Pecan Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I didn't realize how much I substitute in recipes until I started this blog. One reason I love cooking so much is that you can put your own twist on recipes to make them your own.  I didn't have apples, and didn't want to go to the grocery store, so I substitutes some pear jam that my neighbor gave me.  I probably made it a little sweeter than the apples, but it also gave it some moisture that it seemed to need.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/pecan-stuffed-chicken-breast
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, at least 1 inch thick
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced scallions
1/2 cup apples, minced
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
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1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
Directions:
Make a pocket in each breast by cutting horizontally straight to  but not cutting through.
Combine all other ingredients except stock, wine, and bay leaf. Mix well. Divide the mixture among the breasts, filling each pocket with as much stuffing as it will confortably hold. Place the breasts in a greased baking dish large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour the stock and wine over them and add the bay leaf. Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve with cooking juices spooned over.

Chicken Scallopine with Sage and Fontina Cheese

I also made stuffed artichokes, but they didn't turn out so well, so I will not add that recipe.  When Jud watches a cooking show with me, he always says, "I just wish once the chef would say, this is not so good.  We loved the chicken. I was cooking this when we got the call that Stacy was in labor with Nicholas. I had made extra to take to her, so the timing could not have been better. Hope you enjoy. I would probably serve this with some pasta, but I already had some cabbage, so I didn't add the pasta.




Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/chicken-scallopine

Ingredients:
6 chicken cutlets, pound thin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sage leaves
3 ounces grated fontina cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
1/2 cup white wine
1 (28 oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Toothpicks for securing the chicken breast
Directions:
Place the chicken cutlets on a clean work surface, narrow end facing you. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place one sage leave crosswise on each of the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle each of the pieces of chicken with 1/2 oz. (about 2 T.) of fontina cheese. Roll up the chicken and seal with one or two toothpicks.
Warm the olive oil and halved garlic clove in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken.Brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and remove and discard the garlic. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes while scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes and red pepper flakes in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the tomato mixture to the reduced wine in the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors marry.
Return the chicken to the pan. Simmer the chicken in the tomato sauce for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over and simmer until cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan. Season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon the tomato sauce onto serving plates or a serving platter. Remove the toothpicks and slice the chicken into 1" rounds. Place the chicken over the sauce and serve immediately. You can tell by my picture, that I did not slice the chicken into rounds. Jud and I took two of the whole chicken breasts and I packed-up the rest to take to the Martyaks.

Chicken Perigourdine

I'm not at all sure why this is called Chicken Perigourdine. I guess I don't know what a perigourdine is. I do know this:  It is a great dish.  I made rice and steamed broccoli to go with this dish and it was wonderful. The chocolate cake on the right is one of Stacy's favorite cakes so I plan to freeze some of it and take it with me to Austin when baby Martyak is born. 


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/chicken-perigourdine

Ingredients for Chicken Perigourdine:
1/2 cup butter8 chicken breasts
8 mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup flour
1 can chicken broth
2 Tablespoons light cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Melt 6 Tablespoons butter in skillet. Add chicken breasts that have been salt and peppered. Cook over medium heat until browned on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside. Place remaining butter to skillet and saute mushrooms. I used a whole carton of mushrooms and I only had 2 chicken breasts. Remove mushrooms and stir in flour and salt. Stir until blended and add chicken broth and cream. Allow to thicken. Place chicken and mushrooms back in sauce and simmer covered 20 minutes.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/texas-sheet-cake

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
Melt 1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
and 4 Tablespoons cocoa  Bring to a boil and pour over flour and sugar
Add:
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes  I bake mine in an 11" X 15" baking sheet
Icing:
Melt 1/2 stick butter
1 box powdered sugar
1 teaspon vanilla
2 Tablespoons cocoa
milk to thin for spreading consistency
Pour the icing over the cake when it first comes out of the oven and spread a thin layer over the cake.