Sunday, January 23, 2011

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Blue Cheese and Pecans

Chicken + Bacon + Pecan = LOVE!

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
2 scallions, sliced on bias
4 slices good-quality center cut bacon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
Special equipment: toothpicks


Directions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.


Butterfly the chicken breast pieces by cutting across the breast but not all the way through. Open the breasts up and pound lightly between parchment paper. Peel paper away and season the meat with salt and pepper.


Cover the seasoned chicken cutlets with blue cheese crumbles, pecans and scallions in equal amounts. Roll the chicken, wrap each roll with bacon and secure with toothpicks. Season the outside of the rolls with salt and pepper.


Heat the olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken evenly all over, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a small baking sheet, place in the oven and cook 10 minutes more.


Melt the butter in the same skillet pan the chicken was seared in over medium heat. Whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock. Let thicken a minute then whisk in the half-and-half and grain mustard, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to warm.


Halve the chicken and stack to show off the center. Set chicken in gravy or pour over top. Serve with rice and greens, if desired.

From: foodnetwork.com

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Pork Chop with Cider Gravy, Sauteed Apples and Onions

Dress-up your mashed potato with pork chops and apples!

Cook Time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt
4 bone-in pork chops, 1-inch thick
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, yellow or red, thinly sliced
2 Gala or Golden Delicious apples, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 lemon
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup apple cider
2 cups chicken stock
2 rounded tablespoons orange marmalade


Directions

In a medium pot add sweet potatoes and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until fork tender, 15 to 18 minutes.


Season chops with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork 5 minutes on the first side until deeply golden, turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes more with a loose foil tent over the pan. Remove cooked chops to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add another turn of the pan of olive oil, add the onions and apples. Season with salt, pepper and thyme and cook until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Douse with juice of a lemon and remove onions and apples to a bowl; keep warm.


Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet, melt then whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in cider and 1 cup of stock. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. Thicken 4 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat.


Drain cooked sweet potatoes and return pan to stove. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and combine with marmalade and 1 cup stock. Add potatoes and mash, season with salt and pepper.


Serve chop covered with apples and onions, gravy poured down over top, sweet potatoes alongside.

From: foodnetwork.com

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers

Cook Time: 12 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients


2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 slices Canadian bacon
2 pounds ground chicken breast
2 teaspoons sweet paprika, eyeball it in your palm
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning) or salt and pepper
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 deli slices Swiss cheese
2/3 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise, eyeball it
3 rounded tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon leaves, 4 sprigs
4 kaiser rolls or sandwich size sour dough English muffins, split and toasted
8 leaves leaf lettuce
1 vine ripe tomato, thinly sliced


Directions


Preheat grill pan, nonstick griddle, large nonstick skillet or table top electric grill to medium high heat.


Add 2 tablespoons of oil and Canadian bacon. Warm bacon and caramelize it at edges, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a piece of foil. Fold foil over loosely to keep warm.


Combine chicken, paprika, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning, shallot. Score meat with the side of your hand to separate into 4 equal amounts. Make 4 large patties, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Drizzle patties with oil and place on hot grill pan, griddle or in skillet. Cook 5 minutes on each side, until chicken is cooked through.


Top patties with reserved cooked Canadian bacon and Swiss cheese. Fold each slice of cheese in half to fit the burger. Cover loosely with tin foil. Turn off pan and let cheese melt, 2 minutes.


Combine mayonnaise, mustard, tarragon. Slather bun tops or English tops with sauce. Place Cordon Bleu burgers on bun bottoms and top with lettuce and tomato. Put bun or muffin tops in place. Serve with oven fries.

From: foodnetwork.com