When you plan a meal with Ben, you better bring your A game. He understands the need for a balanced meal, but he usually just throws all his favorite things out there and hopes that a few of them will stick. The moment you agree to something he suggests, he immediately adds another item. He is so skilled at this, that when he is finished, you feel a little disoriented and you think, “Wait, why do we need beef and pork? Did I just agree to potatoes, pasta and rice?”
When Ben was 13, the two of us drove alone together across the country to go to a family reunion. After about nine hours of driving on our return trip, I was tired, but Ben was gaining speed. He finished a litany of foods with “Right, Mom?” Absentmindedly, I answered “Yes,” and immediately regretted it, wondering if he tricked me into agreeing to furnish him with a banquet of some sort there on the highway. I quickly corrected myself and told him that I wasn’t paying attention and that I didn’t know what he was talking about.
Exasperated, he scolded, “What do you mean, you don’t know what I’m talking about?” His voice was raised and his hands gestured passionately. “I’m talking about mayonnaise! Focus!”
I can’t even remember what all he wanted tonight, but I plea bargained it down to deconstructed chicken cordon bleu, pasta, and a salad. I count it as a win.
Quick Chicken Cordon Bleu
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6-8 slices Swiss cheese (approx. 6 oz.)
6-8 slices deli ham (approx. 6 oz.)
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 ½ – 2 c. milk
1 cube chicken bouillon
2 t. Dijon mustard
½ – 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
½ lemon
1 c. bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400⁰ and spray bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray. Place chicken thighs flat on the bottom of the baking dish. Put slices of cheese on top of chicken. Put ham slices on top of cheese.
In a non-stick pan, make a sauce. Melt butter and add flour, continually stirring until a paste forms and cook for another minute or two. Very gradually, add milk, constantly whisking. When all the milk has been added, cook a few minutes until it thickens. Add bouillon cube and stir until dissolved. Add Worcestershire sauce and mustard, then remove from heat. Squeeze lemon into sauce and stir.
Pour sauce over chicken, cheese and ham. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Loyal reader, Kristie, sent a picture of her rendition, using breasts instead of thighs.
