Tomato sauce, and EASY Chicken Parmesan

So I’ve been auditioning recipes for use when I make my first foray into home canning. I’ve made some apple butter already, which I think came out too runny, but seems to have gone over well for those who I’ve given it to (and a special thanks to my family for being guinea pigs :oD). I tried this pasta sauce recipe the other night, and wasn’t too impressed, so I decided to tweak it a bit. I added a few things to make it a bit spicier, and some extra herbs to punch up the Italian-ness a few notches. It came out so-so, but I rarely ever think a pasta sauce is more incredible than a poached egg. It’s nice and all, but really, it’s not anything special.

Two of my roommates, both who are Italian and have very discerning taste buds when it comes to Italian food, thought that this was an acceptable sauce, and one that would be great for canning. I still want to tweak it a bit and make it better. Also, since we’re carnivorous college men, I threw together some basic Chicken Parmesan that I thought would taste good, and it came out adequate (I’m sorry, but I never can fawn over Italian food, or at least those containing red sauces, like others. They just don’t impress me).

Now that I’ve bashed this sauce, and probably a lot of your grandmother’s recipes, I’ll stop putting my foot in my mouth and just give you the recipe. Hopefully you find it more satisfying than I did.

Tomato Sauce (Adapted from simplyrecipes.com)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot or 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped
1 small stalk of celery, including the green tops, finely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
8 white button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
1 Large pinch of Red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp of Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (I used both to boost the flavor)
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (I’d recommend the canned tomatoes. I spent about 30 minutes peeling and seeding tomatoes)
1 6oz can tomato paste, plus 2 cans of water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Chicken Parmesan

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup parmesan cheese, finely crumbled (the stuff in the bottle works just fine)
½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
Parsley, for garnish
Shredded Mozzarella for topping

SAUCE
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced carrot, celery, onion, and parsley. Reduce heat to medium low, and cover, cooking 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add in the garlic, and red pepper flakes, cooking only for about 30 seconds. Add in the tomatoes (with juice if using canned) and the basil, both dried and fresh. Add in the tomato paste, water, salt, and pepper. Stir, and let simmer on medium-low until thickened, about 15 minutes. Serves over pasta, chicken, or whatever you would normally serve with red sauce. Serves 4.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large zip-top bag, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Combine the ingredients. Drop the chicken breasts into the bag, and (Shake and Bake style) shake until coated. Place the chicken breasts on a cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cover the tops with cheese, and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Remove from oven and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.