Chicken Parmesan, Stir-Fried Fish Balls with Eggplant, Veggie Burgers

Chicken Parmesan
Adapted from Tyler Florence Recipe

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
Pinch sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1 cup dried bread crumbs
8oz mozzarella cheese, shredded/grated
Freshly grated Parmesan
1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

1. Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil. Carefully add tomatoes, cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper.

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.

2. Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil. Bake the Chicken Parmesan for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti.

Stir-Fried Fish Balls with Eggplant


Veggie Burger Patties
Adapted from Country Living online

1 can (15-ounce) pinto beans
4 ounces fresh white mushrooms, finely chopped
1/4 cups shelled edamame
1 small carrots, finely grated
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 egg white
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp olive oil
4 slices of bread (optional if you want a sandwich!)

Directions
1. Drain and rinse pinto beans. In a medium bowl, lightly mash beans. Toss with mushrooms, edamame, carrots, onion, panko bread crumbs, and cilantro.

2. Mix in egg white, salt, pepper, and cumin. Form into 10 patties. Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

3. Fry patties in 2 batches until golden, about 8 minutes per side. Serve on bread or salad and garnish as desired.