Endive Surprise

The kind folks with California Endive surprised me with an early Valentine today - a bouquet of beautiful endives! I thought it was so clever, mostly because I think it would be such a fun hostess gift. I've always waited for the day when someone brings me a large Brussels sprout stalk or the like to be quirky and fun - not to mention useful!

Anyway, with this surprise vegetable bounty, I decided to put it to use with some things lingering in my pantry and fridge. The result, a delightful meal!

Cauliflower Pasta

1/2 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (2-3 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon truffle salt (or sea salt)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta
2 slices bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup olives, chopped
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay out cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, then drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the truffle salt and pepper. Toss to combine then place in the oven to roast for 30 minutes, until cauliflower begins to brown. Remove and place in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, place a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and add to the cauliflower bowl.

While pasta cooks, heat a cast iron or other skillet on medium heat and cook bacon until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving oil. Add garlic to the drippings and saute one minute. Remove garlic and add to pasta bowl. Add the sun dried tomatoes, olives and Parmigiano Reggiano and toss to combine. Bon Appetit!

Endive Surprise Salad

2 endives, cores removed and outer leaves roughly chopped
reserved bacon drippings (from recipe above!)
4 ounces spring mix
6 dates, chopped
1 ounce toasted walnuts
Balsamic vinegar to taste
Salt and pepper

After removing the garlic from the bacon drippings in the cast iron skillet from the cauliflower pasta, I added the endive to the skillet to saute it in the drippings for 3-4 minutes. Next add it to a large bowl, then add in the lettuce mix, dates and walnuts and toss to combine. Top with balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano and salt and pepper and toss to combine. The bacon drippings that cling to the endive will combine with the vinegar for a delightful dressing.

Tagliatelle with Fresh Corn Pesto

So I realize I just did an extensive post on corn, but maybe you didn't know just how much I love corn. When I opened the August issue of Bon Appetit to find that they had a whole section devoted to corn, I turned into a giddy little girl. You will too (I don't care who you are) after you make this recipe.

I took a few small liberties, but the credit all goes to Bon Appetit. I can already tell this will be a favorite in my house for many summers to come!

Tagliatelle with Fresh Corn Pesto
*includes a few tiny tweaks from yours truly :)

4 bacon slices, chopped
5 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 6 large ears)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted and divided
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces tagliatelle
3/4 cup coarsely torn fresh basil leaves, divided

Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, stirring often. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Add corn, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper to drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat until corn is just tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer 2 cups corn kernels to small bowl and reserve. Scrape remaining corn mixture into processor. Add 3/4 cup Parmesan, 1/3 cup pine nuts and 1/4 cup basil leaves. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set pesto aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, and 1/2 cup basil leaves. Toss pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil leaves, 3 tablespoons pine nuts and reserved bacon. Serve pasta, passing additional grated Parmesan alongside.

Spicy Sausage Vegetable Pasta

I got this delicious jalapeno cream cheese at the farmer's market and knew that it needed a special purpose. Paired with spicy Italian sausage, then tempered with a creamy sauce, this was a great contrast of flavors and textures. If you can't find jalapeno cream cheese, simply dice a jalapeno and add it with the mushrooms, then use plain cream cheese.

Spicy Sausage Vegetable Pasta

1 pound whole wheat pasta
1 pound asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups marinara sauce
4 ounces jalapeno goat cheese
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Place a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes. Add asparagus to pasta pot and cook additional 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking up into small pieces. Drain fat and set aside in a bowl. Warm the skillet again on medium and heat up the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook additional 3-4 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and cream cheese and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer another 3-4 minutes. Add sausage back to skillet, and then pour entire skillet mixture into the large pasta bowl. Add 3/4 cup Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and toss.

Serve with additional Parmesan on the table for sprinkling.

5 Reasons...

...to get the March issue of Cooking Light. I tore through it last weekend, flagging about 15 recipes. Needless to say, every meal I made last week came straight from its pages. With that in mind, I wanted to share what I made last week since I didn't really create any of my own recipes!

1. Spicy Shrimp and Grits - this really was spicy and filling, and surprisingly good leftover. I think I went a little heavy on the parmesan, but it was worth it :)
2. Lamb and Chickpea Tagine - These were some unique flavors for me to use, and I even went a little heavier on the spice. Enjoyed with a zinfandel like they recommended, which was wonderful.
3. Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta and Pine Nuts - Simple, delicious, and we ate too much. I crisped the pancetta in a skillet instead of the oven and then cooked the garlic in the drippings for extra flavor - yum :)
4. Maple and Soy-Glazed Flank Steak - this was great since I already had all the sauce ingredients in my pantry. Word of warning though, when you add the glaze, make sure not to get it on the pan or it will burn when you broil it! I'd recommend adding the glaze after the steak is done cooking.
5. Austin, TX! That's right, my sassy city has been featured in this month's Cooking Light. I haven't tried any of the recipes included on the featured restaurants yet, but I'll definitely be giving Hoover's Eggs Blindfolded over Garlic Cheddar Grits a try soon :)

Lemony Shrimp Pasta

Apron's baaack! Sorry dear readers for the long blogging hiatus. Frankly, I was feeling less than inspired lately in the kitchen, and mostly following recipes. Well, I'm back and feeling more creative than ever, so be on the lookout for more tasty recipes!

Warming our tushes by the fire!

Friday was Christine's birthday, and there's nothing like a birthday to celebrate to get me in the mood to cook. We celebrated with a gentle roommate dinner, some spiked hot chocolate, a hot fire and some Muppets videos. A great night!

Lemony Shrimp Pasta

2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
24 ounces spaghetti
1 bunch kale
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup minced shallot
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 - 1/2 cup dry white wine, room temperature
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Italian parsley, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil, and drizzle with oil. Bake in oven 20-30 minutes, until blistering. Remove from heat and keep wrapped in foil.

While tomatoes cook, heat two large pots of water to boiling. Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente and set aside. Cut kale into pieces and boil about 5 minutes, also removing and keeping warm.

For the shrimp, heat a large skillet on medium high heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter. Season shrimp with salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes. Cook in skillet 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm. Reduce heat to medium, melt additional 2 tablespoons butter and cook shallots about two minutes. Add lemon juice, zest and wine to skillet and stir, scraping up any brown bits, simmering about 5 minutes. Add cornstarch, if needed, to thicken. Mix in shrimp, tomatoes and kale and serve over cooked spaghetti. Garnish with parsley if desired. I served with crusty bread to sop up the delicious lemony wine juice.

Apple and Pecan Salad

1 head lettuce
1 apple, halved, cored and sliced
1/3 cup pecan halves
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl with apple slices and pecan halves. For the dressing, combined orange zest and juice in a bowl and stream in olive oil while whisking. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss with salad.

The birthday girl enjoying her meal!

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta

I hardly ever use pepperoni (even when making pizza), but every now and then I just get the biggest hankering for it. Although I love pizza, pasta always tops my list, so I decided to create a pasta using traditional pepperoni pizza toppings for a fun spin. With whole wheat pasta and subbing some shredded parmesan for gobs of mozzarella, this is a healthy(ish) swap!

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta

1 pound whole wheat large pasta shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup pepperoni, roughly chopped
1 cup sliced olives
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons dried basil
Parmesan, shredded

Place a large pot of water to boil, and cook pasta until al dente, drain and set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium heat and warm oil. Saute garlic and onion for 3 minutes, then add bell peppers and cook another 5. Stir in marinara sauce and let simmer about 10 minutes. Add in pepperoni, sliced olives, salt and pepper and basil and cook 2 minutes. Top with desired amount of parmesan (I used about 1 cup). Enjoy!

Leftovers? What Leftovers?

First off, let me apologize for my blogging hiatus. Yes, I am still alive :) Sometimes the cooking gets in the way of the blogging! That and an extended Easter weekend in Houston. Here's my sister and brother and law at the Gingerman in Rice Village being silly- fun times had by all!

Anyway, Easter was a pretty simple affair this year. Hash brown casserole, seared asparagus, grilled pineapple, and of course, ham. We like to get the huge ham for our small gatherings and then fight over the leftovers (I get as much as I can for new meals, and my brother in law Brian wants to get as many ham sandwiches out of it as possible). I came away with a pretty sizable bag of ham, which I happily dreamed up recipes for on my drive back to Austin.

First up, two massive Hawaiian pizzas after a long night of tennis. Thanks to my mom for buying a second pineapple so I could make this beauty!

Hawaiian Pizza

2 regular crust pizza doughs
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups munster cheese
4 cups ham, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups pineapple, diced

Roll out pizza dough on two large baking sheets. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over each pie, then sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Place 2 cups ham and 2 cups pineapple on each pie and bake about 18 minutes until the crust is golden. Enjoy!

Take two was a comforting fettuccine recipe with crisp asparagus- we all scarfed it down!

Ham and Asparagus Fettuccine

24 ounces dry fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup milk
1 cup gruyere cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups ham, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch scallions, diced
8 fresh basil leaves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Place a large pot of water to boil, salt and add fettuccine. While fettuccine cooks, melt butter in a medium sauce pan, whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook over medium low heat until milk thickens, about 8 minutes. Stir in gruyere and set aside. Drain fettuccine.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add oil and saute asparagus about 5 minutes. Add ham and warm, then remove pan from heat. Add fettuccine, cheese sauce and salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Top with scallions, fresh herbs and parmesan cheese and toss. Serve and enjoy!

Pepperoni Chicken Pasta

On my last trip to Houston to visit my family, we stopped at Zio's, an Italian restaurant we used to eat at a lot when I was a kid. I had my favorite dish there, pepperoni chicken, which I decided to recreate.

We had a gentle dinner party with our friends Holly and Chad, which always turns into a great night. Since Chad and Luke are big eaters, the proportions on these recipes are pretty large. Also, I got to try out the sassy new serving dishes I got shopping that day!

Pepperoni Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
1 cup sliced green olives
1 8 ounce package pepperoni slices
1 (28 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
2 pounds penne pasta, cooked al dente
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat a grill pan on medium heat and cook chicken until juices run clear, about 7 minutes on each side (depending on thickness). Remove from heat and rest 10 minutes, then slice into strips.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Heat oil then add onions and garlic and saute 3 minutes. Add in mushrooms and olives and cook another 3 minutes. Stir in pepperoni slices and tomatoes and continue cooking 10 minutes. Add in pasta, chicken and salt and pepper and toss. Serve with freshly grated parmesan as desired.

Slow Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

2 pounds tomatoes, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoons sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 baguette, cut into thin slices

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine first 6 ingredients on a large baking sheet. Roast for an hour. Remove and turn on broiler to 400 degrees. Top tomato mixture on baguette slices then broil for 2-3 minutes, until bread is toasted. Serve.

Italian Artichoke Salad

6 ounces spinach leaves
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup green olives
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese, grated

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss- enjoy!

Spicy Asian Noodles with Chicken

I've been craving Asian food a lot lately but have been attempting to fight it with Kashi frozen dinners for lunch at work (they're surprisingly tasty!) I came across a recipe for Spicy Asian Noodles with Chicken in the March issue of Cooking Light and decided to try it out. I forgot I had run out of hoisin sauce, so my version is a little bit different. Also, since I feed some hungry boys, I used a lot more noodles than the recipe calls for. It was really tasty and filling!

Spicy Asian Noodles with Chicken

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
3 (6.75-ounce) packages thin rice sticks (rice-flour noodles)
1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; cook 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Place in a large bowl. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon oil, chicken, and next 6 ingredients (through sambal).

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain. Cut noodles into smaller pieces. Add noodles to bowl; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.

I served this with a saute of broccoli, carrots and snow peas with a little minced ginger and a splash of soy sauce.

Shrimp Pasta

After a long (and victorious!) tennis match one evening, I came home famished and itching to cook. This shrimp pasta took about 12 minutes to prepare and was delicious!

Shrimp Pasta

6 ounces angelhair pasta

1/2 pound shrimp, tails-off and deveined

3 tablespoons butter, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup broccoli crowns

4 ounces fresh spinach

4 ounces arugula

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Boil water and cook angelhair until al dente. Drain and set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in skillet. Cook shrimp 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat and cover with foil. Heat another tablespoon butter and oil in skillet and saute garlic and broccoli about 3 minutes. Stir in spinach, arugula and seasonings. Add in angelhair and shrimp and stir to combine. Top with parmesan and serve!

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

I've recently discovered my affinity for olives and have therefore started to include them more in my meals. I'm in Kingwood this week celebrating Christmas with my family, and since we usually eat out a lot whenever I come in town, I thought it might be a treat to cook dinner for them. We usually have a good bit of wine around, so I thought a Mediterranean pasta with a wine sauce would be the perfect thing.

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup artichoke hearts

1/2 cup pitted olives

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes

8 ounces fettuccini

4 ounces fresh spinach

1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese

Cut chicken breasts into pieces and sprinkle with herbs. Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat and add oil. Cook chicken breasts until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add onion and garlic and sautee about 3 minutes. Stir in artichoke hearts and olives and cook addition 2 minutes. Stir in broth, wine, salt and pepper and tomatoes, cover, reduce heat and let simmer about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water until boiling. Salt well and add fettuccini, cook until al dente. Drain and reserve.

When chicken mixture is done simmering, stir in spinach to wilt, about 2 minutes. Then divide fettuccini evenly among 4 plates, top with chicken mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Enjoy!

My mom and sister loved it :)

Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

There's nothing more satisfying to me than a nice creamy pasta. Since I had a lot of pesto leftover from my pesto tilapia, I thought I'd combine the two to make a creamy pesto sauce.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

1 pound farfalle pasta
1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 red onion, diced
8 sundried tomatoes, chopped
4 ounces fresh spinach
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons pesto

Boil water in a large pot and add pasta once boiling. In the meantime, heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Swirl in a little olive oil. Add chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper, cooking about 8 minutes. Add diced onion and saute another 3 minutes. Add sundried tomatoes and continue cooking. Wilt in spinach and stir.

In the meantime, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and whisk, cooking about 1 minute. Stir in milk and heat until thickens, stirring occasionally. Add parmesan cheese and remove from heat. Stir in pesto.

Add pesto sauce to chicken mixture. Add pasta and stir to combine. Serve with additional parmesan as needed.

I made a simple salad to go with this to get some more veggies and utilize the extra spinach.


Bacon Spinach Salad
4 slices bacon
1/4 cup red onion
2 whole carrots
8 ounces fresh spinach
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Sweet onion and poppyseed dressing

Cook bacon in the 350 degree oven about 15-20 minutes, remove and place on paper towel to drain. In the meantim, slice red onion and carrots. Add to a large bowl with fresh spinach and pecans. Crumble in bacon and add desired amount of dressing.

Dinner On the Go

After missing a week of cooking due to my sister's wedding, I was more than ready to get back in the kitchen! Since I got back from Houston around 7 from wedding weekend, an elaborate dinner was not in the cards. Thankfully, during my short period of downtime during wedding planning, I caught an episode of Everyday Italian where Giada prepared 4 meals with 5 ingredients in 15 minutes.

Rigatoni with Red Pepper, Almonds and Bread Crumbs

1 pound rigatoni pasta (I used corkscrew)

3 cups purchased garlic-flavored croutons, (about 5 ounces)

1/4 cup slivered almonds (about 1 ounce), toasted

1 cup julienned roasted red bell peppers

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl.
Place the croutons and the almonds in a food processor. Pulse until it becomes the texture of bread crumbs. Add the crouton and almond mixture to the hot pasta. Add the peppers and the olive oil. Toss to combine and serve.

I really enjoyed the texture that the croutons and almonds gave, but I could've used another flavor dimension in here. I think next time I'll add some sun-dried tomatoes, and maybe some fresh herbs if I have them on hand.

I also stole some salad from my house before I drove back since we bought a HUGE one that we hardly made a dent in. I served it with a sweet onion and poppyseed dressing, which was a great balance for the pasta.

Italian Dinner Party

I know lots of people like to save big meals and dinner parties for special occasions, but I'll find any excuse to cook for friends. Last night was the new episode of Project Runway, so I had to invite the girls over to enjoy a hearty Italian meal while we bashed the designers, and so they could see my new house!

Since we wouldn't be eating dinner until somewhat late, I decided to prepare my go-to appetizer, Baguettes with fig jam and brie cheese. This is inspired by my favorite panini at Whole Foods which features fig jam, brie cheese, turkey deli meat and a spring mix. My appetizer is so easy to prepare- just cut the bread, slather on about a tablespoon of fig jam, and then add a slice of brie cheese. Toast in the broiler for about 2-3 minutes until the cheese starts to melt and serve hot!

The main course, Herbed Chicken Parmesan, comes from the Cooking Light Italian cookbook, which I tried once this spring and absolutely loved. The two different cheeses add dimension, and I love the idea of adding balsalmic vinegar to pasta sauce to jass it up. I also sauteed 4 or 5 garlic cloves to add to the sauce.


Ingredients

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (I used Central Market brand Basil and herb)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
*Note, I doubled this recipe as I was serving 8 people, not 4

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.

Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour the sauce over chicken in pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

I know it's cliche, but I served this with a big pot of spaghetti with plenty of the extra balsalmic pasta sauce to go around. To add some greenery, I created a fun new Italian salad to go with it:


Balsalmic Italian Salad
8 oz. romaine lettuce
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into disks on the diagonal
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup grapes, cut in half
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lemon, zested then juiced
3 tablespoons balsalmic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine in a large bowl and toss to combine dressing. Note that the amount of vinegar and olive oil can vary depending on your tastes. I love using the citrus to brighten the flavors and add some zest!










The final product, served of course with champagne in honor of Project Runway. What a great first dinner party!

What's your go-to appetizer for simple, but impressive, entertainment?