~ Garlic-Lemon Stuffed Chicken ~

Decadent chicken stuffed with bacon and cheese, breaded and baked with a light garlic-lemon drizzle. This is one of those fancy dishes I pull out when we have company. I made this last Father's Day and it was a huge hit! This recipe makes 4 large breasts. Adjust for quantity. For healthier fare, use turkey bacon and lowfat cheeses. I have made it both ways now and it always comes out fantastic!

There are two ways to cut the chicken. One is to butterfly it, the other is more similar to pita bread. Which way you use I think should be based on personal comfort and the shape of your breast. Some chicken breasts have a definitely thinner side and thicker side. For those I would recommend the pita cut. If the chicken is relatively evenly proportioned go for the butterfly. I have come to use the pita cut the most because it seems to fit every breast shape.

Pita Cut

Lay one breast at a time out on a cutting surface. Look at the breast and figure out which side of your width is the thinnest. You'll want to cut thin to thick with a long, sharp blade. However, don't start your cut at the very edge! Bring the blade in about a half inch. Slice the blade down once then cut to the side but not completely through. As you cut, leave some space around the top and bottom edges. You are making a pocket, not slicing the meat in half.

Butterfly

Lay one breast at a time out on a cutting surface. Using a long, sharp blade start a the center of the breast and make a shallow cut down the center. Slip the knife into the cut and turn it flat, sharp edge towards the edge of the breast you are cutting. Leaving room at the top and bottom slice a pocket into each side, originating from the center.

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)

4            Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Cut using preferred method as described above.


Filling

6             Strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 pkg   Cream cheese, 8 oz
2 c          Cheddar cheese, shredded
Dash      Garlic Powder
Dash      Granulated or Minced Onion

                Toothpicks


Using a butter knife, slice a 1/4-1/2 in sliver of the cream cheese and slip it into your chicken pocket. If the breasts are long, you might need to do this twice to cover. Sprinkle the bacon crumbles over the cream cheese, then add a dash of the garlic and onion. Add the shredded cheddar last. Close up the chicken and secure with toothpicks.

Breading

               Milk
               Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c       Parmesaen/romano cheese blend, grated

Pull out two pie pans and place them side by side. In one pan pour enough milk to pool about 1/4 - 1/2 inch.
In the second pie pan, add enough bread crumbs to create a 1/4 inch layer or so.

Dip the chicken in the milk, seam side up. Coat the sides with milk and splash a little over the edges of the seam area. Transfer the breast to the second pie pan and coat with the breading.

Idly, I recommend a broiler pan for cooking. This allows the oil from the cheese and juices to drain off the chicken as it bakes. If you use a cookie sheet, try to place the chicken on a rack to give it the opportunity to drain. It isn't necessary, but it provides the best results.

Place into preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Garlic-Lemon Drizzle

1 T          Garlic, minced
3/4 c     Butter, melted
1/2 t       Garlic salt, or to taste

2 T         Lemon juice

While the chicken is baking, melt butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Add everything else but the lemon juice and let simmer for a few minutes. Lastly, stir the lemon juice.

After 15 minutes of baking, remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon a generous amount of the garlic-lemon over the chicken, coating nicely. Return the breasts to the oven and cook another 20-25 mins or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Enjoy!

~ German Apple Cake ~

Start the glaze about 10 mins before the cake finishes baking. For a really special treat, add 1 - 2 shots of very smooth brandy to the glaze. We used a dirt cheap brandy, Paul Masson Grande Amber VS Brandy, that honestly we did not expect much from. It came out phenomenal! You really cannot taste the brandy in the glaze, but it add a richness to the butterscotch, caramel goodness.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 C)

Cake

2        Eggs
1 c      Vegetable oil

Beat until creamy.

2 c      White sugar
1 t        Vanilla extract

Add to eggs. Beat well.

2 c      Flour, all purpose
2 t      Cinnamon, ground
1/4 t   Salt
1 t       Baking soda


Sift together into a bowl. Gradually add to the egg mixture and mix well.

4 c      Apple slices

Using a wooden spoon, fold apples into the batter. Pour into lighty greased 9" x 13" pan. Bake for 45 mins. When the cake is done, place on a wire rack or pot holders to cool.

Glaze

1/2 c     Butter
1/2 c     Brown sugar, packed
1/4 c     Heavy whipping cream

Bring to boil then reduce heat and boil for 3-4 mins, stirring constantly. When mixture has thickened and bubbly, remove from heat.

1/2 t     Vanilla extract
1-2        Shots of brandy (Optional)

Use a fork or knife to perforate the top of the cake (stabity stab stab). Once nice and holey, pour the brandy evenly over the top of the cake. Sit cake aside and let settle for at least 20 minutes.

Enjoy~!

~ Creamy Italian Chicken Penne ~

Slow Cooker Saturday!

This is a lovely combination of chicken, broccoli and mushrooms covered with a light Italian cream sauce. It comes together quickly in a slow cooker. Serve with warm, crusty french or garlic bread and a glass of white wine. Marvelous.

2          10 oz cans of low sodium chicken broth

1          Stick salted sweet cream butter

2          7 oz pkgs Italian-style dry salad dressing mix

1          Can condensed golden mushroom soup

1          Can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1          15 oz Philadelphia Italian cheese & herb cooking creme tub

Combine in the slow cooker and blend until relatively smooth.

6          Chicken breast halves

Cube the chicken into bite sized pieces. It is easier to chop up if it is partially frozen. Add the chicken to the sauce mixture in the crock pot. Stir to coat. Cook on low heat for 4 hours.

1          10-16 oz pkg frozen chopped broccoli

1          16 oz fresh sliced mushrooms, washed & dried

Add to skillet with a dash of olive oil or a Tbs of butter. Heat till mushrooms are cooked and broccoli is warm. Drain liquid. Add veggies to the crock pot. Stir.

*** Chef's Note **********************************************************

To save time, you can add the mushrooms and frozen broccoli to the crock pot when you add the chicken. However, the excess water from the veggies will seriously dilute your sauce. If you are in a pinch, steam the broccoli with the mushrooms in a microwave container first by microwaving on high for about 4 mins ((do not add any excess water to steam!)), then drain and add to the crock pot with the chicken.

**************************************************************************

Serve over penne pasta. Enjoy!

~ Santa Fe Soup ~

This is a fantastic, easy recipe that is sure to please anyone that favours chili and cheese. A little bit goes a long way, and it is perfect when scooped up into corn chips!

1 lbs       Ground beef, extra lean
1 pkg      Taco Seasoning
1/2          Onion, white, chopped
Dash      Worcestershire
Dash      Cumin

Over medium-high heat, sprinkle the taco seasoning over the raw beef. As you cook the beef, add Worcestershire as needed to prevent the beef mix from becoming too dry. Drain.

1 lbs       Velveeta, reduced fat, cubed
1 can      Diced tomatoes with green chiles (14.5 oz)
1 can      Whole kernel sweet corn
1 can      Sliced black olives, drained
2 cans   Ranch-style beans (15 oz cans)

Combine everything in a soup pot. Include the juice from the tomatoes, corn and beans into the pot. Stir on low heat until the cheese has melted. Add the taco beef. Mix and taste. Add another dash of cumin if needed. Serve hot with corn chips for dipping!

See, wasn't that easy?

Enjoy!

~ Open-Faced Tuna & Stuffing Sandwiches ~

These are so delicious and so easy to make, it would be a crime not to share them! This recipe makes six servings.

Toasted Pub Buns

3         Pub buns
           Spreadable butter

Lightly butter the inside of each bun half. Lightly grill in the frying pan till golden. Place one half bun on each plate.

Tuna & Stuffing Burgers

2         Eggs
1          Egg white
1/4 c   Milk
1/3      Can of cream of mushroom soup

Combine in a large mixing bowl and blend till relatively lump free.

1/2      Box of stuffing mix ((We like Savory Herb))
2         7 oz canned tuna in water, drained

Add to bowl and mix well. Spoon a heap of the mixture into a frying pan and fry up like a scramble on low/medium heat for about 5 minutes or until browned. Top each half bun with cooked tuna & stuffing mixture.

Gravy

1 2/3      Cans of cream of mushroom soup
2/3 c      Milk

Blend in a saucepan till well heated. Scoop gravy over the open faced sandwiches. If you like thicker gravy, use slightly less milk.

Enjoy!

~ Basler Mehlsuppe ~

This is a Swiss-German soup with a toasted flour base. It is incredibly inexpensive to make and amazing for dipping warm sandwiches!

4 Tbs        All-purpose flour

Spread the flour evenly in the bottom of the soup pot. On medium-low heat and stirring constantly to avoid burn, toast the flour until it turns a soft, golden hue. Remove from pan and set aside. Rinse off pan.

1               White onion, sliced thin
2 Tbs       Butter

Making sure the pan is clean, saute until the onions are transparent. Add the flour and blend.

2             14.5 oz cans beef broth (roughly 4 cups)
1/2 c       Red wine (I use the Wise & Heimer Sweet Red)

Gradually add the broth and wine. Under medium heat, stir frequently, cook for about 30 mins.

For a more traditional fare, toast a slice of wheat bread and lay it in the bottom of a soup bowl. Sprinkle with Swiss or Gruyere cheese then pour the soup on top. Sprinkle with a little more cheese and serve.

For dipping soup, sprinkle with Swiss or Gruyere cheese and allow to melt slightly. Serve and dip away!

Enjoy!

~ Garlic Chili Beef Hoagies ~

Slow Cooker Saturday!

As I struggled to name this dish, my love repeated pushed for "Addicting" to be placed into the title. This dish is best when paired with Basler Mehlsuppe, a Swiss-German beef onion soup. It is the favorite soup and dipping sandwich combination in our house. I will post the soup recipe tomorrow!

A few words of warning:

1) Like most dishes that require spirits, the wine really makes or breaks this dish. Our favorite for cooking this particular recipe is Wise & Heimer, a German sweet red nicely priced around $7/bottle that can usually be found at World Market (and the like). Another we have used is Joseph Handler Sweet Red, which is available at most Trader Joe's.

2) Chili paste can be difficult to find in large grocery stores. We get ours from a Desi Indian Market. It is a Pantainorasingh Brand medium hot Chili Paste with Soya Bean Oil and originates in Thailand. It's usually a couple dollars for a 1 lb bottle. The ingredients include sugar, shallots, garlic, soya bean oil, dried chili, paprika and fish sauce.


1 1/2 c      Sweet red wine
1/2 c         Water
2 Tbs       Chili paste
3-4 tsp    Garlic, minced (5-6 cloves)
1 tsp          White pepper
1 tsp          Salt

Combine in a slow cooker on high heat, stirring until the mixture is lump free. Reduce to low heat.

2 lbs        Beef bottom round roast, pre-sliced

Add beef to slow cooker and stir to coat each slice evenly. The easiest way to do this is to add the meat gradually, but you can also just toss it all in and break it up. Cook for 4 hours on low, stirring occasionally to ensure all of the meat is coated with the sauce. Note: This could probably be cooked for 1.5 - 2 hours on high as well, but I have not tried it.

               French hoagie rolls
               Spreadable butter or margarine
               Provolone or swiss cheese, sliced

Spread a generous layer of butter on the inside of each half of bread. Toast in a skillet or broil for a couple of minutes in the oven. Add the sliced beef and cheese to the hoagie. Dip it in soup or add sauteed onions and mushrooms for a stand alone dish.

Enjoy!