Roasted Brussel Spouts with a Balsamic Glaze

For those of you out there that don't like brussels sprouts, I STRONGLY encourage you to give them one more try with this recipe.  It is from Ina Garten's Foolproof cookbook and is AMAZING.  I'm pretty sure I've had it once a week since I bought the book back in November!  They are so crunchy and delightful and if you love bacon, you'll love this... I PROMISE!!!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Basamic Glaze
Serves:  4
Source:  Adapted from Ina Garten's Foolproof

15 brussels sprouts
kosher salt
pepper
3 slices of pancetta (regular bacon works as well)
1 tablespoon balasmic moderno syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pancetta into 1/2 inch cubes and arrange on a baking dish.  Bake in oven for five minutes.  
 
Remove stems of brussels sprouts and cut in half.  In a bowl combine brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss.  Add brussels sprouts to the baking pan and return to oven.  Roast for 20-30 minutes tossing once have way through cooking.  When pancetta is crispy and brussels sprouts are browned, remove from oven.  Drizzle brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze and serve.

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 6 out of 10 (he isn't a huge Brussels sprout fan) 

- Miss J

 

Merritt Family Pizza Night

This past fall, Moe and I were introduced to the art of pizza making.  Our friend's Cambey and David have shown us that as the process is just as important fun as the actual food you are going to eat.  Pizza night is a wonderful way to engage a large group (and family) and get everyone into the cooking spirit!  My parents came in town, and the last night they were here we shared this wonderful tradition with them!  Everyone was up in the kitchen participating (even my dad who is hardly the cook)! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we have and will continue to throughout the years.

Merritt Family Pizza Recipe
Source:  Cambey and Dave
Serves:  4 Pizzas

4 cups pizza sauce (recipe - Homemade Pizza Sauce)
2 - 8 oz bags of shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza dough - homemade or store bought (recommend whole wheat from Whole Foods)
Salt and Pepper
corn meal
pizza paddle
pizza cutter
pizza stone

Place pizza stone in a cold oven (very important so stone doesn't crack).  With pizza stone in oven, preheat oven to 550 degrees (if doesn't go that high, 450 degrees will work).  Put some flour on a working space and place dough on surface and roll.  If dough sticks to surface or rolling pin then sprinkle more flour on the dough.  Roll out and every couple of rolls rotate dough 45 degrees in a circle until you reach a 9-10 inch diameter circle.

You can store the rolled out dough on wax paper if you aren't ready to use and can stack them with a piece of wax paper between.  

When you are ready to cook pizza, put wooden pizza paddle on the counter and sprinkle with corn meal so that the pizza will slide off easily onto the pizza stone in oven.  Using your hand spread corn meal evenly over paddle.  Place pizza dough on the peel.  

 
Put a thin layer of sauce on dough.  Cover with toppings depending on which type of pizza you are making.  

Once toppings are complete, use peel to slide pizza onto pizza stone. Close door.  In a minute or so open door and using a fork to turn pizza 45 degrees and shut door.  Check pizza every 30 seconds to a minute turning with fork ever so often.  The pizza is done when the crust is dark brown and almost black.  Using fork, drag pizza onto a pizza try.  Slice immediately and eat!  


Pizza #1 - Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil
2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 mozzarella ball, sliced with liquid removed
1 cup pizza sauce

Pizza #2 - Prosciutto and Buffalo Mozzarella
8 slices of Prosciutto
1 container of Buffalo Mozzarella, drained - remove excess liquid with Scott towel
1 cup pizza sauce

Pizza #3 - Pepperoni with Roasted Red Peppers
10 large Pepperoni slices from the deli
2 roasted red peppers (can use jarred or prepare your own on grill)
red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Pizza #4 - Red Onion with Rosemary
1/2 red onion, sliced long ways and then halved
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, diced
1 cup pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Pictures from the evening...

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10

- Miss J

Italian Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio

Friday morning my parents flew in from Columbus to visit Moe and I for the weekend.  Last time we had planned a big dinner at a restaurant but Moe's schedule held him up and we ended up not eating until nine (ten o'clock eastern).  To avoid a repeat scenario, we decided to make a homemade Italian meal in the apartment so that we'd have the flexibility to eat it if Matt was running late plus it was a nice quiet evening after a day of traveling for my parents.  This recipe had jumped out at me from the Food & Wine Magazine that my friend had gifted me.  I never have thought of using radicchio outside of salads but it added a very pleasant combination with the fennel and ricotta mixture.  Moe and my parents loved it.  Pretty sure everyone was a member of the clean plate club after this meal!

Italian Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio
Source:  Food & Wine Magazine, October 2012
Serves:  6

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons EV olive oil
2 pounds fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 medium head of radicchio, chopped
12 oz jumbo shells
2 cups ricotta cheese (part skim)
6 oz Fontina cheeses, shredded (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (reserve a small amount for garnish)
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups Homemade Marinara Sauce or jarred sauce
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Melt butter and oil in skillet.  Add fennel and onions to the pan and saute until lightly browned, approximately 15 minutes.  If vegetables start to burn, add water as appropriate.  Add radicchio and cook until soft, approximately 10 minutes (again adding water as appropriate).  Move vegetables out of pan and into a separate bowl to cool.  

In a large pot, cook pasta according to packaging to al dente.  Once done, remove shells and pat dry. 

In a small mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup fontina cheese, parsley, and radicchio and fennel mixture.  Once mixed, fold in eggs. 

In another bowl, mix marinara sauce  and heavy cream.  Pour 1 1/2 cups into the bottom of a 13 inch baking dish and spread around.  Stuff each shell with ricotta mixture and align shells in the bottom of the baking dish with opening faced up.  Pour 1 cup of sauce sauce over shells and sprinkle with remaining fontina cheese.  

Bake shells for 40 minutes until golden and bubbly.  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. While shells are cooling, heat remaining pasta sauce.  Serve pasta shells with warm sauce on the side.  

- Miss J

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10  

Chicken Pot Pie

Everyone loves the comfort of a warm chicken pot pie.  I made this over the summer on a rainy weekend.  I absolutely LOVED it.  I soon learned Moe didn't like pot pie so I have decided that I will just invite my friends over for whenever I make it so that they can appreciate the true value of this wonderful dish. 

Chicken Pot Pie
Source:  Modified from Cooking Light, August 2012
Serves:  2

1/4 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup peas (thawed)
1/4 cup sliced leeks
1 slice of bacon
1 Idaho potato, diced in half in cubes
1 cup cubed chicken, cooked
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 package of refrigerated pie dough
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a deep pan or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat (be careful not to burn).  Add potatoes and carrots to the pan and cook until lightly browned, approximately three minutes.  Add flour, leeks, and salt and pepper to the pan.  Add cooked chicken and mix.  Stir in chicken broth and peas and bring to a boil.  Cook for several minutes while sauce thickens.  If sauce does not reach desired consistency.  Mix in a separate bowl some water and flour together.  Add flour mixture in small increments to get desired thickness.  When ready, spoon mixture into two baking dishes.  

Top with dough and pinch edges down to seal the edges.  

Combine milk and egg whites in a bowl.  Brush mixture over dough.  Cut a small vent in the top of the dough.  Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and let stand for at least 10 minutes.  Be careful when serving as baking dish will be hot.  

- Miss J

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 8 out of 10

Tuscan Grilled Vegetables with Orzo

Moe and I have been traveling like crazy so cooking hasn't been much of an option.  However, now that we are back stateside, I am excited to hit the kitchen again.  While we were in New York, my sister-in-law, Hannah, introduced me to Penzeys spices.  It is an online spice store which has the most amazing chip/veggie dip ever.  I recently ordered some and my spices came with a wonderful magazine. Although it featured recipes using Penzeys spices only, I was able to modify some of them to get some fabulous results.  In the spirit of eating healthy, this was a wonderful spring orzo that can be serve both warm or cold.

Tuscan Grilled Vegetables with Orzo
Source:  Modified from Penzeys Magazine, Summer 2012
Serves:  4 servings

1/2 cup orzo, cooked al dente
1 red bell pepper,  sliced into one inch cubes
1 small zucchini, sliced into one inch cubes
1 shallot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 grape tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoon butter
1 tsp Italian seasoning herb mix (any variety - I used a feisty Tuscan seasoning mix I bought at the farmers market) or 1 tsp Penzeys Tuscan Sunset
1/4 cup almond slices or pine nuts
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Toss zucchini and bell pepper in 1 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper, and 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning.  Vegetables can either be cooked and charred on the grill or in the oven. If you cook them in the oven then cook the bell peppers for 4 minutes at 400 degrees then add zucchini. Cook another 4 minutes then switch the oven to low broil for another three minutes.  Remove and allow vegetables to cool. 

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add nuts and allow to brown for 5 minutes stirring frequently.  Remove nuts and set aside.

Add one tablespoon butter and 1 tsp olive oil and heat in saucepan.  Add garlic and onion and saute until translucent.  Add remaining Italian seasoning and mix well.  Add orzo, grilled vegetables, and grape tomatoes.  Mix and serve with fresh Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.  Orzo can also be chilled and served the next day. 

Rating:
Miss J, 9 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10

- Miss J

Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken

If you love mushrooms and maple syrup then this should be a your go to weeknight meal.  It was a bit on the sweet side, but I think that could be toned down if you used stone ground mustard (which the recipe calls for) instead of the honey mustard that I used.  It only took about 25 minutes to prepare with half the time doing nothing while it it cooks in the oven! Moe, the super hard grader, gave it a 10 out of 10 which took me by complete surprise since he is Mr. Critique when it comes to reviews :)

Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken
Source:  Cooking Light Magazine, Jan/Feb 2012
Serves:  2 servings

2 boneless chicken breasts
10 portabella mushrooms
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbs cider vinegar
1 tbs mustard (stone ground) - honey mustard would work as well
2 tsp thyme (fresh)
1 bay leaf
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
olive oil (approximately 2 tsp)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large oven safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with pepper and add to the pan.  Sear chicken for 2 minutes on each side until browned.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside. 

Add mushrooms, syrup, broth, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic into skillet.  Stir to keep from the bottom of the pan to burn.  Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes.  Add vinegar and mustard and cook for 1 minute. 

Add chicken back into the pan and coat with the sauce. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until chicken reads an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove from oven and place chicken on a plate to cool for a few minutes. 

While the chicken cools, heat the sauce remaining in the skillet until it thickens and becomes syrupy. 

Ratings:
Miss J, 9 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10

- Miss J

Homemade Baked Fries

I love fries.  Specifically McDonald's fries.  However, in the interest of eating healthy, I attempted to find a good subsitute.  These fries are baked so that puts them on the semi-healthy category.  The cayenne pepper adds a nice kick so there is no need to use ketchup (although it was difficult to convince Moe of this as he sees fries and has an automatic response to drown them in ketchup and mustard... yes mustard which is gross). I left the fries in the oven a bit longer than the recipe called for as I like mine super crispy.  

Oven Baked Fries
Source:  Modified from Weight Watchers Online
Serves: 2 servings

2 large Idaho potatoes
olive oil
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice potatoes long ways into 16 slices (8 slices per potato).  Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Coat a baking pan with cooking spray.  Arrange slices on baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove and flip slices.  Place back in the oven for 10 minutes or until desired doneness.  Remove and serve immediately. 

Ratings:
Miss J, 9 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10

- Miss J

Flank Steak Stuffed with Boursin Cheese, Red Peppers, and Spinach

Christmas this year was very different for Moe and I.  It is the first one where we haven't been with our extended family.  Since Moe was working, I decided to fill my Christmas day with something I love...cooking.  We invited one of Matt's co-interns and his wife over as they were stuck without family for the holidays as well.  They are such wonderful company and we always have a blast with them so it was a perfect way to cheer us up and spend Christmas.  For dinner, I prepared a stuffed flank steak, green bean casserole, and smashed potatoes.  I was able to do a lot of the work ahead so I wasn't having to fuss too much in the kitchen while our company was over.  The steak turned out perfectly as parts of it were more on the rare side and others were more medium to medium well so everyone was happy!

Flank Steak Stuffed with Boursin Cheese, Red Peppers, and Spinach
Source:  Modified from No Peanuts. No Cilantro. and tasteofhome.com
Serves:  4 servings

1 1/2 lbs of flank steak
1 block of boursin cheese, garlic and herb
1-2 cup of roasted red pepper, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach
basil pesto
1 cup white wine
1 shallot
1 tablespoon of butter

Butterfly the flank steak.  Here are directions on how to butterfly a flank steak.  Lay flank steak out on a flat surface and cover with a layer of plastic wrap.  With a meat mallet, flatten and even out the flank steak.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Mix together boursin cheese and chopped roasted red pepper. 

Apply a layer of cheese mixture on top of the steak.  Followed by a layer of basil pesto and spinach.  Roll steak tightly along the grain.  Tie off with cooking twine to hold roll in place. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a cast iron skillet (or a non stick pan if cast iron is not available), heat 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add 1 shallot diced finely to the skillet.  Cook for 1 minute then add 1 cup of white wine.  Allow wine to reduce and alcohol to burn out.  Add flank steak roll to the pan and brown on all sides. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until desired doneness.

Rare 120-125 degrees F
Medium Rare 130-135 degrees F
Medium 140-145 degrees F
Medium Well 150 - 155 degrees F
Well Done 160 degrees F
Source:  whatscookingamerica.net

Remove meat from the oven and cover with a foil tent.  Meat should rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.  Cut into 1/2 inch rounds using an electric knife (or an extremely sharp knife). 

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10

- Miss J

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

I have been making green bean casserole for as long as I can remember.  However, over Thanksgiving, I learned how to make HOMEMADE green bean casserole.  The difference..... fresh green beans, made from scratch mushroom soup, and the best part.... fried shallots to top it off!  My sister-in-law, Hannah, had a wonderful recipe so I took mental notes and looked up the missing pieces when I got home. I found a recipe by Martha Stewart that was very similar so I used that as my guide.  I must say that now that I have crossed over, I will never use canned green beans again!

Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Source:  Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves:  8 servings

1 1/2 lbs fresh green beans
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped finely
6 shallots
1 cup flour
1 lb portabella mushrooms, sliced
2 cups of milk
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Canola oil (2 cups more or less)

Rinse green beans.  Trim ends and break into 2 inch pieces. Store in cold ice water until ready to blanch.

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat butter.  Add chopped onion to the pan and saute until they begin to soften.  Add mushrooms and milk to the pan.  Simmer on low to medium heat as flavors meld.  Add pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.  If sauce does not thicken, add a thickening agent (flour mixed with a bit of water).  Once sauce is done, set aside to cool.

Boil a pot of water.  Blanch green beans for 4 minutes.  Remove and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

Heat canola oil in a medium sized skillet.  While oil is heating, slice shallots cross ways and coat with flour. 

Once oil is hot (test with a drop of water - should sizzle slightly), drop in one floured shallot to test.  It should bubble but not instantly burn.  Once you have had one successful shallot, remove onto a baking sheet lined with a paper towel.  Fry the remaining shallots in batches.  Remove from pan using a skimmer and lightly placing on paper towel. 

Once cool, store in an air tight container until ready to use. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, combine mushroom soup and green beans. Toss well and spread into a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Place into oven and cook for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 

Remove from oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes.  Before serving, add shallots to the top of the casserole.  Enjoy!

Notes:  The majority of this can be done the day ahead.  The shallots can be fried and stored in an air tight container until ready to use. The green beans can be cleaned, trimmed, and cut to be about 2 inches in length.  You can blanch them and then let them cool before storing them in the fridge overnight.  The mushroom sauce can also be made the night before, cooled, and then stored in the fridge.  Assemble everything together and increase cooking time to about 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly. 

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 8 of 10 (he says he likes the canned green beans better - I disagree)

- Miss J

Walnut Apple Salad with a Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing

While my parents were visiting a few weeks ago, we stumbled into an olive oil and vinegar store in St. Charles called Di Olivas.  You can walk around and taste the various flavors.  Once you land on what you want to purchase, the bottle is poured in front of you and sealed off with a cork.  I decided to get the cranberry pear balsamic vinegar and my mom got the avocado olive oil.  This recipe was my first use of the purchase.  Based on the outcome, I will definitely be making a stop back for some other types in the near future. 

Walnut Apple Salad with a Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing
Source:  Miss J Original
Serves:  2 servings with extra salad dressing to keep

Spring mixed green leaves
1 apple, cored and diced into cubes
dried cranberries (or raisins)
walnuts, toasted
Prairie Breeze Cheese (Milton Creamery)

Dressing
1/8 cup cranberry, pear balsamic vinegar (Di Olivas)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of fat free sour cream
1/8 tsp poppy seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together salad dressing ingredients until mixed very well.  Toss all the salad ingredients together in a bowl.  Toss salad dressing and salad ingredients together and serve immediately. 

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 9 out of 10

- Miss J

Shrimp Linguine in a Spicy Cream Sauce

This is a modification from a traditional shrimp diablo.  It has a healthy kick to it which is enhanced by the use of Thai spicy pasta that I had bought at the farmers market a month or so ago.  Moe has turned out to be a very tough critic which I find funny because before we met he was living off mac and cheese and canned ravioli.  The first ten was a chicken Parmesan recipe that I made for him the night before his boards.  The second is this recipe.  Enjoy!

Shrimp Linguine in a Spicy Cream Sauce
Source:  Miss J Original
Serves:  4 servings

1 lb of linguine (spicy Thai if available)
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
20 jump shrimp - thawed, deveined, and tails removed
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (more if you want it extra spicy like we do)
1/2 can of diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons of butter

Cook pasta al dente according to directions.  Strain and run cold water over pasta to prevent further cooking.  Set aside.  Prepare and brine shrimp (see directions below).

Chop shallots finely. 

In a skillet, heat up butter over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic to the pan and saute until onions are translucent.  Be careful not to burn garlic as it is easily done.  Add shrimp and cook until each side is lightly browned and shrimp is pink. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside.  In the remaining pan juice, add whipping cream, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir while mixture thickens.  If necessary, add thickening agent (water mixed with flour).  Once sauce has reached desired thickness, add linguine and shrimp and lightly toss.  Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan on top. 

Notes:  I was limited on vegetables in my fridge, but I would consider adding sweet peppers and or/corn to this recipe next time.

Directions for brining shrimp: Dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt in about 1 gallon of cold water. Soak for 20-30 minutes if peeled shrimp and 40-50 minutes for unpeeled shrimp. Remove shrimp and rinse with cold water. Pack with ice until ready to use

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10

- Miss J

Avocado Nectarine Salsa

Today was the first day in a long time that the weather here in Saint Louis was amazing.  It cooled down to mid 60's so it was a perfect night to grill.  Moe wasn't getting off work until around 7 so I decided to make a fruit salsa to eat while we were sitting outside and waiting for the other food to be done.  I love peach salsa but have never tried to make it before.  I had tons of nectarines so decided to give it a whirl.  I figured how can you go wrong with tons of cilantro, onion, and fruit!

Avocado Nectarine Salsa

Source:  Miss J Original

3 nectarines (or peaches)

1/2 small onion

1 key lime

fresh cilantro (approx. 1/4 cup)

1/8 tsp cumin

1/2 avocado

chipotle ground pepper (optional)

freshly ground pepper / salt to taste

Finely dice the onion.  Chop the fresh cilantro and add to a mixing bowl along with the onion. 

Slice the nectarines (or peaches) into small cubes and add to the mixing bowl. 

Slice the avocado into long slices and then cut into thirds. 

Add to mixing bowl.  Cut lime in half and squeeze juice into mixing bowl careful not to let any seeds fall into mixture.  Add cumin and ground chipotle pepper and mix everything together.  Add freshly ground salt and pepper to taste and then mix again.  Chill in fridge for 15 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve with tortilla chips.

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 9 out of 10

- Miss J

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

This pasta salad recipe has been around the block and back!  On my dad's side of the family, you can't host an event without this pasta salad making an appearance.  It is relatively easy and you can alter the recipe to include your favorite vegetables.  Additionally, any left overs keep really well.

1 lb box tri-color rotini pasta
green olives
carrots
broccoli
cauliflower
green onions
tomatoes
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup sour cream
1 T mustard
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning


Chop up vegetables into bite sized pieces and set aside.  Mix mayo, Italian dressing, sour cream, mustard, and Italian seasoning in a mixing bowl.  Cook pasta according to packaging.  You want it to be al dente so that it won't fall apart when you mix the sauce in.  Once pasta is done, strain and run cold water over pasta through the strainer.  This will stop the pasta from continuing to cook.  Once pasta is 100% cooled, mix vegetables and sauce together in a large bowl. Reserve a bit of the sauce to toss with right before serving. Place in fridge for 1 hour to allow to set. Before serving mix in remaining sauce and serve immediately.  If you are out of sauce, mix in some extra sour cream to create some moisture in the pasta salad.

Notes:  This is a great recipe to make the night before.  Additionally, you can switch up the vegetables that you include.   I hate olives so peas and red bell peppers are good substitutions. 


Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 8 out of 10
- Miss J

Chicken Parmesean with Sundried Tomato and Pine Nut Marinara Sauce

The night before Moe has a huge test, I always ask him what he wants me to cook and what time he wants to eat.  He is generally sooo stressed out, I feel like since I can't help him study, its the least I can do!  Tomorrow he takes his Step 2 boards and requested we have his favorite meal, chicken Parmesan. I always ask Moe after we eat to rate the meal so I know if he likes it.  He almost always gives a 7, 8 or 9.  The other day I got mad because I never get a 10 rating!  I told him that I was convinced he thought I was a bad cook. Of course he then called me meladramtic, but also explained to me that he can't give out 10's all the time or they become meaningless.  I left the conversation annoyed.  However, last night I have regained my faith that I can in fact cook.  Upoon completion of the meal, Moe said it was "the perfect ten"!

Chicken Parmesean with Sundried Tomato and Pine Nut Marinara Sauce

Serves: 4

2 chicken breasts
1 jar of Classico Marinara (Basil and Tomato)
1/2 green bell pepper - chopped
1/4 onion - finely chopped
1/8 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon of butter
fresh parsley
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
1 garlic clove - minced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
4 slices of Mozzarella Cheese
Dry Italian Seasoning (mixed herb)
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice chicken breasts in half long ways.  Crack egg into a bowl and beat.  Dip chicken breasts in egg and then coat evenly with bread crumbs.  Place in the bottom of a glass baking dish.  Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.  In the baking pan, put two scopes of Classico marinara sauce on top of chicken and then layer one piece of mozzarella cheese on top.  Sprinkle top of chicken with Italian seasoning.  Repeat so that all four pieces of chicken are in baking dish with marinara, cheese, and seasoning. 

Bake chicken for 30-45 minutes (depending on thickness of the chicken)  until inside temp reads 165 degrees or juices run clear.  While chicken is baking, heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute onions, green peppers, and garlic until tender.  While sauteing, dice up sun dried tomatoes.  Add pine nuts to skillet.  Once pine nuts are toasted, add sun dried tomatoes to the mix.  While sun dried tomatoes are heating up.  Dice up fresh parsley (1 -2 tablespoons) and add to mixture.  Pour 3/4 of the jar of Classico Marinara.  Add fresh cracked pepper.  Mix well.  Once sauce is hot and bubbly, transfer to low heat burner to keep warm.  When chicken has 15 minutes left, bring pot of water to a boil.  Add pasta (I used spaghetti, but any kind would work).  Cook pasta according to packaging directions. When chicken has 5-10 minute left, put another 1/2 piece of cheese on top of each chicken breasts. 

When chicken is done, plate pasta and top with sauce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve with chicken. 

- Miss J