Favorite Recipes: Sweet N Sour Chicken/Blueberry Muffins

I post A LOT of things on pinterest. I think I've made about a 1/4 of those things. Ok, maybe, not even a 1/4. I have found a few charmers though and they are definitely keepers!

Both of these recipes I have modified to make it just that much simpler, but still just as tasty!

Sweet N Sour Chicken
original recipe from: Life as a Lofthouse Blog
My version:

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

       {Here is where I change it from the original. Any recipe that says cook for an hour or more in the oven I get afraid of and try to avoid. I just can't wait that long! Most days I don't start cooking until 30 mins before dinner time.}  SO here it goes:

 

Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the beaten eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over low/medium heat. Cook your chicken until browned and cooked all the way through. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl. Pour evenly over the chicken. Mix it around in the warm skillet to let the sauce thicken up a bit {about 2-3 mins}. Turn off the heat and you are done! Enjoy!

Blueberry muffins:

My mom came into town the other day and I wanted a yummy, but quick and easy breakfast. I had a bunch of blueberries and thought... "Ooo, muffins!" But I didn't have a good recipe, and I have never had a good recipe. I randomly chose this one off of the internet and I have fallen IN LOVE with it. She came last month and I have made it FOUR.. yes FOUR times since she left. They are so yummy!

Here is the recipe:

Original: Alton Brown, Food Network

Ingredients

12 1/2 ounces cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup yogurt
1 cup fresh blueberries
Vegetable spray, for the muffin tins

Directions

Preheat oven to 380 degrees F.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, egg and yogurt. {And here is where I tweak it, I don't add the crumble on top, I like them plain with out it just how they are, and they are DeLiCiOuS!}  Add the dry mixture to the wet. Stir mixture for a count of 10. Add the blueberries to mixture and stir 3 more times.

Using a #20 ice cream scoop, add the mixture to greased muffin pans. Place into the oven and increase the temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes {Mine only bake for about 14 mins! I don't know if it's my oven, but I suggest checking at 14 mins!}. Remove from oven and turn out, upside down on tea towel to cool completely. Serve immediately or store in airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
Enjoy!

Happy baking/cooking :)