Chicken Cordon Bleu

3 whole chicken breasts
9 pieces of sliced ham
16 oz. Swiss cheese
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 ½ c. hot water
3 tsp. granulated chicken bouillon
½ c. white cooking wine
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ c. butter
3 c. seasoned bread crumbs
toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350°. Slice each chicken breast in half, cutting diagonally divide each half into three very thin pieces. Between two sheets of wax paper, tenderize the pieces on both sides using a meat mallet. Cut the Swiss cheese into ½ x 2 inch cubes. Lay the chicken flat, place a slice of ham on the chicken and a piece of cheese. 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 inch pan. If there is excess cheese, cut into cubes and sprinkle all over the pan between the rolls of chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken. In blender combine cream cheese, water, bouillon and cooking wine and purée. Pour the sauce over the chicken rolls. Toss the breadcrumbs in the melted butter, spread over chicken and sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and your favorite vegetables.

Cover with tin foil. Bake for 45-55 minutes.

This savory dish is elegant enough to serve for any Holiday gathering. It is easy to prepare a head of time. Just wait to pour the sauce over the rolled chicken servings until it is ready to place in the oven. It is a crowd pleaser for sure………..and will soon become a family favorite.

Pomegranate Pear Salad

3 med. heads hearts of Romaine lettuce
2 pears
1 pomegranate
3/4 c. crumbled bleu cheese

Clean and tear hearts of romaine lettuce into bite size pieces. Cut pears into slices as pictured. Remove pomegranate seeds, sprinkle over salad. Top with crumbled bleu cheese. Finish with Pomegranate Salad Dressing.

Salad Dressing

1 ½ c. oil
¾ c. Pomegranate vinegar
1 ¼ c. sugar
½ c. water
½ tsp. coarse black pepper
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. dried chives
2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well. Chill. Pour over salad just before serving.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin and more Pumpkin!

This recipe combines a few of my favorite things… sweet creamy butter, freshly ground spices, rich dense pure pumpkin, enhanced by the homespun goodness of silky smooth white chocolate all blended together to create this Perfect Pumpkin Pound Cake.

Perfect Pumpkin Pound Cake

• ¾ c. creamy butter
• 1 ½ c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. rich vanilla
• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• ¾ tsp. cinnamon
• ¾ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ c. buttermilk
• 1 c. pure pumpkin
• 12 oz. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. With an electric mixer blend together rich creamy butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add fresh eggs and beat for an additional minute. Fold in rich vanilla. Blend. Shift together flour, salt, soda, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Fold in dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk, add pumpkin and blend completely. Divide cake batter evenly into two small 8-inch bundt pans. Or it may be cooked in 9 inch round cake pans. Heavily spray with cooking spray. Make sure to get all the edges. Top with 8 oz. white chocolate chips on each cake. Bake for 35 minutes. If desired set chocolate aside and melt in microwave for 30 to 60 seconds stirring in between, making sure not to over heat. Generously drizzle melted chocolate on top of cooked bundt cake or 9 inch round (as pictured).