Hi there, fellow food lovers! I am an undergraduate Biochemistry Major looking to pursue Graduate Studies in the science of food, particularly Food Chemistry. I have loved food, since as far as I can remember. I work at the deli at my university and am one of the few workers there, who actually enjoys it, despite the low pay, how hot it is, and the goofy hats we have to wear. I enjoy making different kinds of sandwiches and seeing how tastes vary among people. Not only do I love to cook and prepare foods, I love the science behind it. My goal for the future is to work in Research and Development at a company that specializes in food. Also, I would love to own a restaurant. My idea for one is pretty ambitious, but with enough patience, determination, and the ever-important money, I’m sure I could get it running. A little background on where the idea came from …. I am probably one of the least picky eaters around. I’ll eat everything, except yogurt with mushy fruit on the bottom and Crunch Chocolate. And that’s not even a taste problem, but more of a texture problem. I love trying foods from different cultures. I’ve eaten Polish, Chinese, Japanese, French, Lebanese, Mongolian, American, and German Foods. I’m sure there’s more out there that I’ve tried, but the minds blank right now. So my thinking was “Why not have one restaurant, where you can eat all these types of food?” My goal for this restaurant is to incorporate all cultures into one restaurant. I want every day to represent a different culture. So, for example, Monday would be Polish day, where pierogi and kielbasa will be cooked. Tuesday could be Japanese day with sushi and edamame. And the list goes on. I know it’s ambitious and I might look back at this next year and think that I am completely insane for conjuring up this idea, but I’ve never heard of something like this being done. And I think people would enjoy something as unique as this. And for any potential restaurant owners out there, back off! (And I mean that in the nicest way possible :)) The idea is mine. To end this rambling, if Food were a person, I’d probably marry it. This blog will mostly consist of my ramblings about food, where I attempt to sound reasonably intelligent.
I’m starting this blog with a picture of a cookbook by one of my favorite chefs; Ina Garten. One thing that I love about Ina is the simplicity of her recipes. Julia Child is another favorite of mine. Not only are her dishes delicious, but she looks like my grandma. This is no joke. My family has a Julia Child cookbook and for nearly 10 years, I thought that that book was my grandma’s cookbook. When I found out that, no, this amazing chef is not my grandma, but Julia Child, I was already in love. The woman is a genius in the kitchen. But, her recipes take about a day to perfect. They are no simple feat. As a college student, if I’m ever going to cook, it needs to be quick. It needs to be simple. And, most importantly, it needs to be cheap. As much as I love working at the deli, it doesn’t pay well. So, right now, Ina’s the way to go. The food is also very tasty. Her Parmesan chicken is a favorite of mine and it only takes about 30 minutes to make! Anyone out there that needs to make a quick meal should definitely try one of Ina’s recipes. Here is her Parmesan Chicken Recipe borrowed from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-chicken-recipe/index.html:
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- Unsalted butter
- Good olive oil
- Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
- 1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the saladgreens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 1/2 cup good olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Yield: 6 servings
Unfortunately, I have no pictures, which I know is a travesty, but I will for any future recipes, since what kind of food blog would this be without any pictures? Now I’m more eager with the Parmesan. In my rendition, I added more, since I love cheese. And I didn’t include the salad bit, so you can even take out the lemon vinaigrette. Those sauces are, in my opinion, just added flavor. This chicken had more than enough for me, so no added vinaigrette was necessary. The dish is really tasty. The chicken was very tender and the flavor was just incredible. After eating it, my family said, “Hey, maybe this restaurant idea isn’t such a bad one” and that’s actually saying something, since they are my biggest critics. Basically, all you need to know about this recipe is that it’s simple, easy, and quick!
Thanks for listening to my ramblings!
Stay hungry!
-Paulina
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