Chicken Parmigiana
Chicken Parmigiana is a Southern Italian (Campania & Sicily) dish made with layers of tomato sauce and a combination of Parmesan & mozzarella cheese. Serve this dish with a side of spaghetti and a salad and you have a delicious meal. Chicken Parmigiana also makes a nice grinder!
INGREDIENTS
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs
2 Beaten Eggs
5 Tablespoons Butter
2 1/2 Cups Marinara Sauce
4 Large Slices Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
Pound the chicken breasts to get them good and flat. Salt and pepper the chicken. In a medium size bowl (you want to be able to get the chicken breast in the bowl) beat the eggs. In another bowl or I like to use a plate place the breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken in the beaten eggs and then the breadcrumbs. In a large skillet over a medium heat melt the butter. Place the chicken in the skillet and brown for 15 minutes making sure to turn so they cook on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Set aside. Add the marinara sauce to the skillet and heat thoroughly. Add the chicken breasts back to the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes. Place the mozzarella on top of the chicken and then sprinkle with the Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese has melted. Remove the chicken along with the sauce from the skillet and transfer to a serving platter. Serves 4
Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Some would call this a coffee cake, but I like to call it a Breakfast Cake. It really is very easy to make and all you need it a Bundt type pan. If you don’t have a Bundt pan than improvise. I’ve been known to bake in all sorts of things like French Jam Jars. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3/4 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Sugar
3 Room Temperature Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Buttermilk or Sour Milk
1 Pint Blueberries
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and sugar. Add the melted butter and continue mixing. Add the Vanilla and mix a bit more. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the egg mixture ending with the flour mixture. Finally, add the blueberries and stir to combine. Pour into a prepared Bundt cake pan (grease and flour) and place on the middle rack of the oven for 50 minutes until the cake is golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a cake plate and let cool completely before cutting into slices. You don’t want the cake to fall apart. Serve for breakfast or brunch. Serves 8
*Note: To Make Sour Milk Add 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice To Milk And Let Stand For 5 Minutes. The Lemon Juice Will Curdle The Milk.
Classic Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Everyone loves cookies and for me they’re an essential food group. The magic is proportions and the quality of the ingredients. These cookies will transform teatime, bring a smile to a neighbor’s face, picnics and make the sun come out for young ones coming home from school on a rainy afternoon. For efficiency and uniform results, invest in a small handheld cookie scoop. It looks and works just like an ice cream scoop and cuts your production time in half.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Chopped Bittersweet Chocolate
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3 Eggs
3/4 Cup Turbinado Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (Optional)
Preheat your oven to 325° F. In a double boiler melt the chocolate and butter together over simmering water. Let cool. In a large size bowl mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla. In a medium size bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold the chocolate and butter mixture into the egg mixture. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Finally, fold in the pecans or walnuts if you are using them. Make sure not to overmix. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes until puffed and cracked. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Mixed Berry & Sour Cherry Cobbler
I cannot tell you how delicious this cobbler was! It was the perfect ending to a beautiful Sunday meal. For this cobbler I used Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries and Pitted Sour Cherries. The combination turned out fabulous.
INGREDIENTS
Filling:
8 Cups Fresh or Frozen Mixed Berries (Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries & Strawberries)
2 Pounds Pitted Sour Cherries
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Finely Ground Instant Tapioca
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
Crust:
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Grind the tapioca in a coffee grinder and set aside. The tapioca will thicken the juices so that the cobbler isn’t thin.
For the filling: In a large size bowl toss together the berries, cherries, 3/4 cup of sugar, ground tapioca, 1/2 teaspoon salt and orange juice. Transfer to a large glass baking dish (at least 2 1/2 quarts).
For the crust: Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large size bowl. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until a moist dough forms. Spoon the dough over the filling.
Bake the cobbler for 1 1/4 hours until the juices are thick and bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Serves 12
Mom’s Minestrone Soup
This easy and delicious soup can be made ahead. I like to make it to have for lunch after church. Mom’s Minestrone Soup can be made for lunch, dinner or a first course. Great in all seasons!
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Vegetable Broth
2 Diced Tomatoes
2 Cups Cooked Navy Beans (Canned or Home Cooked)
2 Chopped Carrots
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Zucchini
2 Cups Ditalini Pasta
1 Teaspoon Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Sage
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
4 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese (Optional)
2 Tablespoons Basil (Optional)
In a stock pot combine the vegetable broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. If you want to cut down on the cooking time you can cook on high for 3 hours. 35 minutes before the soup is done cooking add the pasta and zucchini. Cover and cook for 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Transfer the soup to individual bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese or basil if you like. Serves 4
Mother’s Day Breakfast Cobbler
Don’t be afraid to make this fruit dessert for Mother’s Day breakfast. Serve it with a scoop of plain yogurt on the top. Everyone loves this breakfast treat.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
4 Tablespoons Chilled Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup Room Temperature Honey
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Pound Ripe Plums (Split In Half & Pitted)
3 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Wheat Germ
Plain Yogurt For Serving
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Lightly butter and flour a medium size glass baking dish. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a large size bowl. Using a hand held pastry blender or two forks cut 3 tablespoons of the butter into the mixture until it is all crumbly. In a small size bowl whisk together the honey and milk. Add all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine all of the dry ingredients. The spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Using a knife score an X through the skin of each plum half. Arrange the plums skin side up in a single layer over the batter. Mix the brown sugar, wheat germ and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to form a cumbly topping. Sprinkle the topping over the plums. Bake for 30 minutes until the center of the cobbler is set and the topping is nicely browned. Remove the cobbler from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve topped with plain yogurt. Serves 4
Mother’s Day Eggs Benedict
Disgustingly Delicious! Eggs Benedict is known as that special occasion breakfast dish. Don’t be intimidated by making the hollandaise sauce. It really is easy especially if you have a food processor or blender. Make this fancy breakfast for your deserving mother this Mother’s Day!
INGREDIENTS
12 Poached Eggs
Hollandaise Sauce:
4 Large Room Temperature Egg Yolks
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Hot Water
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground White Pepper
1 Cup Unsalted Melted & Hot Butter
To Assemble:
2 Tablespoons Butter
12 Slices Canadian Bacon or Ham Slices
6 Split & Toasted English Muffins
Make 12 poached eggs. To make the hollandaise sauce put the egg yolks, lemon juice, hot water, salt and pepper in a food processer or blender. Pulse for just 4 seconds. While the food processer is running slowly pour in the hot melted butter. Pulse for 1 minute until the mixture is thick and creamy. To assemble add 2 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet over a medium heat. Melt the butter. Add the Canadian bacon or ham slices. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Arrange 2 toasted muffin halves on each plate. Place 1 Canadian bacon or ham slice and 1 poached egg on each muffin half. Spoon 2 tablespoons of hollandaise sauce over each. Serves 6
Southern Cornbread
Here is a classic unsweetened Southern cornbread that is perfect for a round or rectangular loaf, a savory stuffing and corn sticks. For savory variations, stir into the batter a generous handful of crumbled crisp bacon or cut corn kernels, some minced fresh jalapenos or chopped scallions or a cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 Cups Coarse Ground Yellow Cornmeal
3/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Beat Eggs
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Milk
3 Tablespoons Melted Unsalted Butter
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Grease a 2 quart glass baking dish. In a large size bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the buttermilk and milk. Add the egg mixture to the cornmeal mixture and stir together until just moistened. The batter should be slightly lumpy. Stir in the melted butter. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting it into squares and serving. If you are using it for stuffing, let the cornbread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a large baking sheet. Using your fingers, crumble the cornbread into coarse bits. Spread the crumbles out on the baking sheet and allow them to air dry for 2 hours. Then prepare the stuffing or store the cornbread in a plastic bag for up to 2 days. Serves 8 or makes 2 quarts crumbled.
Mother’s Day Chocolate Mousse
Here is an easy, but elegant Chocolate Mousse that is sure to make your mother smile.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Dutch Cocoa
3 Large Separated Eggs
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
3 Tablespoons Orange Liqueur
3 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Extra Whipped Cream For Garnish
Raspberries For Garnish
In a medium saucepan melt the unsalted butter over a low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa. Mix until smooth. Set aside to cool. In a large size bowl beat the egg yolks, with a hand mixer, until they are nice and thick. They should have a lemon color. Slowly beat in 1/4 cup of sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Now beat in the cocoa mixture on low. Stir in 1/4 cup of the heavy cream and the orange liqueur. In a medium size bowl beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Beat the remaining heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in a medium size bowl until soft peaks form. Be careful not to over beat. You don’t want to end up with butter. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into individual dessert dishes. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream and raspberries. Serves 8
Grilled Teriyaki Pork Chops
This recipe is perfect for a spring or summer menu. These pork chops can be served with asparagus, fried rice or stir fried vegetables. I like to serve iced tea and fruit for dessert to keep the dinner cool.
INGREDIENTS
4 (1 inch thick) Pork Chops
¼ Cup Teriyaki Sauce
¼ Cup White Wine
3 Tablespoons Honey
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
Combine the teriyaki sauce, wine, honey and garlic in a large baking dish. Reserve a bit for basting. Add the pork chops and turn to coat. You want the pork chops to be fully covered in the sauce. Put in the refrigerator for 5 hours or overnight. Prepare your grill or preheat your broiler. I like to broil these pork chops 5 inches from the heat. Baste occasionally with the marinade and turn once. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the juices run clear. Serves 4
