Sunday, February 22, 2015

Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu

I love chicken cordon bleu...especially with a yummy mayo-mustard sauce to dip it in. I started thinking about a flat fried crispy piece of chicken... you know that kind that Olive Garden has sometimes with their pasta?? and I thought why not do chicken like that topped with Ham and cheese. Oh my goodness it was yummy. Usually chicken cordon bleu has the ham and cheese on the inside and then is rolled up and dipped in egg and bread crumbs and then fried. It's also usually made with Swiss cheese but I used Provolone today. This was sooo much easier and less messy. Here is what I did....

Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/2 thick (if they are really thick cut them in half, thru the middle--like you are butterflying them)
Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.

Now prepare your breading and egg mixtures:

In a flat bottomed bowl mix together:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon or so  garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon or so dried Italian seasoning, crushed in your palm before adding in

In another bowl mix together:
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon water
and 3 or 4 dashes franks hot sauce

In another flat bottomed bowl add
1 cup crushed panko crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a wire rack in a large cookie sheet and set aside.
Now you are ready to bread and fry.

In a large skillet heat about 1/4 cup or so canola or grape seed oil (you want the bottom of your skillet covered) over medium/high heat.
When the oil is hot, Dip one chicken breast into the flour mixture-coating both sides;  then dip into the egg mixture-coating both sides, lift over bowl and let the excess egg drip off.  Lastly-dip  the chicken into the crushed panko crumbs, slightly pressing into the crumbs so the chicken gets nicely coated. Flip over and coat the other side.
Place in the hot oil-- bread remaining pieces of chicken.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until nicely golden-brown turn and fry until that side is nicely golden-brown. Remove from oil and place on wire rack on cookie sheet. Finish cooking in the oven for about 12  minutes.
Remove from oven and top each piece of chicken with the following:
1 slice of black forest ham (I sliced each piece of ham into 3 pieces and put that on 1 breast)
enough Monterey jack cheese to cover the ham.
Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is starting to melt.
Remove from oven and serve with veggies and a mayo-mustard dipping sauce. Enjoy!!

To make Mayo-mustard dipping sauce:
Whisk together about 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1 heaping teaspoon prepared yellow mustard (or more according to your taste). Whisk together and serve a dollop next to your Inside-Out Chicken Cordon Bleu.


Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies


This is one of my Favorite cookie recipes!!! I could eat them by the dozen!! I am reposting because I haven't made them in a while.... just did today for a scrabble treat and forgot how delicious they are! I did tweak it a little since I posted before. You need to go make a batch. YUMMO!

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar

Add:
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Mix well.

Mix together in a separate bowl:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal-- put 1/2 cup measurements of oatmeal in blender until it turns to powder. Measure out 2 1/2 cups oatmeal and powderize that much. (not 2 1/2 cups powderized oatmeal)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix the flour mixture thoroughly with the butter mixture.

Add:
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup grated dark chocolate hershey bar

Make golf ball size balls and baked on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until just starting to brown around the edges. Do NOT overbake.

Get a big glass of milk and enjoy! MMMMMMMM

Monday, February 16, 2015

Cheater refried beans

I love tacos and beans.... my hubby was craving a taco with carne asada the other night, so I caved and made them. We used meat already sliced thin which I marinated and grilled then chopped and used in my taco topped with cilantro lime coleslaw and avocado slices. I had watched Trisha Yearwood make Cheater beans a couple of Saturday's ago and thought I would try the recipe. But alas I only had black beans which I like better than pinto beans anyway. So that is what I used. I also had some cooked bacon leftover in the fridge and I always save my bacon grease in a jar in the fridge to use when needed. Delicious! Enjoy

Cheater Refried Beans
recipe adapted from Trisha Yearwood's Cheater beans
(original recipe)


Ingredients:
4 strips cooked bacon, chopped (I like to bake mine in the oven ahead of time)
1/4 medium onion, finely diced
1 (15 oz) can Bush's seasoned recipe black beans (don't drain these)
1 (15 oz) can Black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium tomato, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
Salt and pepper
approx. a Tablespoon chopped cilantro (I use the cilantro in the tube.. and just gave it a couple of squirts) you can use fresh if you like.


Directions:
I bake my bacon ahead of time on a large cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or your desired doneness. Place cooked bacon on paper towel to cool, then chop and set aside. Drain the bacon grease into a small clean jar. I keep this in the refrigerator, very nice to have on hand.

In a large saucepan, add a 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and heat over medium heat; then add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent, a couple of minutes. Do not drain the bacon grease because it gives the beans a good taste. Add the beans, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and 1/2 can water, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add some salt and pepper, the cumin and the cilantro and simmer for enough couple of minutes.  Remove from the heat. I like to use a  potato masher and mash some of the beans. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.


Serve along side tacos, or your favorite Mexican dish, Enjoy!!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Homemade Peanut Butter Cup bars

Over the years I have tried a lot of times to come up with a recipe that tasted like the inside of a peanut butter cup. I may have found it!!! I usually melt peanut butter and then stir in powdered sugar till I have the consistency I want, but something was missing. I found this recipe here and followed it pretty much to a tee except I added salted roasted peanuts. I love nuts and love crunchy candy. Enjoy!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cup Bars
½ cup butter
1¾ cups powdered sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

2 Tablespoons butter
½ cup milk chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)


1/2 cup chopped salty roasted peanuts
DIRECTIONS:
1. Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to hang over the sides.  Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the ½ cup of butter over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and chopped peanuts until completely combined and smooth. Spread the peanut butter mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
3. In the now-empty saucepan, melt the 2 Tablespoons butter. Add the chocolate and stir until almost completely melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until completely melted. Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer and smooth into an even layer.
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set. Remove from the pan using the foil overhangs and place on a cutting board. Use a knife to slice into 16 bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!!

Hoisin Sauce Meatballs

Life has been really busy lately, my mom had an accident and hurt her ankle, just got done doctoring her, and then my husband had surgery, never a dull moment it seems. But I did have a little time to cook, and with it being a new year and trying to eat a little healthier this recipe was yummy. I love meatballs, you can do anything with them and hoisin sauce is one of my favorite asian sauces to cook with. You have to try these meatballs. You can serve them on their own, or in a lettuce wrap with julienned carrots and cucumber would be amazing. I had some salad mix leftover from my Chinese chicken salad (recipe here ) it was just the lettuce mix before adding the dressing. I served my meatballs on a helping of that drizzling with a little of the extra sauce along side a steamed veggie mix. Delicious!!! Enjoy!

Hoisin Sauce Meatballs
1 Pound ground beef
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
2 grated garlic cloves
2 sliced green onions
1 egg
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger

Preheat the oven to 425. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a large cookie sheet with deep sides.
Mix all the above ingredients together in a large bowl to combine. Dump the mixture onto a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. With your hands form the meat mixture into a square about 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick. Cut into even squares with a knife; about the size of meatballs you desire. Then take one square of meat at a time and roll into a ball and place on your cookie sheet. This is my favorite way to make meatballs and it's really quick and the balls are more the same size. After your meatballs are all formed, place into your preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes (for golfball size meatballs, less if they are smaller).
While your meatballs are baking, combine the following in a large saucepan:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup hoisin sauce (found in the Asian section of most grocery stores)
1 Tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1 Tablespoon Ketchup
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey

Whisk together and bring to a simmer; let simmer for 3 minutes. When meatballs are done baking, place in your sauce, tossing slightly to coat, let simmer another 2 to 4 minutes.
Serve as desired and Enjoy!!

New and Improved Chicken Enchilada Soup

I have a few different Chicken enchilada / chicken tortilla, and different chicken soups on here, but I did a few things different yesterday...