Chicken Scallopine, Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil, Poached Asparagus

This is a gourmet meal that's easy and, in this case, raises leftovers to new heights! I have leftover asparagus, leftover pasta...what to do? Get a single boneless skinless chicken breast from the grocery butcher and you're ready to go! I love scallopine -- veal or chicken -- and, of course you can do it with any of several sauces. In this case, we're using just the pan juices with a little lemon juice.

Chicken Scallopine

Boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/3 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fine bread crumbs (freshly grated Parmesan is good added to the bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or more)
1 tablespoon (or more) peanut oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Cut the breasts in half, up the center. Put each half between sheets of waxed paper and pound with a meat pounder until less than half an inch thin, pushing the pounder outward to spread the flesh. Line up the flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs. Dip chicken pieces in flour (patting to shake excess), egg, and crumbs. Transfer to a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and refrigerate to firm and set the coating until ready to cook.
When ready to cook, remove the breasts from refrigerator and heat the butter and oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until hot and bubbling. Put the breasts in the pan, turning down the heat to medium-high. Brown quickly on both sides, sprinkling with salt and pepper -- about a minute or two on each side, until the coating is browned.
Serve with pan juices and a little lemon juice.

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

This is actually a good dish for a light supper entree, with the addition of (again the dreaded by many but adored by some) anchovies. A dear friend who was a Jesuit priest, with a vow of poverty but a love of the good things in life, first introduced it to me as a main dish with anchovies. So many great dishes are simple and inexpensive. This is also a combination that provides the basis of many glorious dishes -- clams in white sauce, shrimp scampi ... I could go on and on ... here we have simply the basic.

1/3 pound cooked spaghetti
 1/3 cup good olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper (or crushed red pepper)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or  tablespoon chopped fresh basil)

Heat oil until barely warm, and add garlic. Let it soak for 2 or 3 minutes. Add pasta to the pan with oil and garlic, and add pepper. Stir and cook together for a few minutes to allow flavors to blend. Top with parsley or basil.

Poached Asparagus

Remove the tough ends from asparagus spears by bending until each spear breaks. Place in sautee pan with a small amount of water and simmer until fork-tender. Lift from the pan and dress with lemon and butter or Easy Skillet Hollandaise.