The quick chicken piccata I made three times this week, a family tradition that everyone loves, and how we're giving thanks this holiday.

Plus, a bit of This & That.

A Family Tradition

Over the years, it's become a family tradition in our house to make Pasta e Fagioli for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. It’s an incredibly comforting and cozy dish, and it can also be made a day or two ahead (just don’t add the pasta until you are ready to eat it), leaving you with more time to relax and enjoy. I'm tripling the recipe this year as we will spend Christmas day at our friends’ apartment in Rome. I'll make the base of the soup on Monday, and then on Christmas, I'll bring the pasta, some extra stock to loosen it up, and Parmigiano Reggiano with me to their house and finish the dish there before serving. Also, if you have a gluten-free crowd or simply prefer rice instead of pasta, you can make this version, Risi e Fagioli. Either way, it's a special dish you don't have to stress over that everyone will love.

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Chicken Piccata

It feels so good to get back in the kitchen after three weeks of no cooking. I missed it! For lunch on Sunday, I improvised a quick Chicken Piccata with no butter and no wine, and it was delicious. Packed with lots of lemony flavor, it was a high-protein lunch, and we both felt fantastic after eating it. I love this dish (I made it 3 times this week) because it includes ingredients I usually have on hand: chicken breast, flour, chicken stock, lemon, capers, and parsley. It's great on its own if you just want the protein or served over steamed basmati rice to soak up all that bright and tangy sauce. It's a winner-winner chicken dinner!

CHICKEN PICCATA

Serves 4

• 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally making 4 thin chicken cutlets, lightly pounded out so they are uniform in thickness

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 cup chicken stock + more as needed

• Juice from 1 small lemon

• 1 small lemon cut into thin rounds

• 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

• Sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

With a paper towel, pat down and dry the chicken breasts. Season them on both sides with sea salt and black pepper. Place the flour in a low, medium-sized bowl and dredge each piece in the flour, shaking off any excess. Set aside on a plate.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-large skillet over medium to high heat. Pan fry the chicken breasts (cook two at a time if necessary, as you don't want them to be too crowded in the pan) until golden brown on each side, about 1-2 minutes per side, adding olive oil as needed. Remove the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.