I love food.

I have always liked dining out, although it never happens much these days - unless you count McDonalds or Subway or Dome.

It would be nice and really fun to be one of those real foodies. You know the ones that dine out alot or cook this awesome gourmet food at home. To experience many differents foods or same ingredients cooked in different ways. To know all the food lingo. Just to bask in the wonder and beauty of the culinary arts!!

To be on MasterChef or My Kitchen Rules. Seriously! Those guys have the BEST job, don't ya think!?!

Ahhh...

Just a moment while I dream for a little bit...

Food...glorious food!!!

ALAS! I am not an extragant foodie.

Nevertheless, I DO love food.

I am just not a lover of cooking or being in the kitchen for hours.

I am a simple meal creator. And try to be as healthy as I can.

I get a real buzz out of the end result, especially if it has been quick, easy, and looks darn good. And of course, tastes delicious as well!

I love plating up! I reckon I would be an awesome 'Food Presenting Artist'. To have someone else prepare and cook all the foods and then leave it to me to plate it all up and make the dish shine would be such a fascinating and enjoyable job hey!?!

Anyway, I have digressed...

Simple.

Quick.

Yummy.

That's me.

I have a variety of main meal dishes that I rotate around weekly, occasionally adding in a different dish that I found in a recipe book, magazine, or online on a blog or website somewhere - just to mix it up abit. I find it hard to stray from what I know works - but I am getting better!

I thought I would share one of our favourite dishes we like to eat in our household.

Whenever, we go to a pub or some restaurant, I pretty much always order Chicken Parmigiana or whatever chicken dish is on offer. I rarely ever veer away from chicken. I am not sure why. I mean - I love chicken- so, Go Figure, I'd pick chicken. I guess though, I am not really good with change, particularly in the food area. In a way, I am probably afraid that I would have paid good money for something new and if I didn't like it, would have wasted good money when I could have ordered the chicken dish that I know I would have liked.

Holy heck, I am coming off sounding like some complex fusspot aren't I!?! Pffft.

Well, onto the recipe share.

Low and behold, it's...

[drumroll please]

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

Anna's style

This recipe serves two (possible four) so if you have more people, obviously get the amount of ingredients applicable to your situation.

I use two chicken breasts and kind of butterfly them open to make them less thick and bulky so they cook through quicker.

[In this particular photo, I had sliced off a couple of edges to cook for Sprout]

I pour water into a pan (to come up about 3cms) and sprinkle some chicken stock powder in it for flavour. Bring it to a light boil and then place the chicken in to just cook through. Turn it over to cook through the other side as well.

When it looks not too pink inside, transfer the pieces of chicken to an oven proof dish.

You would have realised by now that I don't crumb the chicken. I don't find it necessary to do so. Plus it's healthier this way.

Spread diced tomatoes over the cooked chicken breasts - I use a can of organic diced tomatoes but you could chop up fresh ones or even put tomato slices over the chicken if you like. Whatever tickles ya fancy :-)

Spread over grated cheddar or mozzerella cheese.

Place in a moderate oven for about 20mins or enough to melt and slightly golden up the cheese.

Serve with a salad OR bake some chips in the oven and serve as a side dish with some vegies of your choice.

It can be quite a large portion size, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, so you might want to half each piece if you desire less. I tend to serve up the whole piece as my hubby usually comes home famished after a days work on the farm doing sheepwork or what-have-you, and just wants to sit down to a good hearty meal. And this dish, pretty much does the trick :-)

So there you have it.

Let's Eat!

With Sprinkles of Sunshine...

Anna