Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

 

( this is a dish I made for my Bunco group on March 2007, I thought I would try it again on April 2025, wow a lot of years ago! The chicken is tender and the sauce is very flavorful, we really enjoyed this!)

Makes 4 servings:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb.), I filet my chicken breast to about 1/4 ",  just don't use thick ones.

4 slices of baked deli ham

salt and pepper

1 c. grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese ( I used Swiss, and it was good, next time I'll try the Gruyere)

oil for frying chicken in

16 Ritz crackers, or any butter cracker, crushed coarse

1 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. dry white wine

1 Tbsp. minced fresh Tarragon or 1 1/2 tsp. dried

1.  Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heave oven to 475 degrees.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown chicken, about 3 minutes each side.  Transfer chicken to 13 x 9 inch baking dish, smooth side up

2.   For the sauce:  Add cream, wine,  2 tsp. yellow mustard, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste to skillet and bring to simmer.  Remove pan from heat.

3.  Meanwhile, spread 1 tsp. mustard over each breast, lay 1 slice of ham on top,  and mound each with 1/4 c. cheese.  Sprinkle cracker crumbs over cheese, pressing to adhere.  Pour sauce around chicken without disturbing crumbs.  Bake until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes.  Serve.  

Crispy Roasted Potatoes

(I'm not sure where I got this recipe from, so I can't give credit where credit is due. I enjoy a good roasted potato side dish, and this doesn't disappoint!)

 4 medium size potatoes ( can use Yukon gold or russet) peeled and cubed

Parboil potatoes -  boil  for 10 minutes in  large sauce pan of water that has salt added,  then rinse in cold water, drain. Put in bowl. 

Mix about 1/2 - 3/4 c.  mayonnaise**,  1 - 2 tsp. Dijon mustard,  your choice of seasoning salt to taste, 1 tsp. rosemary, 2 tsp. garlic powder(I'm always generous with this),  1/4 tsp. pepper- can add any seasoning you like, I like to play with the recipe to see which ones I like best. 

*for the mayonnaise, you could use olive oil

Spread this mixture in with the potatoes, then: 

Spread potatoes on parchment paper make sure potatoes aren't overlapping

Broil for 10 minutes or until crispy. 

Enjoy!

Our Favorite Ham Glaze

 

(This recipe came from our piano teacher, Pat Ockey - it is a big hit we gave up the honey baked ham we used to buy - we will never go back!  This makes the ham very flavorful  sweet and juicy.)

We buy a Costco ham 8-9 lbs.

(it has a sugar packet with it)

Put whole cloves between the spiral cuts and on top ( I try to be somewhat liberally with it)

Put Ham in roasting pan

Preheat oven to 300 F.

For the Sauce: 

 

Dump 1 c. brown sugar in a large saucepan

Add : sugar packet (from ham) 

1/2 to 3/4 c. pure Maple syrup (can double or triple this amount-I usually don't)

1 Tbsp. Dijon Horseradish mustard

(Note: this last time we had about a 9lb ham and I 1 1/2 times the sauce, there seemed to be a lot of it and I didn't use all of it) 

Blend, and heat until warm.  Brush  warm sauce liberally on ham about 1/3 to 2/3  of the sauce on I try to put some between the layers being careful with the cloves in it.  

Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or until warmed through) - usually take about 1 1/2 hours.  Take out of oven and brush more sauce drizzled over top, make sure this time its generous.  

**Enjoy!  

Spaghetti Bake by Amy does cooking

(I believe I found this online.  It turned out as a nice dinner and something different from the ordinary spaghetti dinner - we really liked it!)

1/2 lb. spaghetti noodles

1 lb. ground beef

8oz can tomato sauce

1 c. water ( 1/2 for spaghetti sauce and 1/2 for cheese sauce)

2 Tbsp. butter

1 c. evaporated milk

2 c. cheddar cheese, 1 c.  for sauce and 1 c. for  topping

1/4c.  fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix

This makes a 9x13 inch pan.

Preheat oven to 375F.

1/2 lb. spaghetti  noodles - cook according to package- drain and set aside

1 lb. ground beef - brown, then stir in

1  (8oz) can tomato sauce 

1/2 c. water, 

1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix

turn on low heat and simmer for 20 min.

In separate pan:  

 

 melt 2 Tbsp. butter - then whisk in 2 Tbsp. flour and cook about 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in 

1 c. evaporated milk, 1/2 c. water, put on low heat and slowly add in 1 c. cheddar cheese and 1/4 c. fresh shredded Parmesan cheese and whisk slowly until melted.

To assemble:

*put 1/2 spaghetti noodles

*1/2 meat mixture - 

*all the cheese sauce

*rest of spaghetti noodles

*rest of meat mixture

*Top with 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

** Put in oven and bake 375 for 20 min. 

 

 

 

German Pancakes from tastes better from scratch

(I  was in my early 20's when I first had German Pancakes,  in  Rexburg Idaho .  My cousin's mother-in-law made them for us- I was living with my cousin and her family- I was hooked and have made them since- she used bread pans for individual servings, but lately I found this recipe that I like better than the one I was given)

* Preheat oven to 425 F

 *6 large eggs

 *1 c. milk

 *1 c. flour

 * dash salt

 * 1 tsp. vanilla

 * 5 Tbsp. butter

*  As the oven preheats,  take a 9x13 inch. ungreased pan and put 5 Tbsp. butter in it then put it in the oven just until it is melted.

* Place the eggs, milk, flour, salt and vanilla in a blender, blend until smooth. Pour in baking dish over melted butter

* Bake for 22-27 minutes or until edges are golden brown and puffy

*to serve sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and syrup 

** This is amazing with cookie butter, whipped cream and buttermilk syrup**

 

Big Boy Pork Chops

( I got this recipe from a magazine that used to come in the Sunday newspaper and finally made it and it turned out quite nice)

Marinade:

1/4 c. soy

1/4 c. red-wine vinegar

1/4 c. maple syrup

1 Tbsp peeled and finely minced fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. Asian sesame oil

4 center-cut pork chops, cut 1-inch thick

**Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl.  Coat the chops well and marinate, refrigerated, for 6 hours or overnight, turning once or twice. remove the chops from the marinade, scraping off any ginger.  Grill the chops over high heat for about 7 minutes per side, basting often with the marinade.  

serves 4  
 

Lasagna a' la Ragu

(I got this recipe from a magazine a long time ago!  My kids loved this and now my grandson gave me two thumbs up!)

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 (48oz) jar of spaghetti sauce, I used Rao's but used to use Prego or Ragu-but they have put so much garbage in them)

2 lbs. ricotta cheese

3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

1 pkg. (16 oz) lasagna noodles - cooked and drained

**Preheat oven to 350 F. 

**In large skillet thoroughly cook beef; drain fat then

add spaghetti sauce and simmer covered until heated through, set aside.

**In large bowl, combine ricotta, 2 c. mozzarella and 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper.

**Mix well and set aside, evenly spread 1c. meat sauce in a 13"x 9" baking dish.  Layer with 4 noodles, 1` 1/2 c. cheese mixture and 1 c. meat sauce.  Repeat layers twice.  Top with 4 noodles, remaining meat sauce and 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese.  

** Bake covered 45 min. uncovered and top with 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese.  

** Bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts

**Let stand 10 min. before serving

** serves 8