Birthday weekend

My birthday was Friday the 6th (yesterday) and Brian's is today, June 7th. He took me to dinner last night and bought me a fantastic new purse. And today I cooked him dinner. I also got him so new clothes for our upcoming cruise.

I decided to try a new recipe I got from a friend - chicken cordon bleu. It did not disappoint. It was soooo yummy. I also decided that since it's a special occasion, I'd put stuff on serving dishes instead of just serving ourselves out of the pans. Here's the spread before we dug in:

Here's the recipe in case anyone wants to try it. It's not exactly diet-friendly and it's sinfully rich, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Chicken Cordon Blue
Ingredients-
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices ham
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions-

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

I also made two cakes. I used my new Martha Stewart Stencils on one of them. It was a little messy and it's not quite perfect, but I think it's pretty good for my first time using them. I am also not that skilled an icer, which I didn't realize until I saw the picture. Oh well - still tasted quite good.