June 6, 2011

Sara's Recipes: Chicken Cordon Bleu & Panna Cotta

Sara hosted in June, and served a delicious meal. Here are her recipes:

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Pound chicken breasts
Mix Parmesan Cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Sprinkle a layer inside each breast. Layer ham and mozzarella (or swiss) cheese and roll, secure ends with toothpick. Roll in whisked egg and seasoned bread crumbs and more cheese mixture. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with sauce. Sauce is sour cream, cream of chicken soup, tsp lemon juice. Spoon on top.
Green Salad with Apples and Balsalmic dressing

FOR THE SUGARED PECANS:
½ cups Pecan Pieces
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar

FOR THE SALAD:
6 ounces, weight Baby Spinach
1 head Red Leaf Lettuce, Torn
1 whole Granny Smith Apple, Cored And Very Thinly Sliced
4 ounces, weight Crumbled Feta Or Blue Cheese

FOR THE DRESSING (this is my altered version):
1/8 cup Red Onion, Finely Chopped

1 1/2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cups Olive Oil
1 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1/2 clove Galic, Minced
1/8 teaspoons Salt
1/16 teaspoons Freshly Ground

Place nuts in a medium skillet with 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until nuts are coated and brown, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes; set aside.
Toss salad greens, apples and cheese.
Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously. Pour over the salad just before serving.
Sprinkle with sugared nuts.
Panna Cotta
4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)
2. Lightly oil eight custard cups with a neutral-tasting oil.
3. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
5. Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them until firm, which will take at least two hours but I let them stand at least four hours. (Judy told me American refrigerators are colder than European ones. )
If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding.
6. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired. (I used berries maserated with sugar and toasted almonds)

Rochelle's Fiesta Salad & Red Velvet Cake Balls

Rochelle hosted Bunco in April and made a delicious Mexican feast for us. Sorry that I'm getting the recipes to you late, but here they are:

Fiesta Salad- Yields 4 servings

1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can corn kernels, drained and rinsed
1 small purple onion, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1/4 cup cilantro
1/2 Tbsp cumin
salt and pepper
red wine vinaigrette, about 8 oz
Combine ingredients in medium bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate.
    Red Velvet Cake Balls

    1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
    1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
    1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
    wax paper
    1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
    2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
    3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
    4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
    5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
    6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

    I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

    You can make this with any combo of cake mix & frosting !