A long, long time ago, before I got married and had kids, I was lucky enough to be able to travel through Europe with my wonderful Mother. We had sooo much fun in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, England, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Germany. My absolute favorite place for the beauty was definitely Ireland and Scotland, but my favorite place for the food was in Italy and Germany. I fell in love with Authentic Italian pasta and pizza, and in Germany, I loved the Schnitzel and Spaetzle. I still dream of my experience in Europe and yearn to take my husband there and explore even more and taste the wonderful bits of paradise. But in the mean time, I have been trying to master some of my favorite foods that I love so much. My mom and I found a really cool store called World Market, and they carry a whole market of authentic foods from many different countries. Pastas, sauces, drinks, candies, ect. I happened to find a bag of authentic Spaetzle straight from Germany. So I went home and made my Chicken Schnitzel and of course, the Spaetzle. In Germany they usually prepare a creamy sauce to go over both, but I just made a homemade chicken gravy and it was just as delicious as the real deal. Food has a way of bringing memories to the surface, for me anyways. Food has always been an important part of my life, and I associate different foods with my experiences in life. I’ve gone on and on now, so I will now share my recipe for Chicken Schnitzel, which by the way is absolutely delicious, and if you can ever find Spaetzle in the market, pick some up. It goes perfectly with the chicken!
Chicken Schnitzel (my version)
serves 2-4
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbl olive oil
2 parts italian bread crumbs to
1 part grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
large plastic ziploc bag
Take one chicken breast and place it in a large ziplock bag. Take a large skillet, or hammer, which ever you prefer and pound out until 1/2 inch thin. Repeat with next chicken breast. In a shallow dish, mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. In another shallow dish, mix eggs and milk. Heat large skillet with olive oil. Dip chicken breasts in egg mixture and then in bread crumb mixture and place in skillet. Brown on both sides. Top with gravy or eat plain, either way it will be delicious!!!
How lucky you were to have been able to travel… and with your mother! My father in law (who is of Irish descent used to joke that one of the shortest books ever written was Great Irish Recipes! However, with salmon, and lamb there are some really good foods to choose from!