Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Quick Dinners

Did I tell you about the Italian pork chops?

This is an example of super-easy, super-fast cooking. Moms and Dads can get this meal on the table in 15 minutes.

Break an egg into a bowl and beat it up with a bit of milk. In another bowl mix up some bread crumbs and Italian seasoning.

Heat a skillet on medium-high with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Dip your pork chops in the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Cook them in the oil for about 2 or 3 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the chops).

Serve with a salad and some steamed peas or whatever is in season. I don't think you need a starch, since you have breadcrumbs on the meat, but if you have hungry teenagers, you can serve some warmed whole-grain bread. This will keep you in the 15 minute range.

Oh yeah. Good for chicken, too.

But you know what's really good? Preserved lemons.

I made up a batch of these a few months ago, and oh-my-goodness, they are good! Last night, I found this recipe on Cooking Light. What a marvelous taste sensation! The sweet, salt, tart flavor was a delight. And only a few ingredients!

I ran out of time while preparing this dish, so I left the skillet on the stove and poured the sauce over the chicken and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. The sauce boiled down to a thick, syrupy goodness and delicately coated the chicken breasts. I used boneless, skinless breasts, so there was no need to strain the sauce.

The flavor is just amazing when cooking with these lemons. I recommend keeping a jar in your refrigerator for use any time!

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