Chicken Cordon Bleu



When I first met my husband his cooking skills were let's say...limited.  When it was his night to "cook" he would order pizza or if he was feeling really adventurous he'd make his go-to meal of Tortellini.  Sounds kind of fancy right?Wrong. That meal consists of refrigerated tortellini and a jar of pasta sauce. During our 7 years of marriage he's worked on improving his cooking skills and I must say he's becoming quite the chef. 

Last night he made the most amazing Chicken Cordon Bleu!  Ham and Swiss cheese rolled up in a seasoned chicken breast and then drizzled in a luscious cream sauce.  If heaven had a taste this would be it.  We served it with a light salad which was the perfect accompaniment as the chicken and sauce are quite rich.

My husband said this recipe was quick and simple, the prefect recipe for any man trying to impress his girlfriend or wife.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 thinly sliced, skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 slices ham
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (He used a Pinot Grigio)
• 1 chicken bullion cube, crushed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• (Optional) Cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper, to taste

Cream Sauce:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

Place a slice of ham and cheese on each chicken breast within a quarter inch of the edges.  Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling or as my husband did, fold the chicken breast in half. (Beware, if you fold the chicken breast in half some of the cheese will melt out of the sides and fall into the pan which can be incorporated into the sauce later)  Secure the chicken with toothpicks.  Mix the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl and coat each piece of chicken.

Heat the butter and EVOO in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned on all sides.  Add the wine and bullion granules.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the juices run clear and the chicken is no longer pink.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and remove the toothpicks.  Mix the heaving whipping cream, Dijon mustard, and cornstarch together in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk the mixture into the same skillet you cooked the chicken in.  Cook on low heat stirring until thickened.

Drizzle sauce over chicken.

*Note: If you buy thinly sliced chicken breasts you don't have to worry about cutting thicker ones in half or pounding out the chicken.  Definitely the way to go if they're available at your grocery store.

Adapted from the Allreceipes website.

{Taste Test Tuesday} Spicy Korean Noodles

We recently went on a cruise to Mexico and were on a tight budget the weeks leading up to it.  This meant no elaborate and/or expensive meals.  While scrolling through recipes on Pinterest, "Ramen Noodles with Spicy Korean Dressing" caught my eye.  It doesn't get much cheaper than Ramen, right? Although the recipe was cheap and simple I felt it needed a Nicky makeover so I added a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The end result was BETTER than I imagined; loaded with veggies, chicken, and perhaps a little too much spice.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 packets Ramen noodles
• 2 tablespoons canola or EVOO
• 2-3 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded OR 4 thinly sliced, boneless pork chops
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced 
• 2 portabello mushroom caps, sliced

Dressing:

• 2 to 2-1/2 tablespoons Siracha (3 tablespoons is really spicy, BEWARE)
• 2 to 2-1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1-1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 packet of Ramen seasoning...or less, it's full of sodium

Directions

If using pork, heat half a tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan.  (It will cook fast if thinly sliced) If using a rotisserie chicken, shred it and set to the side. When pork is done cooking, take it out of the pan and set to the side.  Add the remainder of oil and cook veggies (except scallions) until slightly tender.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a pot, cook the noodles according to package instructions. (Boil for about 3 minutes)  Throw them in a colander and rinse under cold water.

Toss together the noodles and dressing until fully coated.  Garnish with scallions and serve.

Adapted from Season with Spice.

I'll be the first to admit this isn't the healthiest recipe I've made, but hey, money was tight and there was NO WAY I was eating plain old Top Ramen. It's loaded with veggies, lean meat, and the sodium was significantly reduced! Not only did my hubby love it (he just asked me to make it AGAIN while proof reading my post), but my 11 year old friend did too, veggies and all.  I'd say that's a success!

My little friend 

Feeling a little camera shy

This recipe definitely deserves ☆☆☆☆

{Taste Test Tuesday} Spicy Italian Zucchini Boats

I recently discovered Pinterest and have been testing recipes I've found on it.  I saw this recipe floating around and made the assumption there was Italian sausage in it, but that's not the case.  It's a veggie loaded with other veggies...perfect if you're a vegetarian.  Okay, so it's not the end of the world there's no meat in them, but I definitely needed some protein to go with this dish.  I grilled up some chicken and had these on the side.  They do have a kick to them, so if you don't like spicy food you'll want to cut back the red pepper flakes.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
• 3 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out pulp and seeds, leaving 1/4-inch shell (use a small spoon for this).  Reserve the pulp from two zucchini slices and chop.  Combine zucchini pulp, garlic, tomato, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, olive oil, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl.  Divide mixture among zucchini shells.

Place stuffed zucchini in a 13x9 baking dish; cover with foil.  Bake for 25 minutes or until zucchini is tender.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Top with fresh basil.

Adapted from The Comfort of Cooking website

I did like these very much as a side dish and they turned out so pretty. (Except for the bottoms - the skin kind of burnt)  The fresh basil and meaty mushrooms were tasty, but the real winner was the Parmesan cheese!  Mmm...cheese.  These do not make good leftovers, I REPEAT, these do not make good leftovers!  They turn into floppy, soggy...things. 

I'd give these ☆☆☆☆ out of 5 stars.  What's your favorite vegetarian recipe?