Today’s recipe fizzes! Not sizzles, but fizzes. But before we get to that, I want to give you a few fizzing facts. It doesn’t have much to do with food though.
I received an email the other day about the many uses of Hydrogen Peroxide, and was surprised at all the claims being made about this forgotten, little super-chemical. So I checked it out and found that this little bottle of brown stuff does so much more than bubble out germs on your cut finger or skinned knee. If you are trying to “go green” here’s a great solution for cleaning your house!
You know everything you read is not necessarily truth, so I tried to sift out the untruths, and print only what I thought to be real.
Over-the-counter Hydrogen Peroxide (H202) is usually 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and 97 percent water. It breaks down quickly when exposed to light, hence the reason for the brown bottle. You can also get 30-35 percent strength solutions on the market, usually found in health food stores and pharmacies.
1. Instead of mouthwash, take one capful (the cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth five to ten minutes, then spit it out. This not only prevents canker sores but your teeth will be whiter without the expense of store bought whiteners. The Merck Manual recommends diluting it with water, but suggests it as a rinse and part of a treatment for trench mouth. The FDA has approved 3 percent solutions of hydrogen peroxide for use as a mouthwash, but to use it only for a short time. So maybe only use it two to three times a day. I would check with my dentist first.
2. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply pour some on a cloth, then wipe.
3. After washing wooden cutting boards, clean with peroxide to kill salmonella and other bacteria. The U.S. EPA has approved hydrogen peroxide as a sanitizer. This is a real germ-buster!
4. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water, and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants. But be sure you use a bottle that filters out light. (I would use the 30 percent Hydrogen Peroxide for this.)
5. if your hair is a light brown or dark blonde, for a natural highlighted look, spray a 50/50 solution (water and 3 percent H202) on wet hair and comb through. It lightens gradually so it’s not a drastic change.
6. Use one cup of Hydrogen Peroxide instead of bleach in your laundry for super whitening.
7. Use as a vegetable wash to kill bacteria. Research by the Journal of Food and Science showed effective results in decontaminating apples and melons that were infected with strains of E.coli. I have done this, however, I use a 50-50 solution.
Now for the recipe. IT DOESN’T CONTAIN hydrogen peroxide; however, I couldn’t get away from the fizz!
When making the Fizzy Chicken, there is one recommendation. I don’t ever measure anything, and so when I began adding the Club Soda to the frying pan, I carried the bottle over the stove to pour what I needed directly into the pan. Oops!
When I opened the bottle, club soda spewed everywhere. It made quite a fizzy little mess! Plus I have a smooth-top cooktop, so the fizzy stuff seeped under the pan and started bubbling there too. With all the fizz and steaming going on, it made the moment quite frantic – but at least it wasn’t flammable!
Moral of this story? Don’t open a bottle of club soda over a stove – open it over the sink first.
I served my Fizzy Chicken with risotto. Although time-consuming, risotto is not hard to make, and is a great comfort food. If you make risotto with the Fizzy Chicken recipe, omit all of the rice ingredients in the recipe.
This makes a great springtime dinner, and other than a salad you can also add a loaf of hot, sourdough bread, the chicken and risotto is all you need to cook. Enjoy!
Fizzy Chicken with Rice
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and black pepper
1 cup prepared rice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Olive oil
1/3 cup club soda
1 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/8 cup toasted almonds
Combine lemon juice, chives, honey, and Dijon in bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in 2 Tbsp. oil, until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Cook rice according to package directions.
Trim chicken breasts, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, and then sauté in small amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn chicken; sauté for 1 more minute.
Deglaze pan with club soda, and over medium heat, add 1-1/2 tsp. butter and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from heat. Place on platter and drizzle with Lemon Dijon Sauce.
Combine cooked rice with Parmesan, cream, remaining butter and toasted almonds.
Kay Bona is a staff writer for the Hamilton County Herald and an award-winning columnist and photographer. Contact her at kay@dailydata.com.