Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parm (here with Parmesan Couscous)

Simple and so delicious

Chicken cutlets

Parmesan Reggiano cheese

Bread crumbs

Flour

Eggs

Vegetable Oil

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Mix the cheese, bread crumbs and flour on a large plate. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Crack the egg in a bowl and whisk it.

2. Dredge the chicken in the egg, then roll it in the flour mixture. Press the flour mixture into the chicken.

3. Place chicken into skillet and fry until golden brown.

Serve with spaghetti (or some other pasta) with red sauce or parm couscous like I did (I just prepared a box of parm flavored couscous)

Warm Weather = Caprese Salad

One of my favorite things from when I was in Italy was caprese salad. Simple, but delicious.

All you need are tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, olive oil and if you like balsamic vinegar like me, go for it. Perfect for this hot weather.

I also made an iced coffee drink. Just some espresso blend coffee, skim milk, sugar-free chocolate sauce and Truvia. Mmmmmm!

ALSO --I'm looking for a good bruschetta recipe, so if anyone has one PLEASE send it my way :)

Stir Fry! Yum!

I love me some stir fry! So I made some the other night, sans any meat. I used red peppers, white onions, broccoli, snap peas, garlic powder, soy sauce and brown rice.

OMG YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Today's Delish)

Talk about the most neglected blog of all time. What can I say? I've been way too busy to actually cook... which is really unfortunately :(

HOWEVER, today I was at Sahara Mart getting my dad his gluten-free waffles (he has celiacs) and I found this chocolate that I had when I was in Italy that I was obsessed with. I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't been able to find it anywhere!!!!!!! It's milk chocolate with white chocolate in the center. So delicious (yes, it's no Newman's, but it's still European which makes it 3298423984723974 times better than Hershey or Dove)....

Vegetarian Chili

So this cold weather has totally made me crave chili for the past week. But canned chili, not so good. I decided I'd just kind of get a bunch of stuff and make it up as I go. Here's what I came up with...

Veg Chili

2 white onions

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

3 large stalks of celery

1 can of stewed tomatoes

2 cans kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 12-oz package of ground beef substitute

2 cans of tomato sauce

1 carton vegetable stock

1 can tomato paste

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon flour

1. Clean and chop all the fresh veggies. Saute them until they're translucent, not brown. Sprinkle flour over them (thickening agent).

2. Add a cup of the vegetable stock, a can of the tomato sauce, the chili powder, onion powder, garlic salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and let mixture come to boil.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and let simmer however long you'd like.

4. Enjoyyyy!!!!!

Make from scratch pancakes

Well, I literally haven't had time for anything, much less homemade goodness. Sorry, blog, for neglecting you :/

Anyway....

There's nothing worse than waking up on a Sunday at 1 pm, with a small bit of hangover left, craving pancakes only to walk into the kitchen and realize you have no pancake mix. Have no fear! I have a recipe for insanely good homemade pancakes! The best part: it's soo easy.

Pancakes!

1 1/4 cups flour (I use whole wheat)

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 heaping tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 3/4 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl (hint: for fluffier pancakes, sift the dry ingredients. I don't own a sifter so I don't do it and they still turn out great).

2. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Add the milk, egg and butter into well.

3. Mix until mixture is smooth.

4. Heat large frying pan (or griddle if you're lucky enough to have one!). Pour batter into pan (make'em as big as ya want, obviously! But be careful because the batter will spread).

5. Flip when all of the bubbles in the batter have popped. The other side will take about as long as the first side.

6. Enjoy :) !!

Pita Pizzas

So let's be honest, pizza is my weakness. I honestly crave it more than any other food. I think it has something to do with being in college. But I've found a healthier (and cheaper) alternative to ordering pizza multiple times a day....

Spinach, Tomato and Feta Pizza

4 whole wheat pitas

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained

1 tomato (whichever kind is your fave)

1 cup feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place whole wheat pitas on baking sheet.

3. Combine ricotta, garlic, oregano, basil. Spread onto pitas.

4. Cut tomato into 1/2 in thick slices. Place as many slices as you'd like on pitas. Put spinach on top. Sprinkle with the feta cheese.

5. Bake for 10-12 min or until edges of pita are light brown (I also like my feta to have a little bit of brown as well).

6. ENOY :)!!!!

Margherita Pita Pizza

4 whole wheat pitas

Leftover spaghetti sauce

Feta

Tomato

Garlic powder (optional)

Black pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place pitas on baking sheet.

3. Spread very thin layer of sauce over pitas, sprinkle with garlic powder.

4. Cut tomato into 1/2 inch slices. Place slices on pitas.

5. Sprinkle with feta cheese and black pepper.

6. Bake for 10-12 min or until edges are light brown.

7. ENJOY :)!!!