Chicken Tenders with Tomato Sauce not Ketchup for Kids and Grown-ups!


Baking is better than frying and baking is not a demanding chore. If you want to get away from frying, here is a helping hand to assist you in reducing the intake of oily and fatty fried food.

To accomplish the task and enjoy this recipe all you need are:

2 pounds chicken tenders – the little filet on the bottom of the breast
Otherwise get chicken breasts and cut them into filets
2 cups buttermilk
You can make a substitute for buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon or so of lemon juice or vinegar into 2 cups of milk and let the mixture stand for 10-15 minutes
1 cup fresh bread crumbs – remove the crust, cut into pieces and drop in a blender or food processor
2 Tablespoons mixed Italian herbs - oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage and basil and anything you want
Large pinch of salt
Corn oil
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pre-Heat the oven to 500° F

Soak the tenders in buttermilk for 15-30 minutes to tenderize the meat. While the tenders are soaking you may want to make the tomato sauce

For the tenders: mix the breadcrumbs, herb seasonings and salt in a shallow large bowl.

At this point, line a roasting sheet-pan with foil; brush the top of the foil with vegetable oil to help prevent sticking, or if you have use the new Silpat sheets
Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and one-by-one roll into the breadcrumbs, coating them on all sides and place on the pan.

Drizzle a little olive oil over each chicken tender and place in the oven to bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the chicken tenders are cooked through and the pieces are lightly browned.

To make a Tomato sauce you will need

2 Tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil – such as corn
1 small onion - chopped
1 garlic clove - chopped
1 Tablespoon of tomato paste
1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
A pinch of salt

To make the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat
Sauté the onions, stirring often - about 3-4 minutes and add the garlic and cook another minute or so

Add the tomato paste, if you elect to use it and mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes more, the tomato paste should darken to a brick color.
At this point add the tomato sauce or better some crushed tomatoes. Also add the salt.
Let come to the boil and check and see it needs any sugar due to acidity, and let simmer for 7-8 minutes and the sauce will be ready
Allow it to cool, about 10 minutes or so, before serving - especially to children

The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, just keep it well covered

Minestrone - My Version

Now that Fall and Winter are upon us the family request for a heart-warming minestrone will be delicately be brought into the conversation, and I will be delighted to see them eat all the vegetables with a little pasta.

What is a Minestrone: An Italian soup made with common and available ingredients that include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock or water and tomatoes. There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are available and in season. It can be vegetarian, or contain a meat soup base (such as chicken stock). In fact the word "minestrone" has become a synonym for "a mix of all things". Minestrone distinguishes itself by the large quantity of fresh vegetables used and its thick consistency.

“Soffritto” – Soffritto is the basis for many dishes; it is a small dice of vegetables, basically: Carrots, Celery, Onions + Garlic
For the Minestrone we add Zucchini and Potatoes diced into half inch pieces. Fresh (preferably), if out of season, otherwise frozen vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, fava beans (in season) or frozen, broad Italian green beans, asparagus, etc., and add to these canned legumes such as: Cannellini and/or Kidney Beans, chick peas or garbanzo and so on, let your mind invent.


½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Soffritto
10 cups water or chicken broth
2 cups chopped Italian plum tomatoes, with juice
14 oz can Cannellini beans - or
14 oz can kidney beans
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
Combination of above vegetables, or all, in bite size pieces
(You will need about 4 ounces of vegetables per person)
Grated cheese, for garnish


Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot.
Add the “soffritto” (onion, celery, carrot, garlic) and sauté gently 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Add water or broth and bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add vegetables, tomatoes and beans.
Simmer for 40 to 50 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

(For a thick soup, transfer half of the beans & vegetables to a food processor or a blender and blend into a paste. Add mashed beans and vegetables and bring to a boil.)

Season the soup with additional salt and pepper, if it needs it, allow cooking for 8 to 10 minutes more and shut off the flame and let sit for at least 15-20 minutes.

If you are adding pasta: Cook, separately, ½ a box of (Classic pasta for minestrone are) "Ditalini" or "Tubettini" according to box instruction – i.e. 8-010 minutes, drain and tossed with olive oil.
Add to the soup just before serving.

TERESA’S STUFFED PEPPERS

PIPERIES GEMISTES tis TERESA’S

Our cousin Teresa, on my wife’s side, is one of the most ingenious cooks I know. She is not afraid to experiment. And if she likes something she will not be shy in asking for the recipe. When we cook together, we argue all the time and have lots of fun. The following recipe is totally 100% her own invention. I added the herbs for extra flavor.

12-15 Italian peppers
1 cup feta cheese - crumbled
2 tsp. fresh thyme – or ¾ dry
2 tsp. fresh oregano – or ¾ dry
3 tbsp. parsley - chopped
¼ cup breadcrumbs
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup olive oil
2 cans – 24 oz. crushed tomatoes

Pre heat oven to 350˚ F

Wash and clean the peppers, cut off the caps, remove the seeds and any veins that are reachable.

In a bowl mix the Feta, thyme, oregano, parsley, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper Add the eggs, olive oil and ½ can of crushed tomatoes. Mix well and set aside

Stuff the peppers and place them in a baking dish or pan
Spread the remaining tomatoes and drizzle the remaining oil, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1½ hour

Allow peppers to come to room temperature if they are to be served as appetizers

This past week a friend from work gave me some lovely eggplants, tomatoes and peppers, half way to a caponata.
What is Caponata; It’s a Sicilian vegetable side dish which, very likely, may have been a Saracen contribution to the Sicilian culinary repertoire.

Think? Raisins, sugar, cocoa and in some towns even cumin.

SICILIAN VEGETABLE MEDLEY

CAPUNATA SICILIANA

1 cup oil for frying
3 medium eggplants
1 cup celery heart, cut on a bias, i.e. slant cut
1 cup onion diced
1 cup green olives - medium size no pits
4 oz. capers - small
6 oz. tomato paste
¼ cup white raisins
4 oz. sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 tsp. cocoa
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Cut the eggplants into small cubes, salt and let drain in colander. Fry in hot oil until brown.

In a pot of boiling water blanch the celery, green olives, and capers.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes drop in ice water to stop cooking.

In a sauce pan place ¼ cup olive oil. Sauté celery, onion, olives, capers and mix well.
Add the tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, raisins, cocoa and mix well.
Cook for 10 minutes and add the eggplant. Mix well and cook another 5 minutes.

You may serve hot or at room temperature. Sprinkle extra virgin Olive Oil for additional flavor.