Mom's Baked Macaroni

This is always a winner.

The recipe -
Boil 1/2 pound of elbow macaroni.

Grease a Pyrex loaf pan.

Alternate layers of macaroni and American cheese, starting with the macaroni.

Break 3 eggs and pour over macaroni. 

Fill the baking dish with milk to almost cover macaroni.

Top with bread crumbs and parsley. 

Bake 350 degrees until set, usually about 35 minutes to 45 minutes.

I think, if I had to pick my last meal, this would be it.

Honestly, that is the way the recipe was given to me.

It is pretty forgiving. 

Just boil macaroni and add cheese. I have used whatever cheese I have in the house. Mom used American. It is a good basic recipe you can build to fit your taste.

Fettuccine Alfredo

I wanted something simple tonight. I had picked up some fettuccine from Bishops. I used the Alfredo sauce recipe from Epicurious.  The meatballs were made yesterday and cooked in the air fryer. It was amazing how light a meal this was, even with the meatballs. This is not your restaurant-style Fettuccine Alfredo that has a lot of cream and cheese. Well, there is no cream in this recipe. This is the traditional Roman recipe, and they don't use cream.

This is our go-to recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo, from Epicurious.

Ingredients-
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
Dried egg fettuccine
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)

Method-
Melt butter in a large saute pan.
Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain fettuccine in a colander.
Immediately toss the fettuccine with butter and salt in the sauté pan, then slowly add 3/4 cup cheese, tossing constantly and adding enough cooking water to keep pasta moist.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

I added the warmed-up meatballs before putting the pasta in the pan.

Everything blended perfectly.

Italian Wedding Soup

This soup holds a special place in our home—it's truly one of our favorites, and it was absolutely perfect for a relaxed Sunday night.

The secret is definitely in the meatballs. I use a classic blend of beef, pork, and veal. Instead of breadcrumbs, I chop up about five Apicella Freselles s and soak them in a quarter cup of milk until soft. Once mashed, I mix that gorgeous binder with a beaten egg, plenty of Parmesan, fresh parsley, and just enough salt and pepper. I hand-shape the mixture into small, golf-ball-sized bites.

Starting the soup is simple: sautéing the aromatics—onions, carrots, and celery—in olive oil. Four cups of homemade chicken broth go in next to simmer. Then comes the good stuff: chopped spinach, the meatballs, and some pre-poached, shredded chicken breast. A dash of salt, pepper, and earthy thyme seasons the pot, and it simmers low and slow for about 50 minutes.

Just before serving, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a beautiful brightness that cuts through the richness. 

It Should Be Called Chicken Parm

I felt a little anxious about dinner. This recipe—Chicken Fritters from Natasha's Kitchen—was going to be a gamble. As I told Chris, this dish was either going to be a hands-down winner or land squarely on the "please do not make this again" list.

Spoiler alert: It was a winner! A huge, resounding, satisfying success, and a recipe I'll be adding to the regular rotation.

The Secret to Speed: Prep Ahead!

What made tonight so manageable was the magic of meal prep. I tackled the chicken yesterday, which was a game-changer. By getting the fritter mixture prepped and chilled, all I had to do tonight was pull it out of the fridge and start frying.

If you're looking for a super-fast weeknight meal, this is the trick! The fritters came together incredibly quickly in the pan, crisping up perfectly on the outside while staying tender and juicy on the inside.

We served the fritters with a simple, classic pairing. I did not use the suggested dipping sauce from the original recipe:

• Noodles: Just plain, buttered noodles provided the perfect comforting base.

• Marinara Sauce: A side of Marinara Sauce (Rao's Homemade Tomato  Sauce, Sensitive Formula) was absolutely essential. Dipping the crispy chicken into the rich, warm tomato sauce elevated the whole dish. The combination of the chicken, the soft noodles, and the sauce was truly perfect together.

Chris gave it two thumbs up. It’s a definite keeper, and I can't wait to make them again!

Chicken Fritters for Two

Ingredients-
3/4 lbs chicken breasts (1 large)
1 large egg
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp Extra light olive oil, to saute (or any high heat cooking oil)

Method-

Using a sharp knife, dice chicken into 1/3" thick pieces and place them in a large mixing bowl. Tip: If chicken breast is partially frozen, it will be a little bit easier to slice.

Into the mixing bowl, add remaining batter ingredients.

Stir the mixture until well combined, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. 

When oil is hot, add the chicken mixture a heaping Tablespoon at a time. 

Slightly flatten out the tops with the back of your spoon and sauté uncovered 3-4 min on the first side, then flip and sauté 3 min on the second side or until outsides are golden brown and chicken is fully cooked through* 

Repeat with the remaining fritters, adding more oil as needed.

Anniversary Dinner on Repeat

34th anniversary dinner. Osso Bucco. This recipe was delicious last year and just as good this year.

The recipe is from the Table for Two blog. The recipe is for 4, so I obviously made 1/2 the recipe.

Slow Cooker Osso Bucco

Ingredients-

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 pieces veal shank, each about 1 1/4 inches thick (about 2 pounds total)

1/3 cup (53 g) chopped onion

1/3 cup (34 g) chopped celery

1/3 cup (43 g) chopped carrots

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/4 cups (303 g) canned crushed tomatoes

3/4 cup (178 ml) beef broth

Fresh ground black pepper

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 large sprig of fresh rosemary

Chopped fresh parsley, for topping

Method-

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 

I tied the veal shanks so they would stay together while braising. Click here for a video on how to tie the shanks and brown the meat before adding to the slow cooker.

Season veal shanks with salt, then sear all four sides until browned but not cooked through. 

Add to the insert of a slow cooker.

Then add the onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary. 

Stir to mix a bit.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 

Discard sprigs of thyme and rosemary. 

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top prior to serving, if desired.

Crispy Pork Schnitzel

 
Another Ferraro's purchase. Pork cutlets. $6.50 for dinner for 2.

Crispy Pork Schnitzel recipe from The Bold Appetite.

Ingredients-
5 thinly sliced pork cutlets
1 1/4 cup unseasoned panko bread crumbs
1 1/4 cup unseasoned Italian bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
oil

Method-
Set up your breading station: a bowl of flour, a bowl of beaten egg, and a combo of both breadcrumbs. 

Season each bowl with a heavy sprinkle of salt.

Coat each cutlet in flour, followed by the egg mixture, and finally, the breadcrumbs. Be sure to press the breadcrumbs in to ensure complete coverage before setting the breaded pork aside. Either cover and place in the refrigerator for later or move onto frying.

In a large, deep pan or skillet, add about 1/4 inch of oil and heat it to 350°F over medium-high heat. 

Fry the pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they’re a light golden brown.

Once cooked through, remove the chops from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate.