"Date Night" Cooking Class

Sorry for the lack of posts but it has been a crazy week! I've lost vision in my left eye so now it is mainly light and dark shadows which has been extremely difficult to deal with. But today's post should make up for it! My friend S and I signed up for a free cooking class at our university's gym (yes they offer cooking classes, how contradictory) and it was "Date Night on a Budget". Thank goodness it wasn't all couples because otherwise S and I would have been more lonely (just in time for Valentine's Day too). The food however was absolutely wonderful!

Golden Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks

• 1 (17 1/3 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 head roasted garlic, peeled or 6 cloves of fresh garlic minced
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg beaten with 2 Tbsp milk or water

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. In a shallow dish (pie pan), combine cheese, garlic and butter,
3. On a lightly floured surface, unfold pastry sheets. Brush pastry with melted butter mixture. Cut each sheet into 15 strips. Gently twist pastry sticks, and place on a prepared baking sheet.
4. Brush egg mixture over each stick.
5. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Mozzarella Spinach Chicken Roll With Browned Butter Shallot Sauce (serves 4)

• 4 (4-6 oz) boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 10oz bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained, or 1 lb fresh baby spinach blanched and squeezed dry
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/4 cup shallots, minced
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 4 large sage leaves, chiffonade
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add oil and garlic to medium saute pan. Heat the pan over medium heat, saute garlic just until it begins to brown and add spinach. Cook spinach until heated through. Place aside in a mixing bowl and allow to cool.
3. Once spinach has cooled, add mozzarella cheese and mix well.
4. Prepare chicken: cut a small incision into each chicken breast to form a pocket for stuffing. Use a wooden spoon to enlarge the pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup on spinach mixture into each pocket. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet. Brown the chicken on all sides over medium-high heat, placing them seam side down in the pan first. Remove to a baking sheet lined with foil, and bake until chicken temperature registers at 160 degrees.

Add the 3 tablespoons of butter and shallots to the pan juices. Heat the pan and cook the butter and shallots just until the butter begins to froth and brown. As soon as you see color in the butter remove from heat. Add lemon juice and sage, taste for seasoning and serve over chicken!

I'll post the salad recipe and desert recipe tomorrow! Enjoy!