About Shelley: Shelley is a living example of the phrase "You've got to play to win." Many Town Square Bingo players know her as....the woman who keeps winning. As her life proves, it's staying in the game that counts.

Shelley loves learning and trying new things. She calls her life "a bundle of joy, never dull and always exciting." While she's been living in Green Lake for 10 years, she is originally from Ripon, where she went to Ripon College, majoring in art and minoring in philosophy and psychology. But she didn't stop there, staying in the game and going on to earn a Medical Clinical Coding Certificate and Wisconsin state licenses in Esthitician and Manicurist. She's been a DJ at the Ripon roller skating rink, a preschool teacher and even worked in the research department for a bank. A true people person, who loves to help others, she pursued a career working at a spa for 13 years, a position that she calls her "dream job." 

When she's not on adding careers and degrees to her life story, Shelly has been checking pretty unusual items off her bucket list: Putting her feet on the Churchill Downs race track, hiking up a mountain, swimming in both the Atlantic and Pacific, meeting Johnny Depp, swimming with dolphins and witnessing a total eclipse.

Growing up, Shelley watched old-school cooking shows with her father. While he passed away nearly 20 years ago, she of still keeps up their father-daughter tradition of cooking and experimenting with food. When she travels, she likes to try local dishes, and then replicate them, tweak them, and use them for inspiration. She likes today's recipe because it's easy to prepare, delicious, and can be doubled or tripled for a crowd.

CHICKEN PATTIE PARM
From the kitchen of Shelley Smith

You will need:
For Patties:

• 1 Pound Ground Chicken

• Salt and Pepper

• 1/2 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs

• 1/4 Cup Milk

• 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan

• 1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley

• 1 Egg

• 2 Minced Garlic Cloves

• 1 Tsp. Italian Seasoning

• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

• Drizzle of Olive Oil

For Sauce:

• 1 Tbs. Olive Oil

• 1 Tbs. Butter

• 1 Small White Onion, diced

• 2 Garlic Cloves

• 1-1/2 Tbs. Tomato Paste

• 1 Can Tomato Puree

• Dash of Red Pepper Flakes

• 1/2 Tsp. Oregano

• Splash of Water, Chicken or Beef Broth (whatever you have on hand)

For Topping:

• Parmesan Cheese, grated

• Mozzarella Cheese

Making the Dish:

1. Mix all ingredients together for the patties

2. Spray non-stick cooking spray on a sheet pan.

3. Form 3 large patties and place on the sheet pan. Cook at 500 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

4. In sauce pan, saute onion, garlic and seasoning in olive oil and butter until onions are translucent.

5. Add tomato paste and cook out for about a minute. Add tomato puree and water. Simmer until chicken patties come out of oven.

6. Top patties with sauce, grated Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Return to oven for about 3 to 5 minutes.

7. Serve over buttered angel hair pasta with a salad.