Chicken Piccata

I don't know about you, but I cook with chicken 9 times out of 10...I'm always looking for new ways to cook it. This is a great, FLAVORFUL recipe that really mixes things up.

Here's what you'll need for two servings:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts


• salt and pepper


• 1/2 cup flour


• 1 egg
  
• 1/2 tablespoon water


• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs


• olive oil


• 2 tablespoons butter


• freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 0r 2 lemons)


• 1/2 cup white wine


• Chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pound each chicken breast out to about 1/4-inch thick or so. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and lastly dip in the bread crumbs.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until browned. You still want to see some pink in the chicken...you're not fully cooking it in this step.

Now, place them on a sheet pan and bake for about 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes or so.

Off the heat, add the tablespoon of butter and swirl to combine. If you taste the sauce, it's going to be pretty lemony/tangy...but trust me. Put it on the chicken. It will be delicious!! So spoon on the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle on your fresh parsley. Cheers!

Chicken Hash Success

Ok so I know this is not the most appealing name - "hash..." but trust me, it's delish. It's Ina's.

Here's the recipe to serve 2+ leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on


• 8 basil leaves
  
• Olive Oil
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• 3 tablespoons butter


• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and large diced (I used 3 small/medium ones)


• 1 yellow onion, chopped


• 1-2 red bell peppers, large diced


• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves


• 1/2 teaspoon paprika


• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  
• 2 minced scallions


• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 450.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side attached. Place 4 basil leaves under the skin of each chicken breast. Pull the skin over as much of the meat as possible so the chicken won't dry out. (I always buy boneless/skinless chicken breast...this was actually my first time to cook with the bones and skin...wow what a difference! It was sooo juicy and flavorful!) So go for the bones and skins on this recipe.

With your hands, rub each piece with lots of olive oil and sprinkle very generously with salt and pepper.

Bake the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until the skin is lightly browned and the chicken is just cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones. Remove the basil leaves and skin too. Cut the chicken in large dice pieces and set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan. Add the potatoes and onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Saute over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, until evenly browned and cooked through.
In a separate saute pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the red peppers, garlic, thyme, paprika, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and saute over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, until the edges of the peppers are seared.

Add the chicken and the pepper mixture to the potatoes and heat through. Here at the end I added a tad more salt and garlic to taste. Add the scallions and parsley, toss together and place on a serving platter. Serve and enjoy!

Jalapeno Blue Cheese Wedge

This is the absolute best salad ever!! I first had it at my parent's friends dinner party...I'm sitting there...eating this salad...thinking - how in the world am I going to get this recipe for this dressing?!? I don't even know this lady! I can't just immediately ask for her recipe...can I?


Thank goodness for my mom. She was there, and apparently eating her salad with the same thoughts...she however asked for the recipe. Sooo...I now have the super delicious recipe to share with you here...

Yes! It's in a jar!! It's Jalapeno Ranch dressing, and you find it in grocery stores in the refrigerated section of the produce section...you know, where they have the salads in the bags and all that other good stuff. Believe me, this does not taste like any store bought salad dressing...

So, cut a wedge of iceberg lettuce, drizzle this dressing over it, sprinkle some blue cheese and good bacon bits on top and you're all done. Enjoy.

Pear & Apple Crisp

This is absolutely delicious! It's great for entertaining as you can put it in individual dishes which is super fun and feels a little extra special! I've tweeked this recipe just a tad and made it for four servings...

Ingredients:

• 2 pears
  
• 3 apples (make sure to get a type that's crispy and firm)


• grated orage zest (I never measure zest...just zest an orange and have fun!)


• grated lemon zest (see above)


• freshly squeezed orange juice...again don't worry about measuring...just squeeze the orange you zested


• freshly squeezed lemon zest (see above)


• 1/4 cup sugar


• 1/8 cup flour


• 1 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Peel and core the pears and apples and cut them into large chunks. Place the fruit in a bowl and toss with the zests, juices, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Now, either put it all in a large baking dish, or individual ramekins.

Now here's what you need for the best part -- the TOPPING!!

• 3/4 cup flour
  
• 1/4 cup sugar


• lil over a 1/4 cup brown sugar


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 cup oatmeal
  
• 6 tablespoons butter - diced
  

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for a couple minutes, or until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle over the fruit, covering the it completely. Try not to get it all over the counter like I did... :) Oh one more little tip...this topping is delicious...go ahead...taste it...or eat it by the spoonfuls like my husband and I did...no one will ever know...

You're all set. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes - 1 hour, until all brown and bubbly. Serve warm and enjoy!