Grilled Chicken Cordon Bleu

I have several recipes for Chicken Cordon Bleu, each one cooked differently.  This is one of my favorite ways of making this tasty dish during the warmer weather, when I tend to grill more frequently.  It doesn't take a long time to prepare these special chicken bundles and they don't take long to cook.  Also, they can be assembled up to 8 hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to grill them.  That comes in handy when entertaining or when attending a barbecue meal where each guest is to bring their own meat to grill plus a side dish or dessert!

I found this recipe years ago in a Taste of Home magazine in the tear out recipe section.  There is no date on the recipe, but it does indicate it was submitted to the magazine by Shawna McCutcheon from Homer City, Pennsylvania.  This dish gets 8's all around on the Melnarik rating scale.

The week that I was making this dish and taking pictures for this blog, chicken tenders were on sale at the market, so I used them instead of chicken breasts.  The only difference is that the bundles are smaller when using the tenders.  I apologize for not having pictures of the flattening process.  To do so, I placed each piece of chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, and using a meat mallet, pounded each piece until it was 1/4-inch in thickness.  Above is the flattened chicken tender.

It gets really easy from here.  The recipe calls for 1 piece of deli ham.  For more flavor, instead of cutting it in half to fit the smaller size of the tender, I chose to fold the ham in half before placing it on the chicken.

I did choose, however, to cut the slice of cheese in half before adding it on top of the ham slice.

I then rolled it up, beginning with one of the narrow ends, and secured it with a wooden toothpick.  I repeated this process with each of the remaining chicken tenders.

After brushing each piece with olive oil, I rolled them in the seasoned bread crumbs.  At this point, the bundles could be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 8 hours before grilling.

I then grilled them, covered, over medium-hot heat for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once during cooking.  This ensured they were cooked completely into the middle and that when cut, the juices would run clear.

When they come off the grill, they are a beautiful golden brown.  Guests get a nice surprise when they cut into these tasty bundles and they discover the ham and melted cheese.

When I prepare the bundles earlier in the day, I have more time to make a nice side dish as an accompaniment, plus the short cooking time is just enough to prepare a nice salad also.  Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

6 slices Swiss cheese

6 thin slices deli ham

3 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs

Place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Using a mallet or rolling pin, beat the chicken to flatten it to ¼-inch thickness.  Place one slice of cheese and one slice of ham on top of each flattened piece of chicken, cutting as needed to keep the cheese and ham from going beyond the area of the chicken.  Roll up each piece of chicken and secure with a toothpick or thin metal skewer.  Brush each piece with oil and roll in bread crumbs to coat evenly.  Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 15 – 18 minutes or until juices run clear.

Speedy Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup

There are days when I need to put a hot meal on the table, but it seems as though I will have no time at all to do so.  This tomato soup recipe is one where the ingredients are heated in a saucepan and the soup is ready to serve!

When I received my October/November 2012 issue of Taste of Home, I knew this recipe would come in handy at some point on a busy day, so I made sure I had all of the ingredients in my cupboard.  This soup is not quite as good as the Roasted Tomato Bisque (previously posted), but it still got 7's and 8's on the Melnarik rating scale.

In a large saucepan, I combined two cans of tomato soup, two cans of evaporated milk (one 12 oz. and one 5 oz.), and 1 can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes.  Once heated though, I served it with a bit of sour cream, some shredded cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of crumbled bacon that was left over from a meal earlier in the week (I planned ahead on that one!).  That's all there is to it.  I paired the soup with some grilled cheese sandwiches.  It can't get any easier than that!  Enjoy!

Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup

2 (10-3/4 oz.) cans undiluted condensed tomato soup

2 cans (one 12 oz. and one 5 oz.) evaporated milk

1 (14-1/2 oz.) can undrained fire-roasted diced tomatoes

Optional toppings:

Sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese

Bacon bits

In a large saucepan, combine and heat tomato soup, evaporated milk, and fire-roasted tomatoes until hot.  Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese and/or bacon bits.

Turkey Soup

As I was going through pictures I've uploaded to my computer, I was surprised to discover that I had never shared this creamy soup recipe that is perfect for using leftover turkey at the holidays.

This satisfying soup is easy to prepare and doesn't take long to cook.  I think that a hearty soup is the perfect thing to serve on a cold, wintery day.  I found this recipe years ago in one of those small recipe books that are sold near the registers at the market.  This soup gets 8's and 9's on the Melnarik rating scale.

In my stock pot, I melt the butter and add the chopped onions and celery.  I cook the vegetables over medium heat until they are tender.

Once the onion and celery are tender, I add the carrots and cook for about 5 minutes.

In a cereal bowl, I combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, savory, and parsley flakes.  When all of the dry ingredients are mixed before adding them to the vegetables, it ensures they get more evenly distributed.

I add the flour and spice mixture to the vegetables, stirring to combine so the vegetables are coated.

I gradually add the milk, stirring constantly.  At this point, the mixture is very thick.

Then I add the turkey, stirring to combine.  I use a combination of white and dark meat that I've cut into  1/2-inch cubes.

As you can see above, the mixture is quite thick at this point.

I then add the turkey or chicken stock, which makes it look a lot more like soup!

I then cover and simmer the soup for 15 minutes.

The last ingredient I add is the frozen peas (yes, they get added in frozen form).  I put the lid back on and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Making this soup is a great way to use up leftover turkey, it doesn't take long to assemble or cook, and it will warm your innards (as my Irish mom would say) on a cold day! It's a win-win-win recipe!  Enjoy!

Creamy Turkey Soup

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch pieces

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon savory

½ teaspoon parsley flakes

1 ½ cups milk

4 cups cubed, cooked turkey

5 mediums carrots, cut into 1/4 –inch pieces

3 cups turkey or chicken broth

1 package (10 oz.) frozen peas

In a stock pot, sauté onion and celery in butter until tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the flour and seasonings; gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.  Add turkey and carrots.  Add enough broth; stir to combine.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add peas; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Hearty Sausage and Rice Skillet

It seems as though any dish I make using the Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage is one we're sure to love.  This hearty dish is one we decided we loved from the first bite.

I recently received my February/March 2013 issue of Simple and Delicious magazine and this was the first recipe I tried.  I've made it twice now, the second time I changed it slightly to make it even more healthy.  This recipe got all 9's on the Melnarik rating scale.

I began by removing the casings from the sausage and cooked it in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as the meat browned.

Then, I added the oregano, chili powder and garlic salt.  My first cooking teacher in Jr. High taught me to add the dry seasonings directly to the meat, as it gets seared to the meat with the heat of the pan.

Once the seasonings were fully incorporated, I added the sliced mushrooms, yellow bell pepper and diced onion.

The seasonings will turn the mushrooms and onions a pretty orange color.

Next I added the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes with green chilies.

The rough chopped fresh spinach went into the pan next.  The original recipe called for 2 cups, but I doubled it the second time I made this dish to add more nutrients to it.  When the spinach cooks down, it seems to go into nothing, so an additional 2 cups was not too much.  In fact, I think it was just right!

It's hard to tell from the photo above, but it was taken just after I added the water.  I then let it come to a boil and cooked the dish for 2 minutes.

The last ingredient was the instant rice.  The first time I made this I used the normal Minute Rice, but when telling a friend about this amazing new dish I tried, she asked if I had used the brown rice made by Minute Rice.  I admitted I didn't know it even existed.  I figured their rice was so processed to make it cook faster that there was no way they would sell brown rice.  Alas, they do and I tried it the next time I made this dish, figuring the brown rice should be healthier.  The only difference was that it didn't seem to soak up the liquid as well as the traditional Minute Rice.

This is what it looks like when everything is mixed together.  It's pretty colorful and smells terrific at this point.

After adding the rice, I covered the pan for about 7 minutes to let the rice cook.

Once the rice was cooked, there was still a little liquid around the sides, but after stirring it in, the dish was ready to serve.

This healthy dish is quite hearty as well as delicious!  Enjoy!

Hearty Sausage and Rice Skillet

1 pound hot Italian turkey sausage links

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic salt

½ pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 can (14 ½ oz.) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained

4 cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups water

2 cups uncooked instant brown rice

Remove casings from sausage and cook in a Dutch oven over medium heat until no longer pink.  Add the oregano, chili powder and salt; stir to combine.  Add mushrooms, yellow pepper and onion; cook until vegetables are tender.  Stir in the tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Add spinach and stir to combine.  Stir in water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.  Add rice, making sure it is covered by the liquid; remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 – 7 minutes or until the rice is tender.  Stir before serving.

Beef and Bean Casserole

This is a dish that anyone would love, even kids.  Not only that, but it's got to be one of the most simple casseroles to prepare!

This is a well-loved recipe that my mom made for our family from the time I was a little girl.  We would request that she make this meal often.  This is one of many recipes she gave to me when I got married and my family loves it too!  This dish gets all 9's on the Melnarik rating scale!

I begin by placing the ground beef in a large saucepan and cooking it over high heat.  I break up the meat as it cooks until it is no longer pink, then I drain off the fat.

To the beef, I add the salt, beans, brown sugar, and onion.  When I open the can of beans, there is that little cube of mostly fat (it's the pork part of the pork and beans) on the top.  I always remove it, so I'm not adding extra fat, before adding the beans to the dish.  I stir these ingredients to combine them thoroughly.

Then I stir in the barbecue sauce and heat until bubbly.  I aways use K.C. Masterpiece brand barbecue sauce.

I transfer the hot mixture to a 2 quart baking dish.  After removing the biscuits from the can, I cut them in half and arrange them in an eye appealing pattern on top of the beef mixture.  I then put the dish in the oven to bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.

I then remove the dish from the oven, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the biscuits and return it to the oven for an additional 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

It doesn't get much simpler than that!  This recipe serves four people, so if you have hearty eaters or more than four to feed, I suggest doubling the recipe as my mom did and bake it in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish.  Every time I make this casserole, it takes me back to when I was a little girl!  Enjoy!

Beef and Bean Casserole

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1 (15 oz.) pork & beans

¾ cup barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon instant minced onion

1 can (7.5 oz.) biscuits

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F.  In a skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in salt, beans, barbeque sauce, brown sugar, and onion; heat till bubbly.  Transfer to a 2 qt. baking dish.  Remove biscuits from can and cut in half to form half circles.  Place on top of beef mixture.  Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.  Sprinkle cheese on top of biscuits; return to oven for an additional 5 minutes to melt cheese.

Yield:  4 servings

Italian Stew

Cold days make me want something hot and satisfying for dinner, like a tasty stew.  This one is packed full of flavor and so simple to make.

I found this recipe in the September/October 1999 issue of my Quick Cooking magazine and I've been making it for years.  It's a hearty stew that I put in the "comfort food" category.  My guys give this recipe 8's and 9's on the Melnarik rating scale.

I begin by placing the Italian sausage in my Dutch oven, breaking it up as it cooks over medium-high heat.  When the meat is no longer pink, I drain it to remove any excess fat.

While the sausage was cooking, I chopped the onions and sliced the celery and carrots.  After draining the sausage, I added these vegetables to it, stirring to combine and reduced the heat to medium.

In a very small bowl, I combined the Italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper.

I added the seasonings to the sausage and vegetable mixture and cooked it for 5 minutes until the vegetables were crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

Then I added the tomatoes, stirring to combine.

To that, I added the tomato soup, again stirring to combine.

Whenever a recipe calls for adding water as well as canned goods, I always add a little bit of the water to each can to capture anything left in the can and add it to the dish.  My mom always did that, saying she didn't want to waste any of the flavor that could be left in the can.  Once all of the water is added, I bring the pot to a boil.  Then I reduce the heat, cover the pot and let it simmer for 30 minutes.  Then I stir in the rice, cover the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.  I just realized I must not have taken a picture after adding the water, as the one above has the rice added already, sorry!

 

This hearty stew is bursting with flavor and will warm you to the core on a cold day!  Enjoy!

Italian Stew

1 pound bulk Italian sausage

1medium onion, chopped

½ cup chopped celery

2 medium carrots, sliced 1/8 inch thick

½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 can (14.5 oz.) Italian stewed tomatoes

1 can (10 ¾ oz.) condensed tomato soup, undilitued

2 cups water

¾ cup uncooked instant rice

In a Dutch oven, cook the sausage until no loner pink; drain.  Add the onion, celery, carrots, Italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper.  Cook and sir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.  Stir in the tomatoes, soup and water; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in the rice, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until tender.


Yield:  4 servings