Recipe(tried): Chicken Parmesan, Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, Romaine, Grape Tomato, Cucumber, and Basil Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, and Garlic Bread

Today is a snow day for me. We not only had snow, but sleet and freezing rain as well. Now it has changed over to just rain. It's a cold, dreary, nasty day:-(! Since we need a good cold weather meal tonight, I decided to make Chicken Parmesan. Neither DH, nor I, care for pasta with plain marinara sauce so rather than serving spaghetti or linguini with marinara sauce with the chicken, I am making Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes to have with it. If I have time, I will also make some steamed zucchini but the salad will be sufficient if time is short. As for marinara sauce, I don't like most of the bottled sauces available with the exception being Rao's Marinara Sauce, or one that one of my grocery stores just recently started selling which is a store brand with the same ingredients in it that the much more expensive Rao's has. I look for a sauce which has only imported Italian tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, basil and or oregano in it - no tomato puree, no preservatives, and definitely no corn syrup or sugar - ugh! Garlic Bread isn't really essential but the recipe below, from Rachel Ray, is terrific!

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CHICKEN PARMESAN

1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced chicken breast, or chicken breasts that have been pounded to about 1/4 inch thick
Paula Deen's House Seasoning (recipe below)*
Plain or Italian bread crumbs - about 1 cup (from container you buy at the grocery store)
3 large eggs
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Marinara sauce (Homemade or from a jar)
Sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse and pat the chicken breasts dry. Season each piece with a little of Paula Deen's House seasoning. *Do not use the entire amount - just enough to season the chicken.

Put eggs in a pie plate and beat. Put bread crumbs in a second pie plate. Dip each piece of chicken in the beaten eggs, then dip in the bread crumbs. Place each on a platter while you dip all of the chicken pieces in the eggs and bread crumbs..

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick frying pan over high, medium heat, or low medium-high heat. Saute the chicken pieces, three or 4 at a time (or however many fit in your pan without crowding, for a few minutes on each side (about 2 - 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness). Drain on paper towels. Continue until all pices have been sauteed.

Lightly spray a pryex casserole with olive (or even canola) oil. Put a light layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of the casserole. Place the chicken pieces on top of the sauce, and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken pieces. Remove the casserole from the oven and cover each piece with some marinara sauce. Place mozzarella on each piece of chicken and sprinkle Parmesan over the entire dish. Put the Chicken Parmesan back in the oven and bake for 5 - 10 minutes - until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown.

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HOUSE SEASONING
From Paula Deen

1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. (I have halved this recipe so that I don't have so much taking up space in my spice cabinet.)

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ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES

2 russett or Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (425 degrees if using a metal pan). (I used a large glass casserole). Place potatoes in dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands. Add olive oil. Mix again. Add rosemary and mix again. Spread potatoes pieces out in a single layer. Bake for 1/2 hour (30 minutes). If you try to stir these before 1/2 hour is up, you will find that they stick terribly. Don't disturb them for 1/2 hour. At the end of this time, the potatoes should be done. Using a spatual turn them and mix them and cook for another 5 minutes to get the other sides a little brown and crispy.

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ROMAINE, CUCUMBER, GRAPE TOMATO, AND
BASIL SALAD WITH RED WINE VINAIGRETTE

2 romaine hearts, washed, dried and cut or torn into bite size pieces
1/2 English (hothouse) cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and cut into bite size pieces, crosswise
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, rinsed in cold water, dried, and halved
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, or cut into chiffonade

Place all ingredients in a large salad bowl. Toss, just before serving, with Red Wine Vinaigrette.

RED WINE VINAIGRETTE:
1 Tbsp. prepared Dijon-style mustard
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil

Place all ingredients except the olive oil in a jar and mix, letting sugar and salt dissolve. Slowly add olive oil a little at a time until all is incorporated, and vinaigrette has emulsified.

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GARLIC BREAD
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Yield: 4 servings

4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 loaf crusty bread, split
3 tablespoons grated cheese, Parmigiano or Romano, optional
Chopped fresh parsley

Combine garlic, butter, and oil in a microwave safe dish or in a small saucepan. Heat garlic and butter and oil in microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute or in a small pot over moderate-low heat for 3 minutes.
Toast split bread under broiler. Remove bread when it is toasted golden brown in color. Brush bread liberally with garlic oil. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and parsley. If you added cheese, return to broiler and brown 30 seconds. Cut into chunks and serve. (Note from Jackie: If you are sprinkling with the Parmesan cheese, be sure to use unsalted butter since Parmesan is a bit salty.)