Two Old Favorites

I haven't made either of these in a long time; they've been in my cookbook for years. The first comes from the Pepperidge Farm folks inside the box of puff pastry. It's really a simple recipe - you just have to clear a spot on your counter somewhere to roll out the squares. That's the difficulty for me, since I'm such a slob. But I managed. This is a great oven recipe for cold nights when you want the oven to hep heat your house.

Chicken in Pastry
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 T butter
1 large square (half of a box) puff pastry, thawed
6 T garlic-herb cheese spread (Rondele, Alouette, for example), divided
egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 T water)

Brown breasts in butter until cooked through. Place in refrigerator at least 15 minutes to cool. Preheat oven to 425˚. Cut large square of pastry in quarters. On a lightly floured surface, roll each one out to 9-10 inches square. Put 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture on a square and top with a cooked chicken breast. Brush egg wash around the edges of the pastry, and gather edges together to enclose the chicken. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet. Repeat with other 3 pieces. Brush tops with more egg wash. Bake 25 minutes or until pastry is golden. Serves 4.














I've written about El Mexicano before, the authentic Mexican restaurant up here in the mountains in our little town. They're open for breakfast on the weekends, and with some of the entrees you can get their potatoes instead of rice and beans. I've managed to duplicate their potatoes here at home:

Mexican Breakfast Potatoes
3 slices bacon
1 large potato, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
2-3 tablespoons chopped bell pepper, any color
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped tomato

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon. Add potatoes to skillet. Cook over medium heat until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add butter to skillet, and let melt; add onion, green pepper, and garlic. Saute until tender. Stir in potatoes, bacon, salt and tomatoes. Heat through. Serve immediately. 4-6 servings.

food & drink