Eat, Pray...Love - well, at least the food

So a few of us went to see Eat, Pray, Love last night and I have to say it wasn't my favorite. But then again, neither was the book so why did I think the movie would be better? Maybe that old saying, 'the movie's never as good as the book' was stuck in my head and by hope of reverse interpretation, I thought the movie had to be better. I thought by some divine producing intervention, I would enjoy the story more as it was acted out before my very eyes. And to be honest, the story wasn't the issue. But I digress.

The point of me sharing this is to talk about the food. That's the one part of the story I firmly support and believe...Italy is meant to be experienced through the food. To see antipasti plated in front of some lucky patron is to be inspired to serve something simply and tastefully using a few good ingredients from the environment by which you are surrounded. Maybe I was hungry going in but I found myself daydreaming during the Rome scenes of a day where they have smell-a-movie or cinema scent-sations. We could have all been in Rome last night if they had opened the vents and pumped in the smells from the trattoria...basil, olive oil, ragu, espresso....I can almost taste it.


So, tonight's dinner will have an Italian theme for sure. It won't be as delicious as the meal we had from Trattoria der Pallaro last fall while in Rome but I just can't take it anymore...I need a heavy dose of carbs and vat of vino.

Kitchen Gadget Giveaway for Pantry2Plate Followers

It just so happens that I have two brand-new, stainless steel, favorite kitchen gadgets ready for someone to enjoy!  Since I've moved over to Blogger, I've decided to host a GIVEAWAY as a thank you to those who are continuing to read Pantry2Plate posts.  To be eligible, you have to sign up as a 'follower' to the blog by Monday, August 16th at 5:00 p.m. EST.  I will then randomly draw a name from the [chef's] hat and email the winner! The package will arrive with the two gadgets and tips on how to use them. This, hopefully, will be the start of many giveaways but you must be a follower to be eligible! Hope you guys are having a cook-happy week, I just made it back from Trader Joe's and am planning a delicious dish for tonight...stay tuned!

Ground Chicken and Basil Burgers

Remember how I told you that I am into the ground chicken these days?  Well, last night I made one of the best burgers I've had in a while thanks to the chickens chasing the cows right out of the barn.  For the health kick that I am on, I chose to go with an open face burger on one slice of multi-grain, whole wheat bread.  The burger was so moist and flavorful, the bread was hardly missed.  Here's how it all came together...

Burger:

1 lb Perdue Ground Chicken

2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

lots of fresh-cut basil leaves

sea salt

coarse ground black pepper

lemon zest of 1 lemon

2 tbsp Oikos non-fat Greek Yogurt

That's it!  It all goes in the bowl, mash together with your greatest kitchen tools - clean hands, quarter the meet (or half depending on your hunger pangs) and form into patties.  Don't forget they will shrink a little on the grill so make sure to make them flatter and rounder than your bread bun.  It also helps the burger to cook evenly and not puff into a muffin top when you put an indentation into the center of the patty.  Grill away!  Ours went onto a grill around 325 degrees for about 5 minutes on each side.

I served this delectable delight on a grilled slice of mutli-grain, whole wheat bread with romaine lettuce and a few slices of roma tomato.  On the side and for more protein and fiber, I also grilled up some chick peas.  This one's easy to and comes together in 5 minutes flat:

In a saute pan on the grill add EVOO, at least one clove minced garlic, 1 can drained chick peas, juice of half of a lemon, 1 chopped roma tomato and at the very end finish with about 5 to 6 basil leaves.  A fancy chiffonade cut to get the flavor going in the basil never hurt anyone.  Salt and pepper to taste and time to eat!

Hope you enjoy these two recipes this summer.  Now that June is almost here, my herb garden is getting full usage and basil is one of the star performers.  With easy recipes like these, I am sending good thoughts to the universe for a bountiful harvest throughout the summer...