Easy Steps on Cooking Chicken Parmesan

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Chicken parmesan is indeed a favorite recipe whether it is for home meals or in restaurants. If you are planning for a quiet dinner at home with chicken parmesan as the recipe in mind, here are the easy steps on how you can prepare this delicious dish.

What You Need
First off, you will need to prepare the things that you will need for the preparation of chicken parmesan. You need 6 chicken breast halves, 1/2 cup of dried bread crumbs, one teaspoon of dried basil and dried oregano leaves, 1/2 cup of milk preferably with reduced fat content, one tablespoon of olive oil, a jar of marinara sauce, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. There are variations of these ingredients especially if you use different recipe books but these are the most basic ones. If you prefer to add other ingredients that you might have seen in shows or read in magazines, then you are free to do so. It is actually recommended for you to do experiments so that you can attain the flavor that suits you best.

Preparing the Chicken Parmesan
The first thing that you need to do is to preheat the oven at 350 0F to make sure that it is already warm enough when you are ready to cook. Of course, you will need to thaw the chicken completely so that it will be easier to cook and for your safety as well. Wash it thoroughly too to avoid any health problems. Prepare all the ingredients you will need, the ones that were stated above including the materials such as bowls, pans, spoons and others.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, oregano and basil and mix them well. Dip the chicken in the milk and then coat it with this mixture. Use a large skillet and heat oil using medium high heat. When it is already hot, you can now cook the coated chicken. It will take about three minutes for the chicken to be cooked on each side or you can wait until the skin has turned golden brown.

After all the chicken breasts were cooked, arrange them in a dish that is coated with nonstick cooking spray. Leave a little space between each piece so that they are not crowded. Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the chicken. Afterwards, pour the marinara sauce and then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese at the top. Bake the chicken parmesan for about 45 minutes. You have to make sure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked and that the juices are already clear. When the juices are still pinkish, the chicken is not yet cooked so you will have to wait for it to run clear. Take note that the bottom parts of the chicken parmesan will be more browned than the top parts.

In a little over an hour, you can prepare chicken parmesan without too much hassle. There are only a few things you will need and it will not take too much time to cook. This is also delicious so you and your family will surely love it.

For more information on food and recipes, please visit: chicken parmesan and crock pot chicken.

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Breads Review - How to Find the Best Whole Grain Bread

Of all breads, whole grain bread is what I find best and the most gratifying. But it frustrates me that it's so difficult to find this kind of decent and healthy bread at the supermarket. Commercial whole grain breads usually contain high-fructose sugar which I don't find suitable in my daily diet. If you are particularly wary of your bread content, you too would go for those that do not contain high-fructose corn syrup - they are far and away the best.

Many nutritional experts are encouraging people to consume whole grain breads to get a much greater nutritional content than breads made from more processed ingredients. When shopping for this bread, just "made with whole wheat" or "made with whole grain" is not enough. Look for labels that say "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain." It should be the first ingredient listed in the ingredient label. You want to get whole grains because they're naturally low in fat, they're cholesterol-free, contains 15% protein, rich in healthy fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, along with resistant starch, phytochemicals, and often, phytoesterogrens, or plant estrogens. Here are four of what I find the best whole grain breads: 

• My favorite bread happens to be Milton's Whole Grain Plus. It has a fine ingredient list, a decent nutritive value, and reasonable cost. It contains whole wheat and other whole grains, brown sugar, honey, and with no high-fructose corn syrup. Note that the packaging claims that this bread has 24g of whole grains per serving, so it aids to reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Pepperidge Farm line of Whole Grain Breads also say "rich in whole grain". Check the label and you will see that whole-wheat flour is the first ingredient, which makes the claim true.
• Sara Lee also contains whole wheat flour, brown sugar and no high-fructose corn syrup. The packaging claims that it is 100% natural, and the ingredient list backs it up.
• Franz Oregon Trail is another best choice. It contains whole wheat flour, honey, "refinery syrup", "soft white wheat flour", "dough conditioners" and of course, no high-fructose corn syrup. You will see the packaging claims of being healthy, low fat, and a good source of fiber.

You can also make own whole grain bread. There are easier "no-knead" bread recipes that you can try. The simplest is to use 50 percent white and 50 percent whole wheat flour, salt, water, and yeast. To get the best homemade whole grain bread, the secret is the slow rise. This is due to very little yeast and no kneading, so the gluten takes all the time to develop an incredible flavor. Cooking in a cast iron covered pot is also the best method to make the best whole grain bread; with the nearly 500 degrees heat of the oven, you will get bread with a perfect crumb that normally only happens when making bread in a wood-fired bread oven.

My wife and I typically make a few of these loaves anytime. We're lucky to own a bread machine which takes very little time and work involved. But even if you don't have a bread maker, you can make the dough at night and tend to it the following afternoon so you get warm and crusty bread for dinner. If you don't have the time to bake and still find it hard to find the best whole grain breads, your best bet is to try to find a local baker or a supermarket that carries fresh and genuine whole grain breads from a local baker.

Also, to maintain healthy living, you need fiber and grains in your diet. But reducing the richness of a sensory experience to mere sustenance does not make for an interesting life; start with the prompt "I'd like to enjoy", in a responsible manner, the most delicious, balanced, well-made, and best fresh piece of bread - those made of whole grains.

Make Holiday Breads in a Cast Iron Cookware, visit Your Smart Kitchen. Your online source for quality cookware, bakeware, cutlery, appliances and related kitchenware at reasonable prices. Specializing in Cast Iron Pots and Pans, Clay Bakers and Terracotta, Nonstick Cookware and other specials. Be a Chef Wannabee and get our Clay Baker Cookbook for free. Terry Retter - Managing Editor, Chefwannabee.com

Spaghetti Bolognese Cooking Tips and Tricks - Make a Delicious Dish Easily and Quickly

ou love spaghetti Bolognese. Indeed, this is one of the most popular and delicious pasta dishes. By using some simple tips and tricks you can make the tastiest pasta ever without much effort.

Use fresh tomatoes instead of a ready tomato sauce to make spaghetti Bolognese. Just remember to peel them off and to grind them finely. This dish is usually made with ground beef, but it is often a bit too dry. That is why you may add a little bit of ground pork so that the meat is juicier.

Do not fry the onions and other vegetables and the beef separately. The idea is for the ingredients to mix well. Just add the onions, garlic, pepper and mushrooms to the skillet first and add the ground meat when they get soft.

Use a wooden spatula to separate the ground meat into smaller pieces in the skillet and to mix it with the rest of the ingredients. That way, you will get the desired small clumps faster.

Add two or three tablespoons of red wine to the mix for the Bolognese sauce before adding the tomatoes. The wine will take away the smell of raw meat and add delicious aroma to it. In general, you can use white wine as an alternative, but the aroma of red wine is richer. Add the tomatoes only after most of the wine has evaporated.

After adding the tomatoes to the mixture, you should mix all ingredients well and bring them to boil. Then you need to add a tablespoon of sugar and mix well. The sugar will reduce the acidity of the tomatoes and will give the sauce a richer and fuller flavor. Do not worry - your sauce Bolognese will not be sweet.

Use a range of herbs to give more aroma and flavor to your dish. Basil, oregano and thyme are the main herbs that you should definitely use. You may want to add rosemary, bay leaf, ground pepper and just a little bit of savory. All herbs used should be dry.

Always add a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil to the water in which you will cook the spaghetti before you bring it to boil. It is equally important not to "wash" the pasta with cold water after it is ready. Just pour the spaghetti into the colander and wait for a few minutes before serving. Do not let the pasta dry too much.

Enjoy super delicious spaghetti Bolognese!