Italian food is my husband’s favorite kind of food. I typically don’t make it because of high carb and calorie content. However, I recently found a healthier option to Italian food. Chicken parmesan that is baked! It is still lightly fried for the crispy texture, but it is a much lighter option than what you would eat at an Italian restaurant. I usually make whole wheat penne pasta instead of regular spaghetti noodles as well.

I hope you enjoy this version of chicken parmesan as much as my family! My recipe below is from an original recipe of Self Proclaimed Foodie. You can find their recipe here: Perfect Chicken Parmesan

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Serves Four

• 4 boneless chicken breasts (skinless)
• 3 cups of penne pasta
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup of bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 (25 ounce) jar pasta sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Use plastic wrap to cover chicken. Use a meat pounder or rolling pin to tenderize meat. Make about a half-inch thick.

Have three bowls on the counter. Add flour to one bowl. Add the beaten egg to another bowl. Combine the bread crumbs, ½ cup of parmesan cheese, along with basil, oregano, salt and pepper into the third bowl.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge chicken in flower, then coat with egg, then cover with the bread crumb mixture. Press coating onto chicken to get as much as possible to stick.

When oil is hot (when you see bubbles coming from the bottom of the pan), add your coated chicken to the pan. Cook each breast about two minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and transfer to a baking dish. Cover each breast with some pasta sauce. Make sure to reserve some of the sauce for the pasta on the side. Cook chicken in the oven about 5-10 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Some days my sweet tooth calls and it’s time to bake! When I want something easy and quick, these no-bake cookies are always top of the list. I usually always have the ingredients on hand, and they are very scrumptious! Another plus is they make several cookies, so there is always enough to share with your family, friends, and neighbors!

I shared the cookies before I could take a photo of final product. This unfortunately is a theme in our household.

One of my favorite recipes is from Brown Eyed Baker. You are welcome to get the recipe below, or view it here at Brown Eyed Baker’s site: No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies 

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Putter Oatmeal Cookies

Makes two dozen

• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of whole or 2% milk
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 3 cups of quick-cooking oats (I used old-fashioned oats)

Add the first five ingredients (through the salt) to a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil and let boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth, then stir in the oats.

Use a medium cookie scoop (or 2 tablespoonfuls), drop onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Let cool until set, about 30 minutes.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the refridgerator) for up to two weeks.