Sizzled Chicken Schnitzel

A few days ago, Matt's friend Abe came over for dinner. OK, so it wasn't actually "for dinner", but he came to hang out and it kind of spilled into dinnertime. This was totally fine with me, but I hadn't planned on feeding a third person for dinner that night, but as it so happens, I had defrosted a 4-pack of skinless, boneless chicken breasts the night before. I could easily feed three tonight instead of two. 

I quickly flipped through my lovely new cookbook, "Desperation Dinners" to find something that would be easy, something that wouldn't be too complicated, and, most importantly, contained ingredients I had already in my cabinet. That is what lead me to Sizzled Chicken Schnitzel. 

Schnitzel is a simple dish that is popular all over the world! It is most known as a staple in German and Austrian cuisine and often made with pork or veal. In Vienna, when it is made of veal, it is referred to as Wienerschnitzel. 

Many different countries have their own version of schnitzel. For example, in Israel, their version is made with turkey and it is often referred to as their "national dish". In Italy, cotoletta alla milanese is very similar to Wienerschintzel. In Japan, the dish is made using Panko crumbs. The dish also became popular in Namibia thanks to its German colonial history, and they serve it with a fried egg on top. 

Chicken schnitzel is the most popular in Germany because it's lower in fat and cholesterol than veal or pork, and it is the basis of their own version of chicken Parmesan - they make the schnitzel and top it with tomato sauce and Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. 

Regardless of what meat it is made from, schnitzel is always made from a meat that is pounded flat, coated in flour and then breaded and subsequently pan-fried. This version from "Desperation Dinners" uses a small amount of olive oil to cut down the calories. 

SIZZLED CHICKEN SCHNITZEL, courtesy of "Desperation Dinners"
Makes 4 servings
YOU WILL NEED:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, defrosted if frozen
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 large egg

You will also need a large skillet or saute pan.

1. Combine the flour, basil, salt and pepper in a large zipper-top plastic bag. 

2. Place the chicken breasts, one at a time, between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. Pound the breasts with several whacks of a meat mallet or rolling pin to thin them evenly to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Peel off the paper and add the breasts to the bag of with the flour mixture. Shake evenly to coat.

3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, spread the bread crumbs on a plate and beat the egg in a small bowl, using a fork or whisk. Dip the chicken breasts, one at a time, first into the egg and then into the bread crumbs to coat on both sides. Shake off excess crumbs. Add the breasts to the skillet as you coat them (I used a bowl to avoid breadcrumb messes!)

4. Cook the breasts until the chicken is cooked through with a golden brown crust, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. If the crumb coating begins to overbrown, reduce the heat to medium.

5. Place each breast on a serving plate and enjoy!

Yeah, I overbrowned just a little, but you know what? It tasted awesome just the same!


What's great about this dish is that you can pair it with anything and it will compliment it nicely! I served with pasta and peas, but you can go with mashed potatoes, rice or even a potato salad.  


Anyway...this was a quick and easy chicken recipe that pleased everyone! I totally did not plan on making this recipe at all, let alone blogging about it, but I decided to document the process anyway - just in case. Turns out, the reception was four big thumbs up! The crust of breadcrumbs made for a nice crunch. Abe said it was the moistest chicken he'd ever had, and Matt devoured his in seconds. It was so easy to make and I had everything to make it right in my cabinets - no special ingredients required! Flour, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and dried basil are all staples that I'm sure nearly everyone has already, and it's a quick dinner fix when you're in a rush or you're at a loss for what to do for dinner. This was an A-plus all the way!

Coming up in a few days, I have recipes for Cajun Rice & Beans and White Bean & Chicken Chili - two good recipes for cold winter nights!

Sloppy Janes

My favorite place to find cookbooks is garage/rummage sales. There's a great one that happens twice a year (in the spring and fall) called the B.A.R.K.S. Garage Sale. It's HUGE, and all proceeds go towards B.A.R.K.S., which is a local animal rescue. 

People just kind of show up at this abandoned amusement park, dump the junk they want to get rid of, and then other people show up and pick through it. It's a mess. Everything is kind of jumbled together in a really vague sense of order (furniture is here, clothes/shoes are there, books are there, etc). There's like, NO supervision (except for the area where the really expensive stuff, like crystal and jewelry and collectibles) and people bring their dogs all the time, many of which are B.A.R.K.S. rescues. Anyway, the best part of going to the B.A.R.K.S. Garage Sale is that everything is dirt cheap. You show up with your own bags, go to town (with me, it's the books), and then at the exit, a little old lady peeks into your bag and says, "How about $5?" 

Ummm, yes. Yes, that is quite fine. 

How I feel on the inside...

So, yup. This is where I find a treasure trove of used cookbooks. YAY! This fall, I came out with about three new cookbooks, one of which has become my New Favorite: 

This is "Desperation Dinners" by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross - two busy journalists and moms who were overworked and underfed and desperate for fast, easy recipes that would satisfy their picky kids and finicky husbands. Holy shit, this is the best recipe book I have EVER encountered. Every recipe in this book - every. Single. One. - takes TWENTY MINUTES or LESS!

Do I seem overly excited by this? Yes, I am. I have raved about this book for so long and so much that my boss actually ordered it from Amazon while I was sitting next to her. But seriously - when you come home from work and you've had a rough commute, the very last thing you want to do is think about what the heck you are going to do for dinner. 

I like this cookbook because they are true to their word - they are simple, nutritious meals and they have already done the "healthified" replacements so you don't have to worry about the taste being modified by fat-free or low-sodium substitutions. 

According to Ross and Mills: "Sloppy Joes were a favorite childhood treat for both of us, and since we thought they'd be an effortless meal, we started sampling the major brands of commercially prepared mixes. We were sadly disappointed. They're quick, but we're spoiled. The reality of those cans and packages just wasn't as wonderful as we remembered. So, we decided to create our own perfect sauce - just the right vinegar pucker; thick and rich with tomatoes, with a hint of garlic and onion. The result was so flavorful, we thought our sandwiches deserved something to set them apart. Hence the name: Sloppy Janes."

Matthew also loves Sloppy Joes, and the first time I attempted a similar recipe, it was done in the crock pot and took 6 hours. The result was great, but it just took too damn long to make again. When I saw this recipe, I knew that I had to try it. The first attempt was a success; and since it's such a popular, homey favorite, I am revisiting it  for blogging purposes. 

SLOPPY JANES, courtesy of Desperation Dinners

Makes 6 servings

YOU WILL NEED:

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds of extra lean ground beef

1 teaspoon vegetable oil 

1 large onion (for 1 cup chopped)

1/2 medium green or red bell pepper (for 1/2 cup chopped)

1 tablespoon dark or light brown sugar, firmly packed 

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar 

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic 

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce 

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste 

Salt and black pepper, to taste 

12 slices of bread, preferably French bread

Miller and Ross suggest French bread because it "elevates these sandwiches to a slightly more sophisticated level", but assure us that any old bread or bun or roll will do. I used potato bread, because that's all I had.

Let's get sloppy! 

1. Turn on the broiler. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop.

2. Add the beef (fresh or partially defrosted) to the skillet and raise the heat to high. Cook, turning and breaking up the meat occasionally, until it's crumbled and browned, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, seed and chop the bell pepper, and add it to the skillet. 

3. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, and garlic, then stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes more, stirring until all of the tomato sauce is incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. While the mixture simmers, place the bread slices on a large baking sheet and toast in the broiler on both sides until crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Place two pieces of toast on each serving plate, spoon the meat mixture on top, and serve.

....and enjoy! 

Now, of course, you can eat this on a bun and I gotta say, it tastes damn good spooned over mashed potatoes too! This is a really fast and easy way to remake an old classic. 

Hope you all enjoyed this quick and easy meal. I'm going to be featuring quite a few recipes from "Desperation Dinners", so if you liked this one, keep a lookout! 

Eat, drink and be merry! 

Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

I can't believe it's 2012! I hope everyone had a great holiday and a safe new year. I provided another 7 Layer Dip but due to lack of time and money, I did not prepare my own guacamole or make my own chips. I will say that over the past year, I discovered the ultimate time saver. While I do enjoy making my own guacamole, I can't think of a better store-bought brand than Wholly Guacamole! 

I was making a 7 Layer Dip to enjoy while we were holding a garage sale and absolutely none of the avocados were ripe, nor would they be ripe in time for me to make the dip, so I had to resort to buying it pre-made. I thought pre-made guacamole was going to be mushy and taste like plastic but on the contrary, it was creamy, rich, well-seasoned and had big chunks of avocado in it! I was so impressed by it that I now keep a couple of packages of it in my freezer for emergencies (you just never know when someone is going to drop by unannounced with an extra large bag of potato chips...or when Pringles are on sale).

OK, so let's get down to this awesome recipe I have for you. I found this recipe over the summer while I was looking for something really simple, and something to do with a pound of ground turkey that I had in the freezer, but also something really different. Burgers are a very "summer" type of meal and this is kind of a "summer" recipe, but that doesn't stop me from making it as much as I can. Matt absolutely LOVES this recipe and he gets super excited when I mention that this is going to be for dinner. 

I have to add that I looooooove Greek food. It's probably one of my favorites, tied for first with Italian and Mexican. I don't know what it is I love about it - the tangy tastes of feta, lemon and olives, strong herbs, hearty meats...just delectable! Taramosalata, pastitsio, gyros, souvlaki, spanakopita, the list goes on! Gyro night was a popular dinner night when I lived at home, and everyone loved my mom's homemade tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki sauce is a cucumber and yogurt sauce that is flavored with herbs, lemon juice, and/or olive oil. There are many different ways to make it, but I have never met a tzatziki I haven't liked. It is commonly served on gyros, or as an appetizer with some pita bread.

Now, this recipe isn't exactly the most Greek of Greek recipes; it's more Greek-inspired. But to be honest, this burger reminds me of eating a gyro - except on a bun instead of a pita.

GREEK TURKEY BURGERS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE, from BettyCrocker.com
Makes 4 burgers
YOU WILL NEED...

for the TZATZIKI SAUCE:

1 (6 oz) container of Greek yogurt (I like Fage 2% the best!)

1/4 cup chopped cucumber 

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed 

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

for the BURGERS:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 cup (approx. 4 oz) crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1 clove garlic, finely chopped 

4 burger buns, split

1 medium tomato, sliced (optional)

I was stupid and totally forgot to buy red onion at the supermarket! All I had was yellow, but it didn't really make a difference in the way the burgers or the sauce tasted. As long as you have a sweet onion on hand, I don't think red or white really matters. 

Here is my mise-en-place! 

I love fresh dill. It is so delicious and tangy and when I buy a bunch, it doesn't go to waste because my rabbit loves to eat dill too. Whatever I don't use for cooking or nibble on myself, I chop up and give to the bunny.

For this recipe, you will also need some mixing bowls on hand, as well as a skillet to cook the burgers (unless you are using a grill). 

Here's what you do! 

1. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the yogurt and all other sauce ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

2. Heat gas or charcoal grill. Alternatively, heat a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. In a medium bowl, mix all burger ingredients and remaining yogurt. Shape mixture into 4 patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

3. Place patties on grill over medium heat. Cover grill, if using. Cook 8 to 10 minutes turning after 5 minutes, until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160 degrees F.

4. Place burgers on buns; top with tzatziki sauce and tomato, if using. 

There's the glamour shot right there! What a good looking burger. I did not have any tomato, so I topped the burger with some sliced leftover onion and some cucumber slices, which enhanced the flavor of the burger and the sauce. 

I love, love, love this recipe and I could make it every week and not get tired of it. The feta gives the burger texture, and the dill and onion cooked into the burger make for a great surprise "crunch". The tzatziki is delicious and cool, with a great flavor. With this meal, I made some roasted potatoes, and put some of the tzatziki sauce on those too. YUM!!! 

I'm really starting to get back into the swing of things with this cooking blog thing. I hope you guys keep checking in and letting me know your feedback! Here are some recipes that will be featured soon: 

Cajun Red Beans & Rice 

Chicken & White Bean Chili 

Sloppy Janes 

"Thunder Thighs", an original recipe by me!! 

Bayou Stroganoff

I'm still trying to decide what else, but those are definite future features. 

Until next time ... eat, drink and be merry!!! 

I'm Back!!! + Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

My God. This has been one of the most god-f*cking-awful years ever. I thought 2011 was going to mean big changes. Changes for the better. I got my changes alright, but it was not for the better. Without going into to9o much detail, let's just say that if life is an amusement park, this past year was the sketchiest, rickety-est wooden roller coaster at the back, the one where the line is really short because people would rather step on the active electrocuted floor of the bumper cars with bare feet than put their lives in the hands of an operator who's had one too many bong hits.

I'm on the job hunt hunt again. But this now leaves me with more time to return to the thing that kept me sane the last time around - blogging. I know that this will give me the motivation to keep my wits and my sanity. I'm going to tone it down from last time, with less expensive and more left over-friendly recipes.

I got this great magazine a few weeks ago that is just a bunch of recipes taken from a dozen other magazines. It's pretty awesome, and I've already cooked two recipes from it!

I've previously explained my dislike for the word casserole, but this time there is kind of no way around it. It truly is a casserole - but at least it sounds a hell of a lot better than any other casserole I've encountered. My friend Colleen suggested that instead of saying "casserole", I should start saying "pie". Which is a way, way, way better word. What the hell is better than pie?!

LOADED BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE PIE, courtesy of Campbell's
Makes 8 servings
1 (32 oz) bag southern-style hash browned potatoes, thawed (approx 7 1/2 cups)
1 (6 oz) can of French fried onions
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans of Campbell's regular or fat free cream of celery soup
1 cup milk

The return of mise-en-place

You will also need a 3-quart baking dish (about 9"x13").

Here's how you do it!

1. In a 3 quart shallow baking dish, combine potatoes, peas, cheese, bacon and 1 1/3 cup cups of the onions. In a medium bowl, combine soup and milk. Pour soup and mixture over potato mixture. Cover.

2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Stir.

3. Sprinkle with the remaining onions. Bake for 5 minutes more, or until the onions are golden brown.

Pretty simple!

Can I just say that I LOVE microwaved bacon!!! It's the easiest thing in the world - 25 seconds and you can make crunchy, tasty bacon in the microwave. I really dislike making bacon the old-fashioned way. I'm too impatient.

However, I have a few issues with this recipe. While the bacon and French fried onions provided plenty of salt, there's not much by way of seasonings. I suppose the cream of celery soup provides some, but you know, it's kind of a misplaced flavor. I don't really care of the taste of cream of celery soup. Also, I thought it didn't have enough cheese. I ended up sprinkling extra cheese on top of my portion. Matt and Colleen also agreed that it also could have used a dollop of sour cream. I thought it tasted pretty good with ketchup too, but I think everything tastes better with ketchup.

Anyway, I thought this would be a good recipe to come back with considering that there's not a whole lot of effort involved and there are only 3 steps. It was easy, but I don't think I'll make it again. It just wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be.

I've done so many recipes between this entry and the last, ones I'm going to do again and post on here. Over the summer, we fell upon some hard financial times and I really learned how to squeeze blood from a stone. I need to kind of ease myself back into this, not throw myself in headfirst, so the entries are going to be slow-going at first. Just be patient, folks. I'm coming back! 

Huevos Rancheros

"To hand-crafted beers made in local breweries

To yoga, to yogurt, to rice and beans and cheese

To leather, to dildos, to curry Vindaloo

To Huevos Rancheros and Maya Angelou!"

            --Rent

photo: Rent-SoCo.com

In Jonathan Larson's rock opera Rent, the last number of Act One is "La Vie Boheme", a love letter to all things bohemian. Handcrafted beers from local breweries, I can understand - but what exactly is bohemian about leather and dildos? I don't think real bohemians would even wear leather. Actually, now that I think of it, I can't figure out what's bohemian about half of what's mentioned in that song (Pee Wee Herman? Really?).

Anyway, whenever I hear anything that's mentioned in that song, I have the overwhelming urge to sing it. I never do, of course, but it does take out the seriousness of certain situations (for me).

Professor: "Today, we are going to watch a film by Kurasawa!"
My brain: "ANTONIONI, BERTOLUCCI, KURASAWA! CARMINA BURANA!"

Bartender: "What type of vodka would you like?"
Me: "What do you have?"
Bartender: "Well, we have Grey Goose, Stoli, Absolut..."
My brain: "TO FRUITS, TO NO ABSOLUTES! TO ABSOLUT! TO CHOICE! TO THE VILLAGE VOICE!"

Friend: "Boy, do I enjoy the musical stylings of Bob Dylan."
My brain: "GINSBURG, DYLAN, CUNNINGHAM AND CAGE! LENNY BRUCE! LANGSTON HUGHES! TO THE STAGE!"

Does it get annoying? Yes. That song never leaves my frickin' head. And now it's probably in yours.

Let's make some Huevos Rancheros!

HUEVOS RANCHEROS, courtesy of "Cook This, Not That"
YOU WILL NEED:
1 (16oz) can of whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
½ small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped chipotle pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 (16oz) can black beans
Pinch of ground cumin
8 eggs
8 corn tortillas 

mise-en-place

I couldn't find chipotle peppers for the life of me (I probably wasn't even looking in the right place), so I'm simply omitting them, and adding a half a teaspoon of chipotle pepper powder to the tomatoes instead.

1. Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle cilantro, and half of the lime juice in a food processor and pulse until well blended but still slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Mix the black beans, cumin and remaining lime juice in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Use the back of a fork to lightly mash the beans, adding a splash of warm water if neccesary (I found that a spoon was way more effective for mashing).

3. Coat a large nonstick skillet or saute pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Break the eggs into the skillet; cook until the whites have set but the yolks are still loose and runny.

4. On a seperate burner, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the tortillas, 2 at a time; cook for 1 minute on each side, until lightly toasted.

5. To assemble the dish, spread the tortillas with the beans, top with the eggs, and top the eggs with the salsa. Garnish with more cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

¡Olé!

A beautiful plate, if I do say so myself. I was incredibly pleased with the end result. The chipotle powder did its job, which was provide some smoky heat to the eggs. Once the yolk was broken and it oozed onto the salsa, it was just incredible. The tortillas were absorbant enough to not make the dish into a runny mess.

The addition of the chipotle powder gave the salsa a little kick, but if you don't like spicy, or you're making it kid-friendly, it's fine to omit the spice (or the pepper, if you can find them).

Breakfast for dinner doesn't get any better than this! This is also a great meal to serve for brunch, or a late breakfast with close friends. It's easily multiplied to feed more than 4 people and takes very little time. Can I also add that the salsa tastes amazing on some Wheat Thins? All in all, this was one of my favorite meals that I've ever made.

Keep your eyes peeled for another dessert recipe: Margarita Cupcakes!

Until next time - eat, drink and be merry!

Tomato & White Bean Pasta

You really can find recipes anywhere, not just in cookbooks. Magazines, for example, are always printing recipes for this diet fad or that, or for holidays and special events and get-togethers, for kids and for teenagers, for beginner and advanced cooks.

I don't subscribe to any magazines, but in your daily life, magazines can be found everywhere. On line at the supermarket, who doesn't pluck up a magazine while the person in front of you pays in pennies? Waiting for the doctor or the mechanic, there are always a ton of magazines laying around. More often than not, those magazines have been sitting there for weeks. If you find a recipe that you particularly like and want to remember and you do not have a pen and paper to copy it down with, ask the receptionist if you can take the magazine home.

This recipe came from a magazine. I can't remember when I found it or what magazine it came from. All I know is that I'd copied this recipe down some time ago, probably while I was still in college (it was found in an old notebook of mine with "Film as a Medium" written on the cover, which was a class I'd taken). I know I said it would be awhile before I posted another pasta recipe, but this was requested by none other than the fiance. It's one of his favorite pasta dishes and rightly so. It's a relatively healthy one, and vegetarian to boot!

TOMATO & WHITE BEAN PASTA (origins unknown)

YOU WILL NEED:

1 box of tri-color pasta

4 Roma tomatoes

1 tbsp olie oil

3-4 peeled garlic cloves

1 can white beans (white kidney, cannellini, etc.)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

salt and pepper to taste

mise-en-place

You will also need a large or medium skillet and a pasta pot. Also - return of the basil plant! This one is holding up quite well so far, as opposed to the last one that only lasted two weeks.

1. Cook the pasta in salted water. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Cover to keep warm.

2. Cut the tomtoes in half, scrape out the seeds with a spoon and cut into 1-inch pieces.

3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic cloves. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove garlic and set aside.

4. Drain and rinse the beans, Add them to the skillet and then remove from heat. Smash the reserved garlic with a fork and add to drained pasta.

5. Add the tomatoes, beans and basil. Stir well, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

The end!

This pasta dish makes a great weeknight meal that's healthy and causes very little fuss. The garlic gives the tomatoes a great flavor and the beans are still firm to the bite. Of course, the tri-color pasta gives added nutrition, but if you can find the whole grain tri-color pasta, that's even better. Otherwise, it doesn't get any better than this!

Sorry for the delay in posting, we've had a crazy few days here. But I promise there will be more to come! Until next time: eat, drink and be merry!

Chicken Piccata with Lemon Orzo

Piccata. I like that word. Piccata. Rhymes with hotta...or the Spanish Armada.

"House Bunny" anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Forget you. "The House Bunny" is one of the funniest movies ever.

I have noticed, as I get older and my taste buds evolve over and over again, that I really love citrus in my foods, especially in my entrees. I love a strong, lemony flavor. Lemon over pasta, over fish, over calamari, over chicken - especially over chicken. I have TWO containers of lemon pepper seasoning. Chicken piccata definitely quenches my desire for lemony foods - paired with a great dry white wine and capers, it pleases my taste buds.

Usually chicken piccata is prepared with the chicken dredged in flour before its sauteed, but this is actually a healthy version of the dish - minus the flour and using low-sodium chicken broth in the sauce. It tastes just as good without it, I promise!

CHICKEN PICCATA WITH LEMON ORZO, courtesy of MyRecipes.com

Serves 4

YOU WILL NEED:

1 cup uncooked orzo

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

4 (4oz) chicken cutlets (thin boneless/skinless breasts will also do)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup white wine (a dry white wine, like a Chardonnay or a Pinot is preferable)

1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon capers

mise-en-place

I don't have any parsley, so I just did without. No big deal. You will also need a large skillet and a pasta pot. You will also need a wooden spoon or any other cooking instrument good for stirring in a hot pan (nothing that will melt or scrape the Teflon in a nonstick pan).

Orzo is a delicious little type of pasta, shaped like grains of rice (orzo actually means "barley" in Italian). It's usually used in casseroles or soups. It's not hard to find, a lot of pasta companies make orzo. Fun fact: "piccata", in Italian, means "pounded flat". Traditionally, the chicken breast would be pounded flat efore being cooked. However, by using thinly sliced chicken instead, it is unneccesary.

Quick note: zesting (or grating) a lemon is a pain in the @$$ process. It's a lot of work for very little rind. It's a good thing that the recipe only calls for two teaspoons of rind, because that's about all you can get from an average sized lemon. Just make sure you don't grate the white part underneath the zest - that's the most bitter part. So bitter it doesn't even taste good.

In my opinion, before you do anything else, zest your lemon. You'll thank me later.

1. Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain. Stir in lemon rind.

2. While orzo cooks, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan.

4. Keep pan warm. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits.

5. Add chicken broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes for until reduced to 1/2 cup.

6. Remove from heat; add butter, stirring until butter melts.

7. Stir in parsley and capers. Serve over orzo, topped with sauce.

Done and done! I served cauliflower and broccoli on the side.

This is my second time making this recipe. Last time, I was happy with the chicken but not with the sauce. This time, it was the other way around. I thought the chicken tasted dry and overcooked, but my fiance disagreed and said it was perfect. I am my own harshest critic after all. I don't think my chicken was flat enough to be cooked properly, my bad. I also forgot what a true pain this recipe is. I'll cook it again just one more time in the future, just to see if I can get it 100% right (to my standards), and if I can't, I'm going to look out for another piccata recipe - which I will, of course share.

I've got only one more recipe to post before I'm gone for a week - New England clam chowder, from the crock pot! It's actually in the crock pot as we speak and I'll post the recipe tomorrow.

Until next time - eat, drink and be merry!