Foodie Friends Linky Party!

Welcome to another fabulous Friday linky party!  I just can't get over the amazing recipes everybody is sharing!  Here are the results from your voting!

#1 goes to Marly at This and That for her Lemon Lime Sugar Cookies!

#2 AND #3 go to Dawn at Spatulas on Parade for her Fish Tacos and Sock It To Me Cake!

For me, there were 2 recipes that caught my eye.  First is this recipe for Honey Whole Wheat Bread from Kendra at Our Homemade Happiness!  I just bought an automatic bread maker, so I am all about wonderful homemade breads!  I truly can't wait to try this one!

Another recipe I LOVED was this Spinach Alfredo Pizza from Jamie at Love Bakes Good Cakes.  If you follow my blog at all, you know I am a sucker for a good pizza, and this one looks fantastic!!  I will definitely be trying this with my homemade alfredo sauce!

Thanks for posting these wonderful recipes!!

Now...let's get this party started!!

Remember, linking up here will allow your post to be seen on ALL these blogs!!  

 Pooja at Saffron N Appetite http://saffonnappetite.blogspot.com

Robyn at Robyn's View  http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com/ 

Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/  

Wayne at Passione Per Cucina http://www.passionepercucina.blogspot.co.uk/p/welcome.html 

Sarah at Everything in the Kitchen Sink  http://everythingkitchensink.blogspot.com/  

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom  http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Michelle at From Calculus to Cupcakes  http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Brianne at Cupcakes and Kale Chips  http://cupcakesandkalechips.com

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Erika at Chef Picky Kid and Me  http://chefpickykid.com

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack  http://www.djssugarshack.com

Skye at http://www.avirtualessence.blogspot.com

Sheri at http://www.homemadeservedhere.com/

Keira at Luscious Delights www.lusciousdelights.blgospot.com.au

Amber at Mama's Blissful Bites www.mamasblissfulbites.com

Rhiannon at Baked In The South http://baked-inthesouth.blogspot.com/

Brianne @ For the Love of Food (and Eating!) http://www.fortheloveoffoodandeating.blogspot.com/


Here are the rules:

Step 1:  Make sure that anything you link up is:

• A Recipe...and is made and photographed by you
• Not part of a sponsership/sales/giveaway or other promotions/linky parties
• Linked to a specific page of your recipe, not your homepage

Step 2:

• Show some love and link back to my blog and Foodie Friends Friday (http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com ) on the post of the recipe you are submitting.

* for example:  This recipe is featured on "Host Blog Link" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com  Linky Party)

If you want to be the very best Foodie Friend Ever...

• Grab our button at http://foodiefriendsfriday.com and put it on your page and share Foodie Friends Friday!
• Take some time and check out other submitted links and the blogs of all of our gracious hosts
• Come on over and "like" us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest

***Please note that by linking up you are giving permission to use photos/links on Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications.  If photos/recipes are used, proper credit/ linkbacks will be published with them.  We just want to share your amazing recipes and spread some foodie <3 !

• Have Fun and Thank You for Visiting!!

Chicken Katsu - Using Gardein

Maui is my favorite place in the entire world.  In fact, I have passed up the opportunity to travel to new places in order to continue visiting Maui.  I have gone so frequently, it is almost like a second home.  I know my way around the island about as well as I know my way around my home town.  A common meal in Hawaii is called a Plate Lunch.  It consists of a meat dish (usually terriyaki chicken, chicken katsu, mahi mahi, or breaded terriyaki beef, among others), hawaiian-style macaroni salad, and two scoops of rice.  

With a toddler and a baby, I am not venturing on a 5 hour flight any time soon, so I decided to bring the islands to me!  This meal is very simple and so tasty!  My husband says this is among the best chicken katsu recipes he has had - even though it uses Gardein vegetarian chicken!  Don't worry, this recipe can easily be applied to real chicken for you meat eaters.  :)  Want a mini-vacay?  This meal will make you feel like you are dining in Maui!  Aloha!

Ingredients

4 Gardein chicken scallopini fillets, thawed

3/4 C flour 

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1-2 C panko flakes

1/4 - 1/2 C olive oil

Katsu sauce

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Line up 3 shallow bowls.  Fill one with the flour, one with the eggs, and one with the panko.
3. Dredge a fillet in flour, coat in egg, and dredge in panko.
4. Place into the heated oil.  Fry until golden brown.  Flip and cook other side.  Repeat with all fillets.
5. Serve warm with Katsu sauce.  

featured on Orgjunkie.com

Katsu Sauce

The quality of your katsu sauce is the most important thing when making chicken katsu.  Sure, you can buy a bottle of pre-made sauce at the grocery store, but it is never very authentic.  Besides, when it uses so few ingredients (that you probably already have on-hand), why not make it yourself?!  My husband will order chicken katsu at any Hawaiian restaurant he tries, so I consider him an expert on the subject.  He says, hands down, this is the best katsu sauce he has ever had!  Feel like enjoying a taste of Hawaii?  Start with this recipe!

Ingredients
1/3 C ketchup
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C sugar
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients into a small saucepan and stir to combine.
2. Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.
3. Serve as a dipping sauce or spooned over the chicken.

Adapted from the Polynesian Kitchen

Classic Caprese Salad

The classic caprese salad is a summer staple for me.  Farm-fresh tomatoes and basil from my own backyard make this dish an absolute delight.  It is such a simple salad to throw together on a busy night.  You can slice everything ahead of time to make assembly a breeze.  This salad can compliment most meals and is one I hope you will make throughout the summer season!

Ingredients
tomatoes, sliced
whole milk mozzarella in water, sliced
individual large fresh basil leaves
olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions

1. Start with a tomato round, then layer a slice of mozzarella.  Top with a basil leaf.
2. Continue layering in that order until desired amount.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday!  We picked up some wonderful produce at the farm for this week's meals!  The assortment includes tomatoes, romaine lettuce, basil, carrots, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, sweet Maui onion, avocado, peaches, and plums.  Looks great, huh?  :)  I can't wait to use them in the following meals:

• French Bread Pizzas with Caprese Salad
• using the tomatoes, basil, and sweet Maui onion

• Hawaiian Plate Lunch with Chicken Katsu, Hawaiian-Style Macaroni Salad, Rice, and Side Salad with Japanese Ginger Dressing (my husband's favorite meal!)
• using the carrots, romaine, and sweet Maui onion

• My Famous Macaroni and Cheese
• using the broccoli and cauliflower

• We will be baking a batch of kale chips 
• using the kale

• My daughter has been obsessed with cheese sandwiches, so we will also be using the romaine, tomato, and onion for her lunch sandwich.

• The avocado is for the baby.

We will be enjoying the peaches and plums for dessert.  :)