Winner, Winner, Sheet Pan Dinner

The first time I made this recipe was in 2021. It received the same applause as it did back then.

Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken.

The dinner came together in about 45 minutes. It was well received on the other side of the table.

This recipe came from The Recipe Critic site with my edits.

Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken.

Ingredients-

For the Sauce

6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

3/4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water, plus more as needed to thin out the sauce

For the chicken and vegetables-

1# chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 zucchini, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into chunks2/3 cup roasted unsalted cashews

Method-
Preheat oven to 400°

Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil coated with cooking spray and set aside.

Season chicken with salt and black pepper, then drizzle spoonfuls of sauce over the chicken, coating well on both sides. 

Reserve at least half of the sauce for later.

Cook in preheated oven for 8 minutes, then remove the pan.

Arrange the zucchini, bell peppers, and cashews in a single layer around the chicken. 

Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and drizzle spoonfuls of the sauce and toss everything to coat. 

Return to the oven and cook for another 8-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle with the remaining sauce. 

Serve over rice or quinoa and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Veal Saltimbocca (Roman Sautéed Veal Cutlets With Prosciutto and Sage)

I found this recipe on the site, Serious Eats. It took less than 30 minutes to get this on the table. It looks fancy, but it was not a complicated recipe at all. 

Ingredients

4 veal cutlets (about 1/2 pound)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bunch fresh sage, divided
4 large, thin slices of prosciutto
Cornstarch, for dredging (about 1/4 cup)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup dry white wine
Fresh juice from 1/2 lemon, to taste
1/2 tsp soy sauce

Method-

Arrange cutlets on a work surface, cover with a sheet or two of plastic wrap, and pound each with a meat pounder or the bottom of a small heavy saucepan or skillet until no more than 1/4-inch thick throughout. 

Season lightly on one side only with salt and pepper.

Flip veal cutlets so that the salted side is down. 

Pick 4 of the largest sage leaves from your bunch and lay one in the center of each cutlet; if the sage leaves are small, use two per cutlet.

Lay a slice of prosciutto on top of each cutlet, sandwiching the sage leaves flat between them. 

Using two wooden toothpicks per cutlet, fasten the prosciutto to the cutlets (the easiest way is to push the toothpicks through the prosciutto and just into the veal, then back through the prosciutto again).

Pour about 1/2 cup of cornstarch into a wide, shallow bowl. 

Dredge the underside of each prosciutto-topped cutlet in the cornstarch, shaking off the excess.

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat until shimmering. 

Add the cutlets, prosciutto-side up, and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the cutlets are lightly browned on the bottom and the last traces of pink are visible on top at the edges. 

Using a thin metal spatula, flip all of the cutlets prosciutto-side down, then flip them back immediately. 

Transfer to a clean platter.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add butter and a few sprigs of sage to the skillet and cook until the butter is melted. 

Add white wine. 

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, then continue to cook, stirring and swirling constantly, until sauce is emulsified and slightly thickened (exact time can vary significantly depending on your skillet size and burner power; increase the heat at any time if it seems to be taking too long, or lower the heat if it's reducing too quickly).

Season with salt and pepper, then stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. 

Taste and add another teaspoon (or more) of lemon juice, if desired. 

Stir in soy sauce. 

If the sauce breaks at any point, whisk in a tablespoon or two of water to bring it back together. 

Discard sage sprigs. 

Pour the sauce all over the veal cutlets and serve right away.

Chicken Francais My Way

Simple and Fast. I made Chicken Francais, but did not follow a recipe. My version always receives rave reviews.  Chicken Francais is usually dredged in flour and then egg. I leave out the egg. I just dredged the chicken in flour, seasoned it with salt and pepper, and put it in a hot saute pan that had butter and olive oil heated. About 3 to 4 minutes per side, and then put the chicken on a plate and cover it with foil. To the pan, I added white wine. That cooked down, and I added lemon juice, a knob of butter, and parsley. The chicken went back into the pan for about 3 to 4 minutes. That was it. Fast, simple, and delicious.

Air Fryer Pork Chops

Craving a solid dinner but have zero energy? I'm right there with you. These air fryer pork chops are my favorite weeknight hack. With just a few pantry staples for the marinade and about 14 minutes of air frying, you get perfectly juicy chops with almost no cleanup.

Pork Chop Marinade-

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper

2 center-cut pork chops, bone-in.

Method-

In a ziplock bag, mix the marinade ingredients. 

Add the pork chops and toss them with the marinade.

Set Air Fryer to 400˚. 

Preheat for 10 minutes.

Put in your air fryer liner and pork chops.

Flip after 6 to 7 minutes, depending on the size.

Air fry until the internal temp is 145˚.