Regret
If I have one regret in life, it’s that I never thought to ask my grandmother for her recipe books prior to her death. Though, in my defense, she reunited with my grandfather in Heaven two weeks shy of the second anniversary of her 100th birthday (forever the inside joke we share), and I thought I had years to ask. I didn’t see her death coming because Katherine was nothing if not sharp, energetic, active, and amazing – she was going to outlive us all. Sadly, she did not. Her death gutted me, and I never had the opportunity to ask her for her recipes.
Now, anyone who knows me well might assume I wanted Katherine’s recipes for my husband. He is a delightful cook. I, however, am not. I can make a few dishes well, but cooking is not my forte. I’m a baker. I can bake all the things, and that is my kitchen gift (aside from keeping the wine glasses full, of course). Truth be told, I simply want to be more like my grandmother. Everyone blessed enough to know Katherine will tell you she was the most remarkable woman to live, and why wouldn’t I want to be more like her?
In fact, I’ve been working diligently in 2023 to be more like Katherine. I’ve always admired her cooking and her gardening skills. And while I might have prematurely told our landscaper we didn’t need him to re-do our landscaping this spring because I was going to do it – I have cultivated quite the pool deck landscaping situation (thrillers, spillers, and fillers, right, S?), thanks to my amazing friend Shawna.
My long-time readers know I like to be transparent about things because, well, I’m an over-sharer. But that is beside the point. My lovely friend Shawna came into my life years ago. We were close before Katherine’s untimely death, but we bonded much more afterward. Simply put, Shawna reminds me so much of my grandmother. She’s not afraid of the heavy lifting, she loves tending to her garden, she makes decadent, gourmet meals seem effortless, and she is a straight-from-the-heart good person who says exactly what needs to be said when it needs to be said but also shows up at your door on the golf cart with a glass of wine on a Sunday evening when you’re having a tough day and tells you to get on because you’re going for a ride.
In short, Shawna is the person I know in life most like my grandmother, and I firmly believe that Katherine bonded us. Through Shawna, I’ve learned to turn my brown thumb into a slightly greener thumb (I’m nowhere near where I want to be, but I cherish our annual spring planting day when we spend hours walking around the nursery with our mimosa-filled Yetis choosing what we want our pool decks to look like, loading up the back of her truck, and spending the rest of the day planting our thrillers, spillers, and fillers).
Shawna also shared with me once that she has a cookbook in which she has all of her favorite recipes from loved ones. She asks those who can to write their recipes down for her in their own handwriting and for those who cannot, she copies them for herself. One of my goals in life is to make it into her recipe book – because what an honor that would be. But Shawna, being so like my grandmother, has encouraged me to spend more time in the kitchen learning to cook well. She and my husband love cooking together – their entire text thread is usually about utensils, kitchen accessories, and recipes – and her husband and I are the real winners when they cook together. The two of them are my inspiration to continue to learn and to stop being so intimidated by cooking (it’s the too many things going on at once aspect of it that intimidates me. Baking is not like that).
With a goal to be more like the things I loved so much about Katherine (and to get into Shawna’s cookbook of love and greatness), I’ve been working diligently to improve, and one dish I think I’ve mastered is Chicken Piccata. It’s flavorful, elegant, and so fragrant, and I’m sharing my recipe today (because this is not the recipe that will go into Shawna’s cookbook. Her piccata is undoubtedly superior to mine & she doesn’t need my recipe).
**Be warned that I do not officially measure anything (it’s all done with love)
Ingredients
Chicken (boneless, skinless tenderloins are what I use)
Capers
Flour
Butter
Garlic
Salt and pepper
EVOO
White wine (I always use what we drink, which is either a sauvignon blanc from Marlborough or a Sancerre from France)
Lemon
Rosemary
Pasta (I am a fan of whole wheat angel hair pasta)
Fresh parm (grated and put on top)
The Process
Cover the bottom of a large skillet with extra virgin olive oil and a tablespoon or so of butter. Turn the heat to medium, and then add your flour-covered chicken. Let the chicken cook until beautifully browned on both sides – a few minutes per side – and remove from the heat. I put my chicken on a cutting board, turn down the heat to a low-medium, and add a cup or so of white wine to the skillet. While the wine reduces, I scrape the bits from the bottom of the skillet into the wine. After a minute or two, the wine has reduced enough to add two or three cloves of minced garlic, four or five slices of lemon, a jar or two of capers, salt and pepper to taste (with love, remember?), and a half stick of butter. I let it simmer, mixing it around on occasion.
While the white wine sauce is simmering, I begin making pasta. I boil a pot of water and add the pasta (as much as you need). I let it boil with a touch of salt for approximately seven minutes before draining. You want your pasta al dente. PLEASE do NOT overcook your pasta. There is nothing less appetizing than overcooked pasta in all of its thick, mushy, gross glory.
While the pasta is cooking, I cut each of my cooked tenderloins in half lengthwise. Remove the lemon slices from the white wine sauce, and then add the chicken to the white wine sauce, cut side down, and let it sit on low for a few moments. I throw rosemary sprigs atop the chicken and let it sit while the pasta finishes. Once the pasta is done, drain it and plate it. Next, add your chicken and your white wine sauce over your pasta. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy.
Served best with a cold Sancerre, a light salad, and al fresco on a gorgeous summer evening.
Additionally, to inspire you to spend more time in the kitchen, here are a few of my favorite kitchen accessories to make cooking more fun (and more aesthetic).
Cookbook Stand for that amazing recipe book
Marble Dish Drying Mat for hand-washed dishes
Spoon Rest to prevent cooking messes
Butter Dish because no one likes hard refrigerator butter
Electric Wine Opener for efficiency
Pretty Utensils for an aesthetic kitchen
The prettiest Knife Set
This amazing Cuisinart Pots and Pan set
*I may receive compensation for affiliate links as an Amazon Associate
Tiffany Raiford 