Moon Over Chicken Parm-a

I'm a sucker for terrible puns and wordplay. I apologize. If you can't tell by the title, I made Chicken Parmesan tonight. This was the first recipe from the "Everyday Cutlets" section of the "Everyday Entrees" chapter. It's another one of those recipes that I always expected to be so complex and time-consuming, but it really can't get much easier.

The most time-consuming part of the recipe had to due with my lack of marinara sauce. I had to whip up some before attempting the recipe and, luckily, I had double-checked this earlier today. Had I started the recipe not knowing I would need sauce, I would still be cooking and very hungry.

The marinara sauce takes between and hour and an hour and a half, but after that it was smooth sailing. I tossed the chicken cutlet in some EVOO spray and Italian seasoning (no fresh herbs here, but come next year when Katie and I have our herb garden, my dishes will be singing a different tune). I then cooked the chicken for one minute on each side in a smoking hot pan just to brown the outsides.

The toaster oven was preheated at about 450 degrees (the recipe said 500, but anything higher than 450 on the toaster oven is broil, and I knew that wasn't how this should be cooked). I put the chicken on the cooking tray, covered it all around with some sauce, then topped it lightly with mozzarella cheese. Giada says in her introduction of this recipe that she lightens it up by not smothering the chicken in cheese (hey look! Someone else thinks healthy like me!) and, in case you haven't noticed at this point, by not breading it.

I finished it off with some Parmesan cheese on top (obviously) then let it cook till the cheese was melted and browned, about 5 or 6 minutes.

That's it! That is Chicken Parmesan ala Giada. I have to say, it was just as good without all those bread crumbs clouding the chicken flavor. I liked that the recipe called for more actual Parmesan cheese than mozzarella, and the dish did taste lighter overall. I'm used to being in a food coma after a serving of chicken parm and spaghetti, but this cutlet alone was just enough! I must also say, that I can now make marinara sauce in my sleep, and it's a damn good marinara sauce (sorry Mom and Dad, but yes, I did just use the word damn).

I'll be taking tomorrow off for the national holiday. It's my birthday in case you haven't heard. I'll be turning the big 2-1 so hopefully I can find some dinner off-campus so I can enjoy a glass of wine on the side! Until next time!

Martin Doesn't Know. Martin Did My Taxes...

When all else fails, use a line from the most recent commercial as your title.

Hey there everyone! Before I get too much into tonight's dish, allow me to explain the above pictures. I made Individual Vegetarian Lasagnas tonight. The recipe wanted them made in individual gratin dishes with 6-inch diameters. All I had to use were these ramekins that were about 3-inches in diameter. Luckily, three and three equals six, which explains why it looks like I pigged out with tonight's meal. Also, my hand is in the picture to PROVE that these ramekins were actually that size (a point of reference if you will). Lastly, my hand is very red because I had just finished doing the dishes in some hot soapy water.

Onto the fun part! I made some marinara sauce last night to use in my lasagnas. I'm pretty sure I can make that sauce in my sleep now, and it would STILL taste good. I ended up making much more than I needed for this recipe and freezing it since future recipes will be needing some.

The first thing I did tonight for the lasagna was steam some asparagus. I had to call my mom on this one because I had never steamed anything before (I thought I would have to steam the clams in an earlier recipe, but if you can recall, I had to shuck those. That's something I only need to do once in my lifetime). I cut the asparagus into 1/4-inch thick pieces, as suggested by Giada, and steamed them in about an inch of water. Once the water was boiling, it took no time at all to cook the asparagus. I wasn't too worried if they weren't completely soft because I would be sauteing them later on. As the asparagus steamed, I drained a rinsed some cannelini beans and set them aside.

After draining my asparagus and setting it aside, I used the same pot to boil the water for my lasagna sheets. I will note here that I can now be the chef formerly known as the Queen of Improvisation. Tonight, I was the Queen of Efficiency. For making lasagna, I used hardly any dishes at all. As the water boiled, I drained one-third of a package of frozen spinach, then finely chopped one-quarter of an onion.

I'm not entirely sure how this happened considering I don't use my box of lasagna sheets as maracas or anything similar, but most of the pieces I had left were, well, pieces. I had to do some puzzle work to make up two full sheets of lasagna. A minor set back, and really who needs full sheets of lasagna when you're just going to destroy it when you eat it anyway?

As the sheets cooked, I added the onion to a heated pan sprayed with EVOO. I then drained the sheets after about four minutes, rinsed them, and covered them with a damp paper towel. I will note here that I transferred the sheets to a bowl I had used to press the water out of the spinach. This may not be interesting to you, but I am STILL impressed by my efficiency.

To the onions, I added half of a small carrot, finely chopped. Yet another side note: despite my sub-chef-quality tools (though I must say I probably have better kitchen equipment than most college students), I have become an excellent chopper. I used to struggle with cutting carrots thin enough to be considered "finely chopped," but now it just comes second-nature with hardly any effort. Just think of what I could do if I had a knife set like Guy Fieri...wouldn't that be a great birthday gift.....???

After about three minutes, I added one-quarter of a finely chopped zucchini. Giada's recipe also calls for a finely chopped yellow squash at this point in the recipe, but it's January, and summer squash is clearly not in season. Unlike summer squash, winter squash does have some WW points value and I was not willing to budge on my total for this dish.

I added the asparagus to the pan after five minutes and allowed that to saute for another two. Unlike other recipes I have completed, this one asked me to season the veggies AFTER they were cooked. Ergo, I added some salt and pepper to the pan, then removed it form the heat.

And now, the assembly!! I first put a teaspoon of marinara sauce on the bottom of each ramekin. I topped that with a lasagna sheet that was cut to fit the bottom of the dishes (actually, it was more like I solved a puzzle to cover the sauce). Next, I layered the beans, which had been tossed with some salt and pepper, and topped those with some spinach. I then placed another pasta circle on top of that along with another teaspoon of marinara sauce. Then came the veggie mixture divided equally between the dishes with another teaspoon of marinara. Finally, I topped it all off with one last pasta circle, one last teaspoon of marinara, then two tablespoons each of part-skim mozzarella.

The lasagnas went into the toaster oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. These ramekins were PERFECT for the toaster oven. I was thankful I didn't have to Rachael Ray my way up to the kitchen, or assemble everything then wait for the big oven to get hot once I was up there.

I must say, I absolutely LOVE this recipe. For one thing, anytime I can eat everything that's in front of me and consider it a reasonable and healthy portion size, I'm happy. Secondly, the veggies were completely cooked (obviously after they had been well sauteed), but not mushy as vegetables can get if overcooked. In case you didn't notice, this recipe didn't use any ricotta which I consider to be a staple of lasagna. I'm pretty sure the cannelini beans took its place and they were just as good. They were much different than any beans I had had before. They weren't firm anymore and became creamy in both texture and taste. Delicious!!

My second picture above was my attempt to show off the colorful filling of the lasagna despite the mess I made of the dish. That was really the only downfall, it was a little tricky to eat the lasagna out of the ramekins, but as I said before, lasagna is SUPPOSED to be messy.

Another successful dish, but my week isn't over yet! I plan to tackle TWO, yes TWO, recipes either tomorrow or Saturday. Check back to experience some Everyday Italian Throwdown history!!

Crunchy, Crunchy, Crostini!

It's official. I am the queen of improvisation. Today's mission brought us back to "Everyday Antipasti" with the second recipe of "Fresh from the Pantry" which was Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Chickpeas. I highly recommend this recipe as a starter for parties and gatherings. It has crowd-pleaser potential. And it takes no time at all to make.

You start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. Then you cut a baguette into 24 diagonal slices and brush them with two tablespoons of olive oil. I don't doubt that I would eat 24 pieces of crostini (I am a good, bread loving Italian), but it would go against my better judgement to do so. Therefore, I reserved my Weight Watcher points for the day and cut the recipe in half making 12 pieces. Also, on the subject of health, I substituted the two tablespoons of olive oil for some olive oil spray. Not only was it much easier than brushing each individual piece, it was also fat free! The baguette pieces only need to cook for eight minutes, so as the oven preheated I made the spread.

I hardly had to do any chopping with this recipe since the whole spread is made in a food processor, and I luckily have a little chopper! After today, I absolutely LOVE this gadget. It's right up there with the electric frying pan. I started by using the chopper to chop a clove of garlic. The recipe called for one clove for the full crostini, but I figured one small clove couldn't hurt when cutting the recipe in half. It turns out I was right. Once that is done, you are supposed to add a can of chickpeas, some fresh lemon juice, two tablespoons of water, and salt and pepper and mix it all up in the chopper. Me being me, I completely forgot to buy chickpeas for today, however, I still had another can of cannellini beans left from the tuna and white bean salad that started this project. I used those instead of chickpeas which I'm sure changed the flavor in some way, but I love both so it didn't faze me at all. This is all mixed till the texture is almost smooth.

You are then supposed to add 1/4 cup of olive oil as the food processor is running. I once again took the health food route and opted for just a tablespoon of olive oil rather than the two that were called for by cutting the recipe in half. Also, my chopper doesn't allow me to add the oil as the machine is running, so I just had to add it then mix it. I don't think it made much difference either way. This is all blended till completely smooth and it ends up looking like hummus (yum!).

Next, you add 1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes (drained if you bought them in oil, which I did not) and some basil and parsley. Giada added at the top of the recipe that fresh herbs from your "window box" could be substituted for dry herbs in the recipe to add more flavor. Well, I don't have a window box of fresh herbs in my apartment, but I do have parents that I see every weekend that bring me awesome things such as fresh herbs. Therefore, I took Giada's suggestion and listened to Ina Garten's rule of always using "really good herbs"and it DID pay off. The spread was VERY fragrant and flavorful (which I wasn't expecting since I forgot to cut the amount of water added in half) and had a hint of red color from the tomatoes.

After crisping up the baguette pieces in our toaster oven, I spooned a teaspoon of the spread on top of each piece. I then topped each piece with a little sprinkle of Romano cheese (not part of the recipe, but cheese never hurts). The crostini was crisp and made the classic crunch sound when I took a bite into it and the spread was smooth and creamy. If you were to serve this at a party, I would suggest having the spread in a bowl for guests to add themselves since it can make the crostini soggy if left on there for too long. The spread could also double as some delicious hummus for chips and pretzels :)

Success once again! My next day of cooking is Friday when I take on Tomato Sauce with Olives! As always, check back before then for more updates!

Lions and Tigers and Brussels Sprouts...Oh My!

Tonight was not a Giada night, however, I still had to eat and I much prefer to cook than buy something. Since I didn't have a recipe to follow tonight, I let my creativity take over! Pictured above is a Turkey Burger (it's kind of hidden, I know) and some Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Yum, yum, and more yum.

For starters, I preheated the oven to 450 degrees. As it heated, I chopped the Brussels sprouts. Side note: for those that think they don't like Brussels sprouts, 1) you've probably never tried them or 2) you've never tried them like this. Once again, I take no credit for this idea, it was all my mother. When you roast Brussels sprouts at a high temperature, they caramelize on the outside and lose their cabbage-like flavor. They become really nutty and crisp and you really have to take my word for it. Even my father that doesn't like Brussels sprouts prepared the conventional way loves these. Anyhow, I halved them each and took off most of their outer layers since those get a little wilted from being in the fridge. I then placed them all cut-side down on a cooking sheet sprayed with EVOO and sprinkled them with salt and pepper.

As those cooked, I prepared my turkey burger. I've never made these before and had to look up how long they need to be cooked because, as Rachael Ray says, no one wants a rare poultry burger. From what I read, they need to be cooked about three to four minutes on each side. Of course, had I not been on the phone the entire time I was cooking, I probably could have timed this, but my sister and I had much to discuss from the VMAs to Irish dancing. I didn't want to just make the burger out of ground turkey meat, so I decided to add a wedge of Garlic and Herb Laughing Cow cheese. I also added a splash of balsamic vinegar to keep the burger moist. For some extra flavor, I added some oregano.

I combined the whole mixture with my hands (for some reason I love mixing raw meat dishes by hand. It's so much easier. It was one of my favorite things about making meatballs) and formed it into a patty. I then cooked it in a heated pan that had been sprayed with EVOO and seasoned with salt and pepper. As this cooked, I took the Brussels sprouts out to flip them and let the other side cook up a bit. I was a little paranoid about the burger being cooked through all the way, so I probably cooked it more than necessary on each side. It was a bit dark, but I figured I would rather have a dry, well-done burger than one that was pink in the middle.

Once this was all finished, I headed back down to my room (with ease other than almost losing my phone while I was still on it) and assembled the dish. I used a Multigrain Arnold's sandwich thin for my burger (for those doing the Weight Watchers point system, I HIGHLY recommend these. They are one point each!) and then halved two cherry tomatoes to add to the burger. These are the reason my burger is hidden in the picture, they made it a bit of a big bite. Guy Fieri would be proud. And let me tell you, this dish was money.

I don't know how I do it, but I once again cooked the meat perfectly. It wasn't dry in the least and was cooked all the way through. The cheese made the texture very smooth and the oregano really stood out among the other flavors. My Brussels sprouts were roasted to perfection as well and I had more than anyone probably ever should (but I needed to use them before they went bad, and they're Brussels sprouts, they're good for you). Overall, another successful night of food :)

OK. Now I really don't mean to be braggadocious, but what you see pictured above, is my best dish yet. I have no idea what to call it, and it was nothing difficult to make, but I'm sitting here eating it right now, and I'm having trouble typing because I just want to keep eating more of it.

I decided to explore the kitchen above me today which is actually a lot bigger than the one I've been using. I had no real plan going into this meal. I basically took veggies from the fridge that needed to be used before they went bad, some chicken, and tomato paste (I knew for sure I wanted some sort of tomato sauce) then Rachael Rayed my way up the stairs (I'll know I'm truly successful if the term "Rachael Ray" becomes a verb in Webster's dictionary).

This dish is basically chicken in a tomato sauce with roasted vegetables. It doesn't sound all that interesting, but I'm so proud of it at this moment! I started by preheating the oven to 450 degrees. I then sliced a zucchini into very thin slices. I was hoping it would become some sort of zucchini chip. Then, I halved an onion and thinly sliced one half and added it to the zucchini. I had a few remaining green beans, so those were also tossed in the mix. I added a bit of EVOO, salt and pepper, then into the oven it went.

Next, I chopped some garlic (side note: Ever since my mother taught me how to make meals that were more than Kraft Mac and Cheese, I was taught to smash the garlic to make it easier to peel. Word to the wise, if you get a little overzealous in your smashing, the garlic WILL be crushed. And the smell WILL stay in your hands.) and the rest of the onion and put those in my pan with some EVOO. I let the two cook till the onions started to turn golden brown. As they cooked, I cut my chicken into strips (might I add that I let it defrost properly this time) and seasoned it with salt and pepper.

At this point in time, a new friend came into the kitchen and asked if he could use a burner. I told him "of course!" since I only needed one and it's always nice to have someone around as you cook. He was making scrambled eggs (I know this because I actually initiated some conversation), and I think I may have intimidated him a bit when I told him I wasn't quite sure WHAT I was making and it was obvious that I had quite a few things cooking.

Once the onions caramelized more, I added the chicken. I then took the veggies out of the oven and flipped them to roast the other side. I sat back awhile and cleaned up my used cutting boards and knife and let the chicken cook all the way through. I then moved onto my tomato sauce. I cracked open a six ounce can of tomato paste (with some trouble I might add. My can opener hates me. I think it's because I neglected it till yesterday) and tried to add it to the pan. Of course, since it is a paste, it took some maneuvering. Luckily, I gave up on trying to shake it out of the can (I was and still am wearing a white shirt) and used my handy dandy spoonula. If you don't know that gadget, perhaps you're more familiar with its scientific term: rubber scrapper.

Since tomato paste alone probably would've overpowered the dish, I added two and a half cans full of water to the pan to mellow it out. I also added some oregano and crushed red pepper. Note to all spice manufacturers: the holes in the top of your crushed red pepper shakers are NOT large enough for crushed red pepper to actually come out. Granted, you're probably trying to prevent cooks from adding too much of the stuff, but I don't believe you can have too much of it. So perhaps your spice shakers should come in varying sizes. You can call the one that allows the crushed red pepper to come out the "Brianne size." You're welcome.

I digress. As the paste became more of a sauce, I took my roasted veggies out of the oven. The zucchini hadn't really become crunchy as I had hoped, but the green beans browned rather nicely as did the onions. I put those onto my dish and then added my chicken creation next to it.

Now after reading this entire process you may be wondering, what the heck is so special about this dish? Well, not only was the chicken perfectly moist and juicy, but the dish had so many levels of flavor! The tomato sauce wasn't over powering at all and the crushed red pepper added a really nice spicy kick to it. Since I caramelized the onions before adding anything else to the pan, they became even darker and added a smoky taste to the sauce. A bit of Parmesan cheese in the sauce also added a little salty taste and another flavor level. Honestly, I ate this food like a barbarian. Luckily, I ate it alone in my room. I was tempted to lick the plate, but then I remembered I am well-mannered 20 year old young lady and such behavior is well...barbaric.

Anyhow, I'm on cloud nine at the moment and am going to think of anyway I could possibly improve this dish (I'm sure there are things I can do). I may have a new signature dinner to impress future guests :)