Easy Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Many times I crave a traditional Chicken Parmesan but don't want all the fuss and mess of breading and frying the chicken. Especially on a work week night. After a day on my feet, tending to patients, there's little energy to make an elaborate meal. Here's where my Easy Chicken Parmesan Casserole comes in. It's easy to make, takes little prep time and it really satisfies that craving.  Most, if not all, the items are probably already in your pantry or freezer, and that's a winner in my opinion. While it's baking away, just boil some pasta to serve with it, add a tossed salad and dinner is on the table.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs chicken breast, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 24-oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup panko
1 tsp dried oregano
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

The Petite Chef - Eryka

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onions until soft, then add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute. Remove from pan. Cook the chicken in the same pan with a little bit more oil. Cook through.

2. In a 13 x 9 casserole dish, add in the cooked onion/garlic, chicken and the entire jar of pasta sauce.  Mix well to incorporate. Add the Parmesan cheese first then layer the mozzarella cheese on top.

3. In a separate small bowl, combine the panko, oregano, pinch of salt and pepper and fresh basil. Mix all together and then sprinkle on top of cheese. Place in oven to cook for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top and cheese has melted. Serve with pasta. Enjoy!

Cocco's Chicken Curry

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

Seven years ago I landed in a foreign land called Japan ... Okinawa to be exact. It is the largest island south of Japan where the largest amphibious battle occurred during World War 2. Little history for ya! Authentic Japanese food does not compare to the food served here in the USA. There are some staples such as Yakitori, served as street food, but the menu usually consists of seafood and other items I did not recognize. However, there was one restaurant I dined in that was reminiscent of an American diner called Cocco's Curry House, where I had Cocco's Curry Chicken. The second you open the door you are blasted with the smell of curry. You can order it on any type of meat (I chose chicken) as well as the level of heat; it's served with white rice, and as odd as it may sound, it had melted cheese. It was absolutely delicious, and the crunch from the panko and the sauce slathered over top and the gooey melted cheese, just makes you hungry for more!  After the trip I HAD to recreate it and I couldn't believe how simple it was to make and that my adaptation captured it so well. With a little help from your local Asian market or Asian section of your supermarket, you too can create this authentic Japanese meal. It is very simple: panko, chicken breasts/cutlets and curry sauce. My recipe is for two people however you can certainly adjust the amount of chicken to the amount of people you are serving. Enjoy!


2 chicken breasts, halved
2-3 tablespoons flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Japanese panko
1-2 tablespoons canola oil
1 3.5oz box Golden Curry Mix
1 Polly-O string cheese (optional)

Turkey, Quinoa & Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

I haven't made stuffed pepper in ages, but last week I was inspired by a recipe post on stuffed peppers and tomatoes by the wonderful folks at +Little CookingTips. I was inspired to revive and update an old recipe I developed a few years back. I use to make this recipe with ground beef, orzo and mozzarella, now I've switched over to ground turkey, quinoa and goat cheese.

The turkey lightens the heaviness that can come from beef, but because of the seasonings, it packs one heck of a flavor punch. The sauteed onions and sun-dried tomatoes added to the turkey, deepen and enhance the flavor, as well as, adding moisture. The soft creaminess of the goat cheese compliment the turkey and the simple, yet rich, tomato-based sauce the stuffed peppers are cooked in. The Hub, who is my culinary gauge as to whether a recipe is a success or not, had seconds and happily took the leftovers to have at lunch the next day. All in all, I can confidently say this revision was a smash hit. I hope you enjoy it too!

Serves 4 - 6

1 pound ground turkey*
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup water
1 cup cooked quinoa*
pepper to taste

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes & Olive Sauce

A Two for Tuesday Recipe:

The Hub has never been a fan of couscous, yet we recently had it in San Francisco and he seemed to like it. The catch was that he chowed down on Israeli couscous and not the Moroccan variety.  If you aren't familiar with couscous, it's basically a pasta made from semolina.  These are three varieties I am most familiar with;

• Moroccan, small semolina grains that cook quickly 
• Israeli, small round "pearls" about the size of a peppercorn, longer cooking time
• Lebanese, a bit larger than Israeli and about the size of petite peas, requires longer cooking time

Personally, I love any of these variety of couscous but never make it because I end up being the only one eating it. Now that the Hub had found one he liked, I was on a mission! So I picked a bag up at the grocery store and developed this recipe. The tomatoes and garlic take on a deeper flavor as they roast, and the olives offer that nice tang that completes the sauce.

For Sauce:
2 pints of red grape* or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Olive oil to drizzle
1/2 head of garlic left unpeeled, cloves separated
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 of chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
1/4 cup of black and green olives, sliced