Nemo's Chicken

I buy the huge package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and often imagine I will do something new and fabulous with them.  This time, I knew not to fight it and simply slice them into thin cutlets that I would bread and fry.

My younger son went grocery shopping for me a few days ago and I simply listed olive oil.  I'm not sure what constitutes "organic" olive oil or if any benefits exist for using it, but that's what I used.

As soon as the breaded chicken starts to cook in the pan, my mouth gets happy.  The snapping bubbles in the oil become a symphony and I find myself licking my lips as I cook.

What to do with the golden cutlets once they are prepared?  Well, I made that up as I went along.  I remembered I had a package of mushrooms, but I still didn't know what I would create...

I pulled out chicken stock as well as half and half to use as a sauce/gravy.

Once the chicken was done, I used the same pan to brown the mushrooms.  They were then coated with flour to thicken the sauce.  A generous splash of both stock and dairy, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper were mixed in and simmered until thick (just a few minutes).

"Smells good Mom," was called out by my younger son from the other room and I knew I must be almost done.  Dinner was just the two of us.  The Mr. has been away all week for work and my older son works at the college he attends in the maintenance department so he was trying to stay ahead of Nemo by removing all snow as it fell.  The bad part for his work day is the constant raw cold weather and the demanding hours (15 hours for one shift, home, some sleep and back at it by 6 a.m.) but the good part is the free tuition - no college loans!

I had a lemon on the counter and I went back and forth about adding a squeeze of juice.  Instead I put the lemon on the table for just in case.  

Yes, I can make my own saffron.  I was taught a recipe by my mother-in-law which she quite proudly had published about 35 years ago in her church bulletin.  I hang my head and admit to using a packaged version.  The sodium content is high and the taste is of course not the same, but I do enjoy it.

Nemo was a bit slow starting yesterday but this morning I woke up to a literal winter wonderland. 

 
It does look pretty when all is said and done.  In a few minutes, well, maybe an hour or so, I will take our yellow lab Maddy out and shovel the walks.  She loves to stand on the snow piles and play Queen of the Hill.  Not sure what today's culinary adventures will be but since the Mr. is returning from his trip, I am sure we will be Fed Well.