Italia in Central Square

okay, so it's probably not all that authentic, but we love chicken parm! I'm still on a little bit of a comfort food kick (I swear, we'll get back to the gym soon....) but it poured all day in Boston, and I couldn't stop thinking about coming home and putting together this simple comfort food dish! We rounded out the indulgent meal with some garlic bread and a simple salad.


Chicken Parm

1 large chicken breast, pounded out very thin
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c floup
1/4 c bread crumbs
3 tbsps veg. oil
pasta of your choice (J prefers penne!)
sauce (I cheated this time and used the store-bought kind)
parmesean cheese


Put the egg, flour, and bread crumbs in separate dishes. Dip the chicken in the egg, flour, and then bread crumbs (covering evenly each time). Add the oil to a frying pan, and heat until it just barely begins to smoke. Turn the heat down just a little, and place the chicken in the skillet. Cook 5-8 minutes on each side, though this will depend on the thickness of the chicken breast.

Serve with the pasta, smothered in sauce and cheese.

enjoy!

probably not a first date food ...

All I can say is, it's a good thing we both love garlic!

This week's Sunday Night Dinner is simple, satisfying comfort food. Garlic Roasted Chicken, Stuffing, and Cranberry. Okay, okay, so we haven't been on a health kick lately, but it's been cold here in Boston, and nothing beats a big, hot meal on a chilly Sunday night!

Garlic Roasted Chicken

3 cloves garlic
2 tbsps garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano


mince the garlic as finely as you can. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and set aside. Cut a 2" slit in each chicken breast, and spread about a half of teaspoon inside. Coat the rest of the chicken with the remaining mixture. Bake at 400 for about half an hour.


enjoy!

warm up with soup and a panini

WARNING: Not for those with a 2010 diet resolution!

I'm trying to do a better job this year of planning menus around what's in the cupboard, rather than what I've seen on the food network during the week. Tonight was my first adventure with the "everything but the kitchen sink" method. That is, throwing what I have into a sauce pan, and calling it dinner. The result? Well...dinner! Here's what we had:

Saturday Night: Baked Potato Soup and Turkey, Vermont Cheddar, Bacon, and Apple Panini

Baked Potato Soup:

4 oz cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 cans condensed potato soup
1 cup milk
2 tsps Worcestershire Sauce
1 tstp all-season salt
pepper, to taste
bay leaf
sour cream and crumbled bacon, to garnish.

In a sauce pan, combine sour cream and butter until liquid. Add cream of potato soup, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Add milk, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and mix in. Place the bay leaf on top, cover, and simmer at least 30 minutes (if you have time, a little longer to give the flavors time to combine). Remove bay leaf, and ladle into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream and crumbled bacon.


Turkey, Vermont Cheddar, Bacon, and Apple Panini

Sourdough Bread
Sliced Turkey
Brown Mustard
Apple, sliced very thinly
Vermont Cheddar

Layer all your sandwhich ingredients, and grill lightly in a panini press (we used a George Foreman Grill!)




enjoy!

Beth

helllooooo 2010!

The holiday rush is over, and we're finally starting to settle into 2010. My first piece of advice for the new decade? Run (don't walk) to your nearest magazine stand, and pick up a copy of the Januaray issue of Everyday Food by Martha Stewart. I always love the ideas in this magazine, but this month's issue is particularly packed with fabulous recipes and clever tips. We've tried a few so far, but one of my favorites was the honey ginger stir-fry on page 88. I'm posting it here so you can try it, but you've got to read this magazine cover to cover!

stir-fried honey-ginger chicken with peppers
(from Everyday Food, January/February 2010)

1/4 c. honey
2 tbsps rice vinegar
2 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps veg. oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, in 1/4 in. strips
3/4 c. minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper (all peppers thinly sliced)
cooked rice (for serving)


In a small bowl, mix the honey, vinegar and soy sauce, and set aside. Heat a large skillet, and add 1 tbsp oil. Cook the chicken until it's almost done (about 3 minutes). Transfer to a plate. Add 1 tbsp oil, ginger, and garlic to the skillet and stir until fragrant (30 seconds or so). Add peppers, and cook about 2 minutes. Now, add the soy mixture and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet and toss until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice.

enjoy!

Beth