Combating Virally Induced Laziness

So I know, I haven't posted anything in a week......anybody out there miss me?  My official excuse for this apparent laziness?  A really nasty cold, which has rendered me a useless pile of crap huddled either on my couch or hiding in bed trying desperately to escape the reality that I have not posted anything all week. 

But here I am trying to come out of my virally induced funk to write something in the hopes of keeping the few readers that I have. 
So what to post?  I honestly haven't cooked anything all week so a recipe at first seemed unlikely.  Luckily I had made something a couple of weeks ago, when I had an appetite, that was super yummy, and wouldn't you know it, I just so happened to be reserving it for just a situation like this.  It's a different twist on Chicken Parmesan, which of course is one of my all time favorites.  So here it is, my resurrection from near death, back into the blogging fold. 

Chicken Parmesan With Polenta

Cook Time: 2 hours

Sauce:2 medium onions diced

2 medium carrots grated
4 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Chicken:
8 thinly sliced chicken breasts
1-1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 eggs beaten
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Polenta:
5 cups cooked polenta (cook according to package directions)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup cream

1lb fresh mozzarella sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  For the sauce, in a heat the olive oil and butter in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and carrots.  Cook the vegetables until tender, about 10 minutes.  Make sure to sweat the vegetables and not brown them. 

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste.  Simmer until bubbling.  Add the remaining seasonings except the fresh basil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer the sauce uncovered for about 45 minutes.  Add the fresh basil and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering prepare the polenta.  Add the butter and cream to the cooked polenta.  Poor the polenta into a buttered 9-inch square baking dish.  Level off the polenta and chill until firm, about thirty minutes.  This can be done the day before.

To prepare the chicken, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings in a medium bowl.  In a separate bowl whisk the eggs.  Preheat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.  Dredge the chicken in the eggs then the bread crumb mixture.  Place breaded chicken in the skillet and brown on both sides.  Set chicken aside.

To assemble cut the polenta in eight equal squares.  Place in a buttered 10x13 inch casserole dish.  Place one piece of chicken on each piece of polenta. 

Top the chicken with a slice of mozzarella.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup Parmesan.  Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 35-45 minutes.