Day 2: Chicken Piccata, Mustard-Roasted Potatoes, Balsamic Broccoli

I love all of the flavors in this meal!  Each part is fantastic on its own or coupled with something else (the broccoli is a good side to a steak, and the potatoes will go well with a hearty fish) but combined in one meal, it packs a pretty mean flavor punch.  Randy requested the chicken piccata when I was planning out the menu last week, and these are my go-to sides for it.  They all have something in common so the dish really comes full-circle.  You can literally pile a piece of chicken, potato, and broccoli onto the same fork-full and have a fantastic bite!  (Each recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten, though, as usual, minor adjustments were made to fit my family's style.)

Chicken Piccata
chicken breasts (however many you need for your family--I use one and slice it lengthwise since they are so big and it helps us stretch a buck)
flour, salt, pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs (for breading)
2 lemons (juiced, but save the halves)
1/2 cup (or so) white wine
3 TB butter

Bread the chicken breasts: add salt and pepper to the flour (1/2 cup, depending on how much chicken you use), beat the egg (or 2 if needed) with water in a separate bowl, and pour the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl.  Dip the chicken in the flour first, then the egg wash, then the breadcrumbs, then into a hot skillet to cook. (It's important that the skillet be very hot in order for the coating to cook onto the chicken--but watch carefully so it doesn't burn.)  Flip the chicken to brown the other side, then transfer onto a baking sheet and place in the oven to finish cooking.  For the sauce: wipe out the skillet and melt 1 TB butter.  Add the juice from the 2 lemons plus the lemon halves and the white wine.  Cook on high until the sauce is reduced by half.  Then remove the lemon halves (and any seeds) and add the remaining 2 TB of butter.  Whisk until melted in.  ***The key to a great sauce (especially a white wine sauce) is to start with butter and END with butter!  Pour over the cooked chicken and garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

Mustard-Roasted Potatoes
(I usually like to use red potatoes, but didn't have any this week.)  Chop the potatoes into bite size chunks (or a little larger) and place on a baking sheet.  Finely chop an onion and add to the potatoes.  (*I'm not much of an onion fan, so I use half an onion--onion flakes would work, too, if you have a strong aversion to onions.)  Drizzle with olive oil (or extra virgin) and add a couple teaspoons of spicy grainy mustard.  Mix altogether and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 400* for 40-50 minutes, turning once.  Garnish with fresh parsley.

Balsamic Broccoli
broccoli
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1-2 tsps Dijon mustard
1-2 TB balsamic vinegar
olive oil (1/4 to 1/2 cup, I use extra virgin)
juice of 1 lemon

Combine the garlic, mustard, vinegar, and olive oil to make a sauce.  Steam the broccoli until proper tenderness.  Drizzle with sauce and stir well to combine.  Garnish with lemon juice.  (You can serve this hot or room temperature--it tastes great either way!!!)

You may be able to tell that I don't always use exact measurements when I cook.  I've learned to know how I like things to taste and how my family likes them to taste, and I alter my recipes from there.  I'm writing the recipes how I remember them in my head and how I generally prepare them for my family.  Otherwise I would just be copying pages out of someone else's recipe book.  Of course, when it comes to baking, exact measurements are needed.  But I see cooking as more of an art form and ingredients can be changed to fit a person's style.  I don't believe cooking should be stressful, but fun!  And it may seem silly, but I really enjoy garnishing my family's food as often as possible.  I love to present my husband with pretty dishes; for me, it's part of how I show him I love him.  Bon apetit!