Fried Rice

Some day I hope to figure out how to make my own seasoning blend for fried rice so I am not dependent on Sun Bird seasoning packets (just in case they get discontinued) but for now I wanted to document how I make my fried rice, especially if they boys need the recipe in the future.

Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbl oil
• 3 cups cooked rice
• 1 Sun Bird "Fried Rice" seasoning packet
• 1 Tbl. soy sauce
• 2 eggs, beaten
• diced meat of choice (about 1/2 cup)
• cooked veggies of choice (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:

1. In a large pot or pan, coat the bottom with your cooking oil (about 2 Tbl or as much as needed).
2. Add your cooked (can be cold) rice and reheat/cook the rice, stirring occasionally until it's all heated through and any clumps of rice have been crumbled.
3. Push rice to the side on the pan and add your beaten eggs into the open space.
4. Cook and scramble the eggs until done.
5. Add as much diced meat and bite-size veggies as your heart desires. I used ham, peas, carrots, and corn. Add soy sauce and seasoning packet. Stir everything together.
6. Continue to stir until everything is heated through and ready to serve.

Marsha's Notes:

Here are some images of my process.

Frying my rice in the oil.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I love chicken cordon bleu, so when I saw a recipe to make it into a casserole, I was pretty excited. The original recipe we tried is from Six Sisters Stuff, and it tasted almost exactly like my chicken cordon bleu soup recipe... so while good... it was nothing new or exciting. Plus, Chris is not a huge fan of cream soups right now, and so because it was so similar, he wasn't impressed. BUT! I thought, what if we did noodles instead of potatoes?!!! And everyone liked it a lot!

Find the original recipe here: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/chicken-cordon-bleu-potatoes/#wprm-recipe-container-109529

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients:

• 12 small golden potatoes or 1/2 pkg pasta
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces cooked ham diced
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese divided (could also use mozzarella or Provolone cheese)
• Crushed croutons (opt.)

Directions:

1. Wash and slice yellow potatoes and boil them for about 7 to 10 minutes or until fork tender. OR boil your pasta just a few minutes less than package directions (pasta will continue to cook in the oven).
2. In a medium sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion powder, garlic salt, and salt and pepper to your flour and mix. Then add in the flour mixture to the pan with the melted butter and stir with a whisk until well blended. Then slowly add in milk and continue stirring with a whisk until smooth and creamy.
3. Lightly grease a 9 x 9 inch square baking dish. 
4. If doing potatoes: Cover bottom of pan lightly with about 1/4 cup of the sauce. Spread half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the ham and half of the chicken. Pour half of the sauce and then top with about 1/2 cup of cheese. Then repeat layers starting with potatoes, ham, chicken, sauce and the rest of your cheese.
5. If doing pasta: Add your ham, chicken, 1 1/2 cups Swiss, and your cooked pasta to the pan with your sauce (if it will fit, otherwise use a big bowl), and mix all of your casserole ingredients together. Dump into a 9x9 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, smooth out and then top with remaining Swiss cheese.
6. Bake in 375 oven for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through. A few minutes before the casserole is done baking, top with crushed croutons, if desired and finish off the bake.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

We made this yesterday to take to Scott's mother's house for dinner, and everyone really liked it. You can prep it in the morning to serve for dinner, or prep it the night before to serve for breakfast. Enjoy it savory with some optional hot sauce or Chick-fil-A sauce, or serve it sweet with a drizzle of maple syrup and/or a dusting of powdered sugar (like a Monte Cristo).

See the original recipe here: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/ham-and-cheese-breakfast-casserole/

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

• 16 slices bread cubed and divided, approximately 1 loaf
• 16 ounces cubed cooked ham 1 package
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded swiss cheese
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground mustard
• pinch pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1½ cups cornflakes crushed
• 3 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Place 8 slices of cubed bread on the bottom a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top with ham and cheeses and then the remaining cubed bread.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic powder, ground mustard, and peppers. Pour over bread, ham, and cheese. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours (or overnight).
3. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
5. In a small bowl, mix together crushed cornflakes and melted butter. Sprinkle over top the casserole and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Serve warm.

Marsha's Notes:

We baked ours on convection at 350 degrees for 40 minutes and it was almost perfect. I found the center to still be a bit moist but edible, even with reaching 160 degrees internal temperature (at 30 minutes) and a knife inserted in the middle coming out clean... so I would certainly do the full 45 minutes next time, or at least as long as I dared before things started to get too brown. The bottom DOES brown up, so if you use a glass pan, that is easy to check for. Also, maybe it would have been less "wet" in the middle if it had sat for a few more hours, but I made it around 9:00 in the morning and cooked it at 4:00 pm, so that was 7 hours. It was still delicious, but I would cook it a tad longer next time.

Ham and Cheese Tortellini

Looking for ways to use leftover ham and get the boys to eat more veggies, I stumbled across this recipe for Ham and Cheese Tortellini, and it was a hit! I'll put my notes at the bottom. To see the original recipe, go here:  https://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/tempting-tortellini-ham/

Ham and Cheese Tortellini

Ingredients:

• 19 oz cheese tortellini frozen
• 1 c. peas
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 c. fat-free milk
• 1/4 c. half and half cream
• 1 1/2 c. cubed fully cooked lean ham
• 4 ounces fat free cream cheese cubed
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 c. grated Romano cheese

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, cook tortellini according to package directions.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk and cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened.
3. Add the ham, peas, basil, garlic powder, and pepper; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Mix in grated cheese. Drain tortellini; add to pan and heat through.

Marsha's Notes:

I used my big pan to cook the tortellini in. Then, I used a package of pre-diced ham and frozen peas. I added them to the tortellini just a minute or two before I was ready to drain it, just to heat them both through. Then I dumped the noodles, ham and peas into the strainer, drained everything, and put it all back into the original pan. I then poured the sauce I was making in a second pan over the noodles, peas and ham and stirred the whole thing together.

A pint of half and half is two cups, so I used an entire pint carton instead of the fat-free milk suggested in the recipe. In the end, if the sauce felt too thick, I added some extra milk to thin to the desired consistency. 

The main seasoning in this recipe is the basil, but I might have liked it a little better with less basil and maybe some other Italian spice instead, like oregano. Next time, I might do 1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp oregano. I also finished the dish off with a sprinkling of garlic salt to taste.

One Pot Ham & Penne Skillet

We found another winner! We made this the other night and everyone ate it right up, even with peas. I love a recipe where my boys will eat the veggies and not just pick them out!

To see the original recipe, go here:

https://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/one-pot-ham-penne-skillet-recipe/

One Pot Ham and Penne Skillet

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 c. chopped yellow onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 3 c. cubed fully cooked ham (or I used one package pre-diced ham)
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, opt. (not everyone in my family liked the kick of heat)
• salt to taste
• 3 c. chicken broth
• 2 c. 2% milk
• 1/4 c. flour
• 16 oz penne noodles, uncooked (or one package any shape noodles you want)
• 2 c. frozen peas thawed (or not... mine were frozen and were fine)
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Place 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until warm. Saute ham and onions until onions are translucent. Add garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, pepper and red pepper flakes; cook 1-2 minutes.
2. Stir in broth, milk, flour and penne noodles. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Adds peas and simmer five more minutes or until pasta is cooked through and peas are warm.
4. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of pasta.

Slow Cooker Ham and Corn Chowder

*Leave out or sub the potato for a low-carb option.

Another recipe that turned out great for using up some of that leftover ham... See the original recipe here: 

https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2017/01/slow-cooker-ham-corn-chowder.html

Slow Cooker Ham and Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch cubes {about 3 medium potatoes}
• 4 c. fresh or frozen corn, thawed {about 20 oz.} (I used canned just fine)
• 4 c. cubed ham {leftover or deli ham}
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 3 c. chicken broth
• 2 T. cornstarch
• 2 c. whole milk
• 2 c. (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 c. sour cream
• 3 T. minced fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Place the first 8 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker (potatoes, corn, ham, onions, celery, garlic, pepper, and chicken broth). Cook, covered, on LOW 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender.
2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and milk until smooth; stir into soup. Cook, covered, on HIGH 20-30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in cheese, sour cream and parsley until cheese is melted.

Marsha's Notes:

I taste-tested right before serving and added a small sprinkling of garlic salt to taste.

Easy Ham and Cheese French Bread Pizza

We tried this recipe last night and everyone really liked it... but full disclosure, I think I am going to do it different next time, so I'll put my ideas at the bottom for next time. I think it's going to be EVEN better! But here's the original recipe. This was to use up some leftover holiday ham.

See the original recipe source here: https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2016/09/easy-ham-cheese-french-bread-pizza.html

Easy Ham and Cheese French Bread Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf French bread
• 3 T. REAL® butter, melted (or use pre-made garlic butter)
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (omit if using pre-made garlic butter)
• 1/4 to 1/3 c. jarred Alfredo sauce
• 1 c. chopped ham
• 1/2 to 1/3 c. REAL® shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 to 1 1/2 c. REAL® shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried parsley {optional}

Directions:

1. Cut French bread in half lengthwise and place cut-side-up on a baking sheet. Brush cut sides with melted butter all the way to the edges and sprinkle evenly with garlic powder. (Or just use pre-made garlic butter.)
2. Bake at 450 degrees for 4 minutes or until just barely lightly browned on the edges.
3. Remove from the oven. Spread each piece of bread evenly with half the Alfredo sauce, then sprinkle on half the Swiss cheese and chopped ham. Top each piece of bread evenly with half the mozzarella and sprinkle on dried parsley, if using.
4. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes until cheese is melty. 
5. Remove from oven and slice into pieces using a sharp serrated knife.

Marsha's Notes:

I think the French bread held up to the alfredo sauce oooookkkkaaaayyyy.... but I think a more hearty bread like a ciabatta bun would be even better and not get soggy (... even though you toast the French Bread first before you add the alfredo, it still soaked in and got wet) and ciabatta would make a "personal sized" pizza for everyone that wouldn't need to be cut, where cutting the French bread kind of smashed it a little... 

Also, next time, I would add both grilled chicken and crumbled bacon to make it more of a chicken cordon bleu recipe. That would be SO GOOD!

Update: So we tried this with the chicken, bacon and ciabatta buns last night and it was a hit!!! I just bought precooked bacon and chopped it up, precooked grilled chicken and chopped it up, and then cut the ciabatta buns in half. Everyone got two pizzas (or one total bun) and they held up so nicely to the alfredo sauce! You could also put the two buns back together after everything has cooked and have an oven sandwich instead.

Turkey and Ham Tips

This will be our first Thanksgiving doing the entire meal at our house with just us and our kiddos. I wanted to document some of the things I had to look up, and if all goes well, then I'll have this information for future reference. Hope it's helpful!

Turkey Tips from Taste of Home:

Cook Times:

Turkey Weight	Cooking Time	Doneness Temperature
4-6 lb. breast	1 hr 30 mins–2 hrs 15 mins	165°F
6-8 lb. breast	2 hrs 15 mins–3 hrs 15 mins	165°F
8-12 lbs.	2 hrs 45 mins–3 hrs	170-175°F
12-14 lbs.	3 hrs–3 hrs 45 mins	170-175°F
14-18 lbs.	3 hrs 45 mins–4 hrs 15 mins	170-175°F
18-20 lbs.	4 hrs 15 mins–4 hrs 30 mins	170-175°F
20-24 lbs.	4 hrs 30 mins–5 hrs	170-175°F

Note: All times are accurate for a 325°F oven.

The general rule is 15 to 20 minutes per pound of turkey when cooking an unstuffed turkey. Roasting a stuffed turkey is no longer considered food-safe.

1. Defrost. Thawing a turkey can take anywhere from three to five days. So if you’ve bought a frozen turkey, be sure it is placed in the refrigerator with plenty of time to thaw. 
• In 2020, we did a 5-6 lb breast and pulled it from the freeze to the fridge the Monday before Thanksgiving, giving it three days to thaw.
• In 2024 we did a similar thing where I got a 5-6 lb breast on Thursday from the freezer at the store, put it on a plate in the fridge to thaw and cooked it on Monday. It took about two hours to cook at 325 degrees. My time table was this:
• Start preheating the roaster oven to 325 degrees at about 2:30 pm.
• Place the oiled and seasoned turkey into the roaster with the rack at about 2:45 pm.  Insert a thermometer into one of the biggest parts of the meat. Cover with lid. Leave the lid on and don't open while cooking.
• Cook until meat reaches 165 degrees (in this case for 5-6 lbs it was about 2 hours).
• Take lid off and turn the roaster off and let the turkey sit in the roaster for about 20 minutes to let the juices redistribute.
• If you aren't ready to eat for a bit, once the roaster is mostly cool, put the lid back on to keep the turkey warm but no longer cooking it.
2. Preheat the Oven. Set aside 15 to 20 minutes to allow your oven to thoroughly preheat. Since many home ovens heat unevenly, it’s a good idea to let your oven come up to temperature, then wait 5 to 10 more minutes before placing the turkey inside. This allows the heat to evenly disperse in the oven before you open the door. It is also a good idea to rotate your turkey at least every hour to help everything cook evenly.
3. Rest. Finally, allow the turkey to rest for at least 30 minutes before you carve it. Resting lets the meat cool slightly and reabsorb juices that were bubbling to the surface in the hot oven. This reabsorption is what gives you plump, tender meat. If you carve the turkey right away, you lose all that tenderness in a puddle on your cutting board or plate!

How do I get crispy, brown skin on my turkey?

The trick to crisp, golden brown skin starts before the turkey even goes in the oven. Plus, you already have this secret ingredient in your pantry! The day before Thanksgiving, remove the bird from its packaging and take out the giblets. Then, massage kosher salt all over the turkey. Return the bird to the fridge until it’s ready to roast on the big day. This technique not only seasons the meat, it also helps to draw out excess moisture from the skin that, once baked, will be nice and crispy.

Should I baste my turkey?

No—and it all has to do with temperature. Basting requires you to open the oven door, which lets heat out and cools the surface of your bird. Every time you baste, you’re increasing the overall cooking time of your turkey. And more time in the oven leads to dry, tough meat.

View the entire article here: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-long-to-cook-a-turkey/

How long to cook a spiral sliced ham?

A spiral sliced ham cooked about the same way. Bake at 250 degrees for 15 min per pound.

Ham or Roast Beef Barbecue (Crock Pot)

I found this recipe years ago and am now copying it here from our family cookbook binder. Enjoy!

Ham or Roast Beef Barbecue (Crock-Pot)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. thinly sliced deli ham or roast beef
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup ketchup
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbl white vinegar
• 2 tsp. prepared mustard
• 12 hamburger buns, split and toasted 

Directions:

1. Place the ham or roast beef in a greased 3 qt. slow cooker.  
2. In a bowl, combine the water, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and mustard.  Pour over meat and stir well.  Be sure to separate the individual slices of meat as much as you can to coat them with sauce so that they don't adhere together during the cooking process. 
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or until heated through.  Serve on buns.

Marsha's Notes:

Similar to an Arby’s sandwich.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes With Ham

I found this recipe years ago and am now copying it here from our family cookbook binder. Enjoy!

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 lb round white potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb fully cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups) 
• 1 cup shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (4 oz)
• 3 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pint (2 cups) half-and-half

Directions:

1. In 4 quart Dutch oven, or large pan, melt butter over medium heat.   
2. Cook garlic in butter 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until softened.  Remove from heat.  
3. Stir in potatoes, ham, half of the cheese, all of the flour, pepper, salt and bacon.  
4. Pour half and half over potato mixture.  
5. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender.  If your potatoes are not cut thin enough, it could take longer to cook, or you can microwave your potatoes before you add them, to cook them part way first.  
6. Top with remaining cheese, if desired.

Broccoli and Ham Bread Pudding

I found this recipe years ago and am now copying it here from our family cookbook binder. Enjoy!

Broccoli and Ham Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 frozen soft white dinner rolls (from 12.4-oz bag)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 1 cup frozen broccoli cuts, thawed
• 1/2 cup diced cooked ham 
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (1 oz)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  
2. Spray 1 ½ qt. casserole with cooking spray.  
3. Place rolls on cutting board; let stand 10-15 minutes to thaw.  
4. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, basil, salt and pepper until well blended. 
5. Cut rolls into ¾ inch cubes; place in bowl with egg mixture.  Stir to coat. Stir in broccoli, ham and cheese.  Pour into casserole.  
6. Bake 40-45 minutes or until puffed, golden brown, and knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.  Top with more cheese, if desired.

Empanadas (Paraguay)

Another recipe from Scott's mission.

Beef Empanadas (Paraguay)

Ingredients:

• ½ lb. ground beef     
• ¼- ½ lg. onion (1/2 cup), chopped 
• ¼- ½ lg. bell pepper (1/2 cup), chopped
• 1 hard boiled egg, chopped
• garlic, parsley, salt and pepper to taste
• *12 empanada discs

Directions:

1. Begin by boiling the egg and preheating the oven to 400 degrees. The egg will take about 15 minutes to be hard-boiled.  Cover the meat with water.  Cook the meat until tender.  Stir it well and break it up into fine bits.  Once cooked, drain the meat and save the stock. 
2. Fry the vegetables in a very small amount of oil.  Add ½ cup of meat stock.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Add the vegetable/stock mixture to the meat, and boil the whole mixture for 5 more minutes.  Stir in the chopped boiled eggs. 
3. Put about 1-2 Tbl. of filling into the center of each empanada disc.  Pinch the edges of the disc with a fork.  Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray, and bake empanadas for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
4. You can find premade empanada discs in the refrigerated/freezer section of your local Mexican food market.  It is much easier than making them from scratch.  To make from scratch, see the Ham and Cheese Empanada recipe.

Ham and Cheese Empanadas (Paraguay)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour                                                              
• ¼ cup shortening                                                      
• ½+ cups water                                                          
• 8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1 slice deli ham, 1/2” thick, cubed
• 6 cups (approx.) oil, for frying

Directions:

1. Mix flour, shortening and water together until a nice dough forms that you can roll out thinly and cut into discs about 3-4 inches diameter.  
2. In a saucepan or microwave bowl, melt cheese and ham together and stir until combined.  Place a spoonful of ham and cheese in the middle of disc, wet and crimp the edges.  
3. Heat oil to 350 degrees, add empanadas, cook for about 4 minutes or until golden brown.  Makes about 20 empanadas.  

Marsha's Notes:

Dampen and crimp the edges well and don’t overfill to prevent empanadas from coming open in the fryer.  Thinner dough for shells makes them crispier, but if it’s too thin then they come apart easily. It is easier to buy premade empanada discs from your local Mexican market, and you can either bake or fry the empanadas.  Cheese tends to expand when hot, so if baking, try poking a set of holes in the top of the empanada to vent and keep it from breaking open.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich Ring

I found this recipe years ago and am now copying it here from our family cookbook binder. Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich Ring

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (11 oz.) refrigerated French Bread loaf
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp. water
• 2 tsp. Italian-style bread crumbs
• ½ lb. thinly sliced deli chicken
• 1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham
• 2 roma tomatoes, sliced
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 leave lettuce
• 2 Tbl mayo 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  
2. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray.  
3. Remove dough from both cans, do not unroll.  Place dough seam side down on cookie sheet.  Join ends of loaf to form ring; pinch ends together firmly to seal.  
4. With a sharp knife, cut 12 ½ inch deep diagonal slashes on top of dough.  
5. In small bowl, beat egg white and water with fork.  Brush over dough.  Sprinkle dough with bread crumbs.  
6. Bake 26-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown.  Cool on cookie sheet 15 minutes.  
7. Set oven control to broil.  
8. Cut bread ring in half horizontally; carefully remove top half and set aside.  
9. With bottom half on cookie sheet, top with chicken, ham, tomatoes, and cheese.  Broil 4-6 inches from heat until cheese is melted.  
10. Top with lettuce.  Spread mayo on cut side of top half of bread ring.  Place over lettuce.  
11. Cut sandwich into sections and serve.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I found this recipe years ago and am now copying it here from our family cookbook binder. Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 8 slices of cooked ham
• 8 fingers of Swiss cheese
• Salt and pepper
• thyme or rosemary
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs

Directions:

1. Cut Swiss cheese into 1 ½ inch long and ½ inch thick fingers.  
2. Place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet until about 1/8 inch thick.  
3. Sprinkle each slice of ham with desired seasonings (salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary).  
4. Wrap each cheese finger in a slice of ham, and wrap chicken around ham/cheese finger.  Tuck in ends of chicken and seal well (with toothpicks) to keep melting cheese from leaking out during cooking.  
5. Dip each chicken roll in melted butter, then roll in cornflake crumbs to coat evenly.  
6. Place chicken rolls in a 9x13 baking dish.  
7. Bake, uncovered in a 400 degree oven, for about 40 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.   
8. Serve with Cordon Bleu sauce if desired: 
• In a saucepan over medium heat mix together 1 can cream of chicken soup, ½ cup sour cream, and 1 tsp. lemon juice.

Marsha's Notes:

I use the pre-packaged cornflake crumbs because they are finer, coat evenly, and stick better to the chicken.  You can crush your own cornflakes if desired.

Marsha's Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup

*This recipe is low-carb if you omit or sub the potatoes.

Scott and I went to dinner about a week ago and they were serving chicken cordon bleu SOUP! I just had to try it, and I really loved it! I also thought, I bet I can make this at home. That lead me to do a search on the Internet for recipes to try, and in the end, I combined and tweaked two different recipes to come up with Marsha's Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup! First, let's give credit where credit is due and I will link you to the two recipes I drew inspiration from.

Chef in Training's Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup:
http://www.chef-in-training.com/2014/09/chicken-cordon-bleu-soup/

The Slow Roasted Italian's Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup:
http://communitytable.com/26575/donnaelick/30-minute-chicken-cordon-bleu-soup/

But of course, here is what you have been waiting for... Marsha's version! Scott seriously loved this soup so much that he said he was, "looking for people to brag to at work." I'd say that makes this a favorite.

Marsha's Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups half and half
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 Tbl. chicken bullion
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 lg. cans (approx. 10 oz) canned chicken (or 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken in bite size pieces)
• 1/2 cup cooked and chopped bacon
• 1 cup (or 1 small package) cubed/diced ham
• 1-1 1/2 cups carrots, bite size pieces cooked until soft
• 1-1 1/2 cups potatoes, bite size pieces cooked until soft
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• garlic salt to taste
• 2 cups freshly grated Swiss cheese
• top with croutons

Directions:

1. If they aren't previously cooked, prepare your carrots and potatoes (wash, peel, chop) and let steam until almost tender while you are making the roux for the soup.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add flour, veggies, seasonings (not garlic salt yet) and bullion, bacon and ham (not chicken yet if using canned), stir to combine, and cook for a minute or so to reduce the raw flour taste in the roux. 
3. Add cream cheese in small pieces. Slowly, a little bit at a time, add milk and half and half, stirring constantly to avoid lumps (adding it really slow and stirring a lot is the key). 
4. As the soup starts to steam and is getting hot, add chicken and bring to a simmer and boil until mostly thickened. Taste test and add garlic salt to taste at this stage. 
5. Remove from heat and stir in Swiss cheese (which will finish thickening the soup if done right). Stir until melted and combined. Serve with croutons as topping.

Marsha's Notes:

I used canned chicken for convenience, but if you like the texture of other kinds of cooked chicken, use what you like; cook your own or buy a precooked rotisserie chicken. Another trick is using freshly grated Swiss off the block. If you buy the pre-shredded cheeses, they just don't melt as smooth and creamy because of the chemicals they put on pre-shredded cheese to keep it from molding quickly. Fresh cheese is key!

Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry: Baked Monte Cristo Sandwiches

We made a double batch of these (because there are two pieces of pastry in every box) and fed all of my family that came to visit yesterday (7 adults, 2 children) and it was a big hit.  We didn't do the "sweet version" with powdered sugar and maple syrup, and instead served them with a mayo-mustard sauce on the side.  I also added one extra piece of meat and cheese to each sandwich (so, per sandwich: 3 slices meat, 2 slices cheese). It was great!

Baked Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 2 egg
• 2 tbsp. water
• All-purpose flour
• 1 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets), thawed
• 16 thin slices deli Black Forest ham
• 8 slices deli Swiss cheese (about 4 ounces)
• Confectioners' sugar
• Pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.  Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork. 
2. Sprinkle the flour on the work surface.  Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface.  Roll the pastry sheet into a 12-inch square.  Cut into 4 (6-inch) squares.  Brush the edges of the pastries with the egg mixture. Be careful not to use too much egg or the dough gets soggy and delicate to work with for making the sandwiches.
3. With a corner of 1 pastry facing you, place 2 slices ham and 1 slice cheese on the bottom half of the pastry.  Fold the pastry over the filling to form a triangle and press the edges to seal.  Crimp the edges with a fork.  Repeat with the remaining pastries.  Brush the pastries with the egg mixture.  Place the pastries onto a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.  Sprinkle the pastries with the confectioners' sugar.  Serve with the maple syrup.
5. Easy Substitution: For a savory twist, serve with Dijon-style mustard instead of the maple syrup. We like dipping ours in honey mustard mayo sauce.

Ham and Cheese Ziti

This is one of our favorite pasta dishes.  I thought I would share the recipe.

Ham and Cheese Ziti

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. ziti pasta (2 ½ cups)
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 cups milk
• ½ tsp. mustard
• 2 cups Colby cheese (8 oz.)
• 4 oz. cooked deli ham, cubed
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook and drain pasta as directed by package.  
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat.  Cook garlic in butter 30 seconds, stirring frequently.  Stir in flour and salt, using wire whisk.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.   Gradually stir in milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir in mustard and Colby cheese.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
3. Stir pasta and ham into cheese mixture.  Pour pasta mixture into ungreased square baking dish or 9x13.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Betty Crocker's Cheesy Ham-Potato Scallop

Scott and I tried a new recipe to use up some left-over ham we had hanging around.  It was pretty easy and quite tasty.  I thought I would share.  The picture and recipe came from the Betty Crocker website.

Cheesy Ham-Potato Scallop

Directions:

• 1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (opt.)
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (4 cups)
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cheddar cheese soup, or cream of chicken (or celery or mushroom) soup with shredded cheese added (see recipe below)
• 1/2 cup milk
• pepper
• 1/4 cup find dry bread crumbs
• 2 Tbl. snipped fresh parsley
• 1 Tbl. margarine or butter, melted

Directions:

1. Spray baking dish with non-stick spray (1 1/2 quart casserole dish).  In a large bowl, combine ham, onion, potatoes, soup, milk and pepper (to taste).  (If using a cream soup, instead of the condensed cheddar cheese soup, we like to add about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese to make the potatoes cheesy and increase your milk by another 1/4 cup.)  Once well combined, pour into greased baking dish.   
2. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until potatoes are tender.  In another bowl, combine bread crumbs, melted butter and parsley (if not using fresh parsley, then just add dry parsley until it looks pleasing to you, but you will probably need a lot less than 2 Tbl.).  Sprinkle over top of potatoes.  Bake, uncovered, for 15 more minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Serves 4