Chicken Parmesan

There are a few meals out there that no matter what I can out eat just about any grown man...Chicken Parmesan is one of them. I absolutely love this recipe. (Thanks Dad for teaching me how to make this!)

What you need:

package of chicken breasts 

1 egg

Italian bread crumbs

your favorite spaghetti sauce

spaghetti

mozzarella

To start pour some bread crumbs on a plate and whisk your egg in a bowl. 

Then preheat a pan with olive oil, preheat the over to 375 degrees, and put a layer of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.

Place your first piece of chicken into the whisked egg and turn it so it's coated. Then place the chicken in your breadcrumbs coating it the best you can.

Once your pan is nice and hot place the chicken on the pan and cook till the breadcrumbs form a nice golden crust.

It already looks delicious...but hold on there's more to do.

Once both sides are nice and golden lay all the chicken in the baking dish.

I tend to be overly generous on the cheese. I go ahead and place a layer on top of the chicken while they're still hot from the skillet. (My dad doesn't do this.)

Go ahead and pour your spaghetti sauce over the chicken and cheese. I like to be very generous with the sauce because all of the extra cheese makes the sauce extra yummy on the spaghetti.

Add another heaping helping of cheese on top of the sauce.

Cover with foil.

Make sure the foil is nice and snug so your sauce doesn't spill all over your oven. (I like to keep the bottom of mine foiled so cut down on cleaning.)

While your chicken is in the oven get your spaghetti ready with a boiling pot of water with about 10 minutes of cook time left

I also like to make extra spaghetti for leftovers with the sauce from the chicken Parmesan.

After 35-45 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken is) you can pull your baking dish out of the oven and remove the foil and see a beautiful saucy cheesy dinner staring at you.

Time to load up your plate. You can eat a salad or a vegetable with this...but in my opinion that takes up space from getting seconds and I'm totally going back for seconds. Make sure so scoop some of that cheesy sauce onto your spaghetti.

You really can't go wrong with layers of cheese on top of chicken.

I like to have a nice piece of crusty bread to soak up all the last bits of sauce and cheese on my plate. 

A nice glass of red wine and a filling dinner and I'm ready to relax...the dishes can wait till tomorrow right?

What's your favorite Italian inspired meal?

Romesco Style Mahi Mahi

I was raised in Florida and I LOVE seafood. I could easily cut out all other meat from my diet and eat seafood everyday. So when I opened my weekly ad for Publix here in TN and saw that Fresh Wild Caught Mahi Mahi was on sale I had to have it! The good thing is that I've gotten my husband on board with eating more seafood and Mahi happens to be one he never complains about.

I actually came across this recipe while I was grocery shopping a few months ago in the Publix Apron Recipes.

Romesco Style Fish via Publix

This is a pretty quick and easy recipe to make. The total cook/prep time is maybe 15 minutes. The recipe suggests serving with mashed potatoes I've done it was roasted potatoes, dirty smashed red potatoes, regular mashed potatoes, but my newest way to serve it is over pasta! There is always extra sauce and I can't let it go to waste.

Romesco Style Mahi Mahi

     2 Medium Tomatoes
     1/3 Cup of slivered Almonds
     1 Tbsp minced Garlic
     6-10 Basil Leaves
     1/2 Cup Roasted Red Peppers
     2 Tbsp of Olive Oil (divided)

     1 1/2 Lb firm fish (We use Mahi Mahi)

     Salt and Pepper

 First up: garlic, almonds in the food processor.

 Add some basil and olive oil.

 Run it till it's finely chopped.

Next up: roasted red peppers and tomatoes.

Roasted Red Peppers and 2 Medium Tomatoes are added.

All Blended together.

Some nice pan seared Mahi Mahi for about 3-5 minutes.

Add the sauce and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Mahi is placed over pasta and the sauce is added as well. Tonight's pasta of choice Penne.

I can honestly tell you we have never had leftovers with this meal. I even like to scrape my bowl with a nice crusty baguette when I'm done. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!