Saucy Chicken Cordon Bleu

INGREDIENTS

3 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 slices Swiss cheese
6-8 slices ham (finely chopped)
2-4 tbsp butter or margarine
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp pepper
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 pint (2 cups) ½ and ½ or light cream
¼ cup hot water
½ cup of Italian bread crumbs


DIRECTIONS

Half each chicken breast lengthwise and pound to ¼ inch thickness. Sprinkle the ham with the pepper. Top each breast with a slice of cheese and equal amounts of the peppered ham. Roll up the chicken and secure with toothpicks. Use a little of the light cream to wet the chicken and then roll in the Italian bread crumbs.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp of butter/margarine and brown chicken over medium heat, being sure to roll to all sides, until brown (not to high of heat or the butter will blacken--this is what the extra 2 tbsps of butter is for, just incase). In the meantime, combine the hot water and onion soup mix together first, then add cream and nutmeg. Pour mixture over chicken and bring just to boiling point. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, basting occasionally for 20-25 minutes. Serve with noodles or roasted potatoes.

© Crackerberries 2009

Secret Ingredient Hamburgers

We were in Port Royal, South Carolina visiting Mom and Richard. We stayed in this house called “The Big Pink”. Tall Cool One and I were in charge of din-din one night and we decided to make hamburgers. I told Mom it had a secret ingredient and asked her and Richard if they minded having onions. Both said they didn’t mind. When we sat down to eat, Mom had a fit because they had onions in them. Richard said, “Put some ketchup on it, Mildred.” She ended up giving the hamburger to Richard; the onions are optional.

Ingredients
1½ lb ground 85% beef
1 med onion, diced (optional)
¼ cup Italian style bread crumbs
1 egg
1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup mix
¼ tsp garlic powder
4 hamburger buns
Lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard, relish, pickles

Directions

Combine the burger, diced onion, bread crumbs, onion soup, garlic powder and egg and mix well. Form meat into 4 good size burgers. Grill over medium heat for 8 mins per side. Serve on burger buns with whichever condiments you choose.

…or as Richard would say, “Put some ketchup on it, Mildred.”