hola!

k... i've tried my hand at this blogging stuff before and gave it up almost immediately. however, i didn't have anything specific in mind to publish when i made my previous attempts, and this time i do.

food and ideas to feed the soul, hence my title.

i hope you will check back frequently, and let me know if you've tried any of the recipes published here and how they turned out.

:)

tonight's dinner is: chicken parmigiano

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 (3-ounces each) chicken cutlets
1 1/2 cups simple tomato sauce, recipe follows
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. season with salt and pepper. brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. remove the skillet from the heat.
spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle parmigiano reggiano over each. sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
gray sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

in a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. season with salt and pepper. add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. if sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.