The Perfect Date Meal

Many of my friends have called me in a panic and asked, "Kjerstin, I am having so and so over tonight and I don't know what to make! I can't cook and I can't go to Citarella and try to pass off their prepared food as my own. Help me!" Like any good friend, I heard this cry for help and came to the recipe...I mean rescue:)

Here goes my recipe for a perfect dinner (some of my friends are so darn sick of this meal but I could eat it again and again). The inspiration for this dish comes from my friend Sarah B. who is a quite the little chef herself.

Mustard Onion Chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons good mustard (I prefer the grainy Dijon)

4 tablespoons fried onions (Trader Joe's sells them or you can buy French's brand)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim all the fat off the breasts and pat dry. Take each breast and coat with the mustard evenly. Roll each breast in the friend onions. Don't worry that the breast isn't entirely covered. Place both breasts on a piece of foil that has been sprayed with some kind of non stick. Bake for 35-40 mins. When you take out of the oven let them rest for 5 mins.

Now, you can't have a protein without a veggie. So, I always serve my Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with this chicken recipe.

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts:

1 pint of washed brussel sprouts

EVOO

A good balsamic vinegar

Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and pepper

Take your washed brussels and quarter them. Immediately put in a frying pan with a splash of EVOO. Put the heat on low. Move them around for the next 20 mins. Slow cooking them is really the secret to a good brussel. After 20 mins, they should be a bit brown and much softer. Increase the heat to medium and continue stirring for another 10 mins. Add salt and pepper. Keep stirring. The brussels should be soft and have a crispy exterior. Take your balsamic and splash on the spouts. Increase the heat to high and keep stirring. Once the vinegar has been absorbed, remove from the heat and shave fresh parmigiano-reggiano on top. You haven't tried anything this good!

I am absolutely in love with beets. They are so healthy and taste so good! Funny enough I remember being a kid thinking they were so gross ! I love to mix up the golden beats with the bright red ones.

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad:

4 beets, peeled.

1 ounce goat cheese

Dressing (recipe below)

Start by boiling a pot of water. Add your beets. Cook for 20 mins or so until they are soft but not mushy. In the meantime, make your dressing. Combine 1 crushed garlic clove with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons EVOO. Add a tsp. of dijon mustard and a squirt of honey. Shake and voila, you have your new favorite dressing! I serve my beets cut into discs atop a mesclun mix. [Sidebar: I highly recco SATUR FARMS for all your lettuce needs. They are a farm based on the North Fork and they rock!] I then crumble goat cheese over the salad and finish with a splash of dressing. Buy the expensive Balsamic vinegar. Don't skimp and don't drench the beets!

www.saturfarms.com

Bottom line: A sure meal to satisfy any heart. Very healthy too! Don't do this with fish. I tried to substitute the chicken for the fish and it didn't work. If you hate brussels, take sugar snap peas and lightly saute them and finish the same way. If you make this meal or a variation of it, tell me what you think!