Easy Peasy Chicken Parm, Sans Breading, from Kris

-Boneless skinless chicken boobs
- 2 jars Classico "Florentine" style spaghetti sauce (or favorite tomato based sauce)
- fresh slices mozzarella cheese (or shredded if you prefer)
- fresh shredded parm cheese
- cooked spaghetti noodles

Over medium high heat, sear chicken boobs in small amount of olive oil until brown on each side (about 3 - 4 min/side). Using jarred sauce, cover chicken and put in oven on 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cover each chicken piece with slice fresh mozzarella and some shredded parm. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

I serve on some spaghetti noodles, covered with the sauce. The jarred spaghetti sauce condenses down (which is why I use 2 jars!) a lot and concentrates the flavor really well. As the chicken is baking in the sauce, it adds extra flavor as well. It's really good and a fantastic quick go to meal when it's not too hot to turn on the oven.

Baked Chicken Parm, suggested by Sarah

From "Simply Recipes"

Parmesan chicken is traditionally made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. We use breasts, but thighs too, if we are starting with a whole chicken.

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (we use Muir-Glen)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and ground black pepper

Chicken:

• 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (5-oz) skinless boneless chicken breast halves (or deboned thighs)
• 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs (we make our breadcrumbs from old French bread)
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Method

1 Prepare the sauce. In a large saucepan, heat the garlic and oil together over medium high heat until the garlic starts to sizzle. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce thickens a bit and flavors meld, about 10-12 minutes. Taste sauce, adjust seasoning if necessary, cover and keep warm.

2 Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut each chicken breast half in half for smaller pieces. With a meat pounder, pound the chicken pieces to flatten them to an even thickness - between 1/4 - 1/2 inch. You might find it easier to put the chicken between layers of plastic wrap before pounding.

3 Whisk together mustard, vinegar, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl, add the chicken pieces, tossing to coat well.

4 In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, grated cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well and add in the melted butter. Transfer to a shallow plate. Dredge the chicken pieces 1 piece at a time in the crumb mixture, coating completely. Press the crumbs in gently to adhere and transfer to a stick-free baking sheet. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Serve with a side of rice or pasta. Ladle sauce over the chicken.

Serves 4.

Gemelli with Yellow Squash, Peas, and Basil, from Amy

Gemelli with Yellow Squash, Peas, and Basil (I have no idea where this came from. A friend made it at dinner club a couple of weeks ago.)

*coarse salt and ground pepper
*8 oz gemelli or other short pasta
*3 medium yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
*1 pkg frozen peas
*4 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
*1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
*1/2 c grated parm
*1/2 c torn fresh basil leaves

1. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than al dente. Add squash and peas. Cook until squash is tender-crisp. Reserve 1/2 c pasta water, drain and return to pot.

2. To mixture in pot--add butter, lemon juice, 1/4 c parm, and 1/4 c pasta water. Season w/ salt and pepper, and toss to combine. If needed, add enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats the pasta. Stir in basil, and sprinkle w/remaining parm.

Kid Friendly Variant of Chicken Cordon Bleu, by Jenifer

Kid Friendly variant of Chicken Cordon bleu:

boneless, skinless split chicken breast

white wine
worcestershire
garlic powder
fresh ground pepper
fresh ground salt

Homemade breadcrumbs
organic flour
1 egg
virgina ham
swiss cheese
toothpicks
parmesean
garlic powder
homemade Italian seasoning
fresh ground salt
fresh ground pepper

half and half
corn starch
salt, pepper

I fork pierce the breasts on all sides and place in a bowl. I cover them with white wine and add the worcestershire (I like the one designed for poultry but will use either), garlic powder, salt and pepper. I allow this to marinate all day (if possible).

In a shallow, wide bowl I place some flour. I season this with salt and pepper and sometimes the garlic powder. In another shallow bowl I place my home made breadcrumbs (that I have ground fine for this recipe). I season this with grated parmesean, italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a final shallow bowl I lightly beat an egg and add seasoning (sometimes a dash of the wine...always salt and pepper...sometimes garlic and italian seasoning).

~Dredge the breast in flour. This will seal the moisture in while the breast bakes and make a crunchy top coating.
~Drdege floured breast in egg mixture
~coat breast in bread crumb
~place a small rectangle of swiss on breast near narrow end. top with small piece of virginia ham and more swiss cheese
~roll breast and keep closed with toothpick.
~Place seam side downon baking sheet
~Bake at 400-425 (you know your oven best) until cooked through (will vary by oven, but generally 20-30 minutes tops)

While cooking make the sauce for topping each breast:
Exact measurements depend upion how much sauce you want- for the two kids I make a small amount
1/2 c 1/2 and 1/2
1/2 lb swiss cheese, sliced then crumbled
salt
pepper
corn starch

~On LOW heat warm half and half in small saucepan.
~Add crumbled swiss one slice at a time and stir as you add.
~ remove several tlbs of the heated mixture- add to this 1.5 tsp of corn starch and whisk (you do not want any lumps or bumps)
~return cornstarched milk to pan slowly- stirring constantly
mixture will thicken as it heats- stir as you go along or pass the pot

When you plate your breast, cover it with the yummy cheese sauce. I also put some in a small rameken on the side for dipping

Stuffed Shells, an idea from Rachael

I use half a box of jumbo pasta shells. I stuff those with half a package of JD Italian sausage, half a container of Ricotta cheese, lots of parm, lots of asiago, lots of Romano, basil, oregano, garlic, fresh whole milk Mozzarella, fresh ground pepper, one egg and some sea salt. Cover with a jar of sauce and some more fresh Mozzarella. Bake about 30 mins. This is obviously not helping me get fit, but it is such a comfort food.

Crunchy Chicken, by Karli

Tonight we had what my kids call "Crunchy Chicken".
Mix seasoned bread crumbs with grated parmesean cheese and coat chicken breasts.
Cover baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray, put chicken on pan, and spray top of chicken. Cook at 350° for about 15 minutes, turn chicken and cook for another 5-10 minutes