Parma Rosa Chicken

Some kids go through a mac 'n' cheese phase (it's something they can cook themselves), and some kids go through a cereal phase (doesn't require cooking at all). Me? Knorr Instant Parma Rosa Sauce was a childhood fave. It’s embarrassing but true.

To this day, I'm not sure what is even in those packs of instant pasta sauce. And frankly? I don't want to know. What I do know is that it's addicting. Back then I called it "pink sauce." 

Even though I ate many (many!) packets of pink sauce as a kid, it's not what I was thinking about when I started working on this recipe. Nope, I just thought I was making a creamy chicken parmesan. It wasn't until my first bite that my memory sprang into action: 

I know this flavor! This tastes like pink sauce! 

What was that called? Parma Rosa, a Google search told me.

And it does taste just like Parma Rosa -- a bigger, bolder, fresher, real parma rosa. A grown up pink sauce. And instead of a soft creamy pink color, it's a rich creamy orange-red, evidence of real tomatoes in there. 

You can eat this dish as-is (that's what I did, with a side salad), or you could serve it over pasta. It goes great with a glass of white wine, and the leftovers are just as good the next day. 

Between this recipe and this lasagna, I've been on quite the Italian kick lately! (Is pink sauce Italian? I don't think so, but it seems Italian). 

Parma Rosa Chicken

Published July 26, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

4 small chicken breasts (or 2 large cut in half)

1-2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

16 ounce can tomato sauce (Note: this is in the canned tomato aisle; it is puréed tomato -- not a pre-made pizza or pasta sauce, which will already have herbs, garlic, etc)

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced, plus more for garnish

3/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil glistens, place the chicken in the skillet. Cook on each side for 5 minutes, until browned. Move to a plate and set aside.
2. If pan is dry, add additional tablespoon of coconut oil. Add onions and garlic, and sauté until transparent. Reduce heat to low. Pour in tomato sauce and stir.
3. Add thyme, rosemary, and basil to sauce, and then stir in the cream. Place chicken back in pan, immersing it in the sauce. Allow sauce to simmer lightly for 1-2 minutes, and then top each piece of chicken with parmesan. Place skillet in oven and turn to broil. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes — until cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven, top with additional basil for garnish, and serve hot.

Honey Nut Coconut Clusters

Covered in dirt from the soles of my shoes to the tips of my hair, I made my way up our driveway, which was now blanketed in the shade of the night. The sunlight was up and on this day, like every day this week, that meant it was time to put down the shovel and go find something to eat.

When we moved to a new house a year and a half ago, we inherited a front and back yard, both of which were covered in some patchy grass and a lot of bindweed (my nemesis). We knew we would never put out a sprinkler to keep our grass green; it's something that feels like a waste of water in this naturally semi-arid landscape. 

So, a woman on a mission, little has passed through my mind this month other than how to build our garden boxes, which native plants to buy, and where to acquire a copious amount of mulch. It seems everything — even stopping for lunch - has taken a back seat as I rush home to put in a few hours of labor before the sun sets. Rather than planning recipes, I wander in around 8:30pm and make something that requires no thinking… an usually no cooking. 

Like all house projects, I probably under estimated the amount of work it would take to get it all done, but I'm a keep-your-head-down and get-her-done type of person. Besides, I found that even in the heat of day I would be smiling as I dug in the dirt. It's satisfying. So, I just keep digging. 

Snacks that are ready to eat whenever have been necessary this week. Crackers and cheese, fresh fruit, hummus. And of course, these Honey Nut Coconut Clusters, which sit somewhere between granola and trail mix (and they call for only five ingredients: coconut, sesame seeds, cashews, honey and salt). 

Thanks to the honey and the sesame seeds, they taste a bit like Honey Nut Cheerios -- hence the name. But, of course, made with coconut and real nuts and seeds, they are far more satisfying. These would be perfect as a trail mix while hiking, or as a a topping to yogurt, but I mostly just ate them as an afternoon snack. 😋

Honey Nut Coconut Clusters

Published May 8, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 6   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup cashew pieces
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup honey
• Generous sprinkle of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine coconut, cashew, and sesame seeds. Pour in honey and toss until everything is coated and sticky. Sprinkle with salt, and stir a bit more until salt is incorporated.
3. Spread mixture out on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake 8-10 minutes, stirring at the 5 minute mark to ensure even cooking. After 10 minutes, coconut should be toasted. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Caramelized Sweet Potatoes with Feta & Red Onion

Happy New Year, everyone! 

Cheese and potatoes is nothing new, but it is dreamy nonetheless. This cheese-and-potatoes combo is a bit different from the usual, as the star of the show is caramelized sweet potatoes and the savory, cheesy goodness comes from feta crumbles.

The duo is dynamic. Warm, starchy sweet potatoes have been slow cooked to bring out their natural sweetness, so they have a more complex flavor than just regular old sweet potatoes. They stand up against salty feta cheese. Each brings out the best in the other, as an good pair would. 

Breakfast, lunch or dinner side, there's no stopping this dish from working it's way into every meal. It seems to fit in everywhere: it would even make a nice potluck dish (just make a double batch so everyone can get some!!). 

And while this dish may be akin to regular old potatoes and cheese, it's also good fuel: orange fleshed sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C. So eat up! Those vitamins will keep you feeling strong through the rest of winter. Bonus: research shows that you'll absorb both the beta carotene and vitamin A better when your meal includes a source of fat (read: don't skip the cheese!!) 🧀❤️🍠

Caramelized Sweet Potatoes with Feta & Red Onion

Published January 2, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 3   |    Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, washed and peeled
• 1/3 cup minced red onion
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles 
• 1/4 cup minced parsley for garnish 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Dice sweet potatoes to 1/2-inch cubes, and place in large bowl. Add minced red onion. Pour butter and honey into bowl, and stir until all sweet potatoes are coated. Transfer to baking sheet and spread into a single layer, and then sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are cooked through and sweet.
4. Transfer sweet potatoes to serving bowl. Top with feta cheese crumbles and minced parsley. Serve.