Eggplant Parmesan

By Lori Powell

I was surprised to find out the other day that chicken Parmesan is an Italian-American invention. I’m just scraping the surface on what the story behind this dish might be….

Most likely it was a hybrid or a version of a dish related to a veal cutlet that was breaded and deep-fried but was not served with sauce or with cheese from Parma, Italy. The American version might have evolved due to the expense of veal, creating chicken Parmesan, but using mozzarella rather than Parmesan. Still confused? So am I, but I didn’t invent it. It does kind of make sense…yes?

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Potatoes on the side, please

By David Hu

Often when I’m cooking, I get so caught up in the main dish that I run out of time or forget to make a side. There’s no excuse for skipping a side dish with these Parmesan Potato Wedges. The dish is extremely simple so you can work on it in between tasks for the main course. The other great thing is that this dish is cooked in the oven so I don’t have to watch it constantly and it frees up precious space on the stovetop.

Red bell peppers add color and a bit of sweetness and the Parmesan adds a nice cheesy tang.

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Halloween Spaghetti Casserole

By Marilyn Hunter

I don’t know about your house on Halloween night, but ours is hectic, especially this year with it falling on a Monday! This means by the time we get home from school, changed into costumes, go through the usual hysterics of two excited boys, then settle down for photographs before venturing into the jack o’ lantern-lit streets, there’s no time for preparing dinner. So I dug out a tried-and-true baked spaghetti casserole recipe that can be made on either Saturday or Sunday and then pulled from the fridge and reheated about an hour before serving.

It’s funny how memories work, but Andrew’s cousin Chipper sent him an email a few days ago asking if he remembered how Gramma Hunter used to make her baked spaghetti casserole. While this recipe isn’t hers, it is in her spirit that we offer this version to you. Gramma Hunter loved all holidays, mostly because the whole family would come to her house for food and fun.

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Pasta – My Mood-Altering Meal

By Lori Powell

Oscar night! So excited, especially since I have been without a TV for weeks now. Soooo thought I would splurge and buy a new one. Big mistake.

After listening to the techie guys for about 1 ½ hours I thought I had made a wise choice…no go! The picture was horrible, no matter what I tried to do to correct the color, tint and sharpness. It had all of the latest stuff of what makes a great picture nowadays, or so I was told.

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Quick Take - Chicken Noodle Soup

By Lori Powell

Sooo…I’m sitting here once again in the kitchen, writing to you all, waiting for the next layer of ice to form outside. Yes, yet another storm and you all know what I’m talking about since it’s covering half the U.S.

I slipped and slid my way down what I have now learned is not 1/3 of a mile but a ½-mile driveway. It may not seem like much of a difference but when you are skidding on ice, it might as well be another 100 miles down the road.

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