WEDNESDAY

Herbed Chicken Cutlets with Panko & Parmesan  |  Asparagus with Lemon-Butter Sauce

 

Barely “back in the saddle” after our horse-show adventure this past week{end} and Mallory headed off to oral surgery this morning.  Mallory’s issue…too many teeth & not enough room in her tiny mouth.  Before she can get braces, we needed to reduce her inventory.  So, at 7:30am this morning, we headed off to surgery…one hour later, these gems were handed over to us:

Both Michael & I sat next to her bed in the recovery room…Mallory, always so full of energy, struggled to get out of the anesthesia {mouth stuffed with gauze}.  After an hour, or so, Michael carried her out to the car and we made our way home…Mallory completely oblivious to all of the activity.

Having been through this process twice before with her siblings, I was armed and ready for a day of recovery…pain pills, antibiotics, ginger ale, bags of frozen peas to act as compresses and, most importantly…Vanilla Bean Pudding from the Smitten Kitchen.   Smooth, rich and satisfying {after all, she has been fasting for over 14 hours}, this pudding is a family favorite.  I made a double-batch to see my little girl through this trauma…

Mallory will be enjoying this creamy mixture, as nutrition, for a day or two {Thank You Deb @ Smitten Kitchen}…

While Mallory slept, I managed to sneak in a bit of dinner research for next week’s menu, participated {via conference-call} in a Site-Council meeting for Madison’s school, finished an abundance of laundry and prepped this evening’s dinner.

Let’s begin with the asparagus…

My favorite Springtime vegetable!  Boiled, steamed, or roasted…this lovely green is a sure sign of Spring!

Asparagus with Lemon-Butter Sauce {adapted from Canal House Cooks Everyday}:

• 2 large egg yolks
• 8 tablespoons {1 stick} of cold, unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• freshly-squeezed juice of 1 large lemon
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, peeled & trimmed
• lemon wedges

1. For the lemon-butter sauce, whisk together the egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of water in a heavy saucepan.  Heat over low heat, whisking constantly to prevent the yolks from “scrambling”.  Add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking until each piece has melted into the sauce before adding the next.  {If the sauce begins to separate, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in another piece of cold butter to cool the sauce down.}  Continue whisking in the butter this way until it has all been incorporated into the sauce.
2. Remove the pan from the heat & whisk in lemon juice.  Season mixture with cayenne and salt.  Keep the sauce warm by setting the pan in a larger pan of hot water over low heat.  To prevent a skin from forming, whisk the sauce frequently or cover with a sheet of plastic wrap laid directly on the surface.
3. For the asparagus, steam or boil it in a wide pot of salted water until tender, 4-5 minutes.  Drain.
4. Place asparagus onto dinner plate & drizzle Lemon-Butter sauce over.  Season with salt & a squeeze of lemon.

I peeled & trimmed the asparagus this morning so it would be ready to go later during dinner prep.  To keep it fresh {and from drying out} I simply rolled the stems in a damp paper towel and placed in the refrigerator until I was ready to cook them…

Now, for the Herbed Chicken Cutlets with Panko & Parmesan {adapted from Food52.com}

• 3 cups panko crumbs
• 3 tablespoons chopped assorted fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper
• 6 eggs
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 8 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/4 inch thick

1. In a wide shallow bowl or pie plate, stir together the panko, herbs, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. In another bowl, crack the eggs, add a pinch of salt and pepper and lightly beat with a fork. In a third bowl, stir together the flour and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet (I like to use cast iron for this) over a medium-high flame. Add the butter. In the meantime, coat one of the chicken breasts with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the breast in the egg mixture, and then in the breadcrumbs, pressing them lightly so that they adhere. Set on a plate and repeat with the other chicken breasts.
3. When the butter just starts to turn brown, gently lay both of the chicken breasts in the pan, side by side. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and crispy. Gently turn the chicken over and cook for another couple of minutes, until both sides are evenly browned. Remove the chicken and let it drain on the paper-towel lined baking sheet for a minute or so. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.  Serve immediately.

I chopped more herbs than I needed for tonight’s dinner…the extras will be placed in a glass bowl, tightly covered and stored in the refrigerator, ready to add to another dish {a great addition to scrambled eggs in the morning}…

Finally, the finished dinner plate…

The left-over herbs will complement tomorrow morning’s eggs-for-breakfast & the left-over chicken will make for a wonderful sandwich tomorrow for lunch {nothing goes to waste}.

Just checked in on Mallory and she is fast asleep!  Such a small triumph gives this Mom great satisfaction!!