Chicken Francese with Lemon and Pecorino

Looking for an elegant dinner for two? This recipe has several steps to it, but is well worth the effort and it's better than what you would get in a restaurant. Our son, who really never did much cooking, other than making eggs for breakfast, actually was the one who made it for us after watching it done on the food network. We were blown away with how delicious it was.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  
• 2 Heaping tablespoons of finely grated pecorino cheese
  
• 4 Tablespoons very finely chopped parsley
  
• 1 Egg, beaten well
  
• Flour for dredging
  
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
  
• 1/2 Cup dry white wine
  
• 1 Cup chicken stock
  
• 6 thin, round slices of lemon, seeds removed
  
• 2 Tablespoons butter
  

Cut the chicken breasts into 6 pieces of roughly equal size. Place the pieces between sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet until they are thin. Season with salt and pepper. Place pecorino cheese and parsley in a wide, shallow bowl. Slowly add the beaten egg, whisking until it's smoothly incorporated.

Place the four in a wide plate. Dip the pounded chicken in the egg mixture. Remove, letting excess egg drip off. Place each cutlet in the flour and coat lightly. Remove from flour and hold them in a single layer.

Add the olive oil to a saute pan large enough to hold the 6 cutlets in a single layer. Place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the cutlets. Saute, turning once, until the cutlets are golden on the outside, just cooked on the inside (about 2 minutes per side). Remove the cutlets and hold them in a single layer.

Drain the oil out of the saute pan. Return the pan to high heat. Add the white wine and reduce it to 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken stock and the lemon slices. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove the lemon slices. Keep boiling the sauce until it's reduced to 1/2 cup. Turn the heat to very low. Swirl in the butter until the sauce is thickened. Add the reserved chicken, turning the chicken until it is coated in the sauce.

Divide cutlets among 2 plates, pour remaining sauce over them, sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespopns of parsley and serve immediately.

Source: David Rosengarten, Television Food Network, Episode#: CL9498, 2006

Spinach & Bow Tie Pasta

Here is an Ina Garten recipe that I got my family and friends hooked on. Ina's recipe is called "Broccoli and Bow Ties" and it can be served as a side dish or by itself. I started making it with fresh spinach for something different and yes, I have to admit, I wanted to use up the spinach I had in the fridge. By using the spinach I also cut out having to cook the broccoli because I used the fresh, pre-washed spinach in a bag. This is another recipe that can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve. The recipe below has been doubled already because I like leftovers and I am sure you will too.

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
  
• 1 Large bag fresh, pre-washed spinach
  
• 1 Pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta
  
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 4 tablespoons good olive oil
  
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  
• Zest of 2 lemon
  
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 teaspoons salt
  
• 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  
• 1/2 cup toasted pignoli (pine)nuts
  
• Parmesan cheese, optional
  

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions, about 12 minutes.

In a small pan, toast pignoli nuts being careful not to burn (you just want them lighltly browned). Remove from burner when done and set aside.

When pasta is almost done, melt butter and oil together in a small saute pan. Next add garlic and lemon zest. Cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute.

Remove butter/oil mixture from burner and add salt, pepper and the lemon juice.

When pasta done, drain well and put in large bowl (do not rinse pasta). Add fresh spinach and pour butter/oil mixture on top of pasta and spinach.

Fold all ingredients together, adding pignoli nuts and parmesan cheese until well combined.

IF MAKING WITH BROCCOLI: Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon, place in large bowl and set aside. When broccoli is removed from water, add pasta and cook.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style,2002

Poorman's Supper

Here is a quick meal that some of you may have already tried. Evidently it's been around a long time, but I recently got the recipe from a friend at work. It reminds me of beef stroganoff only with hamburg, thus the name Poorman's Supper. It's easy to make especially if you don't have a lot of time and can be made ahead and reheated. Serve it with a salad (the red leaf lettuce in the picture is from the Farmers Market) and you are good to go.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 Small onion, chopped
  
• 2 Cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 8 ounce container sour cream
  
• 1 8 ounce can mushroom pieces, drained (fresh mushrooms are even better)
  
• 1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
  
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1 lb. ground beef
  
• 1 lb. box rotini (cork screw pasta), cooked
  
• Parmesan cheese to taste
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste
  

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until firm (al dente).

In another pan, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil.

Add ground beef and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper until cooked thoroughly. Once complete, drain the grease from the pan.

Add the soup and milk to the beef mixture, stirring until blended. Continue cooking on medium heat for 5 more minutes.

Drain the pasta and fold into the beef mixture. Once blended, stir in the sour cream and continue to cook on medium low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

Season with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese and serve.