Baked Chicken, Ham and Cheese Bundles

Ok, this one is something that I did a few days ago when I wanted to do something different. Basically it is a chicken breast wrapped in ham and cheese and then all baked up in pastry. To me chicken+ham+cheese+bread= good stuff. It has a few steps, but still pretty easy. Really impressive for company too. I know that this only calls for 2 chicken breasts, but believe me it will serve 3 adults easy. Andy likes to eat this with some Ranch on the side...of course.

You Will Need:
2 Chicken Breasts
1 can of Ready to Bake Pizza Crust. (Crescent Rolls will work too, just roll the whole sheet out and do not separate them into triangles. Then moosh the seems together to make 1 big sheet of dough.)
8 slices of Ham
4 slices of Provolone or Swiss Cheese
2 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
1 Egg (Optional)
Salt and Pepper

Here's What You Do:
Lightly salt and pepper chicken breasts on both sides. (Go easy on the salt, the ham and cheese are both salty.)
Cook each breast in a small amount of extra virgin olive oil.
Let chicken slightly cool and then put in the fridge for 30 minutes. (You want to cool the chicken all the way through so that it won't over-cook when you bake it in the oven.)
Heat oven to 350.
Take the pizza dough or crescent and lay flat. Cut dough down the middle into 2 equal parts.
In the center of each piece of dough spread some of the Dijon mustard. On top of the mustard place 2 pieces of ham, 1 piece of cheese and then top with the whole chicken breast. Then place the other piece of cheese and the other 2 pieces of ham on top of the chicken.
Gather the edges of the dough and wrap up all of the ingredients into a nice little bundle. Don't be afraid if the dough tears or if you need to take some off one side to close up a whole on the other. They don't need to look perfect. If you want to brush the top of the bundles with some egg wash, feel free.
Bake for 35 minutes or until crust is golden and cooked through. Since the filling is already cooked, you are really just baking the dough. But you don't want to bake at 375 like the dough directions say or it will cook too fast and the inside won't get hot enough.

Calico Burgers

I found this one on one of my favorite recipe websites allrecipes.com and it looked interesting to me. It's a nice change to a regular burger. I will be trying this one soon. Should be 4 servings.

You Will Need:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup cooked rice (I think you could use bread crumbs as well)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash pepper
BARBECUE SAUCE:
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons chili sauce (I am not sure what chili sauce is, I will probably just leave it out.)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Here's What You Do:
In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; mix well.
Shape into four to six oval patties.
Grill over hot coals until meat reaches desired doneness, about 15-20 minutes.
Combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan; simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with burgers.

Nacho Chicken Pitas

Ok, this one is not mine but I loved the idea for a breading on chicken for little ones (or picky big ones). Not SUPER healthy with the chips but not too bad either. It came from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen. Should make 4 servings.

You Will Need:
1 Egg
1 cup Crushed Nacho Tortilla Chips
1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
1/2 cup Mayo
4 Pita Bread Pockets, halved
8 Lettuce Leaves
1 Large Tomato, sliced
1/2 cup Shredded Cheese of your choice

Here's What You Do:
Preheat oven to 400.
Beat egg.
Put crushed chips into a shallow dish.
Dip chicken strips into the egg mixture, then coat with the crushed chips.
Place chicken in a single layer in a greased baking dish.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Spread mayo in pockets and load up with cooled chicken strips, lettuce, tomato and shredded cheese.

Pizza Chicken Roll-Ups

This one is not mine but looked good for picky kids. It came from the Taste of Home Ultimate Chicken Cookbook from a woman in Oregon, Ohio. (Kind of weird huh?) Anyway only 4 main ingredients, most stuff you probably have on hand all the time. If you make it, let me know how it turns out!

You Will Need:
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
12 Pepperoni Slices
8 Slices of Mozzarella Cheese (4 for stuffing, 4 for topping)
1 Jar of Pizza Sauce (I would use Marinara Sauce, but that's just me)
Salt and Pepper to Taste.


Here's What You Do:
Flatten chicken to 1/4 inch thick. (Trick, place chicken in a Ziplock bag or between 2 pieces of wax paper to avoid a big mess.)
Salt and Pepper chicken on both sides.
Place 3 slices of pepperoni and one slice of cheese on top of each chicken breast.
Note: The recipe doesn't say this, but if it were me I would add a small amount of sauce on top of the pepperoni and cheese to add a bit of moisture. Also this might be a good place to add some sliced mushrooms, the ones in the jar would be perfect!!)
Roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks.
Place in a greased baking dish (not too crowded).
Spoon the sauce over the top. (I would put a little on the bottom too.)
Cover and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
Uncover and top with remaining cheese.
Cook 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.