Chicken Cordon Bleu: February's Winning Choice

You voted and your choice was loud and clear for the main dish.  Chicken Cordon Bleu won by a landslide!  Having never made this before, it was definitely a new and unique challenge for me.  I was surprised that it definitely didn't take as long as I had anticipated.  I changed the recipe some to speed up cook time and ensure that the chicken was thoroughly cooked by finishing it off in the oven, instead of pan frying it the entire time.  It had a wonderful juicy finish to it!  I definitely recommend this dish to anyone!  A lot simpler than it look and so wonderful to eat!

Ingredients:
4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
4 Slices of Provolone Cheese (I am not a big swiss fan, but any white cheese will work just fine)
8 slices of ham
2 Eggs (scrambled)
3 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Mediterranean Basil
6 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
1 tsp Chicken Bouillon granules (or 1 cube mashed)
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream


Directions:

Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place the eggs in bowl and scramble with a fork.  Brush the egg on the top piece of the chicken breast (the pretty side).  Place a  slice of ham on either side of the cheese and put on top and in the middle of each chicken breast on the bottom side (not the side you brushed with egg). Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. The side that you brushed with egg should be facing out.
Mix the flour, paprika and basil in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a baking sheet in tin foil to reduce mess and make for fast cleanup.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes).  Transfer the chicken onto the foil covered cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Add the wine, chicken bouillon, cornstarch and whipping cream into a bowl and whisk together.  Slowly whisk into the remaining butter in the skillet and cook on low.  Simmer for about 10 minutes and keep warm.  
Take the chicken out of the oven and remove the toothpicks using tongs for easy removal and to prevent yourself from burning your fingers or hands.  Serve by spooning the sauce on top of the chicken and enjoy! 

Pound chicken breasts to flatten and make thinner

Scramble the eggs

Brush the top side of the chicken with egg

Put a slice of ham on either side of the cheese and place in the middle of the chicken on the bottom side

Wrap the chicken around the filling and seal together with toothpicks

Mix the flour, paprika & basil together in a separate bowl

Coat the chicken with the flour mixture and set aside

Continue this process until all of the chicken breasts have been filled, sealed and coated

melt the butter in a skillet and add the chicken

Brown on all sides of the chicken (about 10 min)

Transfer the chicken to the cookie sheet and cook in the oven for 20 min

Mix the wine, cream, corn starch and chicken bouillon in a bowl

Whisk it all together

Whisk it into the remaining butter in the skillet

Add extra basil if you would like

Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool for about a couple minutes

Remove the toothpicks before serving

Serve by drizzling sauce over top of the chicken and enjoy!

Here are the winners of the past:

January's Winner: Sauteed Scallops

December's Winner: Pizza Pot Pies

November's Winner: Lasagna Stuffed Manicotti

October's Winner: Pumpkin Risotto

September's Winner: Burgundy Pork 

Apricot Glazed Lamb Roast Recipe

Apricot goes very well with lamb and this was a delicious combination with a hint of mint.  I will definitely make it again.  Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys lamb.

Ingredients:

1 Leg of Lamb Roast (3 lbs)

Seasoning (Alpine Touch, Brown Sugar Bourbon, Tarragon, Mediterranean Basil, Ground Cinnamon)

Glaze: 

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1 Cup Apricot Preserve

2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tbsp dried Mint leaves

1 tsp dried Tarragon

2/3 Cups dried apricot halves (cut into strips)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted)

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

dash ground Cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees  Cover the bottom of a pan with foil to make clean-up easy.  Place the lamb roast in the pan with the fat side up.  Cook for 25-30 minutes per pound.  using a meat thermometer a reading of 135-140 for medium rare, cook more for more well done.  Prepare apricot glaze with about 10 minutes left for cooking.

To prepare the glaze combine all of the glaze ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Remove lamb from oven and spoon over the roast to cover.  Return tot he oven for another 10 minutes.  Remove and serve slices with glaze spooned over the cut slices.  Enjoy! 

Set the roast on a plate for seasoning

The delicious seasoning that I used

Season all sides of the roast and place in the pan

Combine the glaze ingredients

Remove the roast from the oven and cover with the apricot glaze

Serve & Enjoy

Roasted Garlic Rosemary Leg of Lamb with Mashed Red Potatoes

I just love lamb, and when it goes on sale, I can't help but buy some to make a delicious meal out of :)

Ingredients: (Lamb)

3 lb Leg of Lamb

Sea Salt

1/2 Cup Orange Juice

1/2 Cup White Wine ( I used Viognier)

3 cloves of garlic

2 Tbsp Rosemary

1 Tbsp Mediterranean Basil

1Tbsp Thyme

1/2 Tbsp Alpine Touch

1/2 Cup Orange Liquor

1 Cup Chicken Stock

Ingredients: (Mashed Red Potatoes)

3-4 Red Potatoes

Sea Salt

1 Cup Half & Half

1/4 Cup Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Butter

1/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese

Alpine Touch

Mediterranean Basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Marinade: Mix Garlic, Orange Juice, White Wine, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, and Alpine Touch in Blender.  Add the Orange Liquor and the Chicken Stock, blend together. 

Put Leg of Lamb into pan and pat with sea salt.  Pour Marinade over the lamb (you will have some left over).  Put into oven and cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.  Pour extra marinade over lamb if needed.  Cook for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  At internal temperature of 150 degrees (using a meat thermometer) the lamb will be medium-rare, cook longer for more thoroughly browned lamb.

When there are 20 minutes left on the lamb cut the red potatoes and put into a pan.  Cover with water and add a dash of sea salt.  Bring to a boil on high.  Reduce heat to medium high and continue boiling until potatoes are soft (about 15-20 minutes).  Turn to low-med and add the Half & Half. 

Remove the lamb from the oven and place on a plate and store on teh microwave to keep warm, add all remaining marinade to a sauce pan to simmer.  Simmer to reduce.  

 Use a whisk and whisk the potatoes until smooth.  Turn heat to low and add the remaining ingredients.  Serve with a dash of Basil on top

Serve the lamb with some marinade spooned over top.  Store any remaining lamb soaking into the remaining marinade to ensure moistness for leftovers.  Enjoy!

Blend the Orange Juice, Wine, and Seasonings together

Blend the chicken stock and orange Liquor into the marinade

Pat the lamb with sea salt

Pour the marinade over the lamb and stick into oven

Chop the potatoes and place into a pan

Cover the potatoes with water

Boil the potatoes until soft

Add the half and half to the potatoes

Remove the lamb from the oven

Whisk the potatoes and simmer the marinade

Add the seasoning to the potatoes and continue to simmer the marinade

Add remaining ingredients to the potatoes and finish simmering the marinade

Serve by pouring marinade on the lamb and a dash of Basil on the potatoes

Steak Au Poivre

This evening I made some delicious steak au poivre for dinner.  It is really easy and quick.  Takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish. 

Steak Au Poivre

Ingredients:

Seasoning (I used Crushed Rosemary, Crushes Sea Salt and Garlic Salt)
4 Steak Medallions (Cut of steak depends on your preference)
Unsalted Butter 3 Tbsp
1/2 Package Mushrooms Sliced
2/3 Cup (3 fl oz) Cognac or Brandy (I used Cherry Grand Marnier)
2/3 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tsp Tarragon

Directions:
 
In a Large Frying pan over med-high heat melt 2 Tbsp butter.  While the butter is melting season the steak on both side with the seasoning of your choice.  Add the steaks to the pan to cook.  Turning once for a total of 6-8 minutes for medium rare and longer if you like your steak done more.  Transfer the steaks to a plate and store in the microwave to keep warm. 
Add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and saute' until softened (about a minute).  Stir in the cognac, cream and tarragon.  Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer until slightly thickened.  Simmer for more than a 1-5 minutes.  Turn the heat off and return the steaks to the pan to soak into the sauce.  Serve by spooning sauce over the steak onto the plate.  Enjoy!

Add the seasoned steaks to the pan to cook

Saute' the mushrooms

Add the Cognac, Cream & Tarragon to the Mushrooms

Serve by spooning sauce over the steak (I also added loaded mashed potatoes and freshly sliced cantaloupe)

 

If you would like the recipe for the loaded mashed potatoes please see the following links to recipe blogs by me.  Enjoy

Beef Stroganoff with Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Chicken in Orange Viognier Sauce with Loaded Mashed Potatoes