i do not like asparagus one bit.  bran sent me this recipe, and i almost used broccoli instead of asparagus.  i decided to take a risk and try the asparagus and throw in extra mushrooms… it ended up tasting delicious.   this recipe is from cooking light and you can check out their website for the nutrition info.

go ahead, eat your veggies and like them, too!

• 1/2 c bread crumbs
• 3 3/4 c uncooked egg noodles
• 2 1/2 c sliced asparagus
• 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 c milk
• 1 c fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3/4 c finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 c cubed ham (8 oz.)
• 1/4 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 c chopped fresh mushrooms
• 2 tbsp grated fresh parmesan cheese

1. preheat oven to 450°.
2. cook pasta in boiling water 7 min., omitting salt and fat.  add asparagus; cook 1 min. drain.
3. lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.  place flour, thyme, salt and pepper in medium bowl; gradually add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk until well-blended.
4. melt the butter in large wok over medium high heat.  add the onion; saute 4 min.  add milk mixture mixture; cook until thick (about 4 min.), stirring constantly.  remove from heat and stir in juice.
5. combine the pasta mixture, milk mixture, ham, mushrooms and parsley in wok; spoon into a 2-qt. casserole (or 9×13″ pan).  sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese.
6. bake for 10 min. or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.

enjoy!

monte cristos are delicious.  bennigan’s makes a pretty mean one, even though there is no way i could ever eat one by myself.  these are my new favorite monte cristo… the portion size is reasonable and the egg wash on top just makes these delicious!

• 1/4 lb, chopped deli ham
• 1/4 lb. chopped deli turkey
• 1/2 c mozzarella cheese, chopped
• 1/2 c cheddar or american cheese, chopped
• 8 biscuits (from the fridge tube or frozen leftovers, thawed)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• powdered sugar
• raspberry jam

1. heat oven to 375°.
2. in a medium bowl, mix ham, turkey and cheese.
3. separate dough into 8 biscuits.  press or roll each to form 6-7″ round.
4. place 1/3 c ham mixture on one side of each biscuit round.  fold dough over filling.  press edges to seal with a fork.  place on un-greased cookie sheet.
5. in a small bowl, beat egg, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg.  brush over tops of filled biscuits.  bake 12-19 minutes or until golden brown.  sprinkle with powdered sugar.  serve with jam.

enjoy!

chicken cordon bleu is a tasty meal and this is a pretty fun meal to cook.  i really enjoyed the sauce from this dish and the seasoning in the filling.  source

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 8 slices cooked ham
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• dried thyme
• 1/4 c melted butter
• 1/2 c bread crumbs
• 1 10.75 oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

1. preheat oven to 375°.
2. place each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to about 1/8″ thickness.  top with a slice of ham and add about 2 tbsp cheese on top.  sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper to taste.  roll up chicken breast jelly roll style, tucking in sides and rolling up.  you may want to secure the rolls with a toothpick, i didn’t find it to be necessary.
3. place rolls in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish.
4. brush the top of the roll with melted butter and rub crumbs on top of chicken rolls.
5. bake at 375° for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear.  serve with chicken cordon bleu sauce.
6. to make the chicken cordon blue sauce: in a small saucepan, mix together the soup, sour cream and lemon juice.  heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, and serve hot over chicken rolls.

enjoy!