocomics.com/working-daze/2002/02/11
Dilbert – by Scott Adams – dilbert.com/search_results?month=4&year=1989
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
Based loosely on Chocolate Brownie Cookies from the Cookies! A Cookie Lover’s Collection ©1994 Cy DeCosse Incorporated.
Makes roughly 12-30 cookies depending on size. You can make them into 1 inch balls or multiple inches wide piles. Very crumbly and delicious any time, especially warm out of the oven.
Mix in this order:
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Bake at 350°F for 9 minutes.
Pot Pie
Based on Chicken Pot Pie by Kate Jones.
- Cook ingredients (below).
- Make filling (here).
- Prepare crust (here).
- Mix ingredients into filling.
- Pour filling & ingredients into crust lining the baking dish.
- Cover the top of the pie with the remaining flattened crust dough.
- Bake in 400°F oven until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Crust should be a bit brown.
Ingredients
Each is ingredient is optional; choose the ones you like and add your own ideas; adjust proportions to your preferences.
1 lb chicken (or other meat)
~4 sticks celery
~1 lb carrots
~1 cup spinach
Instructions
Cut each ingredient (except spinach) into pieces and cook individually.
Chicken – get 2 raw chicken breasts; cut or shred into bite sized pieces; cook in pan on stove, just until done
Celery – chop into ~1/4 inch pieces; cook in pan on stove until desired soft/crunchiness
Carrots – chop into ~1/4 inch pieces; boil in pot on stove until desired softness
Pot Pie Filling
Based loosely on Kate Jones’ Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup.
Ingredients
~2 cups broth
1/8 cup diced onion OR 1/4 tsp onion powder
1 clove chopped garlic OR 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/8 tsp ground allspice
~2 cups water
~1/2 cup flour
Adjust spices and proportions to your liking.
Instructions
- Sauté onion and garlic.
- Add broth and bring to a boil.
- Add seasonings and stir.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour and water.
- Whisk flour & water mixture into boiling broth & seasonings.
- Continue whisking until mixture boils and starts to thicken.
- Remember that the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
Peanut Butter Cups
Based on Taste of Home’s Homemade Peanut Butter Cups.
These are addictive. I do them in a silicone mini muffin tin so that they are easier to get out and don’t result in accidentally eating paper. You can also do them in any muffin tray or cupcake liner, or on any movable flat surface (such as parchment paper on a baking sheet or plate) that will fit in your refrigerator or freezer.
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (aka powdered sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
- In one bowl, mix until smooth:
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, melt chocolate and 1/2 cup peanut butter
- microwaving works well
- stir until smooth
- Put chocolate mixture into muffin tray or onto flat surface
- Drop some peanut butter mixture into each cup
- top with more chocolate mixture
- Refrigerate or freeze until set
Copying Pictures from the Web
- Secondary click* on the picture
- Select “Copy Image”
- Click into the place you want to put the image
- Paste the picture ([secondary click* –> paste] OR [command-v {mac}] OR [control-v {non-mac}])
*Secondary click – depending on your device settings and whether you are using a mouse, trackpad, or touch screen, whichever click/tap combination applies. Possibilities:
- Right click (mouse)
- Control click (keyboard and mouse)
- Two finger tap/click (trackpad)
- One finger tap/click in the right corner (trackpad)
- Tap and long hold (touch screen)
- Something else based on your individual device and settings