Chicken Cordon Bleu and Surf & Turf Cajun Pasta (I promise you will love them!)

I have two new DELICIOUS recipes for y'all. 

The first is surprisingly easy and ridiculously yummy.  I mean, like really good! 

Chicken Cordon Blue

I found this on Pinterest via a blog called White Lights on Wednesday.  

Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
• 12 slices deli honey ham (I used Black Forest Ham from the Kroger deli)
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 6 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese

Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk ( I used 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, because why not, and 1/4 cup milk)
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard {if you like a strong mustard taste, use 1 tablespoon}
• ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Parsley, for garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Coat a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter; set aside.
3. Lay all of the chicken breast halves in a single layer in the bottom of your baking dish – unlike the traditional CCB recipe, there is no second layer of chicken in this dish. Top each breast with two slices of ham and 1 slice of cheese, so that the entire breast is covered. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (clear juices), the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are golden brown. You may want to broil the chicken for a minute or two to really brown the bread crumbs.
5. While the chicken bakes, melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux, cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Mine started burning after about 45 seconds so don't let it burn.  Move on if yours starts burning.  Slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream/milk and chicken broth while whisking constantly, make sure there are no clumps. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese, until the cheese is melted. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm.
6. Remove chicken from oven, plate, and top with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

I also found this next recipe on Pinterest and it is a Pioneer Woman recipe.  LOVE her!

I forgot to thaw my steaks out so I actually ended up just making "Surf" pasta but I know it would be even more delicious with the "Turf".

Surf & Turf Cajun Pasta

Ingredients

• 4 whole 6-ounce Beef Filet Steaks 1 1/2 Inches Thick (or Any Small/petite Steak)
• Cajun Seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 pound Jumbo Shrimp, Deveined & Shells Removed  (I just buy the large frozen cooked shrimp in the frozen seafood section.  Thaw by running cold water over them and pull tails off before cooking.)
• 1 whole Small Red Onion, Halved And Sliced
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded, Halved, And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded, Halved, And Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 cup White Wine (Plus a little more for drinking while you cook)  :)
• 1-1/2 cup Low-sodium Chicken Broth (more To Taste)
• 3/4 cups Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
• 2 whole Tomatoes, Diced (I left this out)
• Minced Parsley, To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine, Rigatoni, Or Other Noodle (I used Fettuccine)

Preparation Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Season steaks generously with Cajun spice. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steaks until dark golden brown on both sides. Remove to an oven-safe plate or dish. Place in the oven and continue cooking until medium rare, about 12 minutes.
• Add additional 1 tablespoon butter and another tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and allow to melt/get hot. Season shrimp liberally with Cajun spice and throw into the skillet. Cook until opaque and deep golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Throw in onion and bell pepper, then cook for a couple of minutes until golden brown and color but still somewhat crisp. Add garlic and cook around for 30-45 seconds. Remove veggies to a plate and set aside.
• With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Add Parmesan and stir to melt. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
• Finally, add vegetables to the sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine, minced parsley, and toss to combine. Splash in more chicken broth if it needs more liquid.
• Mound pasta on plates and nest a warm steak in the middle. Arrange shrimp around the edge of the plate. Sprinkle with a little more minced parsley and serve!

~Jewels*