Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches

     Andrew and I LOVE chicken Parmesan and I have a fabulous Emeril Lagasse recipe that I use on special occasions (or when we decided to completely abandon all notions of good health). It takes a ton of time and is a ton of trouble not to mention it is breaded, fried, and smothered in cheese. These chicken Parmesan sandwiches are a simple and healthy take on the classic dish. Trust me reader, I will never post a healthy dish that does not taste amazing! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb thinly sliced or pounded thin boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5 breasts)

1 c. Kraft Light Zesty Italian Dressing

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

½ - ¾ c. of your favorite pasta sauce (I use Prego Traditional Heart Smart)

1 c. low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese

Any thin whole wheat/whole grain buns (I use EarthGrains 100% natural, 100% whole wheat thin buns)

Your favorite buttery spread (I use Fleischmann’s Olive Oil Spread)

Garlic Salt

1. Place chicken in a large zip-closed bag with Italian dressing and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Remove chicken from bag and sprinkle both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Cook on a grill pan or sauté pan sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat about 4 minutes per side or until cooked throughout (longer if your chicken beasts are thicker).

4. Meanwhile, spread both sides of your sandwich buns with buttery spread (about ½ tsp per side), sprinkle with garlic salt to taste (about 1/8 tsp per side), and toast under the broiler until brown and crispy.

5. Once cooked but still in the pan, spread about 1 tablespoon of sauce on top of each chicken breast (more or less to taste) and top each breast with 1-2 tablespoons of cheese. Place lid on pan to create steam to melt the cheese, about 2 minutes.

6. Spread one side (bottom) of each bun with another ½ tablespoon of sauce. Place chicken cheese side up on sauced side of bun and top with the other half of the bun.

* We ate these with homemade sweet potato fries but a salad or baked potato would compliment well too! 

Healthy Pasta Bake

     Originally, I was not planning on blogging this recipe because it was sort of a whim and didn’t seem too special as I was making it. However, when it came out of the oven it was a different story! Luckily I have been taking pictures of all food creations for such a time as this. I am proud to share with you a healthy, delicious, easy to assemble casserole that you (as I did) can make a day or two ahead or freeze.

Ingredients:

1 ½ c. cooked 100% whole-wheat penne pasta (I used ½ of a 13.25 oz box)

1 c. chopped fresh or frozen broccoli florets

1 c. sliced or diced carrots, peeled (I used baby carrots and skipped the peeling)

1 c. of your favorite pre-made pasta sauce (I used Prego Traditional Heart Smart)

1 lb diced boneless, skinless chicken breast

8 oz reduced fat sour cream

2 c. low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ c. freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slightly undercook pasta according to package directions in heavily salted water.

2. Layer a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooked pasta, broccoli, carrots, chicken, and sauce.

3. In a medium sized bowl combine cheeses, sour cream, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well blended.

4. Spread mixture evenly on top of the casserole. Bake for 1 hour until top is brown and bubbly. 

* We were extremely hungry by the time this came out of the oven and I completely forgot to take a final picture before digging in. Use your imagination to picture the cheesy top, juicy chicken, and tender vegetables and you may want to make this tonight! (And I may want to think about writing romance novels!)

Making an Autumn Wreath

     Fall is upon us! While I do not feel it in the air yet (September 10^th and 95 degrees) I feel it in conversations and the onset of fall activities like school and football season starting. Honestly, I have never been a big fan of fall because I love summer more than life and fall means summer is over. However, this year I have decided to try to change my tune and one way of doing that is to DECORATE! For me, having my home reflect the season or approaching holiday creates a sense of excitement and anticipation. A wreath on the front door can be the first taste of a beautifully seasonal home. As a young woman on a budget I could not afford any of the beautiful wreaths I saw for sale, so I decided to make my own. I’ll show you how step by step!

1. I bought a simple vine wreath for $5 from a local craft store.

2. I chose the wreath inserts from the same craft store for about a dollar each. I really wanted gourds and apples and did not want my wreath to be too orangey. I laid them out until I found a pattern I liked. For my wreath, I have 6 larger inserts, each with a gourd or an apple, and two fillers made of berries in between each large piece. Totaling 6 large pieces and 12 fillers.

3. Next, I wove the stems of the large pieces into the body of the wreath and secured them using floral wire. Note: do not trim the excess stems. 

4. After all the large pieces were in place, I repeated the process with the fillers. I was not able to cut the stems so I tucked them into the body of the wreath. This worked well because you cannot see them and it gives the inserts more stability. I then hung the wreath on my front door and voila! Fall is here! 

Please don't mind the half painted door. Some projects come before others!

Real Woman Indeed

     Earlier this year I participated in an online cooking competition hosted by Paula Deen and Philadelphia Cream Cheese called "The Real Women of Philadelphia." I entered four recipes in hopes of becoming one of these so called "real women" but alas, I did not win. Even so, it was a fun experience creating original recipes and pretending to host my own cooking show. Better still was flirting with my handsome camera man/husband. Just in case you are wondering, I feel as "real" a woman as I ever have. I hope you enjoy watching these as much as I enjoyed making them. Bon Appétit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuk92ZcXd1U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za4duJpNRtc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY0e3vy4oTg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9yYcuGTC2A

One of the creations that didn't make the cut, summer vegetable tart.