I need to learn how to be creative when naming recipes I come up with.

Is there like, a class for that or something? Some things already have names, even though you can make them differently and customize them (like steak and cheese or certain kinds of cookies), but there are some dishes that need a new name. Dishes that are created by just throwing a bunch of stuff together, and having it come out great, thus deserving a great name. Something I am terrible at. Anyway, this dinner came out of me having a couple chicken breasts in the fridge and not knowing what to do with them. Also, stale bread. I hate when it gets so stale that it's practically inedible and you either have to find a use for it or throw it out.

Semi Chicken Parmesan (that's a temporary name, because frankly, it's awful)

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• stale bread, about 4 slices, depending on the type of bread (or pre-made breadcrumbs)
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• about 1/2 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• pasta of your choice (I used penne)
• tomato sauce
• roughly 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• fresh basil (optional; to garnish)

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Take your stale bread and smash it up into crumbs (I put the bread in a ziploc bag and then repeatedly bashed it with a rolling pin until it resembled crumbs of a reasonable size). Place crumbs in bowl. Add flour to bowl, then add about 3/4 of the basil and oregano. Mix until combined. Take your eggs and scramble them up with a fork in another bowl to make an eggwash. Salt and pepper your chicken breasts, then dip them in the eggwash, followed by the breadcrumb mixture and transfer to a greased skillet. Add the rest of the dried spices to the chicken while searing. Cook just enough so that the outside of the chicken is browned and none of it is pink. Transfer chicken to a sheet pan and sprinkle a bit of mozzarella on top.

Place in oven for about 20-25 minutes.

While the chicken is finishing off in the oven, bring some water to a boil. Follow the instructions on your pasta, then drain and coat in about 1 tbsp of olive oil. Plate your pasta, adding as much sauce as you would like. When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it sit for about five minutes so it retains its juices. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and stir into the plated pasta. Cover with more mozzarella cheese, then place back in the oven for about 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Remove plates from oven (remember that they're hot and don't burn yourself accidentally like I did) and garnish with fresh basil.

Fettuccine Caprese

I make pasta a lot. Mostly because it’s so versatile. I never really measure when I make savory dishes, so all of this is just estimated. Keep in mind I made this for one person (and I am a very tiny 19 year old girl who barely ever finishes her portions) so the amounts are easily adjustable.

Fettuccine Caprese

• 3oz fettuccine (I use Buitoni brand fresh pasta, which comes in 9oz packages, and use about 1/3 of a package when I’m making it for myself)
• about 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
• about 2 Tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped
• a handful of fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
• olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Put a pot of salted water on to boil. While the water is boiling, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, and place in a skillet over medium heat with some olive oil and freshly ground black pepper. Saute until the tomatoes are heated through and the skins appear slightly “crumpled.” When your water is boiling, cook pasta according to package instructions (usually about 2-3 minutes for fresh, 9-11 I believe for dried). After pasta is cooked, add 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil to pasta, dump it back in the pot along with the tomatoes, chopped basil, and torn mozzarella. Stir together until everything is incorporated, and the cheese is slightly melted from the heat of the pasta.

Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredoserves 2-3 as a main course

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 9 ounces fresh fettuccine
• 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Bring 4 1/2 quarts of water to a boil.
As water is coming to a boil, heat 1 cup of heavy cream and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and gently simmer until the mixture has reduced to about 2/3 cup, 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in half and half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Add 1 Tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and add pasta. Cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water and drain pasta.
Return cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low again and add the pasta, Parmesan, and nutmeg. Toss gently with tongs to coat the pasta, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Stir in the reserved pasta water. At this point the sauce might seem to thin, but it will thicken as it begins to cool and is served.