This morning I added a little thingy to my sidebar (see? over there? to the right?) called “What’s For Dinner?” I did this because I figure that I need some serious accountability in the cooking department, and it’ll be good to know that some people are checking up on my meal-planning progress. Plus, since y’all were kind enough to share around a hundred recipes with me last week, I thought that a few of you might like to know what we’re trying.
And by “a few,” of course, I mean the two of you who actually care.
I’m hoping to sit down every Saturday or Sunday and plan what I’m cooking for the next week, type it all out here – and then I’ll link to the source of the recipe. If I were a really thorough person I’d go back afterwards and tell you what we thought of the meal, but that probably won’t happen because it requires a certain degree of follow-through, and I think we all know that I’m far too busy thinking about chocolate and watching HGTV to make that type of commitment.
Also: I am lazy.
But I just have to tell you about what I fixed for supper tonight, because I really do think it’s the easiest meal I’ve fixed in, oh, forever. And on top of that – it was absolutely delicious. Insanely good, in fact, when you consider that it took 15 minutes to prepare. FIFTEEN MINUTES.
The original recipe is here, by the way. I decided to make it because D. wandered through the living room the other day when I was watching “Everyday Italian,” and he thought everything she was making looked delicious. However, the pasta recipe on that particular episode had about 14 different kinds of mushrooms, so I decided I’d look for something a little more simple ingredient-wise. Hence the chicken parmesan.
I also only made the recipe for four, not eight – because if I make anything for eight during the week, the leftovers will stay in the refrigerator until they grow feet and try to escape from their frigid prison in the middle of the night. Plus, four chicken breasts fit perfectly in my cast iron skillet, and a one-dish meal is always appealing.
So here’s my version of Giada’s Chicken Parmesan:
4 chicken breast cutlets (if you have regular boneless chicken breasts, cut them in half and pound the devil out of them)
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried sweet basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. lite salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
3 Tbs. butter, divided
1/4 cup Italian blend shredded cheese
1 jar Classico Cabernet Marinara sauce
1 box Healthy Harvest whole wheat thin spaghetti
Preheat oven to 475. Put one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon butter in skillet over medium heat. Put salted water for pasta on the stove (MAKE SURE THE WATER IS IN A POT, SILLY).
Brush chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle one side with half of all seasonings.
Place chicken seasoning side down in skillet – and while it’s cooking, sprinkle the other side with remaining seasonings. Cook for two minutes per side – then remove from heat. Pour 3/4 jar of marinara over the chicken and place 1/2 Tsp. of butter on top of each chicken breast. Sprinkle cheese over all, and put the skillet in the oven for about 6-8 minutes.
Once you get the chicken in the oven, your water for the noodles should be boiling. Add spaghetti – and cook for 6-8 minutes.
Drain the noodles once they’re done – then remove skillet from oven. Serve chicken and marinara on top of pasta.
IT IS SO STINKIN’ GOOD AND EASY.
I just did a green salad on the side, but some fresh French bread would have been mighty fine indeed.
I think Alex would have loved this meal, too, if he weren’t under the weather with a stomach virus (a for-real virus – not an I-don’t-like-the-new-whole-wheat-bread virus), but he did eat some plain noodles like there was no tomorrow in addition to drinking about 32 ounces of Sprite. So I think he’s on the mend.
Bon appetit, y’all!
Look at you all organized! Can’t wait to see what you’re scarfing down!
sounds so divine!! I can’t wait to make this!! Have a great night! xoxo! JS
Yes, well, umm.. we had supper tonight. That’s about as much commitment as I’m up for. We had frozen burritos (Cooked, I hope I need not add) and corn on the cob. Again, from the freezer (and cooked).
Someday, when I get my real woman classes, I’ll start planning menus too.
Just stumbled upon your blog. I’m very impressed with anyone who can plan menus a week in advance! I’m looking forward to checking back for some good recipes!
Um, BooMama? You do realize that you are eating chicken just about every night of the week right? ;) But, hey, that sounds like me until my husband starts whining for some VARIETY.
I’ve been trying the weekly planning idea for the last few months and when I can stick to it, life is so much easier!
Think I’ll try Giadaboomama Chicken next week as I need fast and easy. I tried a new recipe tonight which took me entirely TOO long in the kitchen, and got an “F” from my three chicken-nugget-fries-mcflurry-hamburger-no onions-meatloaf is fear factor food-children. My husband is supportive any time I cook, so he just smiled when I said “did you like it?”
Hope you’ll let us know of any A+ recipes you try.
Karly’s right about the quantity of chicken. Could be an issue. But you go with it, because I’m buying stock in Tyson’s tomorrow.
I’m just glad – for the sake of your tiny backyard friends – to see there’s no duck on the menu.
Sounds good. I am going to have to try that for some night when Paul is out. (Did you know he is allergic to chicken/turkey?)
anyhoo. thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’m totally going to have to try it. Love Giada! Although I love Paula Deen even more. Who doesn’t love butter?
I don’t trust skinny chefs (neither does my momma, she even has a refrigerator magnet that says so) see my post at http://casadegalletti.blogspot.com/2007/01/dont-trust-this-woman.html .
But here’s some good news for you: Minute Rice comes in Brown Rice so you get the whole grain goodness and not the refined carbs all in just about 10 minutes!
Thank you for your perfect comment the other day. It gave me a few minutes of sunshine on a very cloudy day.
See, according to TV, beef is what’s for dinner. All this time I have been fooled. It is actually chicken!
BTW- when I visit, your page is doing that weird “scroll down the blank to the post” thingy.
Glad to hear it is good and also that Alex is on the mend!!!
Count me in as one of the two (smiling)…I’m sorry Alex has a virus…it made it’s rounds in the Smith house two weeks ago. I’m just now feeling like the house is clean enought to cook this recipe…which I will try manana!
Praying for Alex to feel better…
Love,
Holly
Hope Alex is back to normal in the morning!
I remember when my son was that age, he called them airplane noodles, cause that’s what he thought of when I said plain noodles. (((little boys))) Be careful, when you blink he will be 12 and wear a size 7 1/2 shoe and borrow your socks. *weep*
Recipe sounds yummy and easy, can’t beat that. I love how you call dinner supper. Sounds much more cozy.
Sounds delicious.
Way to go!
Way to set the bar for the rest of us! Maybe this will get me cooking something besides ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches.
This recipe looks like a good place to start, too!
ok, now i’m hungry. and what i am making for dinner sounds no where near as good. I got into a major cooking rut a few months ago, ever since I have been planning meals in advance. it sounds goofy ( i am NOT a planner) but it has worked out very well. now i just need to put up with my family’s ridicule over the whole list thing.
Confession to make: I am a recipe addict. I’m soooo excited that you’re posting your menus now. Fantastic!
Chris from Canada
Can I tell you how excited I am about copying your weekly menu?! Seriously, this is just what I need. My husband isn’t going to know what to think.
Your husband thinks everything Giada makes looks delicious because Giada is a Supermodel. Everyday Italian is porn for the food obsessed. Anyway – good idea with the recipe planning. Still – Bossy would rather flail around her living room telling various family members she can’t figure out what to make for dinner. It plays into the sympathy she craves.
That sounds YUM. I like Giada’s stuff too, although I prefer her books to her shows. How she cooks and looks pretty and doesn’t drop stuff down her low-cut shirts is a mystery that makes my head hurt. Her turkey meatball recipe is also a big YUM.
You’re a brave woman to publish a week’s worth of menus. You go!
Thanks. Now, since I can’t think of menus of my own and way too often settle for Sonic or Wendy’s, I have a menu I can borrow. :) If you don’t mind that is. And if there are no mushrooms, because I hate mushrooms. I’ll have to leave those out! Thanks bunches BooMama! :)
That one is now copied and in my “to try” folder in my computer. Suddenly, I’m starving for poultry.
Yeah! I was just looking for something to do with those chicken breasts tonight! I guess I’ll have to pound the devil out of ’em before the kids come down from their naps – I don’t want them to be afraid of mommy mommy beating their dinner…
YAY!!!!! I made the list!!!!! I am SOOOO excited!!! BTW- I must give credit to who I got the recipe from- I found it in Real Simple magazine over a year ago!!! BUT…. it is the most divine thing you have EVER tasted!!!!
Oh- and I see that you are using whole wheat tortillas… but the best part i=about it is when you use the hard shells, and the salsa/lime juice softnes the shell….. (my fav.) so- maybe give it a try. Is Cron taco shells a bad carb??? ;)
Great recipes but that’s a whole lotta chicken. Where’s the bacon? Oh and red meat is good for you—especially if it’s grass-fed (fats that will make your heart sing happy songs)(and your tastebuds too).
So organized! I just couldn’t do this myself (I HATE to make lists – because I’m from Fun County!!!!), so I found this AMAZING website… http://www.e-mealz.com where you can download weekly meal plans and, get this, shopping lists to go with them! So, I’ve found someone to do it for me! The recipes are yummy, fast, and my kids like them too! What could be better than that? Hmm… maybe a cruise around the world, but aside from that, nothing!
:)