Chopped, what?

Okay, so a few years ago, my daughter introduced me to this show on the Food Network about these professional chefs who compete for $10,000 in four rounds of cooking with unknown ingredients in these really cool looking picnic baskets, which I would go on the show just to try to escape out the backdoor with.  Several of the ingredients are pretty snobby sounding things which most of us home-cooks have probably never heard of, then they throw in something random which is there to throw the highbrow chef off his game.  The irony is that the ‘random’ ingredient, which is something like grocery store cereal, or corn nuts, or chocolate cookies, is the part that I would be the most comfortable with and would not despair over. I recall the one show where the chef referred to Ramen noodles as ‘stoner-food.’  And more than one chef has stated that they hate anything from a can.  It is the fish with the head on that needed to be filleted, the vegetable I don’t recognize, or some strange Asian wine that would send me into the panic zone.  I think my sister-in-law Cheri needs to be collecting royalties from the network for this program since in my opinion they stole the idea from her.  She’s been living this programming idea out for years.  Our mother-in-law tells of the times that she would come to her house and offer to cook dinner.  Carrol would say, “Cheri, there’s nothing in my kitchen to cook, but you are welcome to see if you can find something.”  And Cheri would rummage through the cupboards and find random, mismatched ingredients and create a meal.  Raising 11 children she has continued the tradition of creating dishes from miscellaneous and sundry mystery ingredients: sometimes to her children’s dismay.  But that is how we learn, isn’t it?

     I was going through my cookbook, the personal one I keep of my own recipes, and was surprised how heavy it is on the recipe end.  (It explains why my own end is so heavy.)   It also explains why so often, while wanting to cook something ‘different’ for dinner, I am so often at a loss, and will just stand with the pantry open staring vacantly.  That is when I have had my own “Chopped” experience, sans the cursed clock!  I will pull out a few standard ingredients, notice I am missing something vital and then grab something that just might be a viable stand-in.  Like the time I didn’t have seasoned Panko bread crumbs, but Hey!  What if I throw these Garlic Seasoned Croutons through the food processor?  Combined with plain bread crumbs, a little flour and Voila!  It made a wonderful breading for my Chicken Parmesan.  Okay, not exactly standard Chicken Parmesan, but my own take on it: recipe to follow.  My weakness is in forgetting to actually measure accurately, so much of it is just a rough estimate.  I also tend to rely heavily on my sense of smell when I season…tricky sometimes, I know.  But also quite reliable since the nose and the palate are so closely related.

Easy Chicken Parmesan Alfredo

·        4 boneless chicken breasts

·        3 Cups Garlic Seasoned Croutons (should make 2 cups crumbs)

·        1/3 c flour + ½ cup plain bread crumbs

·        2/3  cup shredded parmesan cheese

·        Salt and pepper to taste

·        1-2 eggs for dipping

·        2 Tbs. olive oil (or enough to coat bottom of your baking dish)

Run Croutons through food processor until finely crushed.  Mix in wide shallow bowl with flour, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.  In  separate bowl lightly beat eggs.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour olive oil in glass dish.  Dip chicken in egg, then coat both sides thoroughly with coating.  Place in oven on middle rack.  Bake 35 -40 minutes, depending upon thickness of breasts. 

Easy Alfredo Sauce

·        1 stick butter

·        8 oz. cream cheese

·        2 cups milk

·        2 tsp. garlic powder

·        6 oz. grated parmesan cheese

·        ¼ tsp white pepper

In medium saucepan over medium heat melt butter, add cream cheese and melt while whisking continually.  Slowly add milk, continuing to whisk.  Add garlic powder and pepper.  Remove from heat and add cheese, whisking to remove any lumps.  Continue to stir until smooth and reaching desired consistency.  Sauce will thicken as it stands.  (A parmesan-romano cheese mixture may be used for added flavor.)

Serve Chicken with Fettuccini or pasta of your choice.  Place chicken on bed of pasta, sauce served over chicken and pasta makes everything scrumptious!  This also covers any drying out that may occur if you overbake your chicken!  Handy little trick, huh?  Serve with salad and garlic bread, and everyone’s full!