Cooking Last Week

Wish I had a button or something for this weekly post. (note to self: find a picture or figure out how to create a button)

Last week was a great week in trying the recipes from my recipe collection. Made 2 winners - one that was already made twice and another that I am making again for breakfast today or tomorrow. Not too shabby.

Parmesan Chicken

I know there are a million recipes for Parmesan Chicken but my daughter and I have declared this one the best one ever.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Butter

Olive oil

Pound chicken breasts until they are 1/4 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate or bowl, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crums and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Coat the chicken breast on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg misture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breats on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes (mine was more like 4 or more) on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the cicken breasts.

Note: You can pound the meat between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap.

Keep the chicken breasts warm for about 15 minutes on a sheet pan in a 200 degree over.

(From a recipe copied from a friend's Martha Stewart cookbook)

Corn Cakes

Another keeper that I am making for breakfast again this week.

1 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal (I plan on using more, 1/2 cup didn't give enough cornbread flavor)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs

4 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and melted butter. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined; set aside.

Working in batches, drop a scant 1/4 cup batter into the skillet for each pancake and cook over medium-high heat, without disturbing, until small bubbles appear on the surface about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until browned on the other side, about 1 minute.

(From Rachael Ray magazine)

Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

We did not care for this recipe at all but at least I learned a new way to season and cook meat. I've never marinaded meat in dry spices before and then fried/seared the spice to the meat in a skillet. I will probably try this technique with some spices we prefer.

Fluffy Cake Doughnuts

I received those doughnut pans advertised on TV several years ago for Christmas and have since then tried various doughnut recipes searching for that one recipe that we actually like. I have yet to find it. This particular recipe was too dense and flavorless. My search continues.