Chicken Cordon Bleu, a Winner and another Giveaway

**First off the Winner of The Gathering of Friends Volume 1 is: YUMMY MUMMY who said: I would host a Mom's Dinner Gathering! I love my friends and I think they are Lovely Moms! It would be a way for me to showcase my cooking and it would give them a nice night out - a break! My hope is it would turn into a monthly gathering rotating homes! All Moms need a Girls Night Out! Here's to Moms, cooking and gatherings! :)

Sounds like a great idea! Please email me at melandboys@gmail.com and we will get the volume 1 out to you!!

For this week we have The Gathering of Friends Volume 2 to Giveaway! This volume, while just as beautiful and inspiring as the others, is set up a little different. Here is the description: The Gathering of Friends Volume Two, was created to cultivate the idea of “food as a love language,” empowering the reader with simple ideas to enhance mealtime. Five weeks of creative menu planning complete with shopping lists. Additional chapters feature effortless dishes, savory appetizers, garden fresh salads, hearty soups from the kitchen, and enchanting desserts: make this cookbook a splendid addition to every home.


I found this volume to be so helpful in making family dinners a lot easier! I am a HUGE believer in the importance of Family Dinner (You can read This week I would like to share one of our favorite recipes from Volume 2...

Chicken Cordon Bleu. I most recently made these when we had guests join us for dinner. It was a perfect main dish---so delicious and beautiful too! My favorite part was the wonderful cream cheese sauce it bakes in. Yum!! I also loved that the dish could be prepared ahead of time and go straight into the oven from the fridge. If you do that just be sure to plan an extra 15-20 minutes of baking time. You will love this recipe--it is delicious!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Submitted by Melanie ~ The Sisters Cafe
From the Gathering of Friends vol 2

3 whole chicken breasts, bonesless, skinless

1 lb thinly sliced ham

16oz swiss cheese (I used 8oz sliced package-just cut the slices in half)

8oz cream cheese (I used low fat)

2 1/2 cup hot water (I used chicken broth instead)

3 Tbsp granulated chicken bouillon (if using broth omit this)

1/2 cup white cooking wine

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup butter ( I cut this down by a couple tablespoons)

3 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs

toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350. Slice each chicken breast in half, cutting down the middle. Divide each half cutting through diagonally from side to side into three very thin pieces. Between two sheets of wax paper (or inside one gallon sized ziploc bag) tenderize the pieces on both sides using a meat mallet. Cut the swiss cheese into 1/2" x 2" cubes. Lay the chicken flat, place a slice of ham on the chicken and a cheese cube. Roll up chicken with ham and cheese, pierce with a toothpick through the middle to hold its shape. Place each chicken roll side by side in a 9 x 13" pan. If there is excess cheese, cut into cubes and place in the pan between the rolls of chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken. In blender combine cream cheese, water, bouillon and cooking wine, puree. Pour the sauce over the chicken rolls. Toss bread crumbs in melted butter and spread over chicken and sauce Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Makes 18 cordon Blue Rolls.