BEST PARMESAN CHICKEN TENDERS, everrrrr.

Boyfriend-tested, kid approved.

Okay Moms with kiddos and ladies with boyfriend's that still eat like kiddos… This is a great one. 

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes (yes,  that's right- only twenty minutes!)

Ingredients:

1 package organic boneless skinless chicken breast tenders

2 eggs

1/2 cup 2% milk

1 1/2 cups Bread Crumbs Mix (see Bread Crumb Mix)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Jar Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce ( I have tried from expensive to inexpensive and I really enjoy this sauce)

3-4 Slices Applegate Farms provolone cheese

1/2 package Trader Joe's "gnocchi italiana"

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt and Pepper to season.

Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Whisk eggs and milk together in a small bowl.

Pour Bread Crumb Mix into a small bowl.

Egg wash and Bread Crumb Mix

Pat dry Chicken Tenders.

Take a single chicken tender, dip in egg mixture, then dip in bread crumbs, and repeat this process so each tender is dipped, breaded, dipped and then breaded i.e. double breaded.

Boil a large pot of water with pinch of kosher salt and dash or olive oil for gnocchi.

Boiling water w. salt & olive oil

Place breaded chicken tenders on a plate with tongs ready for flipping.

Let 10 " cast iron skillet heat on high heat for 1-2 minutes.  Add olive oil.  Make sure it's hot.  Oil will be loose and almost water-like in pan when hot.

With tongs, place breaded chicken tenders in hot cast iron skillet.  It should sizzle!  Cook approximately 2 minutes on each side until golden brown crust.  Do not cook through (you're going to bake these bad boys too)!

Breaded Chicken Tenders

Take a teaspoon and generously coat the top of each tender with marinara sauce, right outta the jar.

Then, tear pieces of the provolone and place them on top of marinara sauce over each tender.

Place cast iron skilled in the over and bake until chicken is cooked through (approximately 5 minutes).

Tenders with marinara on top

Your pot of water should be at a rolling boil by now.  Add your gnocchi (cook 2-3 minutes, gnocchi will pop to the top of the water when they are done).

Strain gnocchi. Season with salt, pepper and a small amount of good olive oil ( I use Old Town olive oil).

Take chicken out of the oven (optional: place in broiler if you want the cheese to have a golden brown crust).

Plate gnocchi.  Top with two tenders and enjoy!
I also recommend warming some marinara sauce on the side for those that love marinara sauce (i.e. my boyfriend and most children).

Pour yourself a glass of red wine and you've got yourself a rockin' chicken parmesan dinner!

Ladies, if you want a low carb option- skip the gnocchi and sub with some sautéed zucchini or a spinach salad!

SOUFFLE PANCAKES

What steroids are to batting averages, egg whites are to pancakes….

One of my many guilty pleasures is to watch Diners Drive-Ins and Dives ("Triple D") while eating an unhealthy snack.. or meal, or snack that turned into a meal.  Anyways, I digress.  I was watching Triple D the other day and saw an episode where  Guy Fieri goes to Berkeley, California visiting Betty's Ocean View Diner and they made this wonderful Souffle Pancake.

Thus my research began, and I found Steph at The Culinary Life  had a good recipe for a soufflé pancake, and Chef Michael Simon on The Chew had a good video tutorial but…. I made some modifications and I  came up with my own version.

* You will need a cast iron skillet (approx. 10 ")*

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 1 large pancake (feeds 2-3 people)

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter melted
1/3 cup white sugar (less if you desire a more savory pancake)
1/2 cup 2 % milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or use almond extract)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all purpose flower

3 egg whites (whipped until they form soft peaks)
2 Tablespoons of butter for pan (use a cast iron skillet)

Fruit of your liking to top pancake (I suggest strawberries, bananas, or blueberries)
Powdered Sugar to Top

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat your oven to 350.  Also pre-heat broiler.

WET MIXTURE

In a large bowl, using a wire whisk, whisk egg yolks and sugar. Add melted butter, whisk.  Add milk, vanilla, and salt, whisk.

Slowly whisk in flower until fully incorporated with no lumps. * You can also add a teaspoon of nutmeg or cinnamon to the wet mixture, if desired.

EGG WHITES

Now, with an electric mixer whip your egg whites until they form soft peaks (approximately 3 minutes).

Fold in the egg whites into the wet mixtures until there are just a few lumps of egg whites.  Note: the egg whites do not need to be perfectly incorporated.  Over mixture of the egg whites will prevent the pancake from getting nice and fluffy. Remember egg whites are the secret to this magical recipe!


Put your cast iron skillet on medium heat for one minute.  Add butter to coat your pan (this is key to prevent the pancake from sticking).  Pour your batter into the pan.  Let it sit one minute.  Add whatever cut up fruit you like directly to the top of the pancake (I used strawberries). Let it cook on medium for another minute or two until the batter looks firm (1-2 minutes).

Remove the pan from the stove top and place in broiler (1 minute or until gets a nice golden brown top).  Remove from broiler and finish baking in oven (3-5 minutes or until cooked through).

Remove from the oven.  Loosen sides and bottom of the pancake with a spatula. Slide onto plate, dust with powdered sugar ( I left this out) and mangia, mangia!

Spaghetti and Spicy Meatballs

Growing up in an Italian household, Spaghetti and Meatballs were a Sunday tradition.  My Mama's Spaghetti and Meatballs are delicious and arguably the best.  However, her recipe takes 6+ hours to cook.  As a young professional, I do not have that kind of time.  So here is my version of Spaghetti and Meatballs inspired by two of my favorites chef's, my Mom, and Ina Gartner's "Real Spaghetti and Meatballs" http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/real-meatballs-and-spaghetti-recipe.html. 

Prep Time:          30 min

Cook Time:        1.5 hours

Yields: 15 small meatballs, 1/2 pound of spaghetti

SPICY MEATBALLS

1/2 pound ground beef (use ground sirloin if you can, but it's more $)

1/4 pound ground veal

1/4 pound ground pork 

*I use organic meats, I always will dish out extra $ for wonderful meats (I suggest Eataly or Whole Foods)

1 egg

BREAD CRUMB MIX 

3/4 cups white dry bread crumbs 

1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley 

2 tablespoons  Italian seasoning

1/8 cup graded parmesan cheese (or graded romano cheese, it's sharper and better)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon crushed chili pepper flakes

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/8 cup olive oil (use your cheaper stuff here, I use trader joe's EVOO)

1/8 canola oil

RED SAUCE

2 tablespoons good olive oil (I love Old Town Oil here in Chicago)

1 yellow onion chopped

2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I cheat and use the pre-chopped kind, my Italian mother is cringing)

1/4 cup good red-wine (I used Louis Martini Cab and poured a glass for myself while cooking, duh)

1 (16 ounce can) crushed tomatoes (use San Marzano, you can get them at Trader Joe's!!!)

4 tablespoons tomato paste 

2 tablespoons sugar (a secret of my mom's to cut the acidity of the tomato sauce)

2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar ( I get mine at Old Town Oil Vinegars)

1 teaspoon crushed chili pepper flakes (optional)

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

SPICY MEATBALLS:

BREAD CRUMB MIX

In a medium bowl, combined using a fork or whisk, your bread crumbs, parsley, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, chili pepper flakes, and garlic powder (hereinafter "bread crumb mix"). Set aside.

In a large bowl, using your hands (yes, hands) combine your beef, veal, and pork.  Add your egg, continue to combine. Add bread crumb mix.  Combine again with hands.  

Using your hands roll 1.5 inch meatballs and set on a plate.  

Heat a large sauté pan on medium for 1 min.  To make sure pan is hot, you can sprinkle a drop of water on the pan.  If it sizzles, it's ready to go.  

In the sauté pan, combine equal parts olive oil and canola oil to coat 1/4 inch of the entire pan.  When the oil is hot, using tongs, gently add the meatballs giving them about an inch in between each. Cook for a few minutes on each side until meat gets a nice brownish crust. Then, using the tongs, turn the meatball onto their other side and brown. Once browned on both sides, but not completely cooked though, remove the meatballs and set them on a large plate covered with a paper bowl.  This will help drain the oil.  

This oil is very hot so be careful not to burn yourself. Now be careful during this part: take your pan with hot oil and discard the hot oil (I put mine in the empty San Marzano tomato can).   Pour out oil but do not discard the bits and pieces of meat still left in the pan.  

RED SAUCE

Now, the sauce.  On medium heat, add your chopped onion and sauté using a wooden spoon until they are soft and translucent (approximately 7 minutes).  Add your chopped garlic (1-2 more minutes) and sauté with the onions (mmm things are starting to smell wonderful).  Turn your heat up to high, add your red wine and continue to sauté with the onions and garlic until almost all liquid is gone (approximately 3 minutes).  

Now, crush your San Marzano tomatoes with your hands and add them to the pot.  Add tomato paste. Stir to combine.  Add balsamic vinegar, stir. Add chili pepper flakes, parsley, sugar, salt and pepper.  

Reduce heat to medium/low to a low simmer and add your meatballs back into the pan.  Let the sauce simmer on medium/low, stirring  gently and occasionally for approximately 25-30 minutes. 

While the sauce is simmering, boil a large pot of water with a pinch of kosher salt (this lower's the boiling point) and some olive oil (this helps prevent pasta from sticking).  Once water is at a rolling boil, add your favorite spaghetti pursuant to the cook time on the package. Drain spaghetti, return to pot, add a little more olive oil (1 tablespoon or less) and mix with spaghetti spoon making sure your noodles do not stick.   

Now back to the sauce…..

At the 20 minute mark, using a separate small spoon, taste your sauce (be careful it's hot!). Add salt and pepper to taste. Once sauce is done (25-30 minutes), taste test a meatball, make sure they're cooked through.  

Pour your fresh pasta onto a large platter; slowly pour pasta sauce and meatballs over it.  Sprinkle parsley and parmesan cheese on top for a pretty garnish. Enjoy!