Barefoot Contessa's Chicken Piccata

I made this the other night in 15 minutes with some lemons we brought home from Jared's dad's trees in California. It blew our minds even though this picture isn't that good. I found it in Barefoot Contessa at Home, but it can be found here as well.

Chicken Piccata

2007, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients

• 2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1/2 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• Good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Sliced lemon, for serving
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Pasta and Quick Tomato Sauce

In the last three months this recipe has become a Rowley staple thanks to Leland's introducing me to it. We eat it about every week. Last night I accidentally added 1/4 CUP sugar rather than 1/4 teaspoon which meant I spent the next hour tripling the recipe and adding lots of salt and still our guests raved over it. I think that means this recipe is beyond fool-proof. I also generally add a small can of plain tomato sauce just because we like it a little moister.

Pasta and Quick Tomato Sauce

Taken from The New Best Recipe cookbook 2004 edition.

Serves 4

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes packed in juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Salt

1 pound pasta (any shape)

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and the garlic in a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes; simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the basil, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

2. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta tot he boiling water, stir to separate the noodles, and cook until al dente; reserve 1/4 cup cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot. Mix in the reserved pasta cooking water, tomato sauce, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil; cook together over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly and serve immediately.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

The first time I made Flourless Chocolate Cake I used a recipe from Molly Wisenberg's book A Homemade Life (a fun read and great resource) but felt that hers was too rich so the next time I used the recipe below from Epicurious and it wasn't rich enough so I made it again for my husband's birthday but added closer to 6 or 7 ounces of chocolate. I think it is supremely perfect and it was quite a hit at the party. I can't say enough about this cake. Berries and ice cream were a nice addition too.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Gourmet | November 1997

yield: Makes one 8-inch cake (I used a 9 inch out of necessity)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

ingredients

• 4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with sorbet if desired. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

Taken from epicurious.com http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Flourless-Chocolate-Cake-14478

Chicken and White Bean Soup with Herb Swirl

I made this a few months ago and Jared and I both really liked it. An especially good cold weather soup. Of course I didn't have any fresh herbs for it except maybe rosemary, but dried worked very well (I just used about half as much as they called for fresh).

Chicken and White Bean Soup with Herb Swirl

Bon Appétit | March 2009

by Maria Helm Sinskey

makes 4 to 6 servings

• 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained
• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 bay leaf

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil and next 4 ingredients in small skillet over medium heat until herbs are aromatic, about 11/2 minutes. Pour herb oil into bowl; cool.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat. Sauté chicken 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Mix in last 5 ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken; simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Gently swirl 1 teaspoon herb oil into center of each.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-and-White-Bean-Soup-with-Herb-Swirl-351512#ixzz0kDybODIB