I have to admit that we actually call this one "pestorzo" at our house, cause, well, it's just more fun that way.  This is probably the easiest, and the most delicious, carb-tastic side that I make.  It goes especially well with sauteed chicken dishes.

Parmesan Pestorzo

Ingredients

I would . . .	You could . . .
¼ cup prepared pesto	¼ cup fresh, jarred, or “from a packet” pesto
1 cup orzo
4 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan

Preparation

1.  Prepare orzo according to package directions (typically boil from 6-8 minutes) and drain.

2.  Return cooked orzo to pot.  Add 1/4 cup pesto (more or less to taste), and stir well.

3.  Plate pestozo, and top each serving with 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan.

Servings

4 1/4 cup servings

Recipe Extras

Sex It Up By:
Adding	chopped artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes
Calling it	Meditteranean Orzo with Fresh Basil Pesto
Cooking Tip:	Although I'm typically a stickler for fresh ingredients, my favorite pesto for this dish is actually the "packet pesto" that you find with the other sauce packets at the grocery store.  I typically make it with only half of the olive oil the packet calls for, though, which cuts down on fat and calories and concentrates the pesto flavor.

DU machst ein auf sexy, bist aber ARM. BERLIN ist die Stadt, die immer wird, nie ist, ABER ist und SEXY, noch im Bau, aber gleich fertig. Noch so, aber bald auch gut so. Voll drauf, aber morgen wieder nüchtern. BERLIN kommt gleich und voller Hoffnung. DU hast keene Arbeit, aber Molle und Korn. Bist dreckig, aber im Sommer so schön. BERLIN ist nicht regierbar, aber so kuschelig rot. "Alles Stutti" sagt der Bär. Gruppe K, aber mit Otto oben ohne. Sparn könnse die Berliner. Vom Schwanz in den Mund. ARM ab Herr Biberkopf. Rattap rattap. Ohne Arm, aber sexy. Diese Pumsbande. So dünn deine Berliner. Müssen den Gürtel enger schnallen, aber ohne Hosenträger. Stolz sind sie auf dich, aber warum auch nicht SEXY und reich? Können alles außer Wohl. Größtes Atelier Deutschlands. Turnschuhmetropole der Kreativen. Wir nennen es Arbeit, aber DU mutige Armut. Erst mit der Armut wird der Mensch zum humus oeconomicus. Kreativer Boden für die Ästhetik, Kulisse fürs Neue. Inspirierend flaneurhaft verstaubt ihr dahinten ohne Zähne und Arbeet. Charity Spielplatz. DU machst das durch, was uns hier im Westen noch bevorsteht: Ohne Arbeit, aber mit Vaterbär, aber vielleicht auch nicht. Vielleicht bleibste auch dabei, aber noch dicker. Ganz fett, sozusagen und jetzt biste auch noch Filmhauptstadt. Der Kruise, die Christiaansen und mittendrinn inne Mitte verlustiert der Wowi. Prima Kulissenstadt für den Potemkinschen Tanzbären, aber dahinter noch viel geiler, aber leider ohne Ostsee und nur nen Aldi-Nord davor. Und der hat ja nicht mal Parmesan. Das Labor Deutschlands. Na Super, rattig, aber im Käfig. Mauer Mauer Mauerblümchen. Hey DU, Ich bin jetzt im Südwesten. Die können alles, außer arm. Ooch egal, aber pietistisch. Mercedes Benz, aber mit Tennisarm. Wohlstand, aber langweilig. Wünsch ick dir doch och, gähnende Langeweile.

Icke bin jetzt in Stuttgart und das ist auch gut so oder so.

phips

Earthy and yeasty, Marmite's magic is in its smell and taste. Worked together with another earty ingredient like mushrooms, you are presented with some kind of wonderful wholesome deliciousness.

A special breakfast is nice seeded brown bread, toasted and topped with sliced mushrooms panfried in sticky marmite. Topped with a shaving of parmesan, this is sublime.

The process was surprisingly straight forward: Finely grate a cup of parmesan reggiano, and on a silpat, use your fingers to evenly spread the cheese into circles approximately two and a half inches in diameter. Bake the cheese for around 8 minutes until they reach a nice golden brown.

Getting the crisps to conform into the right shape is the trickiest part. To do this, while the crisps are still warm, gently mold them into an empty egg carton and leave to cool. The goat cheese mousse is simply a blend of goat cheese, heavy cream, parsley and chives to garnish. Throw it all in a blender, and refrigerate. 

The results were nice, though the hot and humid weather caused the goat cheese mousse to melt very quickly. Next time, I intend on adding a little honey to the mousse to balance the saltiness of the parmesan crisps. Alternatively, pair with a sweet wine for a killer combination that will surely build an appetite!

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Okay! - Here's that recipe for the salad that every church lady has ever made for some event. Seven Layer Salad - can I get a woo-hoo, Amen! Seven, because it has seven layers to it and the number seven has biblical references so we'll just trust in heaven above that "seven" is good and lay hands on the potluck table and say Amen! I know, technically there are 8 layers, but let's not go there. This is one of my grandmother's recipes and you just don't mess with grandmothers or history or mother nature. Here we go............

Seven Layer Salad

1 medium head of lettuce, chopped
1 package frozen English peas, cooked and drained
1/2 cup onion, sliced thin
8 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup chopped celery
5 hard boiled eggs, sliced thin (across, not length-wise)
1 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar
grated cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)

Layer in a large salad bowl or casserole in the order listed, spreading mayonnaise carefully over top to cover all and sprinkling cheese over the top. Keeps in the refrigerator for one or two days.

And, everyone said.........Amen!

Now....a recipe post for our fellow blogger PDUB - EGGPLANT PARMESAN.

1 large eggplant
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons oil, divided
1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small piece of basil leaf
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Peel and slice eggplant into crosswise slices 1 inch thick. Dip slices in water to wet the surfaces. Mix flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. Dip eggplant slices in mixture to coat lightly. Saute' eggplant in oil turning once to brown lightly. Remove eggplant. Saute onion and garlic. Add tomatoes, remaining salt and pepper and crumbled basil leaf. Cook until thickened. Place eggplant into a greased baking dish and top with cheese. Pour tomato sauce mixture over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Voila!

Ya'll Enjoy! :) Congrats to Wetsy and Matt and the PDUB family.

Ingredients: romaine lettuce, homemade croutons, fresh anchovies, homemade dressing, shredded parmesan cheese.

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1430491&w=425&h=350&fv=]

Ingrédients (pour 4 personnes) :

- 4 grosses courgettes
- de la sauce bolognaise (sauce tomate, oignons, 1 carotte) (pas de sauce achetée toute faite, elles comportent toutes de l'amidon)
- pour la garniture : viande au choix (boeuf, poulet ou jambon)
- gruyère râpé
- sel et poivre
- origan

Préparation :

Laver et couper les courgettes en rondelles.
Faire cuire les lardons, les égoutter, puis les réserver dans une assiette.

Faire cuire la viande a part, puis la mélanger à la sauce bolognaise ainsi qu'au lardons.

Dans un plat allant au four, faire une couche de rondelles de courgettes puis une de garniture, ainsi de suite jusqu'a ce que le plat soit complètement garni, en parsemant de temps en temps, un peu d'origan.

Pour finir, parsemer de gruyère râpé (à la main de préférence pour garder tout son arôme) ou de parmesan, puis mettre au four (15 à 20 mn à four chaud).

Ingrédients (pour 4 personnes) :

- 2 têtes de brocoli
- 2 cuillères à soupe d'huile d'olive
- 1 grosse tomate fraîche, pelée
- 1 éclat d'ail
- 1 oignon
- 4 feuilles de basilic frais
- 50 g de parmesan râpé
- 3 cuillères à soupe de crème fraîche épaisse 30% MG
- sel poivre blanc + poivre de cayenne

Préparation :

Nettoyer le broccoli, ensuite le faire cuire dans de l'eau salée pendant +/-10 minutes selon votre goût.

Pendant ce temps, faire revenir l'oignon dans l'huile d'olive avec la gousse d'ail, lorsque l'oignon est transparent ajouter la tomate et le basilic. Après quelques minutes écraser la tomate pour qu'elle cuise plus rapidement. Cuisson +/-10 minutes. Ajouter la crème fraiche et le parmesan, saler et poivrer.

Egouter le brocoli assez longtemps pour qu'il ne reste pas d'eau. Mettre le brocoli dans un plat et le napper de la sauce bien chaude.

Along with kale and the excess toppings in a separate bowl! It was good that I had extra food, 'cause the pizza was quite small :(

The dough was nothing fancy--oats, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and water! A recipe for regular pizza dough that I found said also to add oil, salt, etc but I didn't feel like it :-P

Here's my version:

Oatmeal Pizza Dough [no yeast required!]
Makes 1 thin crust pizza

Ingredients:
0.25 cup whole wheat flour
0.25 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking powder
0.25 cup water
1 tsp vegetable oil [if desired]

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix all ingredients together and bake 10-15 minutes.

The center of the pie was quite doughy, and the crust was a little tougher. It didn't really taste like the pizza crust you get at restaurants [maybe due to lack of oil?], but rather more like stiff flatbread/tortilla.

The sauteed toppings: onions, chickpeas, tofu, orange peppers, parmesan cheese

Sauce was Classico Tomato & Basil sauce. I don't have normal "pizza sauce", so I figured pasta sauce works too :D

Oh and check out my exciting lunch today!

I opted to make bean balls this morning [out of adzuki beans and green lentils] this morning instead of going for a run :-P They tasted great--slightly crunchy because I baked them a little too long, but had just the right amount of seasoning--and it didn't take much! Just 2 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp pasta sauce, the rest of the flavor were all beans.

For fun factor, I used about 2 tablespoons quick oats in the batter--not sure what difference it made though! :-P

The white stuff to the left of the bean balls is a cucumber-yogurt sauce--chopped cucumbers, plain yogurt, and lemon juice--a little bit of yogurt really goes a long way! It tasted almost like mayonnaise.

And to finish off my adventurous tortilla, a random raw kale leaf :-P I don't really have a lot of things in my fridge to stuff wraps with!

Words cannot convey to you how heavenly this was! I love how oatmeal tastes good no matter what you do to it! It tasted so creamy, and every bite was full of flavor!

I noticed that while cooking, the oats and the water it was cooked in [before adding broth] was a slightly darker color, which I suspect has something to do with the sauteed onions and garlic that was in the pot--so pretty! And the smell was A-MAZING.

Stuff I had:

• 0.5 cup oats
• 0.5 cup water
• 0.5 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp flax
• 0.25 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 0.5 yellow pepper
• 1 slice soft tofu
• frozen broccoli, cauliflower, carrot mix
• 2 tsp parmesan, sprinkled on at the end

So this was my first ever "risotto"--can't wait to cook it again the normal way!

Ooh, and check out the normal lunch I had today and yesterday!

Pasta salad! I created a dressing out of equal parts extra virgin olive oil, ketchup, and rice vinegar, and seasoned with oregano--super good! I should eat like a normal person more often :D

I, personally, think of Italy when I consider the origin of pizza. Regardless of where it was initially enjoyed, pizza enjoys a long history with its simple crust of flour and water. I have heard that even Vergil wrote about it in the following passage:

"Beneath a shady tree, the hero spread
His table on the turf, with cakes of bread;
And, with his chiefs, on forest fruits he fed.
They sate; and, (not without the god's command,)
Their homely fare dispatch'd, the hungry band
Invade their trenchers next, and soon devour,
To mend the scanty meal, their cakes of flour.
Ascanius this observ'd, and smiling said:
'See, we devour the plates on which we fed.'"

- Aeneid, Book VII

Hmmmm . . . it sounds like pizza to me. My husband and children certainly enjoy devouring their "plates"!

I have worked with a pizza crust recipe for several years now. I have modified it and seasoned it in a continual effort to create the ideal crust.

• 10 1/2 cups flour
• 1      Tablespoon salt
• 4      Tablespoons sugar plus a 1/2 teaspoon for proofing yeast
• 3 1/2 Cups warm water (about 110 degrees)
• 3       Tablespoons active dry yeast
• 2       Tablespoons olive oil

Note: Occasionally, I use 1/4 - 1/2 cup of wine in place of the equivalent amount of water. This adds a wonderful flavor.

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Sprinkle a small amount of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon, over yeast mixture to proof it. Let it sit until the mixture foams and increases to 1 1/2 to 2 cups.

Meanwhile, combine flour, salt and the 4 tablespoons of sugar in a large mixing stationary mixing bowl with the dough hood attached. I currently utilize my Bosch mixer but I have also been successful with my Kitchen Aid as well.

After the yeast mixture has increased in volume, pour it in to the flour mixture. Turn the mixer on low speed to incorporate the liquid into the flour. Repeat this process with the remaining warm water and oil. When the flour and liquid are sufficiently combined increase the mixer to speed 2 on the Bosch or speed 4 on the Kitchen Aid and knead the dough for 6 minutes.

The dough will be sticky and little difficult to work with at this point.  Place it in a large greased bowl. Cover with Cling and Wrap or a similar product. Place the bowl in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until the dough is doubled in volume.

In the meantime, grease 3 large jelly-roll pans or cookie sheets. Now, lightly sprinkle the pans with cornmeal.

When the dough is doubled separate it in to 3 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a rectangle just slightly larger than the pan. Carefully place the crust into the pan, trying not to tear the dough as you move it.  I utilize a large spatula and a wooden spoon to help me at this point.

Now, add your favorite sauce, cheese and toppings.  I generally use Mozzarella cheese, a small amount of very sharp cheddar and a sprinkle of Parmesan on top.  My family enjoys pepperoni as a topping. My daughters and I love vegetable toppings like thinly sliced onions and green, yellow and red peppers liberally spread across the pizza.

Bake the pizzas in a oven set to 425 degrees for about 25 minutes. This is not a science: play with your oven to achieve the best baking results.

This recipe makes 3 large pizzas. You can divide the recipe by 1/3 to make 1 pizza.

"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity."  ~Voltaire

This past year, my mother decided it was high time I learned to cook.  To get this point across, I received more than a few cookbooks as Christmas presents.  This recipe is one of my favorites from an Italian cookbook she gave me.  So I thought it would be just the thing to bring to our anniversary potluck.  It’s pretty straight forward, making it perfect for cooking beginners and it makes for great leftovers, too!

Baked Risotto with Asparagus, Spinach and Parmesan
From Favorite Brand Name Italian Cooking Cookbook
Makes 6 entrée or 10 to 12 side-dish servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup Arborio rice
5 cups (5-6 oz) packed torn stemmed spinach
2 cups chicken broth
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups diagonally sliced asparagus

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray 13X9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium to high heat.  Add onion; cook and stir 4 minutes or until tender.  Add rice, stir to coat with oil.  Stir in spinach a handful at a time, adding more as it wilts.  Add broth, salt and nutmeg.  Reduce heat and simmer 7 minutes. 

After simmering stir in ½ cup of cheese.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.  Cover tightly and bake 15 minutes.  Remove from oven; stir in asparagus and remaining ½ cup cheese.  Cover and bake 15 more minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

By Katie Thompson

Det här behöver du :
50 gram smör
2 dl vatten
2 dl vetemjöl
3 ägg
1 tsk salt
3 msk finhackad Green Jalapeno Hot
5 dl finriven parmesanost

GÖR SÅHÄR :
Smält smöret i en kastrull, tillsätt vattnet och salt och låt det koka upp. Slå av plattan och dra bort kastrullen. Blanda ner mjölet lite i sänder och rör kraftigt med en träslev tills smeten släpper kastrullens kanter. Riv osten fint och finhacka jalapeno så det blir ca 3 matskedar. Nu när smeten har svalnat något rör du i äggen ett i sänder. Det är lite svårt att få det att blanda sig riktigt men det behöver inte bli en slät smet! Häll i osten och jalapeno och blanda väl, nu är det lättare att få smeten smidig igen! Fyll en spritspåse med stort runt hål och spritsa ut ca 30 - 40 (beroende på storlek) små “toppar”! Jag gjorde en enkronas storlek och lät dem bli ca 3 cm på höjden. Grädda mitt i ugnen ca 15 min 200 grader.
Läs hela inlägget hur du gör Chili Cheese Balls STEG-FÖR-STEG!

Ingredients

Chicken breasts
Breadcrumbs
Parmesan cheese
Egg
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

1. Firstly, wrap individual chicken breasts in some clingfilm and pound with a rolling pin until thin.
2. When this is done heat a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil in the bottom.
3. On a plate mix breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Also beat the egg on plate.
4. Dip the flat chicken breast in beaten egg.
5. Drip a little of the egg off so it is not too wet.
6. Dip in the breadcrumb mix until fully covered.
7. Fry until breadcrumbs are golden and chicken is cooked thoroughly.

I was so totally more impressed with this than I thought I would be and the thing is, it is so so easy to make and you can have it with anything... it would be lovely with pesto pasta or with roast potatoes or a salad.  Hubby and I had it in a tortilla wrap with salad and it was delicious!  We put rocket, orange peppers, baby tomatoes and a drizzle of caesar dressing to top it off!

It was yummy and I'll definately make it again!

Emma xx

Pasta cooking:

Sauce cooking:

The finished product!

Gourmet Mushroom Blend:

I am going to need some mushroom recipes for this baby!

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients: Chicken breasts, Whole wheat bread, Spaghetti sauce, Parmesan cheese, Part-Skim Mozzarella, Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder

Toast whole wheat bread REAL toasty and crumble it up, add salt, pepper, garlic powder & 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Butterfly the chicken breasts, mix up egg whites and dip the chicken breasts into them, then coat both sides with the bread crumb mixture. Brown chicken breasts in canola oil on Medium-High heat, then put on a baking sheet with Canola oil and pour your favorite spaghetti sauce over the chicken breasts. Top with Part-skim Mozzarella and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cook up whole grain pasta and enjoy with additional spaghetti sauce for a side dish. Enjoy!

The next morning, yesterday, I banged on the door and yelled through it for twenty minutes and he finally opened it, looking groggy.  I silently pushed him along, knowing he had been up all night doing God knows what.  I was an hour late for work because of him.  What tops it all off is that after camp, he pestered me with the question "where do babies come from?" all afternoon.  Wouldn't he have learned that from the porno magazines?  I dodged the question anyway.

Does not matter, though, because today took the cake.  I had the gall to leave him alone while I picked something up from the office.  When I came back the kitchen had already seen two disasters.  The first disaster is spaghetti sauce and Parmesan cheese all over the counter top.  The second is a pile of neatly thrown pukeon the tiled floor.  My kitchen smells like a one-year-old's Olive Garden birthday party.  Unfortunately, he probably got foodborne illness from undercooked meatballs.  And his mother says he can cook.

I just finished cleaning the mess, and I'm fed up with him

This lunch meets all of my qualifications for a go-to meal:  it's nutritious, inexpensive, fast and tasty.  It also gets bonus points for having a bit of panache.  I love things that are easy to make, but seem just a little bit novel or gourmet--it makes meals much more interesting.  For the batter, I beat one egg with a splash of milk, fresh grated parmesan, some Italian seasoning, and a bit of salt.  I soaked two slices of whole wheat rosemary bread in the batter for a few minutes and then cooked it in a hot pan with a little bit of butter and olive oil.  When it was done, I served it hot with a little bit more grated parmesan, along side some farmers market tomatoes and wilted baby spinach.  It was delicious and very filling--the husband had to help me finish my food.  The only thing I would change next time is the amount of batter I made.  I buy large eggs, and this made just enough batter for my bread.  So unless you buy extra-large or jumbo eggs, I would use a ratio of more like three eggs for every five slices of toast.

I have always been a fan of scalloped potatoes, and when I found this recipe I fell in love with it. It's the simplicity that I love.

Potatoes, cheese, and cream. Simple.

I originally made these for my friend Lisa on her birthday, and they were to die for. I did a repeat a week later when I had my theatre group over to celebrate our second year as a group and they couldn't get enough of the potatoes. I even had a gentleman ask for thirds. Then when we were at the beach last month I made them for Dean's family and they were a hit again. And lastly I made them last weekend when Nikki and Todd were here. Nikki asked "Is this recipe on your blog?" I promised her it would be up this week. I'm a couple of days late, but here you go Nikki! Enjoy! Please let me know how they turn out.

Gratin Potatoes

3 pound russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Pour the olive in a 10-inch non-stick saute pan over medium heat; rub the bottom with the clove of garlic. Disgard clove. Pour 1/2 cup of heavy cream in the saute pan and place over medium-high heat. Season the cream salt and pepper. Slice the potato in 1/4-inch thick circles. As you slice, add them to the heating cream in even layers. After each layer top with Parmesan cheese. Continue layering until you have used all your potatoes. Once all of the potatoes have been added to the bubbling cream, sprinkle grated Parmesan, salt and pepper over the potatoes, then pour the remaining heavy cream over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes. Once baked and all brown on top, remove from the oven and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Cut in pie shaped pieces and serve.

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Tomato Mozzarella Salad

1 6.5-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (I also fudged this a little - I just poured in what I thought looked right - probably closer to 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (I omitted this because I was in a hurry and didn't have thyme - Hardy Har)
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Grape, cherry, or beefsteak tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces.  Really you can use any tomatoes - this is a summer standby for me and I particularly love it with heirloom cherry tomatoes, but that makes it one expensive side dish!
1 fresh mozzarella ball, cut into bite-size pieces

8 baguette slices, toasted (optional) (We served this on the side and buttered)

Mix the artichokes, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon of the thyme in a small bowl.

Cut a 2-inch pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast - I was able to stuff the mixture in the "pocket" created by  the natural separation of the chicken breast. Stuff a quarter of the artichoke mixture into each pocket. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium. Grill the chicken, turning once, until cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side.  I put a lid on over the chicken because I'm paranoid about cooking chicken properly, and it actually turned out just slightly overdone - try covering the pan just half of the time per side to keep it hot and moist, but not overdoing it.  I used tongs AND a spatula when turning the chicken in order to keep the stuffing inside the chicken.

While the chicken is cooking, put the tomato and mozzarella in a large mixing bowl and give it a few turns of olive oil and a  healthy splash of salt.  Mix this together - it's easiest to use your hands to turn the salad, but you'll get olive oil all over them, so have a sink and soap nearby and working!  If the tomatoes were room temperature when you prepared them, put the salad in the fridge while your chicken finishes cooking just to make it a little cool - not cold!

I was actually surprised how good this chicken was.  It's pretty healthy (actually listed as "heart healthy" in Real Simple, although they didn't make their tomato salad with mozzarella...whatever, Dude.)  The flavor was awesome and it's on the "favorites" list at home!

Hello out there,

Today has been a great day. I woke up and the sun was shining. It was warm. It is Friday. And best of all, I found $5 dollars in my jeans pocket! I hope your day is going as smashingly.

Today, I’ve decided to provide proof that I can cook food and eat like a proper grown-up. I’m posting my recipe for sautéed chicken with a parmesan-tarragon crust and a pretty, delicious side salad.

This is a pretty fast recipe. I can finish it in less than 30 minutes. Much more importantly, it is yummy. The chicken has a crust of tarragon, garlic, and parmesan. The parmesan and garlic create a familiar warm, slightly salty, rich flavor. If you use parmesan-reggiano (which I recommend) the crust will also have a subtly nutty taste that is delicious. The tarragon adds an enchanting hint of anise/licorice flavor to the chicken. “Licorice?”. Please, try it. Tarragon is an herb that tastes strongly like anise/licorice when raw. However, when you cook it, the flavor becomes much softer so it blends in well with your food’s other flavors. The best part is that it retains a softly sweet and bright flavor. I think it does what parsley does…but better.

The salad is easy to make and a nice get-together of flavors. I used yellow teardrop tomatoes which are sweet, even sweeter than red teardrops. If you can’t or don’t want to use teardrops any small tomatoes would work really well. The cucumber and the chives keep the salad fresh and light. The dressing is my favorite balsamic vinaigrette – it’s sweetish from a touch of honey, but still has bite. The very definition of saucy and a little tart.

If you try all of these elements and don’t find something to like, stop what you’re doin’ and immediately proceed to your doctor. Your taste buds are broken.

Parmesan-Tarragon Chicken (serves 1)

Adapted from Donna Hay, issue 35

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, skinned, boneless

1 cup grated parmesan reggiano cheese

6 tarragon leaves, fresh, chopped

1 small garlic clove, minced

2+ a little extra tbsps extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp salt

pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Mix parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and tarragon in a small bowl.
3. Wash and dry the chicken breasts, rub with a little olive oil (just to cover) and coat both sides in the parmesan-garlic-tarragon mixture. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Tip 1 & 2 *
4. Lay chicken on paper towel to absorb excess oil. Then cover with a foil tent to keep warm, if necessary. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve ASAP.

Yellow Tomato Salad and S< Balsamic Vinaigrette (serves 1)

Ingredients

2 handfuls baby lettuce

1 english cucumber (any kind will do), sliced lengthwise, peeled if you prefer

1 handful yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved

5 fresh chives, chopped into thirds

juice of ½ a lemon

1 teaspoon honey

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (fruit flavored is great here)

pinch of salt

roughly 1 ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (Tip3*)

Instructions

1. For salad: Toss the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl.
2. For dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together in the lemon juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Add the olive oil and whisk again. Taste and alter as you see fit. The dressing will last in the fridge for 2 weeks, then the deliciousness starts to decline. (Tip4*)

--- enjoy!

Warning: The pretty pictures and recipe portion of this post are over. What follows are tips and notes. Read on if you are so inclined.

Tip 1: Obviously you do not want to eat raw chicken. Please make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked. You can do this by cutting into the thickest part of chicken and checking to see that there is no pink left in the meat. You can also stick a fork in the chicken and see if the juices run clear. Whatever you do, do not eat it raw. Food poisoning is no fun. People who say it “isn’t that bad” have not had real food poisoning. I shudder just to think of it.

Tip2: You can use egg white (instead of olive oil) when coating the chicken. I happen to not like using egg whites because I rarely have them on hand. Just make sure the chicken is fairly dry when it hits the hot oil or it will hot oil will splatter ferociously.

Tip3: You can really taste the olive oil here, so use one that you really like. You should store olive oil in a cool, dark place. Doing so helps it retain the flavor. (Did you ever notice expensive olive oil comes in dark bottles?) I don’t recommend putting it in the fridge, as oil will solidify.

Tip4: The oil will separate from the vinegar etc. once the dressing is cooled. A couple of seconds in the microwave and everything will be right as rain.

Note: This recipe is adapted from Donna Hay magazine. I do actually mean adapted. It is not the same recipe; the ingredients are not the same. I wholeheartedly try to abide by copyright laws. I also enjoy giving credit where credit is due, so you’ll always find the sources for recipes that I’ve adapted. This recipe is based on a recipe from Donna Hay magazine. I heart Donna Hay magazine very much. The recipes are simply and delicious. To be totally honest, sometimes the recipes do not work out for me, but much more often that not they do. Peruse a copy at your local book vendor. The magazine is published in Australia so it uses cute terms like “rocket” and “coriander” for “lettuce” and “cilantro”. Oh, those crazy Australians!

M.

Parménide :

« l'être est, le non-être n'est pas »

le vide était pour lui un non-être, et ne pouvait donc exister. Je vous promets de le faire exister ces prochains jours.