Thursday, November 12, 2009

A homecooked meal from my grandmother's kitchen


I really enjoy cooking. I remember when I was young I would pretty much shadow my grandma, picking up every single tidbit she had to offer. I suppose that it was fitting that I am the one who ended up with all of her recipes scrawled in pencil (and fading) or written on anything she had handy. My grandma was a virtuoso when it came to recipes - she could come up with them pretty much on the spot. A skill that I know my mom has as well.

I painstakingly transferred every single recipe (even the ones I didn't care for) to my computer and made a ton of backup copies, including paper copies for my mother and myself. The simplicity of most of my grandmother's recipes is what makes them so great. She grew up on a farm and her food stirs up warm memories of homey goodness.

Chicken Breast Supreme
1 1⁄2 c plain yogurt or sour cream
1⁄4 c lemon juice
1⁄2 T Worcestershire sauce
1⁄2 T celery seed
1⁄2 T paprika
1⁄2 T salt
1⁄4 T pepper
1 clove garlic minced
8 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
2 c fine dry bread crumbs

In a large bowl, combine yogurt/sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery seed, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic. Place the chicken in mix and coat well and evenly. Cover and marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove from marinade and coat each piece of chicken with the bread crumbs. Arrange in a shallow baking dish.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done (juices run clear or an inserted thermometer reads at least 165 degrees).


Stuffed Zucchini
6 med zucchinis
1 sm onion
5 c soft breadcrumbs
3T minced parsley
1⁄2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1t salt
Dash pepper
2 beaten eggs
2T butter
Extra Parmesan cheese for the top

Wash zucchini and cut off the ends (I recommend not peeling it, as it helps keep the dish together while it bakes). Cook in boiling salt water for 5 minutes. Drain. Allow them to cool so you can handle them and halve lengthwise. Remove the pulp with a spoon and reserve.

Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, eggs, and zucchini pulp (kind of like what you'd do with deviled eggs).

Place the zucchini "shells" in a baking dish. Fill the zucchini "shells" with the above mixture and dot the tops with butter and a sprinkle with more cheese.

Bake the zucchini in a moderate oven (about 350 degrees) for 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Unfortunately and due to circumstances beyond my control, I do not have pictures of these recipes, which is something that I will try to correct in the future. In the meantime, you cannot tell me that this meal does not sound mouth-watering. Enjoy!

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