Tag: mama D’s kitchen

Italian Chicken Cordon Bleu: a New Take on an Old Recipe

I just made the first batch of Pesto from my sun and heat loving basil plant. It has been living happily on my balcony all summer, but it didn’t have an easy time of it. In fact this is basil plant #3. The first one was heartlessly destroyed by a marauding squirrel. The second one died a quick death caused by our crazy spring weather and a watering mishap. Plant #3 has survived and thrived. Partly because unlike some other plants, it really loves hot, dry, weather, but also because I built a chicken wire blockade surrounded by bamboo sticks that the squirrels can’t invade.

This is a picture of my plant, post pesto haircut. Yes, this is Mama D’s personal war with squirrels.

I love fresh basil. I use it in salads and pasta sauce, but my favorite use is to make pesto with it. Pesto is a simple thick and rich sauce simply made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, and olive oil. It comes together quickly and can be frozen in small portions that can be at the ready to elevate any dish simply by its presence. Here is my original recipe for pesto. I don’t always use the parsley, opting for all basil, but it is good either way. https://mamadskitchen.net/recipe/roasted-garlic-pesto/

I have written about Pesto, a lot. I searched on my web site and found six pages of recipes that feature pesto in one way or another. It can be the star of a dish or a flavorful supporting player as my recipes illustrate. There has hardly been a year that a recipe using pesto wasn’t on the blog. Just search Pesto on my site and see  for yourself.

As I was looking over the pesto recipes, I found myself thinking that some of them could use an overhaul and decided that I would revisit and possibly re-work a couple of them. I often look back at old recipes and seem to see them with new eyes. Sometimes my available equipment has changed, other times my taste and sensibilities are in a different place.

First up is Chicken Cordon Bleu, Italian Style. I originally made it as a grilled, de-constructed, version using Prosciutto, Provolone, and Sage leaves.  Pesto, in this case, was a garnish. Here is the original version:  https://mamadskitchen.net/recipe/grilled-chicken-cordon-bleu-italian-style/

This time around, I wanted to make it more in the style of Traditional Cordon Bleu. That is putting the prosciutto  and cheese (smoked provolone) on the inside and wrapping the outside with more prosciutto. This also meant baking it instead of grilling it. Since I had a fresh batch of pesto, I decided to put it in the inside as well. Then it was a simple (sort of) process of rolling it up and securing it with some toothpicks. Finally, I enrobed it with prosciutto and sent it into the oven.

What came out smelled delicious and looked pretty good, too. Once it was plated and accessorized with some green beans it was time for the big reveal.

It was very tasty and showed me that every recipe can be changed into something different and sometimes, even better. So now, here with just a little fanfare, is the new version.

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Italian Style Chicken Cordon Bleu

A new take on an old recipe.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 2
Author: binner216@comcast.net
Ingredients
  • 2 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Cutlets
  • 2 Oz. Provolone Cheese (smoked style if you like) Thinly sliced
  • 1/4 Cup Pesto Homemade if you have it
  • 3-4 Oz. Prosciutto Thin slices
  • Freshly ground pepper
Instructions

  1. Pound your chicken breasts to an even thickness. If your chicken breasts are on the thick side, remove the tenderloin and trim the thicker underside to match the rest of the breast..

  2. Lay the pounded breasts on a mat underside up. Season with pepper. Spread each breast with an even layer of the pesto, leaving a 1/2 inch border.

  3. Layer the cheese on top of the pesto. leave a 1/2 inch edge all around.

  4. Top each breast with 1 slice of prosciutto tear or fold to maintain the 1/2 inch border.

  5. Starting at the thinner, point end, roll the chicken breast firmly but not too tightly. Secure with toothpicks as needed. Make sure you know how many and approximately where they are, trust me.

  6. Wrap the chicken rolls with prosciutto. You can totally enrobe them or for a less salty version, wrap without overlapping..

  7. Place in a baking dish and roast in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees. Allow to rest until the internal temperature is 165. Remove all of the toothpicks

  8. Serve with a drizzle of the pan juices if you like.

Marry Me Spaghetti Squash

Looking at that title, I want to clarify. I do not want to marry spaghetti squash. I am already in a committed relationship. There is a flood on food sights, however, for the “Marry Me” base and I am actually getting on the bandwagon (a little).

Where did this come from? As the story goes, it originated at Delish, a video food site. It was a skillet chicken dish with a Tuscan flavor featuring garlic, parmesan, cream, and sun dried tomatoes. Seeing the dish caused a producer to say that they would marry for it.  And that is how a trend was born.

Actually the ingredients are a wonderful combination and cooks soon realized that it could be used for all manner of proteins and in many cases vegetables. I have made several variations using chicken, but this latest experiment focused on the versatile and identity conflicted Spaghetti Squash.

It is a hard shell squash like the winter squashes, but the inside is a pale yellow and when cooked it becomes stringy and if done “al dent” is a bit crunchy.

Some say it can be used in place of pasta. I find that a bit of a stretch. You really can’t twirl it on a fork and while it does get along with tomato based sauces, it really does shine with creamier toppings and in casseroles If you cut the squash carefully, the skin can become the baking/serving vessel. I posted a recipe many years ago doing just that. It was called Spaghetti Squash Lasagna and you can check out the recipe here.https://mamadskitchen.net/recipe/spaghetti-squash-lasagna/   

Now back to today’s dish. The base is oven roasted spaghetti squash. This is by far the best way to cook it.  Cut the squash in half length wise and scrape out the seeds. Spray the cut side with cooking spray and season to you liking. Bake cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet for 30 minutes or so at 350 degrees. The skin should yield a little when you touch it. Let it cool and then scrape the flesh out. It should come out in small strings.

Now for the other ingredients. I did use the Marry Me cornerstones, sun dried tomatoes and garlic, but I added a few other ingredients that speak to me often, those are Artichoke Hearts and Spinach. Garlic gets lonely if it doesn’t have onions, so that went in too.

Cheese, in my recipe is pecorino romano. Freshly grated, it will give some sharpness to the dish.Yes, that is the Mouli Grater I have had since I was a bride (the first time).

Now for the sauce. I didn’t use cream, I didn’t have any, so I substituted Ricotta (whole milk) and to lighten it up just a little, some chicken broth The pecorino would also join the sauce. More about that other pictured cheese later.

While the squash was roasting I cooked the other vegetables. A little olive oil and the onions went into the pan, followed shortly by the artichokes, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, and finally the spinach. Then I gently folded in the shredded squash and we were ready to turn it into a casserole.

The sauce was Ricotta, Chicken Broth, and Pecorino. I played with the broth until everything was creamy but not soupy. Then it was into a casserole, topped with a foil bonnet, and into the oven. 20 – 30 minutes and it was time to replace the foil bonnet with a layer of that Italian Cheese Blend.

It came out beautifully golden and was too quickly scooped onto plates. It was a perfect accompaniment to grilled pork loin.

Here is the recipe. As always change it up and make it your own.

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Marry Me Spaghetti Squash
Servings: 4
Author: binner216@comcast.net
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 -2 Pound Spaghetti Squash
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
  • 2-3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1-1/2 Cups Frozen Artichoke Hearts Thawed and dried
  • 1/3 Cup Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • 4 Cups Spinach Roughly Chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Whole Milk Ricotta
  • 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth More or less as needed
  • 2-3 Tbsp. Grated Romano or Parmesan
  • 1/2 Cup Grated Italian Blend Cheese
Instructions
Roast The Spaghetti Squash

  1. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. A sharp knife and a bit of muscle will be necessary.

  2. Scoop out the seeds. Spray the cut sides with cooking spray or brush with olive oil. Season as you choose. (I used Mccormick Italian Herb Grater.) Place cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet.

  3. Roast at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. It is done when you can press on the skin and leave a little impression. Remove from oven and allow to cool cut side up until it can be easily handled. When cool, use a fork to scrape out the strings.

The Rest of the Ingredients

  1. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add the artichoke hearts and cook until they begin to get some color. This should take 5 minutes or so.

  2. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the spinach. The spinach will seem like a lot, but it will cook down in a matter of minutes. Finally add the squash and sun dried tomatoes folding them in and cooking for 2-3 minutes.

  3. Stir in the Ricotta and gradually add enough of the chicken broth to make everything creamy. When you are happy with the consistency, add the grated Romano or Parmesan. Make sure everything is nicely blended and pour into a medium size casserole that you have lightly coated with cooking spray. Lightly cover with foil and bake for 20- 25 minutes at 350 degrees until it is just starting to bubble around the edges.

  4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the Italian cheese blend. Leave the foil off and return it to the oven. Bake until the cheese melts and is just beginning to brown. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Easter Pie (Calzone) Revisited

 

As Easter is just around the corner, in many Italian homes it is Calzone season. I shared my mother’s recipe a number of years ago and I thought it was time to make a few changes. Not to the recipe, that will never change, but to the presentation.

We always referred to it as Calzone (as a child I pronounced it “gout-zone”) but it is also known as Pizza Rustica, Pizzagaina, Torta Pasqualina or simply Easter Pie. Besides going by many names, there are easily hundreds of versions. My aunt always put hard boiled eggs and ham in hers. I’ve seen lots of recipes that use Touma Cheese and even some that don’t have meat. Every family and every region seems to have their own recipe. My mother’s is somewhere in the middle. It has a simple ingredient list of sausage, ricotta, and eggs. Pecorino Romano and parsley round out the ingredient list for the filling.

Her crust is heavenly, part pie crust part biscuit and 100% delicious.

It all comes together in a pie plate and is topped with a crust. It heads into the oven.

When it is almost baked it gets brushed with egg yolk to create the glossy golden crust that always made my heart sing.

Here is her recipe.

5 from 1 vote
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Easter Pie (Calzone)

A tradition in many Italian homes, this is my mother's (and her family's)version.

Servings: 8
Author: binner216@comcast.net
Ingredients
Crust
  • 1-1/2 Cups Flour
  • 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp. Salt
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Tbsp. Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Shortening or Butter
Filling
  • 1 Lb. Italian Sausage Bulk is easiest
  • 1 Lb Ricotta Whole Milk
  • 2 Eggs Lightly beaten
  • 1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
  • 1/3 Cup Pecorino Romano Grated
  • 2 Tbsp. Parsley Chopped
  • 1 Egg Yolk To glaze the crust
Instructions
Crust

  1. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening (or butter) until it is well blended

  2. Beat the egg and milk together and add to the dough mixture. Blend well and turn out on a floured surface and knead for one minute. Wrap in plastic and chill for about 30 minutes.

Filling

  1. Cook the sausage and drain on paper towels. Allow it to cool.

  2. Place the ricotta in a large bowl, add the beaten egg, cheese, parsley, pepper, and cooled sausage. Stir gently to blend.

Assembly

  1. Remove the dough from refrigerator. Lightly spray the pie pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Divide the dough in half and roll one half out on a floured surface. Roll to a size that will cover the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan and extend up over the rim. Place the crust in the prepared pie pan.

  3. Spoon the filling into the crust smoothing it out evenly. Roll out the other half of the dough and place it on top of the filling. Cut several slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Crimp the edges to seal it well. If desired, snip the edges and fold the pieces in an alternating pattern.

  4. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. About 15 minutes before the end of the baking time brush the top crust with beaten egg yolk. When the crust is golden brown remove it from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Serve for Easter breakfast or whenever you would like. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

 

Have a joyful and blessed Easter.

Pork and Green Chili Stew with a Chilaquiles Topper

January brings a new year, but here in the Midwest it also brings winter at its most aggressive. This is shaping up to be a winter that is unpredictable. We got our first snow (a major 12 inches, not a late Fall dusting) for Halloween, since then we have had temperatures ranging from the upper 50’s to well below zero (don’t get me started on wind chill).

Through all of these fluctuations, hearty bowls of love that simmer for hours, filling the house with delicious smells are a must. This is a recipe that I found at Eating Well. This site features an enormous variety of recipes that are geared towards various diets and nutritional needs. It is a simple recipe that starts with pork shoulder and comes together in the crock pot with corn, potatoes, and a lot of green chilies.

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/269916/pork-green-chile-stew/

That was a solid foundation, but I wanted to to make it a bit more interesting. I upped the spices which included ancho chili powder and cumin; easily going to a tablespoon of each. The oregano was Mexican, a fruity more complex flavor than its European cousin. I opted for fire roasted corn, more onions, and fresh chopped garlic. The result was flavorful and comforting. Use the above recipe and make the adjustments that make it sing to you.

One thing that I like about a slow cooker for soups and stews  is that you can generally dump all the ingredients and forget about it until it starts to smell amazing. The Slow Cooker holds a lot which means for our household of two there will always be at least one more meal. This was no exception. I froze half and pulled it out of the freezer just the other day. While it heated on the stove, I came up with an idea to create a topping to elevate it a bit more.

Enter the Chilaquiles Topper. Chilaquiles are a Mexican breakfast staple. Fried corn tortilla chips are cooked in a chili sauce until they are soft and have absorbed tons of flavor. They are often topped with an egg to make one of my favorite breakfasts. They are so tasty that they shouldn’t be relegated only to breakfast. Why not top a steaming bowl of pork stew (or chili or any other hearty soup that has a slightly southwestern flavor) with some Chilaquiles?

The ingredients are simple. Tortilla chips are the basis. You can fry them yourself or buy some really good quality ones, like these that came from a local market. They were perfect. Sturdy and unsalted with a full corn flavor. Just roughly crumble a good handful for each bowl of soup or stew that you want to top . You can make your own chili sauce or use some good fresh salsa.

Put the chips in a pan and add enough salsa to coat the chips. Heat over a medium flame until the chips are beginning to soften. I found that adding a small amount of water helped the whole process.

When the stew was piping hot, I spooned it into oven safe bowls and topped each with the warm chilaquiles. I also sprinkled a little cheese on the top. I used a pre-packaged Mexican cheese blend, but whatever kind of cheese you like will work. I put the bowls on a baking sheet and slid them into the oven (about 375 degrees). In a matter of minutes the cheese melted and the edges of the chilaquiles were golden brown. Finally, right before serving, I added a dollop of sour cream (Mexican crema would also be great) and it was ready to serve.Flavorful and satisfying Pork and Green Chili Stew with Chilaquiles Topper

Happy New Year from The Kitchen of Love.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Croutons

Fall is sharing her last glimpse of color and the calendar is inching ever closer to Thanksgiving. Soon we will be decking the halls. Where has this year gone? It has been a good one, even if I haven’t shared much here. There has been lots of time with the “Littles” who are quickly growing out of that nickname. There has been a bit of traveling and some adventures closer to home. I confess that most of my sharing has been on Facebook and you can check it out there :

https://www.facebook.com/MamaDisKitchen/

https://www.facebook.com/jolynn.brunodiehl

Now, for a recipe. Once the weather starts to turn cooler, the kitchen turns to making soup. I love the warmth of a bowl of soup. It can feel like a hug that warms the body and soul. This is a simple soup that uses simple ingredients, most coming out of the pantry or refrigerator. Stock in a box and cooked chicken combine with frozen vegetables and milk to create a creamy yet light soup that can be considered to be on the side of healthy.

You can use Rotisserie Chicken or cook your own (to be shared in a future post), substitute other vegetables and add herbs of your choice. Make it richer with cream or leave the dairy out. Whatever you do, please make the Puff Pastry Croutons. As soup toppers go, it may change your life.

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Croutons
Prep Time
1 hr 45 mins
 

This is a wonderfully comforting soup, perfect for those cooler evenings. It is a more or less healthy version of a classic that can be made more luxurious by substituting heavy cream for the milk. As always, make it your own and please add, subtract or substitute as you wish.

Course: Main Course, Soup
Servings: 4
Calories: 400 kcal
Author: binner216@comcast.net
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Chopped Onion
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
  • 1-1/2 Cups Cremini Mushrooms, Sliced
  • 1-1/2 Cup Yukon Gold Potatoes 1/2 - 3/4 inch dice
  • 1 Tbsp. Butter
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 Quart Chicken Stock
  • 1 Small Bunch Fresh Thyme
  • 2 Cups 2% Milk
  • 2-3 Tbsp, Cornstarch
  • 2 Cups Cooked Chicken Breast
  • 2 Cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables Thawed
  • 1 Tbsp. Seasoning Blend of your choice I used Montréal Chicken
  • 1/3 Cup Parsley, chopped
Puff Pastry Croutons
  • 1 Sheet Puff Pastry
  • Olive Oil Cooking Spray
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Instructions

  1. Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add the onions. Sweat the onions until they begin to wilt. Add the potatoes, garlic, and mushrooms and continue to cook until everything is softening and smelling wonderful. This whole step should take around 10 minutes or so.

  2. Add the stock and the small bunch of Thyme. Bring up to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the milk and return to a simmer.

  3. Make a slurry out of the cornstarch with a little water. Add to the pot and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir frequently until the soup begins to thicken. If you want a thicker soup, add another batch of the slurry.

  4. Add the chicken, mixed vegetables, and the seasoning. You could also add chopped fresh herbs along with or instead of the seasoning blend. Let everything simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the parsley and serve. Pass the croutons at the table.

  5. Puff Pastry Croutons: Cut the pastry sheet into 1 inch squares (or whatever size you want) Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet (make sure they are not touching). Spray lightly with the Olive Oil spray and sprinkle with Coarse Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven until puffed and golden, 9-10 minutes. Serve as a topping for the soup.