Oven Fried (Healthier Soul Food)

Who doesn't like fried protein? Fried Chicken & Fish (fresh water & seafood) have to be leading proteins in items eaten & sold. Bone-in or boneless, sauced or sauceless, battered or non-coated, fried chicken or fried fish is eaten by many of us. Other than vegetarian & vegan restaurants, I can't think of an American cuisine restaurant that doesn't serve a some kind of dish with fried chicken or fish. But we can't have fried foods all the time. I love oven fried foods. Oven-Frying is a great alternative. They have a great taste without the heavy & greasy feeling that traditional fried foods do.

I went to a public elementary school that tried their best to give us quality nutritious foods. We didn't have pizza, hamburgers, Frito pie, & chocolate milk except on Friday. There was a Oven Fried Chicken served that I loved. When I started cooking I was obsessed in finding the recipe and mastering it. Well after a loved one's failed attempt at Shake & Bake and searching through several recipes that contain breakfast cereal, I finally found the recipe several years ago.

Oven-Fried Chicken (Variation of the Betty Crocker recipe)

Ingredients:
• 1 cut-up whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
• 3 cups cold water or milk
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 2/3 cup baking or pancake mix
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp of dried Italian seasoning. salt free or poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Soak the chicken in cold water or milk & garlic powder for 1/2 hour to 8 hours.
2. Remove the chicken from the water or milk mixture.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F.
4. Heat oil in rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches, in oven.
5. Combine the baking or pancake mix & seasonings in a plastic zip-top bag.
6. Add the chicken and shake bag to coat the chicken.
7. Place chicken, skin sides down, in dish.
8. Bake 35 minutes; turn chicken. Bake about 15 minutes longer or until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

Confession: There are foods I Never want to eat again because I am Burned Out on them. Fried Catfish is on that Burned Out list. If chitterlings started me to cook, fried catfish is what helped hone my skills. I Only eat fried catfish if I am starving , too tired to cook anything else, and it is the only thing available. I avoid all fish fry gatherings. If prepared in my home, I bake or grill my portions.

At Hatties with besties, LJ & TT and our college bud, Ms. Scarlet (that's what she'll be called for the purpose of this blog post)

Well, I had a dish at a nice low country place here in Dallas called Hattie's (Website) that introduce to my palate a catfish dish I could eat instead just seasoned baked or grilled catfish. It is called Pecan-Crusted Catfish. Often when my mother is frying catfish, I will take my reserved pieces and prepared them this way.

Pecan Crusted Catfish (Recipe found on Diet Solutions' Facebook page)

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds catfish
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup pecans pieces
• 5 wedges lemon, for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat oven at 500 °
2. In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, garlic powder and pepper. Dip the catfish in the cornmeal mixture; coating well.
3. Place catfish on a flat, greased baking sheet. Pour the oil over the fish.
4. Bake in for 15 minutes or until catfish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle with pecans toward the end of the cooking period.
5. Garnish with lemon wedges. If missing salt taste squeeze some of the lemon on fish.

Oven-frying instead of deep-frying reduces saturated fat and cuts calories. Oven frying helps us to make peace with our cravings by surrendering to them without so much guilt. So put that frying pan down sometimes and get out the baking pan.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms