Ingredient: smoked gouda

Prosciutto-Wrapped Roasted Chicken Breast

CELEBRATING FATHER’S DAY!

Today is full of memories for Brion & I. My father passed away in 2005 and Brion’s in 2011. There is never a week that goes by that we don’t reminisce about something we remember about one or the other. Our Dad’s were men who always had great, real-life stories to tell. If only those stories had been recorded or written down so we could enjoy them once again.

They each followed a very different path on their life’s journey; my father was a farmer and Brion’s an army soldier. Both of them gave so much of themselves to their life’s work as well as to their families.

There are never enough words to describe just how important they were to us and what a powerful influence they continue to be. A father’s love is such a special gift beyond compare. You only know the meaning when he is no longer there.

For this blog post, I’m preparing a meal I think they both would have enjoyed. The sweetness of cooked strawberries creates a lovely balance with the saltiness of the prosciutto and the smoked gouda cheese.

Print Recipe
 Prosciutto-Wrapped Roasted Chicken Breast
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword prosciutto wrapped roasted chicken breast
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken Breast
Raspberry-Pepper Sauce
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword prosciutto wrapped roasted chicken breast
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken Breast
Raspberry-Pepper Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Chicken
  1. Butterfly chicken breasts & lay out flat; season with salt & pepper. In each chicken breast, add about 1/4 cup sliced strawberries, 2 green onions & about 30 gm smoked cheese. Allow green onions to stick out from both ends of the breast. Fold the breast closed & place another 30 gm cheese on top.
  2. On your work surface, lay out 3 slices of prosciutto, overlapping slightly. Place the stuffed chicken breast at one end of the prosciutto & begin rolling. Repeat with second chicken breast. As you roll, the prosciutto will stick to itself.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Drizzle breasts with olive oil & roast for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Place on serving dish & keep warm.
Raspberry-Pepper Sauce
  1. In a microwave safe dish, whisk together raspberry preserve & hot pepper jelly. Heat in microwave.
Serving
  1. Drizzle warm sauce over chicken breast & serve. This chicken is excellent with rice & steamed broccoli.

Smoked Gouda & Asparagus Stuffed Turkey Breast

I think it would be safe to say that turkey still rules the day as the most traditional centerpiece for the Canadian Christmas dinner. Canada is a country with a very diverse background, so we enjoy a mix of cuisines and traditions from all over the world. Although that festive foul remains the center focus, other dishes on the table are undoubtedly reflecting how Canadian tastes are changing.

The fact that people are travelling more, our knowledge of food has expanded dramatically. Its all about flavor now, which has led us to more exotic spices and ingredients. We have become much more sophisticated in our approach to preparing food.

Other changes at the holiday table are a result of the large numbers of people who have opted to become vegetarian or people by choice or health reasons need gluten-free dishes. If you are preparing your holiday meal around these different ways of eating or requirements, it will mean being more thoughtful about what you prepare.

Another noticeable shift has come with the desserts served after the big meal. The days are gone, for most part, for the traditional, heavier desserts. These choices used to consist of mincemeat pies, steamed puddings or fruitcake to name a few. The trend now is leaning more to lighter, fruity and creamy flavors such as lemon.

The big thing is, no matter what your meal entails, enjoy it to the fullest as this time, day and year will never come again. Once again, we opted to have stuffed turkey breast instead of roasting the whole bird. The ‘seeded’ crust added a new dimension that we really enjoyed.


Print Recipe


Smoked Gouda & Asparagus Stuffed Turkey Breast

Votes: 3
Rating: 3
You:
Rate this recipe!

Course Main Dish
Cuisine American

Servings


Ingredients

Course Main Dish
Cuisine American

Servings


Ingredients

Votes: 3
Rating: 3
You:
Rate this recipe!


Instructions
  1. Trim asparagus stems & steam, slightly in microwave. Shred Gouda cheese. In a food processor, combine panko crumbs, oatmeal, 4 kinds of seeds, spices & salt; pulse slightly.

  2. Set out 3 large plates. Add flour to the first one, beat egg with 1 Tbsp water in the second one. The third one is for your pulsed mixture. Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter a large piece of heavy foil, making a circle about the same size of turkey breast.

  3. Keeping the whole breast intact, flatten slightly to create uniform thickness. Coat breast on both sides with flour, then egg wash and lastly in the seed mixture. Coat completely, INSIDE & OUT (the seed mixture acts like a thin layer of bread stuffing).

  4. Place breast on foil & layer one side with half of the ham, asparagus & cheese; repeat again with remaining filling. Place other side of breast on top so your filling is enclosed. If necessary, use some toothpicks to secure stuffed breast during roasting time. Cup sides of foil fairly close to meat.

  5. Roast, covered for 2 hours, remove top piece of foil & continue to bake another hour or until 185 F. is reached on a meat thermometer. Remove from oven & allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing.