Copy That!: Chicken Snitzel

I am not sure if I should include this recipe post on my "Copy That!" files. I've been cooking this recipe for quite sometime now, this is not my first Chicken Snitzel session nor my "only" version.. Yes, I made several tweaks and turns to this recipe that every cooking session is not the same as the other, yet it yielded the same result -Awesome Chicken Snitzel! hahaha

A good cook, for me, would and should be able to cook under different circumstances, environments and set-up and still deliver the same outcome -good food!. I live in the city where groceries and markets are just like 5 minute drive. However, there are other circumstances that would still challenge you not to have all the ingredients you need, circumstances like -tinatamad kang lumabas ng bahay, or for a more tolerable reason, budget is tight or you don't have enough time left to make that trip to the groceries or market anymore. Thus at times, I had to do some tweaking of the original recipe so it would adjust to what is in my pantry atm. I'd say that's how a home cook's creativity and culinary knowledge is tested.. feeling Invention Test in Masterchef ang drama. I'm pretty sure that's where they patterned the idea.

Ok.. so for this week's dose of blog-lovin.."this cooking" version of Chicken Snitzel.. 

Love how it looks (and tastes) so herby. 

The parsley leaf as plate decor gives a hint of how the dish would actually taste.

You'll Need:
1/2 kl Boneless Chicken Breast (filleted and pounded so they would have more or less the same thickness)
2-3 medium size day's old bread (for this recipe I used store bought bread crumbs due to time constraint)
a cup of Flour
an Egg
half cup of Milk
2 cloves of Garlic (minced)
"the herbs" - Basil and Parsley (original recipe had Thyme and Rosemary too)
grated Cheese (Parmesan if kaya ng budget)
Olive Oil (EVOO if you're after the health goodness of it)
Butter
S&P

Tip:  You can use low fat milk too. This recipe is quite loaded with carbs, low fat milk is one way to lessen it.

You'll Do:
Step 1: Prepare 3 bowls.
Step 2: Rub S&P and the minced garlic on both sides of the chicken. This is the only seasoning of the actual chicken so season it well.
Step 2: Place the flour in bowl 1.
Step 3: Whisk the egg and milk together in bowl 2.
Step 4: If using Bread, chop bread together with the herbs in a blender or food processor. If using store-bought Crumbs, you may chop manually the herbs and combine it with the crumbs. Add the grated cheese. Mix them well in  bowl 3.
Tip: Arrange the bowls according to the above order for a more organized cooking later. Trust me, it minimizes the mess.
Step 4: Coat the chicken according to this order - flour and dust if off. dip it in egg and milk. coat it with the bread and herbs mixture, press the crumbs against the chicken so they would stick well.
Step 5: Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan and add the chicken when the oil is hot enough. Fry for 2 minutes each side under medium heat.
Step 6: When the second side is cooked, add butter and give the chicken and butter 30 seconds to a minute bonding time. =)

Let it drain on paper towels, you don't want to serve it greasy. Serve it with a little creativity. =)

my first snitzel. hahaha
i improved a lot on presentation and documentation, won't you agree?

Now, for the review:
Hubby's: Awesome!
Miguel's (my 2 yr old): Wow!
Tita Sebya's (Miguel's nanny): Kalami!
Well, one word from my important critics is enough.  *BIG Smile!

ang natira. bow!

This was what was served for Sunday Lunch-Din. *yeah, 3pm lunch na kasi..

xoxo

Balancing Work and Life

Let's start the workweek with this..

xoxo

Healthy Eating: Chicken Pesto Pasta + Simple Cabbage Salad

Hello blogosphere! I'm still here. =) My apologies for being MIA for a while.

Anyways, I am back with a vengeance, este, with recipes -yes plural! That thing that kept me from blogging, had kept me from cooking too. Its been quite a while, I missed them both terribly. Thank God for this Sunday (I have a lot to thank for!), am glad for some "me" time. =)

Awryt, awryt.. so here's my come back post.

For a little background... Sunday lunch is the best meal of the entire week -that's one of the traditions of our lil family started. And because of that, Sunday lunch has become the most thought of and anticipated meal of the week.

Friday, when I told hubby that we will have Pasta today on Sunday. I planned to use the few left over ingredients from last New Year's Eve cooking for our Pasta Sunday. Then, Sunday came, I opened our fridge and realized, we had an "abundance" of Cabbage too. That's were I though, I should do a combo of pasta and salad. *wow, this is my first combo feature.


So, the Chicken Pesto Pasta..

This has been one of my go to Pasta recipe when I have palates to satisfy but I don't feel like trying something new. The other go to Pasta is of course, the staple in every Filipino home, the spaghetti.


You'll Need:

You choice of Pasta. Cook according to "manufacturer".

The left over ingredients -All Purpose cream and Pesto sauce mix + Onions and Garlic

Oregano, S&P
*late sa pictorial na si Basil and  Boneless Chicken Breast

~I had to add dried Basil because I only have 30g Pesto mix and it won't be enough for a 500g Pasta.
~My original recipe didn't Oregano in it too. I just experimented with before and discovered that it would add tang and sweetness to the mixture. Since then, I have been adding it, but it won't hurt the flavor if its absent though.

You'll Do:
Slice the Chicken Breast into long strips and saute them together with the onions and garlic until the Chicken is lightly browned.
Add a cup of "pasta stock" (the water you used to bring your pasta to life).
Prepare the Pesto mix according to manufacturer, add them to the chicken and bring them all to a simmer. Once you can see little bubbles, lower the fire and add the All Purpose Cream.
Add a teaspoon of Oregano and Basil. *I used more basil for this though since again, I am a bit short of Pesto mix. Taste it and if you feel like it, add more S&T.
Lastly, add the Pasta and mix them well.

Tip: White sauce based Pasta tends to look dry and actually dry up quicker than tomato based ones so always have a little more extra white sauce.

Now, for the Cabbage Salad..

This is a simple salad of Cabbage, Carrots and Red Bell Peppers tossed in Mayo, All Purpose Cream and Oregano. Pretty, right? =) It's a refreshing variety to the richness of the Pasta.

Enjoy!!!

xoxo