Braised Pork Ragu Pappardelle

2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed

½ yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, trimmed and diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 sprigs of thyme

5 sprigs of oregano

Handful of fennel seeds

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

24 to 30 ounces dry pappardelle

 Preheat oven to 325˚F.

Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cut pork shoulder into four equal pieces and season all over with salt and pepper. Pour 1 tablespoon oil into Dutch oven and sear pork for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove pork from pan and set aside.

Drain all fat from pot and add remaining oil. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until the onions begin to sweat and become slightly translucent. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper. Stir together.

Add herbs and continue to sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add tomato paste and stir together. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Deglaze pot with wine, making sure to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer until about ½ wine has evaporated.

Add the whole tomatoes, including juices, and stir together, slightly breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.

Once mixture is simmering again, add pork back into the pot and bring to a boil. Cover pot and place on the lowest shelf in your oven.

Braise pork for about 2 hours or until the pork is fork tender.

Remove pot from oven and finely shred pork with two forks. Adjust seasonings if needed. Cover until ready to use.

Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat.

Once water is boiling, add a small handful of salt followed by pasta. Boil pasta, stirring frequently, until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.

Divide pasta into individual bowls and top with a large ladle of ragu. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and serve. 

Dill Pickle Dip

 8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sour cream
3 ounces chopped deli ham
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 cup dill pickles, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix sour cream and cream cheese until creamy.  Mix in other ingredients.  Chil until serving.

Chicken Parmesan V2

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 breasts (see note)

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¾ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning chicken

½ cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces

chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional, for serving

Preheat oven to 425° F. Grease a baking sheet or baking dish with cooking spray or oil.

Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to get 4 thin chicken cutlets. (If using thin sliced chicken breasts, no need to slice them in half.) If the chicken cutlets are uneven in thickness, you can pound them with a meat mallet or rolling pin to make them an even ½-inch thickness. (Cover the chicken with a piece of plastic wrap or place in a zip-top bag before pounding to prevent splattering.)

To prepare the breading for the chicken, you will need 3 shallow pie plates, bowls or other wide and shallow dishes. In one dish, place the flour. In the second, place the egg and tablespoon of water. Use a fork to beat the egg and water together until well combined. In the third dish, stir together the Italian seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Coat the chicken first in the flour, then in the egg, and then in the bread crumb mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet or baking dish.

Bake chicken in the upper third of the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is almost cooked through (at this point it should be about 150° F when tested with an instant read thermometer, you'll cook it more after topping with the sauce and cheese). Spoon 2 tablespoons of the marinara sauce over each chicken piece and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Continue baking chicken until it is cooked through (it should register 165° F at the thickest part when tested with an instant read thermometer). This may take about 3 to 8 more minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces.

Serve chicken with pasta and additional marinara sauce, garnished with chopped fresh parsley or basil if desired.