Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a classic French dish simplified. Good food does not necessarily mean complicated food.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded flat
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices deli ham
8 spears fresh asparagus (optional)
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
¼ cup melted butter
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Pound out the chicken breasts until equal thickness through out, using a meat mallet. Lay breasts with inside facing up. (Determining the inside and outside of the breast is easy. The outside is smooth, and the inside you can see the muscle tissue.) Layer Swiss cheese, deli ham, and asparagus across short part of the meat. Grasping one end of breast, tightly roll it up and secure with a toothpick. Lay seam side down in a baking dish sprayed with pan release.

Season with salt and pepper. Mix breadcrumbs and butter together and evenly sprinkle on top of breasts. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes and breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Serve over wild rice with a White Basil Sauce.




White Basil Sauce

In a saucepan, combine 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, sea salt and pepper to taste. Bring up to medium heat and stir to keep from burning. Once hot, add 1 pint heavy whipping cream. Bring back up to heat, until you get a gentle rolling boil. Allow to reduce slightly and thicken with a pinch of roux. Roux (pronounced roué) is melted clarified butter heated with a little plain flour and made into a paste. Remember, sauce will thicken more once it cools some. If it is too thick, just add a little more cream or milk.

Serve over Chicken Cordon Bleu.

Comfort Food: Chili

I love Chili! There's something so very comforting about making and eating it on a cold and chilly day. Just smelling it warms you right up.

The following recipe is one I came up with just by adding some favorite things to a basic pot of beans and hamburger. I enjoy experimenting with flavors and combining them. Texture is also important to me in a nice chili recipe. I hate to eat something that already feels like mush. I enjoy savoring the pop of beans with the texture of the meat, and finish it off with the taste of spice and seasonings.

I love beans too, and like to utilize more than one kind in my creations. This particular recipe calls for three kinds of beans. You can scale it back if you are not such a big fan. This recipe has nice flavor and is not hot, so it is good for those who are afraid of heat. The fresh jalapenos add a nice depth of flavor, but not alot of heat.

3-Bean Chili
2 lb of lean ground beef (or turkey for healthier eating)
3 14 oz cans, each one different, of beans, drained
1 14 oz can corn, drained
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (don't drain liquid)
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
3-4 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced small
1 onion diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 limes

Cook beef in large soup pot, drain excess grease. Add diced onion and jalapenos and let sweat for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot except the limes. Take the two limes and roll them on the cutting board with your hand, using a little pressure. Cut them in half width wise and squeeze the juice in the pot. For a little added zip of flavor, zest some of the rind in also.

Add water to cover the ingredients and cover, stirring occasionally, adding more water if necessary. Simmer on low for as long as you can stand not getting a bowl of it. Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips on the side. Top with fresh chopped green onions and a dollop of sour cream.

YUMMY!!