It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a recipe since I haven’t made anything worth sharing in a while.  We’ve been eating a lot of grilled meat with a microwaved vegetable side dish, nothing worthy of a recipe or even a photograph.

This week, since getting home from Missouri, I’ve had a hankerin’ for fancy, time intensive meals.  (See also:  time away from the children while they sit in front of the TV, hypnotized and silent.)

Our dinner last night was truly a masterpiece.  Sure I’ve probably said that about things I’ve cooked before, but I’m just not creative enough to come up with anymore descriptive terms.

I made Involtini Di Pollo with Limone Sauce and Linguini Alla Trapanese.  Sounds pretty fancy, huh?  Well it was!  And worth every minute of the hour and half it took me to prepare it.  It could have just as easily been called Prosciutto and cheese stuffed chicken breasts with a lemon sauce, and Linguini tossed with garlic and cherry tomatoes.  Actually, now that I think about it, that sounds pretty fancy, too.

(See how mine looks almost exactly like the one in the picture!  La ti da for me!)

Recipe from the Summer 2010 issue of Everybody Cooks, a magazine published by Dierbergs grocery store in St. Louis.

Involtini Di Pollo

1 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
6-8 thinly sliced prosciutto
6-8 thinly sliced mozzarella
1 large tomato, seeded and diced

Slice each chicken breast in half, horizontally.  Remove any extra fat.  Place chicken between plastic wrap and pound until it’s a 1/4 inch thick.  Place bread crumbs in a dish, lightly coat each chicken breast with bread crumbs.

Take each chicken breast and top with a slice of prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, and parmesan cheese.  At the narrow end of the chicken, carefully roll each chicken breast to hold the filling.  Secure with wooden toothpicks.

Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Once cooked, allow to rest, then slice and drizzle Limone Sauce over.

Limone Sauce

Juice of 2 lemons
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the first four ingredients.  Add oil in slowly until well blended.

Linguini Alla Trapanese

3-4 TB extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 container of grape tomatoes, halved
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 lb whole grain Linguini
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 C grated parmesan

Cook linguini according to package directions.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Don’t let it burn!  Add tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes, reduce heat to Low.  Add the basil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Once the linguini is cooked and drained, add the linguini to the skillet and toss with the tomatoes and garlic.   Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

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I know I said it took awhile to prepare, but don’t let that scare you!  It was easy and tasted better than anything you could get in a restaurant.  Make it tonight.  DO IT.

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I don’t know what got into me today, it must have been that delicious dinner last night, but I also wrote about our trip to the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, TN.  Three recipes in one day PLUS a post about the Titanic Museum.  I am out of control!

Read all about it here!