Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Cup of Flour

1 Stick of Butter

4 TBSP Olive Oil

1 Lemon

1 Cup Chicken Broth

1/4 Cup of Capers

Salt and Pepper

Directions

1.)  Flatten Chicken Breasts and cut in half.  Season with Salt and Pepper

2.)  In a flat dish add Flour, Salt, and Pepper

3.)  Dredge Chicken in Flour

4.)  In a medium skillet heat Butter and Olive Oil.  Once it starts to sizzle add Chicken

5.)  Cook Chicken on each side until golden brown

6.)  Remove Chicken to baking dish

7.)  In your skillet mix pan drippings with Chicken Broth, juice from Lemon, and Capers

8.)  Bring to a boil (you can add a TBSP of flour and whisk into sauce if you want to thicken it up)

9.)  Pour sauce over Chicken and Bake at 350 Degrees for 20 minutes

Lemon Artichoke Orzo 

Ingredients 

1 Package of Orzo Pasta

1 small Onion, diced

1 can of Artichokes, diced

1/4 Cup of Prosciutto, chopped (or you can use Pancetta or Bacon)

1 Cup of Spinach, Chopped

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1 Lemon, Zest and Juiced

4 TBSP Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 Cup of Crumbled Feta Cheese

Directions

1.)  Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook Orzo according to package (You can also cook in chicken broth for more flavor)

2.)  Chop Onion, Prosciutto, Artichokes, Spinach and Garlic

3.)  In a medium skillet heat Olive Oil and add Onions, cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes

4.)  Add in Garlic, Prosciutto, and Artichokes.  Cook another 2-3 minutes.  Add Spinach

5.)  Zest Lemon over skillet, and then add the juice of the lemon.

6.)  Mix in cooked Orzo, stir until all ingredients are combined.  Turn off heat

7.)  Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with Feta Cheese

**Can be served warm or cold

As you know by know my Mom was a great cook and growing up she  was always sharing her recipes with family and friends.  I still have people telling me a certain recipe of my Mom’s is one of their favorites and when they make her famous dish it reminds them of her.  Her Peach Pie was always one I remember growing up and now it is a favorite of my sisters to make for the family.

Recently I found her Chicken Marsala recipe which is in her handwriting which brought a smile to my face but it also reminded me of the first meal I ever made for Nick back in high school.  On Valentine’s Day with my Mom’s help I made Nick Chicken Marsala and Fettuccine Alfredo.  This meal has become a meal we make together on special occasions.  We open a bottle of wine and enjoy a night together of cooking one of our favorite meals.

Enjoy these three recipes that bring many memories to our family.

Peaches and Cream Pie

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 Box of Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Can Peach Slices

1 8 oz. Cream Cheese

1/2 Cup Sugar

3 TBSP. Peach Juice

For Topping

1 TBSP. Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Directions

1.)  Mix Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Vanilla Pudding Mix, Egg, and Milk together using hand mixer

2.)  Pour into a greased pie pan

3.)  Drain Peaches (reserving 3 TBSP Peach Juice) and place in single layer in pie dish

4.) Using hand mixer mix Cream Cheese, Sugar, and Peach Juice until creamy

5.)  Spread over peaches leaving a 1 inch edge around pie dish

6.)  Mix Sugar and Cinnamon together and sprinkle on top of Cream Cheese Mixture

7.)  Bake at 350 Degrees for 30-35 minutes

Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Ingredients

1 Box of Fettuccine Noodles

1 Stick of Butter

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

2 Cups Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1.)  Cook Pasta according to package

2.)  In saucepan over medium heat melt Butter and add Heavy Cream

3.)  Bring to simmer and add in Parmesan Cheese, stir until melted, remove from heat

4.)  Add cooked Fettuccine Noodles and Salt and Pepper

5.)  Mix together and top with Parmesan Cheese

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

1 Package of Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts

3 Eggs, beaten

1/4 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup Flour

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

3 TBSP Olive Oil

3 TBSP Butter

1 small Onion, Diced

1 Package of Mushrooms, Diced

1 Clove of Garlic, Mashed

1 Cup Marsala Wine

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, Grated

Directions

1.)  Flatten Chicken Breasts between two sheets of wax paper using meat tenderizer

2.)  Combine Egg and Milk in Shallow Dish.  In separate dish combine Flour, Salt, and Pepper

3.)  Dip Chicken in Egg Mixture then Flour

4.)  Heat Olive Oil and Butter in skillet.  Brown Chicken pieces on both sides and remove to single layer in baking dish

5.)  Saute Onion, Mushrooms, and Garlic in pan drippings

6.)  Add Marsala Wine and Chicken Broth.  Bring to a boil to reduce liquid

7.)  Pour onion, mushrooms, and wine mixture over chicken

8.)  Top with Mozzarella Cheese and Bake at 350 Degrees for 20-25 minutes

9.)  Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo

Growing up one of my Grandma’s speciality meals was her homemade chicken noodle soup.  There was nothing better than her bringing over a big plastic butter container that was filled with her famous soup. (Anyone else’s Grandma save all the plastic containers from food and use as Tupperware?!)

Ingredients

1 Whole Chicken

2 Medium Onions (1 diced, 1 cut in half)

1 Bag of Carrots (half diced, half whole)

1 Bag of Celery (half diced, half whole)

2 Sprigs of Thyme

2 Bay Leaves

Salt and Pepper

1 Tablespoon Garlic

1 Bag of Egg Noodles

**NOTE: If you don’t want to make your own chicken or stock you can use a store bought Rotisserie Chicken and Chicken Broth

Homemade Chicken Stock

1.)  Pat whole chicken dry with paper towel and remove giblets.  Season with Salt, Pepper, and Garlic

2.) Stuff Chicken with half of the Onion, Thyme, and Bay Leaves

3.)  Fill stock pot with warm water and place whole chicken, carrots, celery, and the rest of the onion in the pot

4.)  Bring to boil and simmer for 1 hour

5.)  Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from stock and let cool.  Remove all vegetables and bay leaves

Chicken Noodle Soup

1.)  Dice Carrots, Celery, and Onions

2.)  Place vegetables in Chicken Stock and bring to a simmer

3.)  Shred Chicken and add to stock

4.)  Add in Egg Noodles and salt and pepper to taste

5.)  Once Noodles are cooked remove soup from heat