Chicken/Eggplant/Zucchini Parmesan

This recipe is so versatile and a great way to incorporate veggies into a meal. Its simple and delicious!

Chicken and Eggplant are pretty common versions, but the Zucchini is great for those veggie skeptics! Mix and match the ingredients for variety. For the healthy conscious cooks, the chicken, eggplant, or zucchini can be baked instead of fried. When making chicken Parmesan you can keep the chicken breast whole, however for a quicker meal cut the chicken into cubes. You can either bake the ingredients with mozzarella cheese and pasta sauce before serving or just mix everything together in a bowl and serve.

Ingredients:

Chicken, Eggplant, or Zucchini (Slice Eggplant or Zucchini and cube or leave chicken whole)

1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Dried Basil

2Tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Vegetable oil

1 Jar of preferred Pasta Sauce

Pasta of choice

Mozzarella Cheese

1. In mixing bowl, combine Bread Crumbs, garlic powder, basil, and Parmesan cheese. In second bowl, beat eggs. Dip chicken, eggplant, or zucchini in egg and coat with bread crumb mixture.
2. Fill skillet with oil until bottom is covered 1/4 inch. Heat. When hot, add chicken, eggplant, or zucchini and cook until golden brown (flipping at least once).
3. (If preferred) In baking dish layer pasta sauce, main ingredient of choice, and mozzarella cheese. Bake until sauce is hot and cheese is melted.
4. Cook pasta and serve.

When coming home from a long work day, I just cube my chicken and slice a zucchini then skip the baking step by mixing everything in a bowl. Definitely try all the variations! Like my dad says, "Anything will taste good with pasta sauce and cheese on it."

Green Bean Casserole

I absolutely love this version of the classic green bean casserole. Fresh green beans provide an extra fresh and crisp flavor but canned green beans are quick and easy.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups fresh green beans (or two cans)

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

 1/3 stick of butter

3 cups chicken broth (or use a chicken bouillon cube or flavor boost packet)

1 can cream of mushroom soup (preferably the roasted garlic flavor)

1 (2.8 oz) French Fried Onion Rings (use extra for topping)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt

pepper

garlic powder

1. Boil green beans if chicken broth until tender. Drain once done.
2. In skillet, melt butter and saute the onions and mushrooms.
3. In skillet, add green beans, mushroom soup, onion rings, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well.
4. Transfer to greased baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Top with cheddar cheese and onion rings to top then continue cooking 10 minutes. Cheese well be well melted when done.

This recipes serves 4 people. If cooking for two just half the ingredients or if cooking for more than 4, double. You can also add chopped celery to the onion and mushroom mixture.

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This recipe is for sure to be a new favorite. The sauce is absolutely heavenly. However when making this meal, keep in mind that it might not look perfect but it sure will taste good!

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts
Swiss cheese slices
Ham sandwich meat
1/3 cup of flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
6 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream
tooth picks

1. Pound chicken breast to almost a 1/2 inch thick. Roll cheese slice and ham slice into tight tube. Roll chicken around cheese/ham tube and fasten with tooth picks. (Just remember how many you used when eating)
2. Mix flower, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder. Coat each chicken roll up with flower mixture.
3. Heat butter in skillet and then brown chicken on all sides on medium-high heat. Once chicken browned, add white wine and chicken bouillon. Reduce to low heat and cook covered for 30 minutes.
4. Remove chicken to serving platter. In skillet add whipping cream and cornstach. Whisk to well mix sauce and continue to cook on low heat until thickens.
5. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Don't worry if it takes 4 or 5 tooth picks to secure chicken roll up. Serve with rice and a side salad for a completed meal. This recipe is definitely worth the work for the great taste!

Banna Pudding

This post is for my dear friend and her banana pudding addicted husband!

Ingredients:

2-3 ripe bananas, sliced

Vanilla wafers (personal preference is Jackson's Old Fashioned brand and using 3/4 the bag)

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs, separated (use the yolk for the pudding and whites for meringue)

1/3 cup sugar

1. Combine 3/4 sugar, flour, and milk in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Stir mixture often so to not scorch the milk.
2. To separate eggs: try to crack shells in half, alternate yolk to each half carefully allowing egg white to fall into bowl. You don't want to over handle the yoke since it will break and mix into eggs whites. I would suggest only about 4 times on transporting between shell halves. Once eggs are separated, beat egg yolks.
3. To combine eggs with saucepan mixture, take 3 spoon fulls milk mixture and stir into beaten egg yolks. This will prevent the eggs for cooking instantly when added to hot milk mixture. Add yolks to saucepan and stir until mixture boils.
4. Boil gently for one minute then stir in vanilla and remove from heat.
5. For meringue, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar while continuing beating. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
6. In baking dish, alternate layers of wafers, banana, and pudding mixture. Spread top with meringue. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven to cool then refrigerate until pudding sets (roughly 2 hours).

Using a non-cooked recipe or pudding pack maybe be simpler but definitely cannot compare in taste!

This will for sure be a crowd favorite!