We are celebrating another birthday today! Karen, Eric’s sister, gets the Happy Birthday wishes today. She lives in Indiana with her family. The 4 of them made the trip in for Kelly’s wedding last weekend. We hadn’t seen them since the beginning of summer, 2013 so it was really good to see them, although we weren’t able to spend a lot of time together.

Karen & I met when we were in junior high choir together.  Karen was a year behind me in school.  I knew Karen before I ever met Eric, even though Eric & I were in the same grade. Karen has always been energetic, athletic, intelligent & religious. Those traits came in handy when she became a wife, then the mother of 2 active & intelligent boys!

For her birthday blog, Karen suggested my pumpkin chip bread recipe, which I make every year in the fall and send to her, but I posted that recipe when I began blogging back in 2012. Karen’s next suggestion was Chicken Parmesan, something we both make, albeit a bit differently from each other. Karen used to make chicken parm quite often beginning in high school and continuing on in college.  But then it seemed that each time she made it, either Karen or her best friend, Laverne, would have some kind of bad luck.  The last straw was one Friday night when Karen came home from Bloomsburg for the weekend. Karen & Laverne got together, had chicken parm for dinner, then planned to go out.  On the way to the movies, Laverne was driving Karen’s car and they were in an accident with another vehicle just a 1/2 block from the house. Karen decided chicken parm was cursed and didn’t make it again for a few years. Time passed, the chicken parm curse was broken and it has once again become a favorite of Karen’s. She often thinks of Laverne when she makes it.

Karen (in pink) with her family & BFF Laverne, in 2010.

Chicken Parmesan (Serves 2-4)

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups pasta sauce

Pound each chicken breast to 1/2 inch thickness, then cut each breast in half.

The thinner the chicken, the quicker it cooks.

Season the flour with the salt & pepper and coat the chicken with it. Sauté the chicken pieces on both sides, just until they start to brown, about 4-5 minutes a side, over medium heat. (Karen makes hers by dipping the boneless, skinless breasts in an egg wash and then in dry breadcrumbs before sautéing them in a half olive oil, half butter mixture, until the chicken is browned on both sides.)

We give the chicken just a light coating of seasoned flour.

Pour half the sauce into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. In a single layer, add the cooked chicken to the dish.

Arrange the chicken over some sauce.

Sprinkle each piece of chicken with the shredded mozzarella and the grated Parmesan, then cover everything with the rest of the sauce.

The cheeses & more sauce complete the dish before it goes in the oven.

Bake in a 350° oven for 35 minutes. Serve over angel hair pasta or spaghetti with crusty bread & broccoli or a green salad.

Some pasta & crusty bread put the final touches on our meal.

Happy Birthday, Karen!  ~Linda

Chicken Parmesan (Serves 2-4)

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups pasta sauce

Pound each chicken breast to 1/2 inch thickness then cut each breast in half. Season the flour with the salt & pepper and coat the chicken with it. Sauté the chicken pieces on both sides, just until they start to brown, about 4-5 minutes a side, over medium heat. (Karen makes hers by dipping the boneless, skinless breasts in an egg wash and then in dry breadcrumbs before sautéing them in a half olive oil, half butter mixture until browned on both sides.)

Pour half the sauce into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. In a single layer, add the cooked chicken to the dish. Sprinkle each piece of chicken with the shredded mozzarella and the grated Parmesan, then cover everything with the rest of the sauce. Bake in a 350° oven for 35 minutes. Serve over angel hair pasta or spaghetti with crusty bread & broccoli or a green salad.