A Good Dinner: Make Ahead Even- Holds Well in the Oven

I had some chicken breasts on hand, and company coming... What to serve?! And where does the time go?! I usually have to get innovative in order to serve classy food without it taking too much of my time. And this time, innovation served me well.

So here's a tip for others looking to save a few steps. Make some Spaghetti and Meatballs. Yes, the homemade meatballs are awesome; seasoned with an authentic tasting Italian seasoning (including toasted, ground fennel seed, giving 'em that sausage-y flavor). Make extra of the seasoned oat mix. We do this at The New Deli, because when it's time to make another batch of meatballs, it's a whole lot easier to just add the egg, Parmesan, and ground beef to the already-prepared oatmeal mix.

While you're making the Spaghetti and Meatballs, make extra of the tomato sauce. Yes, double it even, and put up pints for the freezer. They come in handy for other entrees!

Now, if you've made extra of the oatmeal mix and of the tomato sauce, the steps to making an awesome dinner of Chicken Parmesan are moments away! Use the seasoned oatmeal mix, diluted by half with some extra flour; dip pounded chicken breasts into to mix, and grill both sides until browned. You don't have to keep cooking until the chicken's cooked all the way through, as it will finish baking in the oven. Put in a baking dish and top with a bit of tomato sauce (just enough to cover most of the top of each piece). (Now aren't you glad you have some handy tomato sauce from the freezer?!) Add Parmesan on top and bake until golden. If guests are looking like they'll arrive later, just turn the oven way down; this dish will hold well for even an hour longer if the heat's down.

So you can make a fine dinner of Chicken Parmesan, let it hang in the oven until serving time, and you can actually visit with your guests without all that fussing in the kitchen to get dinner served!