Chicken Cordon Bleu - The Easy, Healthy Way
By Kim Steele
Despite its nice French name, no one is entirely sure that chicken cordon bleu originated in France. It is however a very popular dish in France and one you can make yourself with little fuss, following the easy method given here. And since it has a French name, of course it has a French story to enjoy along with it.
A Little History
Before we start cooking, I thought you might like to know what the cordon bleu was all about. You’ve probably heard of the cooking school by that name, but the actual cordon bleu had been around for centuries before the cooking school was started in the late 1800’s.
During the religious wars that shook Europe for much of the 16th century, King Henry III initiated a special order of knights, known as L’Ordre du Saint-Esprit, to fight for Catholicism. To distinguish themselves the knights wore a Maltese cross hanging from a blue cord around their neck.
In later years, this same order of knights would gather for huge feasts, some of them cooked by accomplished chefs. Hence the blue cord become associated with excellence in cooking (as well as excellence in general) and this was reinforced when the Cordon Bleu cooking school opened it’s doors in Paris.
An Easy Recipe
So now that you know a little story to entertain your diners with, let’s get cooking.
Lots of Chicken Cordon Bleu recipes ask that you deep fat fry the rolled meat and cheese bundles, but that can be messy and add a lot of unnecessary calories. The dish is actually quite satisfying and delicious when baked. For those of you who miss the extra calories, you can make the shallot cream sauce to serve alongside it.
Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
- 4 chicken breast filets, skinned
- salt and pepper
- 4 slices ham
- 4 slices of cheese, such as Swiss
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 4 tablespoons butter
Using a wooden meat hammer, pound the chicken breasts to about 1/4 inch thick. Or place the breasts between pieces of wax paper or in a heavy plastic bag and use your rolling pin to flatten them.
Lay out the chicken breasts and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Top each with a slice of cheese and a slice of ham. Roll the chicken up tightly.
Dredge the rolls in the beaten egg and then in the bread crumbs, coating them well. Use toothpicks to hold them together if you wish. Place the rolls in a greased baking pan, seam side down. Place 1 tablespoon of butter on top of each roll.
Bake at 350°F for about 30 to 35 minutes.
Serves 4.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
- 2 shallots, chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
Melt the butter in a small saucepan on low heat and add the shallots. Cook the shallots for 7 or 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and warm through. That’s it, ready to serve.
Makes about 1/2 cup.
If you like these recipes, you’ll find many more French chicken recipes on Easy French Food. Chicken Fricassee is another popular method for cooking poultry and this Moroccan Chicken Recipe, although not exactly French, is served so often in France, you might think it was. Enjoy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Steele
http://EzineArticles.com/?Chicken-Cordon-Bleu—The-Easy,-Healthy-Way&id=1842301
Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup
There is nothing quite like a hot, soothing bowl of homemade chicken soup, especially when your sick or when the weather starts getting cold. I am sure many of us have fond memories of Mom or Grandma fixing up a hot bowl of chicken soup when we were younger. Remember how comforting it was and how good it made you feel? I sure do and I look forward to making chicken soup at least once a month during the cold days of winter. I am going to share with you one of the most delicious recipes for chicken soup, passed down to me from my Grandmother. It is quite easy to make and I promise you will enjoy this again and again…
I rarely follow exact measurements while cooking, so the ingredients below are approximated. Please forgive me in advance..
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Chicken Breasts on the Bone, Skin on
3 Large Celery Stalks Sliced (Reserve Leaves)
3 Large Carrots Sliced
1 Medium Onion Chopped
3 Cloves of Garlic Crushed
2 Medium Russet Potatoes Cubed
1 Cup of Small Pasta for Soup (Orzo, Ditalini)
Water
Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Grated Italian Cheese (Optional)
Bouquet garni of Thyme, Sage and Rosemary (Instructions Below)
DIRECTIONS
Step 1 - Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts skin side down and brown.
Step 2 - Add water and chicken stock to the pot. Add a 50/50 mixture of water and chicken stock. The chicken stock gives the soup a boost in flavor. Add enough liquid so that the chicken is completely submerged, plus a little more.
Step 3 - Add celery leaves, garlic and Bouquet Garni (instructions follow). Bring liquid to a boil, then cover and simmer. Cook chicken on a low simmer until you can easily pull the chicken off the bone. One chicken is done, remove it from the pot and place it on a large plate. Remove the garlic and bouquet from pot and discard.
Bouquet Garni Instructions/Description
A bouquet Garni is just a fancy French name for a bundle of herbs that can be added to stocks, soups and stews. When translated to English it means: “garnished bouquet”. It is very easy to make. You can either tie the bundle together using strings or you can wrap it in cheesecloth. I like to use the cheesecloth as it keeps the herbs contained so that they do not fall off and become part of the soup. If you don’t mind the herbs in the final soup, you can wrap it with string. This bundle of herbs will impart a deliciously rich flavor to the broth.
Step 4 - Add the onion, potatoes, celery and carrots to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Step 5 - Add your pasta and cook along with vegetables until pasta is al dente.
Step 6 - While the pasta is cooking, pull chicken from the bone and shred into bite size pieces. Add the chicken to the pot and stir.
Step 7 - Serve. Top with grated cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Chicken Cordon Bleu - The Easy, Healthy Way
By Kim Steele
Despite its nice French name, no one is entirely sure that 
chicken cordon bleu originated in France. It is however a very popular dish in France and one you can make yourself with little fuss, following the easy method given here. And since it has a French name, of course it has a French story to enjoy along with it.
A Little History
Before we start cooking, I thought you might like to know what the cordon bleu was all about. You’ve probably heard of the cooking school by that name, but the actual cordon bleu had been around for centuries before the cooking school was started in the late 1800’s.
During the religious wars that shook Europe for much of the 16th century, King Henry III initiated a special order of knights, known as L’Ordre du Saint-Esprit, to fight for Catholicism. To distinguish themselves the knights wore a Maltese cross hanging from a blue cord around their neck.
In later years, this same order of knights would gather for huge feasts, some of them cooked by accomplished chefs. Hence the blue cord become associated with excellence in cooking (as well as excellence in general) and this was reinforced when the Cordon Bleu cooking school opened it’s doors in Paris.
An Easy Recipe
So now that you know a little story to entertain your diners with, let’s get cooking.
Lots of Chicken Cordon Bleu recipes ask that you deep fat fry the rolled meat and cheese bundles, but that can be messy and add a lot of unnecessary calories. The dish is actually quite satisfying and delicious when baked. For those of you who miss the extra calories, you can make the shallot cream sauce to serve alongside it.
Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
- 4 chicken breast filets, skinned
- salt and pepper
- 4 slices ham
- 4 slices of cheese, such as Swiss
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 4 tablespoons butter
Using a wooden meat hammer, pound the chicken breasts to about 1/4 inch thick. Or place the breasts between pieces of wax paper or in a heavy plastic bag and use your rolling pin to flatten them.
Lay out the chicken breasts and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Top each with a slice of cheese and a slice of ham. Roll the chicken up tightly.
Dredge the rolls in the beaten egg and then in the bread crumbs, coating them well. Use toothpicks to hold them together if you wish. Place the rolls in a greased baking pan, seam side down. Place 1 tablespoon of butter on top of each roll.
Bake at 350°F for about 30 to 35 minutes.
Serves 4.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
- 2 shallots, chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
Melt the butter in a small saucepan on low heat and add the shallots. Cook the shallots for 7 or 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and warm through. That’s it, ready to serve.
Makes about 1/2 cup.
If you like these recipes, you’ll find many more French chicken recipes on Easy French Food. Chicken Fricassee is another popular method for cooking poultry and this Moroccan Chicken Recipe, although not exactly French, is served so often in France, you might think it was. Enjoy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Steele
http://EzineArticles.com/?Chicken-Cordon-Bleu—The-Easy,-Healthy-Way&id=1842301
