Chicken Katsu

I decided to add a few of my recipes to the blog cause its been a while.

Chicken Katsu (and sauce)

Recipe somewhere online

Chicken thighs, de-boned (NOT breasts)

1-2 Eggs, beaten

Panko bread crumbs or Corn Flake/Rice Krispy crumbs

Oil (for deep frying)

Cut off any access fat to the chicken if needed. Lightly pound into 1/2 inch thickness. Dip, not soak, the chicken into egg batter. Lay the chicken in the breadcrumbs and be sure to coat them. Get a large skillet or wok heated with the cooking oil. Once the oil is hot and sizzling, slowly drop the chicken pieces into the pan. Use the sides of the pan to drop the chicken in to avoid oil splattering. Remove chicken pieces once they are a golden brown color on both sides and is no longer pink inside. Serve on a bed of lettuce for good looks.

Katsu Sauce

1/3 Cup ketchup

1/4 Cup soy sauce

1/4 Cup sugar

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp ground red pepper (or cayenne)

Pour the ingredients into a sauce pan. Mix together and bring to a boil. Serve on the side as a dip for the chicken or lightly spoon over chicken.

Honey-Ginger Glazed Tilapia

Sorry I keep posting so much but we've tried a few new recipes this week and they've been so yummy I had to share!

3 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. grated ginger root (I just sprinkle in some ground ginger)

2 tsp. minced or pressed garlic

2 tsp. olive oil

4-6 4 oz. tilapia filets

Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and olive oil. Marinate fish in the mixture for 20 minutes to 1 hour. While marinating make the dipping sauce (below). Broil or bake fish until it flakes easily.

Dipping sauce:

6 oz. plain greek yogurt (I used sour cream because I ran out of yogurt. I bet the yogurt would have better flavor but the sour cream was tasty too.)

1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed

1/2 tsp. grated ginger root (again, I just sprinkled in some ground ginger)

1 1/2-2 tsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. green onions, chopped

1-2 tsp. cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 1 small lime (about 2 Tbsp.)

1 tsp. lime zest

sriracha sauce to taste (I skipped this)

1/4- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

"Quesadillas"

This recipe's name was "quesadillas" but I don't think that's very fitting. I also can't think of a good name for it. Oh well. Eva loves these dipped in sour cream.

1 small red onion, chopped

1/2 red or orange bell pepper, chopped

7 oz. canned corn (1 c. frozen works well too)

1 can black beans

1 c. cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. honey

corn tortillas

salsa

Heat oil in a pan and cook onion and pepper for 3 minutes. Add corn and beans and cook for about 2 minutes or until onion and pepper are soft. Add vinegar and honey and heat for about 1 minute then remove from heat. Spread half of each tortilla with salsa. Top with corn mixture and some cheese. Roll the tortillas and put on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil until filling is hot and topping is golden brown.

*Can add shredded chicken if desired.

Chicken Piccata

This recipe is for Bethany. Here's a recipe with balsamic vinegar AND capers. You'll be the best, best wife ever! :)

2-4 chicken breasts (cut in half & tenderized) or 4-6 chicken tenders

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1/4 c. capers

1/4 c. black olives, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 small tomatoes, sliced in wedges

1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

Saute chicken in oil in a large pan. Remove chicken. In the same pan, saute onions and peppers in the oil. Add chicken, tomatoes, olives, garlic, bouillon, vinegar and capers. Simmer until balsamic vinegar thickens (about 12-15 minutes). Serve over rice.

Best pizza I ever made

Have you seen the Food Network show The Best Thing I Ever Ate? Well, if you have then imagine this is my episode of the best pizza I ever made. And maybe even the best pizza I ever ate, which is saying a lot considering the amazingness of Pizzeria 712. The crust alone is to die for, so don't cheat and make a different crust or buy something pre-made - it's worth the time (oh, did I mention you need to start it about 6 hours before you want to serve it?) And without further ado, I give you:

Pizza Bianca with Goat Cheese and Greens

Crust

• 3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (from 1 envelope)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups (about) unbleached all purpose flour

Seasoned oil

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Topping

• 1 bunch Swiss chard (about 10 ounces), white ribs cut away
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced

• Yellow cornmeal
• 8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated
• 4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

For crust:
Pour 3/4 cup water into large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over; stir to blend. Let stand 10 minutes to dissolve yeast. Add oil and salt, then 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir until well blended (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto generously floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding just enough flour to prevent dough from sticking, about 5 minutes (dough will be soft). Shape dough into ball; place in large oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with kitchen towel. Let dough rise at cool room temperature until almost doubled, about 2 hours. Punch dough down; form into ball. Return to bowl; cover with towel and let rise until doubled, about 3 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare seasoned oil:
Mix oil, garlic, and red pepper in small bowl. Let stand 1 hour.

For topping:
Cook chard in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water; drain. Squeeze dry, then coarsely chop. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add chard and stir 1 minute. Season to taste with salt.

Preheat oven to 500°F. Punch down dough. Form into ball; place on floured work surface. Cover with kitchen towel; let rest 30 minutes.

Sprinkle rimless baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll out dough on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet. Sprinkle mozzarella over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Scatter chard over mozzarella. Top with goat cheese. Brush crust edge with some of seasoned oil. Set aside 2 teaspoons seasoned oil; drizzle remaining oil over pizza.

Bake pizza until crust is brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven; brush edge with seasoned oil and serve.

Recipe found HERE

Jessie's variations:

I also added some fingerling potatoes on top. Just boil the potatoes until tender (about 10 minutes), slice thin and arrange on top of the chard. I also sprinkle a little bit of garlic salt with the cornmeal on the bottom.

Roasted-Vegetable Tacos

*So, I'm not sure what it is...but I really love this meal!

Roasted-Vegetable Tacos

Olive oil flavored cooking spray
1 Medium onion, cut into wedges
1 Medium bell-pepper, cut lengthwise into eighths
1 Medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 Cup sliced mushrooms (3 oz)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 Cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
8 taco shells (I use soft corn tortillas or flour tortillas)
3/4 Cup salsa
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1 Heat oven to 425. Spray cookie sheet pan with cooking spray.

2. Place onion, bell pepper, zucchini and mushrooms in single layer in pan. Spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and red pepper. Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes, turning vegetables once, until vegetables are tender.

3. Sprinkle cheese into taco shells or tortillas. Top with vegetables and salsa. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Cincinnati Chili

This is my very, very favorite meal. It seems a little intimidating because of all the ingredients but it's actually pretty easy. My dad makes this and it's super yummy. I seriously could eat it every day!

1 ½ lbs. ground beef
2 vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. cocoa
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 c. tomato sauce
1 lb. spaghetti, cooked and drained with a small amount of oil or butter mixed in

Toppings:

Shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese
Red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Onion, chopped
Fresh tomato, chopped
Cilantro, chopped
Green onion, chopped
Avocado
Sour cream

Brown ground beef (you can also boil it) and drain. Set a large pan over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is warm, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and browned around the edges (about 8 min.). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 min.). Stir in the chili powder, oregano, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, black pepper and salt. Cook, stirring constantly until the spices are fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir in the broth, water, vinegar, sugar and tomato sauce. Allow to cook until thickened (will not get very thick), scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Add the ground beef and increase the heat to high. As soon as the liquid boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chili is deep red and has thickened slightly (about 1 hour).
Serve sauce over spaghetti and add toppings.

Easter Turkey

I cooked my first turkey yesterday - yahoo! Here's what I did:

Turkey
Reynold's turkey bag
2 tsp. flour
Half cube butter
Lemon, cut in half
Bunch fresh parsley

Put the flour in the bag and shake it around. Dab butter all over the turkey and put lemon and parsley in cavity. Put it in the oven til it's done (so technical, huh?)

And to go with it (aside from the obvious mashed yukon gold potatoes):

Stuffing
2 bags Mrs. Cubbison's seasoned stuffing mix
3 links sweet Italian sausage, cooked and drained
3/4 cup each diced yellow onion, celery, waterchestnuts and corn
1 cup butter
1 cup broth

Mix it all together and bake in a covered cassarole dish at 350 for 25 minutes.

Asparagus
2 lbs asparagus, washed & trimmed
2 tbsp butter
zest of 1 lemon
salt & pepper

Blanch asparagus and add butter and seasoning. Toss and serve.

Roasted Carrots
3 lbs carrots, peeled and cut on a diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
salt & pepper
fresh dill

Toss carrots in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on cookie sheet at 350 for 45 minutes. Add fresh dill just before serving.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Crustless Spinach Quiche

*I used real spinach leaves and cooked them down over the stove in a bit of water and drained them.

2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1/2 Cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/3 Cup pesto
1 Package (10 ouches) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
5 Eggs
1 Cup chunky spaghetti sauce

Heat oven to 375. Spray quiche dish (9x1 1/2) with cooking spray. Mix 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, the whipping cream, pesto, spinach and eggs until well blended; pour into quiche dish. bake uncovered 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, heat spaghetti sauce in small saucepan until hot; keep warm. Cut quiche into wedges. Serve with spaghetti sauce.

4 Side Dishes = 1 Meal

On my quest to eat healthier (eat less meat, more veggies) I found that there are a lot more side dishes than main dishes to choose from. So, I made these four side dishes into a complete meal. It was delicious. (I found these recipes in Betty Crocker's November 1999 Holiday magazine...and I don't think St. Patrick's Day was the holiday they were thinking of...but I made it anyway.) Perhaps to make it looks like like 4 side dishes I would add more squash and put it over the rice.

Included in my meal:
Butternut Squash Saute
Hazelnut Parmesan Asparagus
Brown Rice
Beets (I didn't put recipe on...since I just got it from a can)

Butternut Squash Saute
Prep: 20 mins. Cook: 20 mins.

4 Slices of bacon (for vegetarian, take out bacon and add a little butter instead)
1 Medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
6 Cups 1/2 inch pieces peeled butternut squash (2 small)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/8 dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 Cups firmly packed baby spinach leaves

Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp (or just melt butter for vegetarian style). Stire in onion. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is crisp-tender. Stir in squash, thyme and pepper. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender. Stir in spinach just until wilted.

Hazelnut Parmesan Asparagus
Prep: 15 mins. Cook: 10 mins.

2 Cups water
2 lbs asparagus spears (or 3 pkgs, 10 oz, frozen)
2 Tablespoons margarine or butter
1 Package (8 oz) sliced mushrooms (3 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 Cup chopped hazelnuts (filberts)

Heat water to boiling in 12-inch skillet. Add asparagus. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook 4-6 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain; set aside. (If using frozen, cook according to package directions.)

Melt margarine in skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in mushrooms. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are light brown. Stir asparagus, basil, salt and pepper into mushrooms until vegetables are coated with seasonings and asparagus is heated through. Sprinkle with cheese and hazelnuts.

*We had the cheese and nuts on the side as optional...I actually forgot about them and ate without them...which was still really tasty but kind of defeated the purpose of it being called "Hazelnut Parmesan Asparagus".

Brown Rice

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
(Just make sure you have the 1 to 2 ratio of rice to water.)

Put rice and water in a pan on the stove. Heat uncovered until water boils, reduce heat to low/simmer. Cover and let simmer for 40 minutes.

Pasta with Tomatoes, Arugula and Goat Cheese

Like most of my favorite recipes, this is super fast, easy and delish. This comes from my favorite cook book, like many of my favorite recipes. 

Kosher salt

3/4 lb cavatappi, fusilli or ziti (or any pasta shape that traps and holds sauces)

2 cups loosely packed arugula leaves (I substitute spinach sometimes)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sans stems

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese

Freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and place the pasta in a warmed serving bowl. Mix in arugula and keep warm.

Just before the pasta is ready, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the tomatoes and, holding the pan handle, roll the tomatoes around by jerking the pan toward you, then pushing it away. While the tomatoes cook, sprinkle on the garlic. Keep the tomatoes moving until their skins crack, 1-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spoon the tomatoes over the pasta. 

Dollop the goat cheese, 1 tablespoon at a time, on top of the tomatoes. Using a large fork and spoon, toss to combine, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons or more of the cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Season with pepper and serve.

Thai Peanut Noodles

Jason and I have a deep love for Thai food. So much so, that I don't dare re-create Thai food (specifically curries) at home because I know whatever I make won't come close to what's on the menu at Thai Ruby. But, I also have a love for quick easy meals and when I saw this recipe on Our Best Bites, I knew I had to try it. The verdict? Delish and easy, definitely something I'll be making again. And again. And, well, you get the idea.

Thai Peanut Noodles
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1-2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce (1 is mild with a bite, 1.5 is medium, 2 is hot)
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
8 oz. linguine noodles
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
2 limes, cut into quarters
Chopped peanuts

Cook noodles in salted water. In the meantime, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and garnish each serving with 2 lime quarters. Before eating, squeeze lime juice over noodles and stir to combine.

*If desired, you can add meat to this dish by stir-frying shrimp or very thinly-sliced chicken (partially freeze it first) in some olive oil with a couple cloves of garlic, some fresh ginger, some green onions, soy sauce, and a small squirt or two of Sriracha chili sauce.

Cheese Enchiladas Verde

You need to make this, trust me. It's that good.

Prep: 15 min Bake: 25 min

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend

1 small zucchini, shredded (3/4 cup)

1/4 cup chopped fres cilantro

8 corn tortillas (5 or 6 inches in diameter)

1/3 soft cream cheese with roasted garlic

1 jar (16 oz) green salsa (salsa verde)

1 medium avocado, diced

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

Heat oven to 350. Spray rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Mix shredded cheese, zucchini and cilantro.

Spread each tortilla with about 2 teaspoons cream cheese. Spoon about 1/3 cup shredded cheese misutre onto each tortilla; spread to withing 1 inch of edge. Roll up; place seams side down in baking dish. Pour salsa over tortillas.

Cover and bake about 25 minutes or until hot. Top with avocado and onions. Approx. 4 servings.

"Amazing" Mac & Cheese

This stuff is yummy. KJ took a bite and say "Whoa! This is amazing!" :)
*I half this recipe to make it for two

1 lb. elbow macaroni
1 quart milk
1 stick of butter
4 tomatoes
1/2 c. flour
8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
12 oz. Gruyere cheese (I skipped this ingredient because I couldn't find it at the store and instead I used double the cheddar!)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. bread crumbs (I like the Italian seasoned)

Heat oven to 375. Cook macaroni and drain well. Heat milk in a sauce pan, don't boil. Melt 6 tbsp. of butter in a large pot and add flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes while stirring with a wisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for 2 more minutes until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add cheeses, pepper and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a baking dish. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter and combine with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and it is browned on top.

Cedar Plank Orange and Sesame Pork

I've made this the last two times we've had people over for dinner and they rave about it. It really is easy and delicious, you just have to prepare it ahead of time.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of pork tenderloin
Zest of 1 medium orange
Juice of 1 medium orange
1 medium shallot, finely diced (i always just use a yellow onion)
4 garlic cloves diced
1/3 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons garlic powder
Small bunch fresh rosemary
Small bunch fresh thyme

To make the marinade, place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix together. Add pork. Cover the pork with the marinade and refrigerate at least 8 hours (or overnight). Remove the pork and let sit 30 minutes prior to cooking. Place the meat on pre-soaked and heated cedar planks. Cook for 20 minutes.

If you don't have planks to grill on, I'm sure you could grill or cook the meat some other way--the marinade is what makes it super tasty.

**Sesame oil can sometimes be a bit expensive but it will last you a good while. A little goes a long way--we use it to cook sugar snap peas. Pour a small amount of sesame oil into a wok, add snap peas and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve.

Veggie/Black Bean Fajitas

Beans:
1 can black beans
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch of salt
Pinch chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and simmer until warmed through.

Fajitas:
1/2 cup sliced bell pepper
1/3 cup sliced yellow onion
1/2 cup each sliced zucchini and yellow squash
non-stick cooking spray

Saute until soft and slightly brown

Toppings:
Cheddar cheese
Chopped tomato
Sour Cream
Lime juice
Cilantro

Combine sour cream with lime juice and cilantro. Pile everything on a tortilla.

Plank Grilled Salmon

We made salmon with rice, tropical salsa and corn on the cob on Wednesday and it was de-li-cious. We also mixed up some virgin margaritas, cause sometimes you just need a mid-week drink to get you through until the weekend. Or you just want an excuse to use pink plastic margarita glasses. Take your pick.

We registered for grilling planks for our wedding, and this was the first time we've used them. It made the fish so tasty!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

3/4 cup finely diced pineapple
1/2 cup finely diced mango
1/2 cup finely diced peach
1/4 cup finely diced red pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion (we used yellow, cause we didn't have red on hand)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
salt and pepper
Four 6-8 ounce salmon filet's
Season Salt
2 teaspoons honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 finely chopped green onions
1 medium orange
Cedar planks for grilling

Soak planks for at least two hours before grilling.

To make the salsa, in a medium bowl combine the pineapple, mango, peach, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro and both juices. Lightly toss and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Rinse salmon and pat dry with paper towels. Place salmon filet's skin side down on a large, shallow platter and season with salt, pepper, and season salt. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon honey over each filet. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each filet. Sprinkle filets with green onions and top each with 2 orange slices. Set aside.

Prepare plank for grilling. Place salmon filets on plank. Close lid and grill for about 10-12 minuets or until fish begins to flake. Remove fish from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Remove orange slices. Spoon salsa on the side or on top of filets and serve.

To make the corn, we soaked it (husks on) in a pot of water and brown sugar for 45 minutes. Then they go into the corn basket griller thing and sit on the grill for about 30 minutes. Yummy.

Spinach Calzones

The great thing about these, is you can make the whole batch at once for a large crowd (or great leftovers!) or you can make half the batch and freeze the rest to make later (for those of you whose husbands can't stand leftovers). Jason loves these because they're delicious, and I love them because they are quick and easy ... OK and because they're scrumptious.

Spinach Calzones

The Inside:
1 pint ricotta cheese
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 box frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze dry

The Outside:
Frozen Rhoades Texas size rolls
1 egg
Jar of tomato sauce, such as Prego or Ragu

Thaw frozen rolls (Rhoades Texas size) in refrigerator overnight. Knead two rolls together and flatten dough into round. Place 1/3 cup filling in dough and fold over and seal edge (I usually use a fork). Brush with egg and let rise about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees until they are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve with heated tomato sauce.

Pork Cutlets Parmesan

I haven't made any type of cutlet since my culinary classes a few years ago, but I tried these recently and they are yummy, quick and fun--who doesn't want to smash meat with heavy objects?? You can use pork, chicken, veal or whatever floats your boat. This is a Martha Stewart recipe and picture.

Serves 4


12 ounces pork tenderloin
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Coarse salt, for seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs, for serving


1. Slice pork tenderloin into 12 rounds. Place rounds between two sheets of plastic wrap; with a meat mallet or small heavy skillet, pound to 1/8 inch thick.
2. In a shallow bowl, beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Place all-purpose flour in a third bowl. Season pork with salt. Dip pork in flour, then in egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumb mixture; pat it in.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute half the cutlets until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Repeat with another tablespoon oil and remaining pork. Serve with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.

Baked Ziti

Found this recipe on Kelsey's Kitchen and Jason loved it! I did this sans beef and added a fresh diced tomato for texture instead.

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. ziti
½ lb. lean ground beef
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C. tomato sauce
½ tsp. dried Oregano
½ tsp. dried Basil
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook for about 8 minutes. The ziti should be slightly undercooked and chewy. Drain; set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the beef with onion and garlic. Stir in the tomato sauce, herbs, and salt.
4. Mix the ziti with the sauce and cheese in an ovenproof dish, saving some cheese to sprinkle on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.