Chicken Cordon Bleu for two

2 slices fresh chicken breasts/boneless/skinless

2 slices swiss cheese

2 thin slices ham

1/4 cup flour

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs 

olive oil for frying

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

1-1 1/2 cup milk

salt & pepper to taste

Fold ham and swiss inside chicken breast and secure with toothpicks or twine. Then roll in 1/4 cup flour, dip in beaten egg, and roll in bread crumbs. Fry to golden brown crust. Place in baking dish. Spoon desired amount of white sauce over chicken, then bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve remaining white sauce for those who wish for more.

White sauce:

In small sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour to make a roux. Add milk to make desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to desired taste.

For more chicken flavor add chicken bouillon (I use Maggi granules). You can also use chicken broth or stock instead of milk.
This dish is delicious with potatoes or pasta and blends well with assorted vegetables. I prefer fresh roasted asparagus and it is easy to prepare!

Butterhorns

This was a traditional family recipe reserved for Christmas.  There were a number of years when it was not served, for whatever reason.  I revived the recipe in the early '80's and modernized it to today's yeast products.  Not everyone can make it Christmas Day and when they can't, I try to make them for Thanksgiving.  So as to keep family members from being upset by missing their fair share, I have started making them for Thanksgiving as well.  The original recipe belonged to Grandma Brant, who was of Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.  The adaptation was changing from yeast cakes to the modern yeast granules.

    I generally make these up and bake them the day before.  Mix up the icing first thing in the morning Thanksgiving and/or Christmas Day.  Depending on when I have them ready--some see breakfast, or an appetizer, or after the dinner, for dessert; perhaps later it's a snack.  No matter when I have them ready, at the end of the day, they're gone.  

    Michael has taken to putting 1/2 dozen or so on a small plate and hiding them for himself.  He has found out that if he doesn't get them soon, they'll be gone.

     I baked them on Christmas Eve doubling the recipe. My daughter, Jennifer iced them before breakfast on Christmas Day. Surprisingly they lasted until evening when my son, Michael ate the last one and complained that they were all gone! Guess he didn't hide any this year!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

5 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packages)

3 eggs at room temperature, beaten 

4 1/2 cups flour

    In a sauce pan heat milk, shortening, sugar and salt to 120-130F.

    In a large mixing bowl place 1 1/2 cup flour and yeast, mix thoroughly.  Gradually add warm liquid mixture, and mix at medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup flour and eggs, mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in enough flour to make a smooth soft dough.  

    Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes.  Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease dough.  Cover and let rise away from drafts until double in bulk, about an hour. 

Punch dough down.  Divide dough into thirds.  Roll each third on lightly floured surface to about 9 inches in diameter.  Cut each circle into 12-16 wedges.  Roll each wedge, starting with wide edge (crescent style).  Arrange on greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Cover and let rise until very light, about an hour.

Bake at 450F 15 minutes or until done.  When cool, ice with buttercream icing.  Roll in nuts if you like.  If you are not going to serve them til the next day, place them in plastic containers or plastic bags over night.

Buttercream icing

Ingredients: 

6 tablespoons butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 egg yolks, may be omitted

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons cream

In mixing bowl, cream butter, add sugar gradually and continue creaming.  Add yolks and vanilla.  Add cream and beat until icing becomes thick and fluffy.   Ice the cooled butter horns. 

This buttercream icing can be used for other desserts that call for icing.  

Spiced Ginger Bread  

½ cup butter

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup molasses 

3 eggs

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground mace

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup warm milk (105-115 F)

½ cup brandy

2 tablespoons grated orange rind

1/3 cup orange juice

1 cup raisins, optional

Cream butter; add sugar slowly mixing well.  Add molasses and eggs, beating well. 

Combine flour, cream of tartar and spices.

Dissolve soda in warm milk, add to creamed mixturealternately with flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture,beating well after each addition.  Stirin remaining ingredients.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9 x 2 inchpan.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or untildone.  Cool completely.  Cut into squares to serve.

Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or powdered sugar. 

I love having a fruit like sliced peaches along side of this one.

Mama's Potato Salad

Gold potatoes, peeled & diced

Chopped onions

Chopped celery

Mayonnaise

Mustard

Sugar

Celery seed (can be omitted)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Sliced or chopped Hard boiled eggs (optional)

Cook potatoes until they stick tender and drain. In large bowl mix all ingredients except hard boiled eggs. Adjust ingredients to taste. Add eggs and fold gently. Chill and serve.

Grandma’s Pancakes

 I have made this recipe for years and the family loves it! For my grandson I have to make pancakes or waffles on Saturday morning. 

2 cups flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Stir all dry ingredients to mix well.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir only until mixed.  If batter seems a little thick, add a little more buttermilk. Cook in skillet or on griddle at 350 degrees, until golden brown.

Cookware

My Everyday Pan

When I got married over 43 years ago, I had to make do with some hand-me-down pots and pans from my mother and my mother-in-law.  Since I was a fairly new young cook, it was good move.  Christmas a few years later, my husband gave me a set of ‘Magnalite’ cookware. It was heavy and durable, except the large skillet soon became warped, but I still have it and still use it from time to time.  When our first two children married, we bought them each a set of ‘Magnalite’.   The pots and pans we used in the restaurant were very much like ‘Magnalite’, except being restaurant quality. 

Recently, I have added some new pans to my collection.  The first one was called an ‘Everyday Pan’.  The name says it all.  You could use it every day.  If I only had one pan in my kitchen, this is the one. 

Kielbasa with Apples & Carrots

Lots of time I use it to make a one dish meal.  Saute’ meat, add a few vegetables, maybe some beans, pasta or rice.  That’s a great way to use up leftovers.  Sometimes, I use it to fry bacon and then fry up some hominy in the drippings.  It can also go from stove top to oven for more cooking or to keep warm.  I used it the other day to make chicken marsala.  Everything cooks up nice and cleans up well. For serving the family kitchen style, the Everyday Pan can go from stove to table for easier serving.

I love cooking, so I don’t need expensive things to turn out a nice dinner, but adding this pan has made cooking more fun as I can imagine a taste and be more creative.

When my husband bought that set of cookware 40 years ago, I thought I would use every piece really often, but I never did.  Some pieces got used a lot, while others just sat there.  I would never buy an entire set of cookware again.  I would be more selective and choose the ones that would do the best job for what I want to cook.  My cookware would not even be of the same brand.  I have a sauté pan by Paderno, made in Canada, that I picked up while in Nova Scotia a few years ago.  I have several pieces of Caphalon.   The way I cook now is a lot different than it used to be, as I learn new cooking skills and add new tools to my kitchen!

Meatball subs

You will need ½ to ¾ oz. meatballs (1 oz. will work).  I buy frozen, but you can make your own.  Heat meatballs with pizza sauce (whatever your favorite sauce, I use either Dom Pepino pizza or homemade pizza sauce).  I usually buy the 6” hoagie or sub rolls.  Cut a pocket into the roll just deep enough to hold you meatballs.  Today many of them are already sliced.  Wrap foil around you roll folded back like a boat-with the cut exposed-to hold it together. Put chopped raw onions and hot chopped peppers into the roll first.  Then, fill your roll with meatballs and sauce.  Top with mozzarella cheese or what 450 F.  until the cheese is melted and starting to brown. 

Enjoy!

We made meatball subs in the restaurant.  Before we served them, we would go to a couple of other restaurants where they were served.  I’ve always enjoyed meatball subs.