What I Ate For Dinner: Chicken Parmesan

Once upon a time, I had this dream that I would one day live in Italy, or marry an Italian, or at least have an Italian Mama for a mother-in-law.  I did all I could--I visited the country, studied the language, and read cook books--but mostly I just dreamed.

As it is, I still haven't moved to Italy, I've completely forgotten the language, and my mother-in-law is more likely to be Canadian/Dutch than Italian.  But I still love Italy.  And I still love Italian food.

Last night I was in the mood for a little Cucina Italiana, so I made this Chicken Parmesan.  It cooked up surprisingly fast and was molto delizioso!  I made the recipe up as I went along.  I didn't measure anything, as it is all done to taste.  You can add as much or as little of the seasonings as you want or add different ones.  It's up to you.

Buon Appetito!

Chicken Parmesan

4 chicken breasts

4 slices white bread

parmesan Cheese

oregano

basil
garlic powder
onion powder
2 eggs, beaten
pasta, cooked according to package directions
marinara sauce, heated through

Preheat oven to 345 F.  Trim fat off chicken and set aside.  Place bread in toaster.  Toast to nice golden brown.  Place toasted bread in blender and blend to crumbs.  Add bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings to a storage bag.  Close bag and shake until mixed.  Dip chicken in egg, coating both sides.  Place in bag with crumbs and toss until covered.  Place breaded chicken on a cooking sheet that is lined with cooking-sprayed foil.  Place pan in preheated oven.  Cook 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Serve cooked chicken over favorite pasta and marinara sauce.  Serves 4.

P.S.  Sorry about the picture.  I was too hungry to take a picture last night, so you get a picture of the leftovers that I ate for lunch today.

La Lingua di Amore

After complaining about my load of homework, I got a text message from Keith that read, "Jia You!"

There's nothing like a Chinese-speaking man to get this girl's heart fluttering.

*'Jia you' or '加油' means to 'add oil'.

A Thought

I kind of want to study Italian again. Why?

Perché voglio una mamma Italiana.

The Cleverness of Me

My sister and I went in together for a wedding shower gift. It was sort of a stay-at-home-date-night kit, including all the fixings for a delicious Italian dinner, a game, and a movie. My job was to write the card. This is what I came up with (remember, I have background in both poetry and Italian):

We are glad that you've found the fella
Who thinks that you are molto bella.
For those nights you haven't plans,
Use this kit to please your man.
When all is done, lean in a say,
"This is what they call amore."

Not too shabby, if I say so myself. Maybe one day I'll get paid to be clever...

(The above poetry cannot be reproduced without specific permission of the author (me). Please contact her for any reproduction or copying requests.)

Lost in Translation

I studied French in Junior High. I learned Italian in college. I taught the gospel in Mandarin Chinese. I really only speak English. Every once in a while, I get a little confused.