Comfort food: homemade chicken nuggets and French fries

What goes better than chicken nuggets and fries? This magical combination will keep the kids (or you!) full and happy.

For many parents, these morsels are a life- and time-saver, but the cost of buying them can really eat away at your budget.

Makes about six servings

• 750 g (1 1/2 lbs) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 large eggs
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) water
• 350 g (1/2 c) Seasoned Coating Mix (below)
• 500 g (2 c) plain dry bread crumbs1. Cut each chicken breast into 2.5 centimetre (one inch) cubes. In a ziplock bag, place the coating mix. In a pie plate, whisk together the eggs and water until frothy. In a large, shallow dish, place the bread crumbs.

  2. Drop the chicken cubes, a few pieces at a time, into the bag of coating mix; seal and shake until the strips are well coated. Shake off any excess coating mix. Dip each cube into the beaten egg, then into the bread crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs onto the chicken until they stick. Arrange the coated cubes on a large, nonstick baking sheet. Once all the cubes are coated and on the baking sheet, place the sheet in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

  3. Preheat the oven to 205°C (400°F). Bake the chicken nuggets until they are golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes, turning them once or twice during the cooking time. Serve hot or at room temperature.

This is a fabulous addition to fried or baked chicken and pork recipes.

Makes enough to coat 20 pork chops or four cut-up chickens

• 500 g (2 c) sifted all-purpose flour
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) paprika
• 10 ml (2 tsp) dried marjoram, crumbled
• 10 ml (2 tsp) dried thyme, crumbled
• 10 ml (2 tsp) onion powder
• 10 ml (2 tsp) garlic powder
• 5 ml (1 tsp) dried rosemary, crumbled
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground black pepper1. In a ziplock plastic bag, combine all the ingredients. Seal the bag and shake it to mix the ingredients thoroughly.

  2. Label and date the bag, and store in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

Who can resist those hot, crisp-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside potato delights!

Makes four servings

• 2 L (8 c) vegetable oil or shortening
• 500 g (1 lb) Idaho potatoes, peeled
• Salt to taste1.Pour the oil or melt the shortening in a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy saucepan to a depth of eight centimetre (three inches). Insert a deep-fat thermometer and heat the oil to 190°C(375°F).

  2.Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into narrow fries five centimetres (two inches) long. As you work, drop the strips into a bowl of ice water. When ready to fry, lift the strips from the water and pat them completely dry on paper towels.

  3.Place the potato strips in the fryer in small batches to avoid lowering the temperature of the oil; fry until brown and crisp, about five minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon or fryer basket, transfer the fries to paper towels to drain. Keep warm on a hot tray or in a 93°C(200°F) oven. Allow the oil in the fryer to reheat to the correct temperature before frying the next batch.

  4.Sprinkle the fries with salt and serve hot.

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