Step By Step Dinner Party! {recipes}

When I was 18 and just starting cooking school this was the first real meal I made for my now Husband. Last night for our Anniversary meal, I recreated this meal for Hubby. Its a great meal to entertain with, looks and sounds super fancy, sure to impress anyone. Want to have a dinner party but don't know what to serve? Here is step by step instructions for an easy and impressive dinner!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Duchesse Potatoes

Glazed Carrots

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu:

You will need:

1 Chicken Breast per person

Ham slices or Prosciutto (1 slice per chicken breast)

Swiss Cheese (about 1 slice per chicken breast)

1 egg beaten

1/2 c flour seasoned with Salt and Pepper

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Baking Sheet Lined with Parchment

1) Prep! Make sure your ham and Swiss cheese are sliced and ready on a plate, you don't want to be trying to get it out of the package while you have chicken all over your hands. 
Beat the egg with a tiny bit of water in a shallow bowl.
Pour some bread crumbs on a plate, make a breading station/line, something like this....

Set it up to go from flour to pan

These are the bread crumbs my mom always used, go with what you know!

2) Get the sharpest knife you have and cut a pocket in the fattest part of the chicken breast. You want it to be pretty deep, but make sure that you don't "stab" through the other side. Stuff one slice of cheese, or more if your a cheese lover, into the pocket. Stuff one slice of ham into the same pocket, a good little hint is to either wrap the cheese in the ham, or put the cheese in first. This way when you cook it, all the cheese won't melt out of your chicken breast.

3) Now to go to your breading station you set up, this gets pretty messy. Try and use one hand for the dry and one for the egg, this helps but its still gonna get messy.
--First dredge (dip) the chicken breast in the seasoned flour.
--Then in the egg, making sure its completely covered in egg  this is how the the bread crumbs will stick.
--Then cover in bread crumbs both sides, don't miss any spots! And place on the parchment lined baking sheet.

Before the Oven

You can make this up in the morning, cover the whole baking sheet with plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge until an hour before your dinner party. Then just preheat your oven to 375, uncover the sheet and throw it in the oven. 3 steps!! That's it!



Bake for 45 minutes @ 375 degrees, until internal temp is 160 degrees.

 Now for the sides!

Duchesse Potatoes

You will Need:

Enough Potatoes for everyone attending, I usually count 1 1/2 -2 potatoes per person

1 egg yolk

Splash of cream...or milk if you don't have cream in the house

Bit of melted butter

Salt and Pepper

Baking Sheet lined with Parchment

1) Peel and cut your potatoes into small pieces. You are making mashed potatoes, so the smaller you cut the potatoes the faster they cook. Also I always cut them small when making Duchesse because you don't want ANY lumps at all. You are going to be piping these and the lumps get stuck in the tip.

2) Cook the potatoes in salted water, make sure the water is completely covering ALL of the potatoes. Boil them until when poked with a fork the pieces break. Drain, potatoes and either put them in the bowl of your kitchen aid OR leave them in the pot if you are going to be using a hand mixer. I don't recommend using a potato masher, you want to whip the potatoes so there are no lumps.

3) Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and add some butter. Turn whatever kind of mixer you are using on medium low. With the mixer still running add the egg yolk and the cream or milk. Continue beating until they are smooth and everything is mixed in.

4) Use a piping bag fitted with the widest star tip you have, fill the piping bag just as if you were filling it with icing. Pipe the potatoes in a swirly motion, make the base circle first then pipe them up nice and tall. I remember the first 2 months of making these in school was brutal, mind you they were all being judged. When making them at home they don't have to be completely straight and all the exact same size.



They don't all have to be the same size to be pretty! The little ones were for Charlee.



Using a spoon, drizzle a little melted butter over each one.

5) When the chicken is almost done, turn the pan (or put it on the bottom rack) and put the potatoes in for 10 minutes, you just want to heat the potatoes back up, then turn on the broiler to give them a nice golden brown color.

Glazed Carrots

You will need:

Carrots (lots, these are going to be a hit) Cut into match sticks

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

2 tbsp Butter

Saute Pan

1) Peel and cut the carrots, however you want, but I do matchsticks. Steam them until they are still a little crunchy

2) While you are steaming the carrots, heat the frying pan with the butter and brown sugar in it. Until melted, then take off heat until the carrots are ready.

3) Dump the steamed carrots into the hot sugar and butter and saute until they sugar becomes thick and sticky. Done!!

all plated up



For our dessert last night we had Funky Munky Cupcakes to finish off the dinner. They were delish! But if your not the cupcake type maybe try the quick and easy Rocky Road Parfait.

We didn't do an appetizer but you can check out a few of my other recipes if you are entertaining guests.

Phyllo Cups with Cream Cheese
Spinach Triangles
Baked Brie

So next time you want to make a "fancy" meal try this! The post looks quite long, but I assure you its super easy! If you have any questions, just email! Id be happy to answer them =) Happy Cooking!