Feeling Blue...For Dinner???

Dahlin's, you have spoken and your wish is my command! The following fresh post features one of my absolute favorite recipes from that daring, dark-haired, lovely, loud-mouth, celebrity chef, Rachael Ray! It was definitely love (or maybe lust) at first sight when I initially laid eyes on this recipe. The hands of time stopped and my fabulous foodie fairy-tale had come true! They say "it's all in a name"...Could you possibly go wrong serving up a recipe entitled "Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Bleu Cheese?!?" I admit, Bleu Cheese is an acquired taste for many and much like liver, brussels sprouts, or Aunt Mary's Mystery Meat Loaf, you either learn to love it or hate it! I am sure you can tell by this post that I am definitely pitching for the Bleu Team in this culinary feat. If you feel it would be terribly tragic for you to ingest any of this buttery, blue stuff, feel free to substitute out a milder yet equally delicious cheese like Brie, Provolone, Swiss, or even a Sharp Cheddar. Once you decide on the cheese of your choice; prep your ingredients, pre-heat your oven and put this perfect poultry project to the test!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Bleu Cheese

Ingredients

2 large, boneless chicken breasts, skinned
3/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
4 slices good-quality center cut bacon
1 tablespoon E.V.O.O. (extra virgin olive oil, that's for you Rachael!)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons grainy mustard

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 375*.

Butterfly the chicken breast pieces by cutting across the breast but not all the way through. Open the breasts up and pound lightly between parchment paper. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Cover the chicken cutlets with bleu cheese crumbles, pecans and scallions in equal amounts. Roll the chicken, wrap each roll with two slices bacon and secure with toothpicks. Season the outside of the rolls with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken evenly all over, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a small baking sheet, place in the oven and cook 10 minutes more.

Melt the butter in the same skillet pan the chicken was seared in. Whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock. Let thicken a minute then whisk in the half-and-half and grain mustard, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to warm.

Halve the chicken and stack to show off the center. Set chicken in gravy or pour over top.

Turn this chic chicken concoction into a masterpiece meal for two by baking up a batch of Pilsbury Grands, serving it up with a side of sauteed spinach and a dollop of cranberries spiked with a bit of ginger or citrus zest to finish the plate.

Home-tested, tried and true, this wowie for a weekday meal can go from pantry to plate in 35 minutes or less. Next time you come home, weary from work and fretful about food, don't be blue; eat bleu for TWO!

Good eatings and be sure to stay tuned, dahlin's!