Easter Lunch

Yesterday I had the most wonderful mix of family and friends over for Easter Lunch. What was so great is that I prepared the entire meal the day before, except for the pancakes. It was a nice informal lunch, but the dishes were anything but. I had a nice mix of recipes from Paula Dean, the Best of Bridge, and Micheal Smith - true down home cooking.

We started off with the seven layer salad, and a spinach, feta, cranberry salad with an easy olive oil and apple cider vinaigrette.

Then we had an incredible potato, onion, bacon casserole that was totally impressive looking, but so easy to make. I also served up Paula Dean's Deep Fried Macaroni Balls, Low Carb Scotch Eggs, homemade pancakes, turkey sandwiches with lemon aioli, banana bread with Philly cream cheese, strawberries, and of course, champagne and orange juice. Will post recipes soon, just enjoying my beer and some Fleetwood Mac this Easter Monday.

Brie and Sage Stuffed Chicken Breasts - Province Newspaper

I got this super delicious chicken dish from the Province Newspaper the other morning. I made it that evening and loved every morsel of it. Use butterflied chicken breasts. I found that putting the brie cheese in, though I didn't chill it first, always seems to slip out of the chicken for me. You can add it, but then just before you serve, melt some more on top. The marinade really makes this chicken fantastic. Cut cheese into equal pieces to the amount of chicken you use and top with two sage leaves and wrap with a slice of proscruitto. Fold the chicken over this bundle and secure with toothpicks, which I see now I forgot to use. Salt and pepper chicken. Then you chop a little more sage, stir in 1/4 cup of ketchup, I used sugar free, with about 3 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp. of maple extract, or syrup if you like, 3 tbsp. of mustard, and a little garlic. Simmer the marinade for a few minute to reduce. Slop over the chicken breasts that are in a casserole dish. You know this recipe actually calls for you to grill this recipe. I cooked the chicken for about 20 minutes at my favorite temperature, 350. When you take the chicken out, put a little more brie on it if you need to. So good. XO