Chicken Roll-ups

These are some of my favorite things!  They are pretty easy to make and everyone in my family loves them! (always a plus when everyone will eat what you make, right?)  I originally got this recipe years ago, from who knows where and have been making it ever since.  I don't always do it the same each time, depends on my mood but here's my basic recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (if they are small, use 3, if they are big, use 2)

8 oz. cream cheese

2-3 pgks. crescent rolls (I make my homemade ones but if you are short on time, Pillsbury will help you out)

2-3 cans of chicken gravy (once again, I make my own, but if you want to use canned stuff, it works)

1 can mushrooms, optional

2 tbs. melted butter

garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, other seasonings you prefer, just use to taste.

1/2 c. butter, melted (may need more)

1 c. bread crumbs, plain or Italian (may need more)

Here's a quick tip before you cook your chicken:  add a cube of boullion while you are cooking it and it adds lots of extra flavor.

In a bowl, combine your chicken, cream cheese, mushrooms, 2 tbsp. melted butter and seasonings.  Mix until there are no cream cheese lumps.

Spread out your crescent rolls (or roll out and cut into triangles if making your own). Place a heaping tablespoon onto the crescent rolls.

Roll up to form a bundle, starting from big end.

Roll the bundle in the melted butter, then roll in the bread crumbs.

Place on a cookie sheet.  Bake for about 14 minutes at 375, or until golden brown.

While those are cooking, either heat or make your gravy.  If you are using the canned stuff, add some onion and pepper to it to give it a bit more flavor.

Once the bundles are finished, pour some gravy over before serving.  Have a yummy dinner!!

These freeze great too so don't worry about making extras =)

Gravy Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 cubes chicken bouillon (let it dissolve in teh water before you add it to the pan)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter
• seasonings to taste: pepper, garlic, poultry seasoning, etc

Melt half the butter in a sauce pan, saute onions.  Add the flour to make a roux (kind of like a paste). Add the other half of the butter, water, and bouillon.  Add other seasonings to taste Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until thickened.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken and Fried Rice

I have been looking for a good sweet and sour recipe. I posted one earlier that was pretty good, but it didn't have the breading.  My hubby wanted to have the breaded kind.  Then I found this and I have made it several times.  It's a hit!  This is definitely a regular now.  I have also been looking for a good friend rice recipe and lucky for me, the blog Life in a Lofthouse, had both the fried rice and sweet and sour chicken.  Score!!

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Courtesy of Life in the Lofthouse

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup  oil

The sweet and sour sauce: (I actually doubled mine so I could have extra sauce for my rice)

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

       Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Cube your chicken Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your  oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9×13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.

Fried Rice

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)

3 Tablespoons sesame oil (or vegetable oil)

1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small onion, chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 eggs, slightly beaten

3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce

      On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!

Try adding some diced ham, or green onion. Yum!