Swiss Prosciutto Chicken: A Recipe Walkthrough

Lately, a few of my friends have been asking me to share some of my developing recipes. I decided that today I wanted to do more than share a simple recipe. Instead I wanted to do a complete walkthrough. So the following is a recipe with pictures guiding you through making one of my favorite dishes from start to finish. Swiss Prosciutto Chicken is my take on a family favorite, chicken cordon bleu.

So preheat the oven to 350 degrees and let's get started!

Here's what you need: a Pyrex or ceramic baking dish, a cutting board, a gallon size Ziploc bag, a rubber mallet (yes I said a rubber mallet), Swiss cheese slices (one for each chicken breast you plan on making, prosciutto (at least one slice for each chicken breast you plan on making, but two is better), fresh whole basil leaves, salt and pepper, canola or vegetable oil and of course chicken breasts.

Put a chicken breast in the plastic bag and close the bag. Gently used the rubber mallet to flatten the breast. Start at the thicker middle area and lightly pound the breast outward so that it flattens and its surface area increases. Try to get the breast to a quarter of an inch thick or less. Be careful not to pound too hard because the chicken is more fragile that you think. Repeat this process of flattening for each breast.

Once the breasts are all flattened place them on a good flat surface like a cutting board. This will make cleanup easier than if you just put the raw chicken on the counter.

On top of each chicken breast place the strips of prosciutto. On top of that tear the strips of Swiss cheese in half and put them on the end of the breasts that is the widest. Make sure that the cheese covers as much chicken as possible but does not go too far off the side (we want the deliciousness inside the chicken). On top of that place about three fresh, washed basil leaves per chicken breast.

Put a small amount of canola or vegetable oil on the bottom of the Pyrex pan (enough to cover the bottom so that the chicken or dripping cheese won't stick). Then roll each chicken breast around itself starting to roll from the widest end of the breast and moving towards the narrower side. Then place them in the pan. If the chicken does not want to stay together you can put in a toothpick or two to keep each breast closed around its contents. Put them in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Plate and enjoy!

-Ginger

Epic Wins are Often Preceded by Epic Failures

     Yesterday I was going to whip up a blog about comfort foods because I was in the mood to make my special buffalo chicken recipe (buffalo chicken and brownies/ice cream are my top comfort foods). However, the chicken breast didn’t thaw in time, and my roommate’s dog got sick and we had to take care of her. By the time all that was over I was exhausted and the evening’s dinner plans seemed clear: Pizza Hut. It just goes to show you that life doesn’t always turn out like you intend. In fact, I’ve been living that life lesson at school lately too. On Monday I went to my last final of the semester only to discover that I had forgotten my carefully hand-written outline which I was allowed to use on the test. Because I had decided to hand-write this one (people say handwriting leads to better retention), it was not in a computer file that I could easily print out and even though I showed up to the test early I did not have enough time to zip back home and retrieve it. Alas, I took the test anyway and, even though I won’t get my grade for awhile, I feel confident that I did just fine.

     Mistakes, missteps and all out epic failures (read Thanksgiving turkey burns down house) are pretty common in the kitchen. If you think Martha never burned anything, think again. Sometimes life requires you to change your dinner plans. Sometimes you don’t get the timing quite right and the fish is ready before the veggies, or the veggies are overdone and the fish is still raw. If you’re still learning how to cook, like I am, you are likely to mess something up. Acknowledge the mistake, try to figure out why it happened and remember to correct that next time. This is how your cooking truly improves. Even when you’ve got everything in the recipe perfectly planned out, life happens and it may get screwed up. Just remember that when life hands you lemons, sour lemonade is not the only thing you can make out of it. Try: Lemon Risotto, Lemon Pepper Fish, Lemon Butter Fried Chicken on Angel Hair, or even Lemon Meringue Pie (if you’re up for a real challenge)!

Happy failures!

Ginger

The "Simple" Sandwich Hits the Spot

    
     During first year writing classes in law school the professors try to teach students that big words and flowery language is not necessary to writing an effective legal document such as a memorandum or motion. However, we struggle to believe that this is true because other first year professors stress the importance of opinions full of words we have to use a dictionary to define. It seems impossible that we could make a good argument while only using simple terms.
     Preparing food seems to be the same way sometimes. Those of us learning our way around the kitchen find it hard to believe that you can make a delicious meal unless you have three hours of prep time and extravagant ingredients purchased at a specialty store. So let me convince you otherwise with an example of a time honored meal of simple deliciousness: the sandwich.
     First, start with good bread. White bread is boring and lacks fiber, but many people don't like the taste of whole wheat bread either. Instead try bread that isn't just a slice of carbohydrate-cardboard. Rye, pumpernickel, and 12-grain variety breads have a ton of flavor and usually contain higher amounts of the staple nutrient fiber. Second, pick toppings that are delicious on their own, like sharp cheddar cheese, summer sausage, and even banana peppers. They will ensure that your sandwich does not lack flavor. If you want your sandwich to look more like a deli-made feast, slice your ingredients thin and stack them high! Toppings, like mayo and butter add moisture - especially necessary if you've chosen a drier cheese like Swiss. But if you're looking for a topping that will add fewer calories, while still adding flavor, opt for deli mustard (around 35 calories per serving of two tablespoons). Grainier mustard typically has a stronger flavor, and you can even get mustard with horseradish mixed in for a real pop!
     The sandwich here took me less than five minutes to put together, including slicing the venison summer sausage. Simple ingredients - that are flavorful instead of boring - build a great argument for eating sandwiches all the time.

Ginger

P.S. To drink along with my sandwich today I mixed equal parts of ice tea and raspberry lemonade for a fruity twist on an Arnold Palmer!