easy chicken cordon bleu

I love chicken cordon bleu, but quite honestly the rolling and stuffing intimidates me. Then I found this recipe-no rolling or stuffing needed!  I have made this enough that Zoe complained when she saw me making it about how often we are eating this dish.  I didn't pay much heed.  This is tasty and easy therefore it is a keeper.

*Note: fresh bread crumbs here make all the difference. I save the heels of my bread stashed in the freezer for just a recipe like this when I need to grind up fresh bread crumbs quickly in my blender or food processor. Also, try to find really thick chicken breasts – it makes it easier to cut them in half lengthwise and still have a good-sized portion.

*Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
For the Cordon Bleu:
3 large chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to form two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
12 slices deli ham
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 to 1/2 pound thinly sliced swiss cheese

For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube, crushed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside.

Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with 2 slices of swiss cheese, shingling across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.

Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.

While the chicken bakes, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly, while cooking the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking.

Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce.

Make Ahead Instructions: Assemble the chicken, ham and cheese according to the recipe. Store the prepared bread crumb/butter mixture in a resealable plastic bag or other container. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store it and the bread crumb mixture in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. When ready to bake, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top and bake according to the recipe, adding anywhere from 5-15 extra minutes since it was refrigerated prior to baking. Make the sauce while the casserole bakes or make it ahead of time, let it cool, and store it covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, reheating over low heat and whisking to recombine before serving.

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Sweet and Spicy butternut squash

I love butternut squash and was looking for a way to change it up.  I also had feta cheese on hand and this is the recipe I found.  This is powerful good.  I didn't have the fancy asian pepper sauce, I used good ol' Cholula.  It probably didn't have as much kick as it would have.  I will have to try it with the fully loaded pepper sauce next time.

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (suggested: Sriracha)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• basil leaves

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Toss squash with olive oil, maple syrup, chili sauce and salt.
3. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, give the squash a stir then bake for another 20-25 minutes until the squash is tender and caramelized.
4. Top squash with feta cheese and basil leaves.

frosting...mmm

Zoe wanted buttercream frosting for her birthday cake.  I tried this recipe out.  I am not usually a frosting fan, but this is mighty tasty.  A keeper.

Ingredients:

Yield:
12
cupcakes Units: US | Metric
1 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:

1
In a bowl combine butter, sugar and salt. Beat till blended.
2
Add the milk and vanilla and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/vanilla-buttercream-frosting-from-sprinkles-cupcakes-222188?oc=linkback

Banana Bread

For ever the banana bread recipe I used was cut out from the back of a C&H sugar bag.  I don't know where that one is now, and I don't care.  For me and my rotten bananas this is a better bread.
-full disclosure, this is a recipe from allrecipes.com.  But there are soo many banana bread recipes there.  I wrote this down and didn't want to loose it, so here it is.  *found it, so handy to look up by ingredients!http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-ever-banana-bread/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=banana%20bread%20with%20buttermilk&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

Preheat oven to 375

3 eggs
1/2 c buttermilk
3/4 oil (substituting some apple sauce works, wouldn't get rid of it entirely)
1 1/2 c bananas (about 3)
2 1/4 c sugar
2 1-/2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t salt

mix all the wet ingredients, throw in the dry, bake it up.  Here is the hitch.  I think this makes 2 loaves of bread, but I never actually put it in bread form because, I live in Arizona and it is too crazy hot 80% of the time to fire up my oven for and hour and 20 minutes, so I always make muffins.  And I can't at this time remember how long to cook them for.  Hmmm.  Lets guess 30 min. but don't go too far cause your gonna have to check em.  (next time I make them I will take note)

Tiffany Salad

 This is know at our house as Tiffany Salad because that is where the recipe comes from.  We always think of her when we eat it which makes it twice as nice.

Pasta & Chicken Salad

1 16 oz. Bow Tie pasta

1 cooked chicken shredded (I use 1 rotisserie chicken)

1 bunch green onions chopped

1 C celery chopped

1 can water chestnuts chopped

1 large can pineapple tidbits or chunks drained

3-4 C seedless grapes cut in half (I use purple or green, whatever is sweeter)

1 large bottle Kraft Coleslaw Dressing

1 C Mayo

Salt & Pepper to taste

Cook pasta until tender, drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is a room temperature.  Add all ingredients but dressing and mayo in a large bowl.  Mix mayo and coleslaw dressing together until smooth.  Sprinkle desired amount of salt and pepper over pasta mixture and add dressing.  Mix carefully until dressing is distributed evenly.  Chill 2-3 hours before serving.

Catch n Cast Brownies

This is a recipe I got from my cousin Laurie when we were roommates at Utah State.  She had to write a paper on a recipe-I think.  So she wrote about these brownies that are ideal for both catching a man and softening the blow when it was time to send them down the river.   We have made them a couple of times the past few weeks, and they are good for what ails you.

2 cubes of butter
2 c sugar
4 eggs
1/2 c cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c flour

Melt butter in sauce pan, turn off heat.  Add sugar, cocoa and vanilla.  Add eggs and mix them in quick so the heat doesn't cook them.  Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.

Cook in a greased 9x11 pan for 30 min.

This recipe can be cut in half.  just bake in a square 9x9 pan for 25min.

Yum!

pizza dough

I love this pizza dough recipe but always loose it in my chaotic filing system. Here is the link. Semolina flour is usually easy to find if you look in the bulk food section.

http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/cheri-s-favorite-pizza-dough