A balsamic resurrection, of sorts

I was all gung-ho about this blog thing when I created it, but like most impulsive ideas, it hardly lasted. I forgot to take pictures the next few times I cooked, then I went back to school for Spring semester, and then I forgot about my blog altogether. I guess it's better to have been negligent before amassing some slew of devoted readers (my own parents haven't shown an interest in keeping tabs on it, so that gives you some idea of how optimistic I am of this taking off).

But then, being a Nutrition major, I had to take this class about food preparation. Essentially, I learn about everything from pots and pans to how to slow cook an egg, and why it isn't really sanitary to cook an egg that way, regardless. In this class, though, we're given extra credit if we cook something and take a picture of it. Aha! Well...it still wasn't enough, not even with it being my Spring Break. I made delicious (albeit formless and mushy) black bean burgers last night and, yet again, forgot my camera in all of the chaos trying to get everything together. But tonight I cooked again, and as it was in its final stages of sauteeing on low heat with my steamer bag of broccoli safe in the microwave, I finally remembered! I ran up and grabbed my camera, and turned into a near paparazzi member for food.

So onto tonight's adventure: Rosemary-Balsamic Chicken with Balsamic Ravioli, courtesy of Rachael Ray's cookbook.


Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8oz. each)
• 4 T. balsamic vinegar (2 T. just to coat chicken, 2 T. for pasta)
  
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 stems Rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped (Substitution: dried Rosemary)
  
• Salt & coarse ground black pepper (Omission: salt)
  
• 4 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin (Substitution: minced garlic)
  
• 1 package fresh ravioli (12-16oz.) (Substitution: multi-grain elbow noodles)
  
• 3 T. butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 C chopped flat leaf parsley

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for ravioli. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. Cook 8 minutes or until raviolis expand, float to top of water, and are al dente.

3. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken 12 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

4. When the chicken is 2 or 3 minutes away from done, heat a second skillet over medium low to medium heat. To the second skillet, add butter to the pan and let it begin to brown.

5. Remove chicken from the first skillet and transfer to a warm platter. In a skillet over medium high heat and add the pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits, about 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain and return pan to heat, reducing heat to medium. Add oil and shallots to the pan and let the shallots saute 2 minutes.

6. When the butter for the ravioli has browned, add cooked ravioli to the pan and turn in butter to heat through. Add balsamic vinegar to the ravioli and cook a minute or 2 longer to reduce the vinegar and glaze the ravioli. The vinegar will become thick and syrup like. Add cheese, parsley, salt and pepper to the pasta and remove the pan from the heat.