Level 1 - Day 63

Lions, and Tigers, and Pressure Cookers . . . Oh My!

Few things in the kitchen make my palms sweat and knees shake, but using a pressure cooker is one of them.  I don't need that kind of trouble.  The name itself evokes scary images in my head.  And, I value my head too much to mess with it unnecessarily.

So, when I read Suzanne's recipe for Chicken Parmigiana it called for using a pressure cooker.  So, I quickly discarded it.  Even though I love the dish.

But, anyone who knows me, soon discovers that I'm a very crafty individual.  And, I don't give up easily.  I wasn't going to let this obstacle stop me from enjoying a good meal.  While my method wasn't as fast as preparing it in a pressure cooker, I think it turned out pretty good.  If I say so, myself.  Check out what I did, below.

Breakfast - Leftover Herb and Leak Frittata from yesterday.  What a nice treat on a weekday!

AM Snack - Mellon balls.

Lunch - Leftover Asian Chicken Salad from Day 61.

PM Snack - Tomato pizza bites (from SS web site).

Dinner - Chicken Parmigiana (from SS web site) and Sauteed Cabbage with Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese (from Slim and Sexy book).

I prepared the Chicken Parmigiana in the oven, instead of a pressure cooker.  First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Then, using a 13" x 9" pan, lay the chicken breasts in a single layer.  Next, pour the Sweet Tomato Sauce over the chicken.  I saved a step by making a double batch of the sauce when I made it a couple weeks ago, and froze half.

Top the chicken with the sliced mushrooms, dried Italian seasoning, and pepper.  Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes.  Here's another change to the recipe.  You're supposed to add the mozzarella cheese, but I didn't because I felt it might get too brown.  So, after the 30 minutes, take it out and sprinkle the cheese over the chicken and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  It came out perfect! 

The scary pressure cooker method took about 15 minutes, while my calmer method took 45 minutes.  For me, the extra 30 minutes was worth the potential wear and tear on my nerves.

Oh, and by the way, the sauteed cabbage was much better than I expected.  It's fast and easy, too.  Basically, you toast some pine nuts in EVOO; then add the shredded cabbage (for ease, I used a bag of the pre-shredded cabbage).  Cook until wilted for about 3-5 minutes.  Then add some sherry vinegar and pepper.  Mix in the softened goat cheese and you'll have a delightful side dish.  My husband said it was a little bland, but I liked it because it didn't overpower the Chicken Parmigiana.