Chicken Pizzaiola

from America's Test Kitchen

3 cups tomato sauce (see recipe below) or you can use a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
4 ounces mozzarella, shredded (1 cup)
2 ounces pepperoni, sliced thin or any of your favorite pizza toppings

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spread the tomato sauce in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Spread the Parmesan in a shallow dish, then coat the chicken with the Parmesan. lay the chicken on top of the tomato sauce. Bake for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle the mozzarella and pepperoni over the chicken. Increase the oven temperature to 475 degrees and continue to bake until the cheese melts and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.

Quick Tomato Sauce:

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 Tbsp minced fresh basil
1/4 tsp sugar
Salt

Cook the oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the crushed and diced tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in the basil and sugar. Season with salt to taste.

Parmesan Focaccia

from America's Test Kitchen

1 russet potato (8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/4 tsp table salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the baking sheet
Parmesan Cheese
3/4 tsp coarse sea salt or 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Cover the potato with water in a small saucepan and simmer until completely cooked and easily pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and when the potato is cool enough to handle, grate it on the large holes on the grater. Reserve 1 1/3 cups lightly packed potato.

Mix 3 1/4 cups of the flour, yeast, and table salt together in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the grated potato, water, and 2 Tbsp of the oil until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.

Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (If, after 5 minutes, more flour is needed, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough clears the side of the bowl but sticks to the bottom.

Turn the dough out onto a clean counter and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 1 minute. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and wrap tightly in lastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Press the dough into a well-oiled 12 by 18 inch rimmed baking sheet. Wrap loosely in lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until it has nearly doubled in size and springs back slowly when indented with a finger, 45 to 60 minutes.

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Wet your fingers and press them into the dough at regular intervals to make about 24 dimples. Drizzle with the ramining 2 Tbsp oil and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan and sea salt. Bake util the focaccia bottom is golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

Slide the focaccia onto a wire rack and let cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Philly Cheesesteaks

2 pounds blade, sirloin, or round steak, trimmed
4 (6 inch) sub rolls, split lengthwise
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped medium
Salt and pepper
6 slices American or provolone cheese

Slice meat into thin strips.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until simmering. Add the onions and saute until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced meat, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and continue to cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Place rolls on a baking sheet. Add the meat and onions. Place the cheese on top. Stick under the broiler until cheese is melted.

Creamy Stovetop Mac N' Cheese

8 ounces macaroni (2 cups)
Salt
2 large eggs
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 tsp dry mustard, dissolved in 1 tsp water
Pepper
4 Tbsp butter
12 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (3 cups)

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for the macaroni. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp salt and the macaroni and cook until almost tender but still a little firm to the bite.
Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, half of the evaporated milk, the mustard mixture, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Set the pot over low heat and stir in the butter until melted.
Stir in the egg mixture and half of the cheddar. Continue to cook over low heat, gradually stirring in the remaining milk and cheddar, until the mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This is best served immediately.

White Chocolate Biscotti

3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Place first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
Turn dough out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Shape dough into 2 (12 inch-long) rolls; pat to 2 1/2 inch width.*
Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet, cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.**
Cut each roll diagonally into 24 slices. Place, cute sides down, on baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn cookies over, bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in the center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

*You can shape in 2 rolls or 1 if you want longer cookies. In the picture below I dough in to 1.
**I don't cook it as long as the recipe calls because I don't like them so crunchy...although I know that is what Biscotti is. At first I cook for 30 minutes instead of 35. Then when you bake them on their sides I only bake them 5 minutes on each side.

Angel Hair Chicken Pasta

6 boneless,skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 (7oz) pkg dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1/2 cup white wine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz cream cheese with chives
1 lb angel hair pasta

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in salad dressing mix. Blend in wine and mushroom soup. mix in cream cheese and stir until smooth. heat through but do not boil. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer in 9X13 pan. Pour the sauce over chicken. Bake for 60 minutes. Twenty minutes before chicken is done, cook pasta. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta.

Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Crumb Topping:

In a bowl combine: 2 Tbsp sugar, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1 Tbsp butter, and 1/8 tsp baking powder.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Stir in vanilla and bananas. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Blend the banana mixture into the flour mixture; stir just to combine. Fold in walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle crumb topping on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. (I think I only cooked it for about 45 minutes - but my oven seems to be hotter).