I know everyone calls it an air fryer, but I will continue to refer to this wonderful invention as an air cooker, since it doesn’t carry the same caloric content or unhealthy deep frying techniques of a fryer. And it is so versatile in preparing so many other things that are good for both your heart and your eyes.
This Chicken Parmesan recipe seems to include a lot of steps, but the taste of the melted cheese on the perfectly cooked chicken, coupled with a great tomato sauce, makes it worth the effort. Serve it with a salad or one or two green or yellow vegetables and you’re doing both your heart and your eyes a big favor….to stay nothing of your taste buds.
Chicken Parmesan
3 Tbls. Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/ tsp. crushed red pepper
1 10 ox. Can tomato sauce (in this season, make your own from those freshly grown tomatoes)
1 Tbls. Chopper basil
2 tsps. Chopped parsley
1 ½ tsps.. oregano
1 tsp. sea salt
2 boneless chicken breasts, skinned
½ Cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbls. Water
1 14/ Cups Panko or breadcrumbs of your choice
2/3 Cup Parmesan cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 4 even slices.
Pepper to taste
Cooking spray
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in small saucepan over medium; add garlic and red pepper; cook, stirring occasionally until garlic begins to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, 2 teaspoons of the basil, 1 teaspoon of the parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; combine well and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat air cooker to 360°F for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chicken with black pepper and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt.
Place flour in a shallow dish. Whisk together beaten egg and water in a separate shallow dish until combined.
Stir together crumbs, 1/3 cup of Parmesan, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, and oregano in a third shallow dish.
Dredge each of the two chicken pieces in flour, shake off excess. Then dip in egg wash, again letting excess drip off. Dredge in panko mixture, pressing to coat all sides of chicken.
Coat bottom of air fryer basket with cooking spray. Arrange chicken about 1 inch apart in basket. Cook for 8 minutes. Flip chicken; cook until it’s golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes.
Remove chicken from basket and increase air cooker temperature to 400°F. Line basket with aluminum foil, (so chicken won’t stick) and coat foil with cooking spray.
Top chicken with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. Return chicken to foil-lined basket; cook at 400°F until cheese is melted and browned about 8-10 minutes.
Garnish chicken with additional parsley, and serve.
Congressman Chris Smith showed once again not only that he’s a hard working Congressman and always on the job, but that he introduces bills and votes on measures simply because he believes they’re the best for the people, not because of political affiliations.
The latest is that huge Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 which he wrote along with Congresswoman Karen Bass, a Democrat from California. The house loved it as well, approving it on a vote of 401 to 20, showing huge bipartisan support.
The bill picks up on the International Megan’s Law of seven years ago, another law Smith also wrote, which cracks down on all that horrible trafficking that goes on at the border and helps bring some of the perpetrators to justice.
At the same time, the bill provides over a billion dollars to start up some of those shelters, mental health centers, job training places, and life skills education that were first approved under that earlier bill. That one, also was introduced by this Congressman, the first TVPA. It authorizes the Homeland Security’s Angel Watch Center which was codified by Smith’s Megan’s Law .
The congressman has always fought vigorously against trafficking of people, especially women and children, and has written at least five different anti-trafficking laws during his career, and chaired three dozen hearings to bring more attention to human traffickers and how they violate the rights of such vulnerable populations.
We remember the big headline grabbing stories of the major cases the Congressman has fought for through the years, bringing children to parents, rescuing them from horrid circumstances, and so much more. He’s still out there doing it, he’s working with every Congressman regardless of party to get the toughest anti-trafficking and victim protection laws in place.
It was an interesting invitation. I received an e-mail from an author with a request to review his newest book if he sent it to me.
The author Tom Hogan, had great credentials, had written two previous books, won a few awards, had written some screenplays that also took awards at film festivals and had lectured on genocide and the holocaust at Santa Clara University. And the title of his newest book, “The Empty Confessional” sounded interesting.
I agreed. I got the book. I read the book. I didn’t like it.
That is not to say Tom Hogan is not a terrific writer! The fact is, I couldn’t put the book down because he drew me in every chapter, sometimes out of curiosity, sometimes out of interest, sometimes out of anger, sometimes just yelling out loud that it’s a good thing it’s a novel, because there is so little truth in it.
The book focuses on a young catholic priest who believes, and in fact has some kind of proofs that more than one priest in the diocese of Pittsburgh, Pa., either is, or was a pedophiliac. He’s angry, righteous, indignant, furious and all the other good things one should be when hearing about this disgusting crime.
But this priest is also 26 years old, had a few problems as a kid himself, not at the hands of priests or any other adult, but with other teenagers mad because he wouldn’t play football. And he’s an egotist, brought about no doubt by so many people telling him how wonderful he was. And priest though he might be, he doesn’t believe in following authority or doing the right thing. He’s self-assured and knows he, and only he, can manage this problem the way it should be handled. He truly believes he, and he alone, is above the law and the rest of the world should be grateful.
That in itself is rather unrealistic.
Then there’s the company he keeps. I don’t know what it’s like in Pittsburgh, Pa, but in all the catholic dioceses I have been in around the country, I’ve never seen a bunch of young priests get together in casual clothes, in a bar on a frequent basis, with one nun also in street clothes but with a head covering identifying her as a nun on a frequent basis, swilling down a few drinks, using language most women would find offensive to say nothing of bullying, and solving the problems of the world. At 26, a priest a couple of years, he’s already the pastor of a church, and has a housekeeper plus another one for the regular’s days off, and that’s pretty much a dream from the past. Doesn’t he have work he has to do as a pastor for his parish?
The story line might be interesting, the writing excellent, but the facts the novel is based on in so many areas are so unrealistic it takes away from what would otherwise be a good read.
Why the name of the book, The Empty Confessional? You can see it from the beginning; the arrogant punk of a priest isn’t following the rules he was ordained to follow, thinks he’s better that the authorities he promised to listen to, spends too much time energy and company keeping thinking he’s more secular than cleric, and regularly goes to ‘confession’ to have his sins forgiven. It isn’t until close to the end that you see clearly, though it’s evident to any reader with a shred of intelligence from page 21, that he’s not very good at that either.
Liberals who don’t like to be realistic might like the story; readers who like a wealth of adjectives and good writing will appreciate the literary excellence of it. But for this reader, it’s worth just about what I paid for it.
With the temperatures in the 90s, it’s a good time to visit Hartshorne Woods and the historic former Air Force installation at the top of Portland Road. in Highlands.
Walking through the Battery to see the gun barrel from the Battleship New Jersey in place. Battery Lewis guarantees you’ll be in temperatures in the 70s in this casement corridor hidden in the hills of Highlands. This is a story I wrote four years ago when the barrel arrived after a long trip from Norfolk, Va. To its new home at Rocky Point
A piece of the Battleship New Jersey, BB62, is an intricate vision and a striking spectacle as part of the Monmouth County Park System’s Hartshorne Woods in Highlands and Middletown.
The weapon is part of Battery Lewis, one of the two batteries built at the former Army site at the top of the Highlands hill during World War II as the main defense for New York Harbor. The site, known as Rocky Point, is part of an educational exhibit highlighting the area’s involvement and importance in World War II.
Battery Lewis is a 600’ long casement battery, with two 16” caliber gun emplacements connected by a corridor housing ammunition storage and powder rooms. It is the only 16” gun battery in the state and is constructed of steel and thick reinforced concrete covered by earth.
The Battery was designed to withstand battleship and aerial attacks and had two 16” Navy Mk11 M1 guns on Army carriages mounted in it in May 1943. The guns placed in Battery Lewis were originally designed for mounting on Navy battleships and are able to fire armor-piercing projectiles 16 inches in diameter and weigh more than two tons, with a range stretching from Point Pleasant Beach to Long Beach, NY.
In 2016, the Monmouth County Park System began extensive planning for repairs and improvements to prepare Battery Lewis for interpretation and public visitation. The first phase of work, restoring the concrete on the two casemate canopies and wing walls, was funded by the Friends of the Parks; the site itself, originally known as the Navesink Military Reservation, was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places and designed so that visitors can walk from one end of the battery to the other, explore the rooms within it and learn through exhibits and guided tours about the coastal defenses of the United States.
The final phase of Battery Lewis restoration included interior repairs, utility and drainage improvements and the display of the gun barrel. Exhibits, in addition to the rooms off the corridor and the gun barrel, focus on the military past of the area, as well as the unique geography and landscape of Highlands, the Hartshorne legacy and the creation of Hartshorne Woods Park. Exhibits also include an overhead trolley showing the steel ammunition service, artifacts, including 16-inch projectiles donated by the Battleship New Jersey Museum in Camden, historical photographs and reminiscences of veterans who served at the site.
The Board of Recreation Commissioners authorized application to the Navy Inactive Ships Program at Norfolk, Va. to acquire one of the barrels from the Battleship New Jersey, BB62, to replace the original gun that was there in the 1940s and subsequently dismantled and removed. The Navy subsequently approved that application and arranged for the transport of the barrel to the county park. In place in the battery, the gun helps tell the story of the park land’s military past and Battery Lewis blended with an overview of all of the park’s history and landscape.
The former Army site, later an Air Force base during the Korean conflict, was part of the Hartshorne estate and was purchased by the government in 1942 because of its elevation and location at the southern entrance to New York harbor. Over the next two years, the army reservation was built as part of Harbor Defense headquartered at Sandy Hook, for the purpose of denying enemy ships access to New York Bay. After World War II, the guns were removed at all coastal batteries, including Battery Lewis, cut up on site and sold as scrap metal. Troop housing and a 100-foot observation tower were also demolished by the Army before the property became the Highlands Air Force Station, later the Highlands Army Air Defense Site, from 1949 to 1974.
When the 224-acre property was declared surplus, the government authorized two no-cost transfers to Monmouth County in 1974 and 1984. The entire Hartshorne Woods County Park, which stretches from Highlands to Middletown along Navesink Avenue, is 787 acres in size and receives more than a quarter of a million visitors a year.
The arrival of BB62’s gun for the army emplacement caused flurries of excitement for many days, drawing large crowds along the way from its storage in Norfolk, Virginia to its new home at Rocky Point. The trip included not only train and truck, but three cranes, one in Virginia, two in New Jersey, a flurry of permits authorizing the travel along the way, road surveys, police escorts, and numerous other details; it was completed at a cost of $180,000, culminating a project that had begun four years earlier.
The original 16” Navy Mark 7-gun barrel began its journey by train from Virginia to South Amboy, then transferred to another train for an arrival in Red Bank, where he was placed in the Conrail rail yard on Central Avenue until arrangements were completed for the next leg of its journey. The 65’ long gun barrel was then transported by tractor trailer along Route 35 to New Monmouth Rd., then over to Route 36 for access to Hartshorne Woods Park via Portland Rd.
Ironically, when the gun barrel from the Battleship New Jersey made its final turn off the state highway before advancing up the hill to its new home at Hartshorne Woods Park, it passed within feet of the Captain Joseph Azzolina Bridge, formerly the Highlands -Sea Bright Bridge.
The bridge was named for Highlands native and former Naval officer and State Senator and Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina who served aboard the USS New Jersey and was instrumental in bringing the ship back to the Garden State as a museum. The ship is the most decorated battleship for combat actions in American history and served in every war from World War II until she was decommissioned in 1991 after 21 years of active service, a Navy Unit Commendation and 19 battle and campaign stars.
There are always things and people to keep you happy in Atlantic Highlands as well as Highlands so it’s nice when you have the time to stop and enjoy not only friendly conversations but some of the unique things both towns have to offer.
That includes Emilio’s Restaurant, the charming little breakfast and lunch place on Center Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, where the staff always seems to be smiling and truly happy when you complement the chef on some of those fantastic lunch specials. Spotlessly clean and offering a rather unique menu, it’s a great place to meet some pretty wonderful people.
Kind of like The Girl’s Cafe in Highlands where everyone already knows Cathy, Vera and Charley as well as whichever relatives are pitching in to either help or say Hi are always so upbeat and happy, even when they’re at the end of a busy day and worn out from all that running around and serving great food. This is truly a special place with special people.
You can say the same thing for Sue at the Laundromat on Bay and Huddy, where she is always busy, washing, folding, polishing, cleaning, or packing whatever needs to be done. Sue doesn’t quit, and she does it all with a great smile and greater conversation!
Then there’s the Renaissance on First Avenue, that terrific mix of little shops where you can find anything from coins and earrings to books, cards, furniture and toys that are enjoying a second life thanks to the busy shopkeepers who pick up unusual things. All the folks running the Renaissance are terrific, eager to help, and friendly, but it’s hard to beat Ronnie for out and out enthusiasm and a strong desire to be sure every customer is happy and content.
And it’s fun to watch the camera at the building site for Highlands new Borough Hall and wonder what’s coming next. They’re working hard there in spite of the soaring temps and it’s starting to get easier to visualize the finished product.
They’re all sold out for Sunday’s fantastic Navesink Queen cruise up the river with the Twin Light’s historian Nick Wood giving one of his terrific presentations. But while you can’t get on this particular event since it’s at capacity, you can catch some of Nick’s wisdom at the Twin Lights where he is the state’s historian and always eager to talk about the past.
And you can still enjoy so many other events going on at the Strauss House where the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society that is sponsoring Sunday’s cruise has a full calendar of other events going on, including concerts, and simply wonderful tours of this historic “cottage” on the hill. Historians and volunteers in the Bayshore do their best to bring out some fascinating stories of the past and some of the reasons why we should feel so fortunate to be living here. The more you know about the area, the more you love it.
Another great idea out of Freehold borough this week is their Borough Pitch event slated for Wednesday, Aug. 31 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Similar to “Shark Tank,” the three hours focuses on the pitch as a way to help launch and grow local businesses.
Presented by the NJ small Business Commission of Brookdale Community College, the program is an opportunity for Freehold borough entrepreneurs to get valuable advice and mentoring and share some interaction with other business-people. The most promising companies will be invited to pitch before a panel of investors and lenders to compete for cash and services essential to small business owners.
No experience is necessary, but registration is required to participate, It’s part of the borough’s Innovative Accelerator Program where local entrepreneurs and startup businesses are invited to pitch their business ideas to an audience and panel of judges.
The top ten finalists from the Pitch Event will be accepted into the accelerator cohort. Participants will be involved in a 15-week program requiring each to complete the Entrepreneurship Certification Program and Digital Blueprint Certificate programs in addition to participating in bimonthly mentorship forums and specialty events.
Persons interested in starting up or improving their business should submit a brief summary of their business idea. All are invited to attend the event to look at the hottest new ideas on the Jersey shore and root for your favorite presenter!
The event will be held at the Court Street School Education Community Center, 140 Court St.
Further information is available by calling Dr. Jackeline Mejias-Fuertes at 732-842-8685 or e-mailing mosbdc@brookdalecc.edu at Brookdale,
Vinnie Mendes, one of those terrific Highlands folks who grew up there and now lives elsewhere, recalls many of his stories about growing up in Highlands and all the things the Mendes boys did, good and bad, in their youth. Vinnie often shares these stories in his column in his hometown paper the Lakeside News in Georgia, and this is one of those stories. He dedicated it in memory of his brother, Paul, who died Aug. 22, 2019, three years ago this month..
Growing up on the Shore was a fund experience. My three brothers and I had a river to swim in and sail on and endless acres of coastal woods to play in. The hills were honeycombed with old bunkers and tunnels, some of them dating back to the Spanish American War and we spent endless hours playing imaginary games in them.
They were basically concrete gun emplacements connected by tunnels, some of them hundreds of yards long. They once held the “Guns as big as stars with shells as big as trees” that they sing about. These were the same guns that are mounted on our Navy’s battleships, each one capable of hurling a projectile the weight of a Volkswagen up to 24 miles.
Our battleships each had nine of them. (After World War II the big coastal guns were all sold for scrap to the Gillette Razor Company because of their superb steel. The battleships all went into moth balls to be called back when they were needed for Korean, Vietnam and the Gulf War.
This country had the strongest coastal defense in the world, which is one of the reasons we were never attacked from the sea.
Nowadays you don’t have to invade a country’s shores or bomb their cities to defeat them. All you have to do is cut off supply of a raw material they need to keep their economy running, such as tungsten, beryllium, rubber or oil. If you want to find out why we are involved in any part of the world, check out their natural resources.
It was a different world in the middle of the Cold War. When I joined the Navy right out of high school, I got to see parts of the world I never even dreamed of. The downside was I had to take orders from someone who was dumber than I was but had been in the Navy six months longer. I got out after four years and went to college, thinking I’d come back as an officer and make a career. By the time I graduated, Vietnam had heated up and I opted to try my luck as a civilian.
Meanwhile, my next younger brother, Paul, went to college first and later enlisted in Army ROTC. When he graduated he became a second lieutenant and was shipped off to the fighting. He later retired as a full colonel after 28 years, making more money in his retirement that I ever made working! He also had a bunch of really good stories to tell.
One of these involved him off in the jungle with a company of soldiers being pinned down, with the enemy fire drawing ever closer. Not only was his life at stake but he had the responsibility for the safety of all the men under him.
Quickly calculating the odds for survival, he called into headquarters for artillery support. Unfortunately, all the Army artillery units were engaged, but the fellow said the Navy might have a unit in the area. Paul wasn’t very optimistic because he knew they were at least 15 miles in from the coast but a minute later the voice came back over the radio telling him he was being patched through to “Sledgehammer.”
Now all the Army artillery units had names like “Tackhammer,” “Clawhammer, “ Ball Peen, et,v but this made wonder. “What is sledgehammer”? Anyway he radioed in the coordinates for the location and was told to take cover. Next thing he knew KABOOM! The entire side of the hill disappeared. It was like a B-52 strike. He radioed in “Mission accomplished,” then asked, “What the ^%$&^$% was that?” The voice came back over the radio, “Son, that was the Battleship New Jersey.”
He thought, “Ah, greetings from home, and not a moment too soon.”
Terrific to see and share this press release on Highlands’ own Frankie Montecalvo last weekend. Highlands has so many native sons and daughters who have brought great pride and recognition to a wonderful town and Frankie is one of them. Look for him next at Virginia Raceway the end of the month.
Vasser Sullivan driver Frankie Montecalvo finished third at the IMSA Fast Lane Grand Prix at Road America on Sunday. The race saw a variety of weather conditions and yellow flag periods, but Montecalvo and co-driver Aaron Telitz were able to make their way back to the podium, breaking a streak of bad luck from the previous events.
Montecalvo qualified the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 P2 in class for Sunday’s race. When the green flag flew, rain had already started to fall in certain areas of the track, creating a challenge for all the drivers as everyone was on slick tires. Montecalvo slipped back a few places but remained in the top five before handing the car over to Telitz.
Telitz made a storm to the front but would ultimately finish third in class. The duo made their first trip to the podium since the Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio, and they are hopeful it’s the start of a new podium streak as the final two races of the season approach.
“It was great to be back at Road America. I qualified second in class on Saturday. The track was dry, and the temperature was in the low 90s,” said Montecalvo.
“Sunday’s weather was much different than when we qualified. The temperatures were cooler, and ti was raining off and on. I didn’t have a great start. We fell back a few places with the mixed conditions, but all and all, we had a great first stint and a flawless first pit stop.”
“We switched to rain tires when Aaron got in the car. He was able to push his way up to P1 but fell back again in the changing weather. We were battling it out with the top five throughout the entire race.”
“It was challenging at the end with the late yellow flag coming out. I think we were good on fuel until the checkered flag, but I’m not sure if the two cars in front of us would have made it if we had not ended under a yellow.”
“The team did a phenomenal job all weekend in the pits and on the stand. Aaron was fantastic behind the wheel all weekend. Congratulations to the No. 14 car for scoring their first win of the season. Aaron and I would have loved to have been a couple steps higher on the podium, but at the same time, I’m hoping we broke that bad luck streak and can finish the last two races of the season even stronger.”
The next race for Montecalvo is the Michelin GT Challenge at VIrginia International Raceway with race action beginning Friday, August 26 and continuing through the weekend. To stay up to date with current broadcast times and all of Frankie’s racing news, be sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
The borough’s Police Department earned the coveted New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Re-accreditation after receiving the first accreditation three years ago.
The presentation of the honor was made at Thursday’s meeting of the Mayor and Council with Mayor Loretta Gluckstein congratulating Chief Scott Reinert on behalf of the council and the community.
Reinert had invited a team of assessors from the Chiefs Association to examine all aspects of the policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services of the department last April. At the time, the Chief pointed out that “verification by the team that the Atlantic Highlands Police Department meets the Commission’s “best practice” standards is part of a voluntary process to achieve accreditation, a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.”
As part of the final on-site assessment, employees and members of the general public were also invited to provide comments to the assessment team.
Reinert said he sought the re-accreditation, which only approximately one-third of departments across the state achieve, since “it results in greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk and liability exposure, stronger defense against civil lawsuits, increased community advocacy, and more confidence in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and respond to community needs.”
The award was presented by Program Director for the e Association Harry J Delgado, Ed.S at the meeting. He is the Accreditation Program Director for the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police. The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar state law enforcement agencies, who review written materials, interview agency members, and visit offices and other places where compliance with the standards can be observed.
Once that phase of assessment is complete, assessors report to the full Commission, which decides if the agency has earned the status
Valid for a three-year period re-accreditation continues the mandate to submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with standards under which it was accredited.
The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police through its New Jersey Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission is the legitimate authority and accreditation agency in the state of New Jersey.
The accreditation statutes affects things like how the department will be viewed by insurance companies, and usually results grading as a lower risk. The certificate is also a “don’t tread on me” flag. Departments that are accredited are subject to much fewer frivolous lawsuits than those that are not.
There are 112 national law enforcement standards the department had to reach, maintain and practice in order to be re-accredited.
Residents of Care One at King James Care Center took first, second and third prizes for their numerous creative entries in the annual arts and crafts competition during the Monmouth County Fair.
Entries included paintings, sewing, crocheting, knitting and project several residents worked on together. Their entries have won awards at every County Fair event for decades.
This year’s competition, however, included a crocheted blanket that drew the judges’ award of a blue ribbon, but it held special and more significant meaning for all the residents at Care One.
The red, white and blue blanket was crocheted by Jane, a long time resident and friend to all at the care center. Jane has a reputation for spending her days visiting the other residents, enjoying all the activities and in general being well known and loved by all the residents and staff.
Sidney was one of those residents and Jane had crocheted this blanket as a Christmas gift for him. Unfortunately, Sidney died after Christmas and his family brought his belongings back home. But they left the blanket with Jane, wanting her to be able to have it in her own possession as her special reminder of her old friend.
Activities Director Karen Cohen suggested Jane enter the crocheted piece in the County Fair competition, once more in memory of her friend Sidney.
She did, and the artistry earned a blue ribbon for its beauty and care. But the memories of Sidney and the pride all residents took in having this memory shared throughout the county were awards enough.
“Our residents are truly like family at King James,” said administrator Jimmie King, “there was overwhelming congratulations and a celebration at the care center for all the first, second and third place awards both for individual and group entries earned. But there was even more joy, if that is possible, over the special memory they cold all share over Sidney and his thoughtful family who knew that keeping the blanket at Care One would be special for every one of the residents.”
