Robyn's Recipes

Meal of the Week

Entree

(I made this recipe last week, and it was excellent!  Perfect
for company or any regular weeknight meal.  You can
also assemble the chicken roll ahead of time and keep
refrigerated until the next day or it can even be frozen
and baked at a later date!)

Chicken Roulé

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 pint fresh mushrooms, sliced
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried chives
1 can Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375º.

Place the chicken breasts side by side between two
pieces of plastic wrap.
Beat with a heavy meat mallet until about 1/2-inch
thick and joined together.

Place the ground beef and onions into a frying pan
and fry until just about browned.
Add 3/4 of the sliced mushrooms, and
continue frying, for just a few more minutes
until meat is done.
Add a little salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer,
combine the cream cheese with the garlic
powder and dried chives.

Peel off top layer of plastic wrap from the
chicken and carefully turn upside down onto a
board, and then remove the second piece of plastic
wrap.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the chicken layer.
Top the cream cheese with the beef mixture, spread it
over evenly.

Gently roll the chicken in a sort of jelly-roll
fashion, length-wise.
(If chicken layer tears here and there, it's ok.  It's
difficult to get it to roll perfectly.)

Carefully place the entire chicken roll into a
roasting pan, putting about 1/4 water into the
bottom of pan to keep from drying out or burning.
Cover with aluminum foil or a lid, and bake in
oven for about an hour.

About 10 minutes before chicken is done,
in a saucepan on top of stove, pour the golden mushroom
soup, milk and the rest of the sliced mushrooms together.
Mix well with a spoon or a whisk, and heat up until hot
and bubbly.

When the meat is done, cut into slices and serve
the gravy over top.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Side Dishes

Steamed Snow Pea Pods

1 lb. fresh or frozen snow pea pods

Steam pea pods until crisp tender, and serve.

Baked Barley Casserole

1 cup barley
Butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
5 cups chicken broth

Brown the barley in a little butter and the oil.
Place in a casserole.
Brown the onions in butter, and add them
to the barley.  Add salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.
Add 3 cups chicken broth, cover and place
in oven at 350º for about 1 hour, or until moisture
is almost absorbed.  Add another 2 cups broth,
and cook, covered, until absorbed (approximately 
45 more minutes).

Makes 4-6 servings.

Dessert

Apple Cake

1-3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 large eggs
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 Granny Smith apples
1 stick butter, melted
2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350º.
Into a bowl, sift together the flour and the baking
powder.  In another bowl with an electric mixer,
beat together the eggs and the granulated sugar until
the mixture is thick and pale and beat in the flour mixture
in batches, beating until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into a sprayed or greased 13X9 inch
baking pan.
On it, arrange the apples, peeled, cored and cut
into 1/4-inch thick slices, in one layer, overlapping
the slices, and drizzle the butter over them.  In a small
bowl, stir together the brown sugar and the cinnamon,
sprinkle the mixture over the apple slices, and bake
the cake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes,
or until a tester comes out clean.