One of the things I have loved most about being a parent, and missed most as my babies got older, is the toddler vocabulary.
Both of my kids called cupcakes “pupcakes”. Spaghetti was “sketti” and “passketti”. That thing you eat in the morning? Breaktess, or brefftess, depending on whose kid was eating it.
And it isn’t all about the food, either. Between my kids and my extended family, some favorite kid vocabulary has included:
- cornbread=bulldozer (we have NO IDEA why my son called bulldozers “cornbread”)
- moak=milk
- Ungyon=onion
- Cousint=cousin
- pegetsus=Not the winged horse. This was my sister saying “spaghetti”
- boatatoes=potatoes
- mops=moths
- yogurant=deodorant
- yogurant=yogurt
- front butt=(girls)–this needs no explanation
- chyness=see above (this was a toddler trying to say the correct anatomical name of the front butt)
- elbows=boobs
- apples=boobs
- pillows=boobs
I think it funny that even as toddlers, boys give multiple names to boobs. Then they became tah-tahs, nah-nahs, and boobies. After that, was all down hill from there. In our house, we have settled on boobs, as it is not offensive, and is still “fun” for them to say, apparently.
Still seeming to be oriented towards breasts, my youngest son wants to eat boneless, skinless chicken breasts every day. Fried. Grilled. Roasted. However he can get it. Unless he can have pizza. And since he is very picky about h0w his chicken is prepared, it has made for some pretty repetitive meals, and found me playing short order cook to avoid such boredom for the rest of us.
Taking a cue from my Captain Crunch Fried Shrimp, Max suggested we try frying some chicken tenders in Captain Crunch. Then, based on his other obsession–Andy’s Hot Fries—he suggested we try that too. This opened up a whole bunch of possibilities, and some fun experimental chicken frying ensued. They were all very good. The boys ate them up so fast I couldn’t keep any on the platter while I cooked the rest. My favorites are either shrimp or chicken fried in Captain Crunch, and the chicken fried in Funyuns. Really incredible crunch and flavor. The boys really liked the both the Andy’s Hot Fries chicken, and the Funyun chicken. You be the judge…
Andy’s Hot Fries Fried Chicken
Funyun Fried Chicken Tenders
Serves 2-3
- one pound boneless skinless chicken breast, or chicken tenders
- –OR–
- 12 large fried shrimp, peeled, butterflied, and deveined
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s)
- 3 beaten eggs
- 2 cups one of the following, crushed roughly: Captain Crunch cereal, Andy’s Hot Fries, Funyuns, Munchos potato chips
- oil, 1/2″ deep in a skillet, for frying (or may use deep-fryer)
Heat the oil to 375*, or medium high in a skillet. Combine flour and Cajun seasoning. Dredge the chicken or shrimp in flour, then in beaten egg, then in crushed cereal or chips. Fry for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve with choice of sauce for dipping.
**omit cajun seasoning if using Munchos-they are very salty already.
Captain Crunch Fried Shrimp
Caribbean Lime Sauce (goes well with Captain Crunch)
- 1 cup apricot preserves
- juice of one lime
- 1 small fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
Mix all ingredients. Serve with shrimp, chicken, fried fish or pork.
Texana's Kitchen 
Boobs … So refreshing! (And so much better than ‘breasts!’)
VIVE LA BOOBS!
I loved this post for so many reasons. One – the fact that everything goes back to boobs in your house. Two – the recipes sound off the wall yet yummy. And three – my kids butchered so many words growing up, it made me think about all the hilarious things they used to say. Great post.
Too cute!
I am enjoying food vicariously through your blog! Nom, nom, nom!
Hot Andy Capp chicken fingers;Brilliant.I bet you could bake them if you were worried about fat and all that good stuff.Oh and thanks for the toddler vocabulary education.
Yes, you can quite successfully bake them. Follow the directions exactly, but place them on a baking sheet and spray them with Pam…..Bake at 375 until done..
That is absolutely awesome!
Tried to post once, but it got lost in the ether somewhere. Anyway… Loved this post. One – the fact that everything goes back to boobs in your house. That’s hilarious. Two – I wouldn’t have tried the ingredients you tried with the chicken. I think they’re odd, but fascinating. My family would probably love them. Can’t wait to try them. Three – My kids butchered so many words when they were young. This post reminded me of those days. It was a great reminder. Thanks for the wonderful post.
Oh, do try them….The captain crunch is to die for!
So true! My seven year old is going through the “boobies” stage. He loves that word – fascinated to be honest. Looking forward to trying your recipes.
My son came home with a breast cancer awareness bracelet that said “save the boobies”………..it IS quite catchy
Elbows….thats a new one….
Wait until you get older and your eyes start playing tricks on you. You’ll have hours of fun misreading headlines, street signs, and advertisements.
Oh, that happens to me already……..
Seems silly but the only name I recognize in the list of coatings is Captain Crunch. I think I’ve heard of Funyuns (never had one), I think I might have had a Muncho chip once, but the Andy’s is totally foreign to me.
My version of chicken nuggets is dipped in ranch dressing and then rolled in panko bread crumbs, baked in the oven.
Oh… in my family the pet name for breasts, besides boobs, was cajungas, the girls, the padding, the shelf. Can you tell it was a girl-heavy family?
In lieu of Andy’s hot fries, Cheetoh’s makes Chesters Hot Fries
Elbows and apples? LOL I thought that was weird then I remembered that my husband will every once in a while cop a feel and when I call him on it will look innocent and say he was just rubbing my arm affectionately. Guys are weird. Your recipe for the Captain Crunch, Funyun….well all of it….sounds intriguing. I’m going to have to try it!
The Captain Crunch Shrimp will change your life.
reminds me of our Photat = camara,
ebote=remote
milk noodle = a pudding made with vermicilli and milk.
You are right I do miss that vocabulary too.
Oh, yeah…my niece used to call the remote the “cremote”….so funny
LOL. Hospital to many kids is hostipal
I love the way kids try to say words as they learn. My son just called his clock radio a redero.
butt-cakes = cupcakes when my Erika was two.
Love it!
Ah, kid speak. Always fun to try and figure out what they are saying.
Yeah, I used to just nod and say uh huh, until I apparently gave my son explicit permission to spray paint the playhouse. He was 3.
Two I miss the most now that Oakley speaks so clearly:
chamoe milk = chocolate milk
pete-z = pizza
Awe, chamoe milk…..so cute!
..and this is the very reason I spend $12 on a box of Cap’n Crunch from the USA Food Store here in Oz. Love your stories, and LOVE your recipes!!! See you sometime near Turkey Day my friend!!
Twelve dollars? Holy Lord! But captain crunch is soooo worth it.
As a boy an older wiser female friend explained, breasts yes, boobs maybe, tits never…
She WAS wise. Tits is a no-no. As is jugs, hooters, knockers…breasts is too clinical for a young boy, so boobs it is.
Breast-eh-sess (sess pronounced) like the first part of scissors. LOL. Love the idea of using funyuns. Mmm, mmm. Not quite sure about the Captain Crunch. Looks great.
Trust me, young Grasshopper….the captain crunch is AH-mazing.
OMG….hilaaaaarious. I was babysitting this little boy and he threw a ball and me and then laughed “I hit your pachina!!” hahahaaaaa
Awe…a pachina. That’s cute!
I miss when the human anatomy to my kids was just silly and not to a point where they know that some of the anatomy is used differently. 🙂 I’m worried with my son being older now- he gets this totally flirty smile on his face even if the woman is just on TV. He’s definetaly going to be a boob boy! It makes me nervous!
My daughter is obsessed with boobs! I keep hoping she’ll grow out of it, so she’ll quit sticking her sticky hand down my shirt in public!
And those funyun chicken tenders look tasty!
Hahaha….My son used to pat mine, very gently, and tell me my pillows were soft…
I completely relate to the sense of loss when the kids get too old to provide us with these gems malapropisms. I still remember most of my children’s and a few of my younger cousins’ mispronounciations. I’m amazed at how early boys get fixated on female “mams.”
I’ve never heard of Andy’s Hot Fries, but the chicken in crushed Funyuns sounds delicious and I’m looking forward to trying it. I think pork chops and beef cube steak would be great coated with Funyuns too.
I think I would eat my own shoes fried in Funyuns.
Toddlers their completely adorable 🙂 and thanks so much for following me.
Hello! I’ve nominated you for the Reader Appreciation award – check out my blog for your nomination 🙂 Thanks!!
boobalicious 🙂 I hear you on the nostalgia of it all. I remember my dd used to call the vacuum the vapkume amongst other too cute to stand it all mispronunciations. Ahhh, they’re growing up.
It’s like dinner and a show… come for the food, stay for the humour. :p
Ah, shucks. That’s the best thing I’ve heard yet!
This is priceless! I’m not even going to tell my boyfriend that I read it. I’m just going to start smashing up Cap’n Crunch and let him think I’m crazy before he realizes it is pure genius… 🙂 then I’ll tell him.
Do it! The look on people’s faces when you tell them what it’s fried in is priceless! I think very much like coconut shrimp, but without the coconut texture that many people find offputting.
My son called mine “Big Milk” and “Little Milk,” a tribute to their unevenness…oh well…
What a clever woman you are! Cooking up Bing-Bings (my Mother-in-Law’s word for boobs) in Captain Crunch. I wish I were a mom like you.
Our family favourite is the fact that my husband’s aunt used to call applesauce “happy cats”. Too funny!
You are fabulously hilarious, qwirky and awesome! Love your style!
Thanks!
LOL … great post!
This makes me say: “Can’t wait for my little one to get out of the oven and be cute!”
Yes, they are much more fun after they’ve emerged…
Nothing wrong with boobs!
I like the chicken ideas too.
Nominated you for Versatile Bloggers Award 🙂
Thanks! Placing on my recognition page…
As a speech pathologist, I love your list of “sounds likes.” My son’s favorite muppet was “Kermit at the Frog” and he watched him while eating a “sammich.” Thanks for the memory!
Aweeee. Kermit at the Frog….so cute.
My 23 yr old sister still calls sandwich, sammich-and its not on purpose. HAHAHAAH. Gotta love her.
Wow! Some pretty good recipes. I love your titles, they are really good. Thank You for visiting and subscribing to my blog as well, greatly appreciated. 🙂
How could anything fried in Cap’n Crunch be bad?
Exactly!
I love that they said the same word you yoghurt and deo!!
When my brother was a youngin’, he called going to the bathroom, “Splooshing”. It’s kinda strange to share that on a post that has yummy recipes, but what the heck.
haha! Its all in good fun!
this is super cute! 🙂
Cornbread = bulldozers is genius. And I used to call them apples too!
Sometimes we *never* outgrow silly vocabulary 😎 http://www.bearandlion.co.uk/lion–the-story-of-bear-and-lion.html
Lion is very cute!
I love your writing! Nice food, too 🙂
I have always been curious about captain crunch chicken. I love trying new recipes, but I always feel daunted by ones that use like 15 spices, so I’m always excited for new simple-ish dishes.
Try it! Super simple and so good…
When my son was little and making him sandwiches for school, without thinking as spreading the margarine said i was gluing the bread togethor.. this came back to haunt me
Love the kids vocabulary! When I was young I called my brother (Josh) Gloe, our dog (Kelby) Kleb-Kleb, bird=burr, and a variety of other words! 🙂 My family never knew what I was saying haha!
Really great post. My favorite was my kids was saying, “are you giving me an ole tomato?” or ultimatum. Good times:-)
awe….ole tomato…so cute!
Wow! These recipes sound like fun. My husband, who is a big fan of ‘Chopped’ would tell you that you have a way with the mystery ingredients. 🙂
Of course, looking at you word exchanges made me smile. My sister used to call orange juice ‘oh dear!’. No one is sure where that came from.
I literally laughed out loud when I read “yogurant” was a multi-tasking word. I used to try and barter with my parents (at a very young age) and I’d ask them if we could “goatchiate” —negotiate–about play time, how much food I actually had to finish, if I could swap out the broccoli for some other vegetable, etc. BTW, that fried chicken looks AMAZING. Cooking is not my forte, but I always enjoy a good experiment. Great post!