My mom is a really good cook. She did all the cooking when my 2 sisters & I were growing up and she still cooks for us, whether we are visiting her, she is visiting us, or we are vacationing together. Except now, instead of 5 of us that she has to cook for, it can be anywhere from 4 – 13 people! I guess good cooks rarely get a break from cooking for others!

My mom is also the type of grandmother that does anything for her grandkids. We never lived closer than 4 hours to my parents once the kids came. But my mom could always be depended upon to make the trip to where ever we were living to be there for the special events. My parents were the first of our extended families to see Kelly after she was born and they stayed with Kelly for us when Andrew was born. My mom wanted to be called “Mom-Mom” by her grandkids. Kelly, the first grandchild on my side of the family, had other ideas. “Mom-Mom” was hard for Kelly to say and “Grandmom” came out “Gabu”. The name “Gabu” stuck and that is what my mother has been called by all of us ever since.

Gabu teaching Kelly how to make pasta dough in 1991.

While Italian food and cheesecakes are specialties of my mom’s, she does many other things very well. My mom’s Amaretto Chicken recipe is a favorite with all the family!

Gabu’s Amaretto Chicken (courtesy of Cora J Donovan Fogliani)

Serves 6

• 2 1/2 – 3 pounds chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup amaretto
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup sliced, toasted almonds

Pound the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness and cut it into individual sized pieces. Combine the flour with the salt & pepper and coat the chicken in it.

Coating the chicken in seasoned flour allows it to brown more evenly without burning.

Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides in the butter, about 6 minutes per side until it is cooked through.

Add in the amaretto to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add in the chicken stock.

Deglaze means to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a liquid.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, turning the chicken over once or twice, until the sauce reaches the desired thickness. Garnish with the almonds. Serve over rice or couscous.

Thanks for the delicious meal, Mom!

Happy Birthday, Mom!  ~Linda

Gabu’s Amaretto Chicken (courtesy of Cora J Donovan Fogliani)

• 2 1/2 – 3 pounds chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup amaretto
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup sliced, toasted almonds

Pound the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness and cut it into individual sized serving pieces. Combine the flour with the salt & pepper and coat the chicken in it. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides in the butter, about 6-8 minutes per side until it is cooked through. Add in the amaretto, scraping up the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add in the chicken stock. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, turning the chicken over once or twice, until the sauce reaches the desired thickness. Garnish with the almonds. Serve over rice or couscous.