Archive for February, 2010

“You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.” -Yogi Berra

February 26, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

I know, a Red Sox fan turning to a Yankee for quotes, not cool.  But I like it, and it rings true, especially in this case.  Pizza is one of my FAVORITE things to make for a variety of reasons.  It’s super quick and easy.  There’s really no need for measurements or directions of any sort.  You can pretty much put anything edible on a pizza and as long as you cook it for the right amount of time it’ll probably come out good.  It’s one of the best recipes to get creative and have fun with, and that’s my favorite part.  

The pizza my roommates and I made last night is a relatively healthy recipe, and it’s pretty low budget: all the ingredients came out to about $15 (less if you already have some things at home).  It’s also the reason I chose the quote above.  No matter how hard we tried, the entire thing was gone by the end of the  night.  It’s a white pizza with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and roasted garlic, and everything you’ll need to know is listed below.

You’ll need:

  • 1 lb Pizza dough (I usually just buy it at the store, but you can make it too if you’re feeling daring)
  • Flour (enough to cover your surface and the dough)
  • Basil leaves.  Here’s where we ran into trouble!  Good ole’ Grand Union (the Storrs grocery store) didn’t have any fresh basil leaves, so we had to resort to dried basil.  But if you can get your hands on the fresh stuff, it really does make a difference.
  • Tomato: about one half, sliced thin
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • One head of garlic: you may not need the whole thing, probably only half or a few cloves
  • Oregano(dried or fresh, up to you… once again, Grand Union fails in the herb department)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. A few hours before (or overnight) you need to let the dough rise.  Roll it into a ball and cover it with flour before putting in a bowl covered with Saran wrap and keep somewhere in room temperature.  Last night we were crunched for time, so I only let it rise for about 2 or 3 hours and it came out fine.
  2. Once the dough has risen, you’re ready to start making the pizza.  Before anything, preheat your oven to 275 and chop up the garlic clove.  Now there is a certain way to do this, so for those of you new to the kitchen, check out this video to see how it’s done.  Once you’ve chopped the garlic into really, really small pieces, throw it all on an oven sheet and stick it in for about 7-10 minutes or until it’s golden brown.
  4. While the garlic is roasting, slice up your tomato half and the mozzarella cheese.  We loooove mozzarella at my apartment, so the more the better.  But for a healthier option, ease up on the cheese and add more tomatoes.
  5. Roll your pizza dough out into a flat circle or rectangle.  We use a rectangle to fit the cooking sheet we have, and a point that I continuously fail to remember (including last night) is that it’s always better to prepare the pizza ON the cooking sheet, because transferring it can be a major production (picture all three of us with spatulas heaving the thing onto a sheet trying not to spill flour and cheese everywhere).
  6. If you don’t have a rolling-pin, try to flatten the dough as much as possible using spoons and your hands.  Make sure you get all the air bubbles out.  With a pin, it may not look pretty, but I guarantee you’ll get the same taste, which is definitely what’s important.
  7. Don’t forget about your garlic in the oven, you’re going to want to check on it periodically so it doesn’t burn.  When you eventually take it out, turn the oven up to 400 degrees.
  8. Next add all of your toppings.  I like to start with a base of parmigiano-reggiano, spread evenly all over the entire pizza.  Next layer on your mozzarella slices and tomato slices and fresh basil leaves.  The best presentation is when these are spread evenly with only minor overlaps (you don’t want to cover all of the tomatoes with mozzarella, etc.).  Don’t forget about the garlic in the oven!  Mix these small pieces in as well.
  9. Next spice it up with oregano (dried in this case), and some salt and pepper, and you’re good to go!
  10. Throw it in the oven (hopefully you’ve already turned it up to 400, if not, do so now) for about 13-20 minutes, or until it’s golden brown on the edges, and the cheese is melted golden on top.  If you use a lot of cheese like we do, it may take longer (less cheese, less time, obviously).  I know 13-20 is a wide range, but I say that because some people like it crisper than others.  We tend to use the entire 20 minutes, but make sure you keep checking on it to decide when you want to take it out.

Here’s a visual step by step, so you can check your progress by comparing to the pictures:

chop up and roast the garlic

Roll out your dough and cover lightly with four

Cover with toppings, spreading everything evenly

Throw it in the oven at 400 for 13-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the edges

Give it a minute to cool, then serve with salad for a delicious meal!

And there you have it!  The recipe does sound a little intimidating, but I promise it’s easier than it sounds.  Like anything else, practice makes perfect, and before you know it you’ll be making a menu’s worth of pizzas, and I want to hear all about it!  Send me recipes for your favorite pizza, or if you have any topping ideas you’d like me to test out, please let me know!

I give extensive praise to the Food Network, per usual, and their wealth of information about making pizza and dough.  There are hundreds of recipes to try on their website, from plain and simple to exotic and unusual.  

Here are some other great websites to check out when making pizza:

Just like it sounds: pizzamaking.com

Pizza fan Billy Reisinger and his very thorough pizza making guide

Making pizza from allrecipes.com: be sure to check out all the links on this page for different types of pizza!

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Perfect pesto, perfect meal

February 24, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , ,

Great news for the pesto lovers out there: it’s good for you!  According to FinQooArticles.com, it’s good for digestion, the immune system, gout, muscle pains, rheumatism, and the respiratory system, plus basil has been proven to be a cancer preventative herb and aid with diabetes.  That being said, it’s also absolutely scrumptious on pasta, pizza, bread, or as a marinade.

Pesto is pretty easy to make, and once it’s done all you have to do it add it to your meal: paired with pasta and chicken is my favorite.  For those of you who are running from class to the library and only have time to boil some pasta and add pesto sauce, there are some great mixes out there that you just have add olive oil to, like Sweet Basil Pesto Mix by Simply Organic, or Tastefully Simple’s Dried Tomato and Garlic Pesto Mix.  You can look for these packaged dried mixed at your grocery store, usually in the pasta or sauce section.  

There are a ton of variations on pesto.  I find that using basil has the best flavor, but others use spinach or cilantro.  If you have the time to, try your hand at making your own pesto.  It’s healthier than buying it packaged, it’s so fresh and delicious, and REALLY easy to make.  Plus besides the fresh basil, and maybe a clove of garlic and pine nuts, you probably have everything else you’ll need.  Here’s the recipe I like to use:

You’ll need:

  • About 2 cups of fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil- probably about 3 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons of water
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped up
  • 1/4 cup of pine nuts (You can substitute walnuts or almonds here, or you can make it without any nuts if you prefer)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste (I like a little more pepper than salt)
  • A blender

Directions:

  1. Place everything (seriously, everything listed above) in the blender and pulse a few times then process until the mixture if fairly smooth.
  2. Some people like pesto at room temperature or cold, but I prefer it a little warm, so I put it in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes and stir with a whisk before serving.

And that’s all, folks.  I told you it was a simple recipe!  Like I said, my roommates and I usually enjoy pesto with pasta and chicken.  But for the healthier option, use it as a sauce over grilled chicken breast and serve with vegeatbles or salad.  

The Food Network has a ton of uses for pesto and an extensive collection of recipes.  This one’s my favorite for a spicy twist:

The Food Network’s Giada De Laurentiis kicks it up with this spicy pesto

Here are some other great pesto recipes to check out:

A ton of variations on pesto from Cooks.com

The classic pesto from AllRecipes.com

For a visual aid, and a trick about storing pesto, watch this short video from Good House Keeping:

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Le Gourmet potato

February 17, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , ,

Eating healthy is far too often a battle while cooking for oneself at college, so I’ve found that the more recipes I gather that provide a healthy balance for a meal, the better. One easy item to modify is the potato.  They’re cheap and can be bought in bulk.  They’re perfect to pair with chicken or a sandwich, and if prepared the right way, they can offer a healthy alternative to other types of sides.  Follow the directions below for a gourmet twist on the classic french fry!

You’ll need:

  • Potatoes (I prefer red skinned), for three people we use four potatoes
  • Italian dressing
  • Oregano(dried is fine and works well in this case), about one and half teaspoons
  • Garlic powder, about one teaspoon
  • Cayenne pepper, about half a teaspoon (more or less depending on how spicy you want them)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • Parsley, about a teaspoon (again, dried works well here)
  • olive oil

Directions:

  1. After washing them thoroughly, slice up your potatoes into long strips, the way you would see french fries sliced.  I like to keep the skin on, but you don’t have to.
  2. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat
  3. Add all the potatoes to the sauce pan
  4. Drizzle Italian dressing over the potatoes.  Don’t be too concerned with trying to cover every inch of each strip- they will get mixed in.
  5. Add your other ingredients (oregano, parsley, salt and pepper, parsley, cayenne pepper, garlic powder) spreading them evenly over the potatoes
  6. Stir the potatoes and spread out all the ingredients with a spatula
  7. Keep sauteing them for about five-ten minutes, or until they are semi-tender.  While you’re stirring, pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees
  8. Take the potatoes off the heat and let them sit for a few seconds before transferring them to a baking sheet.
  9. Spread the strips out and make sure none are on top of each other so every piece cooks
  10. Throw them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until they’re crispy and hardened on the outside
  11. When you take them out, sprinkle some pepper and a little more parsley over them for taste and decoration

(See the photos below for what the phases of the process should look like)

They might need a few minutes to cool down, but after that you’re free to dig in!  Enjoy them with chicken and salad, or a sandwich or a healthy, balanced meal.

Slice up the potatoes:

Throw them in a pan and add your ingredients:

Saute for about 5-10 minutes:

When they’re pretty tender, take them off heat and put on a baking sheet:

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until hardened, and ta-da, you’ve got some gourmet (healthy) fries!

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Bring the French Quarter to your kitchen this year

February 17, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized

I’ve never been to New Orleans, but considering my unrequited love for all things spicy, I think it would take a valiant effort to pull me away from Bourbon Street on Fat Tuesday if I were ever to be there for Mardi Gras.  However, I am stuck in Storrs, where the only thing flowing is snow.  I’m lacking the king cake and Cajun shrimp, but I do have some frozen chicken in the freezer and some white rice in the cabinet, so tonight we’re going to play that familiar resourceful college student role and make my favorite Cajun meal: jambalaya! I know, it sounds depressing and you’re probably thinking you’re in for yet another chicken and rice meal.  But don’t worry, we’re going to spice it up for you, and give this meal that cajun kick you need to bring the French Quarter to your own kitchen.  Here’s the catch about jambalaya: you can make it as good or great as you want to.  Some things in the recipe I can guarantee you won’t have lying around the apartment, so you might have to go buy a few things.  But come on, it’s a holiday, live a little!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Boneless, skinless chicken breast: the amount depends on how many people you’re cooking for.  For my two roommates and me, I use three large chicken breasts.
  • One onion
  • One green pepper
  • White rice: I use about two-three cups
  • Two teaspoons of chopped garlic, or one teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1/4 of a teaspoon of cayenne or chili pepper (if you have it)
  • One teaspoon of hot sauce
  • Two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce(again, if you have it)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Four cups of chicken stock (you’ll probably have to buy this since most of us don’t regularly store chicken stock in your kitchen like us, or you can make it using this recipe)
  • 3 or 4 bay leaves (again, you’ll probably have to buy these)
  • If you want to (and can afford to), throw in some spicy sausage, kielbasa or shrimp.  I won’t be using these items tonight, regardless of the fact that the traditional jambalaya dish generally calls for more than simply chicken.  So by all means, embrace your Bayou side and throw in some extras if you please.  
  • Most people add chopped celery (about half a cup), but I prefer mine without.  As always, suit yourself.
  • Some people add diced tomatoes or beans as well, get as creative as you’d like with this dish.
  • Olive oil 

Directions:

  1. Make sure your chicken is thawed, then dice it up into bite size pieces.  
  2. Throw the chicken in a large pot with a couple teaspoons of olive oil and saute it until it’s golden brown.  If you’re adding sausage or shrimp, saute those pieces as well.
  3. While you’re waiting for the chicken, dice your onion and pepper and celery if you’re using it.
  4. When the chicken is ready, stir in the onion, pepper, celery, and the chopped garlic.
  5. Cook these all together for about five minutes, or until the onion is visibly cooked (translucent).
  6. Add the rice and then stir in the chicken stock and bay leaves and bring the pot to a boil.
  7. When it reaches a boil, reduce heat and cover the pot and let it simmer for about twenty minutes, or until the rice is tender.
  8. Finally stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce and add the cayenne pepper and regular salt and pepper to taste (I prefer to use mostly pepper and hardly any salt, since it already has a lot of flavor).

And there you have it, folks.  A classic Mardi Gras dish that sounds a touch intimidating proves to be fairly simple.  It’s a twist on the classic college chicken and rice meal (although you may have to pull out your wallet to perfect this one).  For all the fellow cajun-lovers, enjoy!

Here are some other jambalaya recipes you might want to check out:

The Food Network’s Emeril Lagasse’s jambalaya

Cooks.com lists a number of jambalaya recipes to try

Zatarains, a New Orleans food service, shares their jambalaya recipe

For other Mardi Gras meals, visit the Food Network’s extensive section featuring Fat Tuesday favorites

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Snow day stuffed bread

February 11, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , ,

 One of UConn’s finest qualities?  Definitely snow days (Thanks, Jay Hickey).  They’re the best opportunities to polish your cooking skills, and this Wednesday afternoon my roommates and I are making some delicious stuffed bread.  It sounds and looks complicated, but don’t sweat: it’s actually a pretty simple process, and I’m going to take you through it step by step.  You may not have these ingredients lying around, and without access to a grocery store it might complicate the process, so you try it another time!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A little bit of flour, if you don’t already have some, or if you can’t find anyone to borrow about a cup of it from. If not, buy the smallest amount possible.
  • Two pounds of bread dough (or more depending on how much you’re making).  You can buy it if you want, but I usually just buy it, and you can find it near the refrigerated cheese section or near the deli meats
  • Your “stuffing.”  I like to use one full bag of shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices.  I also had some parmesan cheesein the fridge today, so I threw some of that in too.  For a healthier option, try onions or green peppers with low-fat cheese.  Ricotta cheese also works well in the bread.  This is where you can get creative, you can pretty much throw in whatever you like and it’ll probably come out good, as long as you don’t over-stuff it.
  • Make sure you have some olive oil in your kitchen.  If you don’t, shame on you.
  • You’ll also need some seasonings.  I like to use oregano, basil, garlic powder, black pepper and a little bit of crushed red pepper (more or less depending on your own taste buds)

Directions:

  1. Make sure you get the bread dough out early so it has enough time to rise.  I like to leave at least four hours.  The instructions should be on the packaging of your bread/pizza dough, but if not here’s what you do:
  2. After pre-heating your oven to 375 degrees, roll your dough into a nice ball and cover it in flour completely.  Then put it in a bowl and cover the bowl with saran wrap and leave the bowl to sit in room temperature for at least four hours.
  3. After the dough has risen, clear a space and cover the surface with flour.  Then roll out the dough (if you don’t have a rolling pin, spread it out best you can with your hands and smooth any air bubbles with a spoon) and continue to cover it completely with flour.
  4. Once your dough is flattened and spread out into a rectangle about 12 x 10 inches, make sure it’s lightly covered with flour, and then cover it with the full bag of shredded cheese parmesan cheese and pepperoni slices.  Make sure the entire is covered with the stuffing except the very edges.
  5. Sprinkle all the spices over the stuffing, and make sure everything is even.
  6. Here comes the tricky part.  You’re going to fold the bread into thirds.  To do this, imagine you’re separating it into thirds (you can draw a thin line with a knife if that helps).  Fold the outer sections over the middle sections.  You have to do this part quickly, otherwise the stuffing will spill out, so do one side at a time and refer to the picture to see what I mean by folding it over.  
  7. Once you fold it over, make sure none of the stuffing is coming out of the side and that the three sections are even.  Then lightly brush some olive oil over the top of the bread.  I like to sprinkle a little bit of the shredded cheese if there’s any left over the top as well.
  8. Next take a sharp knife to make three slits across the tops, and then three more slits across those ones, so that there are three x’s on the top of the bread.  Don’t make large holes in the bread, just thin slits big enough to let some air in while it’s in the oven (refer to the picture).
  9. Now you’re ready to put the bread on a cooking sheet (be careful here- have someone help you so that you transfer it carefully using a spatula) and pop it in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until it’s golden brown on top.
  10. When it’s all done, let it cool for a little bit before cutting it up and make sure the outside is hardened.
  11. Next cut the bread into slices about an inch wide and four inches long.  Depending on how you fold it and how it turns out (it’s different every time for me), you may have to cut the entire loaf into two slices before cutting it into slices (Again, refer to the picture to see how I cut it).  You can cut it any way you like, it all tastes the same in the end!
  12. Some people like to dip the bread into warm marinara sauce, and others like myself enjoy it all on its own, you be the judge!

Enjoy the snow day and enjoy the bread!  Leave me a comment about what you and your roommates like to cook on snow days, I’d love to get some more great ideas :)

5 cooking projects for snow days from thekitchn.com

Recipes from another blogger taking advantage of the snow day by cooking


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A good dip will never let you down

February 9, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

Today’s topic?  You guessed it… Superbowl food of course!  No nobody wants to spend their entire Sunday in the kitchen, and with a tight budget, planning a Superbowl menu for a bunch of hungry college kids can be difficult.  Now you can take the traditional route and head to the grocery store to purchase the frozen wings, mozzarella sticks and chips and salsa; or if you enjoy taking the extra time to cook, try out some of these tasty recipes my roommates and I used yesterday at our apartment.  I’m going to focus on the dips we made, since I think dips are perfect for groups of people, and you can never really have enough.  I know this year’s big game day has passed (Congratulations, Saints!), but these recipes work great for any game you and your friends get together to watch.  Feel free to share what you and your friends did for Superbowl in the comment section, I’d love to get some more ideas!

Chili-cheese dip is about the easiest thing you’ll ever make, next to toast.

You’ll need:

  • One packet of shredded cheese: the mild orange cheddar, taco or pizza flavors work best
  • One can of no bean chili
  • One 8 oz packet of cream cheese
  • A round or square oven-safe bowl or pan that’s about 9 x 9 if possible and only about an inch and a half or two tall
  • Tortilla chips

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 Degrees
  2. Microwave the entire packet of cream cheese for about 10 seconds or until it softens
  3. Spread the cream cheese all over the bottom of the bowl/pan until it’s smooth and evenly spread
  4. Pour the entire can of chili over the cream cheese and spread it until it’s an even layer
  5. Pour the entire bag of shredded cheese over the chili and spread it out until it’s an even layer
  6. Now it’s ready to pop in the oven at 375 for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted on top

When you take the dip out of the oven, make sure you let it cool for a few minutes before serving- it’s extremely hot!  Serve it with a bowl of tortilla chips: I find that Tostitos Gold or multi grain chips really work well since they’re a little bit thicker than the normal chips, and can hold the dip easier.  And that’s all, so easy and quick!

Here’s a video demonstrating how to make a similar version of the dip from MacysSocialon YouTube:

Next up, a Blended Spinach Dip: cheesy and delicious!

You’ll need:

  • Romano cheese: about half a cup (try to find it already grated if you can)
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese: about a cup
  • One clove of garlic
  • frozen spinach: about 10 ounces.  You’ll have to thaw and dry it
  • One jar of artichokes (about six ounces).  You’ll have to drain and dry these too
  • Eight ounces of chives cream cheese (if you can find it at your grocery store, otherwise regular works too) 
  • Two eggs
  • Tortilla chips
  • A blender
  • An oven-safe bowl or baking dish

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 Degrees
  2. In the blender, put the garlic clove through to mince.  Then stop the blender and add the spinach, artichokes, cream cheese and eggs.  Process these ingredients until everything is fully blended
  3. Transfer everything to your baking dish and fold in the romano and mozzarella cheeses.
  4. Stick it in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until it’s thoroughly heated and a nice golden color.

Again, make sure this dip has time to cool down before serving.  You can stick with the tortilla chips for this one of course, or if you want to mix it up, serve it with chunks of Italian bread that you’ve thrown in the oven for a few minutes so it’s crispy and warm.

Want some other great dip recipes?  Check out these websites:

50 Game day dips from the Food Network

Dips and spreads from AllRecipes.com

Getting specific: chilled recipes from cooksrecipes.com

And here are the warm ones

Dip recipes are everywhere.  Whether you want to read them from a website, or watch a video on YouTube, you won’t having any trouble finding a dip that sounds good for you and your friends!  Enjoy!

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A successful birthday celebration, college style

February 4, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

You’ve  attended the keggers and bar nights that are thrown in honor of the newly turned 21-year-old; and while those are fun, what about when it comes to one of your best friends birthdays?  Yes, we’re college students, but you can’t rely on cheap beer and decoration-less rooms in this situation, regardless of how much money’s in your bank account.  Here are a few tips to ease the process when throwing your friend a great birthday bash.

Balloons, balloons, balloons!

They take up room, and provide tons of color.  Just grab a bunch of people to blow them up and that’s ALL you have to do!  They’re cheap, too!  Visit your local grocery store, dollar store or party store to find balloons.  While you’re there pick up a few streamers, a happy birthday banner and you’re good to!  

Next, you need a birthday cake.  A great alternative is cupcakes: they’re easy and can be distributed to multiple people.  Loose the cutting knife, and grab a pack of cupcake holders.  It’s the same exact recipe, but make sure you spray the cupcake holders before you pour the mix in each!  I ALWAYS forget this!  Buy yourself a box of Duncan Hines cupcake mix if you’re short for time.  Otherwise, here are some great recipes for cupcakes to try:

One of my favorite blogs: they have such great recipes, as well as decorating ideas.

every cupcake recipe you could ever imagine.

Cupcakes by Martha Stewart: my favorite is the coconut cupcake.

Feel like buyin’, not bakin’?  Check out:

beau-coup.com, a great website for cupcake favors or mixes

Now grab the birthday girl’s (or boy’s) drink of choice, and you’re ready for a birthday party!  It doesn’t have to be elaborate… just make sure you have some good music and more importantly, a delicious cake :)

My absolute favorite birthday cupcake?  Paula Deen’s peanut butter brownie cupcakes.  Throw on some frosting and add a few candles and enjoy!

Try ice cream cake for a twist on the traditional … Here’s one my of my birthday cakes from the Uconn Dairy Bar. They have some great options, including picture cakes!

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You Guys Can Cook?

February 2, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

When a friend of mine suggested that we all had dinner together this weekend, I pictured my roommates and I slaving over the stove for a few hours and serving a delicious meal to the four boys that were planning on coming over on Friday night.  You can imagine my shock when it was the boys who said THEY would be doing the cooking for the evening.  My first thought was, you guys can cook??  Since when??  My roommates and I were a bit apprehensive (was it safe to eat whatever they planned on making??), but our curiosity of how their meal would turn out got the best of us, and we welcomed them into our kitchen, a little unsure of what to expect.  The boy chose to make chicken parmigiana over pasta with a side of garlic bread: a bit challenging, and one of my all-time favorite meals.

We were told that the only thing we were responsible for was the wine (check out this article for some great affordable wine choices), and sure enough, the four of them showed up with bags of groceries ready to get their chef on at 7:45 Friday night.  The only thing we did all evening was sit back and get started on the wine, occasionally checking on what was happening in the pots and pans on our stovetop and making ooos and ahhs over the delicious aromas.

About 40 minutes later we were feasting, and believe it or not, the meal turned out GREAT!  The boys did fabulously, and unfortunately for them, we’ve discovered their hidden talents and I have a feeling they won’t get out of making this a regular occasion.  The only downside to letting people, in particular a bunch of boys, cook for you?  You got it… clean up duty.  But that part aside, cooking with friends can be a really fun activity.  To spare them their reputation, no pictures were taken of the boys in action.  But I did manage to get a picture of the finished product, and below is the recipe the boys used to make the meal.  I’ve also included a few links to other good chicken parm recipes, as well as my favorite recipes for garlic bread.

Bon appetit! And more importantly, HAVE FUN!

Great chicken parmigiana recipes:

Easy chicken parm from About.com

Food Network’s Tyler Florence’s chicken parmesan

A simple chicken parm recipe from ReluctantGourmet.com

More of a visual learner?  I’m a big Guy Fieri fan, and here’s a great video about how to make a quick, yet delicious chicken parm:

It’s pretty hard to screw up garlic bread; and when in doubt, you can always buy it at the grocery store.  But where’s the fun in that?  The nice thing about garlic bread is that there are actually a ton of variations you can try.  Here are some scrumptious recipes:

A great recipe from a fellow cooking blogger

Food Network’s Paula Deen shares her recipe (Who  drool over everything she makes on her show?)

Try this variation: garlic knots from allrecipes.com

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