Ham and Cheese with Chicken

The Question If there is anything in the world that you want me to cook, what would it be?  The Answer Chicken Cordon Bleu. And the obvious follow up question. Why? "Skeet's Mama made it one night, I was afraid I wouldn't like it...it sounds like a fancy meal. You know, it's really a ham and cheese sandwich but you use chicken instead of bread."

My husband has a knack for putting things into a harsh reality. He's right...it's just a ham and cheese sandwich with chicken instead of bread. I can no longer call this dish by it's French name. Chicken Cordon Bleu in my house is now the plain old American translation: Blue Ribbon Chicken. Taste great either way though.

Blue Ribbon Chicken with Wild Rice.

Blue Ribbon Chicken

4 chicken breast, butterflied and pounded
8 slices of proscuitto or ham
8 slices of Swiss cheese
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup herb bread crumbs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon butter

Prep and Roll
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Take the chicken breast and butterfly it so that your chicken is longer and thinner. Lay the chicken between 2 pieces of wax paper. Using the flat side of a meat mallet (or a wine bottle will do just don't whack it too hard), gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Season with salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Lay 2 slices of prosciutto or ham on each breast then 2 slices of swiss cheese; leaving a 1/2-inch on all sides to help seal the roll. Using plastic wrap, tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll. Squeeze the log gently to seal. Put immediately in the freezer. (If creating these rolls for dinner the next night, put in ice box over night. The goal is to get the chicken in it's shape so that it doesn't fall apart or come unrolled during cooking.)

Dredge and Dunk  
Bowl 1: season flour with salt and pepper.  
Bowl 2: Beat 2 eggs, with salt and pepper.  
Bowl 3: Mix together breadcrumbs, panko, thyme leaves, salt, pepper and melted butter.  The butter will help the outside turn brown. Take chicken out of icebox and dredge in flour, then dunk in the egg mixture and coat in the bread crumb mixture.

Cook and Serve
In a saute pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken seam side down. Sear each side for 45 seconds, this step is for creating a golden crust only. Transfer to a baking sheet and stick in oven for 25 minutes. Test one roll to make sure it is cooked through. Cut into pinwheels before serving.

NOTE: Several times I have made this and after I slice it, the inside is not completely cooked! Don't Panic Instead of putting it back in the oven making the outside dry, go ahead and cut into pinwheels then give each piece a quick sear on both sides in a hot pan.

Green Beans in a Mushroom Cream

Green Beans Swimming in a Mushroom Bath

Just DON'T Call It a Casserole! Casserole sounds so unappealing doesn't it? And green bean casserole just reminds me of the pot luck for the athletic banquet in high school. Don't get me wrong, I LIKE green bean casserole, but the word itself, casserole, makes me think of mushy food that all tastes the same. I wanted to make a more appetizing version of green bean cass (oh yeah, just don't use the word). I'll call it Green Beans in a Mushroom Cream. Sounds better already! Main goal was to figure out how to substitute Mr. Campbell's all-purpose unifier of most one-dish meals.

Sidebar I thought that the green bean casserole must have originated somewhere in France with fresh ingredients then reinvented in the '50s when one-dish meals became popular. WRONG! The Green Bean Cass&*#$+ was created by Campbell's Soup in 1955. Dorcas Reilly was part of Campbell Soup Company's recipe development team and brought Cream of Mushroom Soup and green beans together (two of America's common pantry items).

I did a lot of research and found that Alton Brown (my go to recipe starter) has also discovered a way around the "cream of..." soups. Using fresh green beans and mushrooms and making your own sauce...with cream...makes a world of difference. Result...you can taste each ingredient and the combination of flavors is incredible. Campbell's knew what they were doing, for sure. Now that I have the sauce down, I can update a lot of the old favorites...watch out chicken and wild rice, your next!

NOTE: I'm not trying to knock Campbell's Soup. I use it often. In this instance, I needed to find a replacement. And as my Granddaddy always said, "Fanny, why are you making vegetable soup? It doesn't get any better than how Mr. Campbell makes it". He's right too!

Green Beans in a Mushroom Cream
From Alton Brown's Best Ever Green Bean Casserole Recipe

The topping:

3 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking spray

The Beans and Cream:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1-2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cup chicken broth
1-1/4 cup half-and-half

Crunchy Topping Preheat the oven to 475ºF. Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss. Coat a pan with cooking spray and spread the onions evenly. Bake for about 25 minutes, but make sure to toss onions every 5 minutes so they won't burn (if they do, it's okay, they still taste good). Turn the oven down to 400ºF.

The Beans Bring a gallon of water and a few tablespoons of salt to a boil. Add the beans and until just tender, 5 to 10 minutes (they will cook longer in oven later). Drain beans and either dunk in an ice bath or immediately run cold water of the beans. This will keep the beans bright green, a big plus, people eat with their eyes first.

The Sauce  Melt butter in a big pan and add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, roughly  4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and let simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

The Final Touch Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly OR once you've put it all together, cover and place in ice box over night. That way, when you get home from work you can stick it right into the oven...20 minutes later, mmmmm, a little bite of goodness and reminder of how far you've come from that high school banquet.

Sausage Swirls for Breakfast OR Dinner

Breakfast or Dinner Sausage Swirls

First question...When's the last time you had a corn dog? This sausage delight reminds me of a New Orleans Lucky Dog...salty meat wrapped in buttery, puffy dough and dipped in yellow mustard. To me, that's just a little bit of heaven...at dinner time. And for breakfast (or brunch)...pair these with a bloody mary or a milk punch, again, just a little bit of heaven. Some foods are good for every meal and the Sausage Swirl fits into that category.  

Sausage Swirls

1 package mild sausage
1 package hot sausage
2 cans crescent rolls

Pop crescent roll cans and unroll the rectangle sections. Each can has 8 triangles or 4 rectangles, keep them in rectangles and squish the diagonal seam together so the rectangle is a whole section. Mix hot and mild sausage. Spoon sausage on the dough and pat it out to cover the dough. Roll up and smooth the seam at then end and pat the ends flush. Roll each individual roll in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer baggie and freeze.

To serve take the amount you want out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter until you can slice it. Slice and place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 350° for about 20 minutes. Just watch them. You will know when they are done. The dough needs to be fully cooked.

My Godmother Christine McBee gave me this recipe that came from her mother Fae. The McBee family has this often when they are all together. All good recipes come from a few generations back, don't you think?

I suggest doubling or tripling the recipe. These will stay in the freezer for a while and you can pull them out at a moments notice. Second question...Do you need a bite with a cocktail or need to remember the lucky dog you ate in New Orleans? Which ever you choose, the Sausage Swirl fits both. Enjoy.

Christmas Candy

Christmas Candy

Nothing says Christmas like Christmas Candy. At least to me! My cousin Janice made this every Christmas and it was always my favorite during the holidays. I have to say, it's not great to look at, but when you taste it...you won't mind serving this to anyone. AND surprisingly, it's quick and easy.

24 oz. almond bark (vanilla flavoring chocolate bars)
1 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup toasted almond slices
1 cup rice krispies

So easy. Melt chocolate and peanut butter, add marshmallows (these do not melt, they stay whole), toasted almonds and rice krispies. Mix. Spoon bite size amounts on wax paper. Christmas Candy should harden in about 10 to 15 minutes. Put these out at a party and they'll be gone in no time!

What a Beurre Blanc Can Do...

Tilapia and Wild Rice with Ginger Soy Beurre Blanc

Mmmmm, White Butter. (That's the meaning of beurre blanc). Once you know how to make this, you can NEVER go back. I was preparing a normal meal last night–the passed over tilapia from last week with wild rice, but wanted to do something to make it different.  I had all the ingredients for a beurre blanc, so here's what I did...

Ginger Soy Beurre Blanc
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup cream or half and half
1 stick butter, at least (more is better)
3 dashes soy sauce

Heat wine, ginger and garlic in a saute pan until liquid is almost gone. Add cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add butter one pat at a time until completely incorporated. (Heat on low if butter is not melting). Add soy sauce, taste and be prepared for the most amazing flavor. It's creamy. It's velvety. It's one of the most amazing sauces I've had.
I seared the fish on both sides (about 4 minutes each), served on top of wild rice and topped with pistachios and the ginger soy beurre blanc. Very easy and very tasty.

Mrs. Paul Cooks Dinner Tonight

It was FFY (Fend for Yourself) night again. Rich had drinks with the boys, so I was on my own. Phew! I have been avoiding the grocery store for a while. It's just a few weeks to Christmas and I know my ice box will be FILLED with necessary ingredients for the upcoming feast, and I only want to shop once for that. So, I opened the freezer. Bananas, lots of them. Note to self: make banana bread. Salmon, had that last night, lamb, the night before. Tilapia, promising. Then in the WAY back I saw the green box, a warmth came over me. YES, Mrs. Paul's Fish Sticks. Tilapia, you loose.

As a child there was that rare, rare occasion that my mother announced, "Mrs. Paul is cooking dinner tonight". OH THE JOY. This meant a few amazing things.

1. We could eat in the breakfast room, not the dining room.
2. No forks necessary. Fingers were completely acceptable.
3. Ketchup was allowed.

Fish Sticks before Christmas

This may not mean much to others, but to me it was such a treat. Who doesn't like finger food? And ketchup, this was never to be seen on our dining room table! NO LABELS ON THE TABLE. There are two meals that my mother actually approves of where ketchup is the accompanying sauce: Mrs. Paul's fish sticks and Salmon Croquettes (and it just hit me, that we NEVER ate those in the dining room!)

So last night I grabbed a paper plate (no dishes to wash), mixed ketchup, horseradish and lemon in a bowl, took 8 fish sticks out of the oven, sat cross-legged on my sofa and ate with my fingers. Mrs. Paul hasn't changed since I was 8. She is still a wonderful cook and brought back a wonderful mother/daughter memory. It was a good night.

A Tree of Rosemary

Festive Rosemary Tree

Best buy all season. Rosemary doubling as a Christmas Tree in my kitchen, how festive? I plan to plant it in the spring (if I haven't used all the rosemary by then).
Most recent Rosemary Recipe...A Compound Butter

5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Let butter stand at room temperature until soft. Mix all together. Wah-la. Fancy Butter. Put it on meat, fish or bread (I've done all three).

Rack of Lamb is EASY

Lamb with Wild Rice and Edamame

I wanted to try something different that looked gourmet, so I thought, what's fancier than rack of lamb. It just sounds upscale. When Rich came home to see what I was cooking, he set the dining room table. Even he knew this was special. And that is the story of the first rack of lamb I made. Tonight...4 or 5 rack of lambs later...Rich walks in, on the phone with his mother, kisses me, then Webb and tells his mother. "Alright, looks like I'm having rack of lamb tonight!" He hasn't fallen over himself to set the table...yet. Rich now knows, this is a pretty simple task once you get over the fact that it's "rack of lamb".

1 Rack of Lamb, 1 1/2 lbs, 8 bones
Salt and Pepper
2 to 3 cloves garlic
2-3 sprigs rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter

Seriously. DO NOT BE AFRAID. Yes, it cost a little bit more than you would normally pay for meat, but worth it. I went to Costco and got a 1.57lb rack of lamb for $21.27. And this will feed 4. I've never been one to go on about how cheap things are, but this is NOT an expensive meal. We're talking less than $6 per person.

Preparing the Meat  Score the fat (in diagonals) of lamb with sharp knife. Flip the rack over and remove the membrane. This is a light film that holds the bones together. Best way to take it off...use a spoon to get underneath then pull straight up with a paper towel. Believe me, this is the easiest way to do it. Generally coat lamb with salt, pepper and garlic and rub in with olive oil. Let sit out for at least two hours before cooking.

Cook the Rack Preheat oven to 400º. Place the lamb rack, bone side down (fat side up). This will keep the meat moist. You want the fat to drip through the meat, which gives it great flavor. Wrap the rib bones in foil so that they don’t burn. Who knew that's why they did that? Insert a meat thermometer into the CENTER of the meat. (I failed to do this last night, I missed center by an inch of so) Cook for 7 minutes on 400º then reduce heat to 300º and cook until internal temperature is 125º.

The Fix Since I placed the thermometer incorrectly, I saw that some of my meat was raw. I went ahead and cut my servings. Two bones a person. I then seared each side in a really hot oiled pan for about 30 seconds. DONE!
Simple, easy and delish. TRY IT, you will not be disappointed.