This weeks recipes were both tasty & delightful. I really enjoyed these recipes and will have them again very soon.
The Parmesan Chicken was moist (although I dislike that word) and I think that was due to the breading that was on it. The crust kept the moisture in, so it wasn't dry chicken at all. I will be the first to tell you, I AM NOT A FAN OF CHICKEN! but I must admit, this is a good chicken recipe. I am very picky if I am going to have chicken, so I chose the new Purdue chicken that is boneless, skinless & USDA Verified which means it is regulated on how the chicken is fed, housed, etc. I forgot to pound the chicken, but I think that didn't change the flavor. Just to let you know, whenever I am making anything & it calls for the basics such as butter, olive oil, etc. I use light or low fat versions of these. Some people might think it changes the flavor, but I like to be as healthy as I can & it doesn't change the taste for me. Anyways, the only other thing I changed about this recipe was that it called for seasoned bread crumbs only. I used half seasoned bread crumbs, half Panko bread crumbs. Simply because I like more of a crunch and the Panko is a thicker bread crumb, that's all. There were no out-of-the-ordinary tools used & none of the ingredients were hard to find. I loved how the chicken was topped with arugula (my favorite) & a simple dressing. It was like a mini salad with the chicken. I thought it complimented the chicken Parmesan very well. I love that this recipe came from the episode on Ina called "mystery guest" and her mystery guest was Mel Brooks. I love that I made the same food that Ina made for Mel Brooks! And as usual, I had my veggie of choice with it...asparagus!
The Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto was fabulous! I love the creaminess of risotto. My daughter said it tasted like dessert and was "creamy & beautiful." I loved that comment! I cheated with this recipe & bought pre-cut butternut squash. Yes, it costs a little more, but I hate cutting up butternut squash! Also, this recipe calls for vegetable broth. I hated using any stock or broth in a recipe because they used to only come in such big containers. Well, now my favorite brand has come out with individual 1 cup containers of broth. So now I don't waste any broth! The brand is Pacific Organic. I love all their products, soups & broths. I get the low sodium broth. Also, if you are a Weight Watchers dieter, their soups are low in points! Back to the recipe, it took longer to cook the butternut squash than the recipe said & risotto can be a little time consuming in that you have to stir in more broth every time the previous batch evaporates. It isn't hard, just a pain when you have other things to make at the same time. No unusual tools were needed. It did call for 1 vanilla bean (the seeds of one) & the bean itself for the broth. I found it at my beloved Fresh Market, but hopefully it won't be too hard for others to find as well. When it was all put together, it tasted so good! It will be a perfect recipe to eat in the Fall (my favorite time of year) because it is earthy & warm. Such a great comfort food recipe! You have to put the chives on the top as well. The chives add a kick to the risotto & is a wonderful addition to the dish. I hope you try these dishes & let me know what you think. Bon Appetit!
The Parmesan Chicken was moist (although I dislike that word) and I think that was due to the breading that was on it. The crust kept the moisture in, so it wasn't dry chicken at all. I will be the first to tell you, I AM NOT A FAN OF CHICKEN! but I must admit, this is a good chicken recipe. I am very picky if I am going to have chicken, so I chose the new Purdue chicken that is boneless, skinless & USDA Verified which means it is regulated on how the chicken is fed, housed, etc. I forgot to pound the chicken, but I think that didn't change the flavor. Just to let you know, whenever I am making anything & it calls for the basics such as butter, olive oil, etc. I use light or low fat versions of these. Some people might think it changes the flavor, but I like to be as healthy as I can & it doesn't change the taste for me. Anyways, the only other thing I changed about this recipe was that it called for seasoned bread crumbs only. I used half seasoned bread crumbs, half Panko bread crumbs. Simply because I like more of a crunch and the Panko is a thicker bread crumb, that's all. There were no out-of-the-ordinary tools used & none of the ingredients were hard to find. I loved how the chicken was topped with arugula (my favorite) & a simple dressing. It was like a mini salad with the chicken. I thought it complimented the chicken Parmesan very well. I love that this recipe came from the episode on Ina called "mystery guest" and her mystery guest was Mel Brooks. I love that I made the same food that Ina made for Mel Brooks! And as usual, I had my veggie of choice with it...asparagus!
The Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto was fabulous! I love the creaminess of risotto. My daughter said it tasted like dessert and was "creamy & beautiful." I loved that comment! I cheated with this recipe & bought pre-cut butternut squash. Yes, it costs a little more, but I hate cutting up butternut squash! Also, this recipe calls for vegetable broth. I hated using any stock or broth in a recipe because they used to only come in such big containers. Well, now my favorite brand has come out with individual 1 cup containers of broth. So now I don't waste any broth! The brand is Pacific Organic. I love all their products, soups & broths. I get the low sodium broth. Also, if you are a Weight Watchers dieter, their soups are low in points! Back to the recipe, it took longer to cook the butternut squash than the recipe said & risotto can be a little time consuming in that you have to stir in more broth every time the previous batch evaporates. It isn't hard, just a pain when you have other things to make at the same time. No unusual tools were needed. It did call for 1 vanilla bean (the seeds of one) & the bean itself for the broth. I found it at my beloved Fresh Market, but hopefully it won't be too hard for others to find as well. When it was all put together, it tasted so good! It will be a perfect recipe to eat in the Fall (my favorite time of year) because it is earthy & warm. Such a great comfort food recipe! You have to put the chives on the top as well. The chives add a kick to the risotto & is a wonderful addition to the dish. I hope you try these dishes & let me know what you think. Bon Appetit!
the risotto is in my new giada cookbook which i have flagged and can't wait to make- it sounds so yummy! we should cook together when you are here- oh food :)
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