Chicken Parmesan

Sometimes a quick dinner is what I'm after. With only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes you too can have dinner on the table in the blink of an eye thanks to frozen breaded chicken breast tenderloins. What's great about this meal is the clean up. Quick and simple.

I served the Chicken Parmesan over simple olive oil noodles but a side salad with a vinaigrette would be nice as well. I think it would make a fantastic sandwich too. Everyone in my household loved this meal and went back for seconds.

Chicken Parmesan

MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, February 2005

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 2 (12 oz) packages low-fat baked breaded chicken-breast tenderloins or cutlets
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

And Action:

Preheat oven to 425° F. Place the chicken in a shallow roasting pan or a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Sprinkle with the oregano, then pour on the sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is hot and the cheese is melted. Season with pepper to taste.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calcium: 87mg

Calories: 345
Calories from fat: 25%
Carbohydrate: 33g
Cholesterol: 84mg
Fat: 10g
Fiber: 1g
Iron: 1mg
Protein: 32mg
Saturated fat: 3g
Sodium: 1840mg

Chocolate Glaze

Mr. Sideline Chef and I are about to celebrate our 4 year anniversary coming up on May 9. Our anniversary is the only holiday that I get overly emotional about and stress the importance to him about not forgetting. He in fact actually remembered the date this year all on his own. For a man who forgets his own father's exact birth date (he remembers it's around the tax filing deadline, haha) I was rather impressed and touched.

I don't know why I put so much importance on our anniversary. For example... Mother's Day. Overrated. I'm happy to be a mother everyday and don't need a special day. So why do I get so crazed over our anniversary when everyday with Mr. Sideline Chef is special? Can't put my finger on it. Plus throughout the year we do "just because" surprises which are more exciting than anticipating an actual day and forcing him to buy me a special present.

Maybe it's because I like to brag that we've been together for X amount of years. That must be it. The fact that we've found a way to live with each other's quirks and not kill each other in such a small living space after all these years.

With our anniversary date approaching and the lovey feeling so strong I decided that I wanted to make chocolate covered strawberries. Every time we are at the mall and we pass Godiva I can't help but drool over theirs. He'll always ask me if I want some but being as frugal as I am the answer is always the same, "No!" Actually, it's more like, "Hell no! Are you kidding me? I could make them for less!"

I didn't make the chocolate covered strawberries for our anniversary, per se, but they would be a perfect dessert for that night. Instead I made them as a special dessert surprise since I rarely make dessert. It will be a nice surprise after a Monday at work.

So simple to make! I made the chocolate glaze which is nothing more than melted chocolate chips with a little bit of vegetable shortening to add shine. Once the chocolate glaze was ready I dipped the strawberries into it and then placed them on wax paper and let them chill in the fridge to set. Did I mention how easy? And less than $10 to make!


Mandatory... Lick the bowl clean!!!



Chocolate Glaze

MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, December 2000

Makes 1 cup

Stars of the Show:

• 2 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chip pieces - You could use the same amount of white chocolate chips if you prefer.
• 2 tsp vegetable shortening, optional

And Action:

Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water. Once the chocolate is completely melted, you can use it as a dip or drizzle it over the cookies. Chocolate covered strawberries are highly recommended or bananas and then sprinkled with chopped peanuts and then frozen. Yummy!

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calcium: 7mg
Calories: 102
Calories from fat: 1%
Carbohydrate: 13g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Fat: 6g
Fiber: 1g
Iron: 1mg
Protein: 1mg
Saturated fat: 4g
Sodium: 2mg

Don't forget to enter to win an Organic Bikes Biodegradable Water Bottle!

Homemade Croutons

Seems like every time we throw a barbecue we end up buying more hamburger and hot dog buns then needed. I'm not a fan of freezing breads and most of the time I'll end up throwing away the leftovers since we can't eat the buns up in time and they start to get moldy.

Since I am the only one in our household who adds "rabbit food" to my cheeseburgers we tend to have a lot of lettuce, tomatoes, and other toppings leftover as well. Perfect for salads for lunches throughout the week.

Croutons are perfect for salads and a great way to use up those buns that we won't end up eating.

When I make salads at home croutons aren't generally an ingredient that I add but when I eat out I look forward to those crunchy bits in the salad. I also love a well seasoned crouton.

These Homemade Croutons are so easy to make and are seasoned to perfection. Homemade Croutons taste much better than store bought. I think making your own croutons would be a perfect touch when serving a salad to guests and adds a touch of class.

You could even make a batch of the croutons and then pulse them in the food processor for a breadcrumb topping for a mac n' cheese. However you use them you won't be disappointed.

Homemade Croutons

MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, August 2007

Makes 2 cups

Stars of the Show:

• 2 hamburger or hot dog buns, cut into 1" pieces
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp salt - I think using half this amount would be better.
• 2 tsp mixed dried herbs - I used oregano, thyme, basil, onion powder, and garlic powder.

And Action:

Preheat oven to 375°. Place the cut buns onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Drizzle with the butter, salt, and mixed dried herbs. Bake, turning once, for about 7 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.

Let the croutons cool. You can store the croutons in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 136
Calories from fat: 66%
Fat: 10g
Saturated fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 23mg
Sodium: 339mg
Carbohydrate: 11g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 2g

Peanut Butter Truffles

Valentine's Day in our household is just another day. Yes, we do the Valentine's card exchange and Mr. Sideline Chef might bring home some flowers or a small present he's picked up. We're not big on the hype of the day itself. We believe that everyday is about each other and our son. No day beats those "just because" days when he comes home with one arm behind his back, a grin on his face, and presenting me with something that made him think of me. This guy has surprised me with a purse, kitchen items, flowers, and such. I don't want him to feel forced to get me something for a "holiday".

As for going out on the actual night itself... are you crazy? You won't catch us waiting more than 15 minutes to be seated at a restaurant. We tend to just rent a movie, make dinner, and sit in our spots on our sectional which happen to be at polar ends. Romantic right? Pssh. Sounds like a typical Saturday night for us.

I'm not a romantic person per say. I do thoughtful things every day. Putting the toilet seat down, picking clothes up off of the floor, cleaning up beard trimmings, etc. Now that's love! I don't tend to surprise him with "just because" gifts, hear me out, he's the bread winner, I bring in zero income so what do I do? "Here hunny, look what I bought you with your money today?" (He does not see it this way, it's our money.) Our solution is this: he can buy whatever his heart wants whenever he pleases. It's really a win win. I don't have to stress over what to buy the man who has everything but not enough sports memorabilia and he gets exactly what he wants.

The only Valentine's Day hype I buy into is sexy lingerie chocolate covered everything. Knowing that my fellow foodies might have a different take on the holiday and actually go all out for their loved ones than this post is mostly for you. You most likely will have all of the ingredients in your pantry and butter in your fridge to whip up these Peanut Butter Truffles. They are incredibly easy to make, taste great, and are covered in chocolate and dusted with cocoa powder.

Chocolate and peanut butter are a flavor combination that make my heart sing and my taste buds dance. When you bite into these the chocolate coating cracks and the peanut butter melts into your mouth with a crunch from the peanuts. Perfect for Everything Covered in Chocolate Valentine's Day!

Peanut Butter Truffles

MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, February 2001

Makes 35-45 Truffles

Stars of the Show:

• 1 cup chunky or creamy peanut butter - I used extra crunchy peanut butter.
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup cocoa powder

And Action:

Mix the peanut butter and butter in a bowl and mix well. Spread the mixture evenly into a baking dish and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Using a melon baller (I used a tablespoon), form rounds and place them on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Place them back in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden.

While the peanut butter rounds are hardening melt the chocolate. I placed the chocolate chips in a microwaveble bowl and put them in the microwave for 30 seconds and stirred until completely melted. Let the chocolate cool to room temperature.

Drop the peanut butter rounds into the chocolate turning to coat and then retrieve them with a fork to allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Garnish immediately with a dusting of cocoa powder or whatever other topping you prefer, salted peanuts maybe? Yummy.

Store these truffles in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to two weeks. How they will last that long is beyond me.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 93 (1% from fat)

Fat: 7g (sat 3g)

Protein: 2mg

Carbohydrate: 8g

Fiber: 2g

Cholesterol: 3mg

Iron: 1mg

Sodium: 31mg

Calcium: 9mg

Have these for dessert and maybe make something that you can enter for the Culinary Smackdown Battle while you are at it. The entries submitted already look incredibly tasty and Mr. Sideline Chef and I are looking forward to tasting and judging. Best of luck to those who enter and thank you in advance for participating! You have until February 27th, 2011 to link your recipe and the winner will be announced the following morning.

Cumin Carrot Fries

Carrot fries how I love thee. I started making carrot fries when my itty bitty started on finger foods. He loved carrots and he loved french fries so I figured why not prepare carrots the same method I would for french fries. It went over without a hitch. To this day my itty bitty still loves his carrot fries with his meals or even on their own as a snack. It's nice not having to use trickery to get more veggies into his diet. Mind you, he is a toddler and getting him to eat any new items or just in general has become a battle of wills. Making a batch of carrot fries is a great go to option in our household.

Normally I would just toss the carrot sticks in olive oil and some salt but this recipe called for the addition of ground cumin. Brought back memories of the Sweet Carrot Salad I had made at the beginning of December 2010. It was my first time using ground cumin to flavor carrots and the recipe was a success so I figured this would go over just as well.

Sure enough they were delicious and itty bitty's seal of approval came with it. It's nice to add a new flavor combo to the rotation. With a quick roasting time these make a great snack or side dish. Give them a try!

Cumin Carrot Fries
MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, November 2002

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 1/2 lb peeled carrots, sliced into 3 inch sticks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt

And Action:

Combine the olive oil, ground cumin, and salt in a bowl. Add the carrot sticks and toss to coat. Lay the carrot sticks onto a baking sheet in an even layer and roast in a 400° oven for 10 minutes. Stir the carrot sticks around and continue roasting to your desired color of doneness. Mine were in for 15 minutes. I recommend setting the timer in 5 minute increments after the initial 10 minute roast time.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 88 (0% from fat)
Fat: 5g (sat 1g)
Protein: 1mg
Carbohydrate: 11g
Fiber: 3g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Iron: 0mg
Sodium: 271mg
Calcium: 40mg

Ginger White Rice

Really this recipe was nothing outstanding. No photos even. Imagine a bowl of brown rice. I came across the recipe while browsing the Internet and thought it would be perfect for continuing on with eating up the contents in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. The end result was just like eating straight white rice. Both the ginger and soy sauce taste nonexistent and I had to add more after scooping the rice into my bowl.

There is plenty of leftover rice so the game plan for another night will be making a chicken stir fry out of it and adding more of those Asian flavors that I love and lots of egg! My stir fried rice can never have too much egg in it. Hoping to salvage what I have so I don't have to eat another side of blandness.

As for the Ginger White Rice making an appearance in this house again it doesn't look promising.

Ginger White Rice

MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, March 2001

Makes 4 servings

Stars of the Show (It's a long stretch.):

• 1 1/2 cups white rice
• 1 tbsp peeled, grated or minced ginger - I used ground ginger.
• 2 tsp soy sauce

And Action (Obviously the ingredients forgot how to get along together.):

Place the rice in a large pot and add the ginger, soy sauce, and 2 1/2 cup water. Over high heat bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

The original recipe suggests serving this with Salmon with Black Bean Sauce and I am sure that is where the flavor really comes from and the rice is there to soak up the sauce rather than being the "it" dish.

Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Shallots

A recipe like this reminds me of why I refer to myself as The Pretend Chef. I just think I know what I am doing in the kitchen. If you could be a fly on my wall you would see me throughout the making of a recipe running to the computer to do a quick search to see what this or that should look like or what a certain cooking term means.

Before becoming a stay at home mom the word "blanch" was never in my vocabulary. I recall having to watch a how to video. Sad. I know. It wasn't my mother's fault. It is my own. My mother spent countless hours on her feet standing over pots of homemade sauces or whipping up whatever delicious baked good she was working on for the day. My entire existence. To this day I kick myself for not being a more active participant in her kitchen.

Juggling the Old-Fashioned Meatloaf and this side dish I became a bit overwhelmed especially when I, in a spur of the moment decision, thought to invite the neighbors over for dinner. Mind you, I have cooking anxiety when it comes to preparing anything for others. Mr. Sideline Chef was told to let everyone know it would be ready by 6 p.m. Let's just say I ended up having him contact everyone again and letting them know dinner would be ready around 7 p.m.

Back to why this is a reminder of why I'm The Pretend Chef. The caramelizing of the shallots did happen at one moment. They looked beautiful. I have a bad habit of accidentally turning the wrong burners up in heat all the time. Rather than turning the burner up to boil my water for the potatoes the shallots crisped up nicely and gave off a burning aroma throughout the house. Thankfully they didn't get burnt completely through and had a bit of a soft texture to them. I said a bit. When I laid the caramelized burnt shallots on top of my mashed potatoes and took my first bite the shallots had a saltiness to them and somewhat stuck to my back molars. No one else wanted to try them. I ate them all by myself. I also like my hot dogs burnt... by choice.

If you give these a try I'm sure you'll have the results that are expected. A beautiful pile of caramelized shallots to lay on top of a bed of mashed potatoes. Just remember to watch the burners, you don't want to pull a Pretend Chef move.

Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Shallots 

*Click the link for yourself to see how these caramelized shallots are meant to look.*

MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, November 2007

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Stars of the Show:

• 5 pounds white or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed - I used Yukon gold potatoes.
• salt and black pepper
• 8 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 5 medium shallots
• 1 tbsp olive oil

And Action:

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and add 2 1/2 tbsp salt. Reduce heat to a simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes.

While the potatoes are simmering, peel and thinly slice the shallots. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and return them back to the pot. Add the butter, buttermilk, cream, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3/4 tsp black pepper. Mash the potatoes. Fold the shallots into the mashed potatoes (I kept mine separate so people can either have them or not.) before transferring to a serving dish.

The originally recipe also adds a "Make Ahead Note": The potatoes can be made up to 2 hours in advance and kept warm in a double broiler or Crock-Pot. If the potatoes are chilled and then reheated, they will turn dry and pasty.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 358 (40% from fat)

Fat: 16g (sat 9g)
Protein: 6g
Carbohydrate: 48g
Fiber: 7g
Cholesterol: 41mg
Sodium: 164mg