Dinner for my Bro & Sis-In-Law

Howdy y'all!

Been a bit since I posted last, so I figured I'd throw another post here in case you missed me. :)

Anyway, yesterday (Monday, Aug. 3, 2009) I cooked dinner for my bro Brian & his wife, Amanda.

This was part of an anniversary gift I gave them a while back. I couldn't really afford a gift, so I printed out 2 coupons that stated that I would cook dinner for them. So yes ... they redeemed one of them. :)

I made Chicken Cordon Bleu with a Pinot Grigio Butter sauce, accompanied by broccoli mashed potatoes and some glazed baby carrots. I decided that since I completely forgot to take pictures (my bad ... I'm sorry ... we kinda scarfed everything haha), I'll post the recipes.

These all were originally found at AllRecipes.com, but they've been slightly changed to fit what I wanted to make for my bro & sis-in-law.

If you decide to try one of these recipes, let me know how it goes!

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Chicken Cordon Bleu w/ White Wine Butter Sauce
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FOR THE CHICKEN:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 slices Swiss cheese
3 slices Colby Jack cheese
4 slices cooked ham
2 large slices of bacon
Melted Butter
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
White Wine Butter Sauce (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 7x11 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Sprinkle each piece of chicken on both sides with salt & pepper. Place 1 Swiss cheese slice, 1/2 a Colby Jack cheese slice, 1/2 a slice of bacon, and 1 ham slice on top of each breast. Roll up each breast, and secure with a toothpick. Roll the chicken in melted butter and coat with bread crumbs. Then place in the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove toothpicks, add sauce, and serve immediately.

FOR THE SAUCE:

6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (Pinot Noir or Grigio if possible)
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add wine and bouillon, and reduce heat to low, and stir until bouillon is dissolved. Reduce slightly to cook alcohol out of the wine.

2. Blend the cornstarch w/ cream in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken.

SERVES 4.

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Broccoli Mash

Ingredients:
2 large broccoli crowns
1 tub Country Crock Mashed Potatoes
2 oz butter (½ stick)
2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
Kosher salt, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste

Preparation:

1. Bring about 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. A small handful of Kosher salt should be about right.

2. Peel the tough outer skin off the broccoli stems and roughly chop the broccoli, stems included, into pieces.

4. Add the broccoli to the pot. Simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until the broccoli is tender but still slightly firm.

5. Drain the broccoli into a colander, then return them to the pot and add the butter & Italian seasoning. Gently mash the broccoli in the pot, and mix together with the butter and seasoning. Set aside, but keep warm on the stove at a very low
heat.

6. Prepare the Country Crock Mashed Potatoes according to the Manufacturer's instructions. Combine in the pot with the mashed broccoli, and stir together until broccoli is evenly distributed.

7. Season to taste with Kosher salt & Parmesan cheese, and serve right away.

Makes 4 portions.

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Glazed Baby Carrots

1 (16 ounce) package baby carrots
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the carrots into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.

2. Return the pot to the stove; reduce the heat to medium-low. Melt the butter in the pot. Stir in the honey and brown sugar; add the carrots and stir until evenly coated; cook another 5 minutes. Add salt to taste (to offset the sweetness a bit).

Serves 4.

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Keep on eating everybody! ^_^