| One of the questions I'm asked, is how I come up | | | | inspiration to jazz your dinners up a bit. Just look |
| with my recipes. The truth is, I get my inspiration for | | | | through your cookbooks or cupboards, and let your |
| my recipes from various sources.Restaurant Menus: | | | | imagination run wild.CHICKEN ALL'ARRABIATA4 |
| This is one source for my inspiration. How many | | | | boneless skinless chicken breast halves |
| times have you been into a restaurant, and had a | | | | 1 egg |
| dish that was just so good, you had to try making it | | | | 1 Tbsp water or milk |
| for yourself at home? I know I have. At least one of | | | | 1 cup flour |
| my better recipes was inspired by a dinner I had on | | | | 1 cup bread crumbs |
| my first anniversary at a local Italian restaurant. It's a | | | | 1 cup grated parmesan cheese |
| simple matter to translate the main ingredients from | | | | salt and pepper to season |
| the restaurant dish to your own kitchen. But to get | | | | 2 Tbsp margarine |
| the subtle flavors, you'll have to experiment a bit | | | | 2 cloves of garlic, chopped. |
| with herbs and spices to get it to taste the same. I | | | | 1 14 oz. can of tomatoes |
| often settle for something similar instead of exactly | | | | 1/4 cup wine (red or white, whatever you prefer) |
| the same.Contents of the Cupboard/Refrigerator: | | | | 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes |
| Some of my best recipes have come from simply | | | | 1 dash worcestershire sauce |
| experimenting. I'll start with whatever I've taken out | | | | 1 tsp. dried oreganoPreaheat your oven to 425 |
| of the freezer to thaw... steak, chicken, or whatever, | | | | degrees F.In a shallow bowl, beat together the egg |
| and then look through the cupboard and refrigerator | | | | and the milk or water.Put the flour on a plate, and |
| to get some ideas on how to cook the meal. There's | | | | combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on |
| almost always something around your kitchen that | | | | another plate. Season the flour with salt and |
| you can use for a marinade or a sauce. You just | | | | pepper.Dredge the chicken in the flour, and then dip it |
| need to have a good idea of what flavors will go well | | | | into the egg. Dip the chicken in the bread crumbs and |
| together. Just use your imagination.Cookbook | | | | parmesan, making sure to coat the chicken.Place the |
| Magazine Recipes: | | | | chicken into a baking dish, with 1 Tbsp of the |
| You've probably seen several recipes in cookbooks | | | | margarine, and bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven, |
| or magazines that you'd like to try, or have tried. I | | | | or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.In a |
| find cookbooks, magazines, and the food section of | | | | large skillet, melt the butter over med. high heat. |
| my local newspaper to be an excellent source for | | | | When the butter has melted, add the chopped garlic, |
| recipe inspiration. If I find a recipe that I like, I'll either | | | | and cook until garlic is golden... DO NOT |
| take the recipe, change some things a bit, and add | | | | OVERCOOK!Add the tomatoes, breaking them up |
| my own touches to make it my own. Or, I may take | | | | with the side of a spoon or spatula.Add the wine, red |
| various elements from several recipes, and combine | | | | pepper flakes, worcestershire sauce, and oregano. |
| them to create a new recipe. Another possiblity is | | | | When the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat |
| taking a recipe, written for one main ingredient, and | | | | down to medium, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, |
| adapting it to use another main ingredient. Take the | | | | until thickened.When the chicken is done, remove it |
| recipe below, for example. Pasta all'arrabiata is a | | | | from the oven, and pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle |
| common Italian recipe, in this case, instead of using | | | | with some parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve |
| arrabiata sauce for pasta, I've put it on chicken.Don't | | | | immediately. |
| settle for the same old meal. It's easy to find | | | | |