Lemony Chicken Piccata

Five years ago, I picked up Rachel Ray's magazine for the first time. Much to my delight, there were recipes everywhere I looked and even a section for meals in under 30 minutes. That is where I found the inspiration for this recipe. Even though it took me twice as long, each minute was well worth the final taste. Over the past five years, this has been my signature dish. As I continue to add more recipes to my repertoire, this beloved one has fallen to the back burner. R-R-R. The other day I thought I should make this again and much to my surprise, found I had not put it on the blog. This recipe is the beginning of me really trying to cook. Thank you, Rachel Ray. And thank you, parmesan cheese. I sure love to cook and this one started it all.

Serves 6 and great for company

INGREDIENTS
6 chicken breasts, flattened to 1/2"
3 eggs, whisked and placed in a gallon plastic zip bag or pie plate if you don't like to litter
3/4 cup flour & 1/4 cup Wondra, placed in another gallon zip bag with Kosher salt and pepper to taste
12 oz shredded parmesan cheese & 6 oz shredded 5 cheese combo in another gallon zip bag
3/4 box angel hair pasta, cooked al dente and set aside
10 oz fresh spinach
6 cloves garlic, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
4 TBSP unsalted butter, cold
1 cup flat leaf (Italian) parsley, rough chopped
1 cup dry white wine
3 lemons, sliced
6 more oz. parmesan cheese
1/4 - 1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Sea Salt
Ground pepper

STEPS
1. Dip each breast in flour, then egg mixture. Then dip breasts in the zip bag with the cheeses. Press cheese firmly into each breast. Stack beasts on plate until all breasts are ready to cook.
2. Heat large skillet on medium high with enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When heated, cook the breasts in two batches. 5 minutes each side until golden brown. To be sure the chicken isn't pink, cut each breast in half while cooking the second side. Remove cooked breasts to platter and cover with foil.
3. While breasts are cooking, heat water in large pot and cook angel hair al dente. Drain and set aside, cover to keep warm.
4. After all breasts have cooked, add more olive oil to skillet if necessary and then add the garlic and lemon slices. Cook 3 minutes, turning lemons once. Whisk in wine and parsley. Lower heat and cook til reduced, another couple of minutes.
5. Stir in 1 cup of chicken broth and butter, cook til butter melts (3 more minutes). Add the lemon juice and briefly heat. Generously spoon this over each breast on platter and recover/
6. Add spinach to skillet mixture 5 oz at a time and cook til wilted. Add the remaining chicken broth. Stir in the drained pasta and toss to coat, season with salt and pepper. Then add the last parmesan cheese and toss again.
7. Serve! Scoop the pasta on your plate, top with a breast and enjoy.

4 paws. Spot didn't even move as I fell over her. How a 10 lb dog can become an anchor is beyond me. "The Posse" (teen guy eaters) was here tonite and loved it. The hour in the kitchen was worth the taste, and my Hubby even flattened the breasts. Definitely a family fav!

Updated Deep Fried "Chips" with New Dip!

So, a couple of weeks ago, I posted a yum-deli-iscious recipe for these Rosemary flavored deep fried chips. We still love, love, love this.

Since the deep fat frier was full of bacon-y oil (and I'm not only allergic but lazy), I bought one of those cool thermometers you can use in a pot on the stove. Do I have some cool gagets or what?

Come to find out, the chips cook way faster with this $9 technique, and it looks even more gourmet! Here I was thinking I needed to replace our old and slow fryer, but maybe I don't?

Here is the dip I baked to go along with our french fried chips:

1 1/2 cups diced white onion
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup diced Gouda cheese
1 1/8 cup Hellmans mayonaise

Mix in a casserole and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Yum City!

Spinach-Cream Cheese Dijon Chicken AND Lemon Spinach Tomato Orzo

This recipe is from my daughter Anne who came home last weekend and prepared us this feast! It has gone on our short list, and takes just 25 minutes start to finish (unless you double it).

INGREDIENTS
For the Chicken
8 - 10 chicken tenderloins (we use the flash frozen ones, thawed. If you have a 75-lb-dog like our daughter does, thaw on top of fridge)
A few handfuls of fresh spinach
1 cup whipped cream cheese at room temp
Salt
Pepper
Grey Poupon Mustard
Toothpicks

For the Orzo
1.5 - 2 cups uncooked Orzo pasta
4-6 TBSP butter, to taste
1 full lemon juiced (do not use prepared juice, it makes a difference)
1 - 2 diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
A few handfuls of fresh spinach
Salt
Pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat broiler to high. Move rack about 6" from top. Also put medium pot of water on high to boil for Orzo.

Cut tenderloins in half as if you are butterflying them. (8 tenderloins will make 16 pieces) Salt and pepper to taste.

Lay cut tenderloins on foil wrapped cookie sheets. Spread each with as much cream cheese as you like. Press 6-8 spinach leaves onto the cream cheese side of the tenderloins.

Roll up the tenderloins starting with the fat end, rolling toward skinny end and secure with a toothpick. Dollop each rolled tenderloin with Grey Poupon to taste. The rolled up chickens should be about 2" apart.

Broil about 8 - 10 minutes til tops are browned and chicken cooked all the way through. (Cut into one piece before removing from oven to be sure it is not pink)

Add Orzo to boiling water with 1 tsp salt.

While pasta is cooking, dice tomatoes.

When Orzo is cooked, drain and return to pot. Add butter, Parmesan and tomatoes and stir until cheese and butter are melted. Add salt and pepper and fresh squeezed lemon, mix.

Serve with chicken and enjoy! Big eaters will enjoy 6 tenderloins so plan accordingly.

Spot gave this 4 fat paws and sat under her big sister's chair the entire dinner

Almost Home-Made Spaghetti

This recipe has bloomed over the years on nights when we want a yummy dinner but don't want to spend the night in the kitchen. Based on Classico Spaghetti Sauce, we personalize it with sautéed onions and mushrooms. It even passes the diet test, that is if you are on one and control your portions. Our recipe serves two teen boys, one man and one mom, so adjust as needed. It was especially good on our (finally) cold winter's night in Minnesota (now, if we just had snow...)

MENU
Meaty Spaghetti
Cheesy Tuscan Bread

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs lean ground beef (or turkey)
2 jars Classico Spaghetti Sauce (we use Four Cheese)
1 package frozen spinach, microwaved for 4 minutes
1 red onion, diced
1 pkg fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pkg spaghetti noodles
1/2 loaf sliced Tuscan bread from Target
1 container or pkg shredded parmesan cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
Extra virgin olive oil
fresh or refrigerator basil

Prepare cheesy bread first. Melt stick of butter in microwave. Add enough shredded parmesan cheese to make thick paste. Spread on one side of Tuscan bread. Wrap in foil and bake at 375 for 65 minutes. (If you want to make this GARLIC, add a good 5 cloves, smooshed up well.)

In large skillet, sauté onion in 2 TBSP olive oil. When onions are partially done, add mushrooms and cook until tender. Add more olive oil as needed, just don't get it soggy. While skillet-ing, go ahead and nuke the spinach. Combine spinach with skillet items, stir well, then put contents on dinner plate. Use same skillet to brown meat, adding basil to taste.
Add Classico sauces and onion mixture. Stir well, bring to boil. Cover and simmer while you cook the pasta.

Easy, healthy and full of good stuff! We like to sprinkle more fresh parmesan on top once we've plated. In fact, we pretty much like to put some form of cheese on anything.

Spot was just underfoot the whole time! Must be a 4 paw-er.

Lazy Chicken Pizza

Tonite I was busy doing nothing, but wanted to have a tasty snack-dinner. This whole thing went so fast my hubby couldn't believe it when I told him everything was ready and warming in the oven. He loved it and I will indeed make this again. Funny thing, I was just too lazy to drive over to Papa Murphy's to get a similar pizza. A friend had told me their secret sauce was mostly Ranch and garlic, I just jazzed it up with salt and basil.

Prep Time: 10 Min.
Cook Time: 40 min.


INGREDIENTS:
1 pre-cooked chicken from the deli, chopped into bites
1 small red onion, diced
1 container Ranch Dressing
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or 2 TSBP prepared, chopped garlic
1 roll Pillsbury thin pizza dough
½ cup Italian shredded cheese mix (Target)
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 squeeze refrigerated Basil

1. Unfurl pizza dough into jelly roll pan and bake about 10 min. at 425 or til light golden.

2. In small bowl, mix onion, Ranch, garlic, salt and basil

3. When dough is done, spread bowl mixture on dough. Top with chicken and cheese, being sure to cover the whole thing

4. Bake at 400 about 13 minutes or til cheese has melted


If you exclude your teenage sons, parents can eat well and have a little lunch the next day. We are big re-eaters.

Spot gives this 3 paws because dad gave her bits of chicken as he chopped away