Day 23: Chicken Parmesan and Antipasto Salad

This is probably one of the first dinners I ever made after we got married. One of the wedding showers I had was a kitchen shower. Everyone brought kitchen items and their favorite recipes. One of the gifts was a cookbook, "The Family Circle Cookbook, New Tastes for New Times." It sounds like something straight out of the 1950s, but actually it has some of the most "real" recipes and ideas. I've used it a ton over the past 14 years. This recipe is actually listed as Turkey and Eggplant Parmesan, but I've simplified it to just plain Chicken Parmesan. The salad is one of my favorites from Fireside Pies. They call theirs the "Salumi Salad," but since this is my own version, I renamed it. The salad to my recipe repertoire, but I've already made it several times. I love it!

Grocery List:

For Chicken Parmesan:

• 1 1/4 cups Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 egg
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups prepared or homemade tomato sauce (Try Central Market's Organic Garlic Lover's Pasta Sauce)
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I like to use fresh mozzarella)

For the Salad:

• 1 bag of arugla
• 1 cucumber
• 1 carton grape tomatoes
• 1 salumi or salami
• Pitted mixed Greek olives
• Peperoncinis
• 1 jar of artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Probably already have in your pantry:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Vegetable oil
• Red wine vinegar

Chicken Parmesan:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine bread crumbs, parsley and parmesan in a shallow dish.
• Beat together 1 egg, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 pepper in another dish.
• (I like to use a meat mallet to flatten my chicken breasts before dredging in egg and bread crumbs).
• Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet.
• Dip chicken breasts in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture to coat.
• Add chicken breasts to skillet; saute for 7 to 10 minutes, turning halfway during cooking time after first side is golden.
• Spray 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Add chicken breasts to dish. Top with tomato sauce.
• Add a slice of fresh mozzarella to the top of each chicken breast.
• Sprinkle with parsley.
• Bake in preheated hot oven (400 degrees) for 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

Antipasto Salad:

• Wash and slice cucumber and tomatoes.
• Slice salumi and peel rind.
• Grate mozzarella cheese.
• Cut up artichoke hearts, olives and peperoncini peppers.
• Toss all ingredients together, drizzle with dressing and serve.

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup salad oil
• Dash of salt and pepper
• Whisk together and drizzle desired amount over salad