Italian Part Deux

Following another round of shopping today we decided Olive Garden would make a nice respite for lunch. While my son had his standard - five cheese ziti with soup (no salad greens for him!) - and my mom opted for the lighter side with just soup and bread, I wanted something different. In reality, the entrees are just too much of one thing for me, especially when they follow a large salad or soup, and of course I have to contend with those lovely all-you-can-eat bread sticks. By the time I eat the beginnings, I don't have room for the main course.

In an effort to prevent over stuffing the stomach, I opted for an appetizer as my lunch - lasagna fritta. This featured lasagna noodles layered with a mixture of ricotta, Parmesan, and Italian spices. The lasagna was then cut into smallish rectangles, breaded and pan fried. The breading tasted like a standard egg and bread crumb coating meant for something like eggplant parmigiana. The outside became crispy, but not hard, while the inside was tender and moist with filling. These slices were served on a bed of Alfredo sauce with marinara spooned over the top. As my mom and I discussed the filling, coating, and methodology I commented that I was enjoying it. Upon being asked if I'd order it again, I answered yes without hesitation. This, my mother pointed out, is the true test of whether or not something is really good - and she's right.

I have eaten many entrees in restaurants that I enjoyed but wouldn't necessarily order again. Sometimes this is true because of ingredients, other times it is the price I object to. Many meals are tasty but not worth the money spent on them. Today's treat ran $7.95, which is on the low end of average for Olive Garden. While the ingredients in this dish are not expensive, the price seems reasonable based on the preparation, service, etc. That said, I plan to attempt my own version of this meal at home. My only real concern is keeping the lasagna together during frying, so I think pressing and refrigerating the layers until
they are set well will help immensely. (I'll let you know.)

While my son and I have been eating out and eating Mom's home cooking, Jeff has been doing a little cooking of his own. Last night he made chicken Kiev as a belated birthday dinner for his mother. He began with huge chicken breasts, which he filleted and pounded out to make them thin and tender. The filling consisted of melted butter, chopped parsley, and finely minced onions rolled into each piece of chicken. Jeff prepped the chicken Saturday night for Sunday's dinner so it could set up in the fridge for easier breading and frying. He rounded out the meal with cauliflower and cheese sauce and yeast rolls. To offset some of the richness of the meal, Jeff served slices of cold watermelon for dessert. The meal sounded like such a success that I should let him cook birthday dinners from now on!