Zalkin's "Not So Boring Chicken" Dish

1 1/2 Chicken Cutlets pounded Thin (about 8-10)

1 Cup all-purpose flour

3 Eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups grated Romano or Parm Cheese

1 cup Olive Oil

6 TBS Butter

1 Med Onion, diced

1 Box (10 ounces) mushrooms, sliced

4 Cloves Garlic, Minced  1/2 Cup Dry White Wine

 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine  

4 Cups Chicken Broth

2 Ripe Tomatoes, sliced

Bag of Baby Spinach

10 slices of Baby Swiss Cheese

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2) Pound those Cutlets thin with your mallet

3) Dredge Cutlets in flour, then egg, and then dip into the grated cheese. Reserve alittle flour and set aside.

4) In a large saute pan. heat up the oil and butter.  Add the cutlets and cook until golden brown in color. Remove cutlets from the pan, and put into baking tray and set aside.

5) In the same saute pan, saute the onions and mushrooms until they are golden brown and add in the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, then add in the remaining flour (about 5 tablespooons) and cook for 5 more minutes, then add the chicken broth and stir well.

6) After the sauce starts to thicken (about 15 minutes), pour sauce over the cutlets and then add layers starting with some baby spinach, sliced tomato and then top with the Swiss Cheese.

7) Cover pan with foil and bake 350 degrees for around 30 minutes, then remove the foil and brown under the broiler for about 1 minute. 

This will serve 4 people - this is so tasty and makes a beautiful presentation !

Enjoy it:)

beginning layers

finished product!

final layering

Slow-Cooker Lasagna - REAL easy and Delicious!

As a working woman - I am always looking for something that I can make in advance so I am not fussing when I get back from my long days! This was an awesome recipe and it took me 15 minutes to put it together before I left for work the other day. I used my slow cooker pot - which I purchased last year in Cosco for $40.00.  I love this slow cooker and use it alot in fall and winter.  Here is the recipe - I will warn you - it definitely has lots of calories - you can probably cut down on the calories by using low fat or no fat cheeses.  I work out for 1-2 hours five nights per week - so I eat what I want!! Thats why I endure the torture at the gym :) Actually I love Equinox - it has changed my life and the way I feel!

1 small container of ricotta cheese
3/4 cup of parmesan cheese
3 cups of Marinara sauce
1 package of regular (no boil) Lasagna noodles in box
2 cups of grated mozzerella cheese
salt and pepper
1 small package of chicken saugage (take out of casing) could use any type of saugage if you want

put a layer of the marinara sauce on the bottom of your slow-cooker
then a layer of lasagna noodles - I broke them up to fit the shape of the slow cooker
then a layer of ricotta, parmesan and mozzerella cheese
a layer of saugage out of casing broken up into small pieces
sprinkle of salt and pepper
then your sauce
then your noodles
keep on layering until all noodles, cheeses and saugage are done - finish with top layer of sauce and mozzerella cheese.
Cover and set your slow cooker for 6 hours on low.

Heat a small amount of sauce separately to sprinkle on top if need be when you dish it out.

I served it with a nice salad and fresh hot italian bread on the side!

Wow what a meal and my husband was extremely happy!

Happy Cooking and Keep Smiling in YOUR kitchen!!

Pick me up healthy Dark Chocolate Candy

While headed down to Key West with my son Michael - I was watching one of the food channels on the airplane.  I had to copy this recipe down  because I like a little dark chocolate pick me up every so often and it supposed to be healthy for us.  This was a healthy recipe - and sooooo easy. I made these in about 15 minutes!
heres the recipe: ( did double this recipe to make 24 candies)
1/2 cup of dark choc chips
1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup of chopped almonds
1/3 cup of dried cranberries or cherries
1/8 tsp of almond extract
Melt chips in micro about 1 minute and 20 seconds, stir till smooth then stir in peanut butter, then add the rest and stir till blended well.  Spoon into small cupcake cups using cupcake holder (small one) it will help to keep the shape of the candy as it hardens. Put in freezer for 30 minutes then keep in refrig. They are really delicious! Enjoy them!

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bar Recipe
For the Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup confect sugar
1 stick (8 Tbs.) butter, melted but not hot

For Filling:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbs all-purpose flour
6 Tbs. juice from 2 lemons
2 tsps. finely grated lemon zest

adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with veg cooking spray(pam). Fit a 8 inch by 16 inch piece of heavy-duty foil across pan bottom and up the 2 sides as foil overhangs to pull bars easy from the pan.  Spray foil with Veg cooking spray (pam).  Mix flour, salt, confect sugar in a medium bowl; stir in butter to form dough.  Press dough into pan bottom (the bottom of a measuring cup dipped in flour helps) - Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes.  While pastry bakes, whisk eggs, sugar, flour,lemon juice and zest in a medium bowl. Remove pan from oven. Add lemon mixture and continue to bake until just set, about 20 minutes longer, let cool in pan for a few minutes and then using foil overhang handles, pull bars from pan and let them cool completely. Cut into squares and serve up!

I doubled this recipe because the above only makes about 12 bars.

simple and delicious to make - if you want my recipe just let me know! Has a shortbread thin crust and sweet/tart filling made with fresh squeezed lemons.  Easy to pick up like eating a cookie!

Blueberry Ice Cream Almond Crunch Pie

This was an awesome recipe! I am a real Blueberry nut! I eat them every single day in something - mainly my morning Oatmeal but this was outstanding as it had a almond crunch crust and a layer of almond crunch in the middle.  The photos show the 3 stages of making this pie from beginning to end product! It did not last very long - everyone wanted a piece.  If you want this recipe just send me a message.