Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 (3-ounces each) chicken cutlets
1 1/2 cups Favorite Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
16 teaspoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.


Giada de Laurentiis

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes 

---or simmer fresh tomatoes until tender
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional



Directions:

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, dried red pepper, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.

Blend sauce in blender if you prefer a smooth sauce


Giada deLaurentiis

Food Memories Journal 8

So, our nest is officially empty.  

Our wonderful son was recently able to make a new home for himself, leaving us to realize just how big this house is for two people.

During this period of adjustment, I have been trying to clean out the food storage that has accumulated, finish up the leftovers, and create nutritious, portion-controlled meals for the two of us. Suddenly, our refrigerator looks a little barren.  Where once there were plenty of leftovers to choose from, I now need to make do with froot loops or a peanut butter sandwich.  Bleh.

The grocery bill is nice, though. Suddenly, one chicken breast is plenty, or one steak, split between us. Salad has become a meal (much to my husband's delight...he is the only man I have ever known who prefers salad over meat.  Weird.) I no longer have to think about which vegetable I can serve to please everyone - it is easy.  No lima beans or eggplant.  Ever. Peas for one and carrots for the other.  Other than that, we are in agreement.

Thank goodness for freezers.  I think mine will be visited often in the future, especially for days like today.  Apparently I over-bought when bell peppers were on sale.  I roasted twelve this morning,  and will make roasted red pepper soup this afternoon, creating yummy breakfasts and lunches for me..  Good bye, froot loops.

Beef Tips and Noodles

Ingredients:
1 pound sirloin tips, cubed
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 package  onion soup mix
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
1 cup water
1 (16 ounce) package wide egg noodles
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a 13x9 inch casserole dish, combine the mushroom and beef onion soups, canned mushrooms and water. Mix thoroughly and add beef tips. Turn to coat well.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour.
4. While beef tips are baking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Serve beef tips and sauce over noodles.

Serve with dinner rolls or garlic toast.

Crock Pot Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pound lean ground beef
• 12 (6 inch) corn tostadas
• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1. Crumble the ground beef into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Add taco seasoning, water, salsa, beans and corn; simmer for 5 minutes over low heat. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together cream of chicken soup, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Mix in 3 cups of the cheese, reserving 1 cup for later.
3. Stack two tostadas in the bottom of a slow cooker. Spread a spoonful of the beef mixture on top of the tostadas, followed by a layer of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layers (always using two tostadas as a layer) until you have added all the ingredients, finishing with the tostadas on the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Cover, and cook on High for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve with tortilla chips, sliced green onions, sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce.