mangia mangia (vol. 3: the goat edition)

at the ripe old age of thirty-three, i've got a respectable stash of tried-and-true classic recipes that never disappoint. they're foolproof, relatively easy, and delicious enough to serve to company. but in the last few months, i've experimented with new recipes for some of my old standbys, and wouldn't you know it? they just keep getting better!

i've been making chicken parm for years, and in fact, that's what i served the very first time we had dinner guests over to our house in Altoona as a married couple (the Hoynes! we miss you!). but i just made this version last night, and it's bursting with flavor. full disclosure: there is no such thing as "Italian bread crumbs" in Italy. nor, in fact, are there Panko or regular or any other sort of bread crumbs. but there are delicious rosemary crackers, which i pulverize into crumbs myself, and get on with my life. (yes, i know i could toast bread or wait for it get stale and then pulverize it, but ain't nobody got time for that.)

this recipe calls itself The Best Chicken and Dumplings, and i'm inclined to agree with it. it takes a few hours, and white wine, and heavy whipping cream, and it tastes like love and warm hugs. it is quite possibly the pinnacle of comfort food, and you should make it tonight.

okay, i'm clearly not a food photographer, but i've been steadily perfecting my pizza game since we arrived here. i haven't yet tackled the perfectly thin yet still chewy Neapolitan crust, but i'm quite happy with the tweaks i've made to this recipe. essentially, i add 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp dried basil to the dough, and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes (it technically works if it rests for only 5 minutes as the recipe claims, but the crust ends up denser). then i top with tomato sauce, 1/2 cup freshly shredded provolone, 1/2 cup freshly shredded asiago, salami, arugula and baby spinach, with a generous dusting of freshly grated Parmesan over everything for good measure.

and again, this picture doesn't do it justice. i had to investigate a recipe purporting to be The Best Lasagna. and the verdict is: it really is! (at least, for a classic red lasagna. i still need to try my hand at the Italian white lasagna with bechamel sauce.)  so the old recipe has been banished to the back of my recipe binder. harsh, perhaps, but tough nougies. this recipe has mouthwatering flavor, and perfect structure. the secret is to let the lasagna rest for 20-30 minutes after taking it out of the oven. no more noodles swimming in sauce, or a "square" that gloops into an amorphous mess as soon as you put it on a plate. so good!

and finally, we have the best ever stuffed shells. i almost saved this one for the next recipe post (so as not to give the impression that we eat some variation of carbs + tomato sauce six nights of the week and twice on Sundays). but the fact is that it really is the goat, so i'm putting it in, and i promise there won't be any pasta in the next edition. anyway, the recipe as given makes two huge pans of shells, so i usually cut it in half and call it a day. another meal that takes some time, but every single bite is worth it.

oh! and in case you aren't hip with the lingo, goat stands for greatest of all time (G.O.A.T., get it?). i just learned this myself with in the past few months, along with the phrase "dank meme". you're welcome.