Garlic Chicken Parmesan

This was quick and delicious. I love that it is baked instead of fried, but still had a nice crispy exterior. We had this along with pasta, homemade marinara sauce, my favorite breadsticks and broccoli and it was a wonderful fall meal. Enjoy!


Garlic Chicken Parmesan

4 small chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder)
3 Tb. olive oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (this makes it nice and light and crispy. If you don't have any panko, you can substitute an additional 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs)
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. dried basil
marinara sauce and additional Parmesan cheese for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. (I like to use a short cooling rack set inside a baking pan this helps the chicken to get crunchy on all sides instead of soggy on the bottom part that touches the pan, but make sure you spray the rack so the chicken doesn't stick!)
2. Combine garlic and olive oil in pie pan or flat bowl. Combine panko, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and basil in a separate pie pan or flat bowl.
3. Trim chicken of any fat, and pound chicken with rolling pin or meat tenderizer to 1/2 inch thickness (this is so the meat will cook evenly).
4. Dip each chicken breast in oil, rubbing to coat well, then into the bread crumb/cheese mixture, pressing the bread crumbs into the chicken to ensure it is completely covered. Place on baking tray. If there is extra bread crumb/cheese mixture, sprinkle over the chicken, if desired.
5. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink in center. Serve with warm marinara sauce and additional Parmesan cheese.

Classic Marinara Sauce

I'm still getting lots and lots of tomatoes from the garden. In an attempt to use some of them up, I decided to whip up some marinara sauce. This is a simple, classic marinara with lots of tomato and veggie flavor. I substituted fresh, peeled and seeded tomatoes (3-4 pounds) plus a small can of tomato paste, for the canned tomatoes, but I am sure it would be great with the canned tomatoes too. This was perfect served on top of some spaghetti and chicken Parmesan (recipe coming later this week). I'm thinking I'll use the rest for calzones later this week!

Classic Marinara Sauce
Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

2 Tb. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/2 - 2/3 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/4 - 1/3 cup)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped (1/3 cup)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cans (28 oz. each) crushed tomatoes
1/2 Tb. dried basil
1/2 Tb. dried oregano
1/2 Tb. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. marjoram
2 dried bay leaves
1 Tb. brown sugar
2 Tb. butter

Heat oil in large pot, Add garlic, onion, celery, and carrots and cook until onion is translucent and lightly browned and veggies are tender. Add salt and pepper and stir well. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram, and bay leaves. Simmer, covered, on low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. remove bay leaves and stir in brown sugar and butter. Cool slightly, then blend in food processor until desired consistency is reached (I like mine fairly smooth). Make about 7 cups sauce.

Zucchini Parmesan

I have a confession: I've never been a fan of eggplant. And by "never been a fan" I mean "thinking about it makes me want to gag." I'm pretty sure it's because of a dinner-gone-wrong from my dad when I was a kid...every time I think of eggplant I think of his Eggplant Surprise and it's not a memory I really enjoy reliving.

Suffice it to say that I've never tried Eggplant Parmesan. I love the idea of it: veggies dredged in eggs and crunchy bread crumbs and tangy cheese, then fried and topped with marinara? If only I could get past that eggplant. Well, with our bounty of zucchini from the garden this year I thought I'd try swapping out the eggplant for zucchini and see how it tasted. One word? Amazing. It was crunchy and perfectly seasoned and delicious. And I didn't feel bad eating it at all because it's chock full of veggies. Give this a try, I think you will love it!

Zucchini Parmesan
serves 2 -3

1 large zucchini (8 - 12 inches long), cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup Italian season bread crumbs
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Tb. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tb. butter
2 Tb. olive oil
marinara sauce
additional Parmesan cheese for topping

1. In small bowl, beat together eggs and milk. In second small bowl, combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup cheese, and parsley. In third small bowl, put flour.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Dip each piece of zucchini first in the flour mixture, turning to coat evenly and shaking off any excess. Then dip in egg mixture and then in bread crumb mixture. Place in heated skillet and repeat with remaining zucchini. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until crispy and browned. Top with warm marinara sauce, additional cheese, and fresh parsley is desired.

World's Best Breadsticks

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I got from my friend Kim. Her mom used to make them for her family all the time growing up, and now that I have tried them I can definitely see why. My husband says that these are the best breadsticks ever. In fact, they're so good that I made them especially for him for father's day today. Everyone else that had them loved them too. And they're simple to whip up and can be ready in less than an hour.
World's Best Breadsticks

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tb. SAF instant yeast
2 Tb. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/4 cups flour
1 cube butter
garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine yeast and water until yeast is dissolved and frothy. Add sugar, salt, and flour. Mix until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Let rise for 10 minutes.
2. Melt butter and pour into a large (half-sheet) baking pan.
3. Spray clean counter top, rolling pin, and hands with cooking spray (the dough is very sticky so don't skip this step!). Roll dough out into a large rectangle. Cut dough with pizza cutter (sprayed with cooking spray) into twelve long pieces. Roll each dough piece in butter, and twist to form a breadstick, then place in pan. Sprinkle with garlic salt and Parmesan to taste.
4. Let raise 15 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes. These are best warm out of the oven. Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Brick Oven is Corey's (my husband) favorite restaurant. And his very favorite thing there is the roasted red pepper pasta sauce. I love Brick Oven too, but I think their roasted red pepper sauce is kind of hit and miss. Sometimes it's phenomenal: flavorful, thick, creamy, with just a touch of spice; other times it's thin and flavorless. I've been trying to duplicate the sauce (and improve upon it) at home. This time it turned out the best it has yet. I'm sure I'll still experiment more (that's just what I do) but I had to write down how to make it this time before I forget. Serve this over any type of pasta of your choice. I prefer it with shells, bow ties, or penne. Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 - 2 Tb. onions or scallions, minced
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tb. olive oil
1 jar roasted red peppers, or 4 - 5 red peppers, roasted and peeled
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 - 1 1/2 cups cheese (muenster, smoked Gouda, Romano, Parmesan, or a combination)

1. In food processor or blender, blend roasted red peppers until finely blended.
2. In large saucepan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Stir in roasted red peppers, tomato sauce, and spices. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in heavy whipping cream and cheese until melted and thoroughly combined.
3. Carefully pour mixture into blender or food processor and process until smooth. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with cheese and grilled sliced chicken (if desired).