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Giz and Psychgrad over at Equal Opportunity Kitchen are hosting a blogging event called Tried, Tested and True. 

 

The event is basically a roundup of our favorite recipes, the ones that are always in rotation, that get rave reviews from our families, friends and anyone else that is lucky enough to dine at our tables! ;)  I have quite a few recipes that fit this description, but the one I thought of immediately was Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Broccoli and Fusilli.  Originally, one of my best friends in the whole wide world, Elle at Elle’s New England Kitchen,  shared this recipe with us gals, and I couldn’t WAIT to go out and get the stuff to try it.  I mean, jeez!  It’s got all of my favorite stuff in there!  Chicken, greens, gaaaaahlic, freshly grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano, a delicious lemon pepper vinagrette…and the pasta…holy dear Lords of pasta, this is just amazing….her recipe began with bow-ties, but I’ve since switched to fusilli (the twisty, spiraly lookin stuff).  Broccoli is probably one of my favorite vegetables, throw in some more parm, toasted pine nuts, lemon and garlic–OH and butterrrrr and you have me swooning with delight.  Elle’s recipes *always* rock my world.  And I mean ALWAYS.  What can I say?  The girl can cook, folks. 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (200 grams) fresh greens of choice, washed and thinly sliced (I used baby romaines this time)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound (100 grams) freshly grated parmiggiano-reggiano
2 pounds (1 kilo) thin chicken fillets
2 large eggs plus 2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated parmiggiano-reggiano cheese
1/4 cup light olive oil for frying

Preparation:

Prepare your greens first, and set aside.
Whisk together lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and reserve (this is your vinaigrette).
Prepare your chicken “station.”
Beat eggs and water in a deep plate.
In another deep plate, combine seasoned bread crumbs, parm, salt and pepper.
Dip chicken in egg first, then in bread crumb/parm mixture.
Set aside on a plate.
Repeat with remaining chicken fillets.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on one side, depending on thickness, then turn and do the same (3-4 minutes) on second side until no longer pink and nicely golden brown.
Plate the chicken, then place a a bit of greens over each chicken breast.
Dress with lemon pepper vinaigrette and top with extra freshly grated parm.
You want this, don’t you? I can tell.

Now, the perfect accompaniment to this meal IMNSHO, is the Broccoli and Fusilli. Also Elle’s recipe.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (200 grams) fusilli (the original recipe calls for bow-ties)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1-2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly grated parmiggiano-reggiano cheese

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Drain.
Meanwhile, bring broccoli to a boil in salted water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
While your pasta and broccoli are cooking, heat butter and oil in a small sauce pan and saute garlic until golden.
Add lemon zest and stir.
Remove from heat.
Add the pepper and lemon juice and stir well.
Pour this over the broccoli and pasta.
Add pine nuts and freshly grated parm to taste (I use a generous half cup or so).
Toss well.
**note**it’s a good idea to make the pasta first, then the chicken if making these together. The pasta reheats really well.

So there’s this train of recipes just patiently waiting to be posted on the site…but the thing is, is that I’ve been busy with the aftermath of the kids being home.  Yes, I am *still* finding remnants of those twisty tie things they so abundantly fasten kids’ toys with today in the strangest of corners.  The aftermath of the holiday vacation has been keeping me busy…everything seems to be out of place.  Like, why on Earth is that sock hanging from the door handle?  Why are *all* of the dvd’s out of their cases?  And OH!  Watch out!  Remote control car on the loose!  So.  My sweet little recipes are all waiting patiently in line at .  Asking which one gets to be first….”Pick me!  Pick me!” they say.  Hopefully I will be able to post them all over the next week (supposing that I can keep up with the newer things I plan to make, and not perpetuate the queue! haha). 

This recipe comes to us from my Mom, Carla.  She made a similar one over the holidays and sent me the recipe.  It sounded SO good!  And dang…it sure was!  It makes a huge batch, though, so if you’re not feeding a large family or an army, you might want to scale it back a bit.  I sort of took the “idea” of her recipe and ran with it, I looked at the ingredient list added some stuff, subtracted some stuff, and winged it.  This is one of those soups that is a whole meal in itself, hearty, satisfying and oh, so good.  I hope you like it as much as we did!

And now for something new…I’d like to suggest a Rosé wine to accompany this soup…something not too dry, not too fruity, with just a hint of a bubble, but not quite…El Coto Rosado.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, peeled and diced
1 pound chicken breast, diced
2 zucchini, chopped
1 head broccoli, in florets
1 head cauliflower, in florets
1 cup peas
4 quarts chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup freshly grated grana padano cheese
2 cups tortellini

Preparation:

In a large (huge) stockpot, melt butter and saute garlic first, until golden.
Add onions, carrots and celery and saute a couple of minutes more.
Add chicken and brown (good brown bits make for delicious soup!).
Add remaining vegetables and broth and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, prepare alfredo.
Melt butter in a saucepan, then whisk in flour, salt and pepper…throw in some garlic powder too.
Gradually add milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Stir the sauce constantly until thickened.
Then remove from heat and whisk in cheese.
Adjust seasoning.
Whisk the sauce into the soup quickly.
Add tortellini and cook 15 minutes more.