Homemade Chicken Cordon Blue

Homemade Chicken Cordon Blue

Source:  

Serves:  2

2 chicken breasts

6 slices of prosciutto wrapped in mozzarella cheese

12 crackers, finely crumbled

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup flour

1 large egg

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 tsp honey mustard

15 fingerling potatoes

10 button mushrooms, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 tsp thyme, dried

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Salt and pepper 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine panko and cracker crumbs in a dish and toss with butter.  Arrange on a baking sheet.  Bake  3-5 minutes until slightly browned.  Be careful not to burn.  Remove and allow to cool.  Pour crumbs on a plate and set aside. Reduce oven temp to 400 degrees. 

Slice a pocket in each chicken breast.  The pocket should be about 3 inches wide.  With your finger rub 1 tsp of honey mustard in each pocket.  Then stuff the chicken with the prosciutto slices.  Sprinkle chicken breast with salt and pepper.  

Pour flour in a shallow dish or flat plate.  Pour egg in another dish and beat.  Dredge the stuffed chicken breast in flour.  Move to the egg mixture and coat chicken breast.  Finally, roll chicken breast in crumb mixture.  Put chicken in a baking dish with enough room to surround with potatoes and mushrooms.  Repeat with remaining chicken breast. 

In a large bowl, toss fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, salt, pepper, olive oil, and thyme.  Pour potato mixture around chicken.  Place in oven and cook at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until chicken is done.  After about 10 minutes of cooking cover with foil for remainder of cooking until about five minutes at the end which you'll use to crisp up the chicken.  Chicken should read an internal temperature of 165 degrees when done. 

Enjoy!

Miss J

Chicken Pot Pie

Everyone loves the comfort of a warm chicken pot pie.  I made this over the summer on a rainy weekend.  I absolutely LOVED it.  I soon learned Moe didn't like pot pie so I have decided that I will just invite my friends over for whenever I make it so that they can appreciate the true value of this wonderful dish. 

Chicken Pot Pie
Source:  Modified from Cooking Light, August 2012
Serves:  2

1/4 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup peas (thawed)
1/4 cup sliced leeks
1 slice of bacon
1 Idaho potato, diced in half in cubes
1 cup cubed chicken, cooked
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 package of refrigerated pie dough
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a deep pan or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat (be careful not to burn).  Add potatoes and carrots to the pan and cook until lightly browned, approximately three minutes.  Add flour, leeks, and salt and pepper to the pan.  Add cooked chicken and mix.  Stir in chicken broth and peas and bring to a boil.  Cook for several minutes while sauce thickens.  If sauce does not reach desired consistency.  Mix in a separate bowl some water and flour together.  Add flour mixture in small increments to get desired thickness.  When ready, spoon mixture into two baking dishes.  

Top with dough and pinch edges down to seal the edges.  

Combine milk and egg whites in a bowl.  Brush mixture over dough.  Cut a small vent in the top of the dough.  Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and let stand for at least 10 minutes.  Be careful when serving as baking dish will be hot.  

- Miss J

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 8 out of 10

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

In my attempts to eat breakfast everyday, smoothies are becoming my best friend.  I am by no means an expert on smoothie making so I basically have been taking the approach of throw anything in and push "blend".  So far so good!

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Source: Miss J Original

Serves:  1 serving

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 banana

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

7 cubes of ice

Put everything in the blender and push "blend" :)  Serve in a chilled glass.

- Miss J

Rating:

Miss J, 9 out of 10

Moe, not rated

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are one of the easiest weekday meals for the working professional. They are quick, simple, delicious, and healthy.  I love this recipe because it blends the warm chicken filling with the crisp cool toppings.  They also make great leftovers .

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Source:  Modified from Cooking Light Magazine, August 2012

Serves:  4

1 cup chopped onion

2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cumin

6 oz lean ground chicken

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes

1/2 cup diced cucumber

1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

1/4 cup red pepper hummus (spicy hummus is great as well)

8 Boston lettuce leaves - removed from stock, rinsed, and dried

2 tablespoons mint leaves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil (approximately 2 tsp)

In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat.  Add onions, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, chicken and salt and pepper to pan.  Cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is done.  Combine parsley, tomato, and cucumber in a small bowl.  Combine yogurt and hummus in a small bowl.  Fill bottom of lettuce leaf with chicken mixture, top with cucumber mixture and hummus mixture.  Sprinkle mint and pine nuts evenly on top of assembled lettuce wraps. 

Note:  The original recipe says to combine the chicken and the cucumber tomato mixtures before placing in lettuce leaf.  If you plan on eating all of the wraps in one sitting, I would recommend this approach.  However, if you plan to have left overs then keeping them separate will prevent the cucumbers and tomatoes from getting soggy when storing in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Miss J

Ratings:
Miss J, 9 out of 10
Moe, 8 out of 10

Out with the old. In with the new.

After a busy summer and TONS of fun, I am back to the world of blogging!  Although food has been a central part of the last few months, sadly eating out has become more of the norm.  As things slow down this fall, I am making a conscious effort to get back on track.  Historically, "getting back on track" meant starting a crazy diet and depriving myself of the things I love (ice cream, pasta, potatoes).  Although this strategy is temping, I have realized with age that this is never sustainable.  It is a quick fix to what is really a lifestyle problem.  Starting today, I am focusing on breaking old habits and starting new ones.  Here is my game plan...

• Eat breakfast everyday.  I rearranged my kitchen so that my blender finally has a permanent home on the counter.  That way I can start my day off with a fruit smoothie without using the excuse that its too difficult to dig out the blender.
• Pack a lunch.   No more are the fast food or cafeteria food that I have been consuming in my stressful work days.  No matter how stressed I am.  There really isn't a good reason that I can't pack my lunch at least 3/5 work days a week.
• Cook dinner four nights per week.  I always over commit on this and then after the first week of having ten thousand pounds of left overs, I give up.  I realized if I can just target four nights then that leaves a night or two for leftovers and once a week takeout if need be (everyone needs a break). 
• Workout.  It doesn't have to be an intense one hour crazy workout.  A simple 20 minute cardio is better than nothing.
• Get up early.  I find it easy to fall into the rut when it comes to my sleep cycle.  Moe is on nights so I have been staying up late working just to crash into bed exhausted and struggle to get up with my alarm.  Since I want to make a smoothie every morning, I better get used to an earlier alarm clock to make it happen :)

Now that the plan is in place, wish me luck on the execution!

Miss J

Glazed Chicken and Pad Thai Noodle Salad

Glazed Chicken and Pad Thai Noodle Salad

Serves:  4
Source: Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, July 2012, page 62

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
2 boneless chicken breasts
6 oz pad Thai egg noodles
1 tablespoon organic peanut butter, chucky
¼ cup bottled Szechuan sauce (See recipe below if you don’t want to buy a bottle)
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
½ cup matchstick-cut green onions
 
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 
Combine first four ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Add chicken to bowl and coat well.  Place chicken on grill rack with cooking spray.  Grill each side for 4 minutes or until done.  Remove from grill and cover until ready to serve. 
 

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Mix together Szechuan sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice with a whisk.  Add noodles, carrots, and green onions.  Toss and serve immediately with chicken. 

Homemade Szechuan Sauce

Serves:  4
Source:  FoodNetwork.com

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 ½ tablespoon minced, peeled ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp dry crushed red pepper
½ cup canned low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp cornstarch
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
1 tsp sugar
 
Mix ginger, garlic, red pepper, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and sugar in a pan and warm to near boiling. 
Combine broth and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until cornstarch has dissolved.
Stir the cornstarch mixture into the first mixture and continue stirring until thickened. 

- Miss J

Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Mushrooms, and Pine Nuts

I love this recipe!  It is easy and delicious so the best of both worlds.  The other night Moe was working overnight shift so I packed this up and took it to the hospital to eat with him the cafeteria.  It transported well and was super easy to make. I must say the picture didn't turn out well since we were in the cafeteria of a hospital but don't judge a book by it's cover. I encourage you all to give it a try!

Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Mushrooms, and Pine Nuts

Serves: 2

Source:  Adapted from Cooking for Two 2011, pg 87-88

1 head garlic

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Small container of crimini mushrooms (approximately 10) OR 4 portabella mushroom caps, cut into ¾ inch cubes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
Parsley, fresh, chopped
Salt and pepper
½ cup reserved pasta water, set aside
2 tablespoons pine nuts,
1 tablespoon butter
6 oz pasta (any kind – I used angel hair, original recipe calls for campanelle which is the Italian bell shaped pasta)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Rinse garlic head and remove the outer papery skin.  Cut the top quarter off the head of the garlic and throw away.  On a sheet of foil, place garlic head, cut side up, in the center of the foil and drizzle with a bit of olive oil (approximately ½ tsp).  Seal packet and place in lower rack of the oven.  Roast for approximately 20 minutes.  As soon as garlic is done, open foil and set aside to cool.

While garlic is roasting, cut mushrooms.  Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet. 

 Top with slivers of butter.  Roast mushrooms for 10 minutes or until browned and tender.  Be sure to stir mushrooms on sheet so it doesn’t burn. Remove and set aside.

While mushrooms and garlic are in the oven, dice parsley.  In a small mixing bowl, add lemon juice and set aside. Remove garlic and mushrooms from the oven when done cooking. 

In a small skillet, heat 1 tsp of butter and add pine nuts. Sauté until golden then remove.  Set aside to cool.

Once garlic is cooled, squeeze roasted garlic cloves from the skin and into the small bowl with the lemon juice.  Mash into a paste.  Add 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil to the mixing bowl and whisk together. 

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.  Add pasta and cook according to package directions.  Remove ½ cup of pasta water and set aside.  Drain pasta and return to pot.  Add garlic sauce, mushrooms, parsley, and pine nuts together.  Add pasta water to get desired consistency.  Top with parmesan and serve immediately. 

- Miss J

Ratings:

Miss J, 9 out of 10

Moe, 9 out of 10