Lemon Chicken over Rigatoni

Yes, there are other recipes for this dish on The Food of Love, but I'm always striving to improve old favorites, both in terms of their flavor and of their healthfulness. This recipe for lemon chicken--which begs to be served over pasta--addresses both issues with the added benefit of being simple enough to be a weeknight dinner.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
6  boneless, skinless four ounce chicken breasts
all purpose flour for dusting (about 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tbs)
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbs olive oil
3 tbs unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
juice of 1 large lemon

DIRECTIONS
*Cook the pasta as you complete the steps below.
Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper, then dust with flour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Dip each breast in the egg, then slip into the skillet and saute for a few minutes per side.
Remove chicken from skillet and cover loosely.
Add the butter to the pan, then the 1 1/2 tbs flour. Stir as the butter melts.
Add the wine and the parsley and cook for a minute.
Add the lemon juice and chicken broth, stirring to combine.
Return the chicken pieces to the pan.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through.
Serve over pasta.
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TASTE NOTES
Each time I make this dish, I marvel anew at how flavorful and satisfying such an easy meal can be! The chicken can be cut with a fork and the delicate flavor of the sauce is perfect over a tubular-shaped pasta like rigatoni.

S'mores Pie

I have a confession to make. I don't like s'mores. I like graham crackers and marshmallows and I love chocolate, but the sandwich-type s'mores are impossible to eat and really don't do it for me. I've made s'mores cupcakes and found them much more to my liking, so I thought a s'mores pie would be a perfect dessert for a Fourth of July barbecue.

My search for a recipe produced any number of versions, but the one that most appealed was on a blog called Gimme Some Oven. While the baking time in the original recipe was way off, the flavors didn't disappoint. This is a very simple recipe. I do think there could be more crust, but it was still delicious.

INGREDIENTS

CRUST INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 10 -20 large marshmallows cut in half OR mini marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE CRUST:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until evenly coated. Press mixture into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

TO MAKE PIE:

In a medium saucepan, whisk together cream and milk. Warm over medium-low heat. Add in chocolate and stir until chocolate has completely melted and is smooth. Slowly add in vanilla and whisked eggs, and whisk until smooth.

Pour chocolate filling into baked pie crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until chocolate filling is set and does not jiggle when pie is lightly shaken. Remove from oven.

Using a kitchen shears or a knife, cut marshmallows in half. Place halves in concentric circles over the top of the pie until covered.

Lower oven rack to the middle position, and set oven to the lowest broil setting. Place pie on the rack and lightly toast the marshmallows. (I recommend pulling them out the second you see them beginning to turn slightly golden.) You can also use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows instead.

Chill pie in the refrigerator to set for 2-3 hours. 

TASTE NOTES

This was an easy, delicious dessert. The pie took 40 minutes to cook to the stage where it looked dry on top and had just a slight jiggle. The taste was phenomenal and just a small slice satisfies.